If you have any familiarity with wide-format printing, it’s probably because of big outdoor banners and signage. But wide-format printing produces other kinds of printouts and serves different functions in multiple industries and businesses as well (though they might not always be obvious). Read on to discover how these 14 industries use wide-format printing to improve business, communicate with clients and customers, deliver information, and perform many other tasks.
Retail Stores
Wide-format printers serve the retail industry quite well, providing in-store signage, window displays, and other places where stores can showcase products in open spaces. Wide-format printing also aids with promotional displays, demonstrations, sampling stations, and similar things. A retailer can also replicate a smaller version of their store at community events, fairs, festivals, and other places where they want to retain their brand identity.
Advertising and Marketing
Advertisers and marketers in general are huge users of wide-format printing, employing printers to create everything from outdoor banners and displays as well as other massive marketing materials.
General Manufacturing
Every factory, mill, warehouse, or other industrial place requires large-scale warning signs, directional signs, and other forms of signage. These large-print signs provide safety instructions, procedural information, and alerts to the location of products, departments, and even people.
Architecture
Architecture and wide-format printing have a long-term relationship. These days, most professionals draw up blueprints on a computer, but architects still need to create wide-format printouts of the plans for archival purposes. Printing also gives architects the ability to bring plans to construction sites.
Architectural prints also employ paper and film that resist damage, stains, dust, and other damaging things that can turn up on a construction site. And bigger is always better with large-scale plans for buildings and other structures. Besides blueprints, architects may also need to present bright, crisp, and full-color presentations, plans, and drawings that need to pop and present the best possible image of the final product. Wide-format printers can do that.
Educators
Teachers, professors, principals, instructors, and administrators may often employ digital devices in presenting their lessons, lectures, and ideas, but there will always be a place for large printouts. Diagrams, maps, flowcharts, photographs, charts, and other methods of presentation make the ideas easier to read and understand and even seem a bit more real. These tangible visuals help students learn and allow teachers to inspire and reach more students.
Photographers
Professional photographers rarely present their work through the 4×6 prints you purchase online or at the drugstore. Many fine-art photographers prefer the freedom of size and detail offered by wide-format printers. Clients often request prints in larger formats for keepsakes, memorabilia, and professional advertising. Photographers can even create wall-sized murals and displays that retain their clarity and finer details.
Entertainment Industry
Not all advertising for the latest blockbuster films, television series, concerts, or other entertainment events happens online. There’s still a place for posters, billboards, and other big displays for advertising the above and other entertainment options and building buzz. Posters also have a tactility and collectability aspect and are ideal for showing off designs and branding that really tap into individual fan bases. Sponsorships also appreciate having their logos and branding put side-by-side with a popular performer, film, or series in public spaces.
Restaurants and the Food Industry
Tastes change, especially with food. Thus, many restaurants, grocery stores, and other food-centered industries require a steady stream of signage to advertise new dishes, seasonal foods, meal deals, culinary trends, and more. Menus, placemats, tablecloths, napkins, booth décor, and other elements of dining may also need to frequently change. Wide-format printers can keep up with these demands.
Healthcare
Hospitals, medical offices, and other healthcare practices are always looking to provide their patients with information about improving their health and extending their lives. Wide-format printing can create signs alerting clients to health issues, exercise, new medications, vaccinations, and general information they can use to improve their health IQ.
Interior Decorators
Wide-format printing is excellent for creating wallpaper, murals, and custom wall designs and decals. They permit a decorator or designer to bring their ideas to life and apply them to the customer’s living or workspace. Wide-format printing can bring greater color, depth, excitement, or elegance to an otherwise dull space.
Government Agencies
Information dissemination is one of the biggest duties of any government agency. Wide-format printers can create signs directing and informing people at sites such as the Department of Motor Vehicles or city Building Department. They’re perfect for the Forest Service and similar outdoors agencies that require safety signs and educational posters and displays. Naturally, wide-format printers can also generate advertising and marketing materials promoting the armed forces, government programs, libraries, and more.
Engineering
Like architects, much of the drawing and design engineers do occurs on computers. But there’s still a need to print out their designs through wide-format printing. Printing is better for sharing the details of their designs and is likewise necessary for archiving and patent filing purposes.
Meeting Planners and Event Managers
Parties, conventions, trade shows, weddings, award ceremonies, and many other events all require banners, directional signage, backdrops, booth signs, commemorative posters, oversized novelty checks, and more. Wide-format printing is the best tool for the job, no matter the theme!
Transportation
The trucking industry is the backbone of American commerce. Assorted vehicles transport goods and people across the country, or simply from one part of town to another. That’s a great opportunity for branding and advertising on the sides of trucks, cars, vans, trains, planes, ships, and other vehicles. Wide-format printers can create large wraps that convert vehicles into mobile advertisements. Wide-format printing can also allow businesses to add signs to warehouses, train stations, and shipyards, including informational posters, directional signs, safety alerts, and more.
Personal Use
Not everyone who uses wide-format printing is an industry. It also serves the needs of hobbyists, clubs, community programs, artists, designers, and others. Wide-format printing continues to inspire fleets of these folks in promoting themselves and informing others.
Those are just 14 industries that use wide-format printing. We can offer plenty of other ideas about how wide-format printing can benefit you and your business or institution too. Call us for a consultation. We offer everything from wide-format printers to 24 lb. paper stock. Contact us today! We look forward to hearing from you.
