NARROW-WEB PRESS PURCHASE PAINS?

Of course, sale quantity begs the bigger question. The PIA also polled printers about their customers' purchase plans for a recent Economic & Print Market Flash Report, and found that nearly 40 percent of customers planned to delay print orders for the next year.

The signs say converters are taking their customers' conservatism to heart. Printers have already taken steps to shore up their resources; the PIA Flash Report concluded 21.2 percent of printers have reduced business investment plans for 2002.