This article appeared in the March 2025 issue of Australian Printer, authored by Newlitho Group (NEO, Eastern Press, Valiant Press director and Valiant Press MD Clinton Daley
2024 was the biggest year in our company’s history, posing highlights and undeniable challenges for our team. One of the more significant achievements was moving Valiant Press to a factory next to our existing one, merging all of our Melbourne production facilities and teams.
Last year, the industry, undeniably, faced external pressures, the rising cost of living and the impact that had on wages, but also ongoing supply chain issues from macro-economic factors. 2024 was an interesting year, but we are incredibly proud of our team and bring a lot of momentum into 2025.
This year, we embark on our next round of capital investment into the business with imminent digital and offset machinery purchases. It’s naturally an exciting time, but the challenge is partnering with the right supply chain partners who align with our long-term visions. Focusing on ongoing improvement of our internal processes to keep them best in class and improving our level of service to our clients continues to also be a priority.
My business buzzword for 2025 is ‘productivity’, whether factory throughput through investing in automation or getting software like our sales CRM working for our sales team rather than the other way around.
Looking more broadly at the industry this year, there will be continued consolidation. As companies start to rethink their machinery fleet, others are thinking about their own personal appetite in investing, solidifying their long-term plans.
Naturally, this means further opportunities through acquisitions, but we need to make sure that the industry, machinery, and people align with our group strategy.
The people and culture piece have traditionally been the most difficult part of mergers and acquisitions.
The great print businesses I’ve seen are so inherently different, so growth will look different for companies. But, companies should focus on their bottom line and internal growth – growing your team members and developing them to be leaders within your business.
My cousin Seth Watts, who is a key leader within our business, says, “at the heart of every great business is its people”, so continuing to build the team around you so that you can continue to grow is an area that we’ll be focusing on this year and into the future.
In terms of trends for 2025, I’ve recently seen a swing back to brands and companies using print as a point of difference in the marketing funnel.
Whether it’s packaging, catalogues, or user manuals, combined with the digital space being so crowded, high impact print marketing is coming back in vogue.
As social media becomes more expensive, direct marketing is turning into a cost- effective way of reaching the consumer.
From a printed product point of view, overall, we are seeing a lot more colour in designs. I think this is driven by furniture and architecture from the ‘70s coming back. It wouldn’t surprise me if we start to see the dial move back to more coated paper stock and finishes like gloss laminate.
Currently, there is also a generational changing of the guard happening throughout the industry. Our company is no different. This generational change gives us a massive opportunity to reshape this industry. In saying that, there are undeniable real-life challenges, predominately around doing more to attract younger people to our industry.
Another of our commitments for 2025 is sustainability and extending our existing ISO certifications to include ISO14001. This certification will put in place the frameworks for our future. Whilst there’s always more we can do, this is a start in our journey.
Sustainability commitments and targets are often met by businesses with jargon that don’t reflect concrete potential actions. When we talk about the environment, we want to make sure that our words aren’t just words and that this subject is taken with the seriousness that it deserves.
My message to the industry for 2025 is this: Print is not dead. We are lucky to have three apprentices in our company, two of which are offset apprentices.
The energy within our business, and across the industry, continues to grow and shows this is an industry which is starting to get its mojo back. I listened to a podcast recently and there was this nice quote I took away which was, “focus on the pedals, not the podium”. We might have these massive goals for our businesses but it’s about being able to execute on all these small strategies and improvements that will get us that podium finish in the end.
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