Wide-Format Summit Day Two: Conditions, Opportunities, and the Path Forward
Amid the smell of coffee and just-cooked bacon, attendees and sponsors arrived for Day Two of the 2026 Wide-Format Summit, readying themselves for a day punctuated by new knowledge, meaningful connections, and deeper knowledge of solutions and future directions, delivered through general sessions, small-group case studies, and intimate, one-to-one meetings.
The Shape of Things
Lisa Cross
Lisa Cross, principal analyst for Alliance Insights (which operates under PRINTING United Alliance) Current Trends in the wide-format segment Pressure to grow sales while managing rising costs. Top concerns: increasing sales 59%, rising substrate costs 58%, Rising labor costs 55%. But there are strategies producers can undertake to address those issues.
Tariffs, Cross said, are changing customer behavior – they are becoming more selective about what they print, what they specify, and who they buy from. For instance, 73% of producers report that sales cycles are increasing. Further, generational shifts are at play. She reported that Millennials now account for 59% of print buyers.
Within her fast-moving and information-rich presentation, Cross also addressed the effect of industry convergence, including the segments producers are branching into, as well as their reasons for doing so.
Addressing Installation and Fabrication
From left to right, Marx, Rubino, Laniak, Stevens
Dan Marx, content director for Wide-format Impressions, moderated a panel featuring three wide-producers heavily involved in either fabrication activities, installation services, or both. During the panel, Brad Stevens of Hederman Brothers, Tony Rubino of Resource Integrated, Ltd., and Chris Laniak of Excelsus Solutions shared how their companies have integrated these services and used them to find differentiation in the competitive spaces their companies serve. In a wide-ranging discussion, they addressed the importance of careful pricing, why these services are an important aspect of their company’s offerings, and general advice for companies seeking to enter these spaces.
Exploring A.I. Accountability
In the day’s second panel discussion, Amy Servi-Bonner, vice president, PRINTING AI (which operates under PRINTING United Alliance, convened a group of wide-format professionals – Brian Hite of Image Options, Mark Naber of Amplify Graphics & Branding, and Dilo Wijesuriya of ARC Document Solutions/Riot Color, to discuss corporate accountability in relations to A.I. utilization.
The discussion centered around three key questions:
- What is A.I. allowed to own?
- Who owns the call when A.I. is wrong?
- How would you know A.I. is working?
During the discussion, among other points offered, Hite stressed the need for human approval of A.I.-drawn information, with the establishment of “guard rails” for what A.I. can access or address. Wijesuriya spoke of accountability, and also of strategies to entice employees to use A.I. Naber shared how his company is using A.I. for prospecting, saving time and enabling sales reps to increase outreach volumes.
Up Close and Personal
Boardroom case-studies provided thoughtful discussions toward actionable solutions.
Following the day’s educational sessions, attendees headed to dedicated case study rooms for a closer look at real-world wide-format challenges, solutions, and results. These focused presentations gave participants the opportunity to hear directly from summit sponsors, explore practical strategies, and ask questions in an intimate setting.
Attendees also took part in scheduled one-on-one meetings with event sponsors. Tailored to each participant’s business needs and investment priorities, these conversations created space for candid discussions about equipment, technology, workflow, and growth opportunities.
Scheduled 1:1 meetings help attendees identify the solutions they seek.
Together, the case study rooms and one-on-one meetings showcase what makes the Wide-Format Summit different from a traditional industry conference. Rather than simply moving from presentation to presentation or walking a crowded show floor, attendees benefit from a carefully curated experience designed to foster relevant conversations, meaningful connections, and actionable ideas they can bring back to their businesses.
Bet big! It's fake money!
And after wrapping for the day, the annual casino night, sponsored by GreenTex, took place. Industry professionals gathered and gambled the night away with fake money while chatting, laughing, and most importantly, having a little time to unwind and have some fun after a jam-packed day.
Stay tuned to Wide-format Impressions for daily updates from the Wide-Format Summit.
To be considered for next year's event, apply to attend at wideformatsummit.com.
Dan Marx, Content Director for Wide-Format Impressions, holds extensive knowledge of the graphic communications industry, resulting from his more than three decades working closely with business owners, equipment and materials developers, and thought leaders.
