THE BEST gift is something you didnÂt know you needed, but once you get it, it becomes absolutely essential. To give such a gift, the giver must know something about the recipient that he didnÂt know himself, which isnÂt surprisingly difficult, and mostly requires a little careful observation, thought, creativity and follow through.
These are the attributes shared and routinely practiced by the winners of CONTROLÂs 14th Annual Readers Choice Awards. They donÂt wait for users to call with problems. They go out and find potential difficulties, and provide the genuine, real-time partnering thatÂs always far easier to promise than actually deliver. They share a rare and continuous awareness with the few remaining waiters that still fill water glasses before their diners realize theyÂre close to empty.
Unfortunately, much like those waiters, these attentive and proactive suppliers seem to be growing scarcer. The respondents to CONTROLÂs unaided, readers-only survey only named 74 total companies with at least 5% of their votes in 74 product categories, compared to 84 firms in 2004, even though there were four new categories in 2005.
Service Slackening?
In the 2005 surveyÂs Service and Support section (See Sidebar at end of article), the readers only identified 26 companies (35.1%) as supplying very good-to-excellent services with scores of 4.0 or better on a 1-to-5 scale. This was a steep decline from the 47 firms (55.9%) that scored 4.0 or better in 2004. In addition, only three companies scored 4.4 or above in 2005, while 24 firms reached this level the year before. While specific causes for this decline werenÂt identified in the 2005 surveyÂs analysis, corporate consolidations, layoffs, outsourcing, accelerating retirement rates, lost expertise, technological shifts, expanding job descriptions, and many other rapidly evolving economic forces can affect the companies named and the perceived quality of their services.
The six service providers that the readers say deliver very good-to-excellent service (4.0 or above) include: Emerson in 18 categories; Siemens Energy & Automation in six; Rockwell in four; Invensys-Foxboro in three; and Endress+Hauser and K-Tek in two categories each.
2005 RCA Winners
2004 RCA Winners
Lotsa JockeyingÂA Closer Horserace?
14th Annual Readers' Choice Awards
ANALYZERS, AMBIENT GAS DETECTORS
1. MSA -- 18%Â Â
2. Draeger -- 9%Â Â
   Scott-Bachrach -- 8%  Â
4. Det-Tronics -- 5%
1. Emerson Process-Micro Motion -- 20%2. Thermo Electron (Texas Nuclear) -- 7% ANALYZERS, GAS CHROMATOGRAPH
1. Agilent -- 20%2. Emerson Process-Daniel -- 13%Â Â Â Siemens-Applied Automation -- 13%4. ABB -- 9%Â Â Â Perkin-Elmer -- 8% ANALYZERS, HUMIDITY/MOISTURE
1. Vaisala -- 21%2. GE Sensing (Panametrics) -- 12%3. Rotronic -- 8%4. Ametek -- 5% ANALYZERS, PH/ORP/CONDUCTIVITY
1. Emerson Process-Rosemount -- 32%2. Danaher-Hach (GLI) -- 11%3. Yokogawa Corp. of America -- 8%Â Â Â Thermo Electron -- 6%5. ABB -- 5%Â Â Â Invensys-Foxboro -- 5%Â Â Â Honeywell -- 5% ANALYZERS, PROCESS SPECTROMETER
1. ABB -- 16% ANALYZERS, STACK/EMISSIONS
1. Emerson Process-Rosemount -- 19%2. Ametek (Thermox) -- 7%Â Â Â Horiba -- 7%Â Â Â Thermo Electron -- 7% ANNUNCIATORS
1. Ametek (Panalarm) -- 36%2. Ronan -- 16%3. Rockwell Automation -- 7% CONTROL VALVES
1. Emerson Process Management -- 52%2. Flowserve -- 9% DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
1. Rockwell Automation -- 16%Â Â Â Emerson Process Management -- 15%2. National Instruments -- 7% ENCLOSURES
1. Hoffman -- 74%2. Rittal -- 10% FLOWMETERS, CORIOLIS
1. Emerson Process-Micromotion -- 60%2. Endress+Hauser -- 16%3. Invensys-Foxboro -- 7% FLOWMETERS, MAGNETIC
1. Emerson Process-Rosemount -- 32%2. Invensys-Foxboro -- 13%Â Â Â Endress+Hauser -- 12%4. Yokogawa Corp. of America -- 10%5. ABB -- 6% FLOWMETERS, OPEN CHANNEL
1. Endress+Hauser -- 17%2. Siemens-Milltronics -- 11% FLOWMETERS, POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT
1. Emerson Process-Brooks -- 38% FLOWMETERS, THERMAL MASS FLOW
1. FCI -- 43%2. Emerson Process-Brooks -- 13% FLOWMETERS, TURBINE
1. Emerson Process-Daniel -- 19% FLOWMETERS, ULTRASONIC
1. GE Sensing -- 32%2. Emerson Process-Daniel -- 22%Â Â Â Â 3. Krohne -- 10%4. Controlotron -- 6% FLOWMETERS, VARIABLE AREA
1. Emerson Process-Brooks -- 32%2. Siemens-US Filter/W&T -- 13% FLOWMETERS, VORTEX SHEDDING
1. Emerson Process-Rosemount -- 30%2. Yokogawa Corp. of America -- 26%3. Invensys-Foxboro -- 17%4. Endress+Hauser -- 8% FLOW SWITCHES
1. FCI Â Â Â Â Â 16%2. Danaher-Gems Sensors -- 8%Â Â Â ifm efector -- 8% INDUSTRIAL COMPUTERS
1. Dell -- 33%2. Rockwell -- 18%3. IBM -- 6% INPUT/OUTPUT (I/O) SYSTEMS
1. Rockwell -- 40%2. Emerson Process Management -- 15%3. Honeywell -- 7%Â Â Â Opto-22 -- 7%Â Â Â National Instruments -- 6% INSTRUMENT FITTINGS
1. Swagelok -- 58%2. Parker Hannifin -- 21% INTRINSIC SAFETY BARRIERS
1. Pepperl+Fuchs -- 24%Â Â Â MTL -- 22%3. Stahl -- 18% LEVEL GAUGES, ELECTRICAL PROPERTY-BASED
1. Endress+Hauser -- 12%Â Â Â Magnetrol -- 10%3. Ametek-Drexelbrook -- 8%Â Â Â K-Tek -- 8% LEVEL GAUGES, FLOAT/DISPLACER TYPE
1. Emerson Process-Fisher Controls -- 21%2. Magnetrol-Orion -- 12%Â Â Â K-Tek -- 12%Â Â Â Danaher-Gems Sensors -- 10% LEVEL GAUGES, CONTRACTING RADAR (TDR, GUIDED WAVE, ETC)
1. Emerson Process-Rosemount -- 24%2. Endress+Hauser -- 14%3. Magnetrol -- 7% LEVEL GAUGES, NON-CONTACT RADAR
1. Emerson Process-Saab Rosemount -- 31%2. Ohmart/Vega -- 19%3. Endress+Hauser -- 11%4. Krohne -- 6% LEVEL GAUGES, INVENTORY GRADE, INVENTORY GRADE
1. Emerson Process-Saab Rosemount -- 17%2. Endress+Hauser (Varec) -- 13% LEVEL GAUGES, LASER
1. K-Tek -- 30%2. Optech -- 15% LEVEL GAUGES, NUCLEAR
1. Ohmart/Vega -- 30%2. ThermoElectron (Texas Nuclear) -- 24% LEVEL GAUGES, ULTRASONIC
1. Siemens-Milltronics -- 26%2. Endress+Hauser -- 18% LEVEL INDICATORS, VISUAL
1. John C. Ernst Co. -- 20%2. K-Tek -- 13% LEVEL SWITCHES, POINT
1. Endress+Hauser -- 20%2. Magnetrol -- 16%2. K-Tek -- 7% OPERATOR INTERFACE TERMINALS
1. Rockwell Automation -- 36%2. Emerson Process Management -- 11%Â Â Â Dell -- 9%3. Honeywell -- 8% PANEL DISPLAYS
1. Rockwell Automaton -- 45% PORTABLE CALIBRATORS
1. Fluke-Danaher -- 47%2. Altek/Transmation -- 16% POWER SUPPLIES
1. Sola/Hevi-Duty -- 26%2. Acopian -- 21%3. Rockwell (Allen-Bradley) -- 8%Â Â Â Phoenix Contact -- 7%5. Power One -- 5% PRESSURE TRANSMITTERS
1. Emerson Process-Rosemount -- 43%2. Invensys Foxboro -- 11%3. Endress+Hauser -- 7%Â Â Â Yokogawa Corp. of America -- 6%Â Â Â Honeywell -- 5% PROCESS CONTROL/AUTOMATION SYSTEMS1. Emerson Process Management -- 30%2. Rockwell Automation -- 26%3. Honeywell -- 11%4. Invensys-Foxboro -- 6%Â Â Â Siemens Energy & Automation -- 6% PROCESS LOOP CONTROLLERS
1. Honeywell -- 16%2. Rockwell Automation -- 13%Â Â Â Micro-Mod -- 12%Â Â Â Emerson Process Management -- 11%5. Yokogawa Corp. of America -- 10%Â Â Â Moore Industries International -- 9%7. Invensys-Foxboro -- 5%Â Â Â Siemens Energy & Automation -- 5% PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS
1. Rockwell Automation -- 68%2. Schneider Electric (Modicon) -- 8%Â Â Â GE Fanuc -- 6%4. Siemens Energy & Automation -- 5% PURGE SYSTEMS
1. P & F Bebco -- 45% RECORDERS
1. Yokogawa Corp. of America -- 23%Â Â Â Honeywell -- 21%3. Invensys-Eurotherm Chessell -- 18%4. ABB -- 11% REMOTE TERMINAL UNITS (RTUS)
1. Rockwell Automation -- 32%2. Emerson Process Management -- 9%Â Â Â Honeywell -- 9%3. Control MicroSystems -- 7% RESISTANCE TEMPERATURE DETECTORS
1. Emerson Process-Rosemount -- 22%2. Pyromation -- 13%3. Omega Engineering -- 9%4. Minco -- 6% SAFETY SHUTDOWN (SIS) SYSTEMS
1. Invensys-Triconex -- 31%2. Rockwell Automaton -- 17%3. Emerson Process Management -- 13%4. Siemens Energy & Automation -- 8%Â Â Â Honeywell -- 6% SIGNAL CONDITIONERS
1. Moore Industries International -- 25%Â Â Â Invensys-Eurotherm (Action Instruments) -- 25%3. Acromag -- 7% SOFTWARE, ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL
1. Emerson Process Management -- 29%2. Rockwell Automation -- 15%3. AspenTech -- 10%Â Â Â Honeywell -- 9%Â Â Â Invensys-Wonderware -- 8%Â Â Â Â SOFTWARE, ALARM MANAGEMENT
1. Emerson Process Management -- 16%2. Honeywell -- 11%Â Â Â Invensys-Wonderware -- 11%Â Â Â Rockwell Automation -- 11%5. Matrikon -- 10%Â Â Â TiPS -- 8% SOFTWARE, ASSET MANAGEMENT
1. Emerson Process Management -- 44%2. Honeywell -- 10% SOFTWARE, BATCH CONTROL
1. Emerson Process Management -- 40%2. Rockwell Automation -- 11%Â Â Â Honeywell -- 9%4. Invensys-Wonderware -- 8% SOFTWARE, CALIBRATION MANAGEMENT
1. Emerson Process Management -- 32%2. Honeywell -- 21% SOFTWARE, DESIGN/DOCUMENTATION
1. Autodesk (AutoCAD) -- 27%2. Rockwell Automation -- 15%3. Intergraph (InTools) -- 10%4. Emerson Process Management -- 5%Â Â Â Honeywell -- 5% SOFTWARE, HMI
1. Rockwell Automation -- 29%2. Invensys-Wonderware -- 23%3. Emerson Process Management -- 14%4. GE Fanuc -- 11% SOFTWARE, LOOP TUNING
1. Emerson Process Management -- 38%2. Expertune -- 17%3. Rockwell Automation -- 10% SOFTWARE, NEURAL NETWORKS
1. Emerson Process Management -- 55%2. Rockwell Automation -- 14% SOFTWARE, PROCESS CONTROL
1. Emerson Process Management -- 32%2. Honeywell -- 19%3. Rockwell Automation -- 10%4. Invensys-Foxboro -- 6%Â Â Â Siemens Energy & Automation -- 6% SOFTWARE, PLC PROGRAMMING
1. Rockwell Automation --Â Â 65%2. GE Fanuc -- 8%Â Â Â Schneider Electric (Modicon) -- 8% SOFTWARE, SCADA
1. GE Fanuc -- 18%Â Â Â Rockwell Automation -- 18%3. Invensys-Wonderware -- 16% SOFTWARE, SIMULATION
1. Honeywell (HYSYS) -- 18%Â Â Â Mynah Technologies -- 18%3. Rockwell Automation -- 9% TEMPERATURE SENSORS, INFRARED
1. Danaher-Fluke (Raytek) -- 39% TEMPERATURE TRANSMITTERS
1. Emerson Process-Rosemont -- 51%2. Honeywell -- 6%Â Â Â Invensys-Foxboro -- 6%Â Â Â Yokogawa Corp. of America -- 5% TERMINAL BLOCKS
1. Rockwell Automation -- 37%2. Phoenix Contact -- 26%3. Weidmuller -- 10% THERMAL IMAGING/THERMOGRAPHY
1. Flir Systems -- 16%Â Â Â Danaher-Fluke (Raytek) -- 16% THERMOCOUPLES
1. Omega Engineering -- 30% VALVE ACTUATORS, ELECTRIC
1. Flowserve -- 15%Â Â Â Rotork -- 14%Â Â Â Emerson Process Management -- 13%4. ASCO -- 10% VALVE ACTUATORS, PNEUMATIC
1. Emerson Process Management -- 47%2. Flowserve -- 8% VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVESÂ Â
1. Rockwell Automation -- 53%2. ABB -- 7%3. Schneider Electric (Square D) -- 5%Â Â Â Siemens Energy & Automation -- 5% VIBRATION SENSORS
1. GE Energy -- 42% WEIGHING SYSTEMS, LOAD CELL
1. Mettler-Toledo -- 19%2. Hardy Instruments -- 16%3. Rice Lake Weighing -- 12%Â Â Â Vishay BLH -- 10% WEIGHING SYSTEMS, INLINE
1. Mettler-Toledo -- 12% WIRE AND CABLE
1. Belden -- 65%2. Alpha -- 5%
Editor's Note: Because differences in the results of Âą3% or less are statistically insignificant, they are being treated as ties in the numerical rankings. Company divisions follow hyphens. Former or trade names are in parentheses.
Vendors Offering Exceptional Service
(5 = Excellent, 1 = Poor)
5.0
Siemens Energy & Automation Software  Process Control
4.7
Endress+Hauser (Varec)Â Â Level Gauges ÂÂ Inventory Grade Â
4.6
Siemens Energy & Automation Process  Loop Controllers
4.5
Emerson Process Management Software  Alarm Management
4.4
Siemens Energy & Automation Process Control  Automation System
4.3
Control Microsystems  Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)
Emerson Process Management  Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)
Mynah Technologies  Software, Simulation
K-Tek  Level Switches, Point
Mettler-Toledo  Weighing Systems, Online
Rockwell Automation  Software, Neural Networks
Siemens Energy & Automation  Variable Frequency Drives
4.2
Emerson Process Management  Data Acquisition Systems Â
Emerson Process Management  Process Loop Controllers
Emerson Process Management  Software, Design/Documentation
Hardy Instruments  Weighing Systems, Load CellÂ
Siemens Energy & Automation  Programmable Logic Controllers
4.1
Danaher-Fluke  Portable Calibrators
Emerson Process-Rosemount  Level Gauges, TDR Radar
Emerson Process Management  Software, Advanced Process Control
Emerson Process Management  Software, Batch Control
Endress+Hauser  Pressure Transmitters
Invensys Foxboro  Flowmeters, Coriolis
National Instruments  Data Acquisition Systems
Pepperl+Fuchs  Intrinsic Safety (IS) Barriers Â
Swagelok  Instrument Fittings
Yokogawa Corp. of America  Recorders
4.0
ABB Â Recorders
Acromag  Signal Conditioners
AspenTech  Software, Advanced Process Control
Det-Tronics  Analyzers, Ambient Gas Detectors Â
Emerson Process-Fisher  Level Gauges, Float/Displacer Type
Emerson Process-Micro Motion  Analyzers, Density/Concentration
Emerson Process-Rosemount  Analyzers, Stack/Emissions
Emerson Process-Rosemount  Flowmeters, Vortex SheddingÂ
Emerson Process Management  Input/Output (I/O) Systems
Emerson Process Management  Process Control, Automation Systems
Emerson Process Management  Safety Shutdown (SIS) Systems
Emerson Process Management  Software, HMI
Emerson Process Management  Software, Loop Tuning
Emerson Process Management  Software, Neural Networks
Flowserve  Control Valves
Honeywell  Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)
Invensys Foxboro  Analyzers, pH/ORP/Conductivity
Invensys Foxboro  Process Loop Controllers
K-Tek ÂÂ Â Level Gauges, Electrical Property-Based
Krohne  Level Gauges, Non-Contact Radar
Omega Engineering  Thermocouples
Power One  Power Supplies
Pyromation  Resistance Temperature Detectors
Rockwell Automation  Annunciators
Rockwell Automation  Software, Loop Tuning
Rockwell Automation  Software, Process Control
Siemens-Milltronics ÂÂ Â Flowmeters, Open Channel
TiPS Â Software, Alarm Management
PAST WINNERS
2005 Readers' Choice Award Winners
2004 Readers' Choice Award Winners

Leaders relevant to this article: