Digital colour printing goes mainstream

The quantity of digital prints are on the rise, with 39 per cent of digital printers claiming their volumes are increasing “a little” or “a lot”. Creatives are also increasingly recognising the potential of digital with 42 per cent indicating their use is increasing, according to the report Digital Printing 2005: It's Mainstream, Baby! from TrendWatch Graphic Arts.

Heidi Tolliver-Nigro, analyst and author of the report, claims the data confirms what was predicted for over a decade. “Digital colour printing has finally become an accepted and mainstream part of the commercial printing marketplace,” he says. “There are still limitations, and some education still needs to be done, but as an industry, we've finally turned the corner."

Variable data printing is one of the major draw cards of digital printing, and personalisation is also emphasised in the report as an area with a major buzz attached to it. 22 per cent of catalogue publishers indicate they consider variable data printing as a top sales opportunity for their businesses.

The report looks into the growth and adoption of digital colour printing, and analyses trends in both the graphic arts and creative market spaces. The different applications of digital colour printing are also looked at, including short-run, on-demand printing, variable data printing and web-to-print.

Digital Printing 2005: It's Mainstream, Baby! is available for purchase by visiting the secure TrendWatch Graphic Arts website at www.trendwatchgraphicarts.com/special.html.