The future of the printing and packaging industry is here—and it’s intelligent, automated, and rapidly evolving.

Kenneth Theriot, CEO of TheRiot Agency, spent several days on the ground at Printing United 2025 in Orlando, Florida, one of the industry’s largest gatherings of print, packaging, and tech innovators. His visit wasn’t just a tour of the latest machines—it was a deep dive into how AI and automation are reshaping production workflows, creative outputs, and business models across the print ecosystem.

What is Printing United? 

PRINTING United Expo is one of the largest and most comprehensive printing event in North America, bringing together professionals across every segment of the printing industry—including commercial, packaging, wide-format, apparel, and industrial printing. Held annually, the show highlights the latest advancements in print technology, automation, AI-driven solutions, and end-to-end workflow innovations, offering attendees a full-spectrum view of where the industry is heading. It’s a must-attend for brands, manufacturers, and service providers seeking to explore growth opportunities, network with industry leaders, and stay at the forefront of print innovation.

AI Is No Longer an Add-On—It’s Infrastructure

Across the expo floor, one thing was clear: AI has moved from buzzword to baseline.

From intelligent job routing in digital label printing systems to predictive substrate optimization in folding carton production, AI is increasingly embedded in day-to-day processes. The rise of predictive maintenance, dynamic workflow automation, and real-time quality control reflects a shift from manual-heavy production to data-augmented precision.

This mirrors TheRiot Agency’s own approach, integrating AI across creative and strategic workflows to accelerate growth and operational excellence through our proprietary platforms like TRAi Engage and DataIQ.

As Kenneth noted:

“The companies who embrace AI as a foundational tool—not a feature—are the ones who will dominate in the next five years. The parallels with what we do at TRA are strong—AI is how we scale strategy.”

Automation Is Reshaping the Print Production Line

While AI is augmenting decision-making, automation is physically reshaping the production floor. A few standout trends from the expo:

  • Digital hybrid presses are streamlining multi-substrate jobs without downtime, cutting waste and reducing setup costs.

  • Flexible packaging systems are now built around roll-fed automation, optimized for industries like food & beverage and healthcare .

  • In digital label printing, roll-to-roll production paired with in-line cutting and finishing is reducing turnaround times while expanding personalization capabilities .

The strategic integration of automation isn’t just about speed—it’s about profitability through precision. This aligns directly with TheRiot Agency’s work in digital transformation—where automation isn’t just operational, it’s strategic.

Packaging Is a Hotbed of Innovation

Theriot also highlighted the growing opportunity in flexible packaging, folding cartons, and digital labels—all featured prominently at the expo.

  • Flexible packaging grew to a $42.9B industry by 2023, and remains the fastest-growing print segment—especially for food, healthcare, and consumer goods .

  • Folding cartons are seeing a resurgence post-COVID, with trends pointing to more personalization, sustainable substrates, and digital embellishment .

  • Digital label printing is set to grow at a CAGR of 6.39% from 2023–2028, driven by demand for versioned packaging and omnichannel retail integration .

This signals massive opportunity for brands—and equally, a need for smarter strategies to enter or expand within these categories. TRA’s GrowthOS framework enables brands to position, scale, and thrive in these high-opportunity verticals, especially as automation and data merge to redefine execution.

Human-Centered Innovation Still Matters

Despite the technology-heavy focus, Kenneth emphasized that the most innovative companies were those who merged automation with intentional brand experience.

“Tech doesn’t replace strategy—it enhances it. What we’re seeing in print is exactly what we help our clients do: use data, AI, and automation not just to move faster, but to connect better.”

As a technology-first growth agency, TheRiot Agency operates at this intersection—where brand identity, experience, and operational strategy converge to create measurable growth.

Final Takeaway: Print’s Future Is Intelligent, Agile, and Brand-Led

Kenneth’s visit to Printing United 2025 was more than an exploration of printing machinery—it was a confirmation that the future of print is intelligent, agile, and deeply integrated with business strategy.

And at TheRiot Agency, we’re ready for it.

If your brand is looking to optimize your packaging, automate your workflows, or bring AI into your go-to-market strategy, let’s talk. TheRiot Agency is your partner in building a smarter, more scalable brand—just like the ones leading the next wave of innovation in print.

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