Industrial printer shipments declined 2.1% year over year in the first quarter of 2022 (1Q22), according to new data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Industrial Printer Tracker.

"Shipments at the beginning of the year started off relatively soft," said Tim Greene, research director, Hardcopy Solutions at IDC. "The market is wrestling with supply chain challenges, war, and pandemic that all contribute to inconsistencies in efficient supply and demand cycles."

Worldwide Industrial Segment Highlights for Q1 2022

• Large format digital printer shipments make up the bulk of industrial printers and declined by less than 2% in 1Q22 compared to Q4 2021.
• Dedicated direct-to-garment (DTG) printer shipments declined again in 1Q22 despite some strong numbers at the high end of the market. The replacement of dedicated DTG printers with aqueous direct-to-film printers continues.
• Direct-to-shape printer shipments declined 12.5% quarter over quarter in 1Q22.
• Digital label & packaging printer shipments declined 8.9% sequentially in 1Q22.
• Industrial textile printer shipments were a bright spot, growing 4.6% worldwide compared to Q4 2021.

Regional Analysis

• Shipments were down by almost 25% in the Central European market as a result of the war in Ukraine. Many industrial printer manufacturers have suspended activities in the region.
• The strongest growth was in the Japanese market, where shipments grew more than 20% year over year.
• Shipments in North America grew 4.5% for the quarter while shipments in Western Europe grew 3.5%.
• The Asia/Pacific region declined by more than 5% as the region continues to deal with high levels of the pandemic.

Outlook for 2022

Supply chain challenges, the ongoing pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine war combined to drive industrial printer activities lower in key areas. The resumption of trade shows, the drive for sustainable textile printing, and the reopening of retail are still driving demand.

IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Industrial Printer Tracker provides total market size and vendor share for five major market categories: large format, label and packaging, direct to garment, industrial textile, and direct to shape. In addition to units, shipment value, and average selling price (ASP), the Tracker also provides market results for each product category by ink type, media size, hardware class, or primary application across nine geographic regions and 90 countries.

About IDC Trackers

IDC Tracker products provide accurate and timely market size, vendor share, and forecasts for hundreds of technology markets from more than 100 countries around the globe. Using proprietary tools and research processes, IDC's Trackers are updated on a semiannual, quarterly, and monthly basis. Tracker results are delivered to clients in user-friendly Excel deliverables and on-line query tools.

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About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,200 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.

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Industrial printer shipments declined 2.1% year over year in Q1 2022, according to new data from the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Industrial Printer Tracker.