In a blog post, market-research firm InfoTrends forecasts continued growth of A4 (print on up to 8.5″x14″) color MFPs and high-end business inkjet placements through its 2020 forecast period in both North America and Western Europe regions. While the overall markets are mature, InfoTrends believes there are “pockets of growth opportunity,” specifically within the A4 color MFP 45+ppm segments and business-inkjet segment, specifically page-wide inkjet printing.

According to InfoTrends, the market will continue to shift from single-function (SF) laser printers to multifunctional (MFPs), and from monochrome to color engines. In 2015, SF printers represented 51 percent of all laser-unit shipments in North America, and by 2020, InfoTrends forecasts SF printers will account for only 46 percent of total unit shipments. In Western Europe, SF printers accounted for 51 percent of all laser placements in 2015; IDC forecasts this to decline to 46 percent in 2020.

In North America, InfoTrends forecasts color-laser A4 MFP placements in the 45-69 ppm segment to grow at a 16.6 percent CAGR (compound annual growth rate), while in Western Europe, it expects the growth rate is expected to be 4.1 percent.

Figure 1 : North America Color Office Laser 45-69 PPM Forecast (2015-2020)

 

Business-Ink Poised for Market Growth

According to the firm, business-inkjet devices continue to boost the market for inkjet devices. While consumer inkjet offers the highest unit placements, InfoTrends says these have been declining year-over-year for a considerable time. It says there’s been a shift, even by consumers, into the lower business serial inkjet segments, thanks to higher-value features such as WiFi connectivity, additional paper handling, and high yield ink cartridges. InfoTrends forecasts steady growth within the high-end business-inkjet segments (Segments 3 & 4), in both North America and Western Europe, where it says opportunity exists for new technologies such as page-wide printing inkjet to offer alternatives to laser-based devices in terms of speed, and acquisition and ink costs, especially within the sub 20-ppm laser segments. InfoTrends’ most recent forecast shows an expected long-term decline in placements of laser-based devices and an increase for business inkjet into incremental locations within these segments.

Figure 2: Placements of Business Inkjet vs. Laser in Western Europe

For a more in-depth view of InfoTrends’ current forecasts for North America and/or Western Europe by placements, average street price, and hardware revenue, broken out by speed segment, color versus monochrome, SF vs MFP, and by country, visit InfoTrends at www.infotrends.com

More Resources

• June 2016: RISO to Enter Business-Inkjet Market with New 120-PPM ComColor FW MFPs
• May 2016: IDC: Western Europe Printer, MFP Shipments Down, but Business Inkjet Rebounds
• April 2016: Epson Reports Full-Year Results; 100-PPM Line-Head Inkjet Printers May Be on the Way
• March 2016: In Departure, Epson Introduces WorkForce Business Inkjets that Print in Black-and-White Only
• March 2016: Impression Solutions to Distribute Epson Business Inkjets with Replaceable Ink Packs to Office-Equipment Dealers
• March 2016: New HP 75-PPM PageWide Inkjets; New Officejets, LaserJets; A3 PageWide Copier/MFPs on the Way
• December 2015: IDC: Worldwide Printer/Copier/MFP Market Declines in Third Quarter, but Business-Inkjet Shipments up 16.3 Percent