market share?

[mooseman]

Can anyone offer a estimate to the number of manual vs auto presses in the market?
 Is there an industry group where this type of information is available?
 respectfully
 mooseman

[Frog]

I have no answer(s) but do you mean offered for sale, or in use (or gathering dust, for that matter)?

[mooseman]

Hello Andy,
I am attempting to understand (for marketing / development reasons) how the sum total of operating presses out in the ozone are manual vs autos.
as a point of reference a 4/4 manual and a 12/10 auto for my purposes would each carry the same weight. Strictly population weighted, not capacity or output.
Thanks for the question...any enlightenment you can think of would be appreciated.
mooseman

[Frog]

I think that for your type of research, I'd actually contact every manufacturer and get some figures.

One good tact for this type of research (if not easily available) is sometimes a letter like "Hello. My name is Junior Mooseman. I am a seventh grade student at John Pennypacker middle school in Podunk, Anystate.
We are studying American business currently in Social Studies, and I have chosen the T-Shirt industry for my New Years Project...etc, etc, etc.

[mooseman]

Hi Andy,
I am not too good at skullduggery, I like it the concept but life hase taught me that I suck at it and am often busted even by my grandchildren.

Your suggestion however has brought some inspiration...I am going to try a direct attack and simply ask folks like M&R, Workhorse etc if they will share the simple percentages of auto vs manual sales for their brands.
They most likely will politely tell me to go pound salt but I can live with that.

In case you are wondering I have been sitting on a product thing that primarilly would be of interest to manual printers more so than auto guys and I am in the throws of understanding a market potential.

Thanks for the energy
mooseman   

[Frog]

Hi Andy,

Your suggestion however has brought some inspiration...I am going to try a direct attack and simply ask folks like M&R, Workhorse etc if they will share the simple percentages of auto vs manual sales for their brands.
They most likely will politely tell me to go pound salt but I can live with that.


mooseman

That approach may give a woefully low figure on the manuals as it does not include the tens of thousands of entry level manual presses as well as quality stuff from manufacturers who exclusively build and sell manuals. Think of the number of the various Hopkins brands for instance, to say nothing of the $400 wonders and even home built beauties so commonly in use by the folks at newbie sites for instance.

[mooseman]

Andy, once again your time in grade has proved a valuable resource. Never thought of it that way as my history in the print business is really not much more than a coffee break relative to your time in the biz.
At the end of the day there has to be a "shirt load" of manuals working every day. Even a 10% penetration into that magnitude might offer sufficient support for a product opportunity.

Now that i think of it when i look at the speciality products that folks like Action are infusing into the market there has to be a population out there worthy of an end run.
thanks again for your energy and time.
respectfully
mooseman

[Gilligan]

Plus the manufactures that are now defunct.

[tonypep]

My opinion is that this would be a trendous undertaking that would yield completely inaccurate results. Think of all the offshore production for example. Not sure what, if anything of value could come of it even if it were doable

[mooseman]

My opinion is that this would be a trendous undertaking that would yield completely inaccurate results. Think of all the offshore production for example. Not sure what, if anything of value could come of it even if it were doable

Hey tonypep,
Actually true, the offshore element is huge, but with the product focus we have the domestic element alone will serve as a indicator of fasibility.
thanks for your energy
respectfully
mooseman

[ole jobe]

If you have a marketable product, go for it. There are enough of us manual people looking for a way to produce more, better, that you are bound to get some interest. these boards reach a vast market potential.