Ink-jet addressing and personalisation continues to grow

The steady rate of growth was attributed to the maturity of the market, with research firm Infotrends/CAP Ventures approximating the total value of $116 million in 2004.

The study, titled Inkjet Addressing and Personalisation: Overview and Outlook 2004, shows that the continuous ink jet segment has been hit hard in the direct mail environment by the competition from piezoelectric and thermal ink jet technologies, which are both increasing at a moderate rate.

The study was commissioned to provide insights into the habits and preferences of the print providers who purchase ink jet addressing and personalisation services, as well as to estimate the size of the worldwide market. “North America, which is really the focus of this report, is by far the biggest region in terms of printer and fluids purchases, accounting for about two thirds of the world's total,” said Bob Leahey, a director at InfoTrends/CAP Ventures. “Europe comes in second, while other regions are tiny by comparison.”