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. Africa Print, Sign Africa 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.
Despite a marginal decline in membership, largely attributed to smaller firms closing or consolidating, member sentiment has improved notably. The federation’s decision to maintain a moratorium on levy and training fee increases has been widely welcomed, reinforcing confidence among medium and large organisations that continue to derive significant value from their affiliation with Printing SA.
Printing SA has expanded its corporate engagement pipeline, pursuing strategic sponsorship and preferential-rate partnerships with suppliers across finance, insurance, telecoms, automotive and industrial sectors. Discussions with brands such as Telkom Business, Motivity, Lexus, FNB, Investec, Sanlam and others aim to leverage collective buying power and unlock improved service terms for members.
Printing SA’s leadership reaffirmed that the federation has emerged from a difficult period marked by financial strain and directional uncertainty, and is now positioned for progressive reinvestment. A proposal to allocate up to 7% of investment holdings toward member-focused benefits, including long-term membership fee reductions, reflects a renewed commitment to sustainable value creation. Printing SA also underscored the impact of strengthened governance measures introduced over the past two years, which resulted in a more stable cash flow position supported by tighter cost controls and operational rationalisation.
A major arbitration victory against the IEC, valued at close to R1 million, further reinforced Printing SA’s improved operational strength.
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.
The federation’s engagement programme extended well beyond the headline event metrics, incorporating a rich mix of technical forums, career days, CSR initiatives, awards evenings, CEO roundtables, and sport-themed networking days. These diverse touchpoints fostered deeper industry cohesion and strengthened relationships across multiple regions. Notable highlights included a high-demand regulatory webinar on parental leave reforms and the seamless rollout of the federation’s in-house digital engagement model via the GlueUp CRM platform.
Looking ahead to its 115th anniversary year, Printing SA has set an ambitious programme of at least 39 engagements across South Africa and the African continent. These initiatives are intended to deepen regional collaboration, expand youth pipeline development and strengthen accessibility across the sector as the industry enters a period of renewed momentum.
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.
Beyond the major agreements already outlined, Printing SA detailed further government-aligned initiatives aimed at supporting youth development, career-pathway creation and industry revitalisation. Engagements with the KZN Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, as well as the National Youth Development Agency, are expected to bring expanded funding opportunities and learner sourcing support. The organisation also reported ongoing discussions with Eswatini and Botswana’s public-sector printing entities to broaden regional capacity-building efforts.
The federation’s collaboration with the Lesotho Government Printers has accelerated rapidly, following multiple benchmarking visits and participation in regional expos. Printing SA confirmed that Lesotho has now joined as a Full National Member, with a significant multi-year investment planned to modernise its state printing operation. Several South African member companies have already begun securing supply and technology contracts through this partnership, demonstrating the tangible commercial value of regional alignment.
Newly secured collaborations include co-hosting the Flexo Frontier Roadshow with FTASA in early 2026, bringing brand owners and packaging leaders together for a national skills and innovation showcase. Additionally, Printing SA will deliver a masterclass session at PROPAK East in Kenya, the first time in its 115 year history that the federation will present content on a continental stage, supported by technical experts from its member community.
Katerere noted that while training and consulting sales softened year-on-year in response to market pressures, Printing SA has proactively recalibrated its 2026 budget to reflect economic realities. The federation is exploring mechanisms to directly subsidise training through its investment utilisation strategy, ensuring skills development remains accessible during tighter trading conditions. Regional performance varied, with KwaZulu-Natal delivering the strongest training revenue due to apprenticeship uptake.
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 highlighted the federation’s growing influence within the World Print and Communication Forum, where Printing SA contributes to global working groups alongside associations from the United States, Europe and Asia. This participation strengthens South Africa’s visibility in international print dialogues and creates pathways for knowledge-sharing, advocacy, collaboration and emerging market positioning.
Additional support from FESPA continues to play a pivotal role in Printing SA’s development initiatives. The organisation benefits from financial grant funding, sample registers distributed to members, global branding exposure, and opportunities to place local businesses on international exhibition platforms. These partnerships deepen the federation’s ability to deliver world-class value to members.
Printing SA provided an update on two major research initiatives: a remuneration benchmarking study completed earlier this year, and a comprehensive industry landscape report commissioned through BMI Research, with findings expected to guide the federation’s advocacy and policy strategies heading into 2026.
The federation also confirmed an important structural change within the sector: the closing of the Independent Packaging Employers Association of South Africa (IPEASA) and the transfer of its assets, members and obligations to IPEASA. This consolidation aims to streamline representation, eliminate duplication, and strengthen the technical voice of the industry.
The address also included a heartfelt tribute to the late Zayed Bagus, Printing SA’s Director of Technical, Training and Business Development, whose leadership, mentorship and commitment shaped many of the organisation’s recent achievements. Katerere acknowledged his profound influence on the team and affirmed that the federation will continue advancing the legacy he helped build.
Katerere encouraged 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.
Keynote speaker Mark Furman 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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