MFPs, print devices hold up in tough EMEA market

Peter Dinham
Sunday, 13 September 2009 13:49

IT Industry - Market

Despite the persistence of uncertain economic conditions in the European, Middle East and African (EMEA) markets, there are signs of long-term growth for colour laser printers and multi-function peripherals on the back of double-digit growth rates for the segment.

In its latest report on the hardcopy peripherals (HCP) technology segments in the EMEA market, IDC says that currently showing the most encouraging long-term growth rates in EMEA are colour laser multifunction peripherals (MFPs) and printer devices, are currently showing the “most encouraging long-term growth rates” are colour laser multifunction peripherals (MFPs) and printer devices in contrast to other segments of the overall market.

According to IDC’s long-term forecast, the MFP and printer devices segment is expected to achieve a 12.1 percent  CAGR between 2009 and 2013, and it says these strong double-digit growth rates “come as good news to the HCP market in EMEA, particularly as other technology segments in this market come under increasing pressure from both the ongoing macroeconomic situation and longer-term industry trends such as the transition from monochrome to colour, increasing levels of print consolidation, and the shift from single function printers to MFPs in both the home and office environments.”
 
The outlook for other segments is not so bright, with IDC saying that the HCP market in the EMEA will continue to struggle to deliver little more than modest growth.
 
“Total HCP shipments in EMEA are expected to achieve 2.0% CAGR over the five-year forecast period,” IDC analyst, Julio Vial says, adding that the  number of high volume technology segments are expected to “continue declining, including colour inkjet printers (-16.6% CAGR) and monochrome laser printers (-2.5% CAGR). However, according to Vial, these segments have been shrinking for some time, and the decline rates are the anticipated result of longer-term industry trends beginning to unfold.

"New devices are becoming faster with higher monthly duty cycles, increased paper management, and greatly improved connectivity levels, and as a result organizations will continue to replace multiple older devices, which are often single function monochrome printers, with a single new device, often a colour MFP."

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