Printing SA held their Central Chamber year end business forum on 20 November at the Centurion Country Club. The forum provided insights into how AI is transforming print businesses. Printing SA also provided an update on its performance, strategic direction, and rapid expansion as 2026 approaches. Sign Africa, Africa Print and Modern Marketing were proud to be media partners.
Abisha Katerere, Head of Business Development and Marketing at Printing SA, highlighted the major milestone that the federation is approaching as it celebrates 115 years as ‘the voice of South Africa’s printing industry’ and five years of the Women in Print series.
Printing SA reported a major financial turnaround, stabilising its finances and ending its reliance on investment reserves to cover operational expenses. The organisation is entering a new phase focused on reinvestment into the industry, including membership levy reductions for the next five years and plans to subsidise training.
Operationally, Printing SA experienced one of its most active years ever with 32 events, 11,800 in-person attendees, and 334,000 online participants, including a record-breaking 1.2 million livestream views of the Women in Print Johannesburg event across 34 African countries. The federation also strengthened its footprint across Africa through partnerships, training initiatives, government collaborations, and international engagements.
A major arbitration victory against the IEC, valued at close to R1 million, further reinforced Printing SA’s improved operational strength.
Strategic partnerships, both governmental and corporate, have expanded significantly, opening opportunities for training, youth development and regional industry growth. Katerere emphasised the five year memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities; the upcoming MOU with the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture from January 2026; pursuing formal training partnerships with the National Youth Development Agency; and collaboration with government printers in Lesotho and Botswana.
Training and skills development remained one of Printing SA’s strongest pillars in 2025. Key developments include the launch of the first-ever signage training programme in South Africa, in partnership with Maizey Plastics, with three courses to go live in 2026; international training expansion into Mauritius through partnerships with EO Solutions and the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development; the establishment of Regional Schools of Printing Excellence with multiple South African colleges; and the launch of a new mechanical aptitude assessment tool to support talent identification.
Katerere concluded by encouraging attendees to see the print and packaging sector as poised for transformation, with Printing SA entering one of the most significant periods in its history. ‘None of what we have achieved and none of what we aspire to is possible without all of you. We look forward to delivering even greater impact in the year ahead,’ said Katerere. Kyocera Document Solutions was the diamond sponsor for the event.
AI specialist Mark Furman, creator of ‘The Dawn of Disruption,’ discussed how AI is transforming print businesses from cost centres to profit engines. He also provided attendees with a 90-day AI implementation roadmap for 2026. The question is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how quickly you can put it to work.
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