Complete Story
12/18/2019
New Skillsets Are Required for Growth in the Commercial Printing Industry
Source: Andy Paparozzi, PrintingImpressions, December 16, 2019
The commercial printing industry is likely to grow only modestly in 2020, with margins again under intense pressure. But plenty of commercial printing companies will thrive nonetheless. They will not be a particular size or offer a particular mix of technologies, products, and services. Rather, they will be skilled in disciplines such as opportunity evaluation, execution and human resources, creating growth and shepherding that growth from the top line to the bottom line.
How 2020 plays out for commercial printing will, of course, depend on the economy, pricing power, and a number of other factors. SGIA business indicators currently suggest the industry’s sales (all sources) will grow 1.2% – 2% next year. That would follow gains of 1.8% in 2019 (preliminary) and 2.4% in 2018. At $87.5 billion, sales are still down 11.6% from the 2007 pre-Great Recession high, but up 11.5% from the 2011 low.
On-the-ground reports from the 166 commercial printers SGIA surveyed fill in the details. The group is diverse, with annual sales ranging from less than $1 million to more than $150 million. On average, they have outperformed the industry, growing 4.1% in 2019, with 61% growing by more than 5% and 32.2% growing by more than 10%.
