Market Profile: Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS)

LIMS are software platforms that provide data management, and were introduced as a solution to sample tracking. However, LIMS quickly evolved into a tool that manages multiple facets of laboratory informatics. In fact, LIMS capably resembles enterprise resource planning systems. The ability to track samples, automate data sampling, and query reports makes LIMS an indispensable asset to all laboratories.

LIMS began in the early 1980s as a means to reduce transcription errors of sample analysis by automating reporting tools on a centralized computer. Less than 10 years later, LIMS began implementing query protocol and tapping into relational databases. LIMS evolved parallel to these network developments and by the mid 1990s, client and server tools had developed further and allowed processing of data anywhere on the network. Within a year, web-enabled LIMS were introduced.  

LIMS are not standard, and must be developed, customized, and configured for highly diverse clients such as analytical, clinical, environmental, forensic, and production laboratories. But regardless of focus, all laboratories require the management of information, rapid sample turnaround, error reduction, and quality assurance control. Several vendors have developed their own solution for these laboratories. LabWare and LabVantage are leading vendors who cater to pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals,  food and beverage, materials, petroleum, and environmental laboratories.

LIMS market demand by industry for 2018.

The total market for LIMS was measured at just over $450 million in 2018. In the past few years, the demand from pharmaceutical laboratories has surged due to increased need for regulatory compliance, which accounted for 31% of the market share in 2018. Biotech’s and CRO’s need for copious sample analysis was also a significant driver, and poised the market with 23% of the market demand. Overall, demand for LIMS is on pace to surpass $600 million in 2023.

Market size and growth estimates were adopted from TDA’s Industry Data, a database of technology market profiles and benchmarks covering laboratory and process analytical instrumentation that are updated quarterly. It also includes data from the 2019 Instrument Industry Outlook report from independent market research firm Top-Down Analytics (TDA). For more information, contact Glenn Cudiamat, president and CEO, at (310) 871-3768 or glenn.cudiamat@tdaresearch.com. Glenn is a market research expert who has been covering the analytical instrumentation industry for more than two decades.