5/7/07 -- Fairfax, Virginia — With the annual Business Growth Survey now in its second year, SGIA is developing the ability to compare and contrast predictions and realities, said SGIA Vice President, Government & Business Information, Marci Kinter. A summary report is available at Surveys & Statistics on SGIA.org. SGIA members may also access a full survey report. “It will be interesting to compare this year’s plans against next year’s survey results, and to see if any trends emerge,” said Kinter. She notes that about two-thirds of the specialty imagers answering SGIA’s 2007 Business Growth Plans survey have purchased or expect to purchase graphic imaging applications in the coming year; a third have purchased or are planning to purchase garment decoration applications. Additionally, in this year’s survey, 38.3 percent say they plan to buy a UV digital flatbed. SGIA conducted the survey on Surveys & Statistics at SGIA.org in March and April 2007. In 2006, 44.2 percent of companies responding to SGIA’s Business Growth Plans survey predicted purchasing a UV digital flatbed. But 14.8 percent reported actually making the purchase by the end of the 2006. “With each additional edition of the survey, SGIA’s capability to detect and examine trends will get stronger,” Kinter said. For example, the survey found that 13.2 percent bought direct-to-garment digital equipment in 2006, and, for the first time, asked about participants’ plans for purchasing such equipment in the coming year. As a result, the 2008 survey will be able to compare the planned direct-to-garment digital printer purchases of 2007 (52.6 percent of this year’s respondents) against actual purchases in 2008.