The December issue always prompts editors to write these “looking back, looking forward” columns. So why break with tradition?
Judging from the turnout to trade shows like Graph Expo last October and Print World in Toronto in November, 2006 has been a good year in the graphic arts industry. Printer seem in an upbeat mood, and vendors are selling more equipment, supplies and services. Margins may be thin, but it seems that printers in this country have sharp pencils.
It wouldn’t be the graphic arts industry if there weren’t some big changes underfoot, though. The industry is adopting short-run, wide-format printing equipment in a big way, in response to customer demand. Variable printing is another challenge, and opportunity, that more and more printers are taking up.
Like every other technological shift in this industry, not only is this opening up new opportunities, it’s also encouraging new players to enter the industry.
won’t pretend to be able to make any predictions for 2007; there are some dark clouds on the economic horizon, to be sure, but there always are.
Let’s look forward to a strong 2007 together.
