Printing as a technological process has developed over a very long time, which began centuries before Johannes Gutenberg re-purposed the a screw type olive and wine press of the period to force inked moveable type against paper, a process that could be repeated with accurate predictability. In the next five centuries nothing significant changed in terms of the principles of this process if we leave aside photographic printing and electronic information display for the moment.

What began with a single workshop printing a small number of publications including the now famous bible evolved into a global industry with annual revenue of some US$750 billion.

But the significance of the developing printing industry must be measured in terms beyond money, and with its ability to disseminate information, knowledge and ideas the printing industry has changed the world. It may arguably be the single most significant driver that has facilitated the evolution of thinking and innovation from the dark ages to the digital age over a period of time that can be described as being less than ten average lifetimes.