Episode 298 - Printflation, AI and Trust: HP’s Amir Raziel on What’s Next for Print

In this FuturePrint Podcast episode, Marcus Timson is joined once again by Amir Raziel, Head of Strategy at HP Industrial Print, for a wide-ranging conversation about where industrial print is really heading as we move into 2026.

Drawing on almost 20 years at HP across operations, sales, product marketing and strategy, Amir revisits his well-known framework of five key transitions – from AI-driven automation and resilient supply chains through to sustainable production, experiences and services – and explains how each of them has accelerated over the last 12 months.

He unpacks the reality of “printflation” in 2025: rising ink and paper costs, multiple price increases, cautious capital spending and slow delivery of some post-drupa promises. At the same time, research from firms like Keypoint Intelligence shows sustainability rocketing to the number-two concern for PSPs and converters, with regulation turning ESG from a marketing angle into a business imperative.

The discussion also tackles:

• How AI, workflow automation and software are shifting value away from raw hardware

• Why energy consumption and data-centre growth could soon constrain press investments

• The rise of Chinese vendors in labels and packaging – and how established players must respond

• Why trust, service and transparency are becoming critical differentiators

Amir shares practical advice for PSPs and converters on unlocking value today – from better conversations with brand customers to “non-stop digital print” and quick wins hiding in existing workflows. He closes with three strategic questions every print business should ask as it prepares for 2026.

If you’re leading a print or packaging operation and want a clear, strategic view of what’s coming next – and how to prepare – this is essential listening.

FuturePrint Events:

FuturePrint TECH: Industrial Print: 21-22 January '26, Munich, Germany