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The book market is in a state of upheaval. Declining print runs, changing purchasing behavior and new technological possibilities are challenging publishers, but at the same time opening up new avenues. In an interview with Future Book Magazine, Ulrich Schätzl, COO of Elanders Print & Packaging, talks about these developments and how digital printing, print-on-demand and personalization are changing the publishing business in the long term. The full interview can be read online in Future Book Magazine:
https://dpr-future-book-magazine.com/en/fbf/elanders
From Elanders perspective, there is a clear trend: while traditional offset printing is becoming less important – especially for very long runs of identical products – digital and inkjet printing is seeing a sharp rise in demand in the publishing and photo book sector. Small and medium-sized print runs can now be produced economically, flexibly and with consistently high quality. For publishers, this means less capital commitment, lower storage costs and the ability to adapt content to new requirements more quickly.
Print-on-demand plays a central role here. Although the proportion of digitally produced books is currently still comparatively low, Ulrich Schätzl sees enormous potential here. The aim is to relieve publishers of complex calculation issues and give them more freedom in production planning. With new models such as “smart flat pricing”, print runs can be calculated regardless of whether they are produced in one step or in several tranches. This makes it easier to remain flexible and update content during the life cycle of a book.
One concrete example of this approach is the cooperation between Elanders and Thalia. Together, they are creating a digital printing center at the new Thalia omni-channel hub in Marl, which closely interlinks print production and logistics. This means that books can either be made available directly in brick-and-mortar stores or produced on demand and delivered to customers at short notice – either to their homes or for collection from the store. For publishers, this creates an integrated solution that rethinks production, distribution and speed.
In addition to efficiency and flexibility, another topic is increasingly coming into focus: personalization. Readers increasingly expect individual products – also in the book market. Whether personalized forewords, special features or individually compiled content: Many things are already technologically possible and economically feasible. This opens up new, attractive book formats, especially for younger target groups such as Gen Z, who are used to individualization from streaming and on-demand offerings.
For such models to work, content must be thought of in a more modular way. Individual texts, recipes or chapters can be updated more quickly, recombined or used for different applications. For publishers, this creates new business models in which smaller quantities also make economic sense – with high relevance for volatile markets such as the guidebook sector.
Ulrich Schätzl is convinced that the industry is at a decisive point today. The technical requirements for high-quality digital printing, personalized content and integrated logistics are in place and are developing rapidly. Those who are prepared to question existing processes and think more flexibly about content can reach new target groups and give the book as a medium a sustainable future.