A tunnel boring machine is used to excavate tunnels. The machine can bore through numerous ground conditions, such as soft ground, hard rock, variable, and heterogeneous ground. The tunnel diameters can range from 1 meter to ~16 meters. The machine is incorporated with an innovative navigation system to ensure that it digs precisely along the tunnel alignments. It is scrutinized 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and fully equipped with staff facilities. The machine is effective for catering smooth cut, together with constructing concrete shields around the bored tunnels. The largest diameter tunnel boring machine, at 15.43 meters, was designed by German-based Herrenknecht AG for a project in Shanghai, China. The machine consists of one or two shields and trailing support tools. At the front end of the shield is a rotating cutting wheel, whereas behind the cutting wheel is a chamber. Tunnel boring machines are deployed in several major industries. The successful application of this machine depends on selecting a suitable equipment and cutting tools for the ground conditions to be encountered.
HERRENKNECHT AG, KAWASAKI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD., KOMATSU LTD., CHINA RAILWAY GROUP LIMITED, AND HITACHI ZOSEN CORPORATION – PROMINENT MARKET PARTICIPANTS IN TUNNEL BORING MACHINE MARKET
Growth in road infrastructure is one of the significant factors propelling the market growth. Rising government investment in railway projects is anticipated to drive the global tunnel boring machine market. For instance, construction of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel between Denmark and Germany initiated on January 2021 in Denmark. The project will be completed by 2029. The project would allow the development of the longest combined road and rail immersed tube tunnel across the globe. In June 2019, China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. introduced its tunnel boring machine, which exported to Italy for a railway project connecting Milan and Verona. The machine has a diameter of 10.03 meters and a length of 155 meters; it weighs 1,800 tons. Rising levels of industrialization and urbanization in developing countries due to population growth coupled with tunnel infrastructure upgrade and rise in tunnel safety regulations are also expected to boost the growth of the tunnel boring machine market during the forecast period of 2020 to 2027.
The tunnel boring machine market is segmented into type, geology, end-user, and geography. Based on type, the market is segmented into slurry, earth pressure balance shield, open gripper, shielded, multi-mode, and others. In terms of geology, the market is divided into soft ground, hard rock ground, variable ground, and heterogeneous ground. Based on end-user, the tunnel boring machine market is segmented into transportation, metals & mining, oil & gas, and others. Geographically, the market is segmented into five major regions—North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), the Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM). In 2019, APAC held the largest share and is projected to be the fastest-growing region from 2020 to 2027.
China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.; CREG TBM Germany GmbH; Dalian Huarui Heavy Industry Group Co., Ltd.; Herrenknecht AG, Hitachi Zosen Corporation; IHI Corporation; Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd; Komatsu Ltd; Northern Heavy Industries Group Co., Ltd. (The Robbins Company); and Qinhuangdao Tianye Tolian Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. are among the key players that were profiled during this market study. In addition to these players, several other important market players were studied and analyzed during this market research study to get a holistic view of the global tunnel boring machine market and its ecosystem.
Market initiative is a strategy adopted by companies to expand their footprint across the world and to meet the growing customer demand. The market players present in the market are mainly focusing on product and service enhancements by integrating advanced features and technologies into their offerings. Most market initiatives were observed in APAC and Europe, which has a high growth potential for tunnel boring machine market providers. Few of the important market initiatives from the industry are mentioned below:
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Year |
News |
Country |
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2020 |
India’s largest diameter TBM was packed at China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. The first industrial park in the Changsha city, central-south of China. It will pass through Shanghai Port to Mumbai for a coastal road project. |
APAC |
|
2020 |
The largest tunnel boring machine by Herrenknecht AG ever used in Europe successfully completed its drive in June. The supersize borer (Earth Pressure Balance Shield, diameter 15.87 meters) manufactured by Herrenknecht. |
Europe |
