Graphic Arts Index
Staff -- graphic arts online, 7/1/2002
The total dollar value of printing equipment shipped by U.S. manufacturers during 2001 was about 7% less than during 2000, according to sales data recently released by NPES. This represents an unwelcome turnaround in the market after six consecutive years when shipment values expanded. Shipments of graphic arts supplies were estimated to be worth 10% less in 2001 than during 2000, following a decline of 10.4% the year before. Weak demand in the market is also evident in the almost total absence of inflation in equipment or supplies prices. Yet, while there has been a continued decline in printing industry employment levels, the average hourly wage has increased 3.3%.
| Actual Monthly Value | Annual Percent Change | |||||
| 4/01 | 3/02 | 4/02 | 2001 | 2002* | 2003* | |
| Employment (1) | ||||||
| Printing & Publishing | 1507.0 | 1414.0 | 1407.9 | -3.6 | -4.8 | 0.9 |
| Commercial Printing | 543.9 | 506.7 | 506.1 | -4.8 | -5.2 | 1.4 |
| Average Hourly Earnings (2) | ||||||
| Printing & Publishing | 14.75 | 15.19 | 15.23 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 2.9 |
| Commercial Printing | 15.08 | 15.50 | 15.68 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 3.0 |
| Printing Trades Machinery Prices (3) | ||||||
| 4/01 | 3/02 | 4/02 | 2001 | 2002* | 2003* | |
| Printing presses, offset litho | 162.4 | 162.4 | 162.4 | 0.9 | -0.3 | 0.7 |
| Printing presses, other than litho | 167.0 | 168.5 | 168.5 | 0.7 | -0.2 | 0.5 |
| Binding machinery & equipment | 132.0 | 133.0 | 133.0 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.4 |
| Graphic Arts Machinery and Supplies Shipments (4) | ||||||
| 12/00 | 9/01 | 12/01 | 2001 | 2002* | 2003* | |
| Printing Equipment Shipments | 123.4 | 112.4 | 118.6 | -6.9 | -6.1 | 2.7 |
| Graphic Arts Supplies Shipments | 75.0 | 72.8 | 69.9 | -10.0 | -4.6 | -0.9 |
| Thousands of employees; U.S. Department of Labor; Dollars per hour; U.S. Department of Labor; Producer Price Index; 1982=100; U.S. Department of Labor; Index, 1990=100; NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies; * = Forecast |
||||||
