IDC's recent Tracker research confirms that the overall Australia Laser Multi-Function Device (MFD) market is not slowing. On the contrary, the market is much more optimistic than it was for the same period a year ago.
IDC's Australia Laser MFD Tracker, Q108 revealed that the market grew by 33.2% year-on-year (Q108/Q107) and 14.3% sequentially (Q108/Q407).
"The laser MFD market in Australia continued to demonstrate resilience in the face of increasing economic pressure. In fact, the market benefited from the strong Australian dollar which allowed hardware vendors to offer even more affordable prices to customers.
“Additionally, the consolidation of multiple devices (printer, copier, scanner, fax) into one has been an ongoing accelerator for the industry and continued to gain more traction," said Katarzyna Czubak, Market Analyst, Hardcopy Peripheral Research at IDC Australia.
Australian businesses are printing more than ever, with 60% of businesses in a separate IDC survey (Australia Printing and Imaging Opportunities in Small and Medium Business, July 2007) indicating that the number of pages printed or copied in their organisations had increased when compared to five years ago.
"In an environment where saving costs and energy is becoming an increasing priority, the importance of multi-function devices as powerful and efficient hubs of printing and imaging activity cannot be understated. IDC also expects a growing number of organisations to consider deploying managed services in order to optimise operational efficiency and achieve cost reductions" concludes Czubak.