Sitting writing this I am cruising somewhere above the channel on my way to Eindhoven and a tour of Hollanders Printing Systems. Having made a sizeable splash at the recent FESPA exhibition in Munich, they specialise in the development and manufacture of wide-format textile printing systems and inks. And, 'why are you telling me this?' I hear you say. Well, it is no secret that the good ship Sign Industry has been tossed and turned in a hurricane of digital communication technologies and the worst financial crisis since the great depression. Almost universally, those who have come through the eye of the storm have one thing in common—they diversified their products and services when the going was still good.

So, back to Hollanders and my point. Specifically, it has developed technology that allows your medium to large-sized sign-making operation to make the move into the rapidly expanding sector of ‘soft signage’ and textile printing, opening up a horizon of new products from promotional point-of-sale graphics for huge retail chains, through short-runs of material for branded clothing, to flags. 

Increasing numbers of business owners realise the potential of setting up a new wing of their company that can utilise their spare production capacity and the skills of their staff, when it comes to everything from colour management to print finishing”

One of the family owned company’s core demographics is sign-makers and specialist wide-format print houses. This is because increasing numbers of business owners realise the potential of setting up a new wing of their company that can utilise their spare production capacity and the skills of their staff, when it comes to everything from colour management to print finishing. Indeed, the latest raft of digital front ends and automation on today's wide-format presses makes production like child's play when compared to the recent past. And hence a day trip to try and really understand the potential of this technology, and how it can be sustainably as well as profitably integrated into a modern sign business.  With this in mind, and having hiked the halls at shows such as the aforementioned FESPA and Sign and Digital UK, it is becoming increasingly clear to me that our industry has a clear and bright horizon ahead of it, as long as it moves with the tide.

ddd

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