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Economy and quality are going to be the buzz-words of 2010. We have endured a financial rollercoaster in 2009 and are now starting to pick ourselves up and look for growth opportunities in a strengthening economy. Product professional, LFP, for Canon UK, Shane Burchett, said: “The impact of the recession has been significant. Print businesses have had to rethink their strategies and to take advantage, they have to keep a tight rein on their overheads and costs.
“The Canon Insight Report: Digital Printing Directions, provides a projection of the printing industry to the year 2020. It shows that the biggest immediate threat facing print companies are increasing overhead costs such as transport, heating, paper and consumables. While overall print revenues will keep on increasing, these direct costs are going to eat away at any gains and leave companies to survive on tighter and tighter margins.
“Taking these factors into consideration, Canon is supporting the industry through technological developments in its large format printer (LFP) range, something which has been recognised by industry accolades. Independent research company, Buyers Lab, tested our multi-purpose 44in Canon imagePrograf iPF820 and awarded it the BLI Pick award due to its ability to satisfy both the technical and graphic arts markets. What’s more, it was proved to be up to 50 per cent more productive and use three times less ink than its nearest competitor.
“Over the next year or two we will start to see more cost-saving features in the professional print industry, particularly with the use of inks. Being more economical with the use of inks makes a big difference to printers, which is something Canon has been focusing on for the last few years with its range of LFPs. Most come with economy print modes or hot swap ink tanks that enable operators to change inks on the fly with no wastage in the containers.
“As we take the first steps out of the recession, printers will undoubtedly be cautious, keeping costs low and making the most of equipment. It lies with the industry to take the leap into a new and more efficient printing era.”
Time to upgrade?
The current economic problems have affected all areas of the industry and in particular the sign makers who have largely avoided investing in new equipment. That may be about to change.
Director, product management for Spandex, Jim Rich, said: “It all depends on the credit situation. A lot of sign makers have not been able to invest at this current time. Sign makers are therefore looking to extend the life of their equipment. Investment in new printers has certainly dropped off, but we have seen the biggest drop in accessory equipment like cutters and laminators. With sign makers prolonging their life much more, we could see a good boost in accessory sales as the economic situation improves. We are ready for that with some new and interesting equipment.
“On the positive side, we see that UV and textile printing for soft signage is still growing and we believe this will continue. It has been driven by changes in the attitudes of the end customer. There is an added benefit to the sign maker, because these technologies also reduce labour costs for production and finishing.”
Making eco work
Another area where large format printers can make a difference is environmentally, with new applications opening up for the environmentally conscious.
One such application, which has only been made possible by new technology, is at Deauville Hospital where large format, decorative graphics that replicate the outside world have been installed.
The hospital has been decorated with images from local land and townscapes, with wallpaper graphics imitating grass, sand or rocks plus a series of trompe l'oeil pictures in waiting rooms and bedrooms.
Using digitally printed wide format graphics in hospitals and other enclosed spaces was not previously possible because of VOCs found in inks. HP latex inks eliminate the problem, however and wide format graphics printed with these inks can be used in indoor environments, including restaurants, food stores and now hospitals. The pictures were printed using the HP Designjet L65500 printer with HP latex ink technology.
Hospital director, Tanguy de la Bourdonnaye, said: “When Bruno presented us with the opportunity to print the graphics on the HP Designjet L65500 printer using odourless inks, we immediately said yes knowing this environmentally responsible solution would meet our safety requirements. Our story illustrates why it is so important to choose the right printer, even if fine art printing isn't your core business. HP Latex technology is ideal for businesses looking to produce prints for public places, where odours and VOCs are a cause for concern.”
And finally
You may be fed up of hearing about the current economic climate, but the fact remains that from this current situation there is some good news. Manufacturers are on the ball with new products and although we can ill afford to spend money on new machines, there is a promise of machines which are more versatile and more economical to use.
Large format printers are an important part of the market, allowing ‘print on demand’ solutions at the right price and although money is tight, there are huge benefits in having this type of solution at your disposal.
With the New Year upon us we can only hope that the market will continue to pick up and with new machines bringing new applications, there is certainly a light at the end of the tunnel to which we can look forward.
How many of your customers have asked about the carbon footprint of your printing service?
