2018 CORPORATE PRO AV MARKET ANALYSIS

The corporate market continues to account for the largest segment of pro-AV revenue. According to AVIXA’s Industry Outlook Trends and Analysis (IOTA), pro-AV solutions for corporate office environments are expected to generate nearly US$15 billion in revenue in the Americas in 2018. Growth is expected to be somewhat slower than the overall industry, at 1.5 percent annually from 2017 through 2022. AVIXA’s new 2018 Market Opportunity Analysis Report (MOAR) covering the corporate market examines the opportunities and challenges for providers of pro-AV solutions and technologies. Findings include:

Increasing productivity: is the main driver to corporate AV spending. This takes increasingly different forms today, as many office workers are being reached on mobile platforms such as tablets, laptops, and smartphones, rather than via traditional desktops or in conventional conference rooms. Often these mobile devices are brought in by the employees themselves, creating security and content sharing challenges. Workforces are also often distributed, requiring collaboration technologies for empowering teams.

Back to Home Base: Despite mobility, organisations are pulling the focus back to the office environment. While companies still seek to provide workers the flexibility to determine when and where they can do their best work, a growing faction of corporate America is attempting to create more innovation by bringing employees back to home base. AV technology implementation is the way for companies striving to make the office a modern workspace, in part by improving user experiences.

US$12 billion in 2018 AV : Corporate sizing of project plans affirms the size and scope of the pro-AV opportunity. Given the broad and diverse challenges faced by the current business environment, decision-makers remain focused on upgrading or installing audiovisual technologies and solutions to support office workers. This is reflected in increased planned capital expenditure among corporate technology managers to the tune of approximately $181 billion in the U.S. for 2018. This translates to nearly $12 billion in AV systems investments this year.

Conference Rooms Rule: Consistent with an office focus, plans emphasise collaboration space. Project plans focus mostly on upgrading AV products and services that are utilised in conference rooms, both large and small as well as incorporating AV technologies like audio equipment and capture and production equipment. Integration of existing key solutions will be a part of these plans, with significant increases for security and surveillance systems and wireless presentation technology.

“What used to be a series of disconnected flagship conference rooms have become communication and collaboration points, tied together with networks,” said Sean Wargo, Senior Director of Market Intelligence, AVIXA. “What were cookie-cutter office buildings have become statements of corporate identity, brand, and culture. Where individuals used to be housed in a rabbit warren of individual offices, open concepts with privacy rooms and huddle spaces have emerged to facilitate inter-team coordination. All the while, some companies are instead down-sizing their headquarters or local offices to encourage and support telecommuting and remote work.”

MOAR: Corporate is the second in a series of 2018 vertical market studies, with forthcoming reports on sports venues, hospitality, education, and transportation. The retail report was released in May. The corporate report is available for purchase at www.avixa.org/MOARCorporate. AVIXA members are eligible for discounts.