Market Profile: Laboratory Information Management Systems

With accountability and regulatory compliance being such a large part of the modern laboratory, the necessity for laboratory information management systems (LIMS) cannot be understated. LIMS allow laboratories to manage both logistic and analytical data, along with having the ability to interface with corporate reporting software, instruments, and a host of other software modules.

Regional distribution of LIMS survey respondents (n = 552)

LIMS are used in both small and large companies to allow its users to automatically input, store, and archive information, track samples, and easily generate reports. LIMS products in the market vary widely in cost, sophistication, and industrial focus.

In a recent survey from Strategic Directions International, more than 550 LIMS managers and knowledgeable users were questioned about their needs, capabilities, and trends relating to the LIMS market. These surveys also provided a great deal of insight into user opinions about leading companies. In fact, when asked to indicate the top criteria when choosing a LIMS vendor, the two most frequently mentioned responses were service and support, and responsiveness and reliability of the LIMS vendors. These criteria have become increasingly important over the years, partly because the magnitude of LIMS installations and the vital role it plays in everyday laboratory decisions.

The respondents were also asked to rate their satisfaction with a wide array of product and vendor factors using a set rating scale. Vendor’s service expertise and long-term company commitments were among the highest rated vendor factors.

The accompanying chart shows the regional distribution of respondents to the survey. North America represented the largest segment of respondents. Europe accounted for over one-fifth, while Asia, rest of the world (ROW), and Latin America combined for the remaining 26% of the respondent base.

The foregoing data were extracted from SDi’s Tactical Sales and Marketing (TSM) report entitled: 2012 Lab Informatics Survey of End-Users. For more information, please contact Glenn Cudiamat, VP of Research Services, Strategic Directions International, Inc., 6242 Westchester Parkway, Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90045, tel. (310) 641-4982, fax (310) 641-8851, email: cudiamat@strategic-directions.com