1. THE WESTERN EUROPEAN MARKET
1.1 MARKET STATS
The total Western European single-function toner/laser page printer (SFP) market decreased by 15% in FY 2023 compared to FY 2022. The main reason for the long-term receding demand was the continuing preference for multifunctional toner/laser MFP and inkjet devices. These trends are expected to continue in the majority of the markets in the region. They will most probably not be significantly affected by economic difficulties and cautiousness in spending.
WESTERN EUROPE
Source: Infosource
From a revenue point of view, the total WEU SFP market was worth approximately. 695 million EUR, compared to 199 million EUR of the total EEU SFP market and registered a decrease of 11%. For further comparison, the total WEU toner/laser MFP market value in FY 2023 was approximately 8.8 billion EUR, and the total inkjet market (SFP and MFP combined) was 1.6 billion EUR (inkjet MFP 1.5 billion).
The decrease in unit sales in FY 2023 within the individual markets of the region was registered everywhere, with no exceptions. The largest German market (approximately 26.9% market share) decreased by 17%, the second-largest Italian market (13.2% share) was down 19%, and the third United Kingdom market (11.8%) declined by 7%. The fourth-largest Spanish market (9.8% share) fell by 3%. The former 3rd largest market – France, finished 5th place with a 24% decrease, the steepest decline registered in WEU.
The BW SFP market kept its traditional dominance over color printers, representing 81% of the total SFP market in FY 2023. However, BW printer unit sales decreased by 18%, while COL SFP sales were up 2%.
1.2 SPEEDS
Regarding the BW speed categories, the most intense decline was recorded within the low-end market segments (0-19 ppm, 20-29 ppm and 30-39 ppm), while the most popular 40-59 ppm category increased by 2%. The high-end market (60-90+ ppm) fell by 11%. Within the color SFP market, the 10-19 ppm increased by 13%, while 20-29 ppm went up by 18.6%. The main category was 30-49 ppm, which declined slightly by 3%.
1.3 BRANDS
As for brand results in FY 2023, the first five positions (HP, Brother, Kyocera, Lexmark and Canon) remained unaltered. HP retained the position of the traditionally dominant market leader in the total Western European SFP market, with a market share of 33.9% despite a decrease in unit sales by 23%. Brother registered an increase in sales by 5% and stayed at its usual 2nd place with a market share of 30.8%. Together with Brother, HP formed a strong market presence and accounted for approx. 65% of the total WEU market, similar to their position on the toner/laser MFP WEU market.
As for the remaining brands, Kyocera’s (8.9% share) sales decreased by 23%, while Lexmark’s (6.8% share) unit sales declined by 29% in FY 2023. At 5th place, Canon registered a 6% unit sales decrease, while Ricoh improved by one position and shifted from 7th to 6th place with a 7% sales increase.
1.4 MODELS
In terms of bestseller models in the total SFP market, HP placed three models within the top ten and confirmed the top position (as also in FY 2022) with its LaserJet M110we. Brother had five models, including the no. 2 bestseller HL L2350 DW. Kyocera’s best-selling model, and the only one within the top ten, was ECOSYS P2040 DN at 5th place.
In FY 2023, HP´s concept of manually refilled devices – tank refill models (introduced in late 2019), an analogy to inkjet CISS ink tank models seemed to lose momentum as the sales of these models plummeted to only around 2000 units from previous sales levels around 6000 units.
1.5 MANUFACTURERS
Regarding the single-function printers market in terms of manufacturers, the top spot was taken by Brother, which improved from 2nd position due to a 5% increase in manufactured units. Samsung also improved from 3rd to 2nd position (a rise of 3%), while the traditional market leader, Canon, fell to 3rd place because of a 33% decline in manufactured units. Kyocera retained the 4th position despite a decrease of 20%, followed by Lexmark, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, Fuji-Xerox and Pantum.
2. THE EASTERN EUROPEAN MARKET
2.1 MARKET STATS
The total Eastern European SFP market registered a decrease of 16% in FY 2023 compared to the previous period of FY 2022, continuing the decreasing trend which started in FY 2020. Proportionally, the total EEU SFP market represented 48% of the total WEU SFP market and 52% of the toner/laser MFP Eastern European market. The value of the total EEU SFP market was worth approximately 199 million EUR (compared to 695 million EUR of the total WEU SFP market) and registered a decrease of 5%.
Most markets registered a decreasing trend, including the largest Russian market (share of 39.1%), which declined by 29%. Revenue-wise, the Russian market generated 21% of the total EEU SFP sales. Only six markets registered increases, including the second-largest Polish market (20.9% share), which rose 9%. In contrast, in third place, the Czech Republic market (8% share) decreased by 14%, while the Romanian (fourth-largest with a 5.5% share) stayed flat. Other important growing markets besides Poland were those of Hungary (5th largest, up 25%) and Ukraine (9th largest, up 49%).
The BW market continued its traditional solid dominance over color printers with a 92% share of the total SFP market and a decrease in unit sales by 18%. In FY 2023, the color printer market sales registered an increase of 12% compared to FY 2022.
2.2 SPEEDS
Within BW speed categories, most of the sales happened as usual within the main 20-29 ppm category (56.6% share), which decreased by 20%, whilst the second most popular category of 40-59 ppm (27.9% share) registered an 8% increase, marking a shift towards higher speeds. The third speed category of 30-39 ppm decreased by 40%. A change to lower speeds was seen within the color speed categories when formerly the third most popular category (in FY 2022) of 10-19 ppm became in FY 2023 the most popular category (26.1% share) with a 47% increase. The second most popular category of 20-29 ppm rose 4%, while the third of 30-49 declined 19%.
2.3 BRANDS
Regarding brand positioning within the EEU market, it is necessary to consider the phenomenon of vacating the Russian market by most traditional brands and the influx of new, until recently, “unknown” brands. A characteristic feature of the Russian printing market at present is that, besides the official market, there is a strongly developed market of parallel imports over which the brands do not have control.
EASTERN EUROPE
Source: Infosource
Due to the possibility of unofficial parallel imports (through other countries), the devices of the traditional brands are still available on the Russian market. Because of these imports, mainly through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the market’s core is still formed by traditional brands, with sales of the newcomers starting around the 8th position. Most new brands are Chinese, like Cactus, Cumtenn, Hanglobal, Hiper and Deli, while some are Russian: Katusha, F+ IMAGING, Bulat, South Korean: Sindoh, and the Taiwanese Avision.
The EEU market leader in the total SFP market was, for the second consecutive year, the Chinese brand Pantum (35.8% share), despite an 18% decrease in unit sales. The majority of Pantum´s sales (98.2%) occurred in the Russian market. HP still retained the 2nd position with a 22.5% market share despite a 38% decline in sales, followed by Brother (13.9% share), which managed to register a 10% increase, followed by Xerox in 4th position (sales up by 18%). The Chinese brands Cactus and Hiper recorded the highest sales of the new brands, placing themself in the 10th and 11th positions, respectively, with around 7000 sales units each. All their sales took place solely in the Russian market. The Russian brand Katusha finished in 8th place, followed by Konica Minolta.
2.4 MODELS
Regarding the rankings of bestseller models in the EEU SFP market, Pantum placed six devices within the ten most-sold models. It also took the two top positions with models BP5100DN and P2207, followed by Xerox’s Phaser 3020 BI. Otherwise, HP placed two models within the top ten, with LaserJet M110we and Laser 107a Printer in the 4th and 6th positions. Brother took the 5th place with HL 1222 W.
As in Western Europe, by the end of 2019, HP also introduced tank refill models (manually refilled devices) to the Eastern European SFP market, an analogy to inkjet CISS ink tank models. Following sales at several thousand units initially, these devices are now present only marginally in the EEU market at about 1000.
2.5 MANUFACTURERS
Regarding the single-function printers market in terms of manufacturers in FY 2023, the top spot was taken logically by Pantum (35.8% market share), as it manufactures its own devices, followed by Samsung (21% share), which manufactures devices for HP and Xerox, and registered a 3% increase percentage. Samsung overtook Canon in 2nd position, which descended to 3rd place because of a 50% decline in manufactured units, followed by Brother, Kyocera, Lexmark, Konica Minolta, Avision and Zonewin (manufacturing devices labelled as Cactus).
SUMMARY
Single-function page printer sales continued their long-term decline (since FY 2012) within the WEU and EEU markets, which, interestingly, in FY 2023 declined at a similar pace. However, the sales of single-function page printers still represented an important amount of sales and revenue in the printing markets. Hence, this category of devices is far from disappearing soon. The double-digit increase in color printer market sales in EEU is surprising. More resilience in slowing sales can be expected in the EEU markets compared to WEU markets, mainly because of the Russian market. Many Asian brands entered the Russian SFP market to seize the market space that the receding traditional brands had left. The Russians define FY 2022 as a transition, a year of turbulence, a „perestroika“ year when new business models and distribution channels had to be made, which started to function in FY 2023.
As for other EEU markets, the Ukrainian market showed some encouraging results in FY 2023, registering substantial increases in several categories. Thanks to international support, Ukraine´s economy has weathered the Russian invasion better than anticipated. But with the uncertainty about the length of the conflict, risks are increasing. Given the high costs of the war, which results in a huge budget deficit for Ukraine, any cut in Western aid would be devastating for the country.
As in previous periods, SFP devices faced intensive competition from multifunctional toner/laser and inkjet devices, which offer higher performance for a narrowly higher price, especially competition from the inkjet devices, which appeal to the average customer with an appealing cost-per-page ratio.
Concluding the market situation in FY 2023, in terms of attractiveness for the customers, toner SFP can still offer for a low price the capability to print with enhanced sharpness, high quality, accuracy, neatness, cost-efficiency and often at a faster pace than inkjet printers.
Petr Kramerius, Regional Manager at Infosource
Phone: +420 607 887 117
E-mail: [email protected]
