This sector of the printer business is “holding firm in the face of Brexit fears”.
Print Week reported that after article 50 was invoked by Theresa May Rudi Blackett, Director of Sign and Digital UK portfolio said that its business as usual for its show and commented: “New products are always a big part of the show and I don’t think Brexit can really allow the industry to slow down. It’s fast-moving, nobody can stop because stopping becomes a serious issue, so business goes on as we know it.”
Mike Horsten, HP Inc, Large Format Sales Manager, EMEA, agreed and said that there were opportunities for the market: “If you look at the market with Brexit coming up, there’s a lot of print going on, there’s a lot of wallpaper going on, there’s going to be a bigger internal market than ever before. I see a lot of opportunities for the graphics industry and I think it’s going to be very positive for the graphics market in general.”
This year’s show at the NEC in March showed positive signs in the industry with 5,350 visitors viewing the machinery and new technology from all over the world with seminars over the three days with some of the main players from the industry exhibiting their new products.
Phil McMullin, Sales Manager for Epson, said: “This show is absolutely integral and critically important to us as we leverage some of the $2m (£1.6m) a year we spend on R&D into this arena.” Despite Brexit being set in motion “new products were to be found in every corner of the halls” and Ben Woodruff, Head of National Sales for Inktec made “two major sales of the £3.2million ($3.9/€3.7 million) flatbed”.
Phil Oakley, UK Regional Manager for large format, HP Inc, said: “The people that use the technology keep coming up with new uses for it, keep reinventing large-format in a way. That’s what is beautiful about this industry.”
The industry is ignoring “any Brexit blues” and looking forward to next months show at Fespa.