Widthwise 2025
original primary concern. Tis want to convert to UV inks
could be indicative of the second main concern, which is colour management. 18% expressed it as a problem, with one respondent suggesting: “Te quality of inks has dropped, there is a greater reliance on laminating”, while another said: “I feel that water-based printing is going to be made redundant very soon.” With the market losing faith in older ink
formulations, many may try other options. Tis is also further backed by more than half of those surveyed confirming they owned a laminator, which, if the previous respondent is correct, would be getting a lot of use. With so many businesses already owning
one, it would explain the lack of surveyors needing to invest in one, but despite how common a UV curable printer is, 32% of respondents were still in the market for one. Yet one area of tech still to make an
impact is AI. According to the results, only a quarter of companies are actively investing in it, with 11% showing any intention of doing so. It seems there isn’t much desire for it, and as it becomes more commonplace, more
companies may end up with it, not out of want or necessity, but because it comes as standard with an upgraded piece of kit. Tis could mean they end up integrating
AI function into their day-to-day, but it could also mean there are large parts of these new printers not otherwise utilised. Tere is also a large number of businesses
not looking to invest at all. 38% of respondents were in this boat, which could be due to the aforementioned turnover growth being at a minimum, leaving little room for it, but also many respondents explained that the quality of machines is running better and longer than before. One said: “Te machines have become
so good that it is getting harder to innovate. What I am waiting for are interchangeable Pantone toners.” Another commented: “Plenty of
manufacturers are coming up with new machines that claim to be better, but they’re not. “I’m running a machine that is 15 years
old, and it still does the job. Not all the new machines are offering anything great in terms of method or speed.” It would therefore suggest any future
investment would only be possible if companies saw an important need to. Whether that be to diversify into new markets or increase throughput, or if it gave the benefits of automation to the manufacturing process, like one respondent said: “We can use our machines to produce large amounts of work without the need for lots of staff.” Any upgrade in technology is seemingly
irrelevant if it cannot effectively integrate into the working lives of these businesses. New toys are only wanted if they are helpful with many, preferably looking to make better use of the kit they have and use it more efficiently. Tere is still a want to invest in this kit,
but because so many machines run at similar speeds and offer similar specs, the need to do so will always boil down to how well the new kit integrates into the workflow and which one offers the most accessibility. Like the PlayStation, it’s not about the
best numbers or latest upgrades, but more about its convenience to daily life, how it integrates without compromise, and how much use can be made of it without needing other equipment.
Colour management Machine reliability
Consumables (ink and media) reliability Print speed Output quality Other
Is your company investing in the Internet of Things (AI/ automation/ remote diagnostics etc)
No Yes
75% 25%
If no, does your company intend to invest in the Internet of Things in the year ahead?
No Yes
10 | Widthwise 2025 |
www.imagereportsmag.co.uk 87% 13%
What is the biggest technological issue your company faces? 26%
18% 12%
9% 8%
6% 21%
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
