BSRIA projects that the global structured cabling market will decline 12% in 2020, from US$6.6 billion to $5.8 billion, and that consumption is not likely to return to 2019 levels until 2022.

A press release said that the first half of the year saw the largest fall, with severe disruption caused by national lockdowns. In some instances, the worst effects were felt in the second half. The report, which covers 10 countries and four regions, was updated to account for the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There were significant variations between countries, typically related to the general economic impact of the pandemic,” the release said. “There have also been various government support policies for the country economies in general or for specific sectors, such as buildings.” Additionally, vertical markets have fared significantly differently from one another. “Sectors such as travel, hospitality and retail (have been) especially badly hit, while healthcare, data centers and in some countries, education, remain more buoyant.”

Copper cable and connectivity suffered more than fiber did, reports BSRIA. Copper sales declined by 15% globally, with a range of 14% and 16% holding consistently across main regions of the globe. BSRIA attributes this decline to “a severe disruption in non-residential construction with the delay or cancellation of many projects.”

Fiber, on the other hand, declined 7% but with significant variations from region to region, “from a stable market in Asia-Pacific to a drop of 14% in America,” BSRIA stated. “In countries where fiber sales held up, this was often supported by increased investment in data centers partly driven by the effects of the pandemic in driving demand for web services.”

For more details, contact BSRIA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.bsria.co.uk.