The US Census Bureau's latest County Business Patterns report shows there are 5,800 commercial Screen Printing establishments in the USA - up 30% from 2010 and the only non-digital prrint process showing an increase. Surprised? Read on.
Screen printing is highly scalable, from a mult-carousel device such as GJS' ROQ hybrid dtg carousel, to a home garage/basement hand squeegee operation
The US survey says that 74% of the commercial Screen printing establishments employ between 1-9 people - most likely a similar pattern in Australia and New Zealand but we don't seem so analytical in capturing the data on this sector of the industry. In the US only 12% of Screen shops employ more than 20 people. This 'Mom & Pop shop' trend tends to indicate an easier pathway to learning the skills and entering the Screen print business for a lower capital investment. Mant businesses surveyed were hybrid Screen/Digital, with a wide format or DTG printer sitting on the floor but, Screen printing proves itself over and over again as a method by which permanent, vibrant and tactile decorations can be applied to a wide variety of materials from plastics, glass and metals to textiles.
Screen process printers seem to 'keep their heads down' or perhaps this is a perception formed from the overwhelming amount of 
Screenprint can be scaled from a simple garage shop with one frame, up to industrial-strength automated systemsnoise generated by the various digital technologies? However, on the supply side, firms such as GJS, Leapfrog, Australian Screen Printing Supplies , S&S Wholesale and even art suppliers such as Eckersley's and ArtShed supply a broad variety of materials and equipment for Screen printing.
Fujifilm is still a world leader in offering a wide range of solvent and UV curing inks for screen printing applications, such as signage, POP displays and different kind of plastics. Having owned the inventor of UV printing, Sericol UK, since 2005 this is hardly surprising and its Screen heritage led to UV flatbed digital, in which Fujifilm exels for both machines and inks.
The driving force for Screenprint's growth is of course the ubiquitous Tee-Shirt and allied garments such as baseball caps, tote bags and other textiles. However, specialties such as promotions products and industrial applications play a significant part too. Hybrid Screen/Digital businesses can cope with short runs - even a one-off - and longer runs, safe in the knowledge that, once the ink is down, it stays down and won't fade away to nothing after a few washes and days at the beach.
This is Screen's great strength - it can get the ink down on almost anything - permanently.
So to all of Australia's and New Zealand's SCreen printers - rock on! It's a great process with a great future and sits comfortably with all things digital.
