INDUSTRY | NEWS printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine printmonthly_signlink 6 website: www.printmonthly.co.uk November | December 2025 - Issue 357 FDM Document Solutions, a commercial printer based in London, has announced the extension of a social value project that delivers paper to local schools. The news follows the successful pilot of the project in the London borough of Barnet, which saw FDM deliver reel-ends to schools throughout the area. In one working week, the FDM team visited ten schools across Barnet, delivering 30 reels of paper, which were provided free of charge. By offering reel-ends of paper that would otherwise be recycled, the project aims to not only supply schools with valuable resources but also demonstrate how a circular economy can work in practice. FDM has encouraged any school or community group which would like to get involved for free to contact the FDM team on 020 7055 1600, Steve Lyon at slyon@ fdmdocumentsolutions.co.uk, or visit the FDM Solutions website. The Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA) used its annual networking event to promote its latest research programme, which aims to effect positive change in the perception of print through utilising in-depth research of online conversations. Developed in collaboration with global insight agency, Madano, and a coalition of industry partners, this project has analysed more than 12,000 online conversations to uncover how print is perceived across key buying markets – and how those perceptions can be positively transformed. According to Brendan Perring, general manager at the IPIA, Gen Z individuals value print's tangible qualities, authenticity, and credibility, and experience a sense of relief from digital overload when interacting with physical media. However, part of the perception problem in this regard is that those outside of the core industry do not always perceive these products as ‘print’, with the term mainly only being associated with print media rather than instances such as specialist packaging, labels, signage, and graphics. According to Carey Trevill from Madano, many of those in the media and advertising space were already advocates of print but had received push-back from clients about misconceptions of its impact, cost, and sustainability. In response to the findings, the IPIA launched a social media campaign with the slogan “Print Made This”, demonstrating a range of instances of print positively effecting people’s lives as well as its ability to make lasting memories and increase consumer engagement. The IPIA and Madano have worked with professionals and influencers to change the public’s perception of print Printer paper donated to schools in need Webmart hits £1m charity milestone Print-focused marketing agency, Webmart, has donated over £1m to charity, helped in large part by its community and charitable cash pot (CCCP) scheme. Webmart’s CCCP is refilled each financial year, taking all of the company’s unearned income for the year such as interest earned or rent from office spaces and donating it to registered charities. Last year, Webmart gave donations to 49 organisations including Plunkett UK, Barnsley Food Bank, Oxfordshire Wildlife Hospital Appeal, and Berwickshire Marine Reserve. As well as its charitable work, Webmart has launched a number of initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact. This includes its EcoMetrics carbon calculator tool, which is designed to allow its customers to calculate, mitigate, and offset their marketing carbon footprint. In its 2024/25 impact report, Webmart’s chief executive officer, Kelly O’Sullivan, says that the company’s charity work is part of its “do good, be good” ethos, saying: “I couldn’t be prouder of how far we’ve come or more excited about where we are heading next.” The BPIF has released findings it has gathered about the estimated gender, age, and ethnicity breakdown of the print industry alongside other descriptive statistics. In its report, the BPIF described the difficulty it had in gathering relevant, detailed, and accurate data that is entirely specific to the printing industry. By cross-referencing data from The ONS, the federation was able to build what it has labelled as “best estimates” that can help to depict the landscape of the industry. According to the research, the industry is 70% male, and 30% female which aligns more closely to the general manufacturing industry which is currently 72% male, and 28% female. The average age of the UK working population over 16 in 2024 is 42.3, while the average age in the printing industry in 2024 was calculated at 43.4. In terms of ethnicity, 84.0% of the total UK workforce is categorised as White. Comparatively, the printing industry is 88.2% White, according to the BPIF report. The new narrative aiming to promote print’s power BPIF reveals diversity statistics for UK print By Jonathan Pert By Jonathan Pert Woodridge Primary School in Barnet was one of the schools which received reel-ends Webmart is headquartered in Bicester, Oxfordshire The BPIF report gives an estimated breakdown of the UK workforce by ethnicity, age, and gender By Jonathan Pert By Jonathan Pert
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