Overview of the Printing Industry in Costa Rica and How to Buy Printers and Ink

An Overview of Costa Rica

• Costa Rica has a population of 5.13 million.
• Capital: San Jose
• Official Language: Spanish
• Total Area: 51,100 km²
• Currency: Costa Rican Colon

Economic Statistics of Costa Rica

• Costa Rica has reached a GDP of 91.611 billion USD. Its largest industries are

1. Medical Equipment
2. Food processing
3. Textiles
4. Construction
5. Fertilizers

• The breakdown of Costa Rica’ GDP Composition includes

1. Industry (75.9%)
2. Services (18.6%)
3. Agriculture (5.5%)

• The main importers of Costa Rica’s goods are

1. United States (40.9%)
2. Belgium (6.3%)
3. Panama (5.6%)
4. Netherlands (5.6%)
5. Nicaragua (5.1%)

• While the main exporters to Costa Rica are

1. China (16.67%)
2. United States (8.65%)
3. UAE (8.64%)
4. Japan (5.87%)
5. Germany (5.70%)

The Printing Industry in Costa Rica

• As the economy in Costa Rica has grown, there is an increased need to buy printers, consumables such as inks and makeups and cleaning solutions.
• Leaders in Costa Rica's printing industry are focused on bringing innovative products to market—locally, regionally, and globally.
• During 2012 Panama imported $180 million worth of items from the printing industry in Costa Rica, making the country the fifth largest supplier of these products.
• Additive manufacturing (called 3D printing or 3DP) has been attracting attention for decades, in Costa Rica is a top 2 megatrend among life sciences companies.
• In recent years Costa Rica focused on multinational converting groups looking to acquire local printers.
• As a result, more people in Costa Rica are looking for printers for sale whether from domestic sources or via imports.

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The Packaging Industry in Costa Rica

• Currently, consumer interest in products that are manufactured with environmental and social responsibility has grown.
• From January to July 2020, Central American companies imported $62 million in paper and cardboard from Mexico, 28% less than in the same period in 2019, a decrease that can be explained by the drop in purchases in all markets in the region.
• Given the rise of online commerce to the detriment of traditional channels, the contact point between customers and brands is packaging, which must meet the demands of consumers, who are increasingly responsible for the environment.
• This boosting economy in Costa Rica will continue to drive demand for industrial inkjet printer, printing equipment, printing parts, printing consumables such as inks, make ups and cleaning solutions.

Industrial printer: VJ 1510 Printer Original

The Manufacturing Industry in Costa Rica

• Medical device companies manufacturing in Costa Rica sent US $3 billion of products overseas.  This comprised 27% of the nation’s total exports.
• There are seventy medical device companies manufacturing in Costa Rica.  Among them are well-known international firms such as Baxter, Medtronic, Allergan, Boston Scientific, and Hologic.
• Today Costa Ricans manufacture medical devices, aerospace and electronic components, computer parts, pharmaceuticals, jewelry, clothing, and food products, as well as perform data processing, software development, and remote customer service activities.
• Hence, Costa Rica’s expanding manufacturing sector has increased demand for printing and industrial ink such as Videojet ink, Inkjet refills, and Hitachi parts.

Sea Ports and Trading Hubs of Costa Rica

1. Caldera
2. Golfito
3. Limon
4. Moin
5. Puntarenas

 Camainks uses the Port of Caldera when exporting printing products to Costa Rica

For importing Inkjet printers, Citronix printers, Videojet inks, and other spare parts, Camainks uses the largest port of Caldera when exporting to our clients in Costa Rica. We have exported items such as inkjet printers, CIJ printers, laser printers, and specialized brands of printer consumables including:

• Videojet inks
• Domino inks
• Citronix CIJ inks
• and other printer spare parts

Markem Imaje 5132 Ink for bulk purchases

What Printers and Ink Do Costa Rica Import?

Although Costa Rica does have some manufacturers for printers and ink like Risograph ink and Domino Inkjet printer, Costa Rica still needs to import from countries such as China, US, UAE, Japan, and Germany. This demand for importing printers and ink in Costa Rica is due to its fast-growing economy. Some printers, ink, and related consumables that Costa Rica imports from these countries include,

• Printers:
• Inkjet Printer
• Continuous Inkjet Printer
• Citronix Printers
• Domino Printer
• Videojet Printer
• Consumables:
• Hitachi Parts
• Linx 1512 Solvent
• Risograph Ink
• Laser Marking Machine

 Compatible Hitachi TH 70 Make Up for industrial printers

What Regulations Are There on Importing Printers and Ink to Costa Rica?

• Costa Rican customs procedures are complex and bureaucratic. In regard to documentation, Costa Rica only requires commercial invoices, bills of lading, and airway bills for the entry of goods. For imports from CAFTA countries, certification of the origin of the goods must be presented to Customs Authority.
• In regard to documentation, Costa Rica only requires commercial invoices, bills of lading, and airway bills for the entry of goods.   Mail shipments require only postal documentation.
• Violations of documentation laws carry heavy fines.  Consequently, great care must be taken to avoid errors and infractions.  All import processing should be carried out by a certified customs broker.
• Bulk agricultural products require phytosanitary certificates.  Imports of cosmetics, pharmaceutical, vitamin supplements, medical devices, chemicals, toxic substances, insecticides, pesticides, and agricultural chemicals require an import permit from the Costa Rican Ministry of Health.
• Because inks contain hazardous chemicals, it is important to follow Costa Rica’s import regulations.

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Why Should Costa Rica Import Printers and Ink?

1. Availability - The local industry has limited capacity and some clients in Costa Rica require printers and ink promptly.
2. High Product Cost - Given the domestic competition in Costa Rica, printers and the continuous ink supply are more expensive to buy domestically than on the world market.
3. Product Quality - While most international suppliers have a good brand reputation and quality, some smaller domestic manufacturers in Costa Rica can have variant product quality.

How to buy Linx 1010 Ink Supply 

Where Can I Buy Printers and Ink for Costa Rica?

If you are looking for individual use printers and inks, there are many domestic manufacturers and distributors available in Costa Rica. However, if you looking for large quantities of inks, make ups and cleaning solutions, Camainks has been exporting print products such as Videojet ink, Linx printing technologies, and Markem Imaje 2200 to clients in Costa Rica. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us at +86-131-2037-9271 for a FREE quotation. We also ship worldwide; for other countries, check out our experience here.