Interview with Sean Smyth on the future of the European printing industry

An interview with Sean Smyth, author of Smithers latest report The Future of European Printing to 2027, about how he sees the industry developing over the next five years.

Sean has spent more than 25 years in senior technology and management positions for print businesses across the supply chain. Sean has extensive experience in digital printing. In his time with Smithers, Sean has authored many off-the-shelf market studies and has provided strategic consultancy services to a range of clients across the value chain.
 
Q: What are the most exciting European printing industry trends at the moment?
It is a very mixed picture across the multiple niches that make up print and packaging across Europe. There is real growth in labels and packaging, and the prospects for digital production are generally better than for analogue alternatives, as more products are personalised and buyers look for ways to reduce costs in the light of significant inflation and continuing supply chain issues.
 
Some companies are broadening their product offering, providing new services and printed material to customers. Others are developing new procurement routes, with web-to-print systems providing easy and fast methods of specifying, designing and approving print jobs, taking time and manual involvement out of print production.
 
Q: What do you see as future challenges?
In 2022 there are major cost pressures on materials and production, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. Print sectors are coming to terms with the environmental impacts of their activities, with different ordering patterns reducing supply chain waste while greater agility is necessary to meet rapidly changing requirements of the industry.

Print and finishing methods are developing, with automation increasingly important as companies face problems in attracting and retaining skilled staff.
 
Q: What can readers expect from the latest report?
The report contains data showing the future prospects for print output segmented by product and print process across the major European countries, together with markets for new machinery, inks, plates and print substrates. The data is forecasted to 2027, allowing print providers to identify the prospects for their particular markets, and suppliers to identify potential new markets.