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Print market, technology perspectives

Graphical Arts Technical Foundation forcasts print markets, while a book from the Foundation of Flexographic Technical Assn. reflects recent changes in flexogrphic printing

Nationwide printing sales are expected to grow at a 3.5% to 4.5% rate this year, a slight slowdown from last year. That's according to Paul Moravec, economist with the National Assn. of Printers & Lithographers. Moravec reports on "Performance Trends in the Printing Industry" in the 1999 GATF Technology Forecast.

The Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (Sewickley, PA) publishes the forecast annually. The 64-page publication (shown) is available for $10 plus shipping (discount rates are offered for bulk orders).

Looking at economic and market trends for printers, Moravec says the economy and weak corporate profits will hinder printing growth in general. He says the strongest economies will be in the mountain, plains and southern states, with weaker economic prospects in the mid-Atlantic and New England states.

The publication projects growth by print segment, forecasting that inserts/coupons and labels/wrappers will grow at a modest 2% to 4% rate. Growth in press sales reflects a healthy, optimistic market, according to Regis Delmontagne, president of NPES, the Assn. for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies. In the book, he reports that "the prevalence of all-digital workflows means that package designs are being executed from the same basic data as brochures, magazine ads, posters, Web pages and other promotional material." He believes that packaging will be one area of printing that will grow quicker than the overall Gross Domestic Product between now and 2005.

The report analyzes the current state of print processes, including sheet-fed litho, web offset, flexographic, gravure, screen, on-demand and digital printing. It also looks into materials such as ink, paper and coatings, as well as prepress process changes.

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