—  Smithers Research says the number of people employed by the print industry worldwide has shrunk by 14.8% since 2018, according to the latest figures.  The number of printing companies  declined in the same period from 667,630 in 2018 to 587,934 in 2022, a drop of 11.9%. Every region in the world registered a drop in the number of printing plants. Structural changes, including automation and labour shortages have contributed to the fall in employee numbers by 9.2%. While investment in automation has allowed some companies to produce work at lower cost and with fewer staff, investment in tech has also squeezed profitability at some smaller companies, the report said. Smithers predict there will be further consolidation of companies. The trend for reduced staffing will continue as well, with automation, workflows, and digital printing.  Shrinking demand in publishing and commercial print was at the cause of the industry’s overall decline. Exceptions are book printing and packaging.