There was a time where people thought the world would go paperless. Clearly, we are not there yet and may never be. There are many factors keeping Computer-to-Plate (CTP) technologies alive today.
Although, the United States printing industry is declining as traditional products such as advertising and publishing continue to transition to online outlets, economists still expect it will be a $75 billion market in 2020.
Digital printing continues to grow as the next generation of presses push productivity and quality, boosting competition among manufacturers. Meanwhile, the global market is on the rise and the world printing industry is forecast to reach $821 billion by 2022, according to IBIS World.
Packaging and labels — rather than graphic applications — are driving market growth.
Aa Allied Research reports the worldwide packaging and protective packaging industry, which was valued at $757 billion in 2016, is estimated to reach $1,014 billion by 2023. The expansion of electronics and eCommerce, especially China, India and Japan, are specifically increasing the demand for packaging. Manufacturers of textile, apparel products, metal, glass, paper and plastic consumer goods also heavily rely on CTP technologies.
European countries are largely focused on the development of eco-friendly products and processes to create a sustainable environment, but newer CTP technologies meet this demand with chemical free, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions. In addition, modern CTP technologies offer such benefits as increased automation, mobile and remote monitoring, faster output and higher quality production — all of which reduce operation costs, while meeting customers’ increased demands. At the same time, the machines physically require less floor space and less labor to run.
The key players in the CTP market include, Kodak, Screen, Heidelberg, Agfa, Fujifilm and a few others. Platesetters.com carries these brands and supports thousands of worldwide customers.