R&M Annual Report 2023
R&M Annual Report 2023
R&M Annual Report 2023
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LAN Cabling market segment<br />
Delayed Investments<br />
in the LAN Area<br />
New technologies are waiting to be used. The intelligent building is already feasible today.<br />
However, the market is hesitating and cooled off noticeably in the reporting year.<br />
R&M continues to drive forward its high-quality solutions for LAN and building automation.<br />
030.8452<br />
The «Are you ready for PoE?» information<br />
campaign: R&M explains the demands placed<br />
on PoE-capable building cabling.<br />
«The business area with<br />
all-in-one solutions for<br />
intelligent buildings was<br />
systematically further<br />
developed in the reporting<br />
year.»<br />
In the <strong>2023</strong> reporting year, the global market<br />
for building cabling declined by between<br />
15 and 20 %. The sharp rise in interest rates<br />
and the uncertainties surrounding economic<br />
development led to a marked decline in<br />
investments in commercial buildings. Building<br />
modernization projects were also postponed.<br />
This development was already apparent in<br />
the second half of 2022 and accelerated<br />
sharply in the reporting year. For the R&M<br />
LAN division, this resulted in a single-digit<br />
percentage decline in sales. However, the<br />
supply situation for raw materials improved<br />
markedly, leading to a normalization of prices.<br />
Investment backlog in buildings<br />
These developments do not change the<br />
fact that countless buildings are in need of<br />
renovation. Climate targets and the growing<br />
demand for building automation, WiFi and<br />
broadband supply require significant investments.<br />
And investments have to be made<br />
in new cabling because intelligent buildings<br />
require advanced networks as a basis for<br />
ALL-IP applications (ALL-IP = everything via<br />
Internet Protocol).<br />
In important markets, there is still a lack of<br />
willingness as well as the underlying conditions<br />
for these investments, which R&M<br />
considers essential. This is why R&M remains<br />
cautious. Nevertheless, the business area<br />
with all-in-one solutions for intelligent buildings<br />
was systematically further developed<br />
in the reporting year. We are convinced that<br />
the market for building automation has a<br />
great future ahead. When it comes to technology<br />
development, R&M is undoubtedly<br />
at the cutting edge.<br />
Focus on PoE and SPE<br />
Structured cabling + Power over Ethernet<br />
(PoE) + Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) are the<br />
technology formula for the cabling level.<br />
They make end-to-end ALL-IP applications<br />
in building automation possible without the<br />
use of proprietary gateways. This is why R&M<br />
is continuing to focus on PoE and SPE.<br />
Target groups were addressed with online<br />
marketing, at roadshows and with continuous,<br />
specialist information. With the campaign<br />
«Are you ready for PoE?», R&M is preparing<br />
the ground for future demand. The action<br />
sheds light on the electrical phenomenon<br />
of resistance unbalance and thus on the requirements<br />
placed on PoE-capable premises<br />
wiring. In this way, R&M set further priorities<br />
for the marketing of PowerSafe products in<br />
the reporting year.<br />
A positive development is emerging for PoE.<br />
Sales of PoE-capable devices are increasing<br />
by 20 % per year. Sales of IP-based terminal<br />
equipment for building automation are also<br />
increasing. SPE is also currently on everyone’s<br />
lips as a future technology. Nevertheless,<br />
the anticipated technological leap and the<br />
range of devices with SPE interfaces are still<br />
a long way off.<br />
6 | R&M <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
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