Worldwide Large Format Printer Shipments Up Through the First Half of 2018

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Worldwide shipments of large format printers increased 4% year over year while large format printer revenue grew 3% year over year in the second quarter of 2018 (2Q18), according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Large Format Printer Tracker. For the first half of the year, shipments are up 3.5% while revenue is up over 5% compared to the first half of 2017.

"New solutions, capabilities, and technologies continue to drive investment in large format printing equipment on a worldwide basis," said Tim Greene, research director, U.S. Large Format Printer Tracker. "While some regions and technologies are maturing, we also see that manufacturers and dealers are incentivizing new printer shipments with discounts, bundles, and aggressive promotions.

"A recovery in technology categories like eco-solvent and toner-based printers have run counter to some of the market trends over the past few quarters to create a bit of a surprisingly strong second quarter," Greene added. 

Regional Highlights

Nice growth in Latin America, which grew 14% (more than 2,000 units) compared to the first half of 2017.

The Asia/Pacific region (including Japan), already the biggest geographical market, grew 3.9% while Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) saw shipments grow 7.2% over the first half of 2017.

Shipments in North America were down by about 3.5% from 1H 2017. 

Vendor Highlights

There was some movement among the top five large format printer suppliers in terms of shipments with Mimaki overtaking Roland in the second quarter of 2018 to capture the number 4 position worldwide. The top five large format printer companies in 2Q18 were HP Inc, Canon-Oce, Seiko Epson, Mimaki, and Roland DG.

HP extended its lead in the large format digital printer market with nearly 35% of worldwide shipments in 2Q18. HP saw nice growth in the CAD segment with new 24-inch wide models within the DesignJet T-series.

Canon maintained its number 2 position among large format printer manufacturers and grew its share of the total market to more than 22% of total shipments. The company saw a strong performance from its ImagePROGRAF CAD printers, especially the new TX-series.

Epson remained the number 3 large format printer supplier in terms of worldwide shipments with popular units including its eco-solvent and latest aqueous inkjet printers.

Mimaki overtook Roland as the number 4 supplier of large format printers worldwide in the second quarter as some of Mimaki's new models and new distribution partners are ramping up around the world.

Roland DG fell to the number 5 position in the worldwide large format printer market in 2Q18.

Other Highlights

Large format UV and large format dye-sublimation inkjet printer shipments were both up by more than 1,000 units from Q2 2017.

Surprisingly, large format eco-solvent inkjet printer shipments were steady compared to the recent quarters while Latex printer shipments were slightly lower in 2Q18.

About IDC Trackers

IDC Tracker products provide accurate and timely market size, vendor share, and forecasts for hundreds of technology markets from more than 100 countries around the globe. Using proprietary tools and research processes, IDC's Trackers are updated on a semiannual, quarterly, and monthly basis. Tracker results are delivered to clients in user-friendly excel deliverables and on-line query tools. The IDC Tracker Charts app allows users to view data charts from the most recent IDC Tracker products on their iPhone and iPad. 

About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. In 2014, IDC celebrates its 50th anniversary of providing strategic insights to help clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company.