The shift from analogue to digital printing in the ceramic tile industry is driving growth at ink-jet printing specialist, Xaar (XAR). There's significant headroom for further expansion, too - driven by China, where over 40 per cent of the world's ceramic tile production is based, but where just a tenth of the market there has digitised so far.
Reflecting that, Xaar's industrial segment grew full-year sales 74 per cent to £55m and chief executive Ian Dinwoodie expects deco-laminate printing sales to grow appreciably going forward. Although sales into the packaging market rose a more sedate 3 per cent to £12m, while sales to the mature graphic arts market slipped 28 per cent to £13.1m - the launch of a new product later this year should help Xaar to regain market share there.