Leal Wright, Business Development Manager of the Flexographic Technical Association of South Africa (FTASA), has had a long-standing career in the printing industry, which he continues to maintain. He discusses technology trends, the status of skills development and more.
‘Few industries have reinvented themselves as dramatically as printing, and I’ve had a front-row seat for nearly four decades. I have been most fortunate to experience first-hand the enormous changes that have taken place in the printing industry over almost 40 years,’ he said.
Technology
I began my printing career as General Manager of a traditional commercial printer, an original Johannesburg print shop founded in 1913. Our staff included people skilled in letterpress and typesetting, some of whom recalled taking the mail ship to England to procure paper and returning with it on board.
At the time, printed products were produced using lithography (primarily books and commercial print), screen printing for outdoor and non-absorbent substrates, and gravure for magazines and packaging. A seismic shift was signalled at drupa in the early 1990s, when Indigo unveiled the first commercially viable digital press.
While lithographic printing had to adapt to compete with this new technology, gravure gradually gave way to an increasingly competitive flexographic process.
Diminishing And Disappearing Products
At the same time, many traditional printed products began to disappear. Our large business forms division experienced boom years as manual form sets (invoices, delivery notes, etc.) evolved into multipart sets required by emerging business computer systems.
However, the electronic era led to the decline, and eventual disappearance, of items such as cheque books, credit card multipart sets, and promotional mailers. The business forms market all but vanished. The newsprint industry has declined more slowly, although that trend continues.
Work Skills
Alongside these shifts, craft-based skills were steadily replaced by IT-enabled printing processes. Automatic plate loading, instant register on first pull, and metered ink dispensing became standard.
As proud print professionals (those with ‘ink in their veins’ and often under their fingernails) began to retire, the demand for traditional, skills-based training diminished. In many respects, deskilling became the norm, and the industry lost individuals with deep knowledge of ink technology, chemistry, and print engineering.
There was hope that these technological advances would attract a younger generation, drawn by the increasing reliance on IT and digitisation. Unfortunately, this has not materialised to the extent many had anticipated.
Digital Era And New Opportunities
Unsurprisingly, the decline in traditional markets was followed by the emergence of new opportunities. Commercial printers embraced digital technologies, enabling services such as print-on-demand and ultra-short runs, even down to a single copy.
Screen printing also transitioned into the digital space, revolutionising large format applications such as signage, décor, textiles, and the rapidly growing vehicle wrap market.
Security printing and ballot papers have helped sustain certain press capacities, while sophisticated inline and offline finishing capabilities are now standard.
The growth of e-commerce has also had a profound impact. Demand for courier packaging, cartons, and home delivery solutions, such as paper bags and boxes, has surged.
Industry Bodies
While technology, markets, and products have evolved dramatically, one constant has been the value of industry organisations. I have always supported their role, and they have contributed significantly to my own professional development.
I served two terms as President of Printing SA, continue to serve on the Finance Committee of FESPA (the international screen printing federation), and am currently Business Development Manager of FTASA. These roles have provided valuable professional relationships and a strong platform for industry insight.
Beyond addressing industry challenges and facilitating networking, these organisations play a vital role in advancing technical and business training. In an increasingly globalised and digitised marketplace, where national borders are less of a barrier, South African printers must invest continuously in skills development to remain competitive and to capitalise on export opportunities.
I greatly look forward to observing, and participating in, the continued evolution of this dynamic industry.
FTASA
https://ftasa.org.za
