1. What do you believe will be greatest opportunities for printers to grow their businesses in 2008?
Every business is different – it's hard to say in a nutshell. But I see seven general success factors: handling environmental issues right; being good at marketing; increasing productivity year-on-year, making no compromise in quality; adding value beyond CMYK; having transparency of figures and performance to steer the business; and last but not least, having well-educated people on board. If a printshop excels in three or more of these elements and does not fail entirely in others, it will certainly be successful.

2. What will be the greatest threat to your sector for 2008?
I do not see a threat. However, as prices in paper, board and energy go up and the dollar vs the euro goes down, this is tough for many printers, because it's difficult to forward these impacts to end customers.

3. How can the industry raise its profile next year?
Next year, there will be Drupa 2008 in Düsseldorf and there the industry will show what printing can do – technically but also as the world's most important marketing instrument.

4. What do you believe is the most under-recognised aspect in printing that is likely to become more important in 2008?
That print has to do with emotions and that luxury finished print helps to sell the products.

5. What print sectors do you believe will experience the greatest innovation next year?
I'd love to preach now about all the nice products Heidelberg has released or will release to the market. But I believe the biggest innovation in terms of financial impact comes from inside the printshops, with more industrialised approaches, better tools to monitor and better educated professionals, printshops will optimise their processes to increase their bottom line. I have seen stunning examples. On top come the technical advancements, but we should leave the judgement to others as to which will be seen as the greatest innovation.

6. What should the print industry do when it gets back to work after the holidays?
Leave no stone unturned in the quest for efficient and environmentally friendly production while never missing an opportunity to promote print.

7. If the government stepped in and did one thing to help the industry, what would you hope that would be?
In the UK? Call an election! It's always good for print.

8. What will you do differently in 2008?
Personally I would concentrate more on long-term strategies. Drupa 2012 is calling! From a company viewpoint, we will continue to strive for ever better justification of our technology in financial terms.