Market Report
The Future of Digital vs Offset Printing to 2029
Smithers research charts transition for offset to digital print
Revenues from sheetfed, heatset and coldset offset litho are projected to reach $310.9 billion globally in 2025, according to a new report from Smithers, the worldwide authority on the printing industry.
Still the most widely used analog 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 new report – The Future of Digital vs Offset Printing to 2029 – 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.
The economic disruption of Covid-19 has cut print volumes, severely. Global output fell from 49.0 trillion A4 equivalents in 2019 to 44.1 trillion in 2024 and has little prospect of recovery to pre-pandemic levels; across the same period value rose only slightly from $887.9 billion in 2019 to $898.0 billion in 2024.
Offset was significantly impacted by this, 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 will grow marginally, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.3% pushing volume to 6.9 trillion A4 prints in 2029; value will increase at 1.4% CAGR from $183.3 billion in 2024 to $194.5 billion in 2029.
The outlook for digital is more positive. Value will increase at a 4.8% CAGR to reach $209.1 billion in 2029. Volumes will increase 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.
Offset press OEMs are increasing the top speed of their flagship models in several cases to over 20,000 sheets per hour. They are also adding more automation to their presses. This responds to a shortage of skilled labor, while improving productivity, including on shorter run lengths.
Inkjet developers are also improving speed, including via greater automation; as well as resolution and print quality. New machines are under development for the packaging segment, leveraging experience gained in narrow web label print, to exploit demand for digital print on corrugated board, folding cartons, and flexible packaging.
Litho, other analogue and digital print market development, 2019–29 (% share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
Source: Smithers