Joe Zirnhelt is president and CEO of Power Systems Research. Today, Joe will describe the landscape of databases available from Power Systems Research and how clients typically access and use the databases. Next week, in Part 2 of this discussion, he’ll explain how component modules are assembled to detail important attributes about the engines and equipment such as Turbos, Transmissions and Axles.
Transcript
Welcome to the PSR PowerTALK podcast, produced by Power Systems Research.
00:06 Joe Delmont:
From Power Systems Research I’m Joe Delmont, editor of PSR PowerTALK. Today, we’re talking with Joe Zirnhelt about PSR’s database offerings and how their clients use them to grow their markets. In the next episode, we’ll talk about some examples of component modules; which increase the power of their databases.
Joe is President and CEO of Power Systems Research.
Joe, let’s start at the beginning. You say PSR is a research company. What kind of research do you do?
00:41 Joe Zirnhelt:
Thanks Joe. Since 1976, we’ve been collecting worldwide production information on engines as well as the OEMs that install those engines into their various types of powered equipment.
01:00 Joe Delmont:
So, what kind of data do you collect?
01:04 Joe Zirnhelt:
Well, the main information we collect and offer is production information. In other words, how many units are produced. And, by showing some attributes about what is powering in that equipment, like the engine type and size, as well as the applications that use those engines, and where the equipment is manufactured, we enable our clients to really analyze and segment their markets that are of most interest to them.
01:40 Joe Delmont:
Well, that sounds complicated. Can you give us some examples?
01:45 Joe Zirnhelt:
Sure, it’s really pretty simple. An example here, take a 300 horsepower engine model, suitable for use in tractors produced in North America — we can tell the user what tractor models are using that 300 horsepower engine model, and where those tractors are being manufactured, as well as the number of units produced each year.
02:16 Joe Delmont:
So Joe, I’m using that example. Can you tell us how your database information is organized and how a client could access this data?
02:29 Joe Zirnhelt:
Actually, we have several targeted databases.
We cover information globally, including the production, sales, and in-service population of the equipment, and then we break that out into 12 world regions and 13 different industry segments. We include anything from the smallest equipment in the lawn and garden segment to the largest types of equipment such as rigid-haul mining trucks in the construction segment.
03:06 Joe Delmont:
Joe, if you place all those data points in one huge database, how do your clients find the information they need? The database would be massive.
03:18 Joe Zirnhelt:
Well, actually Joe, we have four separate databases, with each one being highly focused on engine data, OEM production, commercial vehicles, and one additional database, PartsLink, which features in-service population data for powered vehicles and equipment.
03:43 Joe Delmont:
Can you briefly describe each of these databases?
03:50 Joe Zirnhelt:
Sure. We have four proprietary databases Enginlink, OE Link, CV Link, and PartsLink. EnginLink provides specification data for internal combustion engines as well as engine production and forecast information. OE Link is our database of powered equipment; including production and forecast data for the OEMs that assemble the powered equipment. CV Link provides production, forecast, and specification data for on-highway commercial vehicles class 4 through 8. And finally, PartsLink provides the in-service population data for the vehicles and equipment that are in operation around the world.
04:51 Joe Delmont:
I get the idea. Four specially-focused databases. Now, how do clients know which one to use and how do they find the data they need?
05:03 Joe Zirnhelt:
It it’s easy for clients to access our data. We offer two basic formats. Our clients pick the one that works best for them.
05:14 Joe Delmont:
OK, keep going. Tell us about it.
05:17 Joe Zirnhelt:
So the first is what we call a database license subscription. This is a one-year subscription which allows a client to access our online dashboard where he or she can create and run reports. Clients can also export those results for use in their own external analysis tools.
05:40 Joe Delmont:
Plenty of data; but I would guess that this data gets outdated very quickly. How often is the information updated during a 12-month subscription?
05:52 Joe Zirnhelt:
Well Joe, that it’s a very good point and a question we often receive from new perspective user companies. We know that the segments that we cover are constantly changing and evolving, so over the course of a year-long subscription, clients receive quarterly database updates; where we provide the latest data releases and forecast results. And then, additionally, as a supplement to the, the data, we provide our licensed clients with quarterly update bulletins. And these quarterly update bulletins contain an overview of the information that’s been updated over the last quarter; plus our five-year forecast and the insights behind the forecast drivers and trends by region and segment.
06:52 Joe Delmont:
Well Joe, that sounds like a potentially broad scope. How do you work with clients to narrow in on what they really need?
07:03 Joe Zirnhelt:
Well, our databases are, are set up to allow subscribers to have access to the data that’s of most interest to them. A data scope will often be defined by several parameters, such as fuel types, the OEM drive types — such as internal combustion, electric, hybrid, fuel cell — the power ranges involved, the regions and segments involved, among other possible attributes about the engines or equipment.
07:41 Joe Delmont:
OK, uhm that’s a lot of information. Can you give us an example of a data scope?
07:50 Joe Zirnhelt:
Sure, a client, for example, can drill down through our data to produce a report that tells him or her the number of tractors of more than 300 horsepower that will be produced in North America each year over the time period of 2016 to 2026.
08:16 Joe Delmont:
The annual subscription sounds like something a power user would need. Do you have anything for a smaller user?
08:25 Joe Zirnhelt:
We certainly do. A more simplified way to access our data is through a one-time data extract that we provide in Excel format.
08:36 Joe Delmont:
OK, that’s impressive. It certainly sounds like your clients can tailor the information packages to meet their exact needs, but I assume this flexibility can be very costly.
08:50 Joe Zirnhelt:
Well, the costs involved really depend on many aspects surrounding the scope and breadth of data involved. A basic one-time extract can be purchased for as little as $2500; and, I’d say our average first time extract purchase is about $7500.
09:15 Joe Delmont:
How do you charge for annual subscriptions?
09:19 Joe Zirnhelt:
Well, an annual subscription that covers several segments in more than one region is going to be more expensive than a simple data extract. However, it does provide more information. Starting with a higher level view and, the most, in the area of most interest, allows a client to really work with the data over a period of time and develop a feel for the value that they derive from the data and really align their budget and needs over time.
Our database products are priced according to the number of unique data records that a client has access to; which is ultimately determined by the data scope that we talked about earlier. This is the type of flexibility that we will aim to achieve in the scoping process to allow our clients to buy as much or as little data as they need. This really allows them to analyze the markets they’re most interested in without paying for unnecessary regions or segments that they don’t really need.
10:39 Joe Delmont:
Joe, thanks for joining us today and updating us on PSR’s database offerings. Next week, we’ll discuss PSR’s unique offerings of component modules for items such as transmissions, axles, and turbos.
Look for industry reports every month in the PSR PowerTALK news report and on this podcast. Contact us for more information at (651) 905-8400 or email us at info@powersys.com.
Thank you for joining us today and we look forward to meeting again to dive a little deeper on what types of fields are available within the different types of component modules.
In the meantime, visit the PSR PowerTALK archive for other episodes of this show at powersys.com.
11:37
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