Market Watch January 2012 – Richard Rasmussen

It’s not often a major supplier goes public with how much it has sold. Market and competitive pressures usually ensure companies keep their success or otherwise close to their chests.

This month, Alistair Hadley, General Manager Sales & Marketing for Heidelberg Australia/New Zealand reveals that life is not so bad on the supply side. It’s a long way from the heady days before the GFC, but Heidelberg figures prove the industry still has the confidence to invest in new equipment.
Heidelberg sales successes for the first nine months of their financial year (April 1st to Xmas) proves an interesting read:

• 4 x A1 presses sold (36 printing units). So that’s an average of just under ten print units per press sold.
• 4 x A2 presses sold (23 printing units) – an average of around six print units per press sold
• 4 x A3 presses sold (20 printing units) - an average of around five print units per press sold

So, while 12 press sales in nine months is a far cry from the heady pre-GFC days of one press per week, what can be seen is the definite trend to longer machines. It is reasonable to surmise that most of these purchasers are seeing the financial benefits of replacing multiple machines with one.
Other reported offset press sales are;

• 20 A1 units from KBA as reported by Dave Lewis
• +$40 million in sheetfed and web sales reported by Steve Dunwell , manroland. Undoubtedly the majority of this is taken up by the IPMG and PMP 96-page offset web presses.

On other equipment sales Heidelberg also reported a surprisingly vigorous level of activity. There were:

• 13 computer-to-plate (CtP) sales (both Heidelberg machines and Kodak units sold by Heidelberg.
• 38 Polar guillotines
• 7 Stahl folders.

The standout here is clearly Polar, with around one new Polar being sold every week. It proves that printers are upgrading their finishing departments.

Other Sales and Installations.
Label Force in WA installed an 8-colour P5 Mark Andy flexo label press, VRC an Agfa Avalon CtP, Snap Northwest (NSW) a Ricoh Pro C 901 and Kwik Kopy WA a Ricoh C901 and 1357EX.
So these and Heidelberg’s reported sales show that there is some confidence in the market place, and that the economics of investing in new technology still hold sway with many.
Next week I hope to be able to give some figures on the sales of digital presses, which is an even more lively part of the industry.

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