This article appeared in the March 2025 issue of Australian Printer, authored by Imagination Graphics’ Emmanuel Buhagiar

2024 was a very ordinary year at best, with several companies calling it “a terrible year” as interest rates, along with the cost of utilities, materials, and wages all continued to rise.

It was a challenging year, especially from a profitability standpoint. From a print service provider’s perspective, we had to increase prices to survive but were unable to escalate prices to the extent of what was required. I found many companies had to dip into their savings just to keep their heads above water.

To counter these challenges, many companies had to revise their operational costs, look at their overheads, and try to reduce them as much as possible. This was an unfortunate but necessary move to keep business going.

Imagination Graphics, too, was affected by this. We had to revise the number of staff working at our site in 2024 and sadly, made some staff reductions. We also ramped up our advertising investment in trade magazines, offering some of our long-standing clients incentives if they print extra volumes with Imagination, or print them earlier than they normally would.

Having gone through the troughs in 2024, I expect 2025 to be a year of peaks for many. For those who weathered the storm successfully, 2025 will be busier than the year that was.

However, my advice is to navigate the year slow and steady and watch your spending. The economy will pick up and there will be a little more spending on print and advertising this year should interest rates start to fall. Also, be ready to take on any new opportunities that may arise.

I believe signage will be one of the biggest areas of growth in our industry. The retail sector is a huge market for window signage and packaging. This is an area most printing companies can dabble in, especially in creating smaller jobs for them.

For companies that don’t see the business sense to pivot in a new direction, collaboration with a signage company will allow you to join forces and produce a better outcome for your client.

Signage is only one of many areas that will be lucrative for businesses in 2025. Print service providers should look at the opportunities within their wheelhouse and determine how to deliver exceptional solutions for clients. This will open the doors for you to work in closer collaboration with clients, offering them more products and add-ons.

As opportunities arise, print service providers need to be proactive and make these moments count. Instead of sitting on your laurels waiting for things to happen, make an effort to meet new clients and reconnect with old ones.

At Imagination Graphics, we have built our business on relationships. We are an easy-going family-owned business that thrives on service.

The other key area of focus for 2025 should be keeping up with technology. If you don’t keep up, you will get left behind. Then challenge is if you can afford it and if you have the work for it.

Digital is developing steadily, and automation is maturing. The tradeshows this year will be a testament to the growth of these technologies. I always look forward to a tradeshow as the new machinery and digital finishing are amazing, and I expect to see many new large format/signage presses with all the bells and whistles on show.

In 2025, Imagination Graphics’ main priority will be streamlining the way we work and making the business more efficient. As always, we will continue to strive and offer our clients a better service and work more closely with them.

In addition, we will be looking at furthering our sustainability practices. Imagination has been doing its best to be as sustainable as possible, but we aim to look for new and better ways to improve our practices.

My message for the industry this year is to keep your chins up and come out swinging. Help each other out where possible as there is room for all of us, and there are profits to be made. Be smart and don’t overextend yourselves by purchasing machinery unless you need to. Have your finger on the pulse and know exactly how you are going week to week and month to month. Finally, get out there and let your customers know you are still available for work and be ready to make them look good.

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter