Speaking at the BPIF finishers' special interest group meeting, Graham Masters, Phoenix Print Finishing managing director and chairman of the BPIF Midlands region, said finishers were closing at an alarming rate, which was not good news for print.

He said: "More printers are bringing finishing in-house. Trade finishers now end up with just the confusing configurations and oddball sizes that need special expertise. Work is getting placed – as well as pulled – at the last minute and prices are still being squeezed.

"At the moment, the printer always knows that somebody will have space to take work at the last minute. Print will pick up – it is a case of when not if. If the finishing sector dies, where are printers going to go when they need extra capacity?"

The BPIF used the event to preview a new website for the finishers specialist interest group, as well as other trade finishers with BPIF membership.

According to Thomson, when it goes live, the site will be easily searched by printers and specifiers.

Thomson said each finishing company would be responsible for maintaining their own information, allowing them to regularly update any changes.

The site is currently undergoing beta testing but it is expected to go live in the coming months.