The WFI News Team’s 2024 Takeaways

From left: Toni McQuilken, Dan Marx, Denise Gustavson, and Gabby Houck | Credit: Wide-Format Impressions

To put a lid on what was a momentous 2024, the Wide-Format Impressions' “News Team” – Dan, Denise, Gabby, and Toni – offer their impressions on the last twelve months, and provide a view into the future.

Dan Marx

Content Director, Wide-Format Impressions

Despite some softness in the wide-format segment, as shown by the 2024 PRINTING United Alliance State of the Industry Report - and attributable to a mix economic uncertainty, high interest rates, increased production costs, and the inherent hesitancy of a presidential election year - its portfolio of technologies and opportunities remained strong. The 2024 PRINTING United Expo featured robust new systems for printing and finishing, and interest in those solutions was high.

It would be safe to say that 2024 was, for many, the year of automation, as wide-format producers sought to offset rising production costs and address a labor crunch that, for the time being, has ebbed. For PSPs of all kinds, the benefits of successful automation efforts affect production costs, efficiency, quality, and the value of labor. It is a noble quest.

Regarding opportunities for the segment, there are two prime markets that gained a great deal of interest during 2024. The architectural and interior design market offers a large opportunities for those producers who are able to produce in ways that meet expectations and effectively engage (and sell to) that market. For others, the move toward experiential display has added a lucrative opportunity. That said, serving the experiential space often requires the addition of fabrication capabilities. Textile printing – specifically for SEG production – remains attractive. Other are seeking opportunity outside the core of wide-format, in areas such as apparel decoration and decals.

As an industry, the segment stands at the precipice of the transformative effects of artificial intelligence, which is already taking hold among those companies who are currently willing and able to “go there.” Moving forward, AI – driven by software – will increasingly be “baked into” the production systems we purchase and utilize, and what is novelty today will soon become commonplace, for better or worse. A recent webinar, presented by PRINTING United Alliance, provided an interesting look at where AI is being used in printing today, and a fascinating view of where it will take us.

Denise Gustavson

Editorial Director, Alliance Media Brands

Business-Focused Content

Wide-format print providers increasingly seek insights on business strategy, compliance, and operational efficiency. This demand suggests that companies are preparing for industry shifts related to workforce regulations, cost pressures, and new market opportunities. Providers must stay on top of regulatory changes, like non-compete clause bans, and leverage predictive insights to position themselves for growth.

To take action:
• Proactively review employment contracts to mitigate risks associated with non-compete bans.
• Use industry prediction reports to identify potential growth areas and align service offerings accordingly.
• Seek new revenue streams in areas like experiential graphics or custom decor, as highlighted in market trend articles.

Growth in Digital Printing - Customization & Event Graphics

The shift toward customization and experiential graphics reflects a broader industry trend toward personalization. Print providers are embracing short-run, on-demand production models to meet customer preferences for unique, highly customized print products. Events like the Super Bowl offer massive exposure and lucrative opportunities for wide-format printing.

To take action:
• Expand offerings for customized wallpaper, interior decor, and personalized graphics for commercial spaces.
• Position the business to attract large-scale event clients, providing banners, wraps, and custom branding for sporting events, conferences, and trade shows.
• To meet the growing demand for custom printing, invest in inkjet printers that support higher speeds, precision, and material compatibility.

New Opportunities in Consumables and Adhesives

The demand for innovative consumables like silicone edge graphics (SEG) and UV-cured adhesives reflects a growing interest in specialty materials for trade shows, retail, and display graphics. These products offer print providers new revenue streams and the ability to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
Introducing improved adhesives allows providers to print on unconventional surfaces, opening up new opportunities in packaging, automotive graphics, and beyond.

To take action:
• Incorporate SEG frames and fabric production capabilities to capture trade show and retail branding opportunities.
• Use new adhesive technologies like UV-cured adhesives to increase material compatibility, allowing for greater product diversity.
• Establish supplier relationships to ensure access to the latest consumables and materials as market demand shifts toward sustainability and eco-friendly products.

Sustainability & Eco-Friendly Printing

Corporate sustainability goals are increasingly influencing buyer behavior. Businesses are looking for print providers that align with their environmental values. Print providers that adopt sustainable printing processes and materials (like recyclable substrates and low-VOC inks) are more attractive to large corporations, retail brands, and environmentally-conscious consumers.

To take action:
• Obtain green certifications to appeal to corporate clients seeking environmentally friendly suppliers.
• Invest in eco-friendly inks, recyclable substrates, and UV-curable adhesives to meet sustainability requirements.
• Promote the company's sustainability efforts as a competitive differentiator when pursuing large corporate contracts.

Shift Toward Software-Driven Color Management

Print providers must prioritize color management as customer expectations for color precision increase. Advances in software-driven automation are enabling providers to reduce errors, improve color accuracy, and produce consistently high-quality output. Providers that embrace this trend can reduce waste and improve profitability.

To take action:
• Invest in color management software and integrate it into production workflows to ensure color consistency.
• Train operators on color theory and software tools for calibration and color matching.
• Market the company's color precision capabilities as a unique selling point, particularly for branding, design, and packaging clients.

Gabby Houck

Associate Content Editor, NAPCO Media

Thanks to the “Amazon mindset” which is rooted in the idea of continuous innovation, growth, and a bias for action, I’ve noticed that wide-format print service providers are really expanding their gamut of services to better meet clients’ needs.

It’s a trend I’ve noticed gain traction over the years, but this year in particular the idea of being a “one-stop-shop” seems more necessary than ever before. With more and more businesses wanting to stand out, wide-format PSPs are not only offering signs and banners, but they are also offering services like t-shirts and other branded merchandise. They’re offering marketing expertise and brand strategy plans — essentially, they are going above and beyond so that their customers don’t need to look to anyone else.

And speaking of branded merchandise, the second trend that I’ve noticed is the rising demand for customization and personalization. Mark Hahn confirmed this in his latest article “Target Report: On-Demand Print and Merch is Big Business for Private Equity.”

Hahn insisted that customization and personalization is the future of the industry, and it’s being driven by online ordering. He writes, “The future of print will increasingly be individually customized with the images we want, delivered wherever we want, printed on demand when we want, and applied to whatever products we choose.”

And he’s not wrong. Consumers are increasingly finding more value in personalized experiences, and wide-format printing has embraced this trend. Variable data printing and advanced color management tools allow for tailored outputs, making it easier than ever before to produce custom designs for marketing and branding purposes.

Toni McQuilken

Senior Content Editor, NAPCO Media

AI had already been making strides on the software side of things for the past few years now, helping to streamline workflows and make printers of all sizes and types more efficient. But that trend seems to have been dialed up to 1000%, with nearly every new software version or application bringing with it new ways for AI to help printers do more with less. Hardware has also started to see a slew of new features, all powered by AI algorithms, from predicting service windows more accurately, to helping balance job loads, to organizing print runs for maximum efficiency.

And as we close out the year, we’re starting to see more of those AI tools beginning to talk to each other. Data analysis, in particular, is using AI to analyze information gleaned from both hardware and software applications to help printers make better, more informed business decisions.

Another trend I’ve been watching this year — and if I’m being honest, one of the biggest trends I’ve been watching for a few years running now — is the labor market. It’s a challenge the industry has known about for a decade or more, but it’s only been in the last few years when it has really started to become more acute.

As experienced, knowledgeable people retire and leave our industry, printers are being forced to contend with the fact that they just don’t have enough bodies to run the equipment.

And our industry has, traditionally, not done a great job making a case for why young people should work in print and graphics. Graphic design, sure, but that’s only a small subset of our industry. And today, we’re competing against the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and Google.

But in 2024, I’ve seen more printers take an active role in their communities, looking to connect with high school and college students on a more personal level to show them the power and scale of print. I’ve even seen some incredibly successful internship programs that actively look to open the eyes of students to the world of print.

The end to staffing and labor challenges won’t happen overnight. It was a slow process to get to where we are today, and it will likely be just as slow building print back up into a powerhouse employment opportunity students will get excited about.