Growing wide calls for careful planning – Print21 magazine feature
From outdoor signage to indoor point-of-sale, it’s hard to ignore the growth in wide format printing in the commercial print market. But how do you get the best business outcomes for your customers? Pankaj Gupta at Fuji Xerox Australia provides some important tips.
With many traditional print providers looking at ways of diversifying and improving their product offering to their customer base, wide format print is one consideration.
The wide format print market place has shown growth even during tough economic times. In fact, the Australian market is forecast to show a CAGR of 3.4 per cent between 2010 and 2015 (Infotrends report February 2011). The out-of-home (OOH) advertising industry has experienced 5 per cent growth so far in 2011 and reported a 19 per cent growth for the 2010 financial year (Outdoor Media Association media release).
Demand for wide format printing has expanded from just architectural drawings and engineering designs, and today’s wide format printers need to understand the marketing potential of their solution. They must also recognise the need for investing in the right tools for the job.
For a commercial printer considering the investment, it’s about more than just acquiring the best printing equipment itself. It’s also about being prepared to 
educate a new type of customer, based on their printing needs. What seems basic to those of us in the industry won’t necessarily be obvious to first-time small business operators.
For example, ink technology makes an enormous difference to the quality of output and impact of the material. Aqueous (or water-based) ink is ideally used for indoor print applications and provides a high quality, high impact output. However, in order to be used in an outdoor environment, the output needs to be laminated, adding more time and cost to the process. Eco-solvent inks are UV and weather resistant and ideal for outdoor advertising while providing high quality output.
Focus on the media
Getting the right equipment and right ink is just part of the story. By investing in good processing software, commercial printers can move from average output to high quality, high impact colour-critical marketing material. This is where you can differentiate your services from other vendors.
Take the time to focus on explaining the different media and substrates. It’s often a classic case of ‘you get what you pay for’. Sacrificing on stock quality can ruin an otherwise excellent piece of work. Be prepared to demonstrate how poor quality stock can lead to uneven absorption, spotting and smudging.
The most popular print substrates for long-term outdoor graphics are banners and self-adhesive vinyl (SAV). The right print solution will also have the capability of printing onto other substrates such as films, papers, textiles and other specialty substrates.
Most media manufacturers provide new and innovative media suitable for printing with eco-solvent print solutions, but going with a total solution provider will ensure your chosen substrates are colour profiled to achieve the best results possible. Other substrates can include wall coverings, brick vinyls, static clings, window films, canvas, floor graphic films and many more.
Last but not least, how will you finish the job? Laminators and cutting equipment are a critical part of the investment and, as with everything, understanding the kind of work your customers need and expect will influence your decisions. Plan your business and make your investments according to your strategy.
Fast track to market
Working with a total solution provider can remove complexities, shorten the learning curve and reduce time to market. Fuji Xerox Australia provides a total solution including professional and knowledgeable account management, colour expertise, media and finishing expertise, user training, same-day service and support, flexible investment options and ProfitAccelerator tools to get you on the right track quickly.
Fuji Xerox’s ProfitAccelerator is tool kit of business resources to help you effectively plan your entry into wide format printing. It is part of Fuji Xerox’s ongoing initiative to build and maintain strong relationships with our customers—and it will help you to do the same with yours.
educate a new type of customer, based on their printing needs. What seems basic to those of us in the industry won’t necessarily be obvious to first-time small business operators.