McIlroy--New Year, New Media Trends

Digital Printing
The big news in 1997 was that several companies started making a real profit on digital printing. Obviously not all companies—probably not even most—but enough companies started succeeding that we could state that digital printing can be profitable.

But it's very hard work. I think the industry has now realized that there is no pent-up demand for customized printing, and not much enthusiasm for short runs generally. The direct print customers are developed slowly and painstakingly by innovative, imaginative and determined entrepreneurs. (The big printers, like R.R. Donnelley and Moore, have not been very successful to date in this market.)