Published to Whisper Club: October 26, 2026 ID: TBW2254
Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli
Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli
ABSTRACT:
“This Whisper Report investigates Where is AI already useful in print? Drawing on insights from print professionals attending Printing United Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, it explores where AI is gaining practical traction and why its expanding role matters across print operations. Cited experts: Nate Burns shopVox, Datta Deshpande Pratham Technologies USA Inc., Lee Ward CAI, Craig Powell Print IQ.”
Printing United Expo 2026 showcased how far printing extends beyond paper and ink. We explored tactile effects, miniature folding, ultra-wide formats, adhesives, sustainable banding, workflow automation, MIS and ERP solutions, and AI integration. With 850 exhibitors and more than 20,000 printing professionals, the event demonstrated innovation spanning production, operations, automation, and specialty print applications.
Printing is much more than what you do on your home paper printer. LSIC drives that point home with their tactile and embossed effects double channel printers. Their technology creates stunning tactile visuals even on glass objects. What’s really exciting is their ability to create raised, ceramic-like textures and mock embossments without custom molds. Having seen the end products, I admit those mock embossments without custom molds stayed on my mind for a long time!
Admittedly when many consumers think of printers, printer jams come to mind especially with delicate paper. Some of the most delicate paper around is that thin paper used when you get a prescription from the pharmacists. If how those are successfully made has ever crossed your mind, let me introduce you to Pratham Technologies. The art is not only in the paper’s thinness, but also in the folding. Pratham technologies brings 39 years of experience to the miniature paper-folding machine for the Rx inserts and booklet industry. Headquartered in India, where its equipment is manufactured, they also have direct operations in the US and UK.
If your specialty print job requires ultra-wide format printing, LexJet has specialized in exactly that space for the last 32 years. Representing major equipment brands spanning Epson, Canon, HP, Mimaki, and EFI, they pride themselves on end-to-end support. Their support spans installation, training, and direct technical support.
If you want things to get a little sticky, hhs Baumer Group has the glue guns for your production lines. Able to leverage hot melt through cold, water-based glues and remoisturizing solutions. Various applications include enabling an organization to decide if peel open to tear open is appropriate for its use case. This high efficiency system can melt 25lbs of glue while minimizing electricity usage and storing custom job recipes. Sustainability was an underlying theme for many vendors. Felins features eco-friendly banding for your print jobs. Not only are their bands eco-friendly, but they specialize in 1-inch and 2-inch soft bands that secure bundles without cutting into the delicate edges like plastic strapping.
Running a print shop requires quoting a job, scheduling the job, tracking the job, invoicing, and payment collections. shopvox provides all-in-one operations and prides itself in getting you online really quickly. Many believe that such an efficient set-up would mean one is required to go with a few limited configuration setups. To the contrary, their set-ups are tailored to the organization and can vary from commercial, sign, and apparel print shops with AI capabilities strategically integrated for operational efficiency.
Two vendors under the same organization, we bring you Print IQ and Docket Manager. Print IQ is a single MIS system for handling print quoting and production. It works across a variety of solutions from commercial and wide-format to packaging. Print IQ leverages AI and an API ecosystem to interact with data across the shop. Docket manager, on the other hand, combines these back-end MIS workflows to enable a customer ordering portal. The goal is quick quotes so customer orders are put into the production queue efficiently.
Seeking an industry-specific ERP solution for your print shop? Graphic Solutions, part of CAI, was on hand with their solution. Graphic Solutions focuses exclusively on the print industry. They were excited to share that the roadmap contains many AI optimizations for the print industry.
Conference Vibe
Printing United Expo 2026 brought together over 20,000 printing professionals. It brought together 850 exhibitors and featured over 70 educational sessions. Registration was quite efficient and took place in Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall. Attendees had complete access to the large array of food available in the various eateries in North and Central Hall including the large food court. North Hall featured the digital production track while Central Hall featured a Wide Format Track. Enjoy the walkabout to and through both expo halls. We always try to bring you fresh vendors in our coverage but you will recognize many brands in the walkabout from our coverage of other automation and distribution events including Manifest and Pack Expo. We once again live streamed from on site to share the experience. Be sure to catch coverage on my syndicated segment on the nationally broadcast edition of Computer Talk Radio.
We conducted research for additional forthcoming Whisper Reports. The playlists are unlisted but available with the video version to be distributed via YouTube Whisper Club upper tier membership area on our YouTube Channel.
Readers and viewers wishing to experience the entire event are encouraged to view the Conference Whispers: Printing United Expo 2026 Playlist in its entirety. The playlist will be cited in the end screen, description, and as a pinned comment of the video edition.
The video edition will conclude with gratitude towards those that contributed and a montage of responses to Bonus Question, “What’s the best part about attending the Printing United Expo in Las Vegas?”.
Next Year’s Conference
The Printing United Expo will once again return to Las Vegas and will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center on September 14-16, 2027.
*When vendors’ names are shared as examples in this document, it is to provide a concrete example of what was on display at the conference, not an evaluation or recommendation. Evaluation and recommendation of these vendors are beyond the scope of this specific research document. Other examples products in the same category may have also been on display.
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