NEW YORK, NY -- October 3, 2002 -- TrendWatch Graphic Arts today released the next segment in the series of reports focusing upon the growing use and application of variable printing and personalization. The new report, titled "Variable Data Printing: The Competitive Environment," indicates a steady, yet tempered acceptance of Variable Data Printing (VDP). According to the report, 9% of respondents say they plan to purchase a digital color press in the next 12 months. Purchase intentions have been on a steady rise since the second quarter of 2000. The report was made available today for downloading in PDF format. For more information, please visit the TWGA website (www.trendwatchgraphicarts.com). Researcher's Quote... "This report asks a very important question: As the rest of the commercial printing industry gets up to speed on variable data, where are the early adopters going?" says Vince Naselli, Director, TrendWatch Graphic Arts. "They haven't waited for their competition to catch up. They've pushed the bar even higher, evolving into a new form of service provider that offers a wide variety of services. They are tapping into the wealth of opportunities offered by customers' CRM programs, customer loyalty, and customer retention programs. This variable data printer of the future doesn't look anything like the average commercial and digital printer of today." According to the report... -- 16% of digital printers plan to buy another digital printing device in the next 12 months. -- 12% of digital printers plan to purchase a high-speed black-n-white printer in the next 12 months; -- 7% of digital printers see variable data printing on a color copier as a top sales opportunity. Researcher Analysis of the Data... Over the last 10 years, we have learned a lot about the promises and the challenges of variable data printing. There have been some phenomenal success stories. There have been some phenomenal failures. The hardware and software have improved. The understanding of the market by vendors, printers, and customers has also been improving. The industry has been climbing a steep learning curve. But markets and technologies -- including VDP -- don't exist in a vacuum. While variable data printing has been getting its sea legs, other technologies have been maturing, as well. These include email marketing, digital asset management-based template applications, black-n-white imprinting of offset shells, and sophisticated versioning. Many of these applications provide similar benefits to VDP, and as customers begin to understand the cost/benefits of these applications, it is becoming clear that variable data is not the only game in town. The Report's Value... This report addresses several key issues variable printing prospects must consider: -- How can marketers expect VDP to evolve; -- What's the latest data on digital printing and VDP adoption; -- Who are the successful, leading edge adopters and what characteristics do they have in common; -- Which long-term VDP applications have been successful; -- How is VDP positioned against short-run versioning, DAM-based template applications, black-n-white imprinting of offset shells, and email marketing; -- What are the critical factors of CRM in the sales and marketing of VDP. Availability... "Variable Data Printing: The Competitive Environment" is available for purchase by visiting the secure TWGA eStore online at www.trendwatchgraphicarts.com or by phone at (866) 873-6310. The price for the report is $1595. TrendWatch Graphic Arts eStore customers can download this report in PDF Acrobat format immediately after purchase.