Offering specific products to suit customer needs, or products not currently available at other shops, will help companies set themselves apart from their competitors.
By Carly McHugh
The digital printing and sign industries have experienced rapid growth and transformation in recent years, driven by continuous technological advancements and an increasing demand for high-quality, customized prints and signage.
With these developments comes the need to consider more tactful and responsible actions, to ensure the long-term viability of these industries. For example, companies should look to implement more sustainable practices into their operations, where possible, to remain competitive and meet the expectations of their customers.
However, there are also some challenges in the market that could present roadblocks for print and sign shops. Today’s rising raw material costs and interest rates have caused more businesses to think on their feet and adapt their approaches, to ensure their continuous success.
For a first-hand look at the current state of these industries, Sign Media Canada spoke with experts Calvin Frey of Innovative Ink, and Guy Langevin of AG Sign and Graphics. They shared their insights on the steps sign and print shops can take to be both successful and sustainable, as well as what the future might look like as they expand beyond their traditional borders.
Using recyclable materials is the easiest way for shops to integrate more sustainable practices into their operations.
Sign Media Canada (SMC): How can shops integrate more sustainable practices into their operations? What benefits can they expect to see from doing so?
Calvin Frey (CF): The easiest and perhaps the most obvious way is reusable and recyclable materials. The benefits are being a good steward of your resources, and if your clients can see you operate a responsible company, they can trust you with their projects.
Guy Langevin (GL): You can go down the path of sustainability in different directions, but it comes down to the management team and their directive. If it’s sustainable practices or processes, they have to identify what materials are best for their customer base, what materials are best for their workflow, and then continue to use those products to benefit their printing ability or sign manufacturing ability—if it’s consistent with their recyclable directive and it still meets their client’s needs. If not, they’ll continue using the traditional products they’ve used in the past, which aren’t sustainable, and wait for the supplier or manufacturer of those goods to offer sustainable products.
SMC: What role does consumer demand for sustainable products and services play in driving sustainability efforts, and how can shops respond to these demands?
GL: In the sign industry, customers are always demanding to be price conscious, so offering green, recyclable, or sustainable solutions won’t give those customers their expected results. They would have to understand these solutions would cost more money, but, in the end, they would have the knowledge that the products they’re consuming will be recyclable or sustainable. Therefore, it’s more to do with the education process.
CF: Consumers are becoming more educated on sustainability, and, as a result, more aware. Using materials for display systems that will end up in a recycling environment at the end of their life will build consumer trust and appreciation. We’ve received direct requests from clients to use sustainable materials in their projects, which help to fuel the transformation for companies such as ours.
