A MAGAZINE OF NEW IDEAS, DEVELOPMENTS AND SOLUTIONS
IN THIS ISSUE
PRINT: JUST THE FACTS
THE X FACTOR
FOCUS ON THE ALL-NEW ONSET X SERIES
VOL. 6, ISSUE 1
DRUPA 2016 FUJIFILM PLANS FOR IMPRESSIVE SHOWING IN GERMANY
VOL. 6, ISSUE 1 • SPRING 2016
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6 The X Factor How the legendary Onset ROI just got better
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Standing together
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Drupa 2016
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All about efficiency
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Inkjet grows
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Look who’s back
8 Print: Just The Facts
Stats prove the relevancy of print
TLP Amplified
Graphium helps Tailored Label Products meet rapid growth demands
William Rongey Editor-in-Chief > wrongey@fujifilm.com
A letter from Todd Zimmerman Fujifilm plans for impressive showing in Germany The Onset X3 is built for quality and speed
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ENERGY is published quarterly by FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division Copyright 2016 All rights reserved www.fujifilmgraphics.com
The future of inkjet Sales of print books rise – again
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A LETTER FROM TODD ZIMMERMAN
Standing together
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n recent conversations with a diverse cross-section of our customers, the topic of how much more difficult it has become to manage and lead your respective organizations has become more common. Whether it’s the challenge of attracting and retaining new talent, evaluating new digital printing technologies or the never-ending pursuit of new clients, there is certainly no shortage of subjects demanding your attention. A previous generation of leadership thinking was to simply work harder, and try to stay on top of every aspect of your operation. For me, this legacy thinking is no longer relevant. I am a firm believer in utilizing a wide variety of resources to be sure that I have current, relevant, and objective information to help guide my decision-making. Whether its lunch with a long-time industry peer, a visit to one of our great industry association web pages, or reading about a customer success story in Energy, the power of information is undeniable. In my experience, our industry is made up of caring, committed service providers. Your peers are typically more than willing to support collaboration opportunities, brainstorming and referrals.
In a way, Energy magazine is a byproduct of belonging to a larger community of print service providers just like you. The customer success stories we share aren’t created in a lab, they come from a world that has a common bond with you. In this issue, we are using our industry knowledge to provide a look inside the mindset of your clients. Our cover story “Customer Confidential” looks at uncovering what is critically important to your clients, and how you can position yourself for success.
The topic of how much more difficult it has become to manage and lead your respective organizations has become more common.
In our second feature, “Print: Just the Facts” we are offering suggestions to help you ‘sell’ what you do best. Print is an extraordinary tool, and we want to consistently tell the story of its value far and wide.
Due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback received this past year regarding our award-winning, in-house produced Energy magazine, beginning with this issue, we’ve added more pages to include expanded focus on customer success stories, along with additional coverage on industry-related trade shows and events. I hope you enjoy our first issue of Energy for 2016.
Todd Zimmerman Division President, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division Corporate Vice President, FUJIFILM Global Graphic Systems
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Mary Ann McLaughlin remembers hearing the intense chatter as far back as 1984: The day would soon arrive in which print would be rendered useless and we’d all be thrust into a paperless society.
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CUSTOMER CONFIDENTIAL
Such a forward-looking notion may have seemed a stretch in 1984, but not long after the advent of the 21st Century, the assertion certainly seemed plausible. With increasing reliance on email as not only a tool, but also a standard in communication, as well as the proliferation of digital technology and society’s collective eyes focused primarily on screens, it’s easy to think of print as an endangered species. But if you ask McLaughlin, managing partner of Butler Street, a management consulting, training and research firm that specializes in client and talent development, to juxtapose those 1984 assertions with the reality of print’s status today, she’ll give a slight chuckle before commenting. “If you look at my desk, [you’ll see] that [the demise of paper and print] is not even remotely close to being the truth,” she says.
THE CHANGING PRINT BUYER
McLaughlin isn’t the only person who has heard the notion of print’s decline. Margie Dana, founder of margiedana.com, whose specialty is developing marketing communications for the print industry, also noticed a transformation in the role of print – in its use and marketing. But to understand this transformation, it’s first important to understand how the print buyer has changed. In 2013, Dana and consultant John Zarwan, founding partner of J. Zarwan Partners, surveyed hundreds of professional print buyers across the country to find out who they are and how their print-buying practices and behaviors may have changed. The study, “The New Print Buyers: Who They Are, What They Want and What You Should Do,” found that just as print’s role in the marketing mix changed, so, too, has the description of the print buyer.
As far as the printer is concerned, there is no relationship that is more critical — more important — than their relationship with the print buyer. – Margie Dana, Founder, margiedana.com
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In the past, print buyers did primarily just that: purchased print. Now, the study found the people filling this role have other responsibilities outside of print buying, possibly rendering it a secondary function within their organization. In fact, nearly 40 percent of the print buyers surveyed indicated that print buying is not their primary job. “[Print buyers’] roles, responsibilities and power vary depending on the organization for which they work,” says Dana, who also was a print buyer for more than 15 years before founding Boston Print Buyers and Print Buyers International, two professional associations. Moreover, some companies even delegate the print-buying task to other staff, such as marketers, for whom print may be just a slice of a larger pie. Still, Dana says print buyers generally play important roles and do a lot of the “heavy lifting” — they choose printers, get estimates, oversee file transfers to printers, select substrates, do press checks (if required) and monitor the progress of each job. “As far as the printer is concerned, there is no relationship that is more critical — more important — than their relationship with the print buyer,” she says. The Dana/Zarwan study also found that the typical print buyer has more than 15-20 years of experience in that capacity. However, more than 20 percent of respondents have less than 10 years of experience and many have only been buying print since the introduction of the iPod. While it’s not clear that this signals a youth movement in the industry, it almost assuredly means this changing demographic has different needs from printers. “[The print buyer and the print buyer’s] customers know so much more about their options today than they did before,” McLaughlin says. “And in the past, the print buyer was looking to the printer for insight into their capabilities. While I still think that’s key, most of that information can be accessed via the internet.”
WHAT THEY VALUE
Asked to provide a snapshot of what today’s print buyer is looking for from printers, Dana rattles off several qualities: good quality, stellar service, specific capabilities, competitive pricing and ability to offer creative input. The findings of the Dana/Zarwan study support this. Taking it a step further, the study asked the same question of print buyers, assuming variables like price, quality and turnaround times were comparable. Not surprisingly, creative input and ideas about how to use print were focal points.
“Print buyers with a ‘marketing bent’ are clearly looking for more services from the print industry today, not less, and certainly not ‘only print,’” Dana says. While many traditional print buyers may consider “value-added” services in terms of tangible bonus capabilities or service bundles, McLaughlin believes thought leadership on the part of printers also is what today’s print buyers crave. “What really needs to happen is printers have to come prepared with true thought leadership and industry information,” she says. “Print customers rely on their print vendors to bring the most up-todate information on what’s happening and truly add value by being thought leaders.”
The most obvious change in the print buyer’s mindset and needs is the sustainability of print in the face of the digital revolution. Other drivers of change include personalization and speed, McLaughlin says. “Many things can be boiled down to having it ‘my way’ or having it immediately,” she says. “The way that the consumer behaves today, the expectation of speed and individualism is so high, and it’s not going to slow down. I think that perception has changed what print buyers need.” Aligning with groups such as NAPCO Media in an effort to bring the Net Promoter Score — billed as a leading indicator of client loyalty — to the printing industry, McLaughlin says Butler Street sent thousands of surveys to print buyers, high-volume users of print, printers and their contacts to find out what they wanted (see sidebar, “What They Want”). Part of the response indicated a need from print buyers to have more data and analytics. “CMOs and CMTOs are being forced to really take a much deeper dive into the types of programs they put in place and the type of return they’re going to get, and also actionable next steps and insights,” McLaughlin says. “You can’t do that unless you have data.” Is the manner in which print is marketed also an issue? Somewhat, Dana says. “Printers need to do a much better job of marketing themselves and understanding their customers’ motivations and challenges,” she says. McLaughlin says the onus is on printers to help their clients embrace change. “If printers want to differentiate themselves and truly add value, they need to get into the customer’s operating reality,” she says. “They have to add value above and beyond a product and a price.”
WHAT THEY WANT Butler Street Research LLC, a management, consulting, training and research firm, sent its Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey to thousands of print buyers, high-volume print users and print companies to help get a clear theme of what they want. Mary Ann McLaughlin, managing partner of Butler Street, discusses three highlights:
Innovation “In a highly commoditized market, this is what printers need to do to really make a difference.”
“Frictionless” Customer Experience “When they engage, they want the process to be smooth regarding how to do business together.”
Data and Analytics “They need these things so that they can take action and know they’re getting a return on investment. It’s more about these things today rather than being about a product at a low price.”
The most obvious change in the print buyer’s mindset is print’s sustainability in the face of the digital revolution. Printers can help educate buyers on how print fits in today by positioning it as more than just a product, but part of an all-encompassing solution, McLaughlin says. “As a printer, if you’re not offering a full suite of services that includes digital media, you need to have a partner that does,” she says. “You need to be prepared with a full solution that’s going to be more than just print.” It’s important to note that in no way does Dana think print should, or will, wither away due to any shortcomings or ability to compete with digital. Quite the opposite, in fact. “Print has taken a back seat to digital channels for sure, thanks to amazing new technologies,” she says. “However, it remains a vital communications channel for businesses. Where digital communications are ephemeral, in my mind, print lingers. It makes a much better and more lasting impression.”
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THE
FACTOR How the legendary Onset ROI just got better
Quality. Speed. With the Onset X Series – Onset X1, Onset X2 and Onset X3 wide format printers, you get the best of both worlds. The Onset X Series is the ultimate printing solution for print quality, productivity, and profitability. Already sporting one of the industry’s highest ROIs, and with the addition of up to 40 available press configurations, the Onset X Series enables printers to choose the exact quality, speed and price point they want. “The modular concept is right for the highly dynamic high-end large-format UV sector, which is evolving at such a pace, and in so many directions, that print service providers often face a dilemma in choosing the right printer,” says John Mills, CEO, Inca Digital. “The new Onset X Series is designed to remove the traditional compromise of quality and productivity and make the choice of printer the easiest decision they have to make.” Because Inca Digital has engineered modularity into the Onset platform, the Fujifilm team can upgrade your machine onsite in just a few days, which minimizes your downtime and helps futureproof your investment. The Onset X series combines Scalable Architecture with a comprehensive choice of options, so that whatever stage the printer is operating in, the printer can be configured or re-configured with the right productivity, quality and color performance to match its budget and evolving business needs.
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The new Onset X Series is designed to remove the traditional compromise of quality and productivity and make the choice of printer the easiest decision they have to make. — John Mills, CEO, Inca Digital
THE ONSET X SERIES AT A GLANCE... Consistent with other Onset printers, the Onset X combines the best of Inca and Fujifilm hardware, software and ink. Other features include:
Best in-class productivity 25-zone “no masking” vacuum table FUJIFILM Dimatix Q-Class printheads and iNozzle mapping Optimized Fujifilm Uvijet inks Intuitive touch screen GUI that enables printers to finalize and initiate jobs, save settings, create print queues and manage and optimize every stage of the print process Improved off-machine job set-up Advanced high-speed shuttering systems and Side Shutters that protect printhead from UV damage when printing thick substrates Optional automated substrate cleaning that uses an adhesive roller system to remove debris and improve up-time
The big secret to the Onset X’s unprecedented flexibility lies in its innovative Inca Scalable Architecture design, which features a larger 25-zone vacuum table and UV control system to eliminate masking. One of the drivers behind this flexibility – and unique among high-end largeformat flatbed printers – is a carriage that can incorporate up to 14 ink channels. That means you can start with CMYK, and then max-out to 14 color channels when you’re ready. You also can increase your speeds from 40 beds per hour as an X1-LT, to up to 180 beds per hour with an Onset X3. Inca also developed a new GUI to provide a powerful, yet simple-to-use printer and job management tool. You can finalize and initiate jobs, save settings, create print queues and manage and optimize every stage of the print process. Improved off-machine job set-up means that when jobs arrive, more parameters (substrates, print speed, quality mode, gloss levels, etc.) already are defined. Password control and web browser access enable production management to control the decision-making process and amend print queues remotely. Other new features include a Productivity Pack which incorporates advanced high-speed shuttering systems and Side Shutters that protect printheads from UV damage when printing thick substrates, and optional automated substrate cleaning using an adhesive roller system to remove debris and improve up-time. If you’re ready to multiply your return on investment, visit FujifilmInkjet.com.
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PRINT: JUST THE FACTS
Recognized as one of the industry’s best-known consultants, forecasters and commentators, Dr. Webb spends his days meticulously navigating the print and graphic arts communities to uncover invaluable insights that C-level executives, owners and analysts need to know in today’s ever-changing business landscape. So, when the question arises as to the relevancy of print today, Webb is the first to cite the invaluable role, among other attributes, that it plays in the communications process. “Print can be used in situations where it can compel your target audience to action. But it is the medium, not the message.” Webb says print’s greatest value today is keeping communities engaged by providing a method that can get those who are not engaging in other media to return. “This is why it’s so important to keep track of who is active in the community and who is not, and use print to stimulate the latter.” Survey the landscape, and you will find numbers rejecting the notion that way too many held for way too long – print is not dead. That premise is far from the truth, in fact. Here’s a mere snapshot of print’s relevancy today: U.S. commercial print industry shipments have been up for 19 consecutive months in current dollars and six consecutive months compared to the corresponding month of the prior year, according to a recent Commerce Department report. On an inflation-adjusted basis, that translates into five positive quarters and one of the best growth periods over the last 20 years. There were 571 million paper books sold in the United States in 2015, up from 559 million the previous year, according to Nielsen BookScan, which collects data on roughly 85 percent of the print market. Between October 2014 and the end of September 2015, there were a total of 830 magazines launched, according to Samir Husni, Ph.D., director of the Magazine Innovation Center at the University of Mississippi, School of Journalism, who is widely known in publishing circles as “Mr. Magazine.”
“If you have a drink in your hand, I say, put it in the air,” says Gal Shweiki, founder and CEO of Shweiki Media Co., in San Antonio. “I’d say things are looking pretty good around here. I think the numbers speak for themselves.” To find more tangible examples that the power of print still holds today, Shweiki cites the magazine his company has published for the past 25 years – Study Breaks, which is geared for and about college students. “Our magazine continues to grow and be relevant with this digital native group,” Shweiki says. “Being handed a high quality, free publication when they are on campus that is focused on them, packed with coupons, smart and funny editorial, is still something they look forward to every month.” “Magazines engage all of our senses,” Shweiki says. “Publishers today have more choices than ever to enhance their readers and advertisers experience. Matte and soft touch UV can make a publication feel gritty or smoother than silk. Gatefolds, foil stamping and creative die-cuts are all being used to enhance the tactical experience of reading a magazine.” As further proof of print’s stature as a marketing tool, Shweiki recalls the story of long-time client Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper Realtors, which at one point discussed ceasing publication of its monthly publication that showcased high-end homes in the greater San Antonio market. The plan was to focus solely on digital products to showcase the homes.
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“They have a talented team that not only handles their very sophisticated website, but also produces a weekly television show that is widely viewed in the area,” Shweiki says. “The idea to shut down the magazine was quickly dismissed, for one reason. It works. The agents were using it to sell homes and they did not want to see it go away.” In the marketing classes that Dawn Lerman, Ph.D., oversees at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, she has a first-hand look at the strategies and tools needed to create the most sustainable branding initiatives. Ask her to define print’s role today amid a digital revolution that many proclaimed would be the new way of doing business, and she muses of its so-called demise. “Print is a long-standing and established form of communication,” says Lerman, professor of marketing and executive director of Fordham’s Center for Positive Marketing. “It takes time to craft and produce. And again, it’s tangible. That all helps make it trustworthy.” For many brands today, print still plays a critical role, mainly because print encompasses traditional print advertising, direct mail, promotional products, and more. “Digital has become so ubiquitous that using print can now be a way to stand out,” Lerman says. “Print provides a certain kind of presence that online cannot replicate, simply because print is tangible. Print used to be easy to ignore. Relative to newer forms of media, print is actually now less easy to ignore today.”
Lerman says there also are certain brand qualities that are easily communicated through print, mostly because of the medium itself. “It can be romantic, classic, artistic,” she says. In the movement to prove print’s sustainability in the new age of marketing, those who live and breathe its relevancy know that the value it offers is right before your eyes. All you have to do is look. “Print stimulates us more than any other medium, including television, internet, radio and outdoors,” Shweiki says. “It never needs a reboot, recharge or reset, and when you’re done reading, you can recycle products. I don’t think you can say the same for spam.” ENERGY
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AMPLIFIED
Graphium helps Tailored Label Products meet rapid growth demands
hen Tailored Label Products (TLP) was looking for a way to meet the increasing demand of its growing customer base, the engineering-focused label manufacturing company wanted to find a product that had the flexibility needed for the jobs at hand. Enter Fujifilm’s Graphium press, a versatile hybrid flexographic and UV digital inkjet press specifically designed for labels, packaging and specialty print, becoming a key addition to TLP’s 60,000-square-foot facility. With up to six digital ink channels, the high-speed UV inkjet press is uniquely positioned to offer ultra-high quality printing designed specifically to meet the challenging demands of the industrial label market. “We needed to add press capacity to meet rapid growth and increasing demand of our customers, while continuing to advance our digital printing capabilities,” says Jeff Kerlin, president and CEO of the Menomonee Falls, Wis., company, which has provided high-performance labels since 1984. Kerlin says the Graphium provides the TLP team with tremendous flexibility by combining the advantages of both traditional flexographic and advanced digital print technologies.
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We needed to add press capacity to meet rapid growth and increasing demand of our customers, while continuing to advance our digital printing capabilities. – Jeff Kerlin, President & CEO, Tailored Label Products
“We can run four color process plus white digitally without having to make plates, saving time and money, plus add specialty ink like a metallic or specific PMS solid color using flexo print decks, and run it all in-line,” he says. “Having that flexibility gives us a distinct advantage and allows us to standout within the industry.” The durability of the graphics produced on the Graphium fits well into TLP’s product offerings. “The labels we produce with UV Jeff Kerlin, President and CEO, Tailored Label Products inkjet are very robust, and the output needs to last for the life of the product we are producing,” Kerlin says. “The durability of the labels the Graphium produces is outstanding, which had a huge impact on our decision (to purchase the Graphium).”
PUTTING THE GRAPHIUM TO WORK
Soon after installing its new Graphium, Tailored Label Products had a rush job for one of the largest home improvement stores in North America. The job included digital four-color process and large solid areas best produced using traditional flexo. “With the Graphium, we were able to go straight to press, and we were able to turn this job very quickly,” Kerlin says. “We were fortunate to have the proper press; without the Graphium, we would not have been able to meet the client’s needs.”
Another recent quote supplied by TLP to a new client included a large label program with variable data – unique identifiers printed on tens of thousands of labels. Kerlin says it would have been more costly and time consuming to supply the client with their variable data requirements without the Graphium. “There was really no other solution that would be as practical with regard to their extremely large quantity of unique ID labels,” he says. The Graphium’s design, coupled with Fujifilm’s UV ink enables print providers to produce “fit-for-purpose” labels, regardless of the application. The versatility the Graphium provides allows printers to optimize production and maximize profit on every job. “Flexibility with the Graphium is a huge advantage,” Kerlin says. “The key features and benefits of the Graphium were major influencers for us, including the ability to print UV inkjet variable data, the die cut and the lamination stations, as well as the modular flexo decks before and after the digital print engine, and finally, the in-line finishing capabilities.” Kerlin says TLP wanted to work with an industry leader that it could partner with. “We have that with Fujifilm. We went all-in with Fujifilm, and we feel that Fujifilm has reciprocated. Their technicians have been great during the install, while also providing their ongoing expertise on things like optimizing the press and color management.”
Without the Graphium, we would not have been able to meet the client’s needs. – Jeff Kerlin, President & CEO, Tailored Label Products ENERGY
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Fujifilm plans for impressive showing in Germany Commercial. Wide format. Packaging. When Fujifilm hits the ground in Dusseldorf, Germany, its industry-leading inkjet technologies and solutions will be on display within the “FUJIFILM Inkjet Technology” brand at drupa 2016, May 31-June 10, 2016. In Hall 8b, stand A25, Fujifilm will highlight how its inkjet capabilities combine the best UV and water-based ink technologies, leading piezo-electric printhead design, and worldclass software and systems integration expertise. Fujifilm’s traditional technologies and solutions designed to optimize existing print processes, in particular offset and flexo print production also will be available, including the recently launched “SUPERIA” and “FLENEX” solutions, which can enhance production, help printers improve their profitability and, ultimately, provide the foundation for a strong print business.
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Also on display, the latest generation of its modular SAMBA™ printheads, unique VersaDrop™ jetting and RAPIC anti-coagulation technologies, together with the company’s software, systems integration and ink development expertise, have been combined to form the “print engine“ at the heart of Heidelberg’s new B1 industrial inkjet press. Attendees can also learn more about the recently announced Fujifilm and Heidelberg relationship.
The Commercial Printing Zone
Center stage in The Commercial Printing Zone will be the J Press 720S. Fujifilm will showcase how it is transforming print businesses all around the world, and why it will continue to lead the B2 inkjet digital printing market. Featuring a number of new enhancements, visitors can see the competitive benefits available using the press, which remains the only proven, reliable and fully commercially available B2 inkjet production press.
Also on display in the wide format zone will be application examples produced using Fujifilm’s unique Uvijet KV inks suitable for thermoforming applications.
The Package Printing Zone
The Wide Format Printing Zone
The Wide Format Printing Zone features a range of leading solutions for wide and super-wide format print production. At the high volume end, Fujifilm will showcase a new Onset X Series press for the first time in Europe. The Onset X Series represents the latest evolution in Inca Digital’s advanced “scalable architecture” concept. On the show floor will be the new Uvistar Hybrid 320, a 3.2m, combination flatbed and roll printer capable of producing high quality output at speeds of up to 2,098 square feet an hour. Utilizing FUJIFIILM Dimatix Q-Class printheads and Uvijet UV inks, it prints full greyscale output at an exceptional quality level and delivers a wide gamut of vibrant colors. The press is available in an eight-channel configuration with CMYK, Lc, Lm, Lk and Orange ink channels.
Leading the mid-range portfolio will be Fujifilm’s Acuity F flatbed printer, a dedicated flatbed production printer delivering high quality print at up to 1,668 square feet per hour. It is available in six or seven channel versions. The Acuity LED II also will be showcased. The printer uses proprietary FUJIFILM Dimatix printheads and Uvijet inks to achieve wide colour gamut reproduction and smooth tonal gradations, while demonstrating a class-leading productivity of up to 355 square feet per hour in the high speed mode.
Fujifilm will showcase its new advanced water-washable flexo plate, FLENEX FW, in the Package Printing Zone and will demonstrate how label and flexible packaging converters can benefit from this high quality and low cost-in-use flexo plate. Thanks to advanced photopolymer technologies, FLENEX FW guarantees reduced dot gain and better ink transfer for cleaner and brighter print results, and can reduce platemaking times to less than 40 minutes.
This zone also will feature a new, next generation LED-UV inkjet press suitable for flexible packaging applications. This press is ideally suited for printing on the underside of flexible packaging, and is powered by proprietary new Fujifilm image forming technology called “EUCON” (Enhanced Under Coating and Nitrogen purging technology). Fujifilm’s new LED-UV inkjet press for flexible packaging applications continues its core philosophy of offering high performance, high quality digital print solutions. Thanks to a reliable media handling system, it can deliver productivity of up to 538 square feet per minute, using the five standard CMYK and White ink channels. In addition, thanks to a LED-UV curing and drying system, the amount of heat applied to the substrate is minimized, reducing power consumption and enabling the press to be used with a wide range of flexible substrates.
The Fujifilm Inkjet Technology Zone
The Fujifilm Inkjet Technology Zone is at the core of Fujifilm’s drupa presence. Situated at the center of the booth, the zone will demonstrate how Fujifilm’s cutting-edge UV and waterbased ink technologies, leading piezo-electric printheads and world-class software and systems integration expertise, showcased under a new brand name “FUJIFILM Inkjet Technology” are being used to deliver today’s inkjet printing solutions and create printing applications of the future. The potential to expand the application of inkjet technologies and digital printing to different substrates and potential new business fields will be a major highlight.
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ALL ABOUT EFFICIENCY The Onset X3 is built for speed
cott Crosby doesn’t mince words when you ask him about the difference the Inca Onset X3 has made in Holland & Crosby’s print production capabilities. He starts by describing how he and his partner, Richard Labiuk, VP Finance & Operations spent the better part of last year touring the world for the latest digital technology. From trade shows to live hands-on demonstrations, Holland & Crosby embarked on a pilgrimage to find the piece of equipment that would give the company the edge it sought for in today’s competitive digital landscape. What it eventually found in the Onset X3 was a workhorse that, in Crosby’s words, “stands out as a stellar solution.” “We’ve separated ourselves from the pack by being able to deliver a ‘Cure for the Crunch,’” says Crosby, VP Sales and Marketing, Holland & Crosby Limited, the Ontario, Canadabased printer that specializes in Point Of Purchase (POP) retailbased signage programs.
“When we went to Cambridge, United Kingdom, for the Onset launch, the decision was made right then and there to move forward with the Onset purchase,” said Crosby. In 2010, with the Onset leading the way, Holland & Crosby walked away from screen and became a digital only facility. “We have never looked back,” Crosby says. “Digital was a perfect fit for the type of work in our marketplace, and the Onset was the perfect solution.”
As Holland & Crosby can attest, the OnAs the first North set X3 sits at the pinnacle of productivity today’s digital printing space. The X3 American install of the inSeries offers users of analogue screenOnset X3, Holland & printing lines the ability to take the digFounded in 1932, Holland ital route knowing they can print long & Crosby offers a complete Crosby will attest the X3 runs of high-quality print with superb range of services, from creconsistency and reliability. ative and structural design, sits at the pinnacle of to storage and distribution, One of the features that attracted Holincluding print production productivity in today’s land & Crosby was the Onset X3’s abilwith prototyping and finishity to print at a blistering 9,688 square ing. Operating from a purpose digital printing space. feet per hour. built 71,000-square-foot production and distribution facility near Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, Holland & Crosby has the ability to design, manufacture and distribute all under one roof.
Throughout its 80-plus year history, Holland & Crosby has been defined by its ability to be on the leading edge of technology and meet the ever-changing needs of its customers. For example, it was the first North American install of the Onset S70 in 2008. In 2009, it installed the S20 to take the short-runs off the S70, and to be able to print white digitally.
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“The X3 is built for speed,” Crosby says. To continue their momentum, Holland & Crosby also recently upgraded their finishing department to include two Esko Kongsberg C64 cutting tables to eliminate any possible bottlenecks in their production workflow. “Our cutting table operators are moving quickly to keep up with the output. There is no down time; and it provides us the ability to finish larger runs in house,” adds Crosby.
Richard Labiuk, VP Finance and Operations, left, and Scott Crosby, VP Sales and Marketing, proudly stand next to their new Inca Onset X3, featuring Hostert Automation. Holland & Crosby Limited is the first North American install of the all-new Onset X3.
“The enhanced print quality of our X3 makes a big difference. We are now able to pursue different vertical markets with this print technology.” In addition, thanks to Inca’s pioneering “Scalable Architecture” concept, each Onset X Series press is based on a new common scalable architecture platform that features a larger 25-zone vacuum table and UV control system to eliminate masking, unique among high-end large-format flatbed printers. It also features a carriage that can incorporate up to 14 ink channels which allows print service providers the flexibility to configure their Onset X printer for the combination of productivity, color and quality that best matches their changing production requirements. “We live in a world where it is all about efficiency,” says Labiuk. “Surviving in retail is extremely difficult, and we have the ability to turn jobs very quickly so we can always say ‘yes.’ When our customers understand the efficiencies of digital compared to screen, new opportunities arise. That makes it exciting.” The benefits of digital are helping Holland & Crosby in other ways, too. For example, digital is helping expand its workforce.
“Every step of the way, we’ve gained confidence in Fujifilm’s ability to provide leading edge digital technology. – Scott Crosby, VP Sales and Marketing, Holland & Crosby Limited Over the past 12 years, Holland & Crosby continues to take a leading role in the marketplace. “Every step of the way, as we’ve gained experience as a print provider, we’ve gained confidence in Fujifilm’s ability to provide leading edge technology,” Crosby says. “From their equipment performance, ink and customer service, their quality is what keeps us a Fujifilm customer. It’s about building long-term partnerships.”
“We are an attractive potential employer to university graduates,” adds Labiuk. “Our equipment is intriguing and creates interest. It was a challenge to attract a younger generation when we were a screen-only facility.”
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Legendary Onset ROI Just Got X-Times Better. The Quality and Speed You Need Today. Easily Expandable in the Future. Onset X Series wide format printers provide you the best of both worlds. Onset’s reputation of delivering one of the industry’s highest ROI is well-known. Now with 21 available press configurations, you can choose the exact quality, speed and price point today, knowing an upgrade path is built-in for future business growth. And an even better lifetime ROI.
with CMYK and max-out to 14 color channels next year? No problem. Need to increase speeds from 40 beds per hour to up to 200 beds per hour? We’re ready. One call and we’ll install the components needed to upgrade your Onset X machine onsite. And as new color and printhead technologies evolve, so will Onset X’s upgrade potential.
The secret to this unprecedented flexibility is the innovative Inca Scalable Architecture design of the Onset X. Want to start
To learn more how Onset X can multiply your return on investment, visit fujifilminkjet.com today.
up to 112 beds/hr 8 active channels
up to 145 beds/hr 14 active channels
up to 200 beds/hr 14 active channels
Recognized worldwide as the ultimate wide format printing platform, Onset X series printers feature industry-best print quality, 25 zone vacuum bed for faster job changeover, iNozzle technology to identify and overcome under-performing printhead nozzles, and 4 or 6-color configurations including CMYK, light cyan, light magenta, white and orange for expanded color gamut.
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By 2018, InfoTrends believes that production color inkjet will account for 59 percent of the total production digital color volume —and this is happening while color toner is also growing at a healthy rate According to Smithers Pira, the inkjet printing market was valued at $33.4 billion in 2011 and forecast to grow to $67.3 billion in 2017
Industry forecasts show that Total Annual Inkjet impressions will account for close to one-third of all digital printing volume worldwide by 2016 Production color inkjet accounted for 31 percent of the total production digital color volume in 2012, which is all the more impressive when you consider that there was hardly any production color inkjet volume prior to 2008
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14.3% 5% 2.8%
A board book is a type of book printed on thick paperboard. Unlike a typical paper book that is bound with saddle stitching (staples) or perfect binding, a board book’s pages are specially folded and bound together. Board books are very durable and consequently intended for small children, who often tend to be less gentle with books.
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LOOK WHO’S BACK It was over. Done. The thought of people flipping through a print book was so yesterday. But then something interesting happened – people realized they loved printed books. According to a recent report by Nielsen BookScan, unit sales of hardcover print books increased 2.8 percent in 2015, marking the second consecutive year print units posted annual gains. Additionally, board books (designed for children) saw a gain of nearly fifteen percent. All eyes are fixed on 2016 numbers, as the resurgence of print moves forward.
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Faster start. Better finish. With millions of impressions produced, the 2nd generation J Press 720S is the proven digital inkjet press solution to compete for more of your customers’ brand business. You’ll appreciate how fast the J Press 720S gets out of the blocks. No plates and virtually no makereadies to slow you down. No wasted sheets or time in running up to color either. Just send the PDF file to the press and instantly print litho-quality images on standard offset coated and uncoated sheets. Our prints finish strong too, with flexibility designed to take full advantage of your existing finishing equipment. J Press 720S sheets can handle lamination and coatings for high end jobs like photo books, calendars, and brochures. And, the J Press 720S is the first production inkjet press to be certified by Idealliance to GRACol 2013 standards. Seeing is believing. Visit fujifilminkjet.com today.
Fujifilm proprietary technologies inside the J Press 720S, combined with superb registration accuracy, provide extraordinary fine-line detail, stunning and vibrant colors and natural skin tones. All with the durability and finishing characteristics of an offset litho print.
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