21 www.printmonthly.co.uk Issue 358 - January | February 2026 Brendan Perring The Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA) Over the last 12 months, the conversation has shifted from ambition to implementation. Automation is now delivering real productivity gains, sustainability has become a measurable differentiator, and data is reshaping how print integrates with digital campaigns. JICMAIL’s research, for example, continues to prove mail’s effectiveness as a driver of web traffic and customer action. Alongside this, Ofcom’s postal reforms and the trends evidenced back at drupa, show a focus on workflow efficiency setting new standards for how the industry plans and delivers. In 2026, the same forces shaping print today will continue to gather pace. Businesses are embedding automation deeper into their operations, linking prepress, production, and finishing to create smoother, data-driven workflows. Programmatic mail and audience-targeted print will keep growing as marketers demand more measurable outcomes, supported by JICMAIL’s attention and response data. Postal reform will force a sharper focus on planning and service-level management as second-class deliveries move to alternate days. The most successful companies will be those that combine efficiency, compliance, and sustainability into one clear operational model rather than treating them as separate priorities. Several trends are likely to define 2026. “Smart embellishment” — using foils, varnishes, and textures informed by response data, will help turn finishing into a precision marketing tool. Attention metrics from JICMAIL will no doubt continue to be adopted more widely as a planning benchmark, linking print directly to digital performance data. Royal Mail’s revised operating framework will make entry timing and supply-chain coordination more critical than ever. Across large-format, the shift towards aqueous and UV inkjet systems will continue, backed by stronger recyclability standards and clearer, evidence-based sustainability claims from manufacturers and print service providers alike. For most businesses, the next step is both With the start of the new year, so too comes new considerations and challenges. To best prepare for the year ahead we speak to professionals in print and its associated industries to look back on the past year and give advice on what could be on the horizon Will 2026 be the Year of Print? investment in more automated technology and better control of process and information. Map every stage of production and identify where automation could remove friction. That could mean implementing pre-flight, scheduling, job approval, or despatch management. Use clear data to prove the value of your work and align campaign planning with how customers actually engage. Understand the operational impact of the postal reforms early and build it into client conversations. Also be transparent about sustainability — customers don’t expect perfection, but they increasingly do expect honesty and data to back up environmental claims. Jane Wickens Solopress Over the past year we’ve seen huge technological advances across the industry, from customer service and order handling to production efficiencies. Also, a lot of print businesses are adopting AI in many different ways and using it as a tool to improve efficiencies with workflow and other processes. This comes from a clear focus on time saving – allowing humans to concentrate on the things they can’t do, which is great. We’ve also seen customers looking for a more personalised service. Manufacturers are investing time and money in developing more sustainable substrates and solutions. At the same time, new markets seem to be craving the tangible again, which is a positive shift for print. Buying behaviours have been changing for years, but the bundling of AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini into browsers and apps has accelerated things. Audiences have adapted quickly, and they already expect more from us. In retail they’re offered a “personalised” experience. They’re accustomed to sharing information about their tastes and behaviours. There’s now an expectation to be shown content they might enjoy based on past activity ▲ Brendan Perring, general manager of the IPIA ▼ Jane Wickens, head of marketing at Solopress 2026 PREDICTIONS
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