Roland DG has published its annual ‘Substrate Index Report’, based on a survey of 140+ PSPs across the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain printing with UV technology. It shows that 68% of PSPs polled continue to print on plastic, having used it at least once in 2022.
64% said they print on metals, 60% onto PVC, and 58% onto wood. These same four materials came out top overall in last year’s report, with a small drop in popularity of plastic (-7%) and wood (-6%), while metal (+10%) appears to have gained in popularity.
Similarly, in terms of frequency of use, these materials are leading the pack, with almost a quarter (24%) of all respondents saying they print on both plastic and PVC at least once a week, 18% print on metals once a week, and 26% print on wood at least once a month.
Acrylic is also still very popular, with 53% of PSPs in the UK reporting using it at least once. Other geographical markets, such as Italy and France, saw glass and tiles rising in the ranks. Less than 3% of respondents claimed to have printed anything on concrete in the last year.
Paul Willems, director of product management and business development at Roland DG said: “Our annual Substrate Index has highlighted that yet again there is growth in UV printing due to its versatility and functionality to be able to print on an array of materials, which has thus increased commercial opportunities for businesses.
“UV printing has opened doors for businesses to create a range of new products, some of which are not surprising, while others outlined in our report such as personalised shoe insoles, tennis balls and apples are more so. Taking the jump and investing in a UV printer provides businesses with the opportunity to create and experiment with printing to create an array of new products and help a business grow.”
