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Printing in Canada - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Dmitry Diment Dmitry Diment New York, United States Last Updated: September 2024 NAICS 32311CA

Revenue

$8.3bn

2024

$8.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

37,343

Businesses

5,001

Wages

$X.Xbn

Printing in Canada industry analysis

The Printing industry in Canada has encountered several challenges over the past decade that have complicated its performance over the five years to 2023, the most significant of which has been rising competition from digital media. As media consumption and ad dollars have moved online, publishers and advertisers, two of the largest industry markets, have reduced their investments in traditional print products. Meanwhile, advances in workflow software and online communication have facilitated easier offshoring of work. Due to this, printers in China, whose access to lower-cost labour permits them to undercut domestic companies on price, have gained market share. There are some bright spots for the industry with growth in consumer spending helping lead to an expansion in demand for consumer packaging, which requires printed products. Performance severely dropped amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions on production. Printing industry revenue has plummeted at a CAGR of 6.2% over the past five years and is expected to total $8.3 billion in 2023, when revenue will fall by an estimated 1.9%. Despite poor revenue performance, profit has increased due to a reduction in wage and purchase costs.Digital printing has recently emerged as the industry's fastest-growing segment. Seeking greater customization and more specific consumer targeting, industry clients have demanded print jobs in smaller quantities. Due to this, while industry participation has been falling overall, digital printing operations have expanded, as the monthly sales of digital printing products have risen over the past five years despite declines in revenue.Over the five years to 2028, Canadian consumers' continued shift to digital media will constrain demand for the industry, though more positive macroeconomic indicators afford the industry opportunities for short-term growth. To this end, revenue from both imports and exports will recover. Due to this, printers that specialize in labelling and packaging for consumer goods will find opportunities for growth as Canadian manufacturing output and consumer spending increase as well. Printing industry revenue is expected to inch downward at a CAGR of 0.2% to $8.2 billion over the five years to 2028.

Trends and Insights

  • Demand for digital printing services has quickly increased. This provides companies with a booming market, despite reductions in other product categories.
  • Lithographic printed material is the industry’s most demanded product. Digital print also accounts for a significant portion of demand.
  • Printing companies choose to locate themselves near suppliers, making Ontario a popular choice to set up establishments. Printers are able to quickly and conveniently acquire raw material while saving on transportation costs.
  • Competitive pricing is key to attracting downstream customers. Printing companies must also be able to deliver a range of high-quality products and services that cater to a multitude of industries.

Access hundreds of analysis and data

  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 6.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $8.3bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Printing companies in the Printing Industry in Canada produce a wide array of products

  • These products include printed goods from the publishing sector such as books, newspapers and magazines, in addition to goods such as bank notes, packaging, labelling, calendars, catalogues, business forms and cheque books.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Printing in Canada
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Demand will continue to be constrained

  • The Printing industry in Canada will continue encountering complications over the five years to 2028, despite the Canadian economy's continued normalization following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biggest companies in the Printing in Canada

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Transcontinental
997.9
53.7
5.4
Marquis
42.5
4.1
9.6
SJC
0.5
0.1
20.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Printing in Canada
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Lithographic, Flexographic and Digital. Lithographic is the largest segment of the Printing in Canada.

Trends and Insights

Lithographic printing is the Canadian Printing industry's largest segment

  • Lithography is a printing process based on the natural tendency of oil and water to separate.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The Printing industry in Canada includes companies that primarily provide commercial printing services including lithographic, gravure, flexographic, letterpress and digital printing services. Printers also provide screen printing on stationery, labels, apparel and textile products. This industry also includes companies that print and bind books and pamphlets without publishing.

What's included in this industry?

Commercial screen printingQuick printingDigital printingManifold business forms printingGravure printingMagazines and periodicals printing (without publishing)Newspaper printing (without publishing)Offset printingBook printing (without publishing)Lithographic printing

Companies

TranscontinentalMarquisSJC

Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

PRINTING PLATEGRAVURE PRINTINGWEB-TO-PRINT

Industry Code

NAICS 2007

NAICS 32311 - Printing in Canada

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Demand for digital printing services has quickly increased. This provides companies with a booming market, despite reductions in other product categories.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Lithographic printed material is the industry’s most demanded product. Digital print also accounts for a significant portion of demand.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Printing companies choose to locate themselves near suppliers, making Ontario a popular choice to set up establishments. Printers are able to quickly and conveniently acquire...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each province in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each province in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Competitive pricing is key to attracting downstream customers. Printing companies must also be able to deliver a range of high-quality products and services that cater to a m...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Transcontinental has bolstered its global footprint. This gives the company access to new markets and sets up new supply networks.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Transcontinental's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Marquis's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of SJC's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Transcontinental, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Marquis, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for SJC, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Printing companies must follow environment and product safety regulations. These regulations focus on properly eliminating waste and ensuring safe procedures.

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Purchases are the largest cost for printing companies. Purchases primarily include paper and other machinery needed to operate.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Assets (2017-2022)
  • Liabilities (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Printing industry in Canada in 2024?

The market size of the Printing industry in Canada is $8.3bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Printing in Canada industry in 2024?

There are 5,001 businesses in the Printing industry in Canada, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Printing industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Printing industry in Canada has been declining at a CAGR of 6.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Printing industry in Canada over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Printing industry in Canada is expected to decline.

What are the biggest companies in the Printing market in Canada?

The biggest companies operating in the Printing market in Canada are Transcontinental, Marquis and SJC

What does the Printing in Canada include?

Commercial screen printing and Quick printing are part of the Printing industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Printing in Canada?

The company holding the most market share in Canada is Transcontinental.

How competitive is the Printing industry in Canada?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Printing industry in Canada.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Magazine & Periodical Publishing in Canada

Complementors

  • Printing Services in Canada
  • Newspaper Publishing in Canada
  • Book Publishing in Canada

International industries

  • Global Commercial Printing
  • Printing in the US
  • Quick Printing in the US
  • Custom Screen Printing in the US
  • Printing in Australia

View all industries in Canada

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Canada include:

  • Statistics Canada
  • Industry Canada
  • Canadian Business Patterns

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.