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September 20, 2006
Life on the other side
I've covered the commercial printing industry as a journalist for a lot of years, and I've ridden its ups and downs during that time. From the explosion of desktop publishing in the late '80s to the introduction of digital printing in the early '90s to the hype of computer-to-plate (CTP) technology in the mid '90s and the dot-com craziness around the end of the millennium, I've watched it all. But the last few years have brought a more sobering change in commercial printing as the number of printers has dropped significantly, with firms either merging or folding in the face of very tough competition. Printing industry trade shows such as On Demand, Graph Expo, and others have dropped from their peaks in 2000 and 2001 as the market works to establish its new reality.
Since taking on my new responsibilities with CMM last fall, I've been out attending as many shows and conferences as I can to learn the market and meet the players. I immediately noticed a big difference in the mood and energy at events in the converting and packaging space, no doubt because of the stability and growth that lie ahead. Commercial printing faces challenges from all other media, but on the converting and packaging side, those issues don't exist. The market will never deliver a box of cereal online, or a bag of chips via a mobile device, or a cardboard box on a CD. Products will always need to be packaged, and the production of those packages will continue to demand technological advancement because the package has become more important than ever in the success of the product.
Last week's LabelExpo was evidence of the market's vitality. Attendees covered the floor and exhibitors had a host of new products to show, resulting in what seemed to be a successful event for all. I think I'm going to like it over here.
- Keith Hevenor
Editorial/Conference Director
CMM International
Posted by khevenor at September 20, 2006 11:30 AM
