Industry Data
April 2010 commercial printing shipments were $7.05 billion, down -1.9% compared to 2009. Adjusting for inflation, shipments were down -4.1%. For the first four months of 2010, shipments were down -4.7% on a current dollar basis.
Monday, June 07, 2010
April 2010 commercial printing shipments were $7.05 billion, down -1.9% compared to 2009. Adjusting for inflation, shipments were down -4.1%. For the first four months of 2010, shipments were down -4.7% on a current dollar basis.
Download Print Shipments Report (zip) which includes: Adobe PDF and Powerpoint files (for easy cut and paste) with two graphs and an executive summary Excel file with the data MP3 Audio file with commentary from Dr. Joe Webb
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According to the latest edition of County Business Patterns, in 2023 there were 947 establishments in NAICS 32312 (Support Activities for Printing). This represents a decrease of 54% since 2010. In macro news, Q1 GDP growth was revised down to 1.6%. Watch the Video
April 2026 saw printing industry employment overall generally flat, down 0.4% from March. And while production employment was up 0.6%, non-production employment was down by 2.5%—basically the reverse of what we saw in March. Watch the Video
Labor shortages, production bottlenecks, and growing workflow complexity are forcing print service providers to take a closer look at robotics and automation. In this article, Keypoint Intelligence examines where robotics can deliver the greatest operational impact, the challenges PSPs should prepare for, and the practical steps companies can take to build a more efficient and stable production environment. Watch the Video
According to the latest edition of County Business Patterns, in 2023 there were 360 establishments in NAICS 323117 (Books Printing). This represents a decrease of 33% since 2010—although establishments were up from 2021 to 2022. In macro news, inflation in April grew 3.8% year-over-year. Watch the Video
2026 kicked off with January shipments coming in at $7.08 billion, down from December’s $7.19 billion. Not a very auspicious beginning to the year. Watch the Video
According to the latest edition of County Business Patterns, in 2023 there were 5,854 establishments in NAICS 323113 (Commercial Screen Printing). This represents an increase of 31% since 2010. In macro news, real GDP increased at an annual rate of 2.0% in Q1 2026 Watch the Video
March 2026 saw printing industry employment overall generally flat, up 0.3% from February. And while production employment was down 0.8%, non-production employment was up by 2.9%. Watch the Video
In a world overwhelmed by digital noise and AI-generated content, print is standing out. It is building trust, creating impact, and driving stronger results. Our research shows, marketing print applications continue to grow, reinforcing the opportunity—but capturing it requires a shift in thinking. Learn how leading print professionals are shifting the way they sell print to deliver more value, stronger results, and lasting customer partnerships. Watch the Video
According to the latest, recently released edition of County Business Patterns, in 2023 there were 15,140 establishments in NAICS 323111 (Commercial Printing except Screen and Books). This represents a decline of 31% since 2010. Watch the Video
December 2025 shipments came in at $7.21 billion, a slight rebound from November’s abysmal $7.11 billion. Watch the Video