CEE businesses catch up with West in hardcopy device market

According to a recent end-user study by IDC, there is little difference between Central and Eastern European and Western European in the percentage of businesses that use printers, copiers, and multifunctional devices. However, the number of devices installed per company is lower by a third in CEE compared to WE.

Whereas in WE 90% of purchases are to replace broken or used units, in CEE almost one third of purchases of printing devices represent additional acquisitions that increase the installed base. The study, which covered the largest markets in the region – the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Russia – showed that 90% of companies in CEE have at least one laser printer, 80% have a copier, and 53% use a multifunctional device. Price sensitivity is also illustrated by the fact that only about a half of companies in CEE will purchase an original ink or toner cartridge, compared to around 70% in WE. Approximately 20% of respondents said they would use a refilled ink cartridge, while almost one third would have their toner cartridges refilled by a third party.

(source: IDC CEMA)