NORWALK, Conn. – Digitally produced book pages in Western Europe and the U.S. will surpass 160 billion pages in 2019¹ and more than 40 billion color catalog pages will be printed annually on digital devices in Western Europe and the U.S.² During Hunkeler Innovationdays 2017, print providers packed two forums to hear from Xerox along with some of the biggest names in book publishing and catalog marketing – such as Pearson, HarperCollins and Hachette – about how to exploit these market opportunities. 

“The publishing industry needs help in understanding what digital printing can do to help them to remain efficient and competitive as their business models change,” said Marco Boer, Vice President, I.T. Strategies. “Xerox’s publishing forum in Europe showed publishers how digital printing can on-shore trade and color book production locally, reducing lost sales, reducing inventory carrying cost, and freeing up capital to re-invest in marketing. These events show Xerox’s commitment to helping their customers grow their businesses.”

At Hunkeler, Xerox demonstrated new inkjet technology available now for print providers to take advantage of these market opportunities. The Xerox Trivor^® 2400 Inkjet Press with High Fusion Ink delivers a wider color gamut that, when combined with less-expensive standard offset coated stocks, puts more high-quality book and catalog jobs within the reach of inkjet production.

Bringing color trade book production back home

Many publishers in Western Europe and the U.S. print large volumes of four-color books – such as children’s books, education textbooks and trade books – that use offshore offset print shops that produce high volumes at low costs. These large volumes often result in overage and obsolescence.

By printing in the same geography in which a book is marketed, publishers can reduce excess inventory, freight and handling costs, and increase the speed to market. Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, is among the many companies operating in this space.

“For us, moving to a digital printing solution and zero inventory model means printing locally in market for our international titles rather than printing centrally and sea-freighting around the world,” said Vicki Bzovy, Asia-Pacific Production Director, Pearson. “With this model, we aim to dispatch finished books from the printer in the same turnaround times as if the books were in our warehouse: 48 - 72 hours. With reduced freight times from local printing it is a much better customer experience.” 

Boosting revenue with catalogs

Today, many brands use personalized catalogs to strengthen customer experiences and loyalty while driving online and in-store sales. To reduce costs, marketers are moving away from large, often costly, generalized catalogs in favor of smaller, more segmented catalogs with fewer pages.

Static or versioned catalogs are expected to further decline. The economics and capabilities enabled by inkjet printing make it feasible to target individuals using personalization elements such as variable covers, inserts and special offers.

A recent InfoTrends study found that nearly seven out of ten consumers consult catalogs before making a purchase³. Another Xerox-InfoTrends study found that revenue can be three times greater when catalogs are personalized and relevant to the recipient².

“The personalized catalog is the only intrusive medium you have – it goes into peoples’ homes and it demands their attention,” said Andrew Wilson, Founder and Director, Direct Commerce Ltd. “Personalization and relevancy are extremely important in today’s market. You have to sell your company's brand and ethos to your consumers before you can sell them your products. Retailers must have a communications strategy that is relevant to the activity and loyalty of customers."

For more than 50 years, Xerox has been working with content creators and printers to develop new business opportunities and provide thought leadership across the markets it serves. Xerox will be taking elements of both forums to additional locations and events for book and catalog publishers as well as print providers in Europe and North America throughout 2017.

¹ Production Digital Page Forecast for Western Europe and North America, Caslon, 2015

² Xerox–InfoTrends Catalog Research, 2015

³ Direct Marketing Production Printing & Value-Added Services multiclient study, InfoTrends