The combined value of industrial print from screen and digital processes will reach $81.7 billion (£62.9 billion) in 2025, according to new research from Smithers. This total represents 58.8% of the global print market by value and 75.1% by volume.
The findings are detailed in the latest Smithers report, “The Future of Screen vs Digital Printing to 2030”, which analyses trends shaping both technologies. While demand for screen printing is declining in graphics, packaging, and label segments, Smithers notes that the process continues to find new opportunities in functional and industrial print, including textiles, promotional items, automotive components, and electronics, despite growing competition from inkjet systems.
Between 2025 and 2030, Smithers predicts continued growth for digital print across conventional and industrial applications. The combined market value for digital print is expected to increase from $194.3 billion (£149.6 billion) in 2025 to $244.6 billion (£188.3 billion) in 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7%. Screen printing in these sectors is forecast to rise from $63.8 billion (£49.1 billion) to $79.3 billion (£61.1 billion) over the same period, with a 4.4% CAGR.
Screen printing remains a technically mature but versatile process, valued for its ability to deposit precise volumes of complex fluids, the report said. This capability ensures its ongoing relevance in textiles, printed electronics, and direct-to-object promotional printing, driving projected growth of 5.5% CAGR to 2030. Screen will also retain a limited role in packaging for opaque coatings and embellishments. Smithers notes that ongoing developments such as digital screen exposure and research into high-viscosity fluids for rotary systems will support incremental productivity gains.
Digital printing, particularly inkjet, continues to attract strong investment from equipment manufacturers aiming to reduce costs, enhance automation, and increase throughput. In functional and industrial printing, inkjet is already widely used for ceramics and is expanding into other areas, such as direct-to-garment printing, electric vehicle batteries, and biomedical and automotive components.
In packaging, labels, and graphics, digital printing is forecast to be worth $166.9 billion (£128.5 billion) in 2025, rising to $204.8 billion (£157.7 billion) by 2030 at a 4.2% CAGR. The strongest growth is expected in packaging, followed by labels, while demand in graphics applications is projected to slow over the forecast period.
