Shipments of page printers, copiers and multifunction printers (MFP) in EMEA jumped five per cent to 22 million units in the first half of 2006, new research has revealed.

According to Gartner, colour page copier and inkjet MFP sales fuelled the buoyant market in the first half of the year, increasing year-on-year by 98 per cent and 24 per cent respectively.

A greater range of colour offerings and lower average selling prices stimulated colour penetration in the business segment.

In addition, the demand for single function inkjet printers lowered as consumers opted for better value MFP alternatives with particularly high demand for photo-centric MFP products.

The analyst firm reported that low-end page printers boosted the overall page printer market in the first half of 2006 and became an affordable alternative to inkjet devices. Page printer shipments increased 10 per cent from the same period last year.

"HP excelled in the colour page market by gaining 14 per cent market share points from its competitors in the second quarter of 2006, which helped the company secure its domination in the first half of 2006," said Cecile Drew, principal analyst at Gartner.

"HP also performed well in the inkjet market thanks to a good mix of MFPs and printer offerings, an aggressive advertising campaign across Europe and competitive prices."

Epson had a "difficult period", failing to keep pace with the market and losing share in key countries, such as the UK, Italy and Russia.

Brother had the strongest growth in the first half of the year, growing 42 per cent from the same period last year.

Gartner predicts that the inkjet and page technology markets for printers, copiers and MFDs are on track to reach 54 million units in 2006, a 13 per cent increase from last year.

"Vendors will continue to consolidate product lines during the second half of the year, and strong demand for low-end MFPs will sustain as they remain attractive alternatives to single function devices in the small office/home office segment," said Drew.