Thad McIlroy - The Future of Publishing

1. "Expanding the Print Market Space: Printers' Diversification into Ancillary Services"

Some of the best information on the printing industry is published on a members-only basis, as it is for so many other industries. Sometimes I can get press access to this information without joining: if I had to join all of the associations whose data I draw upon for this site I'd be bankrupt. www.gain.org is the great source for the printing industry, followed closely by www.napl.org and www.ipa.org. Please join, or stay tuned here for some of the best information I can glean from their sites.

This publication, issued in January, 2008, points to perhaps the most essential factor that is keeping the printing industry relatively strong against some very tough forces. As the introduction points out: "Printers are increasingly providing non-print related services and products to their customers. These services and products are a growing proportion of printers' revenues and are emerging as a key source of profitability. In many cases printers are even changing their company names to reflect their increased focus on nonprint-related services.

"This report examines the strategic basis of diversification into ancillary services, the array of ancillary services available to printers, and recent trends in printers' sales of these services and their profit impacts."

2. "2008 Graphic Arts Market Demographic Profiles: The Industry Measure updated snapshots of the printing, publishing, and creative markets"

One of the great bonuses of an IPA membership (www.ipa.org), mentioned above, is their recent alliance with The Industry Measure (www.theindustrymeasure.com), who do comprehensive research offered at relatively high prices. It's all free for IPA members.

This 178-page report, published in February, 2008, is pregnant with data on the "demography of, and current trends affecting, printers, publishers, and design firms."

3. "An Investigation Into Printing Industry Demographics"

Ah, finally, a freebee! This 54-page report by Frank Romano, albeit written in 2003, offers Frank's customary thorough research and attention to detail. Things have really not changed in the printing industry all that much since 2003 and this report still has great value. More significantly, you can move from this link to RIT's broader research bank, and find a plethora of additional free data.

4. "25 Years and Still Standing"

Graphic Arts Monthly is one of the three top trade journals covering the American printing industry (the other two being Printing Impressions and American Printer.)

A June, 2007 online chart (which is apparently no longer online), points to one of the key trends in American printing: consolidation. The intro points out that "Of the 101 companies that appeared in Graphic Arts Monthly's first GAM 101 list of top printers, published in 1983, only 16 companies remain. These firms have grown significantly, both through acquisition and sales. Other firms on the list were either acquired or ceased operations."

The main article, which is still online, points out that: "Consolidation aside, the printing industry remains fragmented. The top 400 U.S. printers, points out [then] Donnelley CEO Thomas Quinlan, ‘account for less than 30% of the market.'"