of trade associations such as the Flexographic Industry Association UK (FIA UK). “In this way, we stay connected to emerging trends, standards, and technologies shaping the flexo industry,” says Roberts, who adds: “Our ongoing R&D investment also ensures that we remain at the forefront of materials science and superior print performance. We share the technical expertise that we gather through seminars, training, and hands-on support, ensuring customers benefit directly from both industry insights and our applied knowledge.” New Ventures Venture Banners is a trade-only supplier of wide-format print, producing everything from standard roller banners and pop-out banner systems to flags, stretch fabric displays, external hoardings, and display boards. Speaking about how the company’s offering differs from the wider market, Scott Conway, director of Venture Banners, says: “It is that focus on wide-format that differentiates us from other trade suppliers. Our mission is to help print businesses of all sizes to capitalise on the numerous lucrative revenue streams within this area of the industry, offering customers excellent service, transparent pricing, and, as the name suggests, great banners.” Conway has seen a number of shifts in the market which have affected the role of suppliers. Commenting on these shifts, he says: “The way people order wide-format print is changing and with that has come expectations of faster and faster turnaround times. “In response to this, we’ve recently invested considerably to expand our capacity and also to build in redundant capacity for those occasions when things go wrong. As a result, we can now consistently offer faster turnaround times, and for some work we are now even able to offer express turnaround times for a nominal fee.” Conway’s advice for those looking to choose a supplier focuses on assessing the honesty of its claims and verifying its authenticity. Conway suggests: “When you’re evaluating a business, make sure that it can back up what it says it can do. Is what it’s offering stack up in terms of the wider industry offering, or does it sound too good to be true? “We would always prefer to turn business away, albeit reluctantly, than to let someone down, and that honesty underpins the way that we’ve built our production workflow.” Staying current with the latest industry trends is of high importance to the company, with Venture regularly attending industry events, speaking to equipment vendors, getting input from customers, and staying up to date with industry news and trends through the trade press and social media. As Conway affirms: “Ultimately, staying current with industry trends is all about talking to people, and that is also how we share knowledge with our customers – in person, on the phone, via our blog, through PR, and on social media.” Conway’s final piece of advice for those looking for suppliers is to be wary of ‘onesize-fits-all’ solutions that are not tailored to your particular needs. As he puts it: “We could never take a one-size-fits-all approach because we have such a broad mix of customers. “What they all have in common is that they recognise the potential of wide-format print to help them grow their businesses, but aside from that they all buy from us for very different reasons. Being able to anticipate their needs really comes down to understanding the print business and their marketing, so that we can appreciate the different drivers behind them choosing us.” Displaying Greatness Very Displays are another trade-only partner for the display and print industry, supplying a wide range of portable display products to resellers at competitive trade prices. Its offering includes roller banners, promotional flags, lightboxes, and café barriers. For Kirsty Corcoran, marketing manager at Very Displays, what sets the company apart is its combination of quality, consistency, and first-class service. As she explains: “From in-house trade printing and finishing to a dedicated account manager and long product guarantees, every aspect of our process is designed to support our customers’ growth. Every order undergoes quality checks and test fits before it leaves the door, ensuring reliability with no compromises on cost or quality.” Like others we spoke to, Corcoran acknowledges the evolving role of suppliers, asserting that “being a supplier today means being a trusted partner every ▲ Sandon Global’s solutions are used in the flexographic, metal decoration, and lithographic industries ▼ Venture Banners’ range includes crowd barrier and other outdoor display graphics 54% of business leaders consider transparency to be the most important supplier quality, according to the Deloitte Global Outsourcing Survey Factoid WORKING WITH SUPPLIERS | JONATHAN PERT 52 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk Issue 357 - November | December 2025
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