Global print market enters recession

Hardcopy peripherals market slides 17 per cent year on year in final quarter

The global hardcopy peripherals market slid 17 per cent year on year in the last quarter of 2008, according to the latest analysis from IDC.

Just 32.6 million units were shipped, with revenue from that volume falling 13 per cent to $15bn (£10.4bn) in the calendar quarter ended 31 December.

"This is the second consecutive quarter that the worldwide hardcopy peripherals market has experienced a decline in shipments," said the market watcher.

But the bottom is not far away, with a recovery expected in 2010.

Phuong Hang, programme manager for IDC's Worldwide Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker, said this year vendors will employ several strategies to weather the downturn.

"The battle will continue in the channel as vendors seek to gain go-to-market strength and capacity. Vendors will also focus on offering cost-cutting and productivity enhancements to customers' document infrastructure as well as driving managed print services." said Hang.

HP kept the top spot, taking a 41 per cent share, down from 43 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2007. It grew its colour laser shipments eight points to 82 per cent year on year.

Canon is still second, with units down by eight per cent, but market share up by two points to 19 per cent.

Epson had 15.4 per cent market share ­ a leap from 14.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2007. Its inkjet multi-functional printers (MFPs) saw 43 per cent sequential growth.

Brother came fourth with 6.2 per cent, but was the only vendor in the top five to show a positive trend year on year, according to IDC.

"Brother's units shipments grew, sequentially and year on year, across Asia/Pacific and EMEA in single-function printers and MFPs," the analyst said.

Lexmark lost two points, achieving 4.7 per cent but growing lasers by 20 per cent.

Gartner pushes managed print services>> www.channelweb.co.uk/2236608