• Today’s cost cycle is a multi-variable environment where pressures stack and reinforce one another.
• Cost pressures are impacting all PSPs, but they are not affecting all providers in the same way.
• Tariffs and trade friction are forcing OEMs to rethink pricing strategies, cost structures, and even manufacturing workflow and footprints.
• As costs rise, print is becoming more selective, more targeted, and more focused on impact.

By German Sacristan and Priya Gohil

Introduction

Higher costs are plaguing industries of all types, and the printing environment is no exception. Energy consumption, labor pressures, inflation, logistics disruptions, and postal costs are converging on the printing industry and causing higher prices. Rising costs are nothing new; what’s different today is their persistence and the increasing overlap of the many pressures that the print industry is facing. Rather than moving in isolation, factors like energy, supplies, logistics, and labor are combining and intensifying.

Pressure mounts across the value chain

Moving forward, players in the print market must understand and act on these pressures if they hope to remain successful. Let’s take a closer look at how ongoing market trends are reshaping the printing industry.

The Cost Cycle is Changing

Over the past few years, print service providers (PSPs) have faced sustained increases across nearly every major input cost category. Although paper remains the most visible pressure point, it is certainly not the only one. Energy volatility, especially in Europe, continues to reshape the economics of paper production. All the while, raw material inflation, logistics disruption, and tariff expansion are adding further layers of complexity. Even stable input costs can become unpredictable depending on origin and routing.

This is no longer a typical cost cycle; it’s a multi-variable environment where pressures stack and reinforce one another. As a result, planning has become more difficult and uncertainty is increasing across the value chain.

Different Providers, Different Impacts

It’s true that modern cost pressures are impacting all PSPs, but they are not affecting all providers in the same way. Smaller providers are often more exposed because they typically have a limited ability to offset rising costs with efficiency or automation. Larger, more automated operations—particularly those with high-volume digital production capabilities—are usually better positioned to protect their margins.

Meanwhile, demand is shifting. In early 2026, Keypoint Intelligence conducted a survey of print buyers in Western Europe. This research shows that:

• 47% of respondents expect their typical run length per job to decrease over the next 3 years.
• 30% have reduced the number of print orders due to rising costs.
• 27% have consolidated their suppliers due to print price increases.

These responses highlight an important shift. Rising costs are not just affecting suppliers; they are influencing how print is purchased and used. What this means is that the market is becoming more concentrated, and PSPs are facing increasing pressures to differentiate themselves and showcase the value of print to their customers.

Going Beyond Operational Efficiency

Cost control remains a priority for today’s print buyers. Automation and waste reduction rank among the leading drivers of profitability. PSPs are responding in kind, but their response goes beyond operational efficiency. We are seeing:

• Shorter periods of quotation validity
• More frequent price adjustments
• Greater use of surcharges and escalation clauses
• Increased outsourcing and supply chain flexibility

Production strategies are also evolving. Sustained cost pressures are accelerating the move toward greater workflow automation and more localized or distributed production models.

OEMs Make Changes to Adapt

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are also adapting to this new environment. Tariffs and trade friction are forcing OEMs to rethink pricing strategies, cost structures, and even manufacturing workflow and footprints.

According to Keypoint Intelligence’s most recent research and forecast data, digital print equipment and supply costs are increasing about 10%. Meanwhile, service costs are increasing by approximately 7%. Even so, pricing is just one part of the story. Among other things, savvy OEMs are investing in supply chain diversification and localization strategies. This points to a rethinking of long-term industry design.

Selling the Value of Print

It would be natural to assume that rising costs will result in lower print volumes. Although some print volumes may decline due to reduced orders and run lengths, print itself remains firmly tied to communication strategies. Nearly 90% of organizations continue to use a mix of print and digital channels, and hybrid communication models are expected to remain dominant.

As costs rise, print is becoming more selective, more targeted, and more focused on impact. Print must be used where it brings the most value, which translates into capturing attention, elevating perceptions of value, being relevant, and enabling purchases. Success in modern print increasingly depends on using technology and production strategies that enhance high-value applications while maximizing their impact and efficiency. Higher-quality substrates, embellishments, and personalized applications are not just creative choices; they are functional and strategic techniques that can lead to more effective communication.

Strategies for Success

Higher print costs are increasingly driven by structural factors, so they aren’t likely to go away anytime soon. Paper, ink, labor, energy, and logistics are all facing sustained upward pressures, and these issues must be faced head-on. In a higher-cost environment, PSPs are tasked with managing costs while also competing more effectively.

Their key priorities should include:

• Tightening pricing strategies and working to reduce exposure to volatility
• Investing in automation and workflow efficiency
• Shifting toward higher-value applications and services
• Framing print around ROI and campaign effectiveness
• Developing an integrated communication strategy that incorporates print as well as digital media

The Bottom Line

The bad news is that higher costs are unlikely to ease in any meaningful way as time goes on. Tariffs, geopolitical uncertainty, and structural supply chain changes suggest that continued volatility will remain part of the print landscape. The good news is that these same pressures are also driving change and creating opportunities.

Many PSPs and OEMs are already adjusting their strategies. Rather than absorbing costs, they are striving to manage them better. Instead of focusing on price, they are helping print buyers achieve a better ROI. Short-term “quick fix” adjustments are giving way to long-term strategic changes. By making these adjustments, PSPs and OEMs can confidently face the future and prepare themselves for whatever comes next.

German Sacristan is the Director of Keypoint Intelligence’s Production Print & Media group. In this role, he supports customers with strategic go-to-market advice related to production printing in graphic arts and similar industry segments. German’s responsibilities include conducting market research, industry and technology forecasts, custom consulting and development of analyses, editorial content on technology, as well as support to clients in the areas of production digital printing.

With over two decades of publishing experience, Priya Gohil has been providing A3, production, and wide format analysis since joining Keypoint Intelligence in 2013. While sharply focused on custom test reporting as well as high-value subscription content, she also contributes blogs and a variety of other articles across all of Keypoint Intelligence’s channels.