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

An Overview of Guatemala

• Guatemala has a population of 18.25 million.
• Capital: Guatemala City
• Official Language: Spanish
• Total Area: 108,889 km²
• Currency: Guatemalan Quetzal

Economic Statistics of Guatemala

• Guatemala has reached a GDP of 153.32 billion USD. Its largest industries are

1. Sugar Processing
2. Textiles
3. Furniture
4. Petroleum
5. Rubber

• The breakdown of Guatemala’ GDP Composition includes

1. Services (63.2%)
2. Industry (23.4%)
3. Agriculture (13.3%)

• The main importers of Guatemala’s goods are

1. US (34.5%)
2. El Salvador (11.1%)
3. Honduras (8.8%)
4. Nicaragua (5.1%)
5. Mexico (4.6%)

• While the main exporters to Guatemala are

1. US (39.9%)
2. China (10.7%)
3. Mexico (10.7%)
4. El Salvador (5.3%)
5. Costa Rica (3.2%)

The Printing Industry in Guatemala

• As the economy in Guatemala has grown, there is an increased need to buy printers, consumables such as inks and makeups and cleaning solutions.
• In the first three months of 2019, Central American countries imported $86 million in printing machines and devices, and purchases from Chinese companies grew 5% compared to the same period in 2018.

• The long-term increase in printing production volumes has provided export potential for the sector, which is what the sector’s further development depends on. That development is strongly dependent on the economic situation in global export markets, as the domestic market is developing relatively slowly.

• Despite the conservative growth in other industry sectors, Guatemala has developed a substantial increase in the packaging manufacturing market with a dynamic mix of local and international companies fabricating their products in different regions of Guatemala.

• As a result, more people in Guatemala are looking for printers for sale whether from domestic sources or via imports.

Industrial Printer: CIJ Printer

The Packaging Industry in Guatemala

• The packaging materials and equipment industry in Guatemala has presented positive growth over the last decade.
• Vacuum packaging, films for use in agricultural production and resin for mass consumption were some of the products that increased their sales in the Guatemalan market during the pandemic.
• As a result of the pandemic that generated the spread of covid-19, during 2020 there were changes in consumption patterns, a phenomenon that forced the plastics industry to adapt to the new reality.
• This boosting economy in Guatemala will continue to drive demand for industrial inkjet printer, printing equipment, printing parts, printing consumables such as inks, make ups and cleaning solutions.

CIJ Printer (IPS-C200) 34 Dot for sale

The Manufacturing Industry in Guatemala

• Main industries in Guatemala include production of coffee; production of textiles, paper industries, petroleum, pharmaceutical products, and rubber processing; and tourism.
• The country - which has a small mining industry - extracts copper, zinc, iron and nickel - also has strong geothermic and hydroelectric potential.
• The Guatemalan food processing industry exports to other countries as well, and is one of the fastest growing sectors of the food industry.
• Hence, Guatemala’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 Guatemala

1. Santo Tomaxs
2. Puerto Barrios
3. Champerico
4. San Jose
5. Quetzal

Camainks uses the Port of Santo Tomaxs when exporting printing products to Guatemala

For importing Inkjet printers, Citronix printers, Videojet inks, and other spare parts, Camainks uses the largest port of Santo Tomaxs when exporting to our clients in Guatemala. 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

Linx 1010 Ink for bulk purchases

What Printers and Ink Do Guatemala Import?

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

• Printers:
• Hitachi Printer
• Link Printer
• Citronix Printers
• Domino Printer
• Videojet Printer
• Consumables:
• Hitachi Parts
• Linx 1512 Solvent
• Risograph Ink
• Willett Ink

Compatible Hitachi TH 70 Make Up for industrial printers

What Regulations Are There on Importing Printers and Ink to Guatemala?

• Although most U.S. imports to Guatemala are not affected by tariff and non-tariff barriers, there are still issues encountered by some importers of U.S. agricultural and food products.
• Since 2009, importers of U.S. food, agricultural products, equipment and goods have increasingly encountered issues resulting from the denial of preferential treatment for U.S. origin goods, as well as accusations from Customs of under-declaring the value of products.
• Guatemala applies the common external tariff schedule of the Central American Common Market (CACM), which ranges from zero to 15% for most agricultural and industrial goods, though there are exceptions of up to 40% for alcoholic beverages and up to 20% for cigarettes with tobacco content, various types of vehicles, and firearms. The average applied rate on all products is approximately 2.4%.
• The Guatemalan Ministry of Defense’s Department for the Control of Arms and Munitions (DECAM) enforces a law which virtually prohibits the import of high-powered weapons, as well as a range of military weapons and hardware except for use by the Guatemalan government.
• An application for grant of license for hazardous chemicals shall be accompanied by an EIA of the project or industrial activity involving generation, collection, consignment, transport, treatment, disposal, storage, handling or import of a hazardous substance in respect of which the license is sought.
• Because inks contain hazardous chemicals, it is important to follow Guatemala’s import regulations.

How to buy Markem Imaje 9175 Ink supply

Why Should Guatemala Import Printers and Ink?

1. Availability - The local industry has limited capacity and some clients in Guatemala require printers and ink promptly.
2. High Product Cost - Given the domestic competition in Guatemala, 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 Guatemala can have variant product quality.

Desktop TIJ Printer for sale

Where Can I Buy Printers and Ink for Guatemala?

If you are looking for individual use printers and inks, there are many domestic manufacturers and distributors available in Guatemala. 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 Guatemala. 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.