23 www.printmonthly.co.uk Issue 358 - January | February 2026 Charles Jarrold BPIF This year the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF), has been supporting the sector with research, lobbying, and especially this year, working with government on endless new legislation, while trying to modify some of the more “impractical” implications of incoming changes. That side of what we do has been busier than ever with packaging waste regulations, employment law modifications, and of course EU Deforestation Regulations. Overall, it’s been a busier year than ever across all areas, but I want to particularly call out the brilliant Apprentice Graduation our team hosted at Warwick University in November, which was filled with inspirational individuals up on stage, which were this year’s cohort of apprentices. In 2026 we’ll be celebrating 125 years, so watch this space! Meanwhile, we expect to see exciting growth and development in apprentice training as BPIF Training continues its exciting journey. We already know that our Support teams will be as busy as ever helping members understand and interpret new rules (and yes I particularly mean those arising with Extended Producer Responsibilities and EUDR), and some not entirely welcome changes around employment legislation. Our advisory teams will no doubt be as busy as ever with members developing and adapting their businesses, and we’ll be continuing to develop and launch new and more accessible ways for members to access support. When it comes to changes in 2026, the printing industry has had plenty of experience of adapting to change, and now more than ever, the pace of change appears to be accelerating, and companies will need to carefully target their investments to cope with this. When we did some research on investment intentions early in 2025, workflow and automation was the top investment target for companies. This is partly because of the costs associated with employment, and the difficulties finding employees, therefore, more companies are exploring how increased automation and workflow efficiency could help mitigate those struggles. Investing in MIS and digital printing were the second and third priority targets for investment. However, more recently (in October) companies have placed increasing profitability through diversification as the top priority when it comes to company plans in the next twelve months. Increasing productivity through capital investment followed in second place, just ahead of managing operations more effectively. When it comes to new trends, there is so much to consider here – the continued expansion of digital and large-format, and the ability of inkjet to print longer runs and adapt to new substrates. In litho there will be enhancements to improve shortrun capabilities, monitoring and service improvements, and long-run efficiency improvements. There are also companies exploring how AI and other software developments can improve customer service, workflow, and automation, as well as an expansion of robotic utilisation to improve efficiency and cost control. Unfortunately, when it comes to regulation, the regulatory burden that businesses need to comply with looks set to increase through 2026 and beyond. There’s new employment legislation, extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations, plastic packaging tax (PPT), and for those involved in trading with the EU – there is of course the general product safety regulations (GPSR) and the deforestation regulations (EUDR). The BPIF will remain active in advising members and representing our industry to governments at home and abroad. However, the industry has an opportunity to display its creativity and really catch the imagination of designers, marketing professionals, clients, and end-users. Outof-home (OOH), smart packaging, and new product development shows there are many areas where creative excellence and the integration of technology can really help drive engagement with print. Scott Conway Venture Banners One of the most significant trends in 2025 has been the growth of textile print. In March 2024, textiles accounted for 29% of our total material production and by March 2025, this had increased to 42%. Noticing this growth area, we expanded our textile capabilities in May 2024 by investing in an EFI FabriVU 340i+ with in-line fixation, as well as expanding our sewing department to meet this increased demand. Textile signage is likely to keep growing due to its ease of transport and installation, along with the strong image quality it offers. The fact that it is reusable and lighter in weight also brings environmental advantages, which matter increasingly to customers as their own clients look for more sustainable options. From what we have seen and from the conversations with our customers, print companies of all sizes are looking for ways to expand their services. Some can add capacity internally, while others are turning to reliable trade suppliers such as Venture Banners to stay competitive. It is not only about generating additional revenue, but also about strengthening customer relationships by being able to provide a wider mix of solutions. As a trade-only large-format print partner, our focus is on supporting our customers by giving them access to our production capacity and state-of-the art equipment so they can branch out into large-format print without needing to invest heavily themselves. Indoor and outdoor events have become popular markets for our customers, and in response to demand we expanded our ▲ Charles Jarrold, chief executive officer of the BPIF It is not only about generating additional revenue, but also about strengthening customer relationships by being able to provide a wider mix of solutions. 2026 PREDICTIONS
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