Offset Is Down But Not Out

What’s It All Mean?

In some ways, the discussion of which technologies are on the rise or in decline misses the point. In our market segment, offset is declining, digital is growing, and digital inkjet is emerging, but let’s not forget that all of these technologies are about putting marks on paper. Almost without exception, industry experts say that success for today’s printer involves much more than putting marks on paper.

NAPL’s last Strategic Perspective report outlined the situation that, in reality, applies to printers of all sizes. “Many of us have the same idea: Get out of the commodity business by offering a range of services—particularly services that support personalized, targeted communication and online applications—under one roof. The reality, as many who have pursued the one-stop value proposition have learned, is that when we add services without integrating them into a value proposition that makes our clients more successful for doing business with us, we are no more protected from commoditization than we were when offering ink-on-paper alone.”

In other words, it isn’t so much about how your produce something, but about how whatever product or service you provide helps your customers prosper.