$37B+ wide-format inkjet market predicted for 2009
According to I.T. Strategies (Hanover, MA), the worldwide retail value
of digitally printed wide-format graphics output reached $26 billion in 2004 and
will grow to $37 billion by 2009, a compound annual growth rate of 7% .
The majority of output is advertising related, such as point of purchase
(POP) signage, trade show graphics and billboards. I.T. Strategies says that
segment of the market is increasing incrementally and at the expense of screen
and offset printing. Decorative applications, such as wall coverings, also are
on the rise.
Consulting partner Marco Boer says the projected decrease in acqueous
inkjet reflects the introduction of eco/lite solvent printers producing indoor
and outdoor products, and the shift of much POP output from aqueous to flatbed
printers.
Wide-format inkjet graphics: retail value of output by segment
In 2004, aqueous accounted for $18,544,001,762, or 73 percent of the
market; solvent-based made up $6,492,988,656, 25 percent of the market; and
flatbed was $481,564,522, or two percent of the market. By 2009, I.T. Strategies
projects $16,907,097,630 aqueous, approximately 46 percent of the wide-format
inkjet market; $17,159,912,266 solvent-based at 47 percent; and $2,306,081,591
flatbed at six percent.