Solvent Wide-format Inkjet Purchases Up

A report on wide-format trends from Boston-based Web Consulting, Inc. says that eco-solvent and solvent-based printers have become the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. wide-format (24″ to 99″) printing market. The study of sign shops, graphic screen printers, reprographics houses, and digital and quick printers indicates that while aqueous printers still dominate, their share of the installed base of wide-format printers is shrinking.

Just 57% of firms planning to buy wide-format inkjet printers wanted aqueous, says Michael Flippin, Web Consulting VP, with 42% planning to buy eco-solvent or solvent inkjet printers. Some 9% of those represent "grand-format" (100″ or more) or flatbed users (not the wall-to-wall type capable of printing on rigid substrates, however). Only 1% planned to buy oil-based inkjet printers.

The trend toward specialty, eco-solvent printers has been building for three years, according to senior consultant Lisa Onesto. The report points out end users now take superior image quality for granted because inkjet technology has become more reliable.