The July/August issue of Label & Narrow Web is always an exciting one, as we take a deep dive into the state of the industry in our Mid-Year Economic Report (see page 52). The last two years have been anything but routine, though. The global Covid-19 pandemic has affected the way the economy will operate for decades to come, leaving many to question how they should effectively run their businesses.
While the economy might seem chaotic, now is no time to hide money under the mattress. On the contrary, any number of industry leaders are investing more now – where it makes sense and can help position the business for future success.

We talked to a wide range of experts in this year’s edition of the report. Suppliers are working nonstop to develop new products to meet surging demands – especially in segments like food and beverage and personal care – while converters are looking at new, state-of-the-art equipment that can help their staffs match production.

Economists are singing a similar tune. Alan Beaulieu, president of ITR Economics and a fixture at TLMI events, shared his optimism for the immediate future during the TLMI Virtual Spring Summit. “Now is the perfect time for you to make acquisitions,” Beaulieu said. “Make sure it’s paid off by 2030, and keep cash dry for years to come to fuel growth…Make sure you’re investing in sales and marketing, your process; make sure you’re investing in you, from the front office to the back room. That will increase your profitability heading into the future. Your business is going to continue to be the beneficiary of positive things. Well into 2022, you’re going to see yourself busy. Everything that you’re labeling and tagging will be doing better and better into 2022.”

Converters are agreeing. Brian Gale, CEO of ID Images, and Mark Pollard, CEO of Brook & Whittle, have both been open about their willingness to invest.

“We’re investing like drunken sailors,” said Gale. “You have to. The biggest challenge is lead times. If you’re not investing, your business will go away.”

“We’re investing at a rate we haven’t seen before,” added Pollard. “Putting the machines in is the easy part. It’s getting the people trained to run them that’s the challenge. We’ll continue investing heavily, we just hope we can keep the labor force growing at the same rate.”

As society begins to open up, label and package printing trade shows and open houses become more vital than ever. The next financial decision a company makes could be the one that sets the stage for the next decade. And if there are any questions about finances, any number of equipment manufacturers, from Domino and HP to Nilpeter and Xeikon, are offering leasing and pre-owned programs to help converters meet demand without breaking the bank. While it might seem counterintuitive to spend through uncertainty, the time is now for many companies looking to take that next step.


Greg Hrinya, Editor
[email protected]