For Immediate Release

Contact: Martha Bednarz
(978) 922-3300
onyx@shore.net


New Market Research Company Focuses on New Ways to Measure Flow

Wakefield, Massachusetts, May 4, 1999 -- Flow Research, a new market research company focusing on flow and related topics, is researching new ways to measure flow. Located in downtown Wakefield, Massachusetts, the company studies flow, temperature, pressure, and level products. Both custom and off-the-shelf reports are provided, mainly in industrial automation and process control.

"The flowmeter market today is undergoing many rapid changes," according to Jesse Yoder, founder of the company. "Coriolis and ultrasonic flowmeters are displacing more traditional types of meters, such as differential pressure (DP)-based meters, in many applications. At the same time, suppliers of DP-based meters are countering with innovative solutions of their own. Multivariable flowmeters are helping DP-based flowmeter suppliers hold onto their market share."

Keeping current with technology is a major emphasis at Flow Research. "Armchair market research, conducted without hands-on experience, is not adequate," says Yoder. "Talking to engineers and product managers requires knowing their language. This market is very complex with a variety of technologies. We maintain an ongoing effort to understand how and why products work as they do."

To emphasize the hands-on nature of his approach, Yoder is opening a flow laboratory within Flow Research. The flow lab will be used for demonstration purposes, and to test and calibrate flowmeters. Temperature and pressure products will be added as well. "The flow lab is another avenue of research," Yoder says. "Besides looking at existing technology, we are looking at new ways to measure flow."

Another area of study at Flow Research is the mathematics of flow measurement. "Measuring flow in square inches may not be the best approach for round pipes," according to Yoder. He is working on a new Circular Geometry that substitutes round inches as a unit of measurement. "Circular Geometry may greatly simplify measurement of round areas. You have to start with the right assumptions if you want to get the right results," explains Yoder.

In addition to its work in methods of flow measurement, the company has already fielded numerous inquiries through its website. "There is a tremendous need for information in this area," says Yoder. "A lot of people are looking for research about flow and related topics. Many are confused by the proliferation of technologies, and are seeking guidance in flowmeter selection."

Yoder has 13 years experience as an analyst and writer in process control. He began his industrial career in 1987 by writing manuals and training guides for the process control division of Siemens. Since 1990, he has worked as market analyst for several market research companies, including Frost & Sullivan and FIND/SVP, and has written over 20 studies. He most recently served as senior analyst for flowmeters at Automation Research Corporation. Yoder has published numerous articles in trade journals such as InTech and Control.

Besides his background in market research, Yoder holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. From 1986 to 1994, he served as an adjunct professor of philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. "Philosophy and market research are closely related," he explains. "Both require analysis. I also find that my philosophical training in Viewpoint Pluralism helps me see products from many points of view. It gives me a broader perspective."