Industrial Sheaves: Latest Trends

Although sheaves are relatively small pieces of hardware, they play a crucial role in lifting, engineering, and energy transfer equipment. They are mainly used together with belts, ropes, or cables to transfer energy or lift materials with a crane. 

A sheave is simply a wheel featuring an open groove for a cable to fit around, allowing it to rotate around the exterior. If the sheave is for lifting items, the cable is attached to the item to be moved on one end and the other fitted to a fixed object, such as the base of a crane. If the sheave is for transfering power, it is attached to a shaft of a motor and then fitted to a second sheave attached to the driven shaft.  

This post takes a closer look at the latest trend in the world of sheaves. We will also tell you the best sheaves on the market today. 

A Closer Look at the Latest Trends in the Sheaves Market Today 

As we have pointed out in the introduction, sheaves are very important because of their extensive application. For example, they are used with pumps, motors, production conveyors, and material handling equipment. This demand, especially in the application of emerging machines, has contributed so much to the emerging trends. Here are some of them:

Global Industrial Sheaves is Expected to Peak in 2027 

In the year 2020, the global pulleys and sheaves market grew and hit US$1.3 billion. This trend is expected to continue growing and reach a high of US$1.5 billion by 2027. This growth could have been higher but was hampered by the impacts of COVID-19 that struck in March 2020. Particularly, the material handling industry was affected more as industries closed down operations during lockdowns. 

Now that the market is recovering, the growth in the material handling niche is expected to grow by 2.5% CAGR (compound annual growth rate), reaching around US$660.6 million by 2027. If the growth reaches the pre-COVID-19 rates, it might grow further to 3% by 2027. 

China Industrial Sheave Market to Grow by 4.8% CAGR

Unlike the predicted global sheaves and pulleys CAGR, which is expected to hit about 2.5-3%, China is likely to race right ahead with 4.8% CARG. Other notable sheaves and pulley markets are Canada, and Japan, with each expected to grow by 1.9% and 0.6%, respectively, between 2020 and 2027. In Europe, Germany's sheave and pulley market is expected to grow by about 12% CAGR over the same period. 

Agricultural Equipment Segment to Help Push the Demand for Pulleys and Sheaves 

Another crucial segment that is helping to grow the market for sheaves and pulleys is the global agricultural equipment, especially in China, Japan, Europe, Canada, and the USA. The combined effect is expected to drive the demand by about 2% by the close of the 2020-2027 period. 

Common Sheaves on the Market 

Now that we have looked at the main trends to expect between 2020 and 2017, you might be wondering, “What are the leading sheaves options?” Here are the main categories: 

• Normal duty sheaves: These are designed for lightweight loads or normal applications.
• Heavy-duty sheave: If you have very heavy applications, these are the sheaves to go for. Some are designed to support multiple belts. 
• Domed sheaves: Unlike the first two, these sheaves are reinforced for extreme heavy-duty applications. They are mainly welded in circular patterns to reduce additional stress. 

The sheaves and pulley market show that although there was a slowdown in demand in 2020 and part of 2021, the trend is changing. As more industries open and focus on optimizing their production rates, the demand for sheaves and pulleys will continue and peak around 2027. Therefore, if you are looking for sheaves or pulleys, make sure to go for strong models, especially those designed by top brands.