The combined printer, copier and multifunctional product (MFP) shipments market in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) totalled 23.4 million units in the first half of 2007, according to Gartner. This is an increase of 5.8% compared with the same period last year.
The company predicts the EMEA market will reach almost 54 million units in 2007.
Cecile Drew, principal research analyst at Gartner, says shipments of copiers and MFPs continued strongly in the first half of 2007. "Sales in this segment were primarily driven by serial inkjet MFP sales that accounted for 41% of the total print market. Copiers and MFP sales represented 53% of the total."
The report states HP has retained its position as market leader in the serial inkjet market, accounting for almost half of the total market share. Kodak's debut in this market and HP's first Edgeline technology MFP devices also made a mark, according to the report.
"These new products brought inkjet into the domain of departmental colour printing, allowing lower printing cost in the office and moving HP into direct competition with Xerox and Canon," Drew says. "HP has on several occasions attempted to penetrate the corporate copier and MFP market, but with limited success. This time, the company has an attractive product portfolio and is expected to do well in this segment."
Drew says Samsung Electronics expanded its product portfolio with faster speed devices that would help it to compete with the leading players in the business segment.
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