Book Printing Outlook : Riding the Higher Ed Wave

The professional segment also flourished, growing to $3.75 billion in revenue for 2010, and a 6.3 percent growth rate during 2008-2010.

However, as 2011 draws to a close, it’s evident that the pinch being felt in the trade and el-hi markets is being felt at the book printer/manufacturer level. Brian Freschi, president of Retail, Books and Directories at Sussex, WI-based Quad/Graphics, points out that the demise of book retailer Borders eliminated a channel responsible for 15 percent of trade volumes in past years. This exacerbated the 7 percent annual decline in independent bookstores during the past decade.