The construction industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is 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 27,000 patents filed and granted in the construction industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Modular construction in construction: modular suspended ceiling. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 240,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the construction industry, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Modular suspended ceiling is a key innovation area in modular construction
Modular suspended ceiling refers to a ceiling system that comprises interconnected ceiling panels that are suspended from a support structure. The system allows for easy installation, removal, and modification of ceiling panels, with minimal disturbance to the building structure.
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 75+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established construction companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of modular suspended ceiling.
Key players in modular suspended ceiling – a disruptive innovation in the construction industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to modular suspended ceiling
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Zhejiang Yasha Decoration | 530 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Gebr Knauf | 152 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China State Construction Engineering | 30 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Suzhou Gold Mantis Construction Decoration | 29 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Compagnie de Saint-Gobain | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| 3G Capital | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Armstrong World Industries | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China National Building Material | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Yoshino Gypsum | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Railway Group | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Quick-mix Gruppe | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Knauf AMF | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanghai Construction Group | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing Gangyuan Architectural Decoration Engineering | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shimizu | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China MCC5 Group | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kajima | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Energie Solaire | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LTS Licht & Leuchten | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Jangho Group | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Taisei | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Construction First Bureau (Group) | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China MCC20 Group | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Construction Shenzhen Decoration | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Acoustic Ceiling Products | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing Urban Construction Sixth Group | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shenzhen Qixin Construction Group | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Construction Dongfang Decoration | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shenzhen Huanan Decoration Group | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Jingye Engineering | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Country Garden | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Changjiang Jinggong Steel Building (Group) | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shenzhen Grandland Group | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sto | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanghai Ershiye Construction | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China State Shipbuilding | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanghai Kangye Building Decoration Engineering | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Construction Second Bureau Decoration Engineering | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Guangzhou Pearl River Decoration Engineering | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Construction Fifth Engineering Division Wall & Decoration | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Decai Decoration | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nippon Steel | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Guangzhou Compton Zhigao Building Materials | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanxi 2Nd Constr Group | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shenzhen Style Decoration | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zhejiang Huaxiajie Macromolecule Building Material | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zhejiang Youbang Integrated Ceiling | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zhang Mei | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Zhejiang Yasha Decoration is the leading patent filer for modular suspended ceilings. The Chinese company provides services related to decorating large-scale infrastructure projects as well as luxury residential and non-residential properties. Gebr Knauf is also active in this area, being a leading manufacturer of construction materials that use gypsum drywall for design ceilings. According to the company, Knauf AMF produces innovative and trend-setting system solutions for modular ceilings. Among Knauf AMF’s solutions is AMF VENTATEC, a ceiling suspension grid system.
In terms of application diversity, Quick-mix Gruppe leads the pack, while Energie Solaire and Jiangxi Qixin stood in the second and third positions, respectively.
By means of geographic reach, Armstrong World Industries held the top position, followed by Gebr Knauf and 3G Capital.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the construction industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Construction.
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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.
