Which Countries Have the Most Printing Presses? | Global Printing Industry Leaders 2025


The printing industry remains a critical component of global manufacturing, supporting sectors like packaging, labeling, publishing, and commercial printing. From flexographic and offset presses to digital and gravure systems, printing presses form the backbone of high-volume production lines across various applications. But which countries lead the world in the number of printing presses and industrial capacity?

This article explores the top countries with the most printing presses, the key reasons behind their dominance, and how this affects global supply chains—especially in sectors such as labels, flexible packaging, paper cup printing, and foodservice packaging.

Which Countries Have the Most Printing Presses?

1. China – The Global Manufacturing Giant

China leads the world in terms of printing press installations. With a massive domestic market, a strong export economy, and widespread adoption of flexographic printing machines, rotogravure presses, and digital printing systems, China has become the epicenter of industrial printing.

  • Key sectors: Packaging, labeling, publishing, paper cup production
  • Strengths: Cost-effective manufacturing, rapid innovation, large-scale exports
  • Notable cities: Wenzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan

China’s paper cup and packaging machine manufacturers are also major players, supplying equipment like paper cup printing machines and custom-built flexo presses to global clients.

2. United States – Innovation and Commercial Scale

The United States is home to a robust printing industry, particularly strong in commercial, promotional, and packaging applications.

  • Key sectors: Labels, book publishing, packaging, commercial print
  • Printing types: Digital printing, offset lithography, flexo printing
  • Leading brands: HP, Xerox, Heidelberg North America

The U.S. market focuses heavily on innovation, automation, and value-added printing—especially in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical packaging.

3. Germany – Precision and Engineering Excellence

Germany is known for producing some of the most advanced printing presses in the world, including Heidelberg, Koenig & Bauer, and Windmöller & Hölscher.

  • Key sectors: High-end packaging, flexible packaging, industrial labeling
  • Technology focus: Gravure, offset, and flexographic printing
  • Strengths: Engineering reliability, R&D leadership, automation

Germany not only has a high number of presses in operation but also exports a significant portion of its printing equipment.

4. Japan – Technology and Compact Efficiency

Japan plays a major role in high-tech and compact printing systems, with companies like Komori, Ryobi MHI, and SCREEN leading in sheet-fed and digital presses.

  • Applications: Small-format packaging, labels, premium printing
  • Strengths: Precision, low waste, eco-efficiency
  • Key focus: Electronics, cosmetics, food & beverage packaging

5. India – Rapid Expansion and Domestic Demand

India has seen rapid growth in its printing press count thanks to increasing demand for consumer packaging, newspaper printing, and flexible materials.

  • Key sectors: Corrugated packaging, labels, newspapers, retail products
  • Printing types: Flexo, offset, digital
  • Growth drivers: E-commerce boom, retail expansion, low labor cost

India is also expanding its role as a manufacturer of budget-friendly printing machines and paper converting equipment.

Other Emerging Markets

  • Brazil – Strong in newspaper and packaging printing across Latin America
  • South Korea – Focused on high-tech printing and electronics packaging
  • Italy – Known for artisan packaging and luxury goods printing
  • Vietnam & Thailand – Fast-growing in flexible packaging and labeling
Want to explore the global leaders in flexographic printing? Click here to read our full guide on the Top 10 Global Printing Machinery Manufacturers | Industry Insights.

Conclusion: A Global Industry with Regional Strengths

The number of printing presses by country often reflects broader economic indicators such as manufacturing output, domestic demand, and export capacity. Countries like China, the United States, and Germany dominate not only in installed press numbers but also in technological leadership and global influence.

For businesses in industries like label printing, food packaging, or paper cup production, sourcing from countries with strong printing press ecosystems ensures access to competitive pricing, innovation, and support.

If you're looking to expand your operations, consider partnering with experienced printing machine manufacturers in leading markets—especially those who offer custom-built flexographic printing machines, die-cutting systems, and UV printing technologies tailored to your needs.

Recommended Machines for Your Printing Needs: