Wide-format Printing: What’s next in the graphics market

by all | 6 January 2013 8:30 am

By Chris Morgan
The large-format graphics printing sector is global in scope and continues to see significant developments in research and development (R&D). Early adopters of digital inkjet printing have long been ahead as the technology has become mainstream, with many others following their path. The transition to digital systems has minimized costs, while increasing the potential for higher-value applications.

In a current example of an emerging technology proving complementary to the existing market, more than 60,000,000 m² (645,834,625 sf) of graphics have already been printed with durable aqueous ‘latex-based’ inks. The quarterly print volume grew by 50 per cent between the third quarter of 2011 and that of 2012.

Even during the recent economic downturn, digitally printed graphics have continued to see steady growth. This progress is due in part to innovations in printing equipment that have yielded higher productivity, quality and versatility, allowing digital systems to handle more jobs that were previously delivered through analogue processes.

Another factor is the growing recognition by major consumer-brand marketers and advertising agencies of the benefits of digital inkjet printing. In increasingly dynamic markets, these businesses need to change their graphics very quickly to display up-to-date and relevant information as they face greater pressures to improve their return on investment (ROI).

Marketers are also buying and integrating more large-format output into their overall advertising campaigns. With the ability to include personalized or otherwise customized content, digitally printed signs and displays can effectively support and extend online marketing efforts—e.g. by including quick response (QR) codes to encourage web traffic.

At the same time, print service providers (PSPs) are learning how wide-format printers can expand their range of products and services for both new and existing customers. As a result, the digital transformation of the printing industry is accelerating.

While entry-level systems are helping smaller businesses get into digital printing, there is also a blending taking place between larger, well-established sign shops and PSPs. Formerly two separate camps, they now share a much greater linkage of business and purpose than even three years ago.

There are still highly successful specialists in the sign industry, of course, but as more PSPs seek to provide a broader product portfolio, their business model has come to include both commercial printing and sign printing.

In today’s competitive market, PSPs that focus on a broad range of high-value applications are thriving, while those stuck in old business models are struggling. Similarly, some sign shops are looking for economic benefits by expanding their product range to include small-format offerings, including garments, labels and packaging. While the printing itself may be easy for them, the challenge is in finding the best ways to use the specialized capabilities of their industrial inkjet presses, such as variable data printing (VDP) and versioning. Finding value in those capabilities is very important in the face of competition from other sign shops and PSPs alike.

New markets for traditional signmakers to move into include textiles and interior décor. To reach these markets’ customer bases, however, shops will have to move beyond graphic arts and into their own marketing services—with less of a focus on how to print and more on what to print and why.

Many markets are still shifting from analogue printing to digital. Inkjets alone are already a very broad category of the industry, allowing the luxury to not force one specific technology onto everyone who wants to produce wide-format graphics.

Chris Morgan is senior vice-president (SVP) of HP’s graphic solutions business. For more information, visit www.hp.ca[3].

Source URL: https://www.signmedia.ca/whats-next-in-the-graphics-market/

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