NAPL Report Sees Painfully Slow Recovery

The good news is that printing sales rose 3.6 % in September 2002. The bad news is that it was the first increase in 16 months. These are just two of the findings reported in The NAPL 2002-2003 State of the Industry Report compiled by the National Association for Printing Leadership. Other findings related to sales and profit information listed in the report include:

“?43.3% of the NAPL Printing Business Panel reports that their prices are lower than they were a year ago.

“?41.2% report lower profitability, but 26% report higher profitability “? however most of the gains are due to extensive cost-cutting rather than increasing revenues and prices.

“?The NAPL Printing Business Index? for October was down slightly from September's year high of 54.1, but was the third month in a row above 50. A PBI reading of 50 or more indicates that more printers report activity is picking up rather than slowing down.

“The report shows that underneath all the bad economic news, economic fundamentals are gradually improving, suggesting continued recovery rather than double-dip recession,” notes Andrew Paparozzi, NAPL vice president and chief economist. “Recovery for printing will continue to be painfully slow. When it hits, only those printers who have adjusted to the ways in which our industry is being redefined will participate in that recovery.”

A full copy of the NAPL 2002-2003 State of the Industry Report is free to NAPL Corporate and Associate members. It is available to non-members for $1500. (NAPL: 800-642-6275, www.napl.org)