COMMENT
Looking back and forward The past 12 months have proven to be another mixed bag for the print sector but there is still cause for optimism going forward in to 2023.
As the year comes to an end, it is a good time to reflect on another 12 months that have not gone as expected. Back in January – and it seems like a long time ago, somehow – COVID restrictions were still very much in force as yet another wave of the virus swept the country. But then, the wave passed, restrictions were loosened and something approaching normal life returned, which was welcome news for the print sector as it meant more people returned to the office. But then came other curveballs, such as Russia invading Ukraine, which helped to push up inflation and energy prices, which were already on the up, and helped to lay the ground for a cost-of-living crisis the like of which hasn’t been seen for a generation and is now affecting many businesses across the country. That said, there have been many positive aspects for the sector. For instance, demand for label printers has continued to increase as more people buy from online retailers – and this is set to continue for the foreseeable future. The range of products is expanding, and the technology developing so they do more than ever. You can read more about that on page 44. We have more perspectives on 2022, and the major trends in the sector from a range of commentators, starting on page 32.
Elsewhere in this issue, there is an in-depth look at the issues of printer security among small- and medium-sized businesses. Cyber criminals are becoming ever-more sophisticated, and it means that, with the increase in connected devices in businesses now, there are more routes for them to attack a business. Those who run SMEs cannot be complacent and think that a cyberattack cannot happen to them, and must keep everything secure, including their printers – and there are range of solutions that can be deployed. Read more on page 26. In our regular business intelligence piece, the trends in the scanner market are analysed. For more on that, go to page 50. But what will happen in 2023? As the past few years have shown, making predictions is very difficult, but nevertheless we will be doing that in our next issue, which will be out in January. As this is our final issue of this year, I wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year, and I’m looking forward to bringing you the latest news and in-depth features covering the whole of the print sector in 2023. I hope you enjoy the issue. As always, if there are any topics you would like to see covered in Print in the Channel in 2023, or you wanted to get involved in the editorial or advertising, please contact me at dan@printinthechannel.com .
Dan Parton
printinthechannel.co.uk
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