Signs of the Times - Black Book 2020 - 31

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Industry TRENDS

Top 5 Wide Format
Predictions and
Trends for 2020

2. Customer Expectations Continue to Increase

Now that we have offered an overview of the current wide format
printing market and its likely growth trajectory, here are the top
trends that KPI expects to shape the market in the coming year.
1.

Revenues from Wide Format Are Expected to Increase
In a 2019 survey conducted collaboratively with KPI and Big
Picture magazine print service providers revealed that 43%
of their revenue derives from wide format printing. With
increased usability, production speeds and the wide range
of application opportunities in wide format, we expect this
percentage to grow in the coming years.

Today's customers are demanding more from their service
providers than ever before. PSPs are expecting their customers'
demands for a wide variety of features to increase over
time. This is particularly the case for faster turnaround,
shorter print runs, and just-in-time manufacturing.
Requirements for faster turnaround times, shorter print runs,
and higher levels of customization/personalization are driving
manufacturers to develop products and workflow tools that
can deliver quickly while still being flexible enough to accommodate ever-changing demands. Service providers understand
that they must keep up with the "speed of now," and this will
become a key priority in all segments of the market. Moving
forward, the most sought-after software and hardware
products will enable users to complete jobs that are easily
customizable without slowing down overall production.

Source: Big Picture/KPI 2019 Wide Format Application +
Utilization Survey

43%

of revenue from
wide format

Many PSPs are expanding into wide format printing as they
strive to grow their market share and generate additional
revenues in today's increasingly competitive marketplace.
Hardware costs have come down even as capabilities have
increased, so wide format printing applications are more
accessible than they have ever been before. Wide format is
a particularly attractive industry segment because some of
its categories are still experiencing healthy growth, and
businesses that are already producing wide format expect
their revenues from it to increase in the future.

3. Workflow Automation Will Become a Focal Point
Although traditional wide format PSPs have been slow to
implement automation into their workflows, new market
segments are embracing options like web-to-print, automated
queue nesting, production tracking, and invoicing. These
days, it is quite simple to track down a provider of stickers,
wall coverings, décor, or signage with a basic Internet
search, and prospective customers have many options to
choose from. An automated workflow can speed turnaround
time while also delivering the often-elusive positive experience
that all customers demand from their providers.
As wide format applications become even more commoditized,
more and more PSPs will work to execute automated workflows
so they can remain profitable while producing an ever-widening
array of applications. Today's workflow tools must enable
customers to efficiently make purchasing decisions, customize
their graphics, and have their product shipped to them in a
timely manner-usually within 24 hours. Furthermore, an
on-the-go mentality and the ubiquitous nature of mobile
devices require all these capabilities to be accessible from
convenient platforms like laptops, tablets, or smartphones.
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Signs of the Times - Black Book 2020

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