Thermal Printing Market Size By Offering (Printer, Supplies & Consumables), By Product (Industrial, Desktop, Mobile), By Type (Barcode Printers, POS Printers, Kiosk & Ticket Printers, RFID Printers, Card Printers), By Technology (Direct Thermal (DT), Thermal Transfer (TT), Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer (D2T2)), By Application (Manufacturing, Retail, Government, Transportation & Logistics, Entertainment & Hospitality, Healthcare), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Price Trend Analysis, Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2020 – 2026

Thermal Printing Market Size

Thermal Printing Market size exceeded USD 30 billion in 2019 and is poised to grow at 7% CAGR between 2020 and 2026. Increasing adoption of Automatic Identification & Data Capture (AIDC) technologies across several industry verticals for accurate data recognition, collection, and storage will drive the market growth.
 

Thermal printing is a technology that facilitates fast & precise printing of identification labels or receipts. The need to improve productivity, reduce paperwork, and ensure accurate data collection & transfer has increased the demand for thermal printing in AIDC technologies. Thermal printing technology is mainly used in AIDC due to its high reliability, speed, accuracy, and quality in printing barcodes. Benefits such as compact size and strong durability compared to other of printers, such as inkjet and dot matrix, has resulted in the increased adoption of thermal printers among several industrial verticals.
 

Implementation of government initiatives to boost industrial development are supporting the growth of the thermal printing market. For instance, the G20 initiative on Supporting Industrialization in Africa and Less-developed Countries (LDCs) for eliminating poverty and promoting sustainable development will contribute towards the growth of retail, transportation & logistics, and manufacturing sectors. These industries require fast printing of labels to reduce the time-to-market and increase profitability. Thermal printing technology has gained popularity in the industrial sector due to its ability to create durable & long-lasting images that are resistant to external climatic factors. It can also create legible & smudge-free images, ensuring product safety and reducing the threat of counterfeit products.
 

Thermal printing market growth will witness a temporary slowdown in 2020. This can be attributed to the drop in global economic growth and temporary closure of several industries during the initial phase of imposed lockdowns globally. The closure of manufacturing facilities and disruption in the supply chain for e-commerce retailers will negatively impact the market growth. In addition, the pandemic has impacted the production capabilities of market players due to labor shortage, resulting in declined sales of thermal printing solutions.
 

Thermal Printing Market Analysis

Thermal printing supplies and consumables accounted for over 65% industry share. High-quality supplies are crucial to ensure enhanced print quality and reduced wear & tear in printer. Inferior quality thermal ribbons can damage printheads and increase maintenance costs. This has led to the usage of high-quality wax or resin ribbons to ensure improved print quality and durability for withstanding high temperatures or chemical exposures. Different types of labels, such as paper or synthetic, are chosen depending on the requirements. Lower grade receipt papers inserted into thermal printers can hamper the functioning as well as reduce the print readability.
 

In the U.S. thermal printing market, barcode printer segment is estimated to register growth of around 9% through 2026. Accurate data entry plays a vital role in the operational efficiency of a business. In fast-paced industrial environments, barcoding enables consistent & predictable operations for enhanced productivity by combining several data management functions. Employing standardized barcode compliance labeling & symbology guarantees that the captured barcode data is communicated in a universally understood and accepted manner. Companies are focusing on providing robust barcode printing solutions to cater to the growing demand from industries.
 

In 2019, mobile thermal printers held around 25% share of the global market shipments. These printers facilitate a range of documentation, labeling, and ticketing tasks from barcodes to RFID tags. Seamless mobility is encouraging new business processes to enhance worker productivity, ensure labeling accuracy, and responsiveness to customer needs. Durable, easy to use, and lightweight mobile printers that can be used in conjunction with mountable, handheld, or wearable computers have gained prominence. Mobile printers can use a wireless network connection to receive label formats, print jobs, and other information from wireless handheld devices or host systems. Developments in wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth and NFC, will further impel the market size.
 

The advent of digitalization in the healthcare sector will fuel the market growth. Several healthcare organizations in China are focusing on providing optimal care that facilitates fast collaboration and communication with staff members. Companies are providing healthcare solutions that connect patient records to medical providers for fast & efficient operations. Barcode, RFID, and other auto ID technologies are being used for accurate identification, enhancing patients' safety and satisfaction. The hospitality sector is also using printer for fast event ticketing and wristband printing for easy & safe check-ins.
 

Thermal transfer printing incorporates a heated ribbon to produce durable images on a wide range of materials. The printed image is resistant to heat and moisture, making the labels highly durable. Thermal transfer printing produces consistent, high-definition, and reliable printing as the density and color of the printed image are determined by the ribbon and printer resolution. Also, the long-term maintenance cost of thermal transfer printer is low compared to ink jet, dot matrix, and laser printing, influencing its adoption in the market.
 

Europe thermal printing market is predicted to expand at a CAGR of more than 6% during the forecast timespan led by developing packaged foods industry in several European countries including the UK, France, and Spain. In 2018, food and drink exports in the UK reached USD 25 billion, playing a major role in the economic growth of the country. This will boost the demand for printers that produce high quality, legible, and smudge-free images on labels of food products in the market. With barcode labels, spoiled food items or expired food products can be easily identified and discarded, thereby saving time, money & potential litigation.
 

Thermal Printing Market Share

Major players operating in the industry include

• Brother Industries Ltd.
• Bixolon
• Honeywell International, Inc.
• Fujitsu Ltd.
• Sato Holdings Corporation
• Seiko Epson Corporation
• Star Micronics Co. Ltd.
• Toshiba Corporation
• TSC Auto ID Technology Co. Ltd.
• Avery Dennison Inc.
• Wasp Barcode Technologies
• Zebra Technologies Corp.
• NCR Corporation

The key companies are focusing on launching new solutions to strengthen their industry position. In April 2019, Fujitsu Limited introduced new two and three-inch thermal printing mechanisms with improved printing speeds. In March 2020, Brother Industries introduced an industrial thermal printer developed specifically for the automatic packaging industry.  
 

The thermal printing market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue in USD and shipments in units from 2016 to 2026 for the following segments:

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Market, By Offering

• Printer
• Supplies & consumables

Market, By Product

• Industrial
• Desktop
• Mobile

Market, By Type

• Barcode printer
• Card printer
• Kiosk & ticket printer
• POS printer
• RFID printer
• Others

Market, By Technology

• Direct Thermal (DT)
• Thermal Transfer (TT)
• Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer (D2T2)

Market, By Application

• Entertainment & hospitality
• Government
• Healthcare
• Manufacturing
• Retail
• Transportation & logistics
• Others

The above information has been provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • UK
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Russia
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Taiwan
  • South Korea
  • Australia & New Zealand (ANZ)
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
• MEA
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE
  • South Africa