Market Focus: Africa | 111Global printers eye AfricaAfrica correspondent Gill Loubser outlines some key market developments in the continent.ome 2,000 commercial printing companies are operating “It appears that latent growth throughout Africa, with an additional 1,000 providing prepress or post-press services. Mostly described as SMMEs Sin African economies portends (small, medium and micro enterprises), their primary focus is on revenue-generating applications, such as packaging, advertising an ever-increasing demand for and publishing.printing; although it remains a According to the World Bank, six of the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies are in Africa. Refecting these exceptional fragmented market, it’s expected growth prospects, it’s not surprising to learn that global printing businesses increasingly eye African markets as possible investment to burgeon across the continent”destinations, something that could have a signifcant impact on the continent’s printing sector.Adding fuel to this observation, the African Development Bank 2022, is forecast at only 1.7 percent over the next three years.points out that many African nations have recorded development On International Print Day 2022, Jane Molony, executive director rates of nearly 6 percent, another factor that encourages printers of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa, refected across the globe to invest in regional economies. Indeed, as the on the vital role played by paper and print. Since 1436, when world’s printing market approaches saturation, African economies Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable mass printing press, the are predicted to provide global players with potential growth world has seen relentless, exponential growth in literacy, opening opportunities in the coming years. up a new world of enlightenment for all, she remarked. In addition, Africa is witnessing a fast-growing digital printing But, although millions of books have been published since then, environment – rapidly replacing conventional analog printing, paper consumption is changing, as consumers increasingly turn to particularly among packaging, advertising and publishing digital and electronic means of communication.operations. This is reported to be creating long-term revenue With this change has come the belief that the paper industry opportunities – with laser printing particularly poised to provide contributes to deforestation and increased carbon emissions, along further impetus to the expansion of digital technology. with mounting calls for businesses and society to go paperless.However, while it seems safe to report that emerging black From the promotion of e-book readers to messages urging entrepreneurs could have the potential to reduce unemployment recipients not to print emails, the average consumer may be rates across Africa, there’s an urgent need for the continent’s excused for taking these notions on board, but there’s no evidence governments to support such start-up ventures, which have scant to support this premise.access to the necessary fnancial resources to invest in the essential In fact, not only do forestry and forest products continue to play (mostly imported) capital equipment to fulfll this promise. a crucial role in modern society, but they are also a crucial part of In general terms, however, it appears that latent growth in the economy and natural ecosystems, creating millions of jobs African economies portends an ever-increasing demand for while capturing carbon and cleaning the air. printing; although it remains a fragmented market, it’s expected to Only 10 percent of farmed trees are harvested annually and burgeon across the continent. these are fully replenished with new trees being planted within the same year. South and East Africa take the lead This leaves 90 percent to continue sequestering carbon from the Dramatic rises in commercial printing are signifcantly attracting air, and the increasingly effcient paper recycling system means the local and international players to invest in the African market, carbon is locked up for longer.according to Transparency Market Research in a report on Africa’s The industry also creates direct and indirect jobs for thousands printing market for the historical period 2017 to 2020, and the of people in South Africa’s rural areas and cities, from forests forecast period 2021 to 2031. to factories.Unsurprisingly, South Africa is expected to lead this expansion While digital can make sense in a host of applications, paper during the forecast period, followed by East Africa. The South is just as much a part of the digital journey. Printed paper is still African printing industry is expected to perform a particularly required to display bar codes, QR codes and other media using valuable role in the local economy and provide employment emerging technologies, such as augmented reality. opportunities to over 50,000 people. As Jane Molony concludes: ‘Although some may say that print But what else is affecting the South African economy and, is dead, it’s not – just different. Paper in its myriad formats is here therefore, the printing sector? to stay.’Since the beginning of 2022, as is true globally, South Africa’s headline infation has been driven by global price increases in food For more from the African label and packaging market, visit and fuel that have drastically affected the cost of living. Annual www.labelsandlabeling.com/africagrowth in household spending, estimated to be under 3 percent in Jan - Mar 2023