IDC Says Worldwide LFP Market Contracted in the 1Q2013

According to the International Data Corporation’s (IDC’s) Worldwide Quarterly Large Format Printer Tracker, shipment value for the worldwide Large Format Printer (LFP) market slipped 12.0% year over year (YOY) in 1Q2013 on shipments of nearly 75,000 units.

Program Manager, Phuong Hang said, “Shipments of UV-curable inkjet devices have been growing over the past three years. IDC expects this trend to continue at a steady pace for the next three years.”

Japan posted positive YOY results in both units shipped (1.2%) and shipment value (1.7%) in the first quarter of 1Q2013. It remains a bright spot in the worldwide large format printer (LFP) market. This is the 5th consecutive quarter where YOY growth in both units and shipment value were recorded in the region.

Despite a YOY contraction of 5.6% in 1Q2013 data, technical remains the larger application segment with 45,900 units shipped in the quarter. This represents 61% of the total LFP market, up from 57% a year earlier. In terms of unit shipments, Japan and the U.S. were the best performance regions with  7.5% and 11.5% YOY growth, respectively.

The graphics application segment declined 20% YOY. At 29,000 units shipped, it accounts for 39% of the market, down from 43% a year ago. All regions witnessed a YOY decline in units shipped in this segment. As the worst performing region, Latin America posted a 40% decrease in shipments.

With respect to vendors, HP remains the undeniable leader in the global LFP market with 40.6% share of unit shipments. HP experienced a YOY contraction of 18.4%. HP remains the clear leader in the technical segment and maintained the number 2 position in the graphics application segment, following market leader Epson.

Epson remains in second place in the overall LFP market and continues to lead the graphics applications segment.

Canon continues to hold the third place ranking with 16.0% share and about 12,000 units shipped in the global LFP market.

Oce, with a 3% share, ranked number 4 in the worldwide LFP market. Oce’s shipments and share declined moderately YOY. Oce holds third place in the technical segment.

Roland ranked Number 5 worldwide with a 3% share of the worldwide LFP market. Roland held the number 4 position worldwide in the graphics segment, having grown 3.4% from a year earlier.