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Keypoint Intelligence has looked back at the main trends and key industry developments seen across print in 2025, while anticipating what 2026 might hold.
The global data and market intelligence organisation for the digital imaging industry said that across every segment, from wide-format, textiles, packaging, and workflow software to on-demand print, 2025 was a year where existing shifts intensified “and became more operationally meaningful”.
Keypoint Intelligence president and CEO Anthony Sci; director of European sales and production services Charles Lissenberg; principal analyst, product printing German Sacristan; vice president of labels and packaging Jeff Wettersten; senior principal analyst for textile, apparel, and wide-format Johnny Shell; and principal analyst for production workflow software Mark Boyt came together to share their collective thoughts and analysis for this piece written for Printweek.
Top row (L-R): Anthony Sci, Charles Lissenberg and German Sacristan; bottom row (L-R): Jeff Wettersten, Johnny Shell and Mark Boyt
What do you feel were the main trends and key industry developments in 2025?
Sustainability began shaping production decisions
Wide-format and textiles accelerated their use of recyclable substrates, low-impact inks, and eco-certified materials, while labels and packaging saw a surge in circular design, compostable options, and single-material simplification for easier recycling. Brands and print buyers increasingly demanded verified sustainability credentials rather than broad claims.
Digital print capability expanded while analogue-to-digital crossover points improved
Inkjet gained strategic importance in commercial and on-demand print, offering greater productivity and lower running costs. In textiles and apparel, high-quality direct-to-film (DTF) and direct-to-garment (DTG) continued enabling true print-on-demand workflows. In wide-format, UV-DTF and direct-to-shape technologies broadened what can be decorated, opening surfaces and applications that were previously inaccessible.
Personalisation, short runs, and campaign agility became mainstream expectations
Whether signage, packaging, or promotional apparel, clients leaned heavily into regionalised messaging, limited editions, and rapid-turn cycles. This elevated demand for flexible digital production and micro-fulfillment capabilities.
Physical-digital convergence strengthened
QR codes, AR, NFC, and smart labels gained momentum across signage, print communications, and packaging. Brands sought not just print, but interactive print that connects into broader omnichannel journeys.
AI and automation became part of everyday production workflow
Across segments, printers used AI for scheduling, quality control, predictive maintenance, and smarter workflow routing. Automation, both software-based and mechanical, became essential as labour challenges persisted. AI continued to expand in marketing, design, and sales.
Robotic automation also emerged as an important development, even though adoption was still limited
Interest strengthened as labour challenges persisted and early pilots showed solid productivity benefits. Robots began appearing in select environments for loading, unloading, pallet movement, and internal logistics. Most providers, however, were still evaluating rather than deploying.
Keypoint Intelligence’s software investment survey showed that nearly half of in-plant respondents were planning to invest in robotics rather than using it already, signalling growing curiosity but not widespread adoption.
Many print service providers (PSPs) wanted proven use cases, reliable performance, and confidence in workflow integration before committing. As a result, this year marked the shift from early experimentation to serious consideration, laying the groundwork for broader adoption in the years ahead.
In short, 2025 was the year the industry leaned into more sustainable materials, more flexible production models, and more intelligent workflows, reshaping expectations for speed, value, and capability.
What do you expect to be the main trends, key industry developments, and biggest opportunities for printers in 2026?
2026 is shaping up to be a year of acceleration rather than reinvention. The core trends are already visible, but their influence will deepen and become more operationally meaningful across every segment of print.
Intelligent automation becomes the baseline for competitiveness
Workflows will become more connected, automated, and cloud-based, allowing PSPs to handle rising job variability with fewer skilled operators. AI-driven routing, colour control, quoting, and quality assurance will shift from novel add-ons to standard components of modern production. Providers that modernise their tech stacks will gain faster throughput, fewer errors, and more predictable margins.
Robotic automation enters structured early adoption
Robotic automation will also advance in a more significant way in 2026, moving from exploratory pilots to structured early adoption. Print operations that began evaluating robotics in 2025 will start deploying systems for material handling, pallet movement, loading and unloading, and finishing support.
Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) will see the fastest growth because they integrate quickly and provide clearer ROI, especially in internal logistics where labour shortages remain acute. Cobots will gain traction in finishing and kitting work that requires precision and consistency.
The industry will not reach widespread adoption yet, but confidence will rise as more PSPs gain access to proven use cases, stronger integration with MIS and DFEs, and early data on uptime, safety, and serviceability.
With nearly half of in-plant respondents signalling investment plans, 2026 becomes the year robotics shifts from curiosity to practical near-term opportunity. This is particularly true for operations focused on predictable throughput and reduced manual strain.
Digital versatility creates new revenue paths
Digital platforms will unlock new applications and expansion opportunities.
• Wide-format providers will move further into experiential graphics and hybrid signage and textile work
• Apparel decorators will scale personalised and limited-run production
• Commercial printers will deepen their focus on specialty print, embellishment, and campaign-centric output as run lengths continue to shrink
Providers that pair digital flexibility with short-run economics will capture higher-margin, design-forward work.
Cross-market convergence accelerates
Campaign execution is increasingly multi-format and multi-surface. Buyers want packaging, apparel, signage, labels, and promotional items produced through unified workflows. Providers that build integrated capabilities supported by consistent colour management, shared substrates, and cohesive automation will capture a larger share of each client’s spend.
Environmental performance shapes purchasing decisions
Clients will make purchasing decisions based on measurable environmental data rather than generic sustainability claims. Buyers want verified substrates, traceable materials, lower-waste workflows, and transparent reporting. Providers who can demonstrate environmental performance with credible data will stand out.
This shift is particularly strong in packaging, where circularity, lightweighting, and bio-based materials continue to gain mainstream traction.
Digital print and automated production gain momentum
Rising postal, materials, and logistics costs will push campaigns toward shorter runs, more targeted applications, and more frequent versioning. These pressures strengthen the case for digital printing, variable-data workflows, and highly automated production environments.
Providers that combine fast changeovers, consistent colour, smart VDP tools, automated finishing, and premium effects will capture more of this evolving demand. Those who modernise their digital and automated capabilities will remain insulated from commoditised price pressure.
The biggest opportunities for printers in 2026
The strongest opportunities sit at the intersection of:
• Intelligent automation integrated across the full workflow
• Robotics that increase consistency, safety, and throughput
• Digitally enabled production built for personalisation and short runs
• Sustainability backed by measurable evidence
• Diversification across adjacent markets supported by unified workflows
2026 will reward PSPs that invest early, integrate intelligently, and position themselves as multi-capability partners rather than single-application vendors.
What are Keypoint Intelligence’s own hopes and aims for 2026? Can you tell us about anything exciting in the pipeline?
In 2026, Keypoint Intelligence aims to deepen the value we deliver to the industry by strengthening both our strategic insight and the practical tools our clients rely on. We know that without continually meeting customer expectations, we cannot evolve as a company, and this commitment guides our priorities for the year ahead.
These aren’t trendy buzzwords to us. They are the principles that shape how we work every day, because we aren’t simply researchers. We are advisors and partners fully invested in our clients’ success.
We plan to expand our forecasting, benchmarking, and market intelligence across digital transformation (DX), sustainability, workflow and robotics automation, and the growing convergence of wide-format, textiles, packaging, and commercial print.
Our work will also place greater emphasis on revenue-enablement research, helping printers and suppliers demonstrate print’s role in omnichannel marketing by linking applications to campaign goals, ROI, and brand outcomes. This includes exploring how AI can enhance predictive campaign analytics, channel performance, and go-to-market execution.
We intend to provide stronger support for product strategy and investment decisions through deeper analysis of emerging technologies such as direct-to-shape, next-generation inkjet, embellishment, hybrid workflows, and advanced materials.
Our sustainability intelligence will expand as the market demands clearer data, supported by ongoing research, deeper material analysis, and clear frameworks that help customers understand environmental impacts more effectively.
At the same time, we will continue developing AI consulting services and tools that help dealers and manufacturers operate more efficiently, alongside ongoing enhancements to our sales enablement platforms, quoting solutions, AI-driven sales tools, and e-commerce offerings.
Production-focused training and workflow platforms will also grow as the production market continues to expand. And while we cannot reveal everything just yet, several exciting new initiatives are in development for 2026.
Overall, our goal is to give the industry the foresight, clarity, and actionable intelligence needed to navigate a rapidly changing landscape while consistently meeting and exceeding customer expectations – because our purpose is not to observe the industry from the sidelines, but to advise, guide, and champion the clients who trust us.
How can suppliers better help printers navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities in 2026?
Suppliers play a crucial role in helping PSPs adapt, differentiate, and thrive. Across all segments, several themes emerge.
Provide complete ecosystems, not isolated equipment
PSPs increasingly need integrated workflows that combine software, automation, materials, and service rather than standalone hardware. Modular systems that support fast changeovers and diverse substrates will be especially valuable.
Enable efficiency through automation and intuitive tools
Suppliers that reduce labour bottlenecks with automated pre-press, colour, media handling, and finishing will directly influence printer profitability and operational stability.
Accelerate adoption of robotic automation
Robotics will move from pilot programs into structured early deployments in 2026. Suppliers can support this shift by offering pre-integrated robotic solutions for material movement, loading and unloading, and finishing support. Clear ROI models, safety guidance, and straightforward integration with MIS and DFE platforms will be essential.
AMR-based internal logistics and cobot-supported finishing lines represent practical near-term opportunities. By simplifying deployment, delivering training, and ensuring strong serviceability, suppliers can help PSPs overcome labour shortages and build confidence in scaling automation.
Deliver verifiable sustainability
Materials with documented environmental attributes, lower-impact inks, recycling-friendly packaging, and transparent data will be increasingly important to winning print buyers’ trust.
Invest in education, application support, and value-selling guidance
PSPs need more than technology. They need help winning business. Suppliers that provide training, application development, marketing tools, and ROI frameworks will differentiate themselves and elevate customer success.
Support diversification and convergence
As PSPs expand into textiles, packaging, experiential graphics, and specialty print, suppliers who offer cross-segment insight and adaptable platforms will reduce risk and accelerate growth.
In 2026, suppliers who position themselves as strategic partners rather than transactional vendors will help the industry unlock new opportunities and achieve stronger long-term growth.
