2005 COMMERCIAL PRINTING outlook -- A Win-Lose Proposition

Part of this effort should be to push for postal reform, Davis adds. PIA/GATF estimates that about 45 percent of the dollar volume of printing ends up in the mail stream.

"Without postal reform, current projections are for postage rates to increase around 15 to 18 percent in 2006. That would translate into a possible 7.5 to 9 percent reduction in advertising and transaction-related mail," the PIA economist explains. "With postal reform, rates will still increase, but by a lesser amount—perhaps around 9 percent. A 9 percent postal increase would translate into a 4.5 percent decrease in advertising and transaction-related mail."