People are asking lots of questions these days: Where is the printing industry going? Who will be the winners of the future? What’s the right equipment to buy? Will the big guys gobble everyone else up? Is most of what we’re doing now going to be obsolete in 10 years? Will there even be a printing industry in 30 years?

The answer to that last question is yes. Printing is not going to die; it remains the most reliable and portable form of communication ever invented. And, unlike Web sites or CDs, printed matter is not dependent on equipment with built-in obsolescence. Print has stood the test of time, and will continue to do so.

Is most of what we’re doing now going to become obsolete overnight, and should we sell our equipment now before it becomes worthless tomorrow? The market will continue to evolve but, at the moment, the technology has gotten way ahead of the end user. CTP, selective binding and variable printing are dependent on customers having a digital workflow and sophisticated databases—things a lot of customers are just starting to put together.

Will the big guys gobble everyone up? Consolidation will continue, but new printers will emerge. The circulation of Graphic Monthly is almost the same today as it was 10 years ago; shrinkage was offset by expansion. This give-and-take will continue. Who will be the winners (i.e., the most profitable) and who will be the losers? The winners will not be determined by technology, equipment or even size. They will be determined by who has the best marketing department. The key will be to create demand, not just cater to it. This industry has traditionally been reactive: the customers dreamed up a need for printing, and we printed it. When it comes to selling the idea of print as a better form of communication than other media, we’ve been napping. Customers of the future will pay a premium for creative print vehicles that deliver their message effectively. Printers who offer ideas, rather than ink on paper, will do very well.

And, contrary to prevailing wisdom, companies that offer everything—one-stop shopping—will not do as well. The focused companies will have the advantage. The more your company is known for, the less it will stand out. Despite all the mergers, the printing business is still one of the most competitive industries in the country. (Toronto, for example, has more printers than gas stations.) To stand out in the crowd you have to appear to be different. Being everything to everybody just doesn’t work. Look in the Yellow Pages under “printers”; most of the ads say the same thing: “No job is too big or too small. We do them all.”

Federal Express in the courier business, which is about as competitive as the printing business, only became successful when it focused. FedEx originally tried to be everything to everyone, and lost money. When FedEx decided to focus on “small packages overnight and on time” it became very profitable and also one of the largest players in the courier business.

The cost of equipment and skilled labour in this industry will continue to climb, making it more difficult to have the financial resources and staff expertise to be everything to all customers.

The printing industry of the future will not be led by the companies that try to peer into the crystal ball of equipment technology but by the focused companies that lead with strong, creative marketing.