FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2006

Equipment Sales Up Industry Wide in Latest SGIA Survey

Buyers making near equal investments in screen and digital equipment

Fairfax, Virginia — Proving the specialty imaging industry’s continued growth, a survey released this week by SGIA reports the number of sales of screen and digital printing equipment for the past 12 months rose at almost an equal level.

Of the industry professionals surveyed, 38.9 percent said they bought screen printing equipment and 41.7 percent bought digital equipment in the last year. Approximately 13 percent of respondents said they invested in both technologies.

“The results show this industry is not slowing down in sales growth,” said SGIA Business Information Associate Alaina Harris. “We expect to see growth trends continue in multi-technology imaging solutions over the next year.”

Other interesting statistics from the study:

• A majority of customers who bought roll-to-roll inkjets in the past year chose solvent (66.7 percent) over aqueous (31 percent) or UV-curable systems (23.8 percent). In the next 12 months, the number of buyers planning to invest in aqueous slipped to 11.1 percent, while those interested in solvent inks jumped to 82.2 percent. Customers planning to buy UV-curable systems rose to 40 percent.*
• Of garment decorators who bought screen printing equipment in the past year, 76.9 percent bought carousel printers, 57.7 percent bought flash cure units, 19.2 percent bought embroidery machines and 11.5 percent bought automatic platen adhesive systems. About 11.5 percent purchased squeegee sharpeners and another 11.5 percent bought color printers for heat transfers.*

*Data for this report was compiled from responses to the Business Growth Plans survey, which was done by SGIA Survey & Statistics. Not all figures add up to 100 percent because respondents were allowed multiple selections for some questions. While only SGIA members can receive the complete report, a one-page summary of the results will become available at SGIA.org.

SGIA — Supporting the Leaders of the Digital & Screen Printing Community
“Specialty imaging” comprises digital imaging, screen printing and the many other imaging technologies SGIA members use, including those they’ll tap in the future. These are the imaging processes and technologies employed to create new products and to enhance existing products including point-of-purchase displays, signs, advertisements, garments, containers, and vehicles. To make the most of your specialty imaging business, take full advantage of the information on SGIA.org, and experience the specialty graphic imaging industry first-hand at SGIA ’06 (Las Vegas Convention Center, September 26­-29, 2006).

SGIA
10015 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 703.385.1335
E-Mail: mhiggins@sgia.org
Website URL: www.sgia.org