According to a new research report from the analyst firm Berg Insight, the number of active fleet management systems deployed in commercial vehicle fleets in Europe was 2.0 million in Q4-2010.

Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.7 percent, this number is expected to reach 5.0 million by 2015.

The market is recovering from the economic downturn and it is clear that 2011 will be more positive than the previous year for the industry, even though uncertainties remain especially in Southern Europe. Some players such as TomTom Business Solutions achieved strong organic growth in 2010. Others such as Masternaut, Trimble and Digicore also added new clients through important merger and acquisition activities in the past 12 months. They have all four joined the exclusive group of fleet management providers in Europe having more than 100,000 active devices in the field and Masternaut recently became the first vendor to surpass 200,000 subscribers.

“The consolidation trend is accelerating among the vendors of fleet management systems”, said Johan Fagerberg, senior analyst, Berg Insight. “In the past 18 months we have seen nine major mergers and acquisitions on the European fleet management market forming a new vendor landscape”.

Mr. Fagerberg anticipates that the market consolidation of the still overcrowded industry will continue and take place both within the industry and through acquisitions by external players. With fewer larger companies left on the market he predicts that the intense price competition will relax somewhat and create room for more sustainable profit margins.