Economic climate in Europe continues to affect hardcopy sales in region, reports IDC.
International Data Corporation (IDC) reports that the hardcopy market in Europe saw an overall decline of 14.1 percent to 4.52 million units in the second quarter of 2012, with the consumer and low-end laser markets suffering the most.
The top three Western European countries – Germany, the United Kingdom and France, all reportedly saw double-digit declines, with France struggling the most as its shipments fell by 18.2 percent to 765,000 units compared to Germany’s decline of shipments by 10.5 percent and the UK’s shipments declining by 16.1 percent.
However, the MFP market saw an increase in of 6.8 percent in the UK and 14.4 percent in France, and there was an overall rise in sales of A3 colour MFPs of 8.1 percent. Sales of production devices also increased by an overall 14.5 percent in the region, although a slump in consumer markets by 16.6 percent impacted badly on inkjet manufacturers.
The year-on-year comparison for the half year indicates a decline of 12.9 percent, suggesting that the full year results for 2012 will more than likely be negative for the industry. However, IDC states that the market is expected to remain stable as prices are holding and there is potential for growth in some areas.
Arnaud Gagneux, Director of IDC’s Western European Imaging Hardware Devices and Document Solutions group commented: “The economic situation in Europe is having a clear and immediate impact on sales of hardware […] end-user segments that are traditionally price sensitive, such as consumer and small business, have limited budget allocated to hardware expenses, which is reflected in the latest shipment trends.
“It is not all negative, and there are profitable opportunities, as demonstrated by the growth in A3 colour devices and clear proof of the demand for managed services in both the enterprise and SMB segments. […] Now is the time to invest and plan for the service-led next chapter of imaging.”