INDUSTRY NEWS
August 2025
Guest of honour and speaker revealed ahead of The Stationer’s Innovation Excellence Awards ceremony on October 17th
22 AUGUST 2025
Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB, former Director General and CEO of Ordnance Survey,
and founding co-chair of the United Nations Committee on Global Geospatial Information Management revealed as guest of honour
· Internationally recognised businesswoman, geographer and speaker, Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB, will present the prestigious Innovator of the Year award, at the culmination of the awards ceremony taking place at Stationers Hall on October 17th
READ MORE
New Global Survey Reveals Consumers Want The Choice For Paper Over Digital Communications - from Two Sides
20 AUGUST 2025
The Two Sides Trend Tracker is a biennial global survey and one of the most comprehensive studies into consumer perceptions of print, paper, and paper-based packaging. In its latest edition, the research gathered responses from 12,400 consumers across 17 countries, including South America, the United States, South Africa and Europe, offering valuable insights into global attitudes towards paper-based and digital communication.
Paper vs Digital Communications
Across Europe, a growing number of organisations are encouraging customers to transition from paper to digital communications, often citing environmental benefits. However, many of these claims lack evidence and fall under the definition of greenwashing - the use of misleading environmental messaging to justify cost-saving decisions.
The Trend Tracker survey reveals that 56% of European consumers recognise the primary motivation for service providers switching their customer communications to digital is to reduce costs, not to help the environment, an increase from 49% in 2021. Furthermore, 65% believe they should not be charged more for choosing paper bills or statements, a figure that has risen steadily from 54% in 2021.
The right to choose remains important for many. 76% of European consumers (up from 74% in 2021) agree they should have the right to choose between paper and electronic communications, especially when dealing with financial and service providers. This choice is not only about preference but about accessibility, ensuring that those who cannot easily access digital services are not left behind.
READ MORE
Innovation Excellence Awards: New sponsorship prize announced for winner of the Start Ups category
19 AUGUST 2025
Freeman Shane Tilton launches new book: Digital Culture in the Platform Era: Studying Celebrity, Influence, and Superstars Online
18 AUGUST 2025
Overview
· Studies why personality, content, and reach expand beyond celebritism to the ways we socialize online
· Explores how authentic connections survive in the era of influencers, memes, and toxic platforms
· Considers how digital personalities captivate audiences and build communities
About this book
This book uses the roles of celebrities in society to frame discussions about digital culture in the platform era and helps us see how we have evolved online in our communication and cultural creations. Focusing on the modern types of Internet celebrities (influencers, opinion leaders, nanocelebrities, and platform superstars) allows us to discuss their online practices and how their work has significantly changed the ways we define our communities within increasingly fragmented digital audiences and platform users.
READ MORE
Print Media Centr Turns Up the Volume on Print
14 AUGUST 2025
August 11, The Printerverse – Print Media Centr proudly announces the launch of PrintFM, the first and only 24/7 global internet radio station dedicated exclusively to print and graphic communications. Broadcasting now at printfmradio.com, PrintFM delivers nonstop interviews, discussions, live broadcasts, educational programming, and event coverage featuring both established leaders and fresh voices from around the world. Programming includes curated episodes from the extensive Podcasts from The Printerverse library, other leading industry podcasters, and original content created for PrintFM listeners. The station delivers breaking news, real-time event coverage, and serves as a central hub for timely information and “printspiration” for print professionals, marketers, manufacturers, print buyers, and creatives everywhere.
READ MORE
Corporate member HEIDELBERG UK Partnered with Glastonbury Festival 2025 to Celebrate Print Heritage and Inspire Future Talent
11 AUGUST 2025
HEIDELBERG UK was proud to partner with the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts 2025, specifically supporting the Glastonbury Free Press. The festival is one of the UK's most iconic cultural events and is currently in its 55th year.
The festival’s newspaper is printed in the Free Press section, on a vintage 1950s 7-ton HEIDELBERG Cylinder Press. The sight and sound of the HEIDELBERG letterpress machine drew thousands of visitors, including children and Fleet Street veterans. And from today's digital-first vantage point, it was a fascinating reminder of the rich history and craftsmanship of the print industry and HEIDELBERG.
READ MORE
An Evening with the Royals told by Robert Jobson
8 AUGUST 2025
After the ceremony and excitement of welcoming The Queen as a new Honorary Liveryman what better way to end July than an evening with The Standard’s Royal Correspondent Robert Jobson, writes Mike James.
We moved from a regular Literary Lunch at Ye Olde Watling to a sell-out evening dinner at the sophisticated L’escargot in the heart of Soho.
READ MORE
Rebel Stationery Launches online auction of works on paper
8 AUGUST 2025
WORKS ON PAPER is an auction to raise funds for the next stage of business development for Rebel Stationery, a London-based ethical luxury stationery brand striving to support women in the global textile industries.
This collection of work has been created by a group of female and queer artists to celebrate and explore a variety of media, style, and of course, paper. Our artists have been selected for their visual excellence, exploring themes of femininity, cultural history and political diversity.
Each artist has presented work that is powerfully evocative and indicative of our company mission statement to recognise the intrinsic beauty of the feminine and the divine transcendence of creativity.
As well as to the artists who have submitted work, monies raised will also go towards ensuring Rebel can continue their mission by creating products that directly enable women around the world to sustain financial independence whilst safeguarding their unique crafts and heritage. https://rebelstationery.indy.auction/auctions/687f91f55da380e5104c0bfc
Consumers Do Not Understand What Causes Deforestation - A Two Sides article
7 AUGUST 2025
The recent research published by Two Sides Europe, the ‘Trend Tracker Survey 2025’, looks at changing consumer perceptions towards print, paper and paper-based packaging, specifically at their environmental perceptions, reading habits, packaging preferences and attitudes towards tissue products.
What Impacts On Forests Most?
The print and paper industry is surrounded by myths, many of which are rooted in historical misconceptions about paper’s impact on forests. The need to bust these myths and raise awareness of paper’s sustainability is now more important than ever.
This recent consumer research reveals a significant gap between perception and reality. When asked which industries or activities have the greatest impact on forests, only 41% of respondents correctly identified agriculture, including farming and cattle raising - as the leading contributor and primary cause of deforestation. In contrast, 60% of European consumers believe urban development poses the greatest threat, an increase from 55% in both 2021 and 2023. 58% believe palm oil plantations (up from 52% in 2023), 54% think construction and timber (up from 52% in 2023), 52% believe energy and wood fuel (slightly down from 54%), and 46% deem the paper and pulp industry is the most significant contributor - up from 42% in 2023.
In reality, deforestation is primarily driven by agricultural expansion, especially in tropical and sub-tropical regions. European forests, where most of the raw material for paper and paper-based packaging originates, are growing with net forest area increasing by the equivalent of approximately 1,500 football pitches per day.¹ ²
READ MORE
Exhibition of fine books and bookbinding - The Stationers Company
6 AUGUST 2025
Stationers involvement in Open House London on Sunday 21st September will again include an exhibition of fine books and binding organised by Liveryman Chris Andrews. This exhibition shows how our founding trades are still relevant and that the skills employed are still used. Fine books produced by fellow liverymen and their companies will be on show, as well as bookbinding skills and an opportunity to learn more of all the processes involved.
A very high quality brochure about Stationers Hall and the exhibition will be available as a take away souvenir for all visitors
The IPIA asks print to look ‘beyond the margin’
5 AUGUST 2025
The Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA) is setting out to tackle a critical issue for the print industry at its Annual Conference on August 28th – how to achieve business growth, seize opportunity and overcome an array of market challenges.
Held at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, the event’s theme is, “Beyond the Margin – charting new territory for growth, adaptation and commercial success in print.”
Alasdair Browne, Chair of the IPIA, comments: “This year’s theme reflects a pressing need for our industry to look past the immediate pressures of day‑to‑day operation, fighting to protect profit margins on existing work, and consider where future growth will come from. The conference brings together in-depth research, practical case studies and expert perspectives to help print businesses navigate those wider opportunities.”
The conference will encourage delegates to explore the new markets, smarter processes and fresh thinking that allow businesses not just to survive, but to evolve and thrive.
READ MORE
Insight & Influence: Navigating Uncertainty, Embracing Change – Highlights from BOSS Members’ Day 2025
4 AUGUST 2025
From economic shifts to generational change, BOSS Members’ Day 2025 brought together expert voices and industry leaders to explore the opportunities within transformation.
Taking place in London on Monday 21st July at Stationers’ Hall in London, senior delegates from BOSS member companies heard from Rebecca Harding an independent trade economist on why Uncertainty is the New Certainty and Cory Lowde, Educational Consultant, on How to understand the next generation entering the workplace.
READ MORE