Happy birthday to PrintWeek!

This issue of PrintWeek celebrates our diamond anniversary, marking 60 years since this magazine’s illustrious forbear, The Litho Printer, was launched as “a companion to print in Britain”.

It covered everything from, the latest technology of the day to, well, the technology of years gone by and everything in between – provided it was technology focused, naturally.

I’m not going to lie, our earliest incarnations were a little on the dry side and I suspect were written mainly to appeal to technicians of the trade rather than business leaders.

That said, for a very reasonable two shillings cover price there was an enlightening piece for aspiring entrepreneurs in one of our 1962 issues on how you could set up a litho printing business for a mere £15 in old money. Provided you could figure out a way to travel back in time to 1868 when the machine featured, a Wood’s Improved Side-Lever 12x18in Lithographic Press, was last commercially available.

While it is hardly surprising that the industry of today is barely recognisable from that featured in 1958, there are still some similarities I’m sure.

Printers were probably still moaning back then that things weren’t like they used to be, that certain clients were a royal pain in the arse and everything was either too expensive to buy or too cheap to sell.

However, one thing definitely has changed – the modern industry, and this magazine, is no longer just about the science and craft of print – our focus has switched to the business of print.

Because technology is an enabler of change, not a driver of it – it’s people that make exciting things happen – not the machines.

And it’s the people that make this such a great industry to serve, and so I hope we’ll continue to be your print companion for at least the next 60 years.