Q4 disappoints as orders and output only marginally outperform restrained forecast

Q4 DISAPPOINTS AS ORDERS AND OUTPUT ONLY MARGINALLY OUTPERFORM RESTRAINED FORECAST - MORE HOPE FOR Q1 AS EXPECTATIONS FOR PRINTING INDUSTRY CONFIDENCE STRENGTHEN

UK printing experienced a marginally better than expected fourth quarter. Following a subdued forecast for the period both output and orders just outperformed expectations, as the industry experienced a very slight upturn, aided by some election-related activity. Orders and output are now expected to recover further in Q1.

The latest Printing Outlook survey reveals that 34% of printers increased output levels in the fourth quarter of 2019. Slightly more respondents (38%) held output steady, whilst 28% experienced a decline in output. The resulting balance (the difference between the ups and the downs) was +6, marginally greater than +5 in Q3 and the Q4 forecast (+2).

The worst Q3 report for three years, since the aftermath of the shock EU referendum result, has now been followed by the worst Q4 report for seven years.

Downloads

BPIF Press Release Printing Outlook Q1 2020 - Size: 317Kb Download

More on Printing Outlook Go

Share this page

< >

Most Read

POSITIVE Q4 OUTPUT AND ORDERS GROWTH IN-LINE WITH FORECAST – BUT A NOSEDIVE IN CONFIDENCE HAS DEPRESSED EXPECTATIONS FOR Q1

6 February 2025

Output and orders in Q4 more-or-less performed as forecast as the UK's printing and printed packaging industry continued its path of steady, but subdued, growth in 2024.

New research charts the transition from offset to digital print

27 February 2025

In The Future of Digital vs. Offset Printing to 2029 Smithers examines how competing digital and offset printing technologies contend for market share. The new report quantifies the market by print process, end-use application, and region.

For more information please contact:

Kyle Jardine

0289 002 0135

[email protected]