1. What do you believe will be greatest opportunities for printers to grow their businesses in 2008?
We expect to see the biggest growth opportunities in the packaging and digital print sectors.
2. What will be the greatest threat to your sector for 2008?
Unexpected and not calculable situations, such as September 11 2001.
3. How can the industry raise its profile next year?
It is important to emphasise that internet and print benefit from each other. It is important for the printing sector that the internet generates print, so the web has to be seen as a challenge, not as a threat.
4. What do you believe is the most under-recognised aspect in printing that is likely to become more important in 2008?
Short-run printing is becoming more and more important and offset will compete in this segment with digital print with more efficient and automated workflows. Digital print has its unique market in variable-data printing.
5. What print sectors do you believe will experience the greatest innovation next year?
The flexo and packaging markets as standard will be more and more established in this printing sector.
6. What should the print industry do when it gets back to work after the holidays?
Prepare for a spectacular and successful Drupa.
7. If the government stepped in and did one thing to help the industry, what would you hope that would be?
We don't need government regulations so the government should stay out of the game.
8. What will you do differently in 2008?
We will focus more on communication with print buyers.
GMG - eight questions for '08
This year has been another rollercoaster ride for the industry. While the printweek.com editorial team takes a (well-earned) break over the Christmas season, we've turned to the great and the good of UK print and asked what we can expect from the year to come. Here's the forecast from <b>GMG managing director Robert Weihling</b>.
