David Savastano, Editor07.28.19
Digital printing continues to make inroads into the conventional printing business. The transactional printing, label and wide format fields have long been key markets for inkjet printing, and digital printers are setting their sights on other long-standing conventional printing markets. For example, in Ink World’s May/June 2019 issue, digital ink manufacturers showcased the growing interest in producing packaging using inkjet printing.
In “The Digital Textile Market Continues to Grow,” which begins on page 20, digital ink manufacturers discuss the opportunities they are seeing in the textile market. This is a potentially huge field; Grand View Research, Inc. projected the global textiles market at $830 billion in 2015, estimating that it will grow to $1.2 trillion by 2025. Of that, it is estimated that printing may hold approximately 20% of production, with digital printing a small fraction of that, perhaps as low as 2%.
However, times are changing. Ink industry leaders are seeing the growing interest of designers in the advantages that digital printing offers. Ed Margarucci, owner of Paterson Fabric Printing, discusses these benefits, from producing a customized design directly from a file, speed to market with designs and the ability to help customers reduce inventory and save costs. The ability to meet the needs of “fast fashion” is a huge advantage for designers, and plays to the strengths of digital printing.
The Asia-Pacific ink market is another area of growth for the ink industry. Ink World projects that the Asia-Pacific ink market is the largest geographic market for inks, with an estimated $6.5 billion in sales annually. In “Packaging Drives Growth in Asia-Pacific Ink Market,” starting on page 17, executives from leading ink producers report on this region; packaging remains a key area of growth, with flexo and UV, in particular, making gains.
Also, Ink World presents our 21st annual Technical Profiles in this issue. The availability of key ingredients is a major concern, with some ingredients becoming scarcer and costs being driven upward. Meanwhile, regulatory pressures are increasing, as is the need to increase efficiency in production. Technical Profiles can help ink manufacturers determine which suppliers can help them and their printing customers achieve their goals for
the future.
In “The Digital Textile Market Continues to Grow,” which begins on page 20, digital ink manufacturers discuss the opportunities they are seeing in the textile market. This is a potentially huge field; Grand View Research, Inc. projected the global textiles market at $830 billion in 2015, estimating that it will grow to $1.2 trillion by 2025. Of that, it is estimated that printing may hold approximately 20% of production, with digital printing a small fraction of that, perhaps as low as 2%.
However, times are changing. Ink industry leaders are seeing the growing interest of designers in the advantages that digital printing offers. Ed Margarucci, owner of Paterson Fabric Printing, discusses these benefits, from producing a customized design directly from a file, speed to market with designs and the ability to help customers reduce inventory and save costs. The ability to meet the needs of “fast fashion” is a huge advantage for designers, and plays to the strengths of digital printing.
The Asia-Pacific ink market is another area of growth for the ink industry. Ink World projects that the Asia-Pacific ink market is the largest geographic market for inks, with an estimated $6.5 billion in sales annually. In “Packaging Drives Growth in Asia-Pacific Ink Market,” starting on page 17, executives from leading ink producers report on this region; packaging remains a key area of growth, with flexo and UV, in particular, making gains.
Also, Ink World presents our 21st annual Technical Profiles in this issue. The availability of key ingredients is a major concern, with some ingredients becoming scarcer and costs being driven upward. Meanwhile, regulatory pressures are increasing, as is the need to increase efficiency in production. Technical Profiles can help ink manufacturers determine which suppliers can help them and their printing customers achieve their goals for
the future.
