Plant & machinery valuation for the print & paper industry.

The print and paper sector has undergone more structural disruption than most industrial categories over the past two decades, as digital substitution has reshaped demand for commercial printing while packaging-related print (labels, cartons, flexible packaging) has grown. This bifurcation matters enormously for valuation — equipment tied to declining print segments faces a fundamentally different obsolescence trajectory than equipment serving growth segments like packaging print.

• Segment-dependent economic obsolescence. Equipment serving segments in structural decline can face significant obsolescence regardless of physical condition; equipment serving packaging and label print may retain considerably stronger value.
• Digital vs. traditional press technology. Functional obsolescence assessment needs to reflect current market production preferences, not just the equipment's own mechanical capability.
• High-value, often bespoke configurations. Larger presses and converting lines are frequently configured to specific requirements, pushing valuation toward Depreciated Replacement Cost.
• Paper manufacturing as heavy, specialised process plant. Paper machines and pulping systems are highly specialised and typically require cost-based valuation informed by specialist engineering input.

Print and paper sector valuation requires an accurate read on which market segment a given piece of equipment actually serves, since this — more than physical condition — often determines its realistic economic value. A valuer applying uniform industry-wide assumptions risks materially overstating equipment tied to declining print segments, or conversely undervaluing well-positioned packaging and label print assets.

Our experience

Western VAS's Plant & Machinery Valuation approach applies Depreciated Replacement Cost and market comparable methodology selectively by asset category, explicitly assessing economic obsolescence tied to end-market demand shifts rather than relying on age-based depreciation alone. Our team's broader industrial valuation experience across the UAE and MENA region provides the judgement needed to correctly segment print and paper sector assets by their actual market position.