Ipex is just around the corner, but drupa is already putting itself back the agenda with the release of its first ‘Global Trends’ report. For the industry at large it’s a mixed bag with 45% of respondents reporting a rise in revenues, while 42% admit that profitability has dropped.
As supply chain increases and rising overheads hit print businesses worldwide, the drupa Global Trends report promises a healthier outlook than many might expect. Most companies have experienced growth of conventional print volumes in the last year, as well as a strengthening of demand for digital print production. 29% of respondents are seeing sheetfed offset volumes increase, while 33% say digital cutsheet is on the rise with only 3% reporting a decline.
The technology mix also comes under the spotlight as 65% of printers reported having some digital capacity, but only 5% being solely digital operations. Despite the decisive impact of digital print in the commercial market, 57% of commercial printers say that digital production has taken away either less than 10% or none of their conventional print turnover.
With an eye on local endeavours like FuturePrint, the report also highlights 21% of printers citing an inability to recruit new skills as a key constraint on growing their business.
The report puts some numbers to the changed patterns of demand being felt, with 45% noting run lengths are down with shorter lead times and 52% adding that the actual number of print jobs is climbing.
According to the report:
Somewhat surprisingly, there were very few respondents in any region reporting major declines in print volume. What appears to be happening is that as print volumes decrease, prices drop, followed by the consolidation of printing companies by merger. The remaining printer have to work even harder to print more and more in an attempt to keep revenues in line with overheads.
Globally, the leading added value services taken up by printers are variable data print, creative design and stock, storage and fulfilment, with wide format print also becoming increasingly common in commercial operations.
The study is drawn from 2425 senior industry decision makers, including 1419 printers, 498 suppliers and 508 print purchasers. To buy the full 35 page report, click here.
Global Trends is the first drupa report, which will be followed by ‘drupa Global Insights’, that will study for the first time the trends and major changes in the international print and media sector at both global and regional levels.