Pira Forecasts 55% Growth for Global Electrophotographic Print Market by 2015
LEATHERHEAD UK—September 7, 2010—The global electrophotographic printing market was worth $57.6 billion in 2009, and is to grow to almost $90 billion by 2015, according to a new report by Pira International. This is equivalent to 761 billion and 904 billion A4 impressions, respectively.
The increasing volume and much greater value are being driven by increasing use of color and variable data printing. By value, the fastest expanding applications of electrophotographic print by 2015 are going to be labels, books, magazines, packaging and catalogs.
Based on extensive primary research, "The Future of Colour Electrophotographic Printing to 2015 – Market and Technology Forecasts" report covers professional, print-for-profit applications of electrophotographic print produced by commercial printers, label and packaging converters, in-plants, quick printers and similar market players. Electrophotography in home and office use is excluded.
The report reveals that the importance of electrophotography in the printing industry is growing quickly. According to Pira, electrophotography currently accounts for 9.4% of the value of the global print market (worth $654 billion in 2010). This constitutes a sharp jump from the 2009’s 8.7% and the 4.3% recorded in 2004. Similarly dynamic development is predicted for the coming years, as the report puts electrophotography’s share of the global print market in 2014 at 13%, almost 50% more than in 2009. Digital print processes (electrophotography and inkjet) are forecast to generally gain share from conventional print, with the exception of flexo, which is expected to expand its foothold during 2004-14.
Global Electrophotographic Print Market
Pira estimates the volume growth of electrophotographic print output in 2010 at 1.7%. However, in value terms this output will grow much faster, by 7%, which reflects the big change that is happening in electrophotography. Increasing volume and much greater value are being generated through the growing popularity of colour and variable data printing, which make printed products more valuable to buyers and end consumers. According to the study, the value share of colour in the total electrophotographic market is to increase from 61% in 2005 to 72% in 2015. In volume terms the growth is going to be even more dramatic, from 16% to 41%.
Commercial printing is currently by far the largest segment by value in the electrophotographic market, with a 56% share in 2009. However, according to Pira, its proportion is going to shrink in the coming years. The report predicts that during 2005–15 the fastest growing segments of the electrographic print market are going to be books, magazines, catalogues, packaging and, in particular, labels. On the other hand, newspapers printed with electrophotography are forecast to decline from their already small base – the underlying reason being more cost effective and appropriate inkjet technologies which are currently being commercialised.
In volume terms, Pira predicts a different picture, with book share declining in 2010-2015 as mono text moves to inkjet, and packaging increasing its share very quickly. The report also forecasts declines in direct mail and transactional volume, due to replacement of large volumes of mono overprinting with full colour, particularly inkjet.
The Future of Colour Electrophotographic Printing to 2015 – Market and Technology Forecasts is available now for £3,750. For more information, please contact Stephen Hill at +44 (0) 1372 802025, or via e-mail on stephen.hill@pira-international.com, or see www.pira-international.com.
About Pira International:
Established in 1930, Pira provides strategic and technical consulting, testing, intelligence and events to help clients gain market insights, identify opportunities, evaluate product performance and manage compliance