Spain's Commercial Printing Price Drops 2% to $4,348 per Ton

U.S. Commercial Printing Export Price in April 2023

In April 2023, the commercial printing price stood at $25,879 per ton in March 2023 (FOB, US), picking up by 1.9% against the previous month. In general, the export price continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The growth pace was the most rapid in May 2022 an increase of 5.4% against the previous month. Over the period under review, the average export prices reached the maximum at $27,639 per ton in September 2022; however, from October 2022 to March 2023, the export prices failed to regain momentum.

Prices varied noticeably by the country of destination: the country with the highest price was China ($66,291 per ton), while the average price for exports to Mexico ($14,313 per ton) was amongst the lowest.

From March 2022 to March 2023, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was recorded for supplies to Australia (+3.0%), while the prices for the other major destinations experienced more modest paces of growth.

U.S. Commercial Printing Export Prices by Type

Prices varied noticeably by the product type; the product with the highest price was stamps; stamp-impressed paper; cheque forms; banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like ($294K per ton), while the average price for exports of newspapers, journals and periodicals, appearing at least four times a week ($2,340 per ton) was amongst the lowest.

From March 2022 to March 2023, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was recorded for the following types: manifold business form (+6.0%), while the prices for the other products experienced more modest paces of growth.

U.S. Commercial Printing Exports

In March 2023, overseas shipments of commercial printing (except screen and books) increased by 11% to 18K tons, rising for the second month in a row after three months of decline. Overall, exports, however, recorded a relatively flat trend pattern.

In value terms, commercial printing exports rose markedly to $467M (IndexBox estimates) in March 2023. In general, exports showed a relatively flat trend pattern.

U.S. Commercial Printing Exports by Type

Printed matter of other kinds (4K tons), books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter (3.1K tons) and self-adhesive printed labels (2.9K tons) were the main products of commercial printing exports from the United States, with a combined 56% share of total exports. These products were followed by trade advertising materials and commercial catalogues, printed matter in single sheets, whether or not folded, printed picture, design and photograph n.e.s. , registers, account books, order books and receipt books, playing cards, paper binders, folders and file covers, newspapers, journals and periodicals appearing less frequently than four times a week, transfers (decalcomanias), other than vitrifiable, rolls, sheets and dials, printed for self-recording apparatus, in rolls, in rectangular sheets, or cut into dials, blotting pads and book covers, printed or illustrated postcards and printed cards, manifold business forms and interleaved carbon sets, newspapers, journals and periodicals, appearing at least four times a week, calendars and calendar blocks, stamps; stamp-impressed paper; cheque forms; banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like, albums for samples, collections, stamps or photographs, music, printed or in manuscript, whether or not bound or illustrated and vitrifiable transfers (decalcomanias), which together accounted for a further 44%.

From March 2022 to March 2023, the most notable rate of growth in terms of shipments, amongst the major product types, was attained by postcard (with a CAGR of +8.7%), while the other products experienced more modest paces of growth.

In value terms, the most traded types of commercial printing (except screen and books) in the United States were books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter ($137M), printed matter of other kinds ($81M) and playing cards ($55M), with a combined 58% share of total exports. Printed picture, design and photograph n.e.s. , self-adhesive printed labels, newspapers, journals and periodicals appearing less frequently than four times a week, printed matter in single sheets, whether or not folded, trade advertising materials and commercial catalogues, registers, account books, order books and receipt books, stamps; stamp-impressed paper; cheque forms; banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like, transfers (decalcomanias), other than vitrifiable, printed or illustrated postcards and printed cards, paper binders, folders and file covers, rolls, sheets and dials, printed for self-recording apparatus, in rolls, in rectangular sheets, or cut into dials, music, printed or in manuscript, whether or not bound or illustrated, albums for samples, collections, stamps or photographs, vitrifiable transfers (decalcomanias), blotting pads and book covers, calendars and calendar blocks, manifold business forms and interleaved carbon sets and newspapers, journals and periodicals, appearing at least four times a week lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 42%.

In terms of the main product categories, stamps; stamp-impressed paper; cheque forms; banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates, with a CAGR of +7.7%, saw the highest growth rate of the value of exports, over the period under review, while shipments for the other products experienced more modest paces of growth.

U.S. Commercial Printing Exports by Country

Canada (7.7K tons), Mexico (4K tons) and the UK (1.3K tons) were the main destinations of commercial printing exports from the United States, together comprising 72% of total exports. These countries were followed by Germany, China, Australia, Italy and South Korea, which together accounted for a further 8.6%.

From March 2022 to March 2023, the most notable rate of growth in terms of shipments, amongst the main countries of destination, was attained by South Korea (with a CAGR of +4.9%), while the other leaders experienced mixed trend patterns.

In value terms, Canada ($177M) remains the key foreign market for commercial printing exports from the United States, comprising 38% of total exports. The second position in the ranking was taken by Mexico ($58M), with a 12% share of total exports. It was followed by the UK, with a 10% share.

From March 2022 to March 2023, the average monthly growth rate of value to Canada was relatively modest. Exports to the other major destinations recorded the following average monthly rates of exports growth: Mexico (-0.8% per month) and the UK (+1.8% per month).

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform