Construction Information Technology Blog

Reprographers and Buggy Whips

Digital files are driving many changes in the way the business of construction is done. Consider what has happened to the traditional reprographic printing business. Not long ago the only practical way to distribute a set of drawings and specifications was to print it and ship it to someone. The advent of online planrooms, ftp, copying to CD's or DVD's and managed file transfer services have made moving electronic copies of the files easy to distribute. Instead of receiving one order for a large number of sets to be printed the reprographer is now faced with responding to multiple individual requests to print the same documents from different parties who they may do business with. The printing is becoming much more distributed. It is even further impacted by the fact that full format document printers such as the Hewlett Packard HP 110 have become very cost effective and many contractors and suppliers are simply printing what they need in their own offices. Reprographers will have to change their business models to respond to these new market conditions or face the prospect of being a modern day example of a buggy whip factory.