What do you feel were the main trends and key industry developments in 2021?
Businesses have continued to focus on driving efficiency in their production without compromising on quality. Due to the pandemic, many of our customers report that they are now working with less staff and still need to deliver quality products on tight deadlines. This has changed the way businesses are choosing to invest, they are more focused on efficiently increasing capacity while being careful about the ongoing operating, service and energy costs.

Do you feel that any trends have been accelerated because of the pandemic?
The pandemic has made most companies focus on running leaner and greener. Power consumption, speed and space all come with a price. Reducing these costs is helping companies grow out of this challenging period.

What do you expect to be the main trends and key industry developments in 2022?
Sustainability and impact on the environment continue to be important considerations for the industry. There has been a steady shift towards a focus on energy efficiency over recent years. This is one of the early talking points that we encounter when discussing our machines with potential investors. We expect this trend to accelerate in 2022.

What do you think will represent the single biggest opportunity for print businesses in 2022 and why?
An impressive range of machines and materials have come to market over the past 12 to 18 months which are more energy-efficient and sustainable. 2022 will be a great time for businesses to invest in this new more energy-efficient technology and provide their customers with more sustainable print solutions.

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.