Colour page copier and inkjet MFP sales fuelled the market in the first half of the year, increasing by 98% and 24% respectively compared to the same period last year. A greater range of colour offerings and lower average selling prices (ASPs) stimulated colour penetration in the business segment. In addition, the demand for single function inkjet printers lowered, as consumers opted for better value MFP alternatives with particular high demand for photo-centric MFP products.

In the first half of 2006, low-end page printers boosted the overall page printer market and became an affordable alternative to inkjet devices for customers. Page printer shipments increased by 10% from the same period last year.

Hewlett-Packard excelled in the colour page market by gaining 14% market share from its competitors in the second quarter of 2006, which helped the company secure its domination in the first half of 2006. It also performed well in the inkjet market, thanks to a good mix of both MFPs and printer offerings, an aggressive advertising campaign across Europe and competitive prices, says Cecile Drew, principal analyst at Gartner.

Epson had a difficult period, failing to keep pace with the market and losing market share in key countries, such as the UK, Italy and Russia, traditionally strong countries for Epson. Brother had the strongest growth in the first half of the year, growing by 42% from the same period last year. Brothers MFP product line is much improved since last year, and, combined with aggressive promotions in the retail market, this helped the company to make its mark in retail across Europe.

Both the inkjet and page technology markets for printers, copiers and multifunctional devices are on track to reach 54m units in 2006, a 13% increase from last year. Vendors will continue to consolidate their product lines during the second half of the year and strong demand for low-end MFPs will remain, as they remain attractive alternatives to single-function devices in the SoHo segment, adds Drew.