Digital printing is the fastest-growing mainstream print technology. This article compares two new different and complementary outlooks for the future of the sector into the next decade with a focus on Europe wherever possible.

The View from Mordor Intelligence

Digital Printing Market Size & Share Analysis – Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 – 2030), a new report from Mordor Intelligence, concludes that the digital print market will be worth US$35.5 billion this year, and will rise to a total value of US$48.4 billion by 2030. This study covers 16 major economies from all of the key regional markets and places forecast growth at 6.3% p.a. over the next five years. Its scope covers only electrophotography and inkjet printing. With this simple division of the market, inkjet accounts for 58% of the market by value and electrophotography 42%.

A summary of the application findings shows that commercial printing is the dominant area of use and accounts for 69% of the market by value. Organizations are increasingly relying on digital printers for bulk printing operations and gaining through Wi-Fi applications.

Book printing is a second major area for digital printing and flourishes through short-run printing of books, catalogs, directories etc., and print-on-demand (POD) services for publications and titles that are of occasional interest or may otherwise be out of print. The segment with the fastest growth is that of packaging at 9% p.a. as digital package printing accelerates for a variety of reasons: rapid turnaround, shorter production runs and the trend towards personalized packaging.

Other trends are pushing this segment further forward too, including sustainable packaging and smart packaging. Indeed, sustainability and operational efficiency continue to underpin product and technology R&D in the digital print sector. Up-to-the-minute concepts using artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and much greater digital integration with modern lifestyles represent a new wave of approaches for the industry and help companies to differentiate their offerings from their competitors.

According to this report, the European market is very much driven a combination of technological advancements and increasing uptake of sustainable processes, with customization being a third driver.  Germany accounts for 16% of the European digital printing market and works from a strong combination of top players, good infrastructure and growing end-use demand. German market growth is placed at 7% p.a. across the forecast period and its main strengths lie in packaging, textile and commercial end-uses.

Yet across all of the EMEA region, this geography offers the slowest growth. Further afield, the Middle East and Africa offer different drivers for industry with the focus being on urbanization and the rise of e-commerce,
among others.

In other countries, India is seen outstripping China in terms of market growth in this sector. Rapid transformations are now taking place in India in order to modernize industry and its approaches to business and there is rising demand for all the newer technologies that are instrumental in modernizing service. Many industries in India are now keeping up with modern processes that will enhance their efficiency. Rapid digitalization in India is taking place in parallel with rising e-commerce development.

China dominates the Asian market overall, and its digital printing sector is driven by the vastness of the international business it undertakes. It also benefits from government support, strong infrastructure and a focus on technological developments within the print sector.

The View from Grand View Research

According to Grand View Research’s report, Digital Printing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Technology, by Ink, by Substrate, by Application, by Region and Segment Forecasts, 2024 – 2030, the global digital printing market size was estimated at US$ 38.07 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow a CAGR of 6.2% from 2024 to 2030. This study appears to be broader in its considerations of digital printing technology, so as well as covering inkjet and electrophotography, it includes laser printing and thermal transfer printing.

A global overview of the industry highlights different aspects according to region. North America is the leading region for digital print and accounts for 34% of the market. Much of the framework for how the industry and market are developed is laid down by North American companies. High disposable incomes and a very strong business climate spur companies on to invest in the latest digital print technology.

Not far behind is the challenge coming from Asia, where Japan, China and India are all at the forefront of rapid technological advances. Governments are keen to push industries in the direction of ultramodern concepts such as digital infrastructure and modern technologies. Measures to support digitalization and smart manufacturing will pave the way for a flourishing digital print sector in Asia.

The European strengths for inkjet printing are different and originate through legislation driving industry towards more eco-friendly products, and this is explored in more detail below. In particular, the highly creative and successful industries of design, fashion and publishing in the UK are seen as major growth areas.

European Perspectives: A Qualitative Approach

Digital printing as a contemporary print technology plays straight into the EU’s green objectives. Some of the more qualitative reasons that underlie this are as follows:

• Superior chemical profile: One of the major advantages that digital printing presents over offset printing is a much-reduced exposure to chemicals. The longer set-up times and waste associated with offset printing are being eliminated by the switch to inkjet printing. Secondly, ink formulations are shifting away from solvent-based compositions towards more aqueous formulae, while the use of dyes in inks is being replaced with pigment-based formulations. Thirdly, one of the more modern measures of greenness that especially relates to circularity in the ink sector is that of deinkability, allowing substrates to be re-used and therefore closing the loop within the circular economics of the sector.

• Lower energy consumption: Energy consumption from digital presses has been falling in recent years. Operating temperatures are being lowered and carbon dioxide emissions are being reduced.

• Opportunities for recycled and organic print media: In the paper segment, there is rising demand for eco-friendly papers, especially for inkjet printing. The rising interest in speciality papers that incorporate organic materials such as bamboo, hemp and cotton fibers has been noted in the label printing sector. Growth markets – literally.