The Wide-Format Summit: An 'MBA in Wide-Format'
Now entering its sixth year, the Wide-Format Summit (WFS), presented jointly by PRINTING United Alliance and Wide-Format Impressions, continues to thrive. This year’s event takes place July 27-29, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs, Florida, and it will have a tremendous impact on its attendees.
If you ask Marco Boer, president of IT Strategies and conference chair, he’ll tell you that the Summit is like receiving an “MBA in wide-format.”
“We all have a pulse on the industry,” Boer says, “but our understanding tends to be limited to the day-to-day activities we see within the confines of our businesses. The ability to spend three days with your peers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, and industry consultants, to talk wide-format graphics and open one’s eyes to other opportunities is invaluable. It’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else.”
An Event Unlike Any Other
The Summit is an experience you can’t get anywhere else because it’s simply like no other industry event out there. At the Summit, attendees can expect:
→ Educational sessions addressing key industry topics.
→ Intimate case study sessions presented by vendors, focused on real-life examples and problem-solving solutions.
→ 1:1 meetings where attendees can chat with vendors about their organization’s challenges and needs, and identify solutions and potential paths forward.
→ Networking events including meals, a casino night, and a closing-night awards dinner.
“There are trade shows and manufacturer open houses,” Boer says. “But this is the only type of event in the world where there is no hardware, it’s just knowledge sharing.”
In just three days, WFS accomplishes all of this in a “hosted summit” format. If you’re not entirely sure what a hosted summit is, Dave Pesko, executive vice president of business development, hosted events and research, printing and packaging at PRINTING United Alliance, breaks it down this way:
“Unlike traditional conferences that sell tickets, WFS brings together qualified senior-level attendees that are responsible for researching and making important technology investment decisions. The Alliance “hosts” these attendees, covering their travel, hotel, meals/receptions, and optional pre-Summit golf,” Pesko says.
Yes, you heard that right. If you qualify to attend, all expenses are paid. But what exactly makes a print service provider eligible to attend?
Diversification Across all Sectors
First and foremost, WFS isn’t only for wide-format producers, it’s for commercial printers who want to expand into signage and decals, or, for example, packaging converters who want to also offer promotional products. It’s for companies seeking to grow or expand using wide-format inkjet and associated technologies and solutions.
Steve Duccilli, group vice president, PRINTING United Alliance says: “Wide-format printing is at the center of the convergence phenomenon, and WFS gathers every constituency from this dynamic sector. Past Summits have included printers from across the industry — not only wide-format specialists in core markets like retail graphics and outdoor advertising,”
Most importantly, the Wide-Format Summit is for companies on a growth trajectory who want to expand into different segments, and take their businesses to new heights. If this sounds like your business, then apply today using the QR code at the end of this article.
And while the diversity found among attendees demonstrates the breadth of wide-format, that diversity doesn’t stop with attendees, Duccilli shares that it applies to the Summit’s sponsoring vendors as well.
“Our sponsors represent the full gamut of wide-format technology and services from print engines, finishing equipment, software, and color management solutions to a wide variety of media, installation and other outsource services, and more,” he says. “It’s an incredibly diverse group, and everyone contributes to the exchange of information and ideas.”
Industry vendors interested in sponsoring WFS — joining Canon, Agfa, Durst, and more — can contact Steve Duccilli and David Pesko at wfsinfo@napco.com to discuss sponsorship and its value.
An Information-Rich Agenda
One key theme for this year’s Summit is productivity, and how it can help companies working in the wide-format space thrive. It is designed to inform and meet the needs of forward-focused producers.
Dan Marx, co-chair of WFS and content director of Wide-format Impressions, is most excited to help inform and inspire attendees with actionable information and data.
“As a person involved in putting the annual program together and as a moderator for a couple of panels at the Summit, I’m excited about helping sponsored attendees make connections between industry trends and the day-to-day for their businesses,” he says. “Whether it’s AI, value-added services, or even the economic moves affecting decision-making, there is always much to learn. I love hearing from attendees, ‘I hadn’t considered that before.’”
Below are the general sessions taking place during the Summit, which highlight themes of AI, sustainability, promotional products, and more.
The Quest for Greater Productivity in Wide-Format: Boer will kick things off with an opening keynote addressing the variety of factors influencing current equipment purchases, and how these production-focused decision-points can affect the wide-format business environment moving forward.
Maximizing Business Success Through Next-Gen Wide-Format Technology: A panel discussion, moderated by Denise Gustavson, vice president of editorial and content strategy at PRINTING United Alliance — and WFS co-chair — will examine opportunities for print providers to boost operational efficiencies, expand service capabilities, and improve profitability.
AI Didn’t Break Your Business. Your Decisions Were Already Broken: Drawing on real-world AI readiness assessments, Amy Servi-Bonner, vice president, consulting – applied AI and printing technology at PRINTING United Alliance, reframes AI as a decision-making problem — not a technology one. From pricing exceptions and production prioritization to quality tradeoffs and last-minute heroics, she maintains AI doesn’t create chaos; it exposes the decisions businesses have been quietly absorbing for years.
Servi-Bonner will also host an AI-focused panel discussion on day two of the Summit, featuring candid conversation about accountability, leadership, and what it really takes to make AI work in the wide-format segment.
Current Trends in the Wide-Format Segment: This presentation from Lisa Cross, principal analyst for Alliance Insights, will provide data-informed insights on the current state of the industry, how industry convergence is affecting and drawing more players into the segment, and how value-added services are being used to increase margins and build differentiation.
The Growing Presence of Fabrication and Installation Services in Wide-Format: This panel, hosted by Marx, will explore how fabrication services can serve as a strong force for differentiation, provide a deeper connection with customers, and unleash new opportunities for profitability and market access.
Breaking Into Promo: A Practical Expansion Path for Wide-Format Printers: On day three, Allee Bruce, editor of Promo Impressions, will share how wide-format PSPs can approach the promo market today. The session will explore where wide-format fits within the promo ecosystem, as well as key considerations to undertake before expanding.
Taking Wide-Format Beyond 2D: Texture, Embellishments, and Braille: Marx will take the stage again for a session that will address advantages and limitations of escaping 2D wide-format printing.
Rethinking Sustainability in Wide-Format Printing: Sara Osorio, environmental, health and safety affairs coordinator for PRINTING United Alliance, will examine the environmental realities of wide-format production and highlights where meaningful progress is being made, from material choices and ink technologies, to waste reduction and circular strategies.
What’s Next for Wide-Format: Forces, Forecasts, and Future Opportunities: The event’s closing panel, also moderated by Gustavson, will explore key trends, market forces, and technological developments shaping wide-format printing in 2026 and beyond.
Next Level Networking
Aside from the educational sessions, the networking opportunities at WFS are abundant, and Marx believes that is truly the star of the event.
“Whether it’s sharing meals, chatting during coffee breaks, or sharing experiences like a casino night, networking at the Summit is all about engagement with other hosted attendees and participating vendors,” he explains. “It’s quality time together and it works to build deeper bonds, extend learning, and foster partnerships. The networking opportunities are, in my opinion, ‘must-attend.’”
Participation is Key
What Marx says rings true — WFS is all about engagement. If you’re a wallflower, you may not find the growth-seeking results you were hoping for. So, pack your schedule with 1:1 meetings, be present during educational sessions, and don’t be afraid to raise your hand in your case study rooms. And, yes, it sounds like a lot, but Boer promises the effort is worth it.
“Attendees will walk away exhausted from processing new ideas and opportunities,” Boer says. “We’ve had past attendees tell us their business increased 20% within the next 12 months because of all the new ideas and relationships they formed at the Summit. But it is like a gym membership, you can’t just belong. You have to participate to get the most out of it.”
