Bernd Zipper · Founder & CEO · Zipcon Consulting · Shift

At SHIFT in Heidelberg, Morten B. Reitoft sits down with Bernd Zipper for a conversation about UCP, MCP, Agentic Print, and why printers may have a much bigger opportunity in front of them than many currently realize.

Bernd argues that Agentic Print can bring small, medium, and large printing companies back into the game — but only if they understand how the new digital infrastructure works. The conversation explores how printers can make their capabilities visible to AI agents, how UCP can help structure what a company offers, and why MCP can become an important part of connecting print businesses to the emerging agentic economy.

The key point is that this future may not be driven only by price. Delivery speed, location, sustainability, substrate, production capabilities, and customer-specific requirements can all inform how an AI agent identifies the right supplier. For more complex print products, the process can also open the door to direct communication and quotation rather than simply comparing standard prices.

Bernd also stresses that printers do not need to become IT specialists themselves, but they do need the right IT partners, and they need to start now. His message is clear: understand MCP first, move into Agentic Print, prepare for UCP, and above all, keep learning.

The discussion ends with examples from companies such as Canva, Vista, Adobe, and Zazzle, showing how print is already being integrated directly into digital applications. For Bernd, that is precisely why printers must avoid becoming merely the final production link in someone else’s value chain — and instead make sure they remain visible, connected, and commercially relevant in an AI-driven future.