The construction industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by an increased focus on environmental sustainability and workplace safety, and the growing importance of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics. In the last three years alone, there have been over 248,000 patents filed and granted in the construction industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Construction: Movable door leaves.
However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
80+ innovations will shape the construction industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the construction industry using innovation intensity models built on over 179,000 patents, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, mullion-transom curtain walls are the disruptive technology that is in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Heat-insulated glazing panels, drainage gully grating, and acoustic ceiling panels are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are abrasion-resistant decorative flooring and road construction milling tool, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the construction industry
Movable door leaves are a key innovation area in construction
Movable door leaves refer to the individual panels or sections that make up a door that can be opened or closed by swinging, sliding, or folding. These door leaves can be made from various materials such as wood, metal, glass, or plastic and are designed to move within a frame or track system.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 10+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established construction companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of movable door leaves.
Key players in movable door leaves – a disruptive innovation in the construction industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to movable door leaves
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2021) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Ningbo Xianfeng New Material | 16 | Unlock company profile |
| Foshan Yunmi Electrical Appliance Science & Technology | 14 | Unlock company profile |
| Suzhou Gold Mantis Construction Decoration | 10 | Unlock company profile |
| Riken Technos | 9 | Unlock company profile |
| VKR Holding | 9 | Unlock company profile |
| LG | 8 | Unlock company profile |
| Midea Holding | 8 | Unlock company profile |
| State Grid Corporation of China | 7 | Unlock company profile |
| NISSO | 7 | Unlock company profile |
| KGIC Merger | 6 | Unlock company profile |
| IDA | 6 | Unlock company profile |
| Samsung Group | 5 | Unlock company profile |
| Endura Products | 5 | Unlock company profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
The leading company in the movable door leaves space is Ningbo Xianfeng New Material. A recent innovation utilises an integrated multi-function window that overcomes the disadvantages of the existing windows, including complicated structures and time and labour-consuming double constructions. The integrated multi-function window includes a first window frame having a first window with a mounted cover and telescopic curtain cloth. One side of this window frame is fixedly connected to a second window, which is positioned correspondingly to the first window. The integrated multi-function window has a simple configuration and multiple functions. It also provides better energy efficiency and is of a low cost and has improved reliability.
Other leading companies in the space include Foshan Yunmi Electrical Appliance Science and Technology and Suzhou Gold Mantis Construction Decoration.
In terms of application diversity, the leading companies are Riken Technos, LG and Samsung. In terms of geographic reach, Ningbo Xianfeng New Material, Foshan Tunmi Electrical Appliance Science and Technology, and Riken Technos are the leading companies.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the construction industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Construction.
Subscribe to our Newsletters
Get industry leading news, data and analysis delivered to your inbox
GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
