It’s been a great year to be a large-format orientated PSP, and while next year shows signs of being tougher it should still be a good one for those with the nouse to overcome the hurdles.
Yes, that’s my thinking, but more importantly it’s that of your peers and colleagues.
In this issue we bring you an in depth report on the annual Image Reports’ Widthwise Round Table, which last month brought together chiefs from a mix of print companies to discuss the state of the UK’s digital inkjet LF sector and to get a handle on what’s to come. Here then I’ll just go as far as to say that while cautionary talk around the table flagged up the Euro referendum, potential housing bubble in London, and whatever happens in China making the big companies that supply most of the wide-format printing industry's business rather jittery, there is also plenty of optimism for the year ahead - one in which ‘good companies’ could do very well.
One comment however, did strike a particular chord – that “there are a lot of busy fools out there" who couldn't spell the word strategy, let alone understand its meaning and who might get caught out if market growth does slow. As editor I tend to talk with companies that are doing particularly well, to bring you stories of what good business strategy achieves. But no doubt there are companies that could do better in that department. Perhaps on their Christmas wish list should be a good MIS to help with their business analysis. On pX you can read the responses from leading vendors to the FAQs PSPs put to me when discussing MIS investment – perhaps that will colour your thinking on installing what can be a real business development tool in 2016.
We also highlight what we think are some of the most innovative and business enhancing products to have come to market this year in our annual Angel Awards (pX), and consider how technical advances in areas such as robotics (px) should be on your mind map to the future.
Looking forward to stimulating more debate in the New Year.