FOCUS ON

The large format printing market has increased since 90's rapidly.
Early in 2000, distribution of machine devices was really high.
There were different technical skills which depend on manufacturers, and the problems started to be solved with safety of inks and media.
Now, it is being changed. The large format printing in sign industry is not a new tool anymore.
Technical skills were also upgraded mostly. Of course, most of consumers prefer more reasonable price, and faster and vivid colors.
However, technical feature is essential and no more consideration at this moment.

Thermal form for inkjet printing has been used from early to middle of 1990s.
Thermal form used the principal of vaporization by heating the ink, and early water-based devices used this form. Of course, this method is still using at this moment.
From middle of 90's, Piezo method was begun to be used. It has different way with Thermal like spraying inks. Most of solvent and UV printers are using this way, not only for water based printer.
On the other hands, Airbrush or Electrostatic way were also used for OOH advertisement from middle of 90's to the late of 90's. Airbrush is a similar principle like spraying inks. They express images or photos. Electrostatic equipment which transfers images by using laminating after printing Dye-sublimation paper is used well.
From the late 90's to 2000's, the resolution became high and use of Inkjet large format printer in OOH industry increased with Solvent ink which has high durability.

Economic recession, but printer sales still high
New equipment needs productivity and new applications. Productivity is one of the requirements for becoming processing business more effective because they need this to do their work faster. On the other hand, new applications are based on developing new items.
The large format printing market is still changing and progressing. Out of the technical skills, now marketing and strategy are more important. Some workers say market is already saturated with printer penetration.
However, system sellers say it is steady sales with water based and solvent printers.
The large format printing industry started explosive growing since the late of 1990's and growth lasted for a while. In spite of international recession for a couple of years, they increased persistently. They said the sales increased 10% more in 2009 than 2000, and expected next year to be similar with 2009 or could be higher.
Although it is in a difficult situation, one of the reasons for sales is that old printers and demand of changing for new one are much better in productivity and resolution than past one.
Companies which changed them to new one said " the end user's requirements such as shop owner or agency became complicated and sensitivity of colors became higher. That's why we have changed it." In fact, print service provider's position is higher in resolution, quality, and productivity than consumers.
However, it can be in difficult situation if they don't have new equipment.
One of the sales agents said "Technical skills are in standardization situation at this moment, so the most important point to appeal for consumers is eventually high productivity and how fast it can be printed out."

Becoming solvent printer of high quality with high resolution
Both Print Service Providers and Sign shops say that printing for interior is better than for out of home media because of intensely competitive pricing. Not only water based printers are more convenient than solvent, but also dropped unit cost effects less. By way of illustration, unit cost of flex printed with solvent printer dropped recently, but it maintains with water based printer.
However, value added of solvent printers itself is not all dropping. They concentrate on the new market with various applications. It influences in both OOH market with flex, sheet and banner market rapidly, also with manufactures of safety products, public sign.
Solvent printers are taking the lead in printing market with water based printers.
Most of people expected changing from water based printers to solvent printers in 2000. However, there was no big issue.
Diverse solvent equipment appeared in market and functions such as resolution, quality, and productivity were developed and appealed to the potential consumers.
Solvent had lower resolution and limited materials like a flex and vinyl compared to water base printers 5~6years ago, but now it became changed. As they can express widely with 6 colors or 8 colors and print out fast, so the customers are opening their pouch. Especially, even though water based printers was a general trend in banner market, the market became excessive competition by competitive of solvent.
The large format printers, over 3m of print width, became more competitive with sales increase steadily, and small and medium solvent printers were sold to sign shop and print service provider.

In fact, print service provider's position is higher in resolution, quality, and productivity than consumers.

Eventually, started UV printer
For a long time, most of companies were interested in UV printer, so it became the biggest issue among expanding of industry and changing to start UV printer sales. It has some strong points such as quite ecofriendly and unlimited media. Although many manufacturers already developed UV printer with UV inks, it has just started a few years ago.
The concern for UV ink has been increased from a long time ago. Sign shops normally used roll-to-roll. Development process of the large format printer is similar to rollto- roll. It launched with water based ink at first and then, used solvent ink, now we are using UV ink recently.
Except for UV ink, it is same as roll method. Although the large format printing market is steadily growing, if you listen to the inside story, it is not all good things. As appearance becomes bigger, companies also increased rapidly, so competing in price might be a natural situation. Media companies are also same.
It is still doing excessive competition.
We noticed companies' competitiveness with what kind of equipment they are using media and ink few year ago. At that time, it is fastest way to bring out of new product as functions and qualities developed every year. However, now it is almost same in function and qualities.
Equipment, media, ink as well. There are little cheap-jack products now.

The concern for UV ink has been increased from a long time ago.
Development process of the large format printer is similar to roll-to-roll.
It launched with water based ink at first and then, used solvent ink, now we are using UV ink recently.

Importance is moved from technical skills to marketing method
The large format printing is mostly applied in 'Sign' with banners. Not only for suppliers, but also consumers tried to change to the large format printing from existing printing in sign industry, now we got the incredible growth. However, there is an opinion to expand the applications of printing, not only for sign market.
The hottest issues are screen printing and textile at this moment. Especially, they are developing ink and media to find a new market by themselves in textile industry.
UV Printers is showing up in the large format printing market for the last few years. In fact, most of consumers generally could not buy because of high price of equipment and ink.
However, it became changed to UV Printers nowadays steadily. Even though its high price, some Early Adopters provide diverse items by buying UV Printers. If the purpose is only for the change to UV Printer, lunch of UV could be failed. Because they don't need to buy UV Printer, if there are same results. UV Printer can create added value only with efforts and trends.
Although some people say it is already full, the large format printing market is still moving dynamically. Even though there are some problems, they still have lots of potential growth with efforts. It is our role, connecting potential market to added value. ☯

The hottest issues in digital printing industry are screen printing and textile printing at this moment.
Especially, they are developing ink and print media to find a new market by themselves in textile industry.