2016: Present day review of wide format digital print

If there had to be one word to sum up where the digital wide format sector is today, ‘diversification’ would undoubtedly be it. A look at the multitude of ways in which wide format digital print is being used demonstrates this perfectly. From printing onto metal, ceramics and glass through to laminates, wood and even textiles – digital print today is in use for far more than ‘traditional’ wide format print uses such as banners, posters, signage and billboards.

While digital print’s suitability for quick turnaround times, short runs and versioning or personalisation are proving increasingly popular for wide format graphics applications, it is in applications such as garment printing, decals and printed electronics where it is really coming into its own. Respondents in the 2015 FESPA Print Census also reported an increase in demand for textile printing for both garments and décor, as well as packaging samples.

A look at the spectrum of print businesses that responded to the 2015 FESPA Print Census is also indicative of how diverse the community of wide format digital print users has become. While 62% of respondents were either printers or signmakers, 8% were industrial manufacturers, 7% were graphic designers and 5% were advertising agencies.

The evolution of wide format digital print technology has been a significant driver behind a great deal of the diversification we’re seeing at the moment. Developments in inkjet technology in particular, have led to rapid adoption of digital print in new areas such as interior decoration. If you look at an application such as ceramic tile printing, for example, around two thirds of decorated tiles are now being printed using inkjet technology. Similarly, more than half of respondents to the 2015 FESPA Print Census expect digital garment printing to become an important alternative to traditional screen printing within the next two years.

Digital textile printing is certainly an increasingly dominant application within the wide format digital print sector. Since introducing the Digital Textile Conference in 2008 to push the boundaries of wide format digital print innovation in textile applications, we have seen both attendance at the conference and participation in the market segment grow at an impressive rate. Around 650 million square metres of fabric were digitally printed between mid-2013 and mid-2014, while digitally printed garments grew at a rate of 22% during this period. For 2016 we have re-branded FESPA Fabric to FESPA Textile to demonstrate the many different areas, from garments, to interiors, banners and beyond, digital textile printing covers. This event, running alongside FESPA Digital 2016 will  showcase the potential and opportunities available for digital textile printing.

Digital printing for corporate, hospitality and home interiors is also seeing substantial growth. With the growth and improvement of flatbed technology since the early 2000s, there has been something of a surge in applications such as kitchen splashbacks and decorated glass panes for corporate interiors. Wall graphics and personalised wallpaper are also growing in popularity for use in corporate environments, with some print providers even investigating selling direct to consumers too.

With all of these opportunities open to them, business owners are understandably very optimistic about the future. However, their optimism is also rooted in commercial success and revenue growth – on average, they experienced a 7% CAGR for digital wide format work from 2007 to 2015.

At FESPA we’re proud of the role that FESPA Digital has played in showcasing innovation and providing inspiration for the wide format digital print sector over the past 10 years. As we gear up for the 2016 iteration of the event back in Amsterdam, from 8 -11 March 2016, it’s increasingly clear that the dominant trend at the show will mirror the one we’re seeing in the industry – diversification.

For more information on FESPA Digital 2016 and to register to attend, visit: www.fespadigital.com. For free entry use code ADOX0702.

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