What do you feel were the main trends and key industry developments in 2023?
The main lines of enquiry by far have been moving toward automation and robotics, reducing labour costs.

High specification of machinery: due to the ongoing need to increase automation, lines are being specified to complete more of the job with less human interaction.

Continued shift toward digital: with technology continually improving, finishing/handling equipment capabilities go even further and are able to process more complex workflows than ever before.

Efficiency is key: everything from uptime standards, to energy efficiency and material efficiency is under scrutiny. As a supplier it's our job to advise on the best technology to achieve these goals.

How have the continuing economic and market specific challenges affected you and your customers during 2023 – have you had to do anything differently to adapt/react?
Buyer enablement has played a big part in recent times – customers tend to know which technologies they need and how they will benefit but are more risk averse. Our ethos of partnership and maintaining close relationships between manufacturers and clients means we can give confidence back to buyers who need to keep the business moving, knowing they have full support.

What do you expect to be the main trends, key industry developments, and biggest opportunities for printers in 2024?
Again, automation and robotics will be in high demand and we expect this to continue.

Combining cloud technologies with physical automation is simpler than ever before – integrations are easier, and software is more powerful. This represents great opportunities for growth for many printers, especially in web-to-print but also more traditional areas of print, with remote print management, cooperative robotics and further streamlining of the pre-press processes – books, labelling and carton packaging remain three areas where revenue is available.

What are your hopes and expectations for Drupa 2024?
Automation should be one of the biggest trends here from a hardware point of view. We will also proabably see a bigger presence for peripheral technologies, such as nanographic, or 3D printing and V/A/R, and the harmonisation of these technologies. However I think the dominant messaging across the board will be sustainability.

AI has been one of the hot topics of 2023 – what opportunities and threats do you think it poses for print in 2024 and beyond?
Applications as of yet are mostly limited to pre-press and print management, which is likely where they will continue to take the most effect. That being said, in the UK we can be slower to adopt and so much of this implementation will be alongside existing human talent – even if printers desired to go further, much equipment and infrastructure will need significant upgrades. Design departments however might face significant disruption. AI is not yet ready for robotic integration.

How can suppliers better help printers navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities in 2024?
When big brands decide to bring more of the supply chain under their control or look to develop capabilities that can then be rolled out globally - both of these can reflect challenges that print buyers face, or opportunities that are presenting themselves on a large scale. Because of varying rates of technology uptake and risk taking around the world, printers can lean on suppliers to see what is going on elsewhere. Key survival tactics will continue to be diversification and differentiation, or consolidation.

Note: This prediction is taken from a special Briefing article in the new issue of Printweek featuring insights from industry suppliers, hence it does not follow the same question template as the other predictions.