A study by IDC has found that the growing consumables market in the Asia Pacific is seeing the aftermarket challenging the OEMs.
The printer consumable market in the Asia Pacific region excluding Japan (APEJ) grew by 0.29 percent sequentially and 8.65 percent year-on-year this year, reaching US$1,593.01 million by the end of Q2 2011.
- Source: IDC Asia/Pacific Quarterly Printer Consumables Tracker, Q2 2011
The growth is however slowing, as slow purchasing by governments in high growth economies including India, Indonesia and China in the last quarter has affected market expansion.
The report found that compatible brands contributed nearly $300 million (€214,438,159) to the consumables market in the Asia Pacific region, 20 percent of the total value, and this is increased to 30 percent in both China and India. Added to this is the revelation that 40 percent of units shipped are compatible in the entire region, and in some areas such as Indonesia and Thailand this reaches 50 percent.
As a result of this, said Pankaj Chawla, Senior Market Analyst for Peripherals Research at IDC Asia/Pacific, the “OEMs are now challenging after-market players on printing cost per page (CPP) to improve their connect ratio on machines in field”.
He added: “OEMs have launched printers with ink tank systems as well as economic consumables, which has reduced the CPP and initiated a war over market share particularly in inkjet business.”
However, despite these positive developments, IDC predicts that the aftermarket printing industry in the region will be “more volatile” in the next few quarters due to the consolidations across the industry. The analyst names Clover’s acquisition of TRS Group as very significant for the region, as TRS has now acquired Sakaar’s manufacturing facilities in India. It also mentions Thai organisation Zemasch Corporation which has acquired Taiwan-based Full Colour International “to increase its market share in printer ink business”.
In terms of country by country analysis, IDC highlights China as “leading the way for other emerging economies” as “most of the countries in the region are importing remanufactured cartridges, parts and toner powder” from China. To add to this, the analyst notes Seine’s Pantum printer launch as a significant part of the aftermarket’s growing success in the region.