The most amazing thing about being in the printing industry is to be a part of a large workspace. It includes working with different a set of individuals who have particular skills required for the job. And most importantly, learn all the intricate aspects of the job. This industry goes back a long time and there have been major developments made over the years. People need to understand the importance of the printing industry. They need to realize the work done by the individuals in this particular industry makes an impact on their daily life. Without this industry, it will be hard to imagine our lives, let alone live it.
Printing Industry makes up for many daily essentials which we may not think about but will definitely miss when not around. Any industry grows over time to be in sync with the modern time. Change is essential to grow for this industry. The same is also true for the printing industry. They have to accept the changes and move according to them quickly to stay relevant in this fast-paced world. 2018 was the year which presented them to the possibilities of digital in their department. There may be a different approach but the end goal is the same. The success of any organization will depend on the ability to embrace the trends. Faster the adoption rate, better will be the growth rate. The trends for the year of 2019 are explained below –
- Internet of Things (IOT)
The list will be started by the Internet of Things. Nothing can be better than IOT to start pointing out the latest trends. IOT is everywhere and this year, the printing industry will also be accustomed to it. In simple terms, the Internet of Things is a system of interrelated computing devices which have the ability to interact with each other without being physically connected. Everything happens with the help of an active Internet connection. MPS providers should analyze their opportunities to integrate their technology with enterprise IOT platforms.
MPS providers have a fair idea of what IOT really is and how it works. They have experience in managing devices like printers on the network. All of this is not new for them. The device monitoring helps in driving the performance, reliability, security, and continuity; all of which are quite important in the printing industry. IOT platforms also offer asset management, smart analytics, remote monitoring, and fault detection which gives an opportunity for it to be presented in the printing space.
- Portable printers
It is important to understand the importance of portable printers. With the advancement of technology, newer methods are being introduced to enhance user experience. Portable printers are a perfect example of that. More and more people are asking for these printers. As they are compatible with smart devices and other applications, their use has been preferred by many. If we consider the case of the printing industry, then portable printers enable the employees to work in remote spaces à la laptops and smartphones. According to a study, the demand for these is not going to slow down in the near future. The only thing to do for the organization is to beef up the security measures and keep up with the time.
- 3D Printing
Almost 10 years ago, 3D printer was released and it was termed as ‘affordable’ even though it cost more than 1.5 lac Rupees. Given the fact that 3D printing was deemed as just a dream, this price was not considered too much. But right now, 3D printing is available at an affordable rate. The technology has made it possible to reduce the prices for an average consumer. This has led to an increase in demand and the printing industry has also accepted it. In 2019, different verticals of this particular industry will leverage 3D technology. The added advantage of this technology includes creativity. People will get more creative and innovative while taking its full use. Right now, this industry is quite rigid and all the work is done traditionally. But as there are cost-effective methods to use 3D printing, alternate ways of making the same products are now there.
- Printed marketing materials
The paradigm is now shifting and every industry is now shifting towards digital marketing. The growth of digital is just astonishing and it has become an important aspect in any marketing plan. It does not mean printed materials have been on the back foot. Direct mail marketing is far more penetrative than e-mail marketing. Less than 30 percent of e-mails get opened whereas more than 90 percent of the direct mail is opened which gives it three times the edge. This form of marketing method has made a strong comeback in recent years and the progress of Digital Marketing is not hurting its chance. No matter the height reached by Digital Marketing, Printing Industry will still be relevant.
Don’t be surprised if you are going to see AI in the printing industry soon. AI is present in various fields and has excelled all over. Printing is another industry where Artificial Intelligence is going to take over very soon. 2018 was the year when voice recognition capabilities emerged for printers. Better enhancements are expected in 2019. But a whole lot of it will also depend on the kind of partnership an organization has with bigshots like Amazon and Google. The capabilities are there. It just depends on the company to leverage the most out of it.
- Other factors
Expertise in the IT sector will surely help in 2019. It will help the sales and marketing department. In bigger organizations, hiring IT experts can be an effective way of gaining better clients in the age of digital. In the next 5 years, business owners will favor IT experts rather than traditional print suppliers. Then comes Managed Printing Services (MPS) in the cloud. This year, there will be cloud-delivered MPS prominence. All of these factors will contribute in shaping up the trends of the printing industry in 2019.
