BPIF research and information manager Kyle Jardine said both orders and confidence are improving slightly. However worries over Europe, margins and pricing cloud printers' horizons.

GDP was estimated to have risen 0.7% in the second quarter against growth of 0.4% in Q1, according to seasonally adjusted figures released by the Office for National Statistics this week. 

Output increased in services by 0.7% and by 1% in production. Meanwhile the change in GDP was more marked over the year. It rose 2.6% in the second quarter compared with the same quarter a year ago.

The section where print lies, manufacturing, contracted 0.3%, following an Q1 increase of 0.1%. More specific figures relating to the print and paper sectors are due on 7 August. However, its report on Q1 revealed that despite manufacturing contracting, some print and paper sectors were growing.

It reported that sub-section SIC 18; Printing And Reproduction Of Recorded Media, in which the majority of the print sector's output is recorded, showed a growth of 0.5% in Q1 2015, compared to Q1 2014, while SIC 17; Manufacture Of Paper And Paper Products, which encompasses certain print elements including the printing of cartons, labels and stationery showed growth of 2.2% in Q1 2015, compared with Q4 2014.

Longer term, in Q2 GDP was estimated to have been 5.2% higher than the pre-economic downturn peak of Q1 in 2008. From a peak in early 2008 to the trough in 2009, the economy shrank by a frightening 6%.

Jardine said: “Printers will take heart, the economic background is improving. From talking to our members, I'd say the upbeat figures echo a more upbeat feeling among printers.

“Both orders and confidence are improving slightly, not drastically, but slowly and steadily, so the general feeling among printers is not too bad. However there is still a background of pricing and margin issues, which companies have a constant battle with at the moment.

“From the forecasting I've seen, growth is expected to continue at a reasonable rate, but danger could lie on the European economy and decisions made in Europe.

“Meanwhile there are still concerns over levels of austerity and budgets. Fortunately the election result was clear-cut so there was no umming and ahhing over the impact of another coalition. All of this could be influencing factors.”