How New Technology Impacts Print Production Services

The print industry doesn’t get the same kind of headline-grabbing attention reserved for other sectors of tech – like mobile devices, AI, and the Internet of Things – but it is experiencing a remarkable and noteworthy transition. The print industry is one of most dynamic sub-categories of the greater tech industry in general, and many businesses are realizing the benefits or teaming up with companies that offer expert print production services.

There is a simple reason why this is the case. Although more than three decades have passed since the term paperless office first entered the public consciousness, it is only now starting to become a legitimate reality for businesses undergoing digital transformation. However, the transformation itself is not quite as “paperless” as the zeitgeist of the early 80s initially indicated.

In fact, printing is more important than ever. This is partly because of the fact that businesses no longer need to waste print resources on low-impact documents and archives. Those have actually gone totally paperless, to the delight of both office actuaries and environmentalists alike.

Now, the world of print focuses on ease of communication, production value, and cost-effectiveness. Increasing numbers of businesses and enterprises are investing in high-impact, high-volume production printing presses than ever before because the consolidation of print resources is such a valuable asset for organizations.

Wide and super wide-format printers are gaining traction throughout the print industry, in particular. These are the devices that print banners, posters, architectural plans, and other large-format documents.

New technology is at the forefront of this developing trend in the print industry. From new ways to save money on high-impact wide-format projects to new methods of managing sophisticated print fleets, there are more options than ever when it comes to implementing modern print production services in the enterprise environment.

Digital Print Production Provides Superior Quality and Efficiency

One of the biggest steps forward in digital print production has been the implementation of print server solutions for production printers. The Fiery® Command Workstation, in particular, represented a groundbreaking move towards print automation and productivity upon its release more than a decade ago.

Now, as of May 2018, the company behind Fiery® has taken its server software one step further, with the release of an updated digital front end for wide-format inkjet printers. The Fiery XF 7 print server interface improves the speed of print production services by a factor of five, compared to earlier versions of the same technology.

This is the first time that this level of granular functionality and widespread automation is available in the wide-format print industry. It is a unique moment for companies that rely on wide-format printing to enjoy market-leading efficiency and cost-savings that Fiery® technology already established in other areas of print.

Major Printer Manufacturers Competing for Production Print

The consolidation of major manufacturer brands in the production print sector is another key indicator that the market for production print services is expanding. Some of the world’s most recognizable consumer printer manufacturers are either introducing or expanding their production print lineups to meet industry demand.

• Xerox uses in robotic process automation to improve the efficiency of a broad variety of document-related tasks. The manufacturer is implementing these advances in its latest production printers, like the industry-leading Versant 3100, which is capable of automating its own color calibration and paper jam resolution processes.
• HP released the successor to its widely popular Pagewide printer, which offers six-color printing on both coated and uncoated media. It offers significant improvements in productivity as well as multiple time-saving features for versioning, personalization, and localization.

These developments are just representative of the kinds of changes the public will see in the print industry’s coming years. As the digital transition increasingly puts regular documents on cloud-hosted digital archives, high-impact marketing initiatives are relying more on the flexibility and power of production print.

Preparing for a Sustainable Future

Customer behaviors concerning wide-format printing are changing. Environmental investment has heavily influenced consumer expectations, causing print professionals and manufacturers to adjust their business strategies to match. It is more important than ever that the print industry focuses on sustainable manufacturing and materials.

According to FESPA, 76 percent of print professionals say that they are shaping their business strategy around customer demand for environmental responsibility. 72 percent of print production service providers have successfully invested in sustainability initiatives without increasing prices, showing a clear pattern for the future.

You can start saving money on high-volume print projects today. You can purchase or lease the solutions detailed above by contacting the team at Kelley Create through our inquiry form or by phone.

If your business or organization only needs access to reprographics solutions, you can get the signage or documents you need through our dedicated print services shop.