Blogs

..but I’m back in Blighty after a great trip to Fespa 2015 in Cologne. News from the first few days is below – no doubt there’ll be more in Monday’s enews.

Perhaps you are reading this as you head into the opening day of Fespa 2015. The next couple of days are jam packed with press events so just to say we’ll keep you up to speed as the week progresses. Say hello if you see me on the showfloor – I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on what you see.

The new Print Power website (www.printpower.eu) hosts a new Case Study Library, a searchable resource featuring global brands and solutions highlighting the value and return on investment that print media brings to modern communications campaigns. But guess, what, wide-format doesn’t get a look-in. Come on, get the sector’s voice heard!

…until Fespa 2015 opens its doors in Cologne. So are you attending? And if so, where will you be spending your money? If you want to check if you’re in step our out of kilter with your colleagues and competitors get yourself a copy of the newly published Widthwise Report 2015 at: www.imagereportsmag/co.uk/widthwise

In this Leader column a couple of months ago I was bewailing the fact that our print trade associations don’t tend to market this sector very well, and that we need a stronger voice and more cohesive action when it comes to making more of this sector’s potential and getting possibilities in front of creatives etc. – in general, telling the wider world what we’re all about. It will be interesting to see how this month’s Fespa Printeriors showcase and conference for the creative sector helps get the message across, but perhaps we all need to be doing a bit more ourselves to ‘cross-fertilise’ with those beyond our own ken. After all, building business is not just about getting our own message out there, but letting messages flow back in.

I was speaking with the MD of a successful large-format PSP yesterday who said he’s given up on tendering – he just doesn’t see the point having never won one. As he pointed out, he ends up doing a lot of the work anyway, with whoever does win the tender often passing the actual printing over to him. What’s your take on the subject?

Today’s top two stories have me thinking about environmental issues – and whether they are again climbing up the agenda when it comes to the wide-format print sector. Respondents to the 2015 Widthwise Survey gave very mixed messaging. You can read the report for yourself from the middle of next week (www.imagereportsmag.co.uk/widthwise), but let me know if you’re paying more attention to the subject and amending your strategies accordingly.

If the colour green is associated with money it’s also associated with sickness, and it seems a financial malady is plaguing this industry at the moment. I’d like to hear your take on the current state of play. You know how to reach me…

Innovation is core to this sector, so it’s great to see Contra Vision winning a 2015 Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its efforts. Let me know if your R&D is paying off in the awards stakes.

I recently met with John Kampfner, CEO of the new Creative Industries Federation to discuss the place of print within its remit. What he had to say will hopefully make for lively debate when you read the interview in the upcoming May issue of Image Reports. But perhaps you want to have a look-see at the federation's Webpage ahead of that ( http://www.creativeindustriesfederation.com ) because for a limited time Image Reports readers will get a discounted membership. Those companies quoting 'FedImageReports' in the discount code box on the online sign-up form before the end of June will get 20% off the normal rate. The form can be found at the bottom of the following page: http://creativeindustriesfederation.com/membership/business/

Adrian Rushton, Chris Gartland, David Urry, Liz Best and Matt Tibbitts, who have each won £50 after being drawn from the pile of Widthwise 2015 respondents. It’s nearly Friday, so drinks on you?

I recently met with Tim Hill of Speedscreen who was talking about the benefits of being the UK representative of GIGA. Where do you do your most valuable business networking – and is it necessarily with other printers?

Next month Print Power will host a session at the Prima conference in Austria, focusing on the power of print to deliver high returns of investment to brand owners and ensure print's place in multi-media campaigns. But wide-format doesn’t get a look in. Should it?

Just to let you know there won’t be the usual Monday ebulletin from Image Reports next week because of Easter - I for one will be downing tools – hope you get a chance to too!