InfoComm study predicts bullish 2010 for av industry

The study – carried out by the trade body mainly with North American companies, but with an input from the UK and Europe – puts the ‘InfoComm Performance Index’ (IPI) at just 57.1, against 59.4 in July. Based on expressed confidence by respondents to the InfoComm International Economic Shapshot Survey, the IPI stood at 70.4 in September 2008, but fell dramatically in the first six months of 2009. It is now expected to rise to 63.8 by early 2010.

Demand has fallen with performance, but is also expected to rise during the next six months. The InfoComm Demand Index (IDI), which measures end-user demand for av products and services, has continued to fall. It hit a new low of 51.1 in July and was expected to fall to 47.2 by the end of 2009.

But despite four quarters of bad news, InfoComm is bullish about the future, saying that ‘there are several indicators suggesting that the industry is at least maintaining the status quo if not poised to rebound in 2010.

Markets av companies expect to be ‘most promising’ in 2010 include higher education (16.2 per cent), corporate offices, other than financial (11 per cent), schools/education (7 per cent), government/military (6 per cent) and healthcare (5 per cent).