Sales of screen-printing consumables declined slightly from 2004 to 2005, according to the second Market Metrics report recently released by the North American Specialty Printing Manufacturers’ Association (NASMA). The report uses sales data contributed by NASMA members to quantify the price and volume of goods sold in various categories of screen-printing consumables. By documenting actual sales in the market, the report allows NASMA members to estimate their own market share in specific product categories and monitor trends in what their customers are purchasing.

Participating NASMA members contributed sales data to Winkelman Consulting, Fargo, ND, a research firm contracted by NASMA for this project. The report analyzes product categories where NASMA’s membership is believed to represent the majority of market share and where at least three members reported data, protecting the confidentiality of each company’s information. Sales data, including the volume of goods sold as well as gross revenue, were reported for emulsions, capillary films, screen chemicals, mesh, and various types of screen-printing inks, including textile inks, which were not included in the first Market Metrics report.

The second Market Metrics study includes the data from 2003 and 2004 that were collected in the first report, allowing members to analyze three years of data in most product segments. Although the report is available exclusively to NASMA members and the results are confidential, the findings show that sales in most broad categories of consumables declined slightly between 2004 and 2005. Exceptions include chemicals, which grew both in volume and gross revenue, and graphics and industrial inks, which once again showed year-to-year growth though not as strong as the numbers reported in the first Market Metrics study.

In each category, there was much variation between some technologies (often older ones) that declined while more current technology grew. To cite one example, the report shows a decline in the sale of standard diazo emulsions but an increase in the sale of SBQ-sensitized formulations.

NASMA will continue to update the currently analyzed product classes annually and plans to add more types of equipment and consumables for screen and digital printing as its membership grows. For more information about NASMA membership, the Market Metrics studies, and other member benefits, contact executive director Harold Johnston at 816-506-1686, e-mail: hjohnston@kc.rr.com, or visit www.nasmaonline.org.