Dedham, Mass.— Fueled by rapid growth of products with open digital communication capabilities, the worldwide digital valve positioner market will almost triple from 122,000 units to over 350,000 units by 2005, according to a new study, "Control Valve Worldwide Outlook," by the ARC Advisory Group. This market has exploded in the past three years, growing from near insignificance to 122,000 units.

"The importance of intelligent valve positioners to overall process productivity is no longer being overlooked," says David Clayton, ARC's senior analyst. "Manufacturers in the process industries are realizing numerous benefits by integrating intelligent positioners with plant asset management (PAM) systems."

Joining digital positioners and PAM systems lets manufactures establish predictive maintenance environments that help eliminate costly scheduled repairs. Besides connecting valves to PAM systems, digital positioners are used on valves in inaccessible locations, which reduces maintenance visits."

For more information, visit www.arcweb.com or www.controleng.com/freeinfo.