The global industrial design services market was the largest segment of the design services market in 2018, accounting for 31.9% of the total share. Industrial design is the process of applying design to products that are to be manufactured through techniques of mass production. The largest market size can be attributed to the high demand for industrial design services from large manufacturing and engineering companies globally.

Paper, plastics, rubber, wood and textile manufacturers are the largest end-users of industrial design services. Other end-use industries of the industrial design services market include the institutional and office furniture manufacturing, household furniture and kitchen cabinet manufacturing, blind and shade manufacturing, electrical and electronic equipment manufacturing, packaging manufacturing, and machinery manufacturing industries. Machinery manufacturers use industrial design services to manufacture industrial and commercial machinery. They use design services to assemble parts into components, sub-assemblies and complete machines.

The industrial design services market will also be the segment where there is significant business to be gained by competitors in the next five years. It will put on the highest value at $33.4 billion to 2022.

Technological advances in computer aided manufacturing (CAM) and 3D modeling also support the industrial design services market, which is expected to grow at an annual rate of nearly 14% to 2022. In 2016, the “Design and 3D Printing Survey” was conducted among international industrial designers by Made For Me, an informative guide publisher. According to the survey, 51% of respondents reported the use of 3D printing in at least 60% of their projects. The study also revealed that 63% of respondents outsourced their 3D printing to commercial 3D printing outlets.

The integration of the internet of things (IoT) technology in designing products and services is another technological advance made in the industrial design services market. IoT is defined as the interconnection via the Internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data. The technology enables companies to operate and design in virtual spaces, providing real time data to analyse their products and improve end-user experience. Teams Design, a US-based design firm, has integrated IoT technology in the processes of their company.

Other segments of the global design services market include interior design services, graphic design services, and fashion and other design services. Of these, the interior design services market will be the fastest growing segment to 2022, at an annual rate of 14.5%. There is high demand for interior designer services from the large construction and hospitality industries.