According to seasonally adjusted figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), SIC 18; Printing And Reproduction Of Recorded Media, in which the majority of the print sector's output is recorded, showed monthly growth of 3.2% in March compared to February and 0.5% growth in Q1 2015, compared to Q1 2014.
Another sub-section, SIC 17; Manufacture Of Paper And Paper Products, which encompasses certain print elements including the printing of cartons, labels and stationery, fell by 3.3% in March but showed growth of 2.2% in Q1 2015, compared to Q4 2014.
Comparing Q1 2015 to Q1 2014 shows growth of 4% for SIC 18 and 5.1% for SIC 17.
The 'wood and paper products and printing' category was down by 0.1% in March compared with February, although overall growth figures for the past year were more positive, with the sector growing by 3.8% compared to March 2014.
The slight monthly dip in this category does not relate specifically to the print industry, which is largely covered in SIC 18.
The BPIF’s next Printing Outlook report, which will look at Q1 performance in the print industry in-depth, will be be published next week.
BPIF research and information manager Kyle Jardine said: “Early indications are that Q1 performance was pretty much as predicted in our last survey; at least in terms of output. Not as good as Q4, a seasonally busy period, but positive nonetheless.
“The general feeling is that the industry is still changing and companies still need to work very hard, but there are more companies growing and doing positive things at the moment than there were in the past three or four years.
“Despite a few uncertainties that were surrounding the industry in Q1, companies remain relatively confident.”
Jardine said that many printers were unsure about what to expect in Q2 after the administration of most parts of Paperlinx caused paper supply issues. But he added that, as time has moved on, companies have started to find alternative sources of paper.
Overall UK industrial output was up by 0.5% in March, compared with 0.1% growth in February and despite expectations for March of 0.1%.
The primary boosters were rises in oil and gas extraction (up 4.9% compared with February) and mining and quarrying (up 2.6%).
