IDC’s Worldwide Industrial Printer Tracker, 1Q26 release, reveals year-over-year (YoY) and quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) shipment growth for large-format graphics UV printers, in contrast to large-format eco-solvent shipments, which declined YoY and QoQ. Large-format printers continued to account for the majority of worldwide shipments in units and value, while higher-value categories, including the label & packaging and industrial textile segments, accounted for a disproportionately large share of total market value relative to their unit contributions.

Large-format graphics UV printers account for more than twice the shipment value of eco-solvent machines, despite fewer units shipped. The unit-to-value gap between the two tells the core story: Buyers are choosing UV platforms that cost more per unit but deliver broader substrate capability and faster throughput, while eco-solvent systems, though still shipping in volume, are increasingly concentrated in lower-ASP configurations.

“The gap between UV and eco-solvent in shipment value is one of the clearest signals tracked in this market. Buyers are making deliberate technology choices. They’re not just replacing like for like. UV platforms are increasingly the tool of choice for operations that need flexibility across substrates and faster production cycles,” says Senior Data Analyst Krystal Khaw, IDC.

IDC now tracks direct-to-film (DTF) printers even more closely, redefining the previous PET feature as the DTF feature. DTF is an inkjet process in which ink is printed onto a film substrate, which is then heat-transferred to a surface. This redefinition was driven by the growing significance of the entry-to-mid-tier garment-decoration segment, particularly in markets such as Latin America and Southeast Asia, where lower-cost hardware is gaining traction.

Worldwide industrial product highlights for Q1 2026

• Large-format graphics printers represent the largest single segment by value in Q1 2026, accounting for close to half of total worldwide industrial printer value. This segment has been growing gradually, driven by continued end-user investment in UV flatbed and hybrid platforms across commercial print, signage, and décor applications.
• Large-format CAD units for HP and Canon combined accounted for nearly three-quarters of worldwide CAD large-format shipments in Q1 2026, representing one of the most concentrated vendor landscapes across any industrial printer segment. This concentration reflects the nature of the CAD market: enterprise procurement cycles, long replacement windows, and strong brand loyalty within architectural, engineering, and construction workflows.
• Label & packaging printers accounted for a small fraction of worldwide unit shipments in Q1 2026 but represented a disproportionately large share of total worldwide shipment value, reflecting the premium pricing of digital label presses and flexible packaging platforms. This segment is emerging as a primary driver of value growth, signaling sustained end-user investment in digital press technology.
• Industrial textile shipments were dominated by China, which accounted for more than half of the worldwide shipment value in this segment, with Asia/Pacific, excluding Japan and China (APeJC), the second-largest region, together making up the vast majority of units and value shipped globally.
• Direct-to-garment printers saw Kornit take the majority of shipment value, despite representing a small fraction of unit volume, reflecting its concentration in high-value industrial production platforms.
• Direct-to-shape shipment value was disproportionately concentrated in Japan, reflecting Mimaki’s particularly strong presence in its home market.
• Desktop label printers represented the second-highest unit share of any segment in Q1 2026, but their contribution to total worldwide shipment value was significantly smaller than their unit share would suggest. Looking ahead, the desktop label segment has growth potential as more midmarket businesses invest in in-house label production, driven by labeling compliance requirements, supply chain disruptions that have incentivized onshoring of label production, and improvements in entry-level inkjet label hardware that have reduced the cost and complexity of ownership.

Regional Dynamics for Q1 2026
In Q1 2026, China led all regions in value in graphics, industrial textile, label & packaging, and desktop label, while the United States dominated in unit value in direct to garment, fueled by Kornit’s production-grade DTG systems, which took a disproportionately large share of regional value — well above the worldwide DTG average. Regions such as Eastern Europe, APeJC, the Middle East, and Latin America each contributed distinct technology mixes, reflecting local industry demand, from digital label adoption in Eastern Europe to industrial textile expansion across Asia/Pacific and the Middle East.