Lexington, KY - WhatTheyThink, the leading media organization serving the printing and publishing industry, today announced the availability of their most current report titled “U.S. Commercial Printing Profits, 1995 to Q1-2009.” Authored by Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink's Economics and Research Center, the report is available for immediate purchase at the WhatTheyThink Store.

The first quarter of 2009 was “less worse” than the fourth quarter of 2008, which was labled “a profits disaster” at that time by Dr. Webb. “It was a quarter the industry would love to forget,” said Dr. Webb. He noted the the U.S. Department of Commerce recently revised the fourth quarter data to exceed $2 billion.

The depth of the printing downturn has been reflected in its employment. “About 1 in 8 print workers has been idled as printers look to sidestep the sales and profits downdraft,” said Dr. Webb. “It's not just the recession. Print has had eight consecutive quarters of decline, and some of its prime customers, banks and financial institutions, are not likely to return to their pre-crisis budget levels soon. Even then, digital media alternatives are expanding their share of those budgets.”

In the report, Dr. Webb analyzes the latest printing industry employment data and capacity data, and where they're likely to be headed for the next six months and in 2010.

The Printing Profits Report contains both current and inflation-adjusted analysis of commercial printing and print services shipments and profits from 1995 to the first quarter of 2009. The bonus audio file includes Dr. Webb's frank analysis, opinions, and strategic outlook. Containing Adobe PDF, Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint files, the cost of the report is $50.00 and features the audio commentary in MP3 format. Those purchasing the report can easily repurpose the charts and data for internal, client presentations, and reports.

The report contains significant and proprietary analysis and by Dr. Webb and WhatTheyThink's Economics and Research Center. It is a top-level analysis of the U.S. commercial printing and trade services markets such as commercial offset, digital, and other printing processes, as well as prepress and postpress contained in the standard business classification NAICS 323.

https://store.whattheythink.com/economics/u-s-commercial-printing-profits-p-2

WhatTheyThink's Economics and Research Center contains a blend of free and premium content for graphic arts and publishing executives. It offers an online library of primary research reports, executive summaries of economic trends, and related industry columns, videos, podcasts and webinars.

The Economics and Research Center is exclusively sponsored by MindFireInc, a provider of software technologies that leverage direct marketing and the Internet

About WhatTheyThink

WhatTheyThink is the printing and publishing industry's leading media organization; offering a wide range of publications delivering unbiased, real-time market intelligence, industry news, economic and trend analysis, peer-to-peer communication, and special reports on emerging technology and critical events. WhatTheyThink also hosts webinars and live events that are timely and relevant o today's busy industry executives along with consulting and speaker services that leverage a talented pool of writers and industry analysts.

WhatTheyThink consists of flagship site WhatTheyThink.com, discussion forum site PrintPlanet.com, and industry blog PrintCEO.com.

About MindFireInc

Since 1999, MindFireInc has provided innovative applications and services that help marketers synchronize their direct mail campaigns with the Internet. MindFireInc's flagship product, LookWho'sClicking, is a web-based application suite that links the impact and power of direct mail with the interactive capabilities of the Internet. MindFireInc offers its product through a network of Value Added Resellers (VARs). The company's web site is www.mindfireinc.com.