Statistics for the June quarter showed that just 41.7% of respondents were operating at 70% capacity or more, compared with 48.3% for the same time the previous year.

The survey also found that selling prices fell for the 46th consecutive quarter, finance was harder to obtain for the 18th consecutive quarter and labour availability declined for the 10th consecutive quarter.

There were also deteriorations in net profits, debtor numbers, costs, orders, production, employment and investment.

June was the 18th consecutive quarter in which results were below expectations.

The forecast for September is that the industry will see improvements in net profits, sales, orders, production and labour availability but a worsening in debtor numbers, costs, prices, finance availability and employment.

Long-term employment projections suggest there will be a “significant deterioration, especially among the largest employing businesses”.

One area to keep an eye on was the new carbon tax, according to Hagop Tchamkertenian, the national manager of policy and government affairs at the Printing Industries Association of Australia.

“Industry sentiment does not seem at this stage to be affected by the operation of the carbon tax given that sentiment actually improved during the June quarter compared with the previous quarter,” he said.

“The next two quarters should provide us with a reasonable indicator as to how the printing industry is being impacted by the operation of the new tax.”

The Printing Industry Trends Survey Report had 108 respondents: 33 from NSW, 32 from Victoria, 15 from Queensland, 13 from South Australia, nine from Western Australia and six from Tasmania.

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