Picpress’ new consumer business NuShots, as well as Sydney-based Momento both had stands at the PMA Imaging Expo, held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre on 23-26 June.

Momento marketing manager David Watson said that while other sections of the printing industry are declining, the average revenue per photobook has gone up considerably over the last few years.

“We have been operating for seven years and we have been growing the whole time. We will be continuing to grow into the future,” he said.

“The Australian market still has a huge amount of growth potential, and the nature of the photobook is changing as consumers are now looking for a more premium product.”

Nu Shots executive director Michael Warshall said the growth in photobook popularity could drive the company to expand its fleet beyond its HP Indigo 5500.

“We used the expo as a means of educating the emerging consumer market,” he said.

“As digital SLR’s become more affordable, it becomes a lot easier for people to take their own high-quality photos and people are learning that a well-printed photobook looks just as good as a traditional photo.”

Meanwhile, HP used the expo to launch its ML2000D Minilab printer, which is designed to help retailers grow their creative photo offerings.

Mark Loosschilder, retail publishing solutions category manager, Imaging and Printing Group, HP South Pacific, said: “The launch of the Photosmart ML2000D Minilab printer enables retailers to benefit from return on investment in under two years when printing photobooks, calendars, cards and other personalised creative products, beyond the usual 4×6 prints.”

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