Printing has played a major part in the Centre region’s economic activity since the 18th century, and the region’s graphic sector is still in excellent health in the 21st, jumping from 4th to 3rd place nationally in 2001, behind Ile-de-France and the Rhône-Alpes region. In a national sector that has been in crisis for a number of years, the regional graphic sector has held up well and even recorded increases in market share. The “graphic industries” activity in the Centre region specialises in the printing of books and bound works. Every year, several hundred million works (albums, novels, dictionaries, etc.) are produced in the region’s printing houses, which include the Maury Group and Vendôme Impressions .