OTTAWA—Production and profits in the printing industry are expected to remain flat through 2015, according to the Summer 2011 Canadian industrial profile from the Conference Board of Canada and Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).

The report states that it will be mid-decade or longer by the time major Canadian industries, including printing, will rebound to pre-recession levels of production. "Smaller print jobs using lower-cost technologies, such as digital printing, are the only growth areas," reads the report.

Although there is recovery in both consumer spending and corporate profitability, which would normally translate to increased print and spending, industry sales continue to decline. "The ongoing transition of advertising and information from print to digital media is the major culprit,"  says the report.

The document also states that the recent Canada Post strike/lockout boosted interest in e-billing from both businesses and consumers. But it's not all bad news; the report reiterates that value-added services such as web design and packaging can provide new revenue opportunities.

The report lists top printers by revenue in 2010, with Quad/Graphics at the top of list with approximately $3.8 billion. Transcontinental ranked second with $2.3 billion, and Torstar was third with close to $1.5 billion, according to the document.

BDC is a financial institution owned by the Government of Canada. The Conference Board of Canada describes itself as an independent, not-for-profit research organization funded through service fees.

The summer 2011 printing industry profile can be downloaded from this web page.