Industrial Printer Market Size & Trends

Digital industrial printers — especially inkjet and packaging-print technologies—are among the fastest-growing segments in printing. Below are the latest market size estimates, growth drivers, key segments, and what to expect in the coming years.

Market Size & Growth Projections

• The global industrial printer market size was valued at about USD 20.39 billion in 2023 and is forecast to reach USD 28.60 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of ~5.1%.

• The industrial inkjet printers sub-sector (used for primary, secondary, tertiary packaging printing; printing on corrugated boxes, films, etc.) was worth ≈ USD 9.8 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach about USD 15.7 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of ~4.4%.

• The digital packaging printing market is currently valued at about USD 34.01 billion in 2025, with projections to reach USD 56.12 billion by 2030, at a CAGR ~10.1%.

• Meanwhile, the print-on-demand (POD) market is growing extremely fast: estimated at USD 8.93 billion in 2024, and expected to jump to USD 57.49 billion by 2033, with a CAGR around 23.3%.

Key Market Drivers & Trends

1. Demand for Customization & Short RunsBusinesses increasingly want personalized packaging, variable data printing, small batch runs. This reduces waste and inventory costs. Inkjet technologies, which are flexible and fast, are rising in adoption.

2. Packaging Industry BoomThe growth of e-commerce, food & beverage, cosmetics, and health sectors has pushed brands to invest in high-quality, printed packaging. Also regulatory and environmental demands (recyclable/eco materials) are pushing packaging toward digital print solutions.

3. Technological Advances

   • Inkjet is improving in speed, substrate compatibility, resolution.

   • Automation, inline finishing, smarter substrates (ink adhesion, faster drying) help reduce bottlenecks.

   • Shift from analog/offset/plate-based printing to plate-less digital workflows to enable faster setup, less downtime.

4. Sustainability & Regulatory PressureIncreasing pressure to use eco-friendly inks, reduce waste, and lower energy consumption. Brands and consumers look for sustainable packaging options – digital print helps here thanks to shorter runs and less setup waste.

5. Geography & Regional Insights

   • Asia-Pacific is a leading region both in demand growth and manufacturing capacity.

   • North America and Europe remain strong adopters of premium packaging digital printing.

   • Emerging markets show higher percentage growth (higher CAGR) due to increasing industrialization.

Key Segments & Technologies to Watch

Segment	Why It’s Important / Growth Insights
Inkjet vs. Other Technologies	Inkjet is often leading in new installations for packaging, as it's flexible, supports variable data, and can adapt to different substrate types.
Large-format / High-speed Printing	Speeds, throughput, and size of print (width / rolls) are improving: important for packaging, signage, corrugated boxes.
Short Run / On-Demand Printing	Rising demand for custom designs, test runs, seasonal packaging, etc. Lowers waste and aligns with consumers wanting uniqueness. POD is strong here.
Materials & Substrates	Corrugated cardboard, flexible films, kraft paper, etc. Compatibility and print quality on these substrates is increasingly part of customer decision.
Ink & Supplies Innovation	Pigmented inks, UV/LED curing, water-based inks, low VOC options. Faster curing and better adhesion help speed and reduce post-print processing.

Forecast & What to Expect

• Steady growth in the industrial printer market over next 5-10 years, especially in industrial inkjet and digital packaging printing.

• CAGR in digital packaging printing is likely to stay at or near 8–10% in many reports. POD growth may exceed that in some areas.

• More players will enter the market offering plug-and-play industrial digital printers with high resolution, faster speeds, and eco-friendly operation.

• Brands and OEMs will focus heavily on reducing cost of ownership (faster maintenance, lower consumable cost, fewer print heads replaced) because that’s what makes the difference for business buyers.

Why This Matters for Your Business

• If you’re considering buying industrial printers, these trends show strong opportunity, especially if your business does packaging, short runs, or personalized products.

• Being early to adopt digital packaging printing / industrial inkjet gives competitive edge in cost, speed, and capacity for customization.

• However, strong competition means quality, service, reliability, and ink/substrate compatibility become differentiators.

Industrial Printer Market Size: Summary

• Global industrial printer market: ~ USD 20-24 billion base today; projected to grow steadily at ~4-6% CAGR in many segments.

• Digital packaging printing & POD are among the fastest-growing sub-markets.

• Inkjet technologies are increasingly dominant in new installations.

• Sustainability, customization, and speed are key growth drivers.