Reston, VA - At the PRIMIR Winter Meeting, December 6-8, 2010 in Boca Raton, Florida, PRIMIR funded a new research study entitled "The Impact of Electronic Technologies on Print."

I.T. Strategies (ITS) of Hanover, MA was selected to conduct this important research for PRIMIR. The research team, led by ITS Vice President Marco Boer, will establish a framework for presenting how electronic technology may impact the nature and/or volume of print. Focused on the North American market, the study will provide an understanding of specific technologies that exist today, or are on the horizon, that may impact print. Technologies such as: electronic reading devices (laptops, mobile devices, e-readers), display technology (e-ink, e-paper), electronic distribution technology (Internet, wireless), linked supplemental electronic materials (video, audio, reference materials, databases, relational references), and electronic search technology.

The study will report on demographic, cultural, and government policy changes and the role each has and/or will likely play in impacting print vs. electronic technologies/media. It will evaluate adoption rates for new technologies, as well as drivers and motivators to displace or complement print with electronics, by specific technology and print application. For example: e-readers for books, magazines or newspapers; e-mail for transactional statements; and, QR codes for advertising.

According to Mr. Boer, "This study is a great follow-on to the PRIMIR Megatrends in Digital Printing Applications study where we discovered analog page volumes are shrinking independent of the growth of digital printing. But, what happened to all of those lost pages? This new PRIMIR study will answer in part, the role and impact of electronic technologies on print volume by each of 12 applications and provide an unbiased perspective on the impact of electronic technologies - where, when and how."

Paul Jaynes, a study Co-Chair and member of PRIMIR's Executive Committee, states "print is a media that has been used to communicate, document and entertain for centuries. It has learned to adjust to new technologies, as it did with the advent of radio and television. With the increased use of electronic technology, PRIMIR needs to understand the impact these technologies will have on print so its members can respond to the ever changing communications market."

When the research is complete in the fall of 2011, the consulting team will provide a vital assessment of the emerging trends' impact on the print equipment and supply chain and manufacturers of printed products.