Gothenburg, Sweden – December 23, 2008: According to new a research report from the analyst firm Berg Insight, the number of fleet management systems deployed in commercial fleets in Europe was 1.3 million in Q4-2008, an increase of 23.8 percent year-on-year. Growth is expected to continue in 2009 but the annual growth rate is projected to decrease to 15.4 percent. “The coming years will be another difficult period for the telematics industry in Europe”, said Tobias Ryberg, senior analyst, Berg Insight. “However there are no reasons to believe that adoption of a technology which is proven to improve efficiency will stop. The main problems are that end-users for various reasons do not make investments right now and that the addressable market is shrinking as commercial vehicle fleet utilisation declines. Some of the financial incentives are also being weakened as fuel prices fall from the previous record levels.”
Berg Insight believes that the downturn will prompt a consolidation of the industry and a correction of the market. “There are simply too many players on the market and now there is no longer room for everyone”, said Ryberg. He believes that consolidation will take place both within the industry and through acquisitions by external players. With fewer larger players left on the market he predicts that the intense price competition will relax somewhat and create room for more sustainable profit margins.
