IDC: Western European HCP Market in 3Q16

According to research by International Data Corporation (IDC), the Western European printer and multifunction (MFP) market declined by 1.5% in unit terms in 3Q16 compared with the same period a year ago, with a negative performance in the inkjet market but a positive trend for the laser market. For more than a year now, the market has declined quarter after quarter — this quarter with a 78,407 decrease in units with a shipment volume of 5.3 million devices, and a decline that is again largely due to the contraction in consumer printing but is relatively in line with forecasts. Revenues, on the other hand, grew by 3% — inkjets showed a small 1.5% increase due to business inkjets, and laser revenue increased by 3.2%.

Laser markets increased by 1.9% in 3Q16, a sharp contrast with a negative trend observed in Western Europe for the past five quarters. Laser revenue increased more than volume, indicating that prices in many markets are holding: ASPs for the laser market increased by 1.2% in 3Q16.

For the first time since 1Q13, business inkjet shipments suffered a major decline. Deemed to be a major opportunity for a fading, home-customer-centric technology, shipments fell by 13.1% in 3Q16. MFP products declined by 14.6%. Surprisingly, business inkjet printers increased by 3.8% in the quarter, with the thinking that some vendors placed a greater emphasis on shipping lasers for the quarter. Despite this, business inkjet MFPs accounted for 90.3% of business inkjet shipments in 3Q16.

Overall, MFP products accounted for 83.3% of all shipments in Western Europe in 3Q16, slightly higher than the 83.2% in 3Q16. Laser and inkjet MFPs decreased by 1.4%, while laser and inkjet printers decreased by 1.8%, with shipments were generally in line with IDC forecasts.

There was a decline in the business market in 3Q16; the market, comprising laser and business inkjet devices, declined by 2.7%, but the value increased by 2.7%. The highest value growth was in 31ppm+ color devices, a positive trend that has been seen for more than a year now.

"The negative trend in the printing and imaging industry continued in 3Q16," said Delphine Carnet, senior research analyst in IDC's Western European Imaging, Hardware Devices, and Document Solutions group. "In addition to a bleak Western European market, we have observed for the first time since 1Q13 a double-digit decline for the very successful business inkjet devices. All price bands have seen declines, showing that this is a global market trend.