One year after Drupa: what’s changed in print, and what’s coming next

It’s hard to believe Drupa 2024 was already a year ago.

Back then, the halls in Düsseldorf were buzzing with innovation. Printers, suppliers, and tech players came together around big ideas — automation, sustainability, digital transformation. The energy was high, and so were the expectations.

But what’s happened since?

At GelatoConnect, we’ve stayed close to the industry — and to the many printers we met at Drupa. We've listened, observed, and helped teams navigate a shifting landscape. Here’s what we’ve seen.

Some of the big themes from 2024 have only grown in importance:

• Local production: Local production has moved from a buzzword to a core business strategy. It's a direct response to customer demands for greater speed and sustainability. By producing closer to the end-user, printers are slashing shipping times, building more resilient supply chains against global disruption, and providing the lower-carbon footprint that global brands increasingly require.

• Workflow automation and AI are no longer a “nice-to-have” — it’s survival. The most resilient PSPs are those who have reduced manual processes, increased control, and unlocked scalability.

• Data-driven production is picking up serious momentum. More PSPs are investing in systems that provide real-time insight into job status, performance, and capacity.

• Sustainability has evolved from a marketing point to a real operational driver. Customers — especially global brands — are asking for more traceability and accountability.

Drupa planted the seed — and the industry has started acting on it.

What surprised many? The pace of change in customer behaviour.

• Brands and creators now expect shorter turnaround times. Next-day and even same-day expectations are becoming standard.

• Buyers want full transparency — not just when the job is done, but from order to delivery.

• Printers are under increasing margin pressure, dealing with rising material, energy, and labour costs. Cutting waste and improving efficiency isn’t just about growth — it’s about staying viable.

• The result? Many PSPs are rethinking their entire operations — not just upgrading machines, but reimagining how work flows.

By mid-2025, three major pain points are affecting PSPs across the board:

• Talent gaps: Skilled operators and planners are harder to hire — and even harder to keep. Teams are leaner than ever.

• Integration fatigue: Too many disconnected systems are slowing teams down. Information silos are leading to costly mistakes.

• Operational complexity: More SKUs, more batches, more reprints. Complexity has increased, but resources haven’t.

• If you’re feeling it, you’re not alone. This is the reality for print businesses across Europe, the US, and beyond.

Forward-thinking printers aren't just guessing what works; they're acting on data. The trends we've discussed—from margin pressure to the demand for local production—are borne out by hard numbers. In our comprehensive State of Print Production Report 2025, we surveyed hundreds of PSPs to uncover what sets the leaders apart.

The most successful printers are taking decisive action based on these insights:

• Automating Manual Workflows Leading PSPs have replaced spreadsheets and manual tracking with real-time automation. With GelatoConnect, printers can automate their operations, from procurement to shipping—saving time and reducing errors.

• Launching Webstores for Modern Buyers Today’s consumers and businesses expect to order online. PSPs are meeting this demand with webstores powered by Shopify, Infigo, and Pressero—fully integrated with GelatoConnect for automated production, shipping, and inventory.

• Saying “Yes” to More Orders, Faster With integrations into global brands such as Ciloo and Cloudprinter, PSPs are opening up new sales channels. Onboarding new customers takes hours—not months—thanks to GelatoConnect’s API-ready and AI-configured workflows.

• Embracing AI for Scalable Efficiency

  From automated quote creation to future-ready AI agents that sit on your website, GelatoConnect is helping PSPs automate order intake and operations end-to-end.The data is clear: the printers thriving today are the ones who are transforming their operations from the inside out.

Ready to dive into the solutions that are working right now? We're hosting two focused webinars to give you the tactical advantage:

🎙️ Webinar: AI in Print Learn how artificial intelligence is moving from a buzzword to a practical tool for automating workflows, reducing errors, and unlocking new levels of efficiency. See how AI can help you manage complexity without overloading your team.

🎙️ Webinar: Tariffs in a Changing World Hear how leading PSPs are using local production to navigate economic uncertainty and trade barriers. Discover how to turn supply chain challenges into a strategic opportunity for growth.

Ready to see how it works for you?

You've read the trends and seen the strategies.

The next step is to see how GelatoConnect can help you reduce manual errors, increase your throughput, and run a leaner, more predictable business.