Like many industries, the printer industry is forever changing and evolving, with exciting new developments and releases continually pushing it forward. The global pandemic saw a bit of a shift in the printing industry, with many people heading away from the office and into their homes.
In this article, we explore some of the printer industry trends in Australia for 2021 and 2022.
Growth for Digital Sector
The Printing and Graphic Arts industry is one of the largest manufacturing sectors within Australia. National Industry Insights reports that there are over 6,500 businesses and nearly 27,000 people employed in the field across Australia.
While some jobs within this industry are predicted to fall over the coming few years, others are expected to experience solid growth. For example, Printing Assistant and Table Work positions are predicted to fall by 7 percent, Print Finishers and Screen Printers by 3 percent, and Graphic Pre-press Trades Workers by 1 percent. However, Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators are predicted to experience 14 percent employment growth in the period from 2020 to 2024.
A Focus on Sustainability and Equality
Many printer manufacturers are adopting sustainable methods.
Epson was recently named first by Forbes Japan in their list of sustainable companies. This year, Epson announced they would be joining RE100, a global initiative that unites influential businesses to drive the transition to 100 percent renewable energy.
It was also announced that Epson’s worldwide group sites will all source their electricity from 100 percent renewable energy by 2023.
In an October press release, Epson stated:
“The company has established its policy as it seeks to accelerate its plans to become a leading environmental company, and with the belief that climate change represents a serious corporate risk and that Epson must play a greater role in mitigating that risk as it rolls out its business worldwide.”
Epson aren’t the only printer manufacturer striving towards sustainability.
In June, HP closed its inaugural sustainability notes offering. These notes were created to empower investors to join the company in tackling a range of sustainability, economic, and social issues.
This news follows on from the closing of the company’s $5 billion, five-year revolving credit facility structured as the company’s first sustainability-linked loan (SLL). Under these SLLs, HP has the goals of both achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the HP value chain by 2040.
“HP has set an ambitious agenda to become the most sustainable and just company in the industry,” Chief Financial Officer Marie Myers said.
“Issuing our inaugural sustainability notes as well as our first-ever sustainability-linked loan significantly demonstrates our commitment to making a positive environmental and social impact.”
HP aims to be carbon neutral by 2025 and to reduce Scop 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent (compared to 2019) on an absolute basis by 2030.
The company has a strategy that encompasses three pillars of Sustainable Impact:
- “Climate Action (Sustainable for the future): Drive toward a net zero carbon, fully regenerative economy while working to engineer the industry’s most sustainable portfolio of products and solutions.
- Human rights (Inclusive of everyone): Create a powerful culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Advance human rights, social justice, and racial and gender equality across our ecosystem, raising the bar for all.
- Digital equity (Accessible to all): Lead in activating and innovating holistic solutions that break down the digital divide that prevents many from accessing the education, jobs and healthcare needed to thrive. Drive digital inclusion to transform lives and communities.”
Canon is also making sustainability moves. In April 2021, the company conditionally approved a Reconciliation Action Plan (Reflect).
In their Canon Oceania Sustainability Report for 2021, Canon states that a whopping 20,084 tonnes of e-waste was recycled by ANZRP TechCollect in Australia during 2019-2020.
2021 sustainability objectives for the company include:
- Developing a Canon Oceania carbon zero strategy and roadmap
- Completing the transition to hybrid or electric fleet vehicles for Canon New Zealand
- Promoting responsible printing through growing the continuous ink printer market
Label Printing
With the rise in online services over the past few years, it’s no surprise that label printing seems to be seeing a surge in popularity.
In a piece titled Predictions for 2021 by Labels and Labelling, several industry experts were asked about major trends and developments likely to be seen in 2021.
“Increased online shopping creates a massive increase in the need for shipping labels,” CEO of A B Graphic International, Richard Knight said.
“The healthy growth of HP Indigo labels and packaging printing that we saw in 2020 is expected to continue in 2021, with some verticals such as food, beer and cleaning products experiencing particularly high demand,” Head of HP Indigo Labels and Packaging, Eli Mahal commented.
“While the pandemic will be over sooner or later, it has certainly kickstarted several mega-trends that provide a tailwind to digital print: these include an increased need for agile supply chains, fast time-to-market and a versatile digital press.”
3D Printing
One printing industry that’s seeing high levels of growth is 3D printing. In a 2021 survey of over 300 3D printing decision-makers undertaken by Jabil, 48 percent of these surveyed stated they believed their company’s use of 3D printing would “increase significantly” in the coming 2 to 5 years. 39 percent stated they believed their company’s use of 3D printing would “dramatically increase” in the coming 2 to 5 years.
This survey shows more companies using 3D printing in more ways. For example, in 2017, 30 percent of companies stated that they used 3D printing for jigs, fixtures and tooling, 69 percent used it for prototyping, and 27 percent for production parts. Now in 2021, 57 percent of those asked state that they use 3D printing for jigs, fixtures and tooling, 72 percent use it for prototyping, and 62 percent for production parts. In fact, 3D printing as a percentage of manufactured production parts has jumped from 4 percent in 2017 to 19 percent in 2021.
According to 3D Hubs’ 3D Printing Trends Report for 2021, the global 3D printing market increased by 21 percent from 2019 to 2020. The report predicts that this market will increase by more than double over the next five years, taking the industry to an estimated value of $37.2 billion USD in the year 2026.
In this Hub’s additive manufacturing survey, 54 percent of engineering businesses increased their functional end-use parts printing in 2020.
Grand View Research has some similar insights, stating that the global 3D printing market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 21 percent between 2021 and 2028. This report also claims that 2.1 million units of 3D printers were shipped during 2020, a number that is anticipated to jump to 15.3 million units by 2028.
In another study on the future of the 3D printing industry, IDTechEx’s report titled 3D Printed Materials Market 2020 – 2030 – COVID Edition forecasts a global market worth $18.4 billion USD for 3D printing materials in 2030.
3D printing could have many uses in Australia and across the world. In a piece by Engineer’s Australia, associate professor at the University of New South Wales, M. Hank Haeusler looks at how 3D printing could impact the building industry.
He states one advantage of 3D printing in the building industry is lowered costs.
“I would argue, without having any kind of numbers in front of me, that we can produce at a third of the cost than what normal … manufacturing would be,” he said.
While there are a few hurdles to overcome before we get 3D printed houses, such as scale, structural integrity, and fireproofing, with future developments it may be an exciting possibility!