Building the Future of Print on Demand
Mary and I were not able to attend this year’s Stahls’ Fulfill Engine Print on Demand Conference, which recently took place in West Palm Beach, Florida. But after hearing from so many people who were there, and reading countless LinkedIn posts from attendees, I felt compelled to share a few thoughts.
By all accounts, PODC 2026 was something special.
Nearly 250 leaders, operators, technologists, and innovators gathered from around the world — including Australia, the UK, Serbia, Latvia, Poland, and across North America — all focused on one goal: how to scale on-demand production intelligently and profitably.
What I keep hearing is that this did not feel like a typical industry event.
Carleen Gray shared that when she walked into the opening reception, she immediately noticed something different. People were saying, “I’ve never met half the people here.” And they were energized by it. That tells me we created the kind of environment where new relationships can form and new ideas can take shape.
That matters.
A Different Kind of Conversation
This conference brought together a new mix of perspectives — apparel decorators, enterprise brands, technology providers, startups, and global operators. It was not the same group having the same conversations.
Competitors shared the stage. Integrators met operators. Partnerships were formed in hallways.
That is how an industry moves forward.
Josh Ellsworth and Jayson Tompkins opened the event with a creative video inspired by the classic Michael Jordan and Larry Bird commercial. Increasingly difficult basketball shots became increasingly complex POD challenges. It was funny and sharp, but it also made a clear point.
The customer demands we see today would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. Now they are expected.
Rusty Pepper was honored as the POD Person of the Year, complete with his own Pantone color. The first Golden Alpaca was awarded. Six new innovators were introduced. There was energy in the room, but also serious dialogue about robotics, AI-driven sales tools, stadium personalization, NIL commerce, enterprise integration, and global fulfillment infrastructure.
From everything I’ve heard, the conversations were real and forward-looking. Here are just a few of the many social media posts from attendees:
Print on Demand Is Growing Up
What stands out most to me is this: The conversation is no longer about whether print on demand works.
It is about how fast and how intelligently it can scale.
That shift is significant. It shows maturity. It shows commitment. It shows that this industry is building systems, not experiments.
Proud of the Team
Of course it goes without saying, we are incredibly proud of the STAHLS’ team. Whether you were at the conference or not, there is so much behind the scenes work that went into making this conference a success. Kudos to Kelly Walters and the entire events team.
Events like this require months of planning, coordination, and attention to detail. From the programming and speakers to logistics, hospitality, and execution, it takes a unified effort. I have heard from many attendees who commented on how well it was organized and how thoughtful the experience felt.
Carleen’s leadership continues to guide the vision. Josh’s drive to build a true POD community has been instrumental. And the collaboration across the organization demonstrates what One STAHLS’ looks like in action.
When Mary and I were the only team members working trade show booths over 40 years ago, we could not have imagined a global conference like this shaping the future of our industry. To see our team leading conversations at this level is deeply meaningful.
Congratulations to the entire Stahls’ team for all your hard work in making PODC 2026 a huge success.
Looking Ahead
Josh announced that PODC 2027 will take place February 17–19 in Austin, Texas. And yes, I’m told the alpacas will return.
But beyond the fun, what matters most is the momentum.
From everything I have heard, PODC 2026 confirmed that this industry is ready to lead the next chapter of on-demand production. The people in that room are not waiting for the future. They are building it.
Mary and I are grateful for the team that made it happen and for the community that showed up ready to engage.
The future of print on demand is not theoretical.
It is being built right now.
