WFS Day Three: Into the Opportunity Eco-System

After an eventful casino night yesterday, attendees barreled into day three of the 2026 Wide-Format Summit still bright eyed and bushy tailed — eager to soak up the last day of the event through thoughtful panels and educational sessions, case study huddle ups, and 1:1 meetings, awards, and a little fun.

Forging a Path to Promo

(From L-R) Stephen St. Cyr, Nikka Stella, and Denise Gustavson

Denise Gustavson, vice president, editorial at PRINTING United Alliance, kicked things off with a panel centered on creating a practical roadmap to assist wide-format print providers in entering the promotional products space. She was joined by Nikki Stella, senior vice president of strategic relationships & initiatives, ASI, and Stephen St. Cyr, president of Prisma Graphics, Baton Rouge.

Throughout the discussion, Stella and St. Cyr offered key points including starting with existing equipment, leveraging supplier relationships, and using AI tools for campaign ideas. The pair also stressed the importance of proactive sales, understanding complexities like end-quantity pricing (EQP), and maintaining a consultative approach to meet client needs effectively.

When asked why wide-format printers should enter the promo space, Stella said that it simply just makes sense.

"It's one of the most sensible adjacent markets. When a client comes to you with a project, oftentimes that project is not just for whatever that print piece is that you're producing for them, they're also looking for the ride-along product that goes with that campaign," Stella said. "So it's oftentimes not just one piece that they're printing, they are also lanyards, tumblers, T-shirts, baseball caps -- all those things -- and when you can become a shop that is capable of producing all products, it's an easy product to to bring along with that printed piece that you're producing as well. "

As for his own success with Promo, St. Cyr shared Prisma Baton Rouge has grown its promotional product sales to $6-7 million annually. As for advice he'd give other PSPs to start the journey to achieve this type of revenue, St. Cyr emphasized  not buying the equipment before you can successfully sell the product.

"You shouldn't buy anything up front. You should start selling and brokering everything at first. You don't know enough to buy anything," St. Cyr said.

Going Beyond 2D

(From L-R) Seth Austin, Dean DeMarco, Richard Dobda, and Brian Hite

Dan Marx, content director, Wide-format Impressions, moderated a panel that served as both a technology overview and discussion with users who have explored 3D embellishment effects or who produce ADA-compliant braille. Seth Austin, operating partner, Craft Sign Company; Brian Hite, chief sales officer, Image options; Dean Demarco GM, Middlestreet Graphics and Display; and Richard Dobda, COO, Quality Custom Signs, joined Marx to discuss their experiences working on an array of applications ranging from point-of-purchase displays and national brand campaigns, to custom environmental graphics and ADA signage.

The panelists also discussed the challenges and benefits of dimensional printing, including the use of AI for file creation, the importance of reliable suppliers, and making sure their ADA signage is compliant. Overall, the consensus of the panel came to this: with reliable suppliers, improved workflows, and a consultative sales approach, dimensional printing is increasingly ready to move into the mainstream.

Rethinking Sustainability in Wide-Format Printing

Sara Osorio, Manager, EHS & Sustainability, PRINTING United Alliance, kept the ball rolling later into the afternoon with her presentation on the environmental realities of wide-format production. Osorio emphasized the importance of sustainability beyond environmental practices, highlighting the "triple bottom line" of people, planet, and profit.

Sara Osorio

Osorio also warned that regulation and extended producer responsibility regulations (EPR) are increasingly coming for the wide-format space. While EPR policies are already mature in the EU, they are spreading in the U.S. states (e.g., California), and print providers will increasingly be expected to provide data, guidance, and solutions to help customers comply. This makes knowledge of recyclability, materials, and reporting a potential competitive differentiator.

Ultimately, Osorio's talk framed sustainability in the printing industry as a strategic business opportunity — not just an environmental obligation. By treating sustainability as the intersection of people, planet, and profit, printers can reduce waste and risk, meet growing regulatory and customer demands, and differentiate themselves through verified, data-backed practices, rather than vague “green” claims.

What's Next For Wide-Format?

(From L-R) James Fairweather, Randall Watterson, and Denise Gustavson

Gustavson took the stage for the final session of the summit for panel discussion addressing future opportunities in wide-format. She was joined by James Fairweather, president, Hudson Printing, and Randall Watterson, general manager, Lawton Printing and Graphics. The trio discussed challenges facing the industry, including rising costs, particularly in materials like rigid substrates and labor, and how the industry will combat them to come out on top.

To do this, Fairweather and Watterson both believe three things

1. High-value, complex projects are critical to profitability: Both businesses said they are leaning into projects that require specialized skills and multiple components (e.g., wall graphics, lobby signs, window films, custom POP displays, influencer/kit boxes, fulfillment).
2. People and succession are viewed as the most important investments: Both Fairweather and Watterson said their top investment priority is people rather than equipment, with a clear focus on succession planning and developing younger leaders.
3. The future is highly uncertain, so adaptability is key: The panelists agreed that uncertainty makes future planning harder than a few years ago, so their strategy is to stay adaptable, avoid chasing every “shiny object,” and double down on customer service, consultative selling, and flexible capabilities rather than betting on a single predicted “next big thing.”

And like day two, in-between these sessions, attendees were once again back in their case study rooms and 1:1 meetings that allowed them invaluable time with summit sponsors. After the last 1:1 meetings wrapped for the day, everyone gathered for the final dinner reception where the Wide-Format Summit Attendee of the Year award was presented to Seth Austin, Craft Signs & Specialty Printing, whose engagement and attitude impress event organizers.

Also during dinner, attendees got front row seats to a mind-bending performance from acclaimed mentalist David Stryker.