The industry has produced research to prove to government that print, far from being a sunset industry, is one that plays a crucial role across the economy and is one that deserves support.
The report was compiled by the Graphic and Print Media Alliance, the body that combines the interests of all sectors of the industry including the BPIF, IPIA and Picon, to advocate for print.
It culled information from members of all these organisations to present to officialdom while the government;’s industrial strategy was being developed. The spark was intra governmental discussion about the wider impact of the defence sector and how increased spending on defence might impact other sectors.
The GPMA used this to produce wider research to address print’s role across other key sectors of the economy: pharmaceuticals and biotech, food and beverage, automotive, as well as aerospace and defence. Some within the Department of Business and Trade have linked print with iron and steel, coal mining, ship building and textiles as industries where the UK had once led the world but which were no longer significant to the economy. The research stresses how print plays a key, if largely invisible, role in each of the sectors that the government has been keen to support.
The report finds that almost one in five printers had some active involvement with the defence sector with 43% having previously delivered to the defence sector directly or with other parts of the supply chain. This ranges from an annual spend of less than £250,000 through to contracts exceeding £1 million.
The work spreads from promotional material, packaging and labels through to functional print including anti counterfeiting measures and printed electronics. Its message being that many manufacturers would not be able to operate without the products provided by the printing industry.
However, few printers feel appreciated by their customers. Just 42% say they feel recognised as vital partners in their supply chains with a further 39% saying that while feeling valued, the role of print was not fully understood. This extends beyond relationships with customers. Of those surveyed 40% believe that industry leaders and policymakers lack an understanding of how print contributes to overall success.
The good news though is that 60% reckon that in certain high value sectors, pharmaceutical, advanced manufacturing and packaging are named, there is an increasing strategic partnership between these companies and print providers.
