Editor's Blog

Kathy Woodward was widely considered transformational in her time as CEO of the BPIF so it will be interesting to see if her newly announced successor Charles Jarrold continues the job of reinventing the federation for a new era, and in particular - given his background - whether he will reshape it into something more relevant to, and representative of, the digital wide-format print community.

That Sign Plus has been awarded two MoD contracts worth over £5m though it admits it needs to recruit to fulfil them, has me wondering what your experience is when it comes to tendering for Government contracts these days? Is it still all about price? If so, when do you decide they’re not worth the paper the contracts are signed on?

You’re all selling ‘crossmedia’ solutions nowadays – aren’t you? I suppose it depends on your definition of the word – and that’s where the arguments begin. I’d be interested in seeing if yours matches Drupa’s – or your customers’ – or even your colleagues’! Let me know what you think it means for large-format PSPs.

The independently managed commercial finance company IGF is warning small firms in the UK to be prepared for cashflow shortages in the run-up to Christmas and the first few weeks of the New Year, and says the rate of growth expected over the next few months has the potential to make cashflow shortages during the festive season even more uncomfortable than during the downturn. No doubt IGF wants to sell its services, but does it still have a valid message?

I’m working on the final draft of questions for the 2015 Widthwise Survey this week. Given that this piece of annual research – now in its eighth year - is aimed at providing digital wide-format PSPs with a data-based snapshot of the state of the sector in the shape of the subsequent Widthwise Report, I want to ensure I collect data on questions that matter most to you. Let me know ASAP if there’s anything specific you want to see on the survey.

“Good business practice is no longer about making money immediately,” according to Cestrian MD Phill Reynolds in a debate on the state of the wide-format sector at the recent annual Widthwise Round Table. It was a sentiment echoed by the other five PSP bosses that had come together to discuss this year’s Widthwise theme: ‘Are we set for growth?

Apart from the resounding ‘Yes’ in answer to that question, one of the clearest messages from the panel was that there’s been a significant shift in mindset when it comes to business growth. It’s no longer about short-term wins, but strategically planning for longer term gains. The debate report on pX delves deeper into what is meant by that, and how the various individuals are interpreting that meaning within their own businesses.

It also highlights what the data from the 2014 Widthwise Survey indicated back in the spring: that there’s currently such demand for digitally printed wide-format output from ‘traditional’ markets (i.e. retail, events, exhibitions etc.) that there’s actually little impetus for PSPs to go through the rigours of researching ways of exploiting new niche markets – however lucrative they might promise to be. They don’t have to it appears. There’s enough decent margin being made by tweaking the existing product/service office offering to the established customer base! Great – but if we’re talking about taking the longer view, let’s not get too complacent and fail to build the wider (no pun intended) applications/customer base that we might one day wish we had.

But hey, enough of the warning and more applauding. Turn to p X to see which products we’ve decided deserve this year’s Angel Awards. They are testament to the continuing innovation within a vital print sector.

Enjoy the Christmas downtime!

Will you be going to Heimtextil in the New Year? As soon as you mention the words ‘printed textiles’ this is the show that gets referenced, so I’d be interested in knowing of UK large-format inkjet PSPs attending – especially given our relatively slow move into this space. Is printing textiles for the décor market becoming a serious option for you?

Yes, the Fespa Print Inspiration Rally bus it finally hitting the road. It’s taken longer than expected to get this old American schoolbus decked out as a showcase of wide-format print possibilities (it was originally mooted that it would be at Fespa 2014: http://www.imagereportsmag.co.uk/features/business/4935-ir-talks-to-neil-felton-and-roz-mcguinness) so it will be interesting to see just how far it pushes creative boundaries and whether it’s likely to get creatives really excited. If you’re going to PID, the first stop for the bus, go have a look see and let me know what you think.

Last week we had Callprint announcing plans to acquire large-format print businesses to grow its presence in the sector, just days after CityDocs said it was building on its wide-format capability via new operation Willow Graphics. Now we have Precision Printing re-entering the space via its partnership with First 2 Print and their imminent launch of online bespoke printed wallpaper operation YourWalls.co.uk. If it all makes you worry about overcapacity, fret not – there’s plenty of growth in the market according to those PSPs who met recently for the annual ImageReports Widthwise Round Table on the state of play in the sector. Keep your eyes peeled for the report from that meeting going online.

Just look at what those bespoke T-shirts are selling for at the new pop-up in Selfridges. Talk about money-spinner. There must be much more scope for collaboration between printers and designers/retailers in all sorts of areas that can utilise wide-format inkjet technology in a way that delivers mega margin. OK, so it’s not that simple – but worth exploring?

Callprint’s on an acquisition trail – and so are other business hoping to sniff out large-format print businesses with room to grow. And as we know, there are plenty of those. So do we expect to see a swathe of PSPs changing hands over the coming months, or is this the time for owners to sit tight and wait until their stock climbs even higher?

If you're helping shoppers get in the Christmas mood via large-format graphics please drop me a line and a pic – thinking a bit of seasonal inspiration will go down a well with creative targeted via our Think Bigger Pinterest boards and gallery.

Is the print industry crying out for another UK trade print event – and more’s to the point, are those of you in wide-format digital inkjet print production? And are you likely to attend the new The Print Show next November? Let me know your thoughts…

I was at the BSGA British Sign Awards last week where it was great to see such a spread of integrated print/signage projects. We have a lot to celebrate in this sector and it’s clear that innovation continues apace. Congrats to all the winners. And remember to let me you're your own pics/info on those ‘wow’ projects you want to get in front of designers. Our second Think Bigger Report has just gone to bed and will be with creatives at the end of this month, but the next one is only around the corner…