The global wide-format and specialty printing industry faces rapidly changing client demands and product diversification, but businesses are optimistic about continued growth, according to a new, far-reaching study.
As part of an ongoing collaboration between InfoTrends—a digital imaging market research and strategic consulting firm—and the Federation of European Screen Printers Associations (FESPA), more than 1,200 respondents completed an extensive survey between May 2014 and April 2015, with 50 per cent based in the Americas, 42 per cent in Europe and eight per cent in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Respondents included signmakers, graphic designers, screenprinting and digital printing shops, advertising agencies and others.
The census found six overarching trends:
- First is confidence, with 80 per cent of respondents fairly to very optimistic about their business—and backed by commercial success, with average revenues in developed markets more than doubling between 2007 and 2015.
- Secondly, printing has become more of a customer service industry due to new demands enabled by digital technologies. At least 70 per cent of respondents said their clients expected (a) faster job turnaround, (b) just-in-time delivery, (c) delivery to the point of need and (d) versioning/personalization.
- In line with such demands, the product mix has evolved from mass production to mass customization. The top four categories remain banners, posters, signs and billboards, but 80 per cent of respondents also reported dramatic growth in décor, packaging and garments; and 25 per cent of all output was on rigid materials.
- With digital technology enabling change, it may come as no surprise more than 50 per cent of respondents said they intend to buy digital wide-format printing equipment, including ultraviolet-curing (UV-curing), textile, solvent-based, eco-solvent and durable aqueous ‘latex’ printers, as well as contour cutters and laminators.
- Echoing changes in the product mix, textiles represented the dominant growth application among respondents, with 27 per cent already involved and 81 per cent seeing an increase in demand. Within textiles, 78 per cent of respondents reported growth in décor applications and 67 per cent in soft signage.
- Finally, more than 75 per cent of respondents expected digital signage to affect the wide-format printing business. Some are integrating it; 31 per cent said they planned to offer digital signage to their customer base in the next year.
“This research provides insight into important markets,” says Neil Fenton, CEO of FESPA. “It paints a clear picture of an energized community with a clear and positive vision of the future.”
