A comprehensive analysis of emerging technologies and strategies shaping the print industry through 2030
The business printing landscape is undergoing significant transformation.
While total print volumes continue their gradual decline, the nature of print is evolving.
Organisations are moving from high volume, low value printing to lower volume, high value output.
This whitepaper examines the key trends, technologies, and strategies that will define business printing through 2030.
Key Findings:
The global print market remains substantial despite digital transformation.
The business printing segment (excluding consumer and commercial print shops) represents approximately $80 billion annually.
The Asia Pacific region is showing the strongest growth.
| Region | Market Size (USD) | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| North America | $28 billion | -2.5% annually |
| Europe | $24 billion | -1.8% annually |
| Asia Pacific | $22 billion | +3.2% annually |
| Rest of World | $6 billion | +1.5% annually |
The Australian business print market is valued at approximately $2.3 billion, comprising equipment, consumables, and services.
Mature markets like Sydney and Melbourne show declining volumes.
Regional Australia and specific sectors (healthcare, education, legal) maintain steady demand.
Average reduction in office print volumes since 2020.
However, distributed printing across multiple locations presents new management challenges.
Increase in colour pages as a percentage of total output.
While volumes decline, the value per page increases.
Reduction in A3 printing as digital displays replace printed charts and presentations.
Increase in print related security incidents reported, driving demand for secure print solutions.
Businesses are moving away from printing everything to printing strategically.
This manifests in several ways:
Cloud based print management represents the most significant technological shift in enterprise printing.
Benefits include:
AI is transforming print management through:
Machine learning algorithms analyse device telemetry to predict failures before they occur.
This reduces downtime by up to 40% and enables proactive service scheduling.
AI driven systems can automatically route jobs to the most cost effective device.
They can suggest duplex or mono printing based on content analysis, and identify wasteful printing patterns.
Smart systems track consumable usage patterns and automatically order supplies.
This ensures optimal stock levels without human intervention.
Cloud print management reaches mainstream adoption.
AI powered analytics become standard in enterprise MPS.
Zero Trust print security becomes mandatory for regulated industries.
Predictive maintenance achieves 90% accuracy.
Autonomous print fleet management.
Full integration with digital workflow platforms.
The proliferation of mobile devices demands flexible printing options.
Modern solutions must support:
Environmental considerations are now central to print strategy.
Organisations face pressure from multiple directions:
| Factor | Impact | Mitigation Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Paper Production | 4% of global energy consumption | Recycled paper, managed forests, reduced consumption |
| Toner/Ink | Petroleum based, non biodegradable | Bio based toners, cartridge recycling programs |
| Energy Use | Standby power consumption | Auto off features, energy efficient devices |
| E Waste | Printers in landfill | Leasing models, manufacturer take back programs |
Printers are often overlooked in security planning, yet they present significant vulnerabilities:
Managed Print Services continues strong growth as organisations seek to reduce complexity and optimise costs.
The global MPS market is projected to reach $60 billion by 2030, driven by:
| MPS Generation | Focus | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 (Basic) | Device management | Break fix service, supplies replenishment |
| 2.0 (Optimised) | Fleet optimisation | Assessment, consolidation, standardisation |
| 3.0 (Strategic) | Workflow integration | Business process improvement, document management |
| 4.0 (Intelligent) | Digital transformation | AI driven automation, predictive services, hybrid support |
Key evaluation criteria include:
Office print volumes will continue to decline at 3 to 5% annually.
But the decline will moderate as organisations reach a natural floor of essential printing.
Some sectors (legal, healthcare, education) will maintain higher volumes due to regulatory and practical requirements.
Printers will become increasingly integrated with broader workplace technology ecosystems.
Expect to see:
The shift from product to service will accelerate.
Subscription based "Print as a Service" models will become dominant.
Customers will pay for outcomes (pages, documents) rather than equipment.
Environmental considerations will move from "nice to have" to mandatory.
Carbon neutral printing, circular economy models, and comprehensive sustainability reporting will be baseline expectations.
Assess your current state: Conduct a comprehensive print audit to understand volumes, costs, and pain points.
You cannot optimise what you do not measure.
Embrace cloud: Migrate to cloud based print management to support hybrid work.
This also reduces infrastructure costs and gives better visibility.
Prioritise security: Treat print infrastructure as part of your security perimeter.
Implement secure print, encrypt data, and maintain devices.
Consider managed services: Evaluate whether internal management or MPS better serves your needs.
Consider total cost and strategic value.
Business printing is not disappearing, but it is transforming.
Success in this evolving landscape requires strategic thinking, technology investment, and partnership with capable service providers.
Organisations that proactively adapt their print strategies will achieve significant cost savings.
They will also gain improved security and better environmental outcomes.
The winners will be those who view print not as a necessary cost to be minimised, but as a strategic capability to be optimised.
This whitepaper was prepared by the Lease My Printer research team.
It draws on industry reports, vendor briefings, customer interviews, and market analysis.
For more information or to discuss how these trends apply to your organisation, contact our consulting team.