BPIF Printing Outlook Q1 2021 (twosides.info)

The Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) Board of Directors has announced that SGIA, the home to professionals in the industrial, graphic, garment, textile, electronics, packaging and commercial printing communities, and NAPCO Media, a business-to-business media company, have entered a partnership that will offer print service providers and industry suppliers an unrivalled platform to connect. The platform — PRINT United, the next evolution of printing expositions in North America — combines the largest printing trade show in North America with the leading producer of multi-channel content for the print community. Over the last 20 years, the print and graphics industry has seen unprecedented changes and consolidation. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, printing establishments in the United States decreased from 35,016 in 2000 to 24,096 in 2015, a decline of 31.2 percent. At the same time, however, print shops have expanded their range of services. The Idealliance 2016 State of the Industry Report notes that in 2000 86.8 percent of print shop revenue came from lithographic (offset) print technology. By 2016, that number had dropped to 42.3 percent as print shop owners looked to new technologies — digital, inkjet, packaging, mailing, industrial — to increase their revenue and profit. Click Read More below for additional detail.

The Ricoh Commercial & Industrial Printing Business Group (CIPG), established in April, is keenly focused on getting the word out about its commitment to the production printing market. That was the key takeaway for a group of industry press and analysts who recently toured its Customer Experience Center (CEC) that is home to an array of continuous-feed inkjet, toner-based sheetfed and wide-format printers, along with several product development and testing labs, inside its Executive Briefing Center in Boulder, Colo. Ricoh defines industrial as wide-format digital printing and printing done as a part of the manufacturing process to produce finished goods such as garments, textiles, metals and architectural components. And the group’s ambitious goal isn’t merely lip service. According to Dollard, CIPG has nearly doubled its production inkjet printing direct salesforce since April; has created a Production Dealer Advisory Council to build stronger ties with its dealer network for toner-based sheetfed production and wide-format inkjet printer sales; is expanding its service and consulting business; and is fully committed to assuming a leadership role in industry advocacy, education and market advancement. Click Read More below for additional information.

TC Transcontinental announced that it has developed an innovative leaflet for Montréal that will reduce the volume of paper from flyers by nearly 60% and eliminate plastic entirely. This new product is a thin leaflet folded in four that combines flyers from various retailers into a single printed product with a limited number of pages. It will be accompanied by a digital platform that will include a wider set of promotional offerings for consumers. “Our new solution for Montréal is designed to meet the evolving needs and expectations of consumers and retailers, maintain healthy competition on prices, and bring environmental benefits exceeding the City of Montréal’s stated source reduction objectives,” said Patrick Brayley, Senior Vice-President, Premedia, Distribution and In-Store Marketing at TC Transcontinental. “Research shows that most consumers continue to rely on printed flyers to plan their visits to local stores. Flyers help Montrealers fight inflation and save up to $1,500 a year. We have paid close attention to the dialogue surrounding our offering in recent years and trust this innovation, together with our new digital platform, will deliver on the expectations of all stakeholders.”