11 May 2016

UK printing industry has a case of the wobbles in Q1 - confidence and trade expected to recover in Q2

Forecasts for Q1 were not realised as reports of a slowdown in new orders, and a decline in output, resulted in the worst balances for three years – however, expectations for Q2 point to a quick recovery. The latest Printing Outlook survey reveals that whilst almost half of printers (49%) maintained output levels in the first quarter of 2016, 26% experienced a fall in output and 25% were able to increase output. The resulting balance (the difference between the ups and the downs) was -1; well below the forecasted balance of +33, and the first negative balance since Q1 2013.

Also in Printing Outlook this quarter:

• Pay Reviews – activity and average % changes.
• Investment – tracking intentions for plant & machinery, training & retraining, product & process innovation and buildings.
• Data on capacity, productivity, costs, margins, investment and more.
• Consumables – paper consumption data and printing ink volumes and values.

Printing Outlook is available (free to BPIF members and £40 to non-members) from the BPIF website here: 

Thanks to some new sponsorship from Konica Minolta we are sending printed copies of the report to all respondents and Associate Members.