17 www.printmonthly.co.uk November | December 2026 - Issue 363 Print.com launches first print platform within ChatGPT European print platform, Print.com, has launched its own plugin in ChatGPT, which reportedly makes it the first print platform where an AI assistant offers suggestions that are ready to order. The plugin is available free of charge to all Print.com customers, working on both the free and paid versions of ChatGPT. Users can use the plugin to directly ask about Print. com orders, with the AI assistant laying out order options and useful information based on the user’s own Print.com account. Available information includes prices and delivery times, which paper types and production methods meet the customer’s deadline, what the rush surcharge is for each day delivery is moved forward, and which configuration provides the best value for money. The plugin then provides a shareable link that lets users place their order directly in the Print.com web app. With the ChatGPT plugin, Print. com customers can browse and search the full Print.com catalogue in both the desktop and mobile app, searching by themes including weatherproof products for an outdoor festival, or recycled materials for a sustainable event. Daan de Jong, AI lead at Print.com, says: “The strength of our platform is that there are practically endless configurations possible. That’s immediately the challenge too: how do you land on exactly the right proposal for your customer? “Over the past months, we’ve made billions of possible specifications readable for AI. This is not just for ChatGPT, but as MCP: the open standard that lets any AI assistant connect to our platform. This plugin is only the beginning.” According to Print.com, AI is opening up a new phase for the business. A comparable plugin for Claude is currently under review, with feedback from the customers of the ChatGPT plugin set to play an active part in shaping the technology further. Lucas Baarspul, chief of strategy and co-founder of Print.com, adds: "A growing share of all print questions will start with an AI assistant. We want that question to land on a real specification, not a guess. With our own production sites and more than 200 print partners, we know what can be produced where, tomorrow. Our customers now have access to that same knowledge, with nothing more than a simple prompt.” By Jonathan Pert SOFTWARE | NEWS Solopress launches new Forge trade print platform UK-based online commercial printer, Solopress, has launched Forge, a new trade print platform for verified printers, resellers, brokers, and print managers. First unveiled at The Print Show 2026, Forge has been developed to address challenges in trade print including how to quote more work, protect margins, and access supplier capacity without relying on public ecommerce product pages or exposing trade pricing. Available only to approved trade customers, Forge gives members access to exclusive pricing that is not visible publicly. Users can apply their own margin, generate branded quotations, and order through Solopress production, using the company’s scale and capacity as an extension of their own business. Solopress has reported a strong response from trade customers at The Print Show, especially those interested in faster quoting, exclusive trade pricing, and a more direct route into Solopress production. Simon Cooper, chief executive officer at Solopress, says: “Online print has been shaped for more than a quarter of a century by product pages, search engines, and ecommerce journeys built for general buyers. That model has worked very well, but it does not always reflect the way many professional print buyers need to source, quote, and order work. “Forge gives verified trade customers a different route. They can start with the spec or the artwork, access exclusive trade pricing, build quotes quickly, and order through Solopress production while keeping control of their customer relationship. The response at The Print Show confirmed how strongly that need is felt across the trade.” Forge hosts a range of customisable promotional products beyond those offered publicly on the Solopress website, as well as offering built-in artwork tools that can help users identify potential file issues before ordering. The platform can support both spec-first and artwork-first ordering, with trade customers able to build jobs from practical print requirements such as size, stock, finish, and quantity. Forge can also automatically identify the product and specification from the artwork file. Orders placed through Forge are produced by Solopress, with white label fulfilment available so that trade customers can supply their clients without Solopress branding appearing in the delivery. Graham Hunstone, head of partnerships at Solopress, adds: “One of the most powerful things about Forge is that it lets printers and resellers keep their customer, keep their brand, and decide their own selling price and margin, while having Solopress production behind them. “For approved trade customers, there is no licence fee, no monthly subscription, and no setup charge. Forge gives them a way to use our production capability almost like their own production hub, whether they need to quote faster, take on work beyond their own kit, or support customers with a broader print offer.” By Jonathan Pert [L to R] Graham Hunstone, head of partnerships, and Simon Cooper, CEO at Solopress Print.com is already exploring plugins for other AI assistants including Claude
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