• 1661900026978 Cover

    Our 13th Annual Readers' Choice Awards

    Dec. 17, 2004
    Find out who won as readers broadcast their opinions on the best suppliers in the process control and automation industry in CONTROL magazine's 13th Annual Readers' Choice Awards.
    Ā By Steve Kuehn, Managing Editor

    A

    s we have done every year since 1991 weĀ’re broadcasting our readersĀ’ opinions of process automation and control technologies vendors. Does this 13th Annual ReadersĀ’ Choice Awards reveal any breathtaking new winners or any striking falls from grace? Well, in a word no, but thatĀ’s a good thing, perhaps reflecting a continuity to the industry in spite of some tough recessionary years and waves of consolidation among the suppliers we all count on to help us get the job done. As you scan the categories youĀ’ll encounter some familiar names, many who appear also in The CONTROL Top 50 list.

    What our readersĀ’ opinions do reveal is that year-after-year, certain companies have, through good technology and good service, been able to retain that key Ā“front-of-mindĀ” awareness. In other words, a positive presence that is readily recalled when the CONTROLĀ’s ReadersĀ’ Choice Awards survey lands in the inbox and asks readers to name the vendors delivering the best technologies acrossĀ 71 categories.

    Similarly, we asked readers to rate vendorsĀ’ ability to deliver customer service (see Table). This line of inquiry goes right to the heart of the matter because even if a company has the best technology it wonĀ’t mean much if the mechanisms of delivery and service before the sale and long after are not in place to keep you satisfied after the check has cleared.

    To our mind our readers are the ultimate judges of the Ā“characterĀ” of the industryĀ’s suppliers, and through your interactions with them, have the only truly valid opinion of their performance. Our intent with the ReadersĀ’ Choice Awards is to provide our readers with a vehicle to voice their opinions in way that broadcasts loud and clear to suppliers how they stand* with the people who put the Ā“PĀ” in their profit margins. You know who you are. Are you listening?

    * Differences of less than 3% are ties; company divisions are shown: "Emerson Process-Rosemount"; trade names or former names are shown: "Thermo Electron (Polysonics)"; service scores are rounded to a single decimal.


    13th Annual Readers' Choice Awards Winners

    ANALYZERS, AMBIENT GAS DETECTORS
    1. MSAĀ - 40%
    2. DraegerĀ - 9%
    Ā Ā Ā  Scott BacharachĀ - 7%

    ANALYZERS, DENSITY/CONCENTRATION
    1. Emerson Process-Micro MotionĀ - 46%2. Endress+HauserĀ - 12% ANALYZERS, GAS CHROMATOGRAPH
    1. Siemens-Applied AutomationĀ - 28%2. EmersonĀ Process-Rosemount Analytical - 23%3. ABBĀ - 18% ANALYZERS, HUMIDITY/MOISTURE
    1. GE PanametricsĀ - 20%2. VaisalaĀ - 14%3. AmetekĀ - 8% ANALYZERS, PH/ORP/CONDUCTIVITYĀ 1. Emerson Process-Rosemount AnalyticalĀ - 38%2. YokogawaĀ - 11%3. ABBĀ - 8%Ā Ā Ā  Invensys FoxboroĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  GLI Hach div. of DanaherĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  Endress+HauserĀ - 6%7. Mettler-ToledoĀ - 5% ANALYZERS, PROCESS SPECTROMETER1. ABBĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  AmetekĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  EmersonĀ - 7% ANALYZERS, STACK GAS/ EMISSIONS1. Emerson Process-Rosemount AnalyticalĀ - 24%2. Horiba InstrumentsĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  SiemensĀ - 7% ANNUNCIATORS
    1. Ronan EngineeringĀ - 21%2. Ametek PanalarmĀ - 16%3. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 11% CONTROL VALVES
    1. Emerson Process-Fisher ControlsĀ - 65%2. Flowserve-ValtekĀ - 11%3. Dresser MasoneilanĀ - 7% ENCLOSURES
    1. HoffmanĀ - 73%2. RittalĀ - 9% FLOWMETERS, CORIOLIS
    1. Emerson Process-Micro MotionĀ - 81%2. Endress+HauserĀ - 9% FLOWMETERS, MAGNETIC
    1. Emerson Process-RosemountĀ - 43%2. YokogawaĀ - 11%Ā Ā Ā  Endress+HauserĀ - 9%4. ABBĀ - 8%Ā Ā Ā  KrohneĀ - 6%6. Invensys FoxboroĀ - 5% FLOWMETERS, OPEN CHANNEL
    1. Siemens-MilltronicsĀ - 23%2. Emerson Process-Rosemount - 9%Ā Ā Ā Ā Badger MeterĀ - 7% Ā Ā Ā  Endress+HauserĀ - 7% FLOWMETERS, POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT
    1. Emerson Process-Brooks Ā - 48%2. Badger MeterĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  IDEX Liquid ControlsĀ - 6% FLOWMETERS, THERMAL MASS FLOW
    1. FCIĀ - 45%2. Kurz InstrumentsĀ - 13%Ā Ā Ā  Emerson Process-BrooksĀ - 11%4. Sierra InstrumentsĀ - 5% FLOWMETERS, TURBINEĀ 1. Emerson Process-DanielĀ - 28%2. Hoffer Flow ControlĀ - 9%Ā Ā Ā  Badger MeterĀ - 8%4. Flow TechnologyĀ - 5% FLOWMETERS, ULTRASONICĀ 
    1. GE PanametricsĀ - 34%2. Emerson Process-DanielĀ - 23%3. Thermo Electron-PolysonicsĀ - 14%4. ControlotronĀ - 9%Ā Ā Ā  Endress+HauserĀ - 7% FLOWMETERS, VARIABLE AREA
    1. Emerson Process-BrooksĀ - 54% FLOWMETERS, VORTEX SHEDDING
    1. Emerson Process-RosemountĀ - 39%2. YokogawaĀ - 22%3. Invensys FoxboroĀ - 13%4. Endress+HauserĀ - 9% FLOW SWITCHES
    1. FCIĀ - 35%2. Endress+HauserĀ - 12%Ā Ā Ā  ifm efectorĀ - 10%3. DwyerĀ - 5% INDUSTRIAL COMPUTERS
    1. Dell ComputerĀ - 25%2. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 15%3. AdvantechĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  XycomĀ - 5% INPUT/OUTPUT (I/O) SYSTEMS
    1. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 38%2. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 9%3. Automation DirectĀ - 5% INSTRUMENT FITTINGS
    1. SwagelokĀ - 63%2. Parker HannifinĀ - 26% INTRINSIC SAFETY BARRIERS1. Pepperl+FuchsĀ - 19%2. Banner EngineeringĀ - 11%Ā Ā Ā  MTLĀ - 11%4. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  Phoenix ContactĀ - 5%Ā Ā Ā  TurckĀ - 5% LEVEL GAUGES, ELECTRICAL PROPERTY-BASED1. Ametek DrexelbrookĀ - 16%Ā Ā  Ā Endress+HauserĀ - 16%Ā Ā Ā  Emerson Process-Fisher ControlsĀ - 14%4. MagnetrolĀ - 6% LEVELS GAUGES, FLOAT/DISPLACER TYPE
    1. Emerson Process-Fisher ControlsĀ - 35%2. Magnetrol- OrionĀ - 31%3. Danaher Gems SensorsĀ - 8%Ā Ā Ā Ā Dresser MasoneilanĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā Ā  K-TekĀ - 6% LEVELS GAUGES, INVENTORY GRADE
    1. Emerson Process- Saab Rosemount - 30%2. Endress+Hauser - 12% LEVEL GAUGES, NON-CONTACT RADAR
    1. Ohmart VegaĀ - 30%Ā Ā Ā  Emerson Process-Saab RosemountĀ - 28%3. Endress+HauserĀ - 19%4. Siemens-MilltronicsĀ - 7% LEVEL GAUGES, NUCLEAR
    1. Ohmart VegaĀ - 36%2.Ā Thermo ElectronĀ - 33% LEVEL GAUGES, TDR RADAR
    1. Ohmart VegaĀ - 31%2. Emerson Process-RosemountĀ - 26%3. Endress+HauserĀ - 22%Ā Ā Ā  MagnetrolĀ - 22%5. KrohneĀ - 9%
    LEVEL GAUGES, ULTRASONIC    1. Siemens MilltronicsĀ - 37%2. Endress+HauserĀ - 11%3. MagnetrolĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  Emerson Process-Saab RosemountĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  Ohmart VegaĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  FlowlineĀ - 5% LEVEL SWITCHES, POINT
    1. Endress+HauserĀ - 26%2. Ametek DrexelbrookĀ - 17%3. MagnetrolĀ - 11%4. SORĀ - 5%Ā Ā Ā  Thermo ElectronĀ - 5% OPERATOR INTERFACE TERMINALS
    1. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 47%2. HoneywellĀ - 5% PANEL DISPLAYS
    1. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 45%2. Red LionĀ - 10% PORTABLE CALIBRATORS
    1. Fluke, a Danaher Co.Ā - 51%2. Altek/TransmationĀ - 12%3. GE DruckĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  Emerson Process-RosemountĀ - 5% POWER SUPPLIES
    1. Sola/Hevi-DutyĀ - 27%2. AcopianĀ - 17%3. Phoenix ContactĀ - 8%4. IdecĀ - 5% PRESSURE TRANSMITTERS
    1. Emerson Process-RosemountĀ - 73%2. HoneywellĀ - 7% PROCESS CONTROL/AUTOMATION SYSTEMS
    1. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 29%2. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 22%3. HoneywellĀ - 9%Ā Ā Ā  InvensysĀ - 9%5.Ā SiemensĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  ABBĀ - 5% PROCESS LOOP CONTROLLERS
    1. HoneywellĀ - 19%2. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 9%Ā Ā Ā  ABB (sold to MicroMod Inc.)Ā - 8%Ā Ā Ā  Invensys-FoxboroĀ - 8%Ā Ā Ā  YokogawaĀ - 8%Ā Ā Ā  Moore IndustriesĀ - 7%7. SiemensĀ - 5% PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS1. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 67%2. Schneider ElectricĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  AutomationDirect.comĀ - 5%Ā Ā Ā Ā  SiemensĀ - 5% PURGE SYSTEMS
    1. Pepperl+Fuchs-BebcoĀ - 36% RECORDERS
    1. YokogawaĀ - 25%2. HoneywellĀ - 14%3. Invensys Eurotherm ChessellĀ - 6%Ā Ā  ABBĀ - 5% REMOTE TERMINAL UNITS
    1. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 34%2. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  HoneywellĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  SixNetĀ - 5% RESISTANCE TEMPERATURE DETECTORS1. Emerson Process-RosemountĀ - 47%2. PyromationĀ - 10%3. Omega EngineeringĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  Burns EngineeringĀ - 5%Ā Ā Ā  JMS SoutheastĀ - 5% SAFETY/EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN SYSTEMS
    1. Invensys- TriconexĀ - 22%2. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 11%Ā Ā Ā  HoneywellĀ - 9%4. SiemensĀ - 6% SIGNAL CONDITIONERS
    1. Moore Industries IntĀ’lĀ - 18%2. Invensys Eurotherm Action InstrumentsĀ - 14%3. Phoenix ContactĀ - 8%Ā Ā Ā  AcromagĀ - 6% SOFTWARE, ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL
    1. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 25%2. HoneywellĀ - 12%Ā Ā Ā  Rockwell AutomationĀ - 11%4. AspentechĀ - 9%Ā Ā Ā  InvensysĀ - 9% SOFTWARE, ASSET MANAGEMENT
    1. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 37%2. SAPĀ - 8% SOFTWARE, BATCH CONTROL
    1. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 27%2. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 13%3. Invensys WonderwareĀ - 8%Ā Ā Ā  Invensys FoxboroĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  HoneywellĀ - 6% SOFTWARE, CALIBRATION MANAGEMENT 1. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 25%2. HoneywellĀ - 11%3. Danaher FlukeĀ - 5% SOFTWARE, DESIGN/DOCUMENTATION1. AutoDesk AutoCADĀ - 36%2. Microsoft VisioĀ - 8%Ā Ā Ā  IntergraphĀ - 7% SOFTWARE, HUMAN-MACHINE INTERFACE1. Invensys WonderwareĀ - 32%2. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 24%3. GE InfrastructureĀ - 12% SOFTWARE LOOP TUNING
    1. ExpertuneĀ - 20%2. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 16%3. RockwellĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  HoneywellĀ - 6% SOFTWARE, NEURAL NETWORKS
    1. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 15%2. Pavillion TechnologiesĀ - 10% SOFTWARE, PROCESS CONTROL
    1. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 27%2. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 18%3. HoneywellĀ - 10%4. Invensys WonderwareĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  Invensys FoxboroĀ - 7% SOFTWARE, PLC PROGRAMMING
    1. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 68%2. Schneider ElectricĀ - 6% SOFTWARE, SCADA
    1. Invensys WonderwareĀ - 21%2. GE InfrastructureĀ - 12%Ā Ā Ā  Rockwell AutomationĀ - 11%4. Emerson Process ManagementĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  National InstrumentsĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  OSISoftĀ - 5% SOFTWARE, SIMULATION
    1. AspentechĀ - 20%2. Mynah TechnologiesĀ - 10%Ā Ā Ā  Rockwell AutomationĀ - 10%Ā Ā Ā  InvensysĀ - 9% TEMPERATURE SENSORS, INFRARED
    1. Danaher Fluke- RaytekĀ - 24%2. IRCONĀ - 13% TEMPERATURE TRANSMITTERS
    1. Emerson Process-RosemountĀ - 60%2. HoneywellĀ - 8%3. Invensys FoxboroĀ - 5%Ā Ā Ā  Omega EngineeringĀ - 5% TERMINAL BLOCKS
    1. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 26%Ā Ā Ā  Phoenix ContactĀ - 24%2. WeidmullerĀ - 17%3. EntrelecĀ - 7% THERMOCOUPLES
    1. Omega EngineeringĀ - 23%Ā Ā Ā  Emerson Process- RosemountĀ - 21%3. PyromationĀ - 7%Ā Ā Ā  JMS SoutheastĀ - 5%Ā Ā Ā  WatlowĀ Electric Manufacturing Company - 5% VALVE ACTUATORS, ELECTRIC
    1. Flowserve-LimitorqueĀ - 13%Ā Ā Ā  RotorkĀ - 12%3. Emerson Process-Fisher ControlsĀ - 10%Ā Ā Ā Ā Flowserve-ValtekĀ - 8%5. BeckĀ - 6% VALVE ACTUATORS, PNEUMATIC
    1. Emerson Process-Fisher ControlsĀ - 54%2. Flowserve-ValtekĀ - 12% VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVES
    1. Rockwell AutomationĀ - 58%2. ABBĀ - 6%Ā Ā Ā  ToshibaĀ - 6% VIBRATION SENSORS
    1. GE Energy (Bently Nevada)Ā - 57% VISUAL LEVEL INDICATOR
    1. Magnetrol-Orion - 18%Ā Ā Ā  K-Tek - 16%3. Penberthy - 11%4. Clark-Reliance (Jerguson)Ā - 8%Ā Ā Ā  Emerson Process-Brooks - 8%
    WEIGHING SYSTEMS, LOAD CELL
    1. Mettler ToledoĀ - 35%2. Vishay BLHĀ - 13%3. Hardy InstrumentsĀ - 10%4. Danaher Venture Measurement (Kistler Morse)Ā - 7% WEIGHING SYSTEMS, INLINE
    1. Mettler Toledo-HispeedĀ - 20%2. Thermo Electron-RamseyĀ - 9%Ā Ā Ā  Siemens-MilltronicsĀ - 9% WIRE & CABLE
    1. BeldenĀ - 56%
    Notes:Ā 
    Differences ofĀ  less than 3% are ties.
    Company divisions are shown: "Emerson Process-Rosemount"
    Trade names or former names are shown: "Thermo Electron (Polysonics)"
    Service scores are rounded to a single decimal    .Readers' Choice Awards survey demographicsDemographics:Ā Total Ā 555Ā responses
    • System integrator/design firmĀ - 34%
    • ChemicalsĀ - 20%
    • FoodĀ - 9%
    • Electric, Gas and Sanitary ServicesĀ - 8%
    • RefiningĀ - 8%
    • PaperĀ - 7%
    • Rubber and PlasticĀ - 5%
    • Primary MetalsĀ - 4%
    • Stone, clay glass and concreteĀ - 3%
    • TextileĀ - 1%

    Continue Reading