“Thermal management” is the term used to describe the array of material technologies and problem-solving design tools that systems manufacturers apply to regulate the unwanted heat caused by the normal functioning of an electronic system.  Thermal management technologies are an important part of the electronics industry’s drive to develop ever higher-performance applications.

This focused document profiles the top 10 companies of this industry, and updates the emerging and potentially transformative technologies connected to the field.  The definition of the industry is broadened beyond purely electronic cooling for this report, and includes overlapping green energy opportunities, as there is evident movement toward these high potential areas.

In 2011, the world thermal management market sector is valued at about $8 billion. Thermal management hardware (e.g., fans and blowers, heat sinks, etc.) accounts for about 84% of the total thermal management market.  The other main thermal management product segments (software, interface materials, and substrates) each account for between 4% and 6% of the market.

For thermal management companies, the cost of doing business has increased. Aluminum and copper are traditional heat sink materials, and nickel and steel are also employed (as nickel is used for both plating and in the formulation of stainless steel, which is commonly used on heat sink installation hardware such as screws, springs, round wire clips and flat band clips).  Over the past few years, prices have risen steeply for these materials.  Companies have attempted to absorb the increasing prices of materials in a bid to remain cost competitive, but have recently been forced to pass on higher costs to their customers.  This is, in part, also due to rising labor costs.  In China minimum wages have increased 60% since 2008, plus additional labor laws have dramatically increased costs for overtime, benefits, housing, meals, etc.  This means that direct labor rates increased and the overhead rates applied to direct labor rates, have risen.

STUDY GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of this document is to provide a more in-depth look at the top tier thermal management companies and some look at the second tier of companies and any changing and current trends in the global thermal management market sector.

The objectives include identifying companies that are considered the leaders and what technologies or management contributions make them leaders. There are certain market drivers and some constraints to both the companies and to the evolving technology they seek to dominate. There is a desire to ascertain if these companies will be able to meet the continuing demand for their products by proprietary technology, strategy alliances, superior marketing or other sought for advantages.

INTENDED AUDIENCE

This report is intended especially for suppliers of thermal management technologies and products, and others with a need to understand the status and dynamics of the market for these products.  Although the report is organized around specific technologies, it is largely nontechnical in nature and coverage.  It is concerned less with theory and jargon than with what works, and how much of the product the market is likely to purchase, and at what price.

As such, the report’s main audience is executive management personnel and marketing and financial analysts.  It is not written specifically for scientists and technologists, although its findings concern the market for their work and include the availability of government and corporate research funding for different technologies and applications, which should interest them.

SCOPE

The scope of this report is focused on a select 10 companies in thermal management technologies. This is in many ways a selected due diligence of the key companies and drivers in the thermal management market sector.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

• The total global thermal management revenues is expected to grow from $7.5 billion in 2009 to nearly $8 billion in 2011, and further to $10.9 billion in 2016, a CAGR of 6.4% over the next 5 years.
• Hardware is the largest product segment, with revenues of $6.3 billion (84% of the market) in 2010 and $9.1 billion (83.8%) in 2016.
• The thermal management software market was worth $350 million (4.7% of the total thermal management market) in 2010, a figure that BCC Research expects to exceed $500 million (4.6% of the projected market) by 2016.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 
    STUDY GOAL AND OBJECTIVES  1
    INTENDED AUDIENCE 2
    SCOPE  2
    MARKET SUMMARY 3-4

CHAPTER TWO: SEGMENTATION OF MARKET 
   TABLE 1 HARDWARE RELATED REVENUES, 2010 ($MM/%)  6
         SOFTWARE  7
         INTERFACES  8
         SUBSTRATES  9
         VALUE OF TRADITIONAL THERMAL MANAGEMENT
           COMPONENTS  10
   TABLE 2 WORLDWIDE TRADITIONAL THERMAL MANAGEMENT
     COMPONENTS BY TYPE, THROUGH 2016 ($ MILLIONS)  10

CHAPTER THREE: EMERGING AND TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT
    SOLAR THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS WITH HIGH
      THERMAL CONCENTRATION  11
    QUANTUM DOTS  12
   TABLE 3 PROJECTED EFFICIENCY OF QUANTUM WELLS WITH
     LOW THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY SUBSTRATES  13
         CLATHRATE COMPLEXES AND THERMOELECTRIC
            PROPERTIES  14
         SUPPLIERS OF CELLULAR METAL FOAM  15
         PATENT PROTECTION  16
              PATENT PROTECTION (CONTINUED)  17
         ISSUED PATENTS  18
   TABLE 4 ISSUED PATENTS 18-25

CHAPTER FOUR: THE TOP 10 COMPANIES IN THERMAL MANAGEMENT
    ANSYS, INC  26
              FINANCIALS  27
TABLE 5 ANSYS CURRENT FINANCIALS ($ THOUSANDS)  28
              ACQUISITIONS  28
              ACQUISITIONS (CONTINUED)  29
              PRODUCTS  30
TABLE 6 ICEPACK APPLICATIONS  30
TABLE 6 (CONTINUED)  31
          MANAGEMENT  32
     AAVID THERMALLOY LLC/NAUTIC PARTNERS LLC  32
          AAVID THERMALLOY LLC/(CONTINUED) 33
          FINANCIALS  34
          ACQUISITIONS AND TRANSACTIONS  34
          PRODUCTS  35
TABLE 7 AAVID PRODUCT LINE 35
         MANAGEMENT  35
              Management (Continued) 36
     AMKOR TECHNOLOGY  37
         FINANCIALS  38
TABLE 8 ANKOR REVENUE ($ MILLIONS)  39
              ACQUISITIONS  40
              PRODUCTS  40
TABLE 9 ANKOR KEY PRODUCTS  40
              Products (Continued)  41
         MANAGEMENT  42
     KYOCERA CORP  43
         KYOCERA CORP PLANTS (MAP AND LOCATIONS)  44
         FINANCIALS  45
TABLE 10 KYOCERA FINANCIALS REPORTED FY 2010 ($MM)  45
              ACQUISITIONS  45
              PRODUCTS  46
TABLE 11 KYOCERA KEY THERMAL MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS 46
TABLE 11 (CONTINUED)  47
         MANAGEMENT  48
     CHOMERICS (DIVISION OF PARKER HANNIFIN)  49
         FINANCIALS  50
         ACQUISITIONS  50
         PRODUCTS  51
TABLE 12 KEY CHOMERICS PRODUCTS  51
TABLE 12 (CONTINUED)  52
TABLE 12 (CONTINUED)  53
TABLE 12 (CONTINUED)  54
                  Products (Continued)  55
              MANAGEMENT  56
                  Management (Continued) 57
       WAKEFIELD SOLUTIONS, INC  58
           FINANCIALS  59
           PRODUCTS  59
           MANAGEMENT  60
       BERGQUIST CO  60
           FINANCIALS  61
           PRODUCTS  62
   TABLE 13 BERGQUIST THERMAL MATERIALS  63
   TABLE 14 BERGQUIST PRODUCTS AND MARKETS  64
           MANAGEMENT  64
       LYTRON INC  64
           FINANCIALS  65
   TABLE 15 PRODUCTS AND MARKETS  66
           MANAGEMENT  66
       THERMACORE, INC  67
           FINANCIALS  68
   TABLE 16 THERMACORE PRODUCTS  69
       STATS CHIPPAC LTD  69
                 STATS ChipPAC Ltd (Continued)  70
                 STATS ChipPAC Ltd (Continued)  71
           FINANCIALS  72
           PRODUCTS  73
           MANAGEMENT  74
       OTHER COMPANIES TO WATCH  75
           VETTE CORP  75
                 Products  76
                 Management  77
           ORIENT SEMICONDUCTOR ELECTRONICS LTD  77
                 History 78
                 Management  78
           METAFOAM TECHNOLOGIES  79
                 Metafoam Technologies (Continued)  80
                 Management  81
           PHONONIC DEVICES  81
                 Products  82
                       Electronics Cooling  82
                       Refrigeration and Air Conditioning  82
                       Energy Harvesting  82
                 Management  83

GLOSSARY OF THERMAL MANAGEMENT TERMS
    GLOSSARY OF THERMAL MANAGEMENT TERMS  84
         GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)  85
         GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)  86
         GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)  87
GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)  88