Air Starter Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Analysis

[179 Pages Report] The air starter market is forecast to reach USD 559 million by 2029 from an estimated USD 449 million in 2024, at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period (2024-2029). Increasing industrialization and growing end use industries like oil & gas, military & aviation and marine are driving the air starters market. Air starters are increasingly being adopted for heavy industrial applications due to their safety and reliability. The market dynamics of air starters depend on growth in end use industries and advancements in engine starting technologies. Ongoing advancements in air starter technology, such as the use of enhanced materials and designs that improve durability and efficiency and provide increased torque capabilities are particularly being focused. Unlike electric starters, air starters can withstand extreme temperatures and dusty environments and eliminate the risk of sparks.

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Air Starter Market Dynamics

Driver:  Thriving oil & gas and aviation industries

Increased drilling activities and investments in the oil & gas industry have been a notable trend in recent years. Despite some fluctuations in spending patterns, overall momentum exists toward increased investment in drilling and production activities. This trend is driven by energy security, supply reliability, and the need to expand production capacity. The rising drilling activities and investments in the oil & gas sector are expected to significantly impact the air starter market.

The oil and gas industry relies extensively on heavy machinery and equipment for exploration, drilling, and extraction. Air starters are highly reliable engine starting systems for in hazardous and explosive environments of oil & gas industry thus making them essential for this industry's operations. These starting systems provide a durable and dependable alternative for starting large engines, compressors, and pumps, thus reducing downtime. Furthermore, air starters offer a safer alternative to conventional electric starters, lowering the risk of sparks and fire in hazardous conditions.

Further the growth in commercial and military aircraft fleets is boosting the demand for air starters. Air starters are used in variety of aircraft, from commercial airliners to military jets. The commercial airliners consist of two segments: passenger aircraft and cargo aircraft. In recent times, both segments have seen a rapid rise in operations that provided a boost to the commercial aircraft industry. With the rising air traffic, the industry has seen a leap, which also has significant impact in the growth of air starters. Air starters serve as a reliable and efficient means of starting aircraft engines especially when safety and quick turnaround times are paramount. These starters are preferred in the aviation industry due to their high power-to-weight ratio, low maintenance requirements, and ability to start engines in extreme temperatures.

Thus, the growth in oil & gas and military and aviation industries is expected to drive the air starter market.

Restraint: Higher costs than electric starters

Air starters and associated equipment are economical in some applications such as running compressors, where the source of compressed air is readily available. But when air starters are installed along with the compression medium for compressed air supply, such as motor-driven compressors, controls, filters, valves, and others, they exceed the cost of electric starters and its support equipment. There are many reasons why air starters are more expensive that electric starters. Complexity of system, materials used, and their safety features. This limits the usage of air starters to very limited applications such as large-size diesel engines where size of electric starters and battery becomes difficult to accommodate despite low cost as compared to air starters.

Opportunities: Growing industrialization and stringent environmental regulations

The demand for air starter is driven by substantially as industrial activities increase globally. While the growth in industries like oil & gas, mining, and transport expands, the need for reliable and effective engine starting systems becomes increasingly pressing. Further, the stringent environmental regulations regarding lowering emissions and enhancing safety have resulted in a shift toward air starters, over conventional electric starters. Air starters use compressed air, instead of natural gas, to start internal combustion engines for compressors, generators, and pumps thus reducing methane emissions during engine startups. Stricter regulations encourage companies to adopt cleaner technologies like air starters to meet emission reduction targets.

Thus, the growing trajectory of air starters is expected to further be driven by increased investment in R&D and the creation of new technologies and innovations in the sector.

Challenges: Advancements in battery technology

While air starters remain essential today, evolving battery technologies could impact their future demand. Batteries have improved performance over the period and have become more protected against harsh environmental conditions. Advances in material technology have made batteries more efficient and less expensive.

Many companies are investing in the R&D for the advancements of solid-state batteries, which offer advantages like higher energy density, faster charging, and improved safety due to reduced fire risk. Moreover, low cost of electric starting systems is one of the key factors which may pose as a challenge to the growth of air starters.

Air Starter Market Ecosystem

Leading companies in this market include manufacturers of air starter which have been long operating in the market and have a differentiated product portfolio. Some of the major companies in this market include Ingersoll Rand (US), Caterpillar (US), Rheinmetall SG (Germany), Maradyne (US), KH Equipment (Australia), and Honeywell International (US).

Turbine air starters is expected to be the largest segment by type during the forecast period.

Turbine air starter initiate the rotation of gas turbine engines until they reach a self-sustaining speed. These devices leverage compressed air to produce the necessary torque to start the engine. Turbine air starters are commonly used in various industries, including aviation, marine, and oil and gas, particularly for starting jet engines, large reciprocating engines, and gas turbines. These air starters are smaller and lighter than electric starters, Capable of producing high torque at low speeds, from a compact, lightweight source, essential for starting large engines and ensuring reliable engine starts under various environmental conditions.

In oil & gas industry turbine air starters are used to start large gas turbines that drive pumps and generators on offshore drilling rigs. For example, General Electric's LM2500 gas turbines, commonly used on rigs, are started using air turbine starters due to their ability to provide high torque in a compact form.

By End user, oil & gas is expected to be the largest segment during the forecast period.

Oil & Gas is the dominant end use industry of air starters. In the oil & gas industry air starters are used to initiate the operation of large engines and gas turbines commonly installed in drilling rigs, production platforms, and refineries for power generation and mechanical drive applications. They also start large diesel engines for auxiliary power and backup systems, ensuring operational continuity in remote locations. The market is driven by increasing oil & gas exploration activities and the need for reliable starting solutions in harsh environments.

Air starters are preferred in the oil & gas sector due to their higher reliability and safety than electric starters. These starters reduce the risk of ignition in potentially explosive environments by eliminating the need for electrical spark-based starting mechanisms. This is crucial in oil & gas facilities where flammable gases are present. Designed to withstand harsh conditions, air starters offer reliable performance under extreme temperatures and high-vibration environments typically found in exploration sites.

“Asia pacific”: The fastest region in the air starter market.

Asia Pacific is the fastest region in the air starter market with China being the largest market in the region. The region is experiencing significant economic development and growth in industrialization, leading to a increasing demand of reliable engine starting systems for various end use industries. China is expected to witness highest growth throughout the forecast period owing to its substantial oil & gas activities The country’s rapidly expanding aviation sector is another key driver for increasing demand for air starters. The growth of domestic and international flights necessitates reliable engine start systems. Apart from China, India and rest of Asia Pacific region are also expected to be attractive markets for air starters during the forecast period.

Key Market Players

The market is dominated by a few major players that have a wide regional presence. The major players in the air starter market are Ingersoll Rand (US), Caterpillar (US), Rheinmetall AG (Germany), Maradyne (US), KH Equipment (Australia), and Honeywell International (US). Between 2020 and 2024, strategies such as product launches, partnerships, collaborations, alliances, and expansions are followed by these companies to capture a larger share of market.

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Scope of the Report

This research report categorizes the air starter market by type, end user and region.

On the basis of type, the air starter market has been segmented as follows:

• Vane Air Starters
• Turbine Air Starters
• Electric Air Starters

On the basis of End User, the air starter market has been segmented as follows:

• Oil & Gas
• Military & Aviation
• Mining
• Marine
• Others

On the basis of region, the air starter market has been segmented as follows:

• Asia Pacific
• Europe
• North America
• Middle East & Africa
• South America

Recent Developments

• In March 2023, Ingersoll Rand introduced its ST2000 Air Starter led by an inline turbine design that allows for efficient air consumption. The ST2000 unlocks productivity for engines ranging from 15 liters up to 150 liters, packing a 70hp punch into a 40-pound package.
• In April 2023, Ingersoll Rand unveiled its 2922 Series of pneumatic wrenches and productivity-boosting engine air starters. The new release pneumatic impact wrenches provide 2,000 foot-pounds of nut-busting torque in a durable, affordable 12-lb. package.
• In September 2022, Rheinmetall’s Canadian branch Rheinmetall Canada showcased the world’s first zero-emission, all-electric air start unit. Air Canada has become a development partner and, upon successful completion of the trial, plans to incorporate the Rheinmetall eMSU into its fleet of mobile ground air start units.

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