Steve Katz, Editor04.07.17
The global printing industry is forecast to reach $980 billion by 2018, according to market research firm Smithers Pira, and it will be driven by growth in packaging and labels, rather than graphic applications, the firm says.
Digital press innovation and installations have been dominating the headlines, and with good cause. Currently, label and packaging converters worldwide invoice over $2 billion annually from the output of their digital presses. This is according to Harvey Levenson, Professor Emeritus and former Department Head of Graphic Communication at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, CA, USA, who also notes that while about 95% percent of that value is for consumer goods labels, folding carton and flexible packaging applications are also growing rapidly by way of digital printing.
However, Smithers Pira research shows that it’s not only digital printing that’s growing. Due to the impressive growth numbers for the greater packaging industry – which labels are a huge part of – printing companies that have not been involved are wanting in. Recent M&As over the last couple years support this, with two exampl
Digital press innovation and installations have been dominating the headlines, and with good cause. Currently, label and packaging converters worldwide invoice over $2 billion annually from the output of their digital presses. This is according to Harvey Levenson, Professor Emeritus and former Department Head of Graphic Communication at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, CA, USA, who also notes that while about 95% percent of that value is for consumer goods labels, folding carton and flexible packaging applications are also growing rapidly by way of digital printing.
However, Smithers Pira research shows that it’s not only digital printing that’s growing. Due to the impressive growth numbers for the greater packaging industry – which labels are a huge part of – printing companies that have not been involved are wanting in. Recent M&As over the last couple years support this, with two exampl
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