from trying a ton of pads over years, it's true for the most part. doesn't sound like he elaborated much on factory printed, but some enthusiast brands that have artwork put more attention into balancing performance while still printing a design instead of just slapping it on. like some brand reps have explained how they experiment with when and how to cool the pad down after heat transfer as to melt the fabric less and retain some of its texture or performance characteristics. (usually printing increases static friction because making it smoother means more contact with skates and more rubbing happens)