printer working group

What printer working group does

The Printer Working Group (PWG) is a non-profit industry standards consortium founded in 2001 and operated as a program under the IEEE-ISTO (IEEE Industry Standards and Technology Organization). It develops and maintains open, vendor-neutral specifications for printer and multi-function device interoperability, with its core technology being the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) and the PWG Semantic Model. Active workgroups focus on IPP, Imaging Device Security, and related extensions covering cloud printing, enterprise job control, OAuth-based authentication, firmware updates, and 3D printing. Notable recent approvals (2024-2025) include IPP/2.x Fourth Edition, IPP System Service v1.1, IPP Shared Infrastructure Extensions v1.1, IPP OAuth Extensions v1.0, IPP Enterprise Printing Extensions v2.0, and IPP Document Object v1.2.

PWG's deliverables are standards documents freely published via pwg.org and ftp.pwg.org, not commercial products. The organization operates as a virtual entity with no physical headquarters; all collaboration occurs via WebEx teleconference, mailing lists, and formal last-call/objection/vote processes. Its members include printer and multi-function device manufacturers (Lexmark, Xerox, HP, Canon, Ricoh, Kyocera), operating system providers (Microsoft, Google), and print server and print management application developers (Lakeside Robotics, High North Inc., Qualcomm). Officers include a Chair (Jeremy Leber of Lexmark), Vice Chair (Smith Kennedy of HP), Secretary (Ira McDonald), and IPP WG Secretary (Michael Sweet of Lakeside Robotics).

PWG's business model is membership-dues-funded, administered through IEEE-ISTO. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The organization coordinates with external bodies including the IETF (where PWG members serve as Designated Experts for IPP and Printer MIB) and the Linux Foundation OpenPrinting project (joint face-to-face meetings and coordination on PAPPL open-source implementations). Its "IPP Everywhere" mark (a registered trademark of ISTO) serves as a certification mark identifying compliant printers and applications. PWG produces no commercial revenue in the traditional sense and is governed by a Steering Committee and elected officer roles.

Name

printer working group

Legal name

The Printer Working Group

Website

https://pwg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Printer Working Group is a non-profit IEEE-ISTO program that develops open Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) standards for printer and multi-function device interoperability. It serves printer manufacturers, operating system providers, and print management developers through member-funded, virtual collaboration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Printing & Imaging Standards

NAICS

Support Activities for Printing (323120)

SIC

Service Industries For The Printing Trade (2790)

akta.pro primary industry

Printing & Document Infrastructure (MFP fleets, Print Servers, Managed Print) (EDAEAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Machine Control, Firmware & Print Management (IMAAACAD)

Keywords

• Printing standards development
• Internet printing protocol
• Imaging device standards
• IPP Everywhere certification
• 3D printing protocols

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The Printer Working Group operates as an IEEE-ISTO program funded through membership fees from participating companies including printer manufacturers, software developers, and industry experts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Printer Working Group (PWG) is a non-profit industry standards development organization that creates and maintains open, vendor-neutral technical standards for network printing, multifunction devices, and 3D printing. Its core deliverables are Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) specifications, the IPP Everywhere certification program, the PWG Semantic Model, and security and 3D printing extensions, all distributed as freely available standards documents to enable interoperability across printer manufacturers, operating systems, and print management software.

Product overview

The Printer Working Group (PWG) is a standards development organization that creates specifications and standards for printing technologies. Unlike a typical product company, PWG produces standards documents rather than commercial products. The organization defines Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) standards and extensions including IPP Everywhere for vendor-neutral printing, 3D Printing specifications using standard file formats, the PWG Semantic Model for multi-protocol support, and Imaging Device Security standards. PWG members include printer manufacturers, print server developers, operating system providers, and industry experts who collaborate to make printers, multi-function devices, and supporting applications work together better.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IPP Everywhere: A PWG standard for printing to any network or USB printer without using manufacturer-specific software.
• PWG Semantic Model

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• WebEx (Cisco)minorOthers · 12 August 2025WebEx is used as the teleconferencing platform for PWG virtual face-to-face meetings. PWG sends meeting invitations via WebEx and conducts all working group sessions through this platform.
• IEEE-ISTO (International Standards and Technology Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPWG operates as a program under the IEEE-ISTO, which provides administrative infrastructure, governance framework, and institutional credibility. The IEEE-ISTO manages the PWG's legal, financial, and operational administration under a defined charter and intellectual property policies.
• IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force)coreTechnology or IntegrationPWG works closely with IETF on Internet Printing Protocol standards. PWG members serve as IETF Designated Experts for IPP and Printer MIB. Many PWG standards are submitted to IETF for consideration as RFCs or informational documents.
• Linux Foundation - OpenPrintingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPWG holds joint face-to-face meetings with the OpenPrinting project (Linux Foundation). Joint meetings occur periodically (e.g., May 2024 virtual joint F2F) to coordinate on printing standards and open-source implementation of PWG specifications through PAPPL (Printer Application Framework).
• Lexmark InternationalcoreTechnology or IntegrationLexmark (a subsidiary of Xerox Corporation) participates in PWG as a member company. Jeremy Leber serves as PWG Chair and is employed by Lexmark. Lexmark contributes to standards development and implementation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mopria Alliance: Industry alliance that develops and promotes standards for mobile and cloud printing interoperability. Like PWG, it is a multi-vendor standards body focused on making printing work across diverse hardware and software, though its scope is narrower (mobile/cloud) and it does not define low-level network protocols like IPP.
• Trusted Computing Group (TCG): Industry standards organization developing trusted computing specifications with overlapping personnel (PWG's Secretary Ira McDonald co-chairs TCG workgroups). Comparable member-funded SDO model with formal working group and voting processes.
• OpenPrinting (Linux Foundation): Linux Foundation project developing open-source printing components (CUPS, PAPPL) that implement PWG standards including IPP Everywhere. It is both a co-development partner with PWG and a comparable open-community effort focused on printing interoperability.

Broad incumbents

• Bluetooth SIG: Member-driven standards organization that develops Bluetooth specifications with formal working group processes and certification marks. Comparable SDO governance and member-funded operating model, though focused on wireless connectivity.
• Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA / Matter): Alliance behind the Matter smart-home standard with a member-funded, working-group-driven governance model. Comparable open standards consortium structure, though focused on IoT interoperability rather than printing.
• Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF): Open standards organization that develops internet protocols including those underlying IPP. PWG standards are regularly submitted to IETF as RFCs, making IETF a peer in defining the protocol stack PWG builds on.
• Wi-Fi Alliance: Global non-profit industry association that certifies Wi-Fi products and develops Wi-Fi standards. Comparable member-funded SDO model with strong certification/trademark program analogous to PWG's IPP Everywhere mark.
• The Open Group: Industry consortium producing vendor-neutral technology standards and certifications (e.g., TOGAF, OCI). Comparable member-funded SDO with formal working group processes and certification marks, though with a much broader standards portfolio than PWG.
• IEEE Industry Standards and Technology Organization (IEEE-ISTO): PWG's parent organization, IEEE-ISTO operates multiple industry standards programs. It is the institutional framework under which PWG operates and is comparable as a federation of industry-driven standards programs.

Emerging players

• Khronos Group: Open consortium creating royalty-free interoperability standards for graphics, compute, and sensing (e.g., OpenGL, Vulkan). Similar member-funded, consensus-based standards development model with formal working groups and a certification-oriented brand portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about printer working group