We Are All Responsible At the time Johannes Gutenberg started printing with movable type around 1440/50 the number of books in Europe could be counted in the thousands. 50 years later there were more than nine million books available. Gutenberg was dead by then, but I wonder how much he felt the weight of responsibility as a printer who changed the world. As printing spread across Europe most printers were also publishers, selecting and editing the scripts they would print and heavily influencing academic and religious thought for years to come. What a responsibility! Today, almost 600 years later, we as enablers of print also have a massive responsibility. I’m talking about all of us – equipment manufacturers, consumable suppliers, consultants, PR and marketing types, designers, and many more – not forgetting print service providers (PSPs) themselves. As modern ambassadors of print, just like Gutenberg, we also carry a burden of responsibility – for hopes and dreams, for truth and justice, and for life itself! You’re Getting Carried Away I can hear you now, dear reader, as you start to think that I’ve turned up the dial on hyperbole way over 11. “We’re just inky fingered printers after all.” But you’re doing yourself an injustice. Think about the individuals, industries, and causes that rely on the print industry. Artists and authors come to us to deliver a permanent representation of their creativity. Fundraisers and entrepreneurs rely on us to further their cause. Teachers and students ask us to provide the tools for learning, examination, and certification. Plus, builders, town planners, and event organisers need us to direct individuals and crowds and keep them safe And, yes, it really is a matter of life and death. Remove print from packaging and witness the chaos in retail as food, drug, and cosmetic products kill off 20% We all have a lot in common with Johannes Gutenberg – other than the fact we’re all awesome print dudes says Mark Stephenson Mark Stephenson began his 48-year career in the print industry at the age of 16, working as a letterpress compositor. Following a few ‘wilderness years’ of employment outside of print, He then returned to the industry in 1989, supplying Apple Macintosh to designers, repro houses, and printers. In the mid-1990s, he became a Fujifilm customer, working as marketing manager for a chain of professional photographic labs. He went on to work across various roles within Fujifilm Graphic Systems from 1999 until starting his own promotions business in early 2026. of confused consumers. What else would you like to add to the list? Ballot Papers? Democracy itself is at risk! (I’m not sure that even the greatest print campaign could save us from this one.) Just Look Around You The next time you walk across a print shop floor, take some time to absorb the creativity, visual stimuli, and even the beauty of the print that surrounds you. Artworkers, platemakers, press people, and finishers are not just production staff – they’re turning dreams and aspirations of artists and authors into reality. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK 55 www.printmonthly.co.uk Issue 362 - September | October 2026 Remove print from packaging and witness the chaos in retail as food, drug, and cosmetic products kill off 20% of confused consumers ▲Stained glass mural of Johannes Gutenberg from the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz
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