Future of printing industry ?

[Raphael Coccia]

I think digital printing is the future but they need to change the business model. The click charges need to go. I like the direction that inkjet is heading. The craft of is all gone. Very sad!

[Francois]

I have been involved with the printing industry for over 25 years. Ups and downs have been the norm, except that this last "down" has been harsh and long. I can see that it has stabilized and regained some steam. Some of my customers are printing material that was sent to China in the past. That is a good feeling. My sales, which are based on equipment breakdown, hence usage, have almost doubled compared to last year. Keep fingers crossed.

Francois
controlgraphicsusa.com

[joseph]

You just have to do one thing that always keep your self updated with the latest knowledge and skills and keep your machinery updated too with the passage of time with the changing in demands so the business can not be effected ever.

[iamgemini]

The future of the printing industry is the ability to reduce waste. The amount of waste generated within the industry is so great that is greatly slashes into profits. I've read a few things about how some ambitious interns have created ways in which to greatly reduce waste.

The one that stuck with me the most is the concept of creating a formula to determine the number of overs for a large project. One intern found a way to calculate the number of overs needed for a certain project and saved millions in the process.

This is just one example of ways in which the future of the industry will revolve around the ability to reduce waste.

[hansman]

What do you think will happen with offset printing?
Packaging is the last refuge?
Much of the work offset are disappearing with the Internet, information, newspapers, and the printing lenght are getting shorter
Regarding digital printing i don´t see a good future for tonner based machines, for me inkjet might be the future .
What is your opinion?

All the Best

Padrao

In my 30 years in the industry I have never seen such a bad time to be in printing. Sadly, I see commercial printing dead period. Regardless of whether it is digital or offset it will go the way of the horse and buggy. Soon your kids will not even know what a book or magazine is. Tablets/ digital readers will come down in price and when they fall below say $50.00 practically every person on this planet will get content from that device via the internet.

That said packaging and large format are the only viable options left that can not be put on the internet, however even large format is going to melt away once digital lcds come down in price you will simply upload your own content to a digital sign.
For now packaging seems to be on a solid track that I actually can not see an end to IMHO.

[D Ink Man]

hansman, it sounds like our fate is sealed.

In The Year 2525 /w Lyrics - YouTube

[hansman]

hansman, it sounds like our fate is sealed.

In The Year 2525 /w Lyrics - YouTube

I call it like I see it.
Thankfully I only need to dabble in it part time now!

You want it sugar coated DO NOT read my posts.
Cheers

[D Ink Man]

I don't want it sugar coated and I won't take it as gospel either. Believe me. D

[mjlake]

It always makes me thin of the line from Ghostbusters: "Print is dead". While int he 80's that was one big joke, now it's becoming more of a reality. Unfortunately even though the industry is dying, the cost of running the business hasn't seem to have gotten the memo.

[hansman]

I don't want it sugar coated and I won't take it as gospel either. Believe me. D

Let me guess you are a supplier correct.
Not a business owner trying to make the numbers match up. Go ahead you can say it.
Trust me Commercial Printing is dead period.

See the suppliers prices have not gone down to match the dwindling amount of jobs coming in, they actually have gone up.
You do not need a calculator to figure that one out.
I just recently installed a Prinergy system in a shop that ran about 400+ plates a day, you know the average quantity of the runs? 1000 sheets.

Sure you can go out and buy some toner based digital machine. But so can the people who are buying the print from you!
I remember a Xerox guy trying to sell us the same equipment he was trying to selll our print buyers!