KN30022

KEY NOTE OFFICE EQUIPMENT (UK) :JUNE 2002

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This report covers: office equipment, computers, peripherals, computer equipment,

Companies covered include: Acco,Brother,Canon,Hewlett-Packard,Panasonic,Pitney Bowes,Ricoh,Samsung Electronics,Sharp Electronics,Toshiba Information Systems,

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION The coverage of this review has been revised since the previous edition and now includes the sectors of office furniture, other office equipment, printers and scanners, and photocopiers and fax machines. Included in the `other office equipment' sector is mailroom equipment, presentation equipment (such as projectors), document preparation equipment (such as binders and laminators), shredders, dictation machines, telephone systems (confined to PBX and key systems) and videoconferencing equipment.

MARKET SIZE The combined market for office equipment in 2001 is estimated at £4.27bn at manufacturers' prices and has grown by a total of 22.3 percent since 1997. Office furniture accounts for the largest share of the market addressed by this report, followed by other office equipment, printers and scanners and, finally, photocopiers and fax machines. The `other office equipment' sector includes the fastest-growing subsectors of presentation products, videoconferencing equipment, and document preparation equipment.

Table 1: The UK Office Equipment Market by Sector
by Volume ( percent at msp), 1997-2001
1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Office furniture	29.8	30.2	28.7	30.4	29.7
Other office equipment	23.2	24.3	26.8	26.5	27.9
Printers and scanners	25.8	26.7	25.8	25.5	24.8
Photocopiers and fax machines	21.2	18.9	18.7	17.6	17.6
Total	100	†100.0	100	100	100
msp — manufacturers' selling prices
† — does not sum due to rounding
Source: Key Note

MARKET SECTORS

Office Furniture

The office furniture sector was valued at £1.27bn at manufacturers' selling prices (msp) in 2001. Value growth has totalled 22.1 percent since 1997. The sector breaks down into the three subsectors of swivel seating, metal office furniture and wooden office furniture. Swivel seating continues to be the most dynamic subsector, with growth totalling 37.5 percent over the period. This is due to the demands of health and safety legislation and improved awareness of the importance of suitable adjustable seating. Other types of office furniture showed some growth, thanks to the strong output of new office building and growth in areas such as call centres. However, the market is mature and furniture is very durable. Visual appeal is becoming increasingly important in the design of all kinds of office furniture. The advent of more compact computers with flat screens means that desking can now be designed that is more economical on office space.

Other Office Equipment

The other office equipment sector was estimated to be worth £1.19bn at msp in 2001. Presentation products form the largest subsector in this group and one of the strongest growing, due to a boom in ultra-lightweight digital projectors and growth in electronic whiteboards and display screens. However, growth in digital projectors in 2001 was not as great as the industry had expected. The subsector that showed the strongest growth was videoconferencing equipment.

Printers and Scanners

In 2001, sales of computer printers amounted to 5.4 million by volume, while sales of scanners totalled 2.1 million. The combined subsectors were worth £1.06bn at msp. Prices have fallen steeply and printer suppliers rely on sales of consumables to compensate for low margins on equipment sales. Most of the printer market is accounted for by laser and ink-jet models. The trends affecting the subsectors are complex but, in general terms, speeds and print quality have improved while prices have fallen. Customers can now afford to to obtain faster and better-quality printers and scanners.

Photocopiers and Fax Machines

The photocopiers and fax machines sector also includes copier/printers and all-in-one multifunctional products offering copying, faxing, scanning and printing, in many cases with the possibility of network connection. Multifunctional devices showed promising growth in 2001 and many of the manufacturers are convinced that multifunctionals are the key to market growth in 2002 (many new models have appeared on the market). The market for stand-alone copiers and fax machines is mature. Prices have been falling, but customers have been able to move upmarket as a result. The move from analogue to digital in the copier market continues. The combined market for photocopiers and fax machines, including multifunctional versions, was worth £750m at msp in 2001.

FUTURE PROSPECTS

Key Note forecasts that, in 2006, the office equipment market will reach £4.94bn at current manufacturers' prices. In several sectors, falling prices will tend to be balanced by growth in higher-specification models. The strongest growth subsectors are likely to remain as videoconferencing equipment and presentation equipment. There will be a continued trend towards digital equipment and towards sharing equipment in computer networks. There should be growth in the transmission of information over combined voice and data networks. Within the office, wireless communication between PCs and peripherals will begin to make an impact.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Text © 2002 Key Note

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