Solid Long-Term Growth for Color Laser Printers and MFPs in EMEA as Uncertain Economic Conditions Persist, says IDC

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LONDON, September 10, 2009— The hardcopy peripherals (HCP) technology segments currently showing the most encouraging long-term growth rates in EMEA are color laser multifunction peripherals (MFPs) and printer devices, with a 12.1% CAGR (2009–2013), according to IDC research. These strong double-digit growth rates come as good news to the HCP market in EMEA, particularly as other technology segments in this market come under increasing pressure from both the ongoing macroeconomic situation and longer-term industry trends such as the transition from monochrome to color, increasing levels of print consolidation, and the shift from single function printers to MFPs in both the home and office environments.

The overall EMEA HCP market will continue to struggle to deliver little more than modest growth. Total HCP shipments in EMEA are expected to achieve 2.0% CAGR over the five-year forecast period. A number of high volume technology segments are expected to continue declining, including color inkjet printers (-16.6% CAGR) and monochrome laser printers
(-2.5% CAGR). However, these segments have been shrinking for some time, and the decline rates are the anticipated result of longer-term industry trends beginning to unfold.

"New devices are becoming faster with higher monthly duty cycles, increased paper management, and greatly improved connectivity levels, and as a result organizations will continue to replace multiple older devices, which are often single function monochrome printers, with a single new device, often a color MFP," saidJulio Vial, research manager for European Printers at IDC EMEA.

Leigh Worthing, senior analyst at IDC covering Western European printing markets also pointed out that, "In the short to medium term, the increasing prevalence of managed print service engagements being signed by print vendors will also add significant momentum in driving several key industry trends, particularly print device consolidation, growth in the installed base of networked MFPs and higher levels of color*-capable devices deployed."

The growth in managed print services is a significant industry phenomenon, especially within developed IT markets such as Germany, France, and the U.K., and is itself being driven, at least in part, by the ongoing recession and frozen credit markets as organizations switch to the utility billing models that often require no large-scale upfront capital investments.

Commenting on the significant potential for the increase in color laser shipments across a number of the emerging markets in EMEA, Mitri Roufka, research director, Imaging and Hardcopy Devices, IDC CEMA, said "Many of the largest markets in the CEMA region, such as Russia, Turkey, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE, and the Czech Republic, are still far from saturation, offering growth potential at 15.7% CAGR for color laser devices in the next five-year period." He also pointed out that vendors have been working hard in these markets to educate end users about the business benefits of using color, a message that is certainly finding resonance with end users, particularly at a time when the prices of both color devices and associated color consumables are being driven down.

By technology segment, IDC's latest EMEA forecast also shows:

IDC'sWorldwide Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Trackertracks A2–A4 devices in the quarterly hardcopy peripherals market. Hardcopy Peripherals include single-function printers, printer-based multifunction systems, and single-function digital copiers (SF DC). Data for all vendors is reported for calendar periods.

For more information aboutIDC's Worldwide Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Trackerin EMEA, please contact Phil Sargeant (psargeant@idc.com).

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