Traditionally, the print industry has been slow to adopt change. Analog printing technology has dominated and modernization has occurred at a snail's pace. However, the most advanced OEMs will tel
l you that 2014 is the year of innovation. The pace of invention is quickening, and more rapid adoption of digital printing solutions–a part of the revolution already underway–will empower more businesses to deliver true value and differentiation than ever before.
Digital print page volume will grow by 15.1 percent annually over the next few years, and retail value by more than 5 percent predicts InfoTrends. Brand owners are the driving force behind anticipated growth in digital printing, as well as the industries' quickening pace of innovation. These end-users–be they utility companies, magazine publishers or consumer brands that needs specialized labels and packaging–are looking to new ways to use print material and packaging to extend their brand value and create new business opportunities. Digital printing enables this by allowing brands and publishers to print smaller, customized print jobs. It lets them utilize variable data printing at high speeds, lower costs and faster turnaround times, with increased versatility of media. Most importantly, digital printing opens the door to printing on demand. These two key aspects of digital printing-short run print jobs and variable data printing-are critical to understand, for they are driving innovation in the industry and providing unparalleled value for brands.
Short run print jobs
As industry professionals know, the most cost-effective way to use analog printing is for long-run print jobs. Short runs are just too expensive. This limits brands from doing any type of specialization. In this more traditional and antiquated scenario, printers print once, and as a result, they usually end up printing more than they need. For example, a print job may consist of 1,000 copies of a corporate brochure even though the company only required 100. There was no ability to customize; a brand targeting different geographic locations, such as a real estate company, could not vary its printed material. Without the option to customize content, a more general and therefore potentially less effective messaging was the only option.
As industry professionals know, the most cost-effective way to use analog printing is for long-run print jobs. Short runs are just too expensive. This limits brands from doing any type of specialization. In this more traditional and antiquated scenario, printers print once, and as a result, they usually end up printing more than they need. For example, a print job may consist of 1,000 copies of a corporate brochure even though the company only required 100. There was no ability to customize; a brand targeting different geographic locations, such as a real estate company, could not vary its printed material. Without the option to customize content, a more general and therefore potentially less effective messaging was the only option.
The inability to vary is not conducive to realistic business needs. Most industries need to change up their printed material quickly and easily to meet their many needs at one time. A maker of jam, for example, needs to vary its packaging to promote different flavors, expiration dates and the size of a product.
There is another cost often forgotten: wasted or unused material. Analog printing often requires a company to pay storage costs for leftover material or to dispose of, when it becomes obsolete. But digital printing lets operators tailor short or long-run print jobs to their specific needs. Tailoring either short or long-run jobs also allows control by the person or company producing the piece. Yet another benefit is that easy, on the fly changes can be incorporated with the ability to print only what is needed. This cuts costs and is a welcome advancement for sustainability conscious companies.
Short runs are especially beneficial for short-term promotional items, or in environments with shifting label requirements. A producer may find that a particular product is selling well, thus requiring more labels for that product. Additionally, on-demand customized label printing can generate new business opportunities. This is true for print shops, who currently have to turn away shortrun jobs or lose money to keep a good customer, and for brand owners that can create multiple SKUs of the same product with tailored labels. The ability to customize printed content is more critical than ever. Digital printing is the solution, driving more business value than ever before.
Variable data printing
Unlike offset and analog printing, variable data printing introduces a range of competitive, novel solutions. With variable data printing, brands can customize specific elements such as text, graphics or images between printed materials without slowing the overall printing process. Brands gain immense flexibility with this flexibility, which allows them to print for a range of unique purposes.
Unlike offset and analog printing, variable data printing introduces a range of competitive, novel solutions. With variable data printing, brands can customize specific elements such as text, graphics or images between printed materials without slowing the overall printing process. Brands gain immense flexibility with this flexibility, which allows them to print for a range of unique purposes.
A primary use of variable data printing is for one-to-one marketing. The real estate market, as an example, is highly dependent on demographic variables that affect housing costs. To differentiate, a real estate firm could send a potential client a customized letter breaking down housing costs in that client's neighborhood, while showing other factors that influence housing prices in that area. Digital printing allows for variation, for better target marketing.
Variable data printing also increases how brands can incorporate sponsorship opportunities. In recent years, brands have realized the benefits of social media for building third-party communities of brand ambassadors and reviewers.
Specialized printing can print label codes that allow users to click a customized link, such as a QR code that will vary by market segment that takes them to an online forum, where they can share experiences with specific products and provide recommendations.
Brands can also help drive consumer behavior with eye-catching packaging with variable data printing. On a shelf that carries hundreds of products, specialized labels and packaging can mean the difference between profit and loss. But to create this packaging, a brand needs digital printing to customize the messaging by market segment and in a country's native language. Variable data printing enable this by making it easy to adjust the text listed on the packaging based on the region or market segment.
Lastly, variable data printing can help brands comply with packaging regulations without incurring high printing costs. Since such regulations differ by region, packaging must be market-specific. This is making long-run jobs obsolete, while short runs on an analog printer are too expensive. Digital printing with variable data allows for short runs to customize packaging more cost-effectively. This is especially true in the pharmaceutical industry, where packaging must include specific lot sizes in case of a recall.
Short run and variable data printing are enabling the increased value demanded of printing solutions by today's businesses. As the need for specialized print jobs continue to increase, the industry revolution will pick up in pace. With predictions from InfoTrends indicating a steady 10 percent growth in the digital market and a steady decline in the analog sector, the printing industry and those it helps are poised to see a digital shift toward better business.
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