Defining And Measuring Global Print Markets And Their Impact on the U.S. Printing Industry
How large is the global printing market? PIA/GATF estimates that the US printing production was $166.2 billion in 2005. U.S. Print production probably accounts for approximately 25%-30% of total global production. This means that total global print production was approximately %550-650 billion in 2005. North America, West Europe, and Asia each account for about 30% of the total.
The above figures represent global print production. Print demand, on the other hand, is not necessarily generated in the same geographic region as print production. Over the past few years, the share of global print production moving between countries has increased much more rapidly than purely domestic production and consumption. This trend is a result of shifts in global supply and demand for print with increases in production capacity in countries such as China and competitive forces pushing printers' customers to look at global sourcing for their printing.
What is the impact of these trends on the U.S. Printing industry? There are 2 components of global printing in the united states. First, there are direct exports and direct imports of printed products. These products are either produced by foreign printers and imported into the united states. These are tracked by the U.S department of commerce and we will refer to them as direct export and import.
A second category of global print is more difficult to track. This category of indirect imports and exports includes the value of print production included in other exports and imports. This may include packaging production and owners mauals of those products that are exported or imported.
Edity by Vikas
5 April, 2012
