Originally incorporated in 1995, at the onset of the digital print revolution, Printbyte has become a well-respected digital printing and finishing solutions provider. Founder and director, David Evans, talked to Innovation in Print Media and Marketing about his ambitious growth plans and analysis of key trends.
For fifteen years Printbyte sat largely dormant while David worked for Benny Landa’s hugely disruptive Indigo business (now HP Indigo), during which time he witnessed businesses start and flourish as they changed the industry.
“In 2010 I left HP and used Printbyte Ltd as the vehicle to sign an exclusive distribution agreement for the UK market with MGI France, an innovative supplier of digital print and finishing equipment with a differentiated service offering to clients,” says David, who adds: “Our DNA has always been providing tailored high-quality services to print business clients in pursuit of rich growth markets.”
Trading under the branding of MGI Technology, Printbyte received three recognition awards from MGI France, becoming a respected and valued partner. Then in 2016 Konica Minolta significantly increased its shareholding in MGI France and Printbyte entered discussions with KM BGB about transitioning the MGI UK business into KM BGB.
David continues: “Printbyte is now emerging from the shadow of MGI Technology and will be utilising its extensive experience, knowledge and relationships with an intention to become a major supplier to the graphic arts sector.”
Building on the relationship with MGI and other manufacturers, Printbyte will offer print service providers of all sizes the ability to discover profit in print by suppling both mainstream digital print products and products that offer the opportunity to supply value added services, such as eCommerce, and embellishment.
A new horizon
“We have seen more manufactures taking up an indirect model to market as a growing part of their route to market and Printbyte aims to capitalise on this shift in emphasis,” says David, who adds: “Our partnership with suppliers has given us the ability to combine our knowledge and offer value added services across sectors, such as digital embellishment of plastic cards or even edge printing of plastic cards. This is just one example but, as with all new product offerings, we look at how the route to market could also be adapted to incorporate an ecommerce offering.”
With the pandemic also affecting established supply lines from Asia, the need for near to market manufacturing has become highlighted emphasises David.
He concludes: “2020 has shown the need for printers to have an online eCommerce offering, either B2B or B2C, depending on their marketplace and 2021 will accelerate this trend. Printers will need to further diversify their business to be able to respond to market changes.
The pandemic has demonstrated that it is not the strongest that survive but the ones that are more adaptive to change.” As to the future for Printbyte, growth and investment in both people and partnerships will continue to be key. Its unique strengths are the ability to hold a discussion with printers across a broad spectrum of print technology and applications, and to be either a sounding board or supplier, dependent on their needs. And its business ethics will remain steadfast to be a trusted supplier driven to have long-term relationships rather than short-term gain.
