The available descriptions of more than 220 FMS installed up to 1986 in all developed countries (mainly of a market type) were collected into a data bank, systematized and analyzed. In addition to the traditional data, such as country distribution, time-distribution of installations, common economic features -- investment cost, pay-back time, labor/capital/time reductions -- were investigated. Some dynamic tendencies as well as interrelationships were found within the framework of the analysis provided by the authors
