Chris Minn is the founder of Digital Ink and has spent over 15 years at the intersection of web-to-print, e-commerce, personalisation, and marketing automation. His FESPA 2026 conference session, “Web-to-Print is Dead. Long Live Print on Demand,” explores the mindset shift required to sell print online in an AI-driven world, and what it takes to meet the expectations of the next generation of print buyers.
As former Global Marketing Lead at Infigo, he played a central role in advancing AI-driven customisation and automated workflow at scale.
A regular on the FESPA stage, Chris has spoken at FESPA Amsterdam 2024, FESPA Middle East 2025 and 2026, and showcased a live automated workflow at the inaugural FESPA Personalisation Experience in 2023. He also helped pioneer the first fully automated AI and personalisation experience for HP at Drupa 2024.
As co-founder of Print GCC, Chris has helped build one of the region’s most active print communities, connecting professionals across the Middle East around the future of digital print. His work consistently challenges conventional thinking and pushes the boundaries of what automation, AI, and personalisation can deliver for print businesses.
Chris is also a co-founder of She*t for Brains, a mental health and wellness initiative created alongside Jon Bailey (Precision Proco), Jessica DeCola (GPA), and Dave Rosendahl (MindFire). Built around genuine connection and a commitment to reducing stigma, She*t for Brains provides a safe space for print industry professionals to explore strategies for resilience, leadership, work-life balance, and workplace wellbeing. The initiative partners with credentialed psychology and counselling experts, delivering resources through quarterly virtual meetings, social media engagement, and live events and workshops.
This session goes beyond terminology. The shift from web-to-print to print-on-demand signals a fundamental change in how a business thinks, sells, and scales, and understanding why the static template and B2B portal model no longer meet the expectations of modern buyers is where it starts. Gen Z and millennial customers have raised the bar for everyone. Customisation, speed, and an Amazon-level experience are no longer differentiators. They are the baseline.
From there, the session moves into what it actually takes to operate at the level the market now demands. That means thinking like a manufacturer rather than a printer, building for volume, variety, and automation rather than order fulfilment. It means understanding how data moves through a business from customer order to workflow to press, identifying where the manual gaps are, and closing them. It means getting serious about the software stack: API connectivity, third-party integrations, and platforms like Shopify, Site Flow, Gelato Connect, and Gooten OrderMesh.
The opportunity is real. North America holds over 40% of the global POD market with growth projected at around 26% CAGR through to 2034, and Europe is accelerating fast on the back of sustainability demand and digital adoption. The window to act is open, but it will not stay that way. And none of it works without the right people behind it. Onboarding processes, technical teams, and the human layer that connects the systems are just as important as the software itself.
A clear understanding of why web-to-print thinking is limiting growth. Attendees will leave with a sharper view of why the legacy web-to-print model, built on static templates and B2B portals, no longer fits the way modern customers buy, and why changing that mindset is the first step to scaling.
A practical framework for thinking like a manufacturer. The session will show how shifting from a fulfilment mentality to a manufacturing mindset, making many items for many people in many situations, unlocks the ability to grow without hitting a ceiling.
Insight into the software and integrations that enable scale. From API connectivity and Shopify integration to platforms such as Site Flow, Gelato Connect, and Gooten OrderMesh, attendees will gain a high-level overview of the tools that connect partners, products, locations, and machinery into a single workflow.
A real-world benchmark to measure against. The session draws on a live case study of the business running 1.1 million orders per day at peak, with 32 global partners and 75 million in turnover, showing what is genuinely possible when the right systems and mindset are in place.
A free business assessment. Attendees will have the opportunity to scan a QR code and access a no-obligation review of their current setup, covering software, marketing strategy, and integrations.
The print industry is at a turning point. The customers walking through the door today are not the customers of ten years ago. Gen z and millennials have grown up with amazon, with instant customisation, with on demand everything. Their expectations do not flex to accommodate legacy systems. If your business cannot meet them where they are, someone else will.
The terminology we use matters more than many in this industry want to admit. Web-to-print carries the weight of a model built for a different era. Print on demand signals something different: agility, automation, and a manufacturing mindset designed for the way the world works now.
The market data backs it up. North America currently holds over 40% of the global print on demand market, with growth projected at a CAGR of around 26% through to 2034. Europe is not far behind, driven by rising demand for sustainable, personalised products and eco-focused regulation, with the UK and Germany leading the charge. Globally, the pod market is on track to grow from around $12 billion today to well over $100 billion by 2034.
That potential is real, and for many businesses it is still largely unrealised. That is not a cause for concern. It is a cause for action. The businesses that reposition now will be the ones that capture it.
The window to act is open. It will not stay that way.
Discover the latest in personalisation and customisation, with conferences, networking opportunities and interactive opportunities. This is your chance to explore how the future of personalisation is evolving. Visitors can purchase super early bird tickets for €30 until 23 March by using the code FESG601.