Widthwise 2022
What the data tells us: Technological outlook
W
hat do you want from your technology? Some wide-format print companies in the UK and Ireland are happy as long as their machines hardly ever break down. Others see technology as a driver of innovation, which can help them
develop bespoke - and therefore valuable - applications and products for their customers. Many, perhaps even the majority, fall somewhere in between - they try to keep a track on the key trends but don’t necessarily want to push the envelope either by becoming early adopters or investing too heavily in it. Every sizeable investment by a print
service provider (PSP) is, to some extent, a declaration of faith in the future. In the past two years, such faith has been scarce. With pandemics and lockdowns making future business impossible to gauge, many printers have kept their capital investments to a minimum. The only external incentive for companies to spend was the availability of cheap finance but with the market becom-
Q18. What type of wide-format equipment do you own (mark all relevant) Solvent printer (inc. eco solvent) Latex printer UV curable flatbed printer Aqueous printer Finishing – laminator Finishing – contour cutter UV curable roll-to-roll printer UV curable hybrid printer Finishing – straight line cutter Dye-sublimation Print and cut roll-fed printer Finishing – specialist textile (eyelet maker etc) Inkjet 3D object printer
20 | Widthwise 2022 | www.imagereports.co.uk
53.23% 31.34% 28.36% 25.87% 23.88% 22.89% 17.41% 14.93% 11.94% 8.96% 4.98% 4.48% 1.49%
