Once more, I feel compelled to write about the future of digital print in the general market, as well as in the book industry. PIA/GATF has put out some helpful information this year, which we would do well to internalize.
In their recent "Focus on the Future", a front page article began with, "Just in case anyone might still be wondering . . . digital printing is here to stay." Why do I think, then, that many of us ARE still wondering, or, like the electronic book, hoping, that it all goes away?
In an article by Andrew Fetherman, he quotes Gilles Biscos of Interquest who says overall digital print volume will grow 20-30% annually. We might say OK, it won't be in books, but Gilles says digital book print will grow annually by 26%. Yes, it is a small number now, but at 26% per year, it won't take long to become a big one.
We know publishers are being squeezed from all directions - their owners, their suppliers, and their customers. Yet it is amazing to some of us how stringently they're fighting back. They want to lower inventory, reduce the risk of obsolescence, pay less, improve title longevity, and have product faster. These wants/needs play directly into digital print.
Meanwhile, the digital industry continues to improve its offerings in quality and workflows. Color is better, the front end more streamlined, proofing is easier, and schedules are completed in less and less time. Additionally, web-to-print solutions are being promoted by the Digital Print Council (DPC).
This all adds up to our future looking different, much different. It very well could be so different some of us may not recognize it at all.
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