The renaissance of print: how digital printing is transforming the industry

In the age of digital media, the importance of print is often underestimated. But we are experiencing a renaissance of print. Thanks to digital!

Let's look at the numbers: According to Statista, the music industry has an annual global turnover of $41 billion. That's impressive. But it's peanuts compared to the printing industry, which is worth more than $800 billion. And digital printing, in particular, offers many more opportunities for growth.

The transition from traditional offset printing to digital printing is being driven by a number of factors, but in marketing it is being driven by the increasing personalisation of customer communications. Traditional marketing based on offset printed collateral is costly and difficult to measure. Worse still, it lacks the interactivity and engagement that today's consumers expect. With the exponential growth of e-commerce and the demand for personalised, on-demand production solutions, digital printing is becoming even more essential.

To thrive in this changing environment, print service providers can capitalise on these five trends:

1. Personalisation: According to Deloitte, more than 50 % of customers are interested in personalised products. This percentage is even higher among Generation Z. A study by WP Engine shows that 75% of Gen Z respondents are more likely to buy a product if it can be customised to their needs. 

2. Localisation: Consumers want to support local and regional businesses and know where and how their products are made. Local production and distribution is therefore essential to meet these expectations.

3. Sustainability: With ESG-focused investment volumes set to grow to USD 34 trillion by 2026, according to PWC, sustainability is more than just a buzzword. Local, demand-driven production is becoming the norm to minimise environmental impact.

4. Mobility: More and more consumers are shopping via smartphones or other mobile devices. This will also increase the importance of digital commerce.

5. The creator economy: The growing creator economy offers huge opportunities for locally produced, customised goods. Goldman Sachs forecasts that the market will double to USD 480 billion by 2027.

Demographic change, particularly the emergence of Generation Z and the Millennials, means that the printing industry must adapt. These tech-savvy, socially and environmentally conscious consumers expect personalisation and fast turnaround. Companies that meet these demands can tap into a huge market potential.

New production technologies, such as 3D printing and digital printing software, are opening up unprecedented opportunities for innovation. For example, Gelato, a technology company founded in Norway, has built the world's largest on-demand production network in just a few years, enabling local production in 32 countries and connecting creatives with billions of consumers worldwide. The GelatoConnect platform streamlines the entire production process, increasing efficiency and profitability for participants.

The combination of demographic change and technological advancement offers the printing industry astronomical growth opportunities as it touches every aspect of life. Through innovation, sustainability and localisation, companies can make their production smarter, faster and greener and become part of the positive change.