Printing Innovation Asia Issue 1/2 2021
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2021 & Beyond: Print a In the face of the global crisis in 2020, the print industry in Asia Pacific has shown its ability to respond effectively to its customers. We ask the print industry on the trends that are set to shake the print industry in 2021 and beyond. “What are some trends that you foresee shaking up the print industry in Asia Pacific 2021 and beyond?”
Industry 4.0 – Rise of the Smart Factory Tim Klappe, MPS Systems Asia Pacific For me this has to be the growth towards the smart factory. The developments of sensor technology, the internet of things (IoT) is going very fast. The data collection that is possible as of this gives a full transparent environment. It shows the print management what is really happening, without having to rely on subjective input from operators. Efficiencies and inefficiencies are easily detected. At this moment the actual usage of a narrow web label press is very low. Based on our own analysis, machines in the market are not running for an average of 30% of the time. With sensor technology - connected machines - all functions of a press are transparent and analysed. For example, you can easily detect that a roll change is five or 10 minutes longer than the market benchmark. Saving these five minutes for every roll change by improving the way of working can add hours of extra capacity for the press each week. The result is a lower cost per label, more jobs, and therefore more profit per year for the printing company.
The shake-up will be caused by label printing companies who fully embrace these technologies and workflows and adjust their ways of working in such a way that they maximize their efficiencies on a continuous basis. These companies will end up faster, lower in cost, higher in profits and giving better services to their customers. Label printers who will not get on ‘this train’ will eventually lose out or will have to make a huge jump to catch up. So, my recommendation and wish is therefore for all label printers to read about these industry 4.0 trends, about the path towards the smart factory and make step by step investments and organizational changes towards the use of these new technologies. Obviously MPS Systems will be very pleased to support.
Remote Digital Transformation Christoph Thommessen, managing director, CGS Publishing Technologies In 2020, we all had to deal with huge new challenges. Travel restrictions has affected the daily business drastically, as face-to-face meetings and personal interaction with customers and partners became impossible. However, the crisis also led to more flexibility, creativity
