According to I.T. Strategies, worldwide sales of hardware, media, and chemistry for narrow- and wide-format inkjets and color electrophotography raked in $103 billion in 2005. The company forecasts an increase to $173 billion by 2010.

Chemistry, which includes inks and toner, accounted for more than $50 billion—almost half of all revenues in 2005. I.T. Strategies expects chemistry’s share to exceed $100 billion, or 58% of the market. Hardware, which earned $20.3 billion, or 30% of revenues, in 2005 will drop to 17%, or $28.5 billion, in 2010. The company says the number represents the decline in hardware pricing.

Inkjet revenues in 2005 made up 46% of total earnings in digital color, but I.T. Strategies says those numbers will drop by 2010. The company anticipates inkjet’s share to shrink to 37%. Meanwhile, I.T. projects growth in color electrophotography and expects the technology to represent 63% of the revenues generated in the market for digital color.