Trends and Conditions in the Wide-Format Sector
Capital Investments
Two out of three printers spend either $5,000 to $49,999 (33.3%) or $50,000 to $499,999 (39.3%) annually on production-related equipment. About three-quarters of respondents (72.6%) plan to either make the same capital investment or increase it in the year ahead. Among the top contributing factors to investment decisions, the most popular are: the need to increase capacity, increased product demand, replacement needs, and new products or innovations in the production process. Customer support (51.3%), durability of equipment (54.4%), price to operate (46.8%) and range of capabilities (43.0%) are the most important factors influencing equipment purchasing decisions.
Dan Marx, Content Director for Wide-Format Impressions, holds extensive knowledge of the graphic communications industry, resulting from his more than three decades working closely with business owners, equipment and materials developers, and thought leaders.
Olga Dorokhina is a research coordinator for the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA).
