What do you think will the greatest opportunity for and threat to printers next year?
Opportunity – is marketing to our client base. Tell them what we do, tell them again and then tell them once more. Then show the new innovations – dimensional  for example.

Threat – printers themselves – they must stop reducing prices. A good quantity of print companies that have failed this year will have done so through lack of sales. Many of them will have ‘price matched’ or, worse still, been the company that reduced price below cost!

I once met an ex-FD of a large print company. They had two Manrolands, they needed filling, so for 6 months they ran the pricing model on cost less 25%.

Strangely, 6 months later they went bankrupt. Even then the ex-FD wasn’t surprised. I asked him why he did it. He said that they needed ‘turnover’ to pay the bills. He just did not get the fact that every single job they ran in that period lost them more money.

It would have been better to short work, reduce wages and salaries and all the normal business efforts to help the company survive the storm.

What do you believe is the most under-recognised aspect in printing that is likely to become more important in 2010?
Digital quality. I’m not talking copiers I am talking Digital presses. Their capabilities. Inkjet will also become much more prevalent in 2010.
 
How important do you think Ipex will be?
It’s a great place to see all the new innovative products, network and meet up with old friends.

What can the industry do to increase its profile next year?
Market itself as a ‘communications industry’ – we do SO much more than print!

What will you do differently next year?
We are marketing more. Telling more people about our great services. We are now FSC and ISO 14001 approved. We are taking that message also to the target audience. We have invested heavily this year in new equipment, software and hardware. People training is also a must, and we will be doing more of that. Inspire our great team at X1 to learn more and to remember that without them we don’t have a business.