Printing Industries of America (PIA) reports that printing output is falling and will continue to fall in 2010.

This report in Graphic Arts Online predicts that total print volume will decline 4.5% in 2009 and 2.5% in 2010. This sounds like awful news, but when adjusted for inflation of about 2%, the PIA says shipments will fall just 1% in 2010 and another 1% each year thereafter.

We believe that the printing industry is not doomed, as so many fear. With green initiatives and electronic communications, end users will continue to change the way they communicate, printing differently than they did in the past - but they won't stop printing. Run lengths will keep declining and excess waste will be minimized. Color and personalization usage will increase as digital technology improves pricing efficiencies and more users seek to add value to their printed documents. There will probably by fewer personal/desktop printers purchased and used as the trend toward in-plant and workgroup centralization continues with the managed print services (MPS) movement. Of course, the production and distribution of printed newspapers and magazines will fall at a more rapid pace as more people subscribe and view online. For advertising and direct marketing, the printed page will live on, continually integrated as a necessary and complementary component of a multi-media cross-channel mix.

So overall, we are optimistic for the future of digital color printing, especially for that produced by simple, reliable, high-speed, low-cost cut-sheet inkjet printers.