From printed matters to information distribution New strategies in the Graphic Arts industry

Since the start of digitalization and the introduction of electronic medias suitable for publishing, i.e., the Internet, the printing industry has been struggling to find business models that can survive under these new conditions. Their main strategy up until now has been to find the niches where traditional printing matter is still unthreatened. Another strategy has been to approach the interactive electronic medias and personalize the printed matter with the help of digital printing presses, e.g., print-on-demand and personalized printing. However, long-term survival will demand a broader perspective. Far-sighted printing companies are therefore developing strategies that radically redefine their business. This paper discusses the reasoning behind the new strategies and presents a case study of a printing company that is transforming its activities from traditional printing into multi-channel production and information distribution.