Digital wide-format printing is one of the most significant growth areas in the entire print industry. InfoTrends expects print volumes to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 9% between 2014 and 2019ⁱ, with over 27,830 square feet printed in North America in 2014. This continued growth cannot be attributed to any single aspect of wide format; it is the collective result of increased adoption, new technologies, and an expanding range of applications (e.g., soft signage, rigid panel printing, textiles, and backlit displays). To further explore industry trends and understand end-user preferences, InfoTrends partnered with NAPCO (publisher of Printing Impressions) to conduct end-user surveys in 2013 and 2015. Respondents were questioned on their views, participation, and interest in the digital wide-format sector.

UV-curable machines are becoming more widely adopted, and are now overtaking the space that was previously dominated by aqueous and solvent inkjet printing systems. Combined UV-curable inkjet printer ownership has increased by 35% over the past two years, while aqueous inkjet printer ownership has decreased by 19%.

The shift from aqueous inkjet to UV-curable inkjet has changed the wide-format printing applications mix between 2013 and 2015. Although primary aqueous applications have seen a decline, this print method is not going away. There is a push in the wide-format sector to place ink on a wider range of substrates. The two ink formulations at the forefront of this trend are UV and latex. PSPs are increasing their services by introducing UV-curable printing, which offers great flexibility and permanency on an increasing range of substrates. Meanwhile, latex ink has also seen an increase in adoption since 2013. It provides permanency and is a fast-curing solution for a range of applications, from wallpapers to industrial materials. Latex inks are similar to UV inks in the sense that they can adhere to many substrates, but latex inks garner a much lower toxicity than UV inks and completely eliminate the need for extra ventilation. These trends are apparent as growth is occurring in applications that are dominated by UV-curable and latex processes. Applications such as window graphics, decals, and vehicle graphics have all shown substantial growth since 2013.