I’m up at The Print Show searching out new developments and innovations for those of you involved in large-format digital print – watch this space. Given this show’s ownership, and this week’s announcement that in the US the SGIA has entered into agreement with Napco Media – a business-to-business media company – to form the Print United exposition, I’m wondering what your take is on what appears to be a developing trend. According to the US Department of Commerce, printing establishments there decreased from 35,016 in 2000 to 24,096 in 2015, a decline of 31.2%. At the same time, however, print shops have expanded their range of services. The ‘Idealliance 2016 State of the Industry Report’ notes that in 2000, 86.8% of print shop revenue came from litho offset. By 2016, that number had dropped to 42.3% as print shop owners looked to new technologies to increase their revenue and profit. Today’s printing industry is driven by this convergence of technologies and capabilities, a blending and blurring of market segments and specialties. Print United is set to focus on the opportunities this convergence presents. Do you think we have the right platforms to highlight this convergence in the UK/Europe?
