The full results on turnover (i.e., revenues) in the printing industry in Europe for 2020 were published late in 2022, after index data was the only source for print volume developments during the pandemic. While the index data only allowed for estimating volume developments, real turnover data became available—even if the data is far from perfect.
The turnover for commercial printing in Croatia has been on an upward trend until 2019, although with some fluctuations. The revenue peaked at €660 million in 2019, a 3.4% average annual growth since 2015. In 2020, turnover dropped by 3.2% to about €640 million due to the pandemic. The decline rate is far below the European average of -15%, although some Central and Eastern European countries even posted a growth in that year.
The number of persons employed dropped only slightly in 2020 with a decline of 1.4%. In the years before, Croatia had an average growth rate of 1% for employment, although numbers did fluctuate.
Source: Eurostat 2022 and digitalprintexpert.de
Overall, the printing industry in Croatia accounted for 0.9% of the total European printing industry in 2020, in the same range as Norway and somewhat bigger than Ireland. In terms of the number of employees in print, the European share of Croatia is markedly higher at 1.3%, a bit smaller than the shares of Greece or Sweden.
Croatia—Share of Turnover and Employment in Commercial Print in Europe, 2020
Source: Eurostat 2022 and digitalprintexpert.de
Based on Eurostat numbers for turnover and the number of employees in the printing industry, the average annual turnover per employee can be calculated. The €77,864 for 2019 is markedly lower than the European average, yet at the higher end of the range for Central and Eastern European countries. The employment number does include part-time employees and owners with a salary. The year 2019 has been chosen as a basis for the comparison as 2020 could have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the differing speeds the labour markets reacted.
Source: Eurostat 2022 and digitalprintexpert.de
Please keep in mind that the data is based on Eurostat numbers for printing and related services (complemented by some estimates), which consists mainly of commercial and publishing printing, including prepress and finishing companies. That means that packaging, data center, direct mail print, or quick print/copy shops are not included or only on a limited basis. In-house print/CRD are not included at all. Europe as used in the series of articles includes the EU countries plus Norway, Switzerland, and the UK. If you have questions about sizing the European printing industry or need clarification, please contact me at [email protected] .
This is the final part of the series on the turnover and employment development in commercial print in Europe. In 2024, I’ll start a new series, shedding light on other aspects of the printing industry in the European countries.
