COMMERCIAL PRINTING Outlook -- Shadows Cast on 2006

Merger and acquisition activity also has been on the rise, especially in terms of headline-making big deals. There continue to be rumblings about more potential moves by major vendors to the industry, but deals between printers are the more likely scenario.

Forecasts are simply more fun when they include big ideas, even if that does greatly increase the odds of being way off. In that spirit, there's a strong likelihood that by the end of 2006 developments in e-paper technology will have reached the point where a meaningful assessment can be made of its implications for printing. E-Ink, Philips and Siemens are among the companies moving to commercialize small-format applications in the coming year.