The future is short and now; print runs
The future is short-run printing; Gareth Ward
Gareth Ward, Editorial Director of The Print Business reports:
“The recession and the possibilities of developing technology are combining to drive print runs lower and lower. It is a trend that has been underway for many years. This how sales of he Radio Times have fallen the last 30 years for example, but with marketing departments looking to save money and to buy effectively, it has taken on more urgency and gained a lethally sharp edge. No sector of the industry is immune. From direct mail to magazines and newspapers, print runs are tumbling. A new book today may have an initial print run of the like not seen since Gutenberg’s day.
Article continues here (The Print Business).
We once had the honor, oh I guess it was drupa 2000, to have Gareth stay with us on a Rhine river boat we hired. Basically, when Gareth speaks, the print industry generally listens and his editorial piece here seems to be spot on.
Shorter print-runs does not have to mean less profit and even could offer more opportunity by offering better quality (nudge, nudge; preflight!), coupled with more services. A print document is only one form of the content used in that file.
