Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2020
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HP unveils drupa portfolio The portfolio will launch as scheduled despite drupa postponement. Sha Jumari reports. In a virtual press conference, HP Inc. had announced new product launches for commercial printing and labels & packaging that was slated to be on show at drupa 2020. Organisers for drupa recently announced the postponement of the event, but HP has said that it is not reliant on it for launches or releases and that the portfolio will launch as scheduled. COMMERCIAL There are five notable products that will be launched: HP Indigo 100K B2 digital press, HP Indigo 15K, HP Indigo 7K, HP Indigo 7eco and HP Indigo 90K and the HP PageWide T250HD. On the software end, the HP PrintOSx is a cloud platform with even more AI functionality than the drupa 2016-launched HP PrintOS.
The new ‘normals’ For the past 20 years, the commercial print market has been going through a decline and under pressure. According to HP Indigo’s general manager, Alon Bar-Shany, there are new “normals” that are defining what customers are looking for, and requesting from HP. These are the new normals that are inadvertently affecting HP’s investments in its technology: 1. Everything is online. The new generation is consuming in a different way, and they’re buying in a different way. 2. Same day delivery requires quicker turnarounds. Today’s consumers are expecting their product in one day to two hours.
3. Minimum orders are a thing of the past. Things change too quickly and brands are not willing to get tied up with too much money in inventory. 4. Eco and local mindset. Sustainability and reducing CO2 emissions will only be more important for print buyers. People are really eager to only order what they need, consume what they need, and in general reduce their negative impact on the environment. 5. The world has moved online. Online channels are great, but they are becoming increasingly confusing, crowded and expensive. More and more companies are moving some of the advertising back to print as data driven and unique print has extremely high ROI. 6. Average is over. People are looking for experiences. It is not just about products and services anymore. It’s about emotions and connecting to an experience, which is why people and businesses are willing to pay more for experiences.
