ASEAN industry players to adopt document boosting printing sector

Concepcion noted that despite the competition with digital media, outlook for the ASEAN printing industry remains “good” in the coming years. (Pixabay photo)

MANILA— Printing industry players in the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will adopt a document to boost the sector in the region.

During the first ASEAN Printing Forum in Manila, printing industry stakeholders are expected to sign on Wednesday a statement which identifies next steps of the industry for each member state and the region as a whole.

The two-day forum, which kicked off Tuesday, is being hosted by the Board of Investments (BOI).

“This event is the venue for the leaders and movers of the ASEAN Printing industry who are here today to share country experiences, local insights, and industry expertise on the state of the printing industry in the region,” BOI Governor Napoleon Concepcion said in his opening remarks.

Concepcion noted that despite the competition with digital media, outlook for the ASEAN printing industry remains “good” in the coming years.

He said digital media has eaten up the share of reading materials in the printing industry; hence, the need for industry players to expand their activities including industrial use like packaging, among others.

“There is a need to adopt product mix changes with a greater share of higher value products in growth areas like packaging, while recognizing that publication and commercial sectors are transitioning as demand shifts from paper media to digital devices,” Concepcion stressed.

“With the printing arena on a positive growth path, we should be aware of the opportunities and challenges so that we can take capitalize on the potential for bigger revenues and employment for our respective economies,” he added.

For the Philippines, an industry roadmap for printing sector was done in 2013.

However, Concepcion said the roadmap needs to be updated to keep up with the fast changing technology and growing competition.

It was noted that the country has about 3,700 establishments involved in printing industry activities, including bookbinding and graphic designing.

About 97 percent of the total prinitng establishments are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and the remaining 3.0 percent are large-scale businesses.

The local printing industry also employs 130,000 personnel, of which 90 percent are production workers.