I met Mr. Flexo through LinkedIn (it's suddenly become a small world, hasn't it?) Mr. Flexo had read one of my articles on wide-format printing that I had posted in a certain LinkedIn group devoted to labels. In the piece, I made reference to the number of opportunities available in digital wide-format.

Mr. Flexo responded. "This article doesn't belong here," he said. "We're a group that is focused on printing labels."

Printing owners need to do away with silo thinking

Now Mr. Flexo may be focused on printing narrow labels, but his response indicated that he certainly is not focused on the need for growth or higher profit margins.

Face it, if you're in the printing business, you need to be open and curious about all aspects of our industry. In today's rapidly changing competitive landscape, you've got to get away from silo thinking. It's too easy to only focus on your current technologies and processes, and not think about your customer's new opportunities.

I have no animosity toward Mr. Flexo. In fact, all my clients come to me as Mr. Flexos, primarily because they're not aware of the existing opportunities.

This is why I compiled these four reasons for a flexo printer to consider either acquiring or being acquired by a wide-format digital printer. I hope this opens his eyes, and potentially yours:

1. Move from high volume, low margin to low volume, high margin.
 
Profit is the name of the game, and wide-format digital allows you to boost your profit margins significantly. Flexo can be so heavily focused on volume that you don't realize you can generate more profit by investing less in energy and resources.

2. Expand business without pursuing new clients.
 
If you've made it as a flexo printer, you've probably built up a sizable list of clients. With additional wide-format digital capabilities, you don't need to find new customers. Instead, you can creatively offer additional capabilities to your current clientele. If you've done a good job on flexo printing for them, and if you can swing a volume deal, they'll probably be happy to give you a shot.

3. Move like the big players (how the rich get richer)
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You'll note that I mentioned acquiring or being acquired by a wide-format digital printer. Smaller printers may think this type of deal-making is reserved only for the big printing companies, but nothing could be further from the truth. A $10 million company can make a synergistic merger and acquisition just as easily as a $100 million company.

4. Being complacent isn't good for business.
 
If there is one thing the 2008 downturn has taught us, it's that the market moves quickly and without mercy. You may think your flexo niche will keep you well-fed and happy, but getting too complacent could come back to haunt you.

If you want to make the move to wide-format digital printing, you can either pursue an organic growth strategy in wide-format digital printing, or engage in an acquisition of a wide-format digital printing company. You have plenty of options. I just hope you and Mr. Flexo take advantage of them.