Lyra Sees Solid Growth for Color Laser Printers, but Market Faces Challenges from Business Ink-Jet, Cost per Page Issues

Lyra Research has released its Worldwide Forecast for Single-Function Color Laser Printers, 2008–2015 report, which details color laser-printer worldwide shipments  and revenues, average sales prices, and more. Among the report’s findings: the single-function color laser-printer market bounced back in 2010 after experiencing a significant decline in 2009, the latter due to the recession and other factors. But, over the short term, the market will continue to rebound steadily as more buyers choose to purchase a  color laser printer to replace existing monochrome printers and produce both monochrome and color pages.

However, over the long term, the report warns that vendors will have to address issues regarding cost per page and advances in ink-jet technology and business-class ink-jet systems.

The report also breaks down the color laser printer shipment figures by region: North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and Asia Pacific, and is based on findings from Lyra’s first-half 2011 Hard Copy Industry Advisory Service (IAS) Forecast 360.

The report notes that while emerging markets such as Latin America and Asia Pacific are showing strong growth, shipments in EMEA regions are growing at a much lower rate—a 2.3 percent compound annual growth rate from 2010 to 2015. However, the growth rate in North America will be steady through 2015 based on the strength of the replacement market.

“Single-function color laser printers will have some growth opportunities as businesses continue to bring color into the office,” said Larry Jamieson, director of Lyra’s Hard Copy Industry Advisory Service. “However, the growth will be limited as a result of the lingering effects of the recession, a reduction in print volumes, competition from ink-jets and MFPs, and the belief that monochrome output is fine for most applications.”

 SOHO (small office/home office) and small workgroup color laser printers will remain the strongest segments of the color laser printer market through 2015, according to the Lyra report.

Shipments of SOHO/small workgroup color lasers increased in 2010 to just under 2.3 million units, following a drop to 2.1 million units in 2009 from just under 2.5 million units in 2008, with Lyra attributing the 2009 decline largely to several recession-related factors. The firm attributes unit sales growth in 2010 largely to customers’ replacing older units; many customers were rewarded with significantly lower pricing.

Ordering the Lyra Report
To order the Worldwide Forecast for Single-Function Color Laser Printers, 2008–2015 contact Sandy Tobin, client relations manager, at 617-454-2612 or stobin@lyra.com, or visit Lyra’s online store here.