Smithers New Study Maps Transition of Offset to Digital Print
Offset lithography, a method of mass printing production, has traditionally been the backbone of the printing industry, and continues to be popular among printers worldwide. But technological disruptions, like digital printing, are posing serious challenges to such contemporary methods.
A new report from Smithers projects revenues from sheetfed, heatset, and coldset offset litho to reach $310.9 billion globally in 2025.
Still the most widely used analogue print process, offset litho is facing challenges across many applications, including competition from digital (inkjet and electrophotography) presses where 2025 sales are projected to be $175.2 billion.
The Future of Digital vs. Offset Printing to 2029, the comprehensive market modelling from the US-based research firm, tracks the commercial and technology outlook for both sectors across the next five years. It quantifies current and future market volume and value by print process, end-use application, and region.
Print volumes plummeted worldwide as a result of the economic disruption caused by COVID-19. Global output fell from 49 trillion A4 equivalents in 2019 to 44.1 trillion in 2024, with little prospect of recovery to pre-pandemic levels. Across the same period, however, value inched up from $887.9 billion in 2019 to $898 billion in 2024.
The reduced demand for publication print significantly impacted offset litho, with major falls in both volume and value of heatset and coldset litho, especially for newspaper and magazine print. This reflects the wider transition from physical to electronic media and the trend is set to continue across the rest of the decade. Sheetfed litho volumes are expected to grow marginally, with a 0.3% CAGR pushing volume to 6.9 trillion A4 prints in 2029. Across the same five year forecast period, value will increase from $183.3 billion in 2024 to $194.5 billion in 2029 at a CAGR of 1.4%.
The outlook for digital is more positive. While value will increase at a CAGR of 4.8% to reach $209.1 billion in 2029, volumes will increase at a faster 5.5% CAGR from 1.95 trillion A4 prints in 2024 to 2.41 trillion in 2029.
Digital is directly displacing litho in several applications – notably through the use of inkjet for print-on-demand books, advertising, and transactional print. This will be partially compensated for by new demand for sheetfed litho in packaging, but here it is also in competition with gravure and flexo.
Adapting to demands in a rapidly evolving market, offset press OEMs are increasing the top speed of their flagship models, in several cases to over 20,000 sheets per hour, besides adding more automation to their presses. This responds to a shortage of skilled labour, while improving productivity, including on shorter run lengths.
