According to research by International Data Corporation (IDC), the Western European printer and multifunction (MFP) market declined by 5.8% in unit terms in 2Q16 compared with the same period a year ago, with negative performances in both the inkjet and laser segments. For the second consecutive negative quarter, the market shows a decline of 275,000 units with a shipment volume of 4.5 million devices — a decline that is again largely due to the contraction in consumer printing but is relatively in line with forecasts. Revenues declined by 0.8% — inkjets showed an encouraging 3.4% increase due to business inkjets, but laser revenues fell by 1.4%.
Laser markets showed a decrease of 7.9% in 2Q16, following the negative trend seen in the past several quarters in Western Europe. Still, the laser revenue decrease is much lower than the volume decrease, indicating that prices in many markets are holding.
Business inkjet shipments are still going strong in 2016. After seeing an increase last quarter, shipments grew by 6.2% in 2Q16. MFP products showed the highest growth rate, with an 8.7% increase, but business inkjet printers decreased 15.9% in the quarter. Despite this, business inkjet MFPs accounted for 91.7% of business inkjet shipments in 2Q16.
Overall, MFP products accounted for 81.4% of all shipments in Western Europe in 2Q16, higher than the 81% average in 2016. Laser and inkjet MFPs decreased but laser and inkjet printers decreased at a higher double-digit percentage, with shipments were generally in line with IDC forecasts.
Growth in the business market, comprising laser and business inkjet devices, slowed by 4.9%, but the value only slipped by 1.1%. The highest value growth was in 45ppm+ color devices, a positive trend that has been seen for more than a year now.
"The negative trend in the printing and imaging industry continues in 2Q16," said Delphine Carnet, senior research analyst in IDC's Western European Imaging, Hardware Devices, and Document Solutions group. "It is in fact difficult to look at growth areas nowadays in the market as both the inkjet and laser segments are decreasing in Western Europe. Business inkjet and high-speed laser devices show moderate growth in the current bleak economic context."
Main Highlights
Germany
The German market followed the overall Western European negative trend with a 9.5% decline after three negative quarters. The business inkjet market performed below the Western European average, with an increase of 2.7% compared with the regional average of 6.2%.
The laser market in Germany has shown negative growth for more than a year now, with color devices decreasing 6.5% compared with the 16.9% decrease in the mono laser segment. The inkjet market also decreased, by 7.2%, with consumer inkjet showing a 9.9% decrease.
Both multifunction and printer devices saw declines, with an 8.5% decrease for MFPs and a 12.4% decline for printers.
France
France performed better than the Western European average but still showed an overall decline of 1.0% in 2Q16 over the same period last year. Inkjet increased by 5.5%, but laser declined by 15.7%.
The consumer markets for inkjet surprisingly increased by 2.2%, in sharp contrast with the rest of Western Europe, and business inkjet increased by 37.5%, contrasting strongly with the slightly positive trend seen in Western Europe. Inkjet MFPs grew by 5.7%, but laser MFPs decreased by 10.8%.
The U.K.
The U.K. recorded a very poor performance again this quarter, with a 17.6% decline. This is in line with the negative trend seen in Western Europe, though the U.K. performance was even worse. Business inkjet performed slightly below the regional average, with only a 5.8% increase. Both the laser and inkjet markets declined, but we saw very high positive growth in A3 inkjet MFPs.
Notes:
Laser markets showed a decrease of 7.9% in 2Q16, following the negative trend seen in the past several quarters in Western Europe. Still, the laser revenue decrease is much lower than the volume decrease, indicating that prices in many markets are holding.
Business inkjet shipments are still going strong in 2016. After seeing an increase last quarter, shipments grew by 6.2% in 2Q16. MFP products showed the highest growth rate, with an 8.7% increase, but business inkjet printers decreased 15.9% in the quarter. Despite this, business inkjet MFPs accounted for 91.7% of business inkjet shipments in 2Q16.
Overall, MFP products accounted for 81.4% of all shipments in Western Europe in 2Q16, higher than the 81% average in 2016. Laser and inkjet MFPs decreased but laser and inkjet printers decreased at a higher double-digit percentage, with shipments were generally in line with IDC forecasts.
Growth in the business market, comprising laser and business inkjet devices, slowed by 4.9%, but the value only slipped by 1.1%. The highest value growth was in 45ppm+ color devices, a positive trend that has been seen for more than a year now.
"The negative trend in the printing and imaging industry continues in 2Q16," said Delphine Carnet, senior research analyst in IDC's Western European Imaging, Hardware Devices, and Document Solutions group. "It is in fact difficult to look at growth areas nowadays in the market as both the inkjet and laser segments are decreasing in Western Europe. Business inkjet and high-speed laser devices show moderate growth in the current bleak economic context."
Main Highlights
- The overall Western European hardcopy market declined 5.8% year on year in 2Q16, with the laser decline greater than that for inkjet.
- Few segments saw any significant growth, with A3 color printers and MFP devices showing the only real laser growth increase in Western Europe.
- Business inkjet grew by 6.2%, with MFPs responsible for the increase, while printers decreased by 15.9%.
Germany
The German market followed the overall Western European negative trend with a 9.5% decline after three negative quarters. The business inkjet market performed below the Western European average, with an increase of 2.7% compared with the regional average of 6.2%.
The laser market in Germany has shown negative growth for more than a year now, with color devices decreasing 6.5% compared with the 16.9% decrease in the mono laser segment. The inkjet market also decreased, by 7.2%, with consumer inkjet showing a 9.9% decrease.
Both multifunction and printer devices saw declines, with an 8.5% decrease for MFPs and a 12.4% decline for printers.
France
France performed better than the Western European average but still showed an overall decline of 1.0% in 2Q16 over the same period last year. Inkjet increased by 5.5%, but laser declined by 15.7%.
The consumer markets for inkjet surprisingly increased by 2.2%, in sharp contrast with the rest of Western Europe, and business inkjet increased by 37.5%, contrasting strongly with the slightly positive trend seen in Western Europe. Inkjet MFPs grew by 5.7%, but laser MFPs decreased by 10.8%.
The U.K.
The U.K. recorded a very poor performance again this quarter, with a 17.6% decline. This is in line with the negative trend seen in Western Europe, though the U.K. performance was even worse. Business inkjet performed slightly below the regional average, with only a 5.8% increase. Both the laser and inkjet markets declined, but we saw very high positive growth in A3 inkjet MFPs.
Notes:
- Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker, August 2016.
- All growth rates quoted are year on year (2Q16 versus 2Q15).
- IDC tracks A2–A4 devices in the Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker.
- Hardcopy peripherals include single-function printers, printer-based multifunctional systems (MFPs), and single-function digital copiers (SFDCs). Data is reported for calendar periods.
- For more information about IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker in EMEA, please contact Phil Sargeant (psargeant@idc.com).
