Print growth set to roar in Africa
With FESPA Africa and the Africa Print taking place in September 2017, it is worth noting the rapid rise of the printing industry on the African continent. It is also worth noting how its printing industry is only half the size of Australia's, which itself accounts for only 1.5 percent of global print volumes. The question is, how much longer will the continent that gave birth to the human race remain such a small part of the international print industry?
Monday, 11 Sep 2017 12:00 GMT
FESPA Africa and the Africa Print runs from September 13th – 15th
The answer is of course all about economic growth, and with Africa the sky is the limit . This is due to the relative low level of industry, manufacturing, and consumerism in recent years. That, however, is changing.
Located at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, FESPA Africa and the Africa Print runs from September 13th to 15th and is set to attract not just the big names in the industry, but around 6,000 visitors. The continent is seeing unparalleled economic growth, with double digit percentage increases, which is driving the rapid rise of printing and print packaging. South Africa has long been the power house of the continent, with Egypt the sleeping giant in the north. But Nigeria, Senegal, Ethiopia, and Morocco are rapidly expanding as their economies gain pace.
The question is, how much longer will the continent that gave birth to the human race remain such a small part of the international print industry?”
In 2008 Europe, North America and Asia all had about 30 percent of the print market. Latin America, the Middle East, and Australia along with Africa picked up the other 10 percent between them. But that is changing as the print business declines in the Western economies, and increases in the emerging markets of Africa, parts of Asia, and Latin America.
The economies in those countries are expanding and so is the level of literacy. And of course once people go to school and college they want to read books, magazines, and newspapers. The other factor is the internet is not always available in much of the third world, meaning printed matter is often the only source of reading. Good news for printers in much of the world, but year on year in the West, it is the continued growth of digital media that is most damaging to the industry.
Between 2008 and 2014 the USA print market fell from $198.2bn to $185.9bn (£150.1bn to £140.8bn) in value. Japan, Germany, the UK, and France all saw similar slides. On the other hand, China’s was up by nearly half, India’s nearly doubled, and Brazil’s rose by a third. But Africa’s is expected to quadruple over the next five years.
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