Some 36.5 million printers, copiers and multi-function printers (MFPs) were shipped globally in the fourth quarter of 2010 – a figure which IDC said was up seven per cent year on year and exceeded all quarters since Q4 2007.
According to IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker, worldwide sales in the market are continuing to focus increasingly on MFPs at the expense of single-function devices. MFPs had a 67 per cent share of the global hardcopy peripherals market.
Phuong Hang, the tracker's programme manager at IDC, said: "After one of the most difficult economic periods in recent memory, the worst is over. It's time for the market to return to normal."
Hang said 2011 would see a slow, steady recovery for the worldwide hardcopy peripherals market.
"The return to growth will not be uniform across all countries and segments. Developed regions are expected to show gradual or steadier activity, while developing regions are projected to show faster and higher growth levels," she said.
Hang said that HP, Canon, and Epson captured about 75 per cent of the total market in Q4. HP shipped 15.5 million devices to notch up year-on-year growth of 10 per cent. HP did not exhibit growth across Western Europe, however, although the area regained its status as leading region, shipping some eight million units to take some 23 per cent of the global market.
Canon came in second, growing its quarterly sales five per cent, and Epson third with a two per cent expansion by unit.
Inkjet remains dominant globally, with close to 24.5 million units shipped in Q4 – representing a 67 per cent share of the market, although it declined in many places, including Western Europe.
Monochrome laser printers remain the most prolific type of laser in the office with close to 5.6 million units, she added, although colour lasers grew 10 per cent year on year to 1.8 million units.
Original Post