Production print is entering a period defined by variability. Shorter runs, tighter turnaround expectations, more personalization and greater price sensitivity are putting new pressure on commercial print providers. For dealers, the opportunity lies in helping customers build operations that can handle that complexity while protecting margins and creating more value per job.
In “From Commodity to Luxury,” I look at production print industry expert Marco Boer’s view of a market shaped by labor constraints, paper costs and regulatory demands. His outlook remains optimistic for print providers that invest in workflow, finishing and higher-value applications. Direct mail, labels and embellishment all offer ways to produce targeted, differentiated work and strengthen profitability.
That need for operational agility runs through the article by Robert Barbera of Canon. He examines how print providers are responding to faster job turns, shorter lead times and less predictable demand. His message for the channel centers on integrated workflows, automation and advisory support that help customers manage complexity without adding labor at the same rate.
Ricoh’s Toby Saalfeld explores a related challenge in his article, which examines “islands of automation,” where individual workflow steps may be automated but the connections between them remain manual. That fragmentation costs time, limits visibility and can constrain growth. A closer look at how jobs move from intake through production, finishing and delivery can reveal opportunities to make better use of existing technology.
Kevin Neal, CEO of P3iD Technologies and executive director of the TWAIN Working Group takes the automation conversation into the physical production environment. Neal looks at the potential for robotics to handle the movement of paper, media, work in process and finished jobs. Integrated systems can improve productivity, increase equipment utilization and allow skilled employees to focus on quality, troubleshooting and customer service.
Elsewhere, my conversation with Sharp’s Dino Pagliarello explores the dealer readiness required to support right-sized production solutions, from workflow and applications to service and training. Nicholas Ames looks at how smart packaging and web-based augmented reality can extend print’s role in customer engagement. Production print is evolving quickly. Dealers that combine technology expertise with a broad view of workflow, applications and customer outcomes will be well positioned to grow alongside their customers.
Patricia Ames is president and senior analyst for BPO Media, which publishes The Imaging Channel and Workflow magazines. As a market analyst and industry consultant, Ames has worked for prominent consulting firms including KPMG and has more than 15 years experience in the imaging industry covering technology and business sectors. Ames has lived and worked in the United States, Southeast Asia and Europe and enjoys being a part of a global industry and community.