Lexington, Kentucky, USA - October 26, 2001 - (The Printer Confidence Survey is conducted between the 14th and 18th of each month. Findings depend on various factors including the printer’s warehousing strategy for paper and the actual date a printer makes an investment in new equipment. For more information, please contact us.) WhatTheyThink.com, the leading on-line community and research firm in the graphic arts industry, has released their Monthly Printer Confidence Survey. The study provides industry executives a ‘snap shot’ of trends in spending and confidence levels of print vendors. Key components of the monthly survey includes data connected to spending on paper and expectations related to major capital investments in the near future. Printers are asked about their spending on paper in the next 30 days and plans for relevant capital expenditures in the coming 180 days. Results for October: Paper Spending: Overall, paper spending confidence climbed 2 percent after falling 16 percent in September. The significant drop in September was most likely related to the events in New York City and Washington DC. Just 24 percent of printers surveyed said they anticipated an increase in their spending on paper in the next 30 days. 53 percent said there would be no change in their ordering of paper and 22 percent of printers said they would spend less on paper in the next 30 days, up from 11 percent in August and 20 percent in September. Major Capital Investments: Overall, capital spending confidence rose 2 percent to 59 percent - A majority of print executives surveyed said they would make at least one major equipment purchase in the next 6 months. This is the fourth consecutive month that capital spending confidence has risen. This month, 29 percent said they plan to purchase production/press equipment in the next 180 days - up 2 percent from September. Printers saying they would make a near-term investment in finishing equipment went back up 4 percent to 22 percent. In September, 29 percent of printers said they would invest in a new prepress system within six months. In October, 29 percent said they would purchase a prepress system. We added a new item to our capital spending confidence survey: Print Management Software. 18 percent of printers surveyed said they plan to make a purchase in this area of their business within the next 6 months.