UTec Outlines Future for the Print Industry

According to The Recycler, Union Technology International (MCO) Co. Ltd. (UTec), the global master distributor for Print-Rite Imaging Products, pictured the current status and outlined the future for the print industry.

UTec projects that print volumes will continue to fall with the decline mainly driven by cost savings, new technology and a shrinking demand for hard copy. However, as there are about 2 trillion pages printed across the world each year, the printing market remains huge. Also, “certain segments of the market are healthy and growing”.

In addition to the large demand for high-quality consumables in the market, UTec notes that many companies in the digital-imaging aftermarket will face strong competition.

With OEMs targeting commercial printers, the higher demand for output and the increasing requirement for customized marketing materials, UTec believes the production printing industry will continue to offer growth opportunities. Also, UTec sees positive growth for monochrome printing, due to the fact that legal and financial companies are required to “submit hardcopy documents”, while banks and accountants also require prints.

Further, UTec points out that MPS (Managed Print Service) can be expected as a way for dealers to maximize their profits by using non-OEM supplies. This will benefit the cartridge remanufacturers.