In-depth study exposes the challenges and opportunities of this exploding growth opportunity.

Taktiful, the Digital Embellishment Experts, have teamed with WhatTheyThink to conduct a first-of-its-kind study of digital ink and toner embellishment use. The goal of this study was to find out more about how print service providers are using the specialty inks and toners that are available as options for their digital presses. The results of this study provide insights into the size of the embellishment market and identify areas for improvement as well as further market opportunities for vendors and print providers alike that will help grow this segment of the industry. The Taktiful/WhatTheyThink 2023 Specialty Digital Ink and Toner Embellishment Study is now available.   

The study takes a deep dive into how current users of digital ink and toner embellishment technologies are utilizing them, what the response from customers has been, how satisfied print providers have been with the sales and profitability of these jobs, where the challenges lie, and their general feelings about the future of digital ink and toner embellishment technologies. The report is based on survey responses from owners of specialty ink and toner technologies using them in conjunction with digital printing equipment from Ricoh, HP Indigo, Xerox, Kodak, Oki, Heidelberg, Fujifilm, and Xeikon.

Among the findings: 

• 41% survey respondents said that the main reason they added these capabilities was to generate more profit, while 26% said that they added them due to specific client demand.
• 74% find these technologies valuable—17% find them “extremely” valuable.
• 75% said that clients are interested in specialty ink and toner capabilities.
• 55% are satisfied with the profits they make off these jobs, and 40% are satisfied with the sales of these of these jobs.
• 27% said that specialty ink and toner jobs were “always” more profitable than regular CMYK jobs.

The report also looks at how users are implementing—and selling—these embellishment technologies, as well as where the challenges in implementing and selling them effectively lie. Also included is a “conclusions and recommendations” section offering advice for printers, vendors, and others in the printing industry.   

“These are exciting times for digitally embellished print effects,” said Kevin Abergel, President of Taktiful. “However, utilization rates of specialty inks and toners are still relatively low despite the rapidly evolving technology. Through this study in partnership with our good friends at WhatTheyThink and the support of the OEM vendors, we aim to uncover the challenges facing today’s print service providers and isolate the obstacles hindering a more rapid market adoption for specialty ink and toners. The knowledge gained from this study will help grow the global demand for digitally embellished print by working together on educating the market through the data we uncover.”

“Digital embellishment is a growing and dynamic part of today’s printing industry and nobody is covering the trends, developments, and news around this topic better than Taktiful and WhatTheyThink. We’re really happy to be working with Taktiful to bring this study to the industry and I look forward to the actionable insights that come out of it,” said Eric Vessels, President & CEO of WhatTheyThink.

The Taktiful/WhatTheyThink 2023 Specialty Digital Ink and Toner Embellishment Study can be purchased at the WhatTheyThink eStore. Site licenses, as well as additional packages including customized data cuts, slide decks, and other resources are also available. 

About Taktiful

Taktiful is a international consultancy, dedicated to helping printers, manufacturers and brands build up success and increase awareness by using the latest digital embellishment technologies to create #SexyPrint. Taktiful offers a suite of services aimed at helping grow the digital embellishment market worldwide and is based in Melbourne, FL, in the USA, with its partners covering North America, LATAM and APAC regions. To learn more about the story of sensory embellishment and the services on offer, visit www.taktiful.com.

About WhatTheyThink 

WhatTheyThink is the global printing industry's go-to information source with both print and digital offerings, including WhatTheyThink.com, WhatTheyThink Email Newsletters, and the WhatTheyThink magazine. Our mission is to inform, educate, and inspire the industry. We provide cogent news and analysis about trends, technologies, operations, and events in all the markets that comprise today's printing and sign industries including commercial, in-plant, mailing, finishing, sign, display, textile, industrial, finishing, labels, packaging, marketing technology, software and workflow.