However, all these sustainability issues will need to be tackled against a backdrop of uncertain economic conditions and rising energy and raw material costs. The courses of action taken by businesses to address these issues will undoubtedly differ and it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Some of the biggest things to look out for will be the developments in sustainable and connected packaging. For example, progress with biodegradable and recyclable materials, along with barrier coatings for paper that replicate plastic or foil functionality, will be essential as the industry moves toward a circular economy. On the digital side, smart packaging, enabled by QR codes, Near Field Communication, and Augmented Reality offers new, exciting ways for brands to engage consumers with interactive experiences, enhancing brand engagement and loyalty. How printers help brands to utilise these evolving digital technologies will be interesting to see. If used correctly, and it can be a big ‘if’, then they can support greater personalisation and flexibility, catering to the growing consumer demand. We have seen that the output capacity of print machinery has steadily increased, which presents print providers with big opportunities in the coming months and years. Customers’ expectations of high volumes of great-quality output with fast turnaround times will drive demand for accessible stocks. However, with limited space, they will need to make sure they’re working with suppliers who can react fast and deliver quickly. We also see that a lot of the printing formerly being outsourced prior to Brexit from European countries, such as Poland, is now being done in the UK. This opportunity is driving a big demand for trade print. I believe soft signage will grow in popuand Mimaki’s commitment to helping customers deliver on their environmental goals as well as reducing costs and improving profit margins. At Parkside, we expect AI and the shift toward automation to be the biggest change as companies look to enhance efficiency and reduce waste. As sustainability pressures intensify, automated workflows will help printers meet sustainability standards more easily, streamlining production to use fewer resources. It is likely that the continued growth in legislative demands will push printers to adopt automated systems that ensure compliance with minimal manual oversight. By reducing lead times and managing short, frequent print runs, automation can also help meet growing customer demand for flexibility. Sustainability will also continue to dominate the industry as a key theme. This is in part due to the fact it is just so vast as an issue. Whether the focus is on recyclable and biodegradable materials, zero-waste designs, reducing carbon footprints, or eco-certifications like FSC and PEFC, it underpins so many different issues we face as a business and as an industry. 31 www.printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 2025 PREDICTIONS every level. At the same time, and as per the wider populous, many print companies are keen to deliver on the environmental responsibilities we all face. We envisage 2025 to be a turning point that conjoins these two factors. The economic situation for the coming year could continue to be challenging, however the technological developments from manufacturers that address sustainability issues could also help businesses reduce operating costs through new solutions. As such, lowering energy use, managing print waste through greater adoption of recycling, and reducing ink and consumable costs will be big driving factors for every business in the print and sign industry. New developments from Mimaki are coming online through the end of 2024 and into 2025. The expansion of the company’s ink saving technology – that can reduce costs by around 30% – is being rolled out across new hardware launches. A major feature included free of charge in Mimaki’s RasterLink RIP software, the ink saving function, reduces ink use without affecting discernible print quality. Furthermore, the CJV200 printer/cutter launched at the Print Show 2024 is available with Mimaki’s new BS4 ink that delivers a high-quality result yet sits at a price point that makes it very attractive to the most cost-conscious businesses. Lastly, as Mimaki’s distributor for the UK and Ireland, Hybrid is continuing to evolve its unique rebate linked recycling scheme for solvent ink cartridges, to include the new cardboard packaging that will be replacing the current SS21 plastic cartridges. All these solutions demonstrate Hybrid Julia O'Loughlin, group marketing manager at Parkside Lowering energy use, managing print waste through greater adoption of recycling, and reducing ink and consumable costs will be big driving factors for every business Kieran Dallow, marketing manager at Innotech How printers help brands to utilise these evolving digital technologies will be interesting to see
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