Awards showcase the future of print in India

Something very rewarding transpired on jury day during the PrintWeek India Awards. During coffee and cigarette breaks, there were discussions with 21 jury members about how our industry is being impacted by the onslaught of change.

A common theme was, how do present-day technologies, products and services fit into a bigger picture as the India print industry evolves.

Ten of the themes were:

1. An industry survey. A comprehensive analysis of the print market. This study should assess the market by product category (for eg, books, packaging), and forecast the growth over the next five years.
2. A starter's guide to print which includes best practices that provide an overview of the market for printing, the technologies involved, design issues and case studies, and strategies for print firms and buyers.
3. My press is faster than yours – and the lowest bid leads to disaster. Service, quality, and price are a benchmark in selecting a print firm. But rarely do we know how to benchmark a benchmark. An initiative whereby print buyers can see first-hand one or more special niches in which a print firm's experience and equipment make them excel.
4. One man's Gracol is another man's Ugra. A handbook with a series of technical essays on why print firms and buyers should standardise colour; and how they don't.
5. A white paper that provides characteristics of what should be considered while investing. For eg: static v/s variable v/s offset "shells"; offset v/s digital; toner v/s inkjet; and production technology v/s marketing strategy?
6. Print 2020 which offers multiple scenarios about the future of print and the implications of these scenarios. It's not about technological "wildcards" but real-time case-studies.
7. The brave new world is scary. Most commercial print companies are encountering an increasing level of competition from new methods. And yet, most firms don't use an accounting and costing system. A costing formula that provides costing solutions in a clear and concise manner ...
8. How value-added is value-added? ... When every company offers pre-press services, graphic design, creative services, web design, cross-media, large-format printing, digital-asset management, VDP, 1:1 marketing and mailing operations and distribution.
9. Is print green? How to look beyond recycled paper and environmental certifications and recycled paper and solar power and internal recycling and energy reduction programs on the shopfloor? Which are the valid certifications, and green practices for a print process?
10. A forum whereby printers and buyers can remain in touch. This can be in real time and even websites, blogs, e-mails, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and sms.

The above ten themes (and there were many more good ideas) constitute a wish list.

The good news is, at PrintWeek India we have begun work on some of this.