Nearly $14 billion of pressure-sensitive, glue-applied and other label shipments are projected for the U.S. market in 2006, says a new study by The Freedonia Group, Inc. Overall, the market is expected to grow 5.5% annually over the next four years from sales of $10.65 billion in 2001, the Cleveland-based researcher predicts.

P-s labels will remain the dominant type, making up two-thirds of total production. Flexo will also keep its lead as the primary label-printing method, with strong gains by UV flexo and combination-print systems. Paper substrates will be challenged by growing market shares for OPP films and plastics-based IMLs, Freedonia says.