PRINTERS MUST “ACCEPT THE reality of an internet-driven multi-channel digital future, change their approach and invest according” says the first Global Insights report from the organisers of Drupa, published in the lead up to the 2016 show.
The surprise is that the report, questioning printers from around the world, is that some are resisting the impact of the internet, believing that digital and print on paper are completely separate. Drupa organiser Messe Dusseldorf draws the obvious conclusion.
WERNER DORNSCHEIDT, PRESIDENT and CEO of Messe Dusseldorf, says: “With its detailed analysis of the global markets and overview of current trends, the Drupa Global Insights report is an important contribution to strategic decisions that need to be taken by printers and suppliers alike.” And those decisions can be informed by the companies participating at Drupa in 18 months time.
The full report will be published next month and follows from the Global Trends report which was published in February. That was produced by UK consulting group Print Future and pointed to the structural changes in the industry, with IT investment a critical factor in North America, digital print growth across the world helping the transition from a product driven industry to a service driven business model.
THE INSIGHT REPORTS ARE COMPILED by Wissler & Partner from Switzerland and UK consultants group Print Future. This is the first of a series planned in he run up to Drupa and examined the impact of the internet on the printing industry. It received 1,100 responses to an online questionnaire supported by more detailed follow ups.
There is a gap between preparedness for online trading and the daily reality. The survey panel found 51% had web to print services, yet only 14% claimed they received more than 25% of their revenue from this method. At the same time printers recognise the growth of online sales to their customers. Of those that print catalogues, 60% report a growth in on demand production fuelled by websites.
THIS IS ALSO DRIVING CUSTOMISED print, though again there is a gap between those able to offer variable data (72% worldwide) and those producing variable data pages, though 56% say they are experiencing a moderate or rapid growth in demand.
By extension, interactivity is also an upward trend, covering response driven campaigns involving Purls, SMS and so on, and scan and click interactivity enabled by QR codes, embedded images and augmented reality. One third of those surveyed already offer such services, though again the take up is small but growing, especially in the US. The conclusions are inline with other recent work which has highlighted the same trends to print and digital worlds coming together rather than competing and the same opportunities if printers can offer both.
