The shipments of factory automation devices, which are wireless enabled and connected to wireless networks, is set to increase from 2.7 million units worldwide in 2007 to almost 8 million in 2013. This is according to a newly published study from IMS Research. The EMEA market accounted for 40% of the global total, as the more developed regions have, so far, adopted wireless products most. Wireless unit shipments to EMEA will exceed those to Asia to 2013. Senior Analyst, Mark Watson, commented “especially in the current economic climate, EMEA users, often with higher operating costs than those in Asia, may see the adoption of certain wireless products as a way to avoid the installation and maintenance costs of cable networks”.