Trade printers remain an important part of the modern print landscape. Here, Rob Fletcher explores how they are helping businesses expand their offering, increase capacity, and meet changing customer demands TRADE PRINTERS: STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Trade printing has long played an important role in the wider print industry. The companies provide a way for businesses to offer products and services without necessarily having to produce everything themselves. While the model is nothing new, changes in technology, customer expectations, and the range of work available are reshaping what trade printers can offer. For print companies, the attraction is fairly straightforward. Rather than investing in every piece of equipment required to fulfil a particular job, they can call on a specialist partner when the work falls outside their own capabilities. This can mean accessing everything from specialist finishing and wide-format production to packaging, textiles, and other applications – all without the cost and complexity of bringing that work in-house. At the same time, trade printers are operating in an increasingly competitive market. Fast turnaround, consistent quality, and dependable service are essential, while technology is opening the door to greater levels of automation and a broader range of applications. For those supplying the trade, the challenge is not simply producing the work – it is making themselves a reliable extension of their customers’ businesses. ‘Massive’ Industry Shift One trade printer that has seen significant growth in recent years is Solopress. Jane Wickens, head of marketing at Solopress, says there has been a “massive shift” in the print industry in general over the past few years, with outsourcing work having become much easier. “I’ll be honest and say about five or six years ago, there was stagnation in the industry,” she says, continuing: “The recovery from Covid-19, cash flow issues, and rising energy and raw material costs unfortunately led to the demise of many print businesses. Sadly, we are still seeing a bit of that today. 43 www.printmonthly.co.uk Issue 363 - November | December 2026 TRADE PRINTERS | ROB FLETCHER
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