Global Automated Parking

Systems Market 2011-2016

Introduction
An automated parking system automates the process of parking and
retrieving a vehicle from its allocated slot in a parking garage. It consists
of mechanical, electrical and software systems which complete the
process of parking without human intervention. The technology is similar
to that used in automated warehousing and storage facilities. These
systems can be designed to be built either above or below ground and can
be configured to suit any type of building or landscape, offering flexibility
in use of space. Unlike conventional parking systems that use ramps,
automated systems transfer the vehicle from a designated spot to a
parking slot through a system of either robotic shuttles or cranes to park a
vehicle.
The rise of automated parking technology has made owners and planners
take note of its features and consider it in evaluating their optimal parking
solutions. The technology is based on the automated retrieval of vehicles
from a series of transfer stations and robotically controlled lift systems.
This system requires no human intervention from the point of driver entry
to driver retrieval, with transfer times ranging from thirty seconds to two
minutes depending on the equipment configuration. Though the initial
cost of these facilities is more than the cost of conventional parking
facilities, it is claimed that this can be compensated by the benefit of
lesser land investment, improved holding capacity, and decreased
maintenance and labor costs.
Automated Parking was conceived as a solution to increasing demand of
parking facility in areas where land for parking is scarce. Parking evolved
from parking spaces to parking garages and lots during the 19 th century
with steadily increasing car density in urban areas. Conventional parking

systems needed enormous amounts of land and were not space-efficient.

The need for compact parking system was identified and mechanical
parking systems were built. Automated parking began in 1905 in Paris,
France. These initial parking systems were built for the sole purpose of
compacting space and were not automated. They used elevators operated
by parking personnel. Storage/retrieval times were uncomfortably high for
the customers while elevator breakdowns were commonplace. There were
improvements in parking design and technology in the 60s and 70s, but
the mechanism remained more or less the same.
The first fully automated parking systems were introduced in the 90s with
demand for fast and convenient parking systems rising in high-end
housing sectors. The vehicles were needed to be parked at a certain spot
by a person and the system transferred it to a vacant space. Countries like
Japan actively adopted this system due to shortage of land for parking in
its already dense urban landscape.
Today, nations across the world are looking towards automated parking
systems as the optimal solution to their parking problem. The present
parking systems use various types of storage and retrieval systems for
example, Crane system and Puzzle system etc. based on the design and
parking requirement of the building. Systems are being designed with a
view to reduce storage and retrieval times for waiting customers by
optimizing peak/off-peak times and using systems that can handle parallel
operations rather than sequentially parking each vehicle.
The parking systems in near future are expected to improve upon existing
systems and adopt the latest innovations in technology to offer the best of
parking experiences to customers.

Key Players
Automotion Inc.
Automotion Inc. is a part of the American Development Group, which specializes
in Real Estate Organization. Since first installing an automated parking system in
1996, the company has had several high profile projects to its name, primarily in
the USA. The company partners with American manufacturers to provide
complete automated parking solutions including after sales service and 24/7
service personnel.

Company Size: 50 employees

Address:
411 Hempstead Turnpike
West Hempstead, NY 11552
Tel: +1 516 565 5600
Fax: +1 516 908 4411
Email: arim@adgorg.com

Parkmatic

Parkmatic, a division of Parking In Motion, Inc. is a company that designs,

manufactures, and constructs fully automated and mechanical parking systems.
It provides both automated and mechanical parking solutions to customers. It
has projects in USA, Middle East countries like Egypt, UAE, Qatar, UK and
Australia.

Address:
20-25 130th Street
College Point, NY 11356
Mr. Max Wassef
(E) max.wassef@parkmatic.com
(P) +1-800 -422-5438

Unitronics
Unitronics is a public company that specializes in industrial automation.
Founded: 1989
employees

Address:
P.O.B. 300
Unitronics
Ben Gurion Airport
70100, Israel
Phone: +972 3 977 88 88
Fax: +972 3 977 88 77

Company Size: 500

5BY2

5BY2 is a pioneer in the fully automated parking business. With 26 successful

installations to date and a group turnover of 40 million, it has a remarkable
presence in Europe and has recently ventured into UAE.
Its

competency

includes

design,

manufacture,

install,

commission

and

maintenance of fully automatic parking garages which are based on a puzzle

system.
Type: Privately Held

Company Size: 500

employees
Address:
Joan Muyskensweg 32a
1099 CK Amsterdam
Ph: +31 (0) 20 5689689
Fax: +31 (0) 20 5689663
Mail: info@5by2.nl

Westfalia Technologies, Inc.

With over 35 years of logistics experience, Westfalia specializes in supply chain
and car park automation. Westfalia started design and development of
automated parking systems in 1997, with its first installation being a project in
Vienna. It is one of the leading providers of automated parking systems in the
world and has installed parking systems in Denmark, Dubai, Athens, Dubrovnik
and New York. The automated parking system in Dubai International Airport is
Westfalias most high profile project. Westfalias products include Automated
Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) for mini, unit and platform containers,
conventional and DeepLaneTM pallet flow systems, conveyors, order pick systems

and Automated Parking Systems. The company has manufacturing facilities in

both USA and Europe.
Type: Privately Held

Company Size: 250

employees Founded: 1992

Address:
3655 Sandhurst Drive
York, PA 17406
UNITED STATES
Phone: (717) 764-1115 or (800) 673-2522
Fax: (717) 764-1118
E-mail: sales@westfaliausa.com

EITO&GLOBAL INC.
Based in Japan, Eito& Global Inc. developed the first round full-automated
parking system in 2002.
YEAR ESTABLISHED

Dec.1999

Address:
15-60, Yoshinosakai, Matsuoka,
Eiheiji-Cho,Yoshida-Gun, FUKUI, JAPAN
Phone +81 776 61 4500
FAX +81 776 61 4545

CAPITAL

37 million JPY

SALES

400 million (as of 2012)

EMPLOYEES 5
ACTIVITIES
Export of full automatic mechanical parking system

Manufacturing of parking system on OEM basis

Export and distribution of high quality TV conference system software
Investment of Overseas companies

Boomerang Systems
Boomerang Systems, Inc. is a leading USA manufacturer of automated robotic
parking garages and automated self-storage systems.
Boomerang products and systems are designed, engineered and manufactured
in Logan, Utah.
Type: Public Company

Company Size: 50 employees

Founded: 2006

Address:
Boomerang Systems Inc.
30B Vreeland Road Suite 100
Florham Park, NJ 07932
Phone: 1-973-538-1194
Toll-Free: 1-888-272-6977
Fax: 1-973-538-1196

FATA Automation Inc.

Type: Privately Held
employees
Founded: 1936
Address:
6050 Nineteen Mile Road
Sterling Heights, MI 48314
UNITED STATES

Company Size: 200

Ph: +1 586 323-9400 ext.30

Fax : +1 586 323-0095

Stolzer Parkhaus GmbH & Co. KG

Stolzer Parkhaus GmbH & Company, KG is a worldwide operating affiliate of
STOPA Anlagenbau GmbH & Co. KG, with nearly 200 employees, including its
own automation and control specialists. The company is located in Achern,
Germany. Established in 1963 by Paul Stolzer, the prototype of automatic parking
systems was built with STOPA Anlagenbau in 1994. In 1996, they launched their
first automatic parking system for public use. Majority of their products are
installed in Europe and North America.
Type: Privately Held

Company Size: 200

employees
Founded: 1963

Address:
Stolzer Parkhaus GmbH & Co. KG
Industriestrae 12
D-77855 Achern-Gamshurst
Ph: +49. (0) 7841.704-0
Fax: +49. (0) 7841.704-190 info@stolzer.com

Skyline Parking AG
Based in Swizerland, Skyline Parking has several projects in Europe, UAE and
China.
Type: Public Company
Founded: 2007

Company Size: 50 employees

Address:
Lagerhausstrasse 3
Winterthur, 8400
SWITZERLAND
P: +41 52 203 00 03
E: info@skyline-parking.com

Simmatec
HQ- Korea
Familycore 6F,67, Imhak-dong, gyeyang-gu, Incheon
Tel: +82-70-7602-8491
Fax: +82-2-514-5757
Email: simmatec@simmatec.com

Robotic Parking Systems, Inc.

All Robotic Parking Systems machinery is manufactured in Clearwater, Florida.
The company has the only full scale manufacturing facility in North America
dedicated to designing and building custom automated parking garages. It was
the first company to develop an automated parking garage in UAE. It has
projects in all major cities in Europe, Americas, Middle East and recently Asian
cities like Singapore.
Established: 1994
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
Robotic Parking Systems, Inc.
12812 60th Street N.
Clearwater, FL 33760
United States

Tel: 1-888-ROBOPARK / 727-539-7275

Fax: 727-216-8947
Email: info@roboticparking.com

Timeline of Automated Parking Systems

Japan parking
system
manufacturer
s Association
founded in
1965

First
Mechanical
Parking
Systems
designed
and
patented

1920

Ferriswheel
design built
by J.E.
Morton in
1923, now
prominent in
Japanese
automated
parking

1940

1950

First Mechanical
Parking systems
installed in USA.
(Bowser, Pigeon
Hole and Roto
Park System)
Park systems

1980

Automated &
Mechanical
Parking
Association
officially
incorporated in
February 2001

1990

2000

First Fully
automated
parking
systems
installed by
Automotion
and Stolzer
(1996)

2010

2012

Trends & Drivers

Demand for Green/Sustainable Solutions

Recent years have seen a shift in the parking industry towards developing
environment-friendly products. There is pressure from society and shareholders
to be seen as a green company. People the world over become increasingly
environment-conscious. All manufacturers are looking for solutions that can
reduce their carbon footprint. Sustainable parking systems, alternative power
sources and use of recyclable materials in products are in demand. Use of solar
panels to power the parking systems, better vehicle guidance systems that help
reduce the carbon emissions, electric car charging stations are some of the
innovations that have ushered in the green age in the parking sector. In this
scenario, automated systems have the advantage over conventional parking.
With substantial reduction in emissions, energy consumption and construction
footprint, automated parking systems are the future of parking.

Globalization & Urbanization

Globalization and urbanization are likely to continue globally in the future. Trade
between nations will ensure growth and open up new avenues for companies in
the parking industry to expand. Due to urbanization, population shift to urban
and sub-urban setting will continue to increase automobile ownership and thus
drive the markets growth.

Changing Consumer Culture

As the society shifts to an urban setting, consumers are beginning to demand

better service and convenient transaction options. The consumers demand will
shape the future of the industry. Automated parking was once viewed as a luxury
service by users, while today there are several such parking lots in major cities,
used by even the average commuter. There is

demand for state of the art

equipment and multiple payment options in safe, clean and friendly parking

systems. New age parking systems are expected to sport an intuitive interface
that makes the customer interaction easy and hassle-free.

Changing Government Policy

The classical approach that viewed parking as a source for income and easing
congestion has changed to the modern approach, which is to include parking
management in planning and design of zones.

Parking management is

increasingly gaining importance in the eyes of enforcement authorities. Several

projects are being planned with automated parking management in mind. The
parking industry is being engaged from the very beginning and this gives
companies the opportunity to introduce new technology.

Shift towards Local Manufacturing

Governments, especially in the West, are now pushing manufacturers to avoid
procuring

components

from

other

nations

or

outsourcing

manufacturing

processes to offshore factories. The notion of Buy local is being promoted

actively across communities as it has an emotional connect with customers. The
effect is that local economy will get a boost in terms of employment and
revenue. Several parking equipment manufacturers are following suit and are
advertising the fact that their products are made 100% in their own country.

Company Expansion and Ventures in New Markets

The current trend in automated parking industry is expansion of company so as
to develop new projects, both in domestic and international market. With several
new companies vying for space in new and emerging markets like UAE,
Singapore

there

is immense

competition. Yet,

as the advantages

over

conventional systems lure buyers towards automation, the industry will grow
rapidly and there is scope for all existing and new companies to expand and
compete.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

The advantages of fully automatic car parking system are:
1. No human action is required during parking and retrieval of vehicle.
2. As the whole process is done by a controlled mechanism efficiency is
maximized.
3. Makes the maximum utilization of space.
4. Reduced vehicles emissions (CO2, NOx, and PM10) as engines are switched off
during parking and no manoeuvring is required.

The disadvantages of fully automatic car parking system are:

1. Expensive as the whole parking and retrieval operation is fully automatic.
2. Any fault in the automated controlling system will lead to the great haphazard
and inconvenience to the people.
3. The power consumption is high to run such a system.
4. This system is more complex to build.
5. Customers have to pay large fares to park their vehicles in fully automated car
parking system.
6. Construction cost is very high.
The operating costs for a conventional garage are considerably higher with
greater needs for maintenance, security, cleaning, snow and salt removal. He
stated, "In addition, the useful life of a conventional car deck is about 20 years.
The earliest European systems (automated parking garages) show little or no
wear after about 15 years. These steel structures probably have twice the life of
conventional garages."

In fact, one of the first mechanical systems built by Krupp in Munich, Germany
for the Deutsche Bank is still in operation since 1956 - after more than half a
century!

"When all factors are considered, the cost of operating an automated garage is
less than half (-55%) that of a conventional garage.

Challenges
Capital Costs
The capital requirements for sustained growth in this industry are high. As
against a conventional parking lot which requires up to $15000 per space, an
automated parking system will require between $ 20000-25000, going up to
$50000 for underground parking spaces. While such parking systems developed
for private customers may be feasible, automated parking systems for public use
will have to be substantially lower to be economically viable in the long run.
Also, if a new product has to force its way into the market, it has to be developed
from scratch to avoid patent infringement and this adds to the companys
financial burden.

Embracing New Technology

While most governments today are willing to explore new possibilities to solve
parking problems, there are authorities who are sceptical of the automated
system. Reports of failures in certain installations and damage to cars have
raised questions over the safety of automobiles in such systems.