Complementary market segments:
The printing sector is currently facing the rapid growth of the dematerialisation. With the upcoming of tablets, smartphones, laptops, e-readers… Our way of consuming is becoming more and more digital. Paradoxically, the demand in paper printing is still quite high.
According to a survey of Smithers Pira, the printing market is faring well as it revenues should grow to 68.3% from 2018. Although some experts predicted the end of the classical printing in favor of digital, the market has been particularly resilient. Despite of the rise of digital and paperless media, many are still attached to the classical printing either in terms of reading, advertising, working etc …
While specialists predicted a total digital cannibalization of the two sectors, we can say that today the two segments will not interfere with each other and are perfectly complementary.
Equipments and machines that fit the needs of the market:
Facing a very diversificate demand, providers have to innovate and vary their activities, for example, by investing in digital printing, being flexible on the services (with web to print for example), adopting new economic models (such as the print on demand) or by launching 3D printing system (even if the sector is quite different).
Machinery manufacturers have also been able to adapt their machines to this new demand . the offer is now more in line with the market. The most important manufacturers such as KBA Planeta, Man Roland, Heidelberg, were able to innovate and diversify their products. They are now offering classic printers, offsets (from 1 to 8 colors), digital printing machines or rotary web.
The used screen printing equipment is also one of the most popular sector in the market, and manufacturers are also developing their innovation strategies in this area.
A constant growth?
The printing industry has managed to adapt its strategy to a fluctuating demand. The resistance of paper printing to digital has resulted in a full complementarity of the two supports ,unlike the death of paper that we can expect. Today the printing industry is rich in innovation.
The 3D printers sector is one of these new market that could be profitable for manufacturers. The democratization of the sector is planned for the upcoming years : according to the report ” Worldwide semiannual 3D Printing Spending Guide ” of IDC, the market for 3D printer is expected to increase from $ 11 billion in 2015 to about $ 26.7 billion in 2019. Overall, the printing market seems to continue to grow and especially to diversify their activities…
