As we approach the finishing line of 2020, it is becoming more apparent who the biggest winners and losers are within the business world. Despite everything which has happened, certain unexpected industries have come out on top, while many other obvious choices have been hit hard.
IBIS, an industry research platform, recently released information regarding some of the fastest growing industries in 2020. Some of these industries are of no big surprise. Online groceries and streaming services are big winners this year as the pandemic has forced people to stay at home.
As such, it was inevitable that deliveries and online entertainment would see a huge jump in demand. Other prominent front-runners include thermometer and medical manufacturers, as people are becoming ever more health cautious during this time.
Several other big winners this year are less well known and may come as a surprise to many. 3D printing and rapid prototyping services saw respectable and constant growth over the past five years, driven by technological developments, lower costs, and new applications for 3D printing technology. The manufacturing sector in particular is a driving force in this development, as most companies use 3D printing to create prototypes because of the highly cost-effective process.
Nevertheless, 3D printers have become quite affordable as of late, and even private households are becoming a key consumer of the product. Technology winners such as these prove that the pandemic had done little to slow down the rapid advance of the Industrial Revolution 4.0.
Another unexpected winner is an industry that most would probably never have heard about: the autonomous underwater vehicle manufacturing industry. No, we are not kidding. The industry has seen robust growth over the years and is expected to have a revenue growth of 26.7 percent for 2020.
It comes as no surprise that the e-commerce industry has reason to celebrate this year. As retailers see footfall dry up at their physical stores, online purchasing skyrocketed as the delivery trend continues to boom. E-commerce giants such as Amazon and Alibaba certainly made their cake and ate it all at the same time this year, especially with regards to electronics.
Information technology is another winner this year. With growing digitalisation in all areas of our day to day lives, software solutions, IT security and data management are becoming more and more popular.
