Fujifilm Energy May 2015 by FUJIFILM print illustrated

A MAGAZINE OF NEW IDEAS, DEVELOPMENTS AND SOLUTIONS

VOL. 5, ISSUE 2

IN THIS ISSUE

INNOVATE NOW HINDSIGHT IS 20/20

The Middleton Group delivers results with Inca Onset R40-LT

VOL. 5, ISSUE 2 • SPRING 2015

2 10

8 Full speed ahead

Toronto’s Middleton Group adds Inca Onset R40-LT into mix

Innovate now

4 ways to manage rapid change

Constant improvement never goes out of style

The right white

A letter from Todd Zimmerman

Why you should switch to Supernova White

Hindsight is 20/20

14 Future flexibility

Why the Inca Onset R40-LT is good for your business

William Rongey Editor > wrongey@fujifilm.com

Study highlights challenges facing today’s companies

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Press: Komori lS 840 Plates: Fujifilm LH-PJ thermal plates Screening: Fujifilm Co-Res Screening Coating: Coatings and Adhesives Corporation 5296D Imprintable Gloss UV Coating, 9017 UV Reticulation Varnish, 5385A UV Litho Matte OPV Inks: Toyo inks

A LETTER FROM TODD ZIMMERMAN

Constant improvement never goes out of style

t Fujifilm, our core business, our mission, and the value we provide comes from investing in products and services that are important today; and will still be important many years from now. Our belief is that the greatest organizations on earth stand the test of time because they maintain their focus on core values and create a culture of sustainable value. That will never go out of style. This will remain our focus in spite of all the detractors in the market place or changing business conditions we all sometimes face over the course of the business cycle. At times these situations may seem overwhelming. The continuous developments in technology along with the ever challenging financial pressures may impart a sense of urgency to â&#x20AC;&#x153;reactâ&#x20AC;? instead of proactively focusing on execution and the tools we need to continually maintain our direction. One of our core values that is central to our mission is achieving constant improvement to better serve our customers. We challenge our employees to develop new ideas and new ways to improve our organization, and our products, instead of chasing the latest trend or reacting to new conditions. Our focus on new ideas and making improvements supports our value system, which feed the cultural elements of the organization and enables our ability to serve our customers and improve daily life. We believe our customers are continually striving for improvement and progress. Our products, friendly service, and innovative solutions support this principal and the brand message Fujifilm has built for over the past 80 years. It is woven into the fabric of our culture, our commitment to our customers, and to the graphic arts community.

Innovation begins here.

Fujifilm is helping to make

In this edition of Energy, we are highlighting some ideas that can lead to sustainable success for your organization. Our cover article, Unstoppable, is not just about how to conduct business in the current landscape. It focuses on uncovering the needs of your customers, and helping them adopt the right tools to achieve their goals of future business success, and win more work.

the world a better, healthier and more interesting place.

Our second feature, Innovate Now - four ways to manage rapid change, provides you with thoughts on how innovations can be managed within the core of your business. Both features are a product of the one initiative that will never change for Fujifilm - our desire to help elevate you and your business.

Todd Zimmerman Senior Vice President and General Manager FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division

ENERGY

efore he sold Classic Sports Images in 2006, Jim Warble took the corporate incentive and rewards business he co-founded to unprecedented heights

in the commemorative products market. In its heyday, Classic Sports, which specializes in creating commemorative products for franchises such as Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and Indy Car Racing, built a network of more than 2,000 independent sales representatives and retail outlets.

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UNSTOPPABLE

The driving force behind Classic’s growth was Warble, the successful entrepreneur and executive level sales and management leader with decades of experience working with Fortune 500 firms, and as a business owner and consultant. Warble’s selling strategy is simple: Every time you meet someone, whether it’s a business or social situation, is a selling opportunity. “To me, being ready to sell means having a default sales system in place, something that becomes an automatic ‘go to’ when the opportunity arises. It means having [your] prepared “30-second commercial” ready to share when opportunity arises. It means always being prepared to ask, listen and determine if there is an opportunity for me and my company to make a sale, build a relationship or grow our business.” If you’re looking for unstoppable sales strategies to win more work, the premise is clear-cut: As a sales professional, in whatever it is you sell, you must be able to control the situation to deliver a “win/win” result every time you enter into a relationship. Your prospect has a need, a perceived “pain.” And you, the professional salesperson, have the solution. “Once I determine that you have a budget and I have identified the decision makers or serious influencers to the sales process, then I can design the solution,” says Warble, who today is co-CEO of Brands To Marketplace. “If I have a product or service that will overcome or ease your pain, then we have the ingredients for a win/win relationship. If I can achieve this, I actually have a multiple win situation. I get a sale, and I build a relationship with you, and you become a referral source to me for more new business.” In today’s ever changing printing services industry, customer expectations are becoming more demanding, with introduction of faster and better ways of doing things. And with competition more aggressive than ever, the key to the sales process is to respond, adapt and accommodate the unique needs of your clients. In order to win more work, you need to differentiate your offer to the client, add more value, and show how your solution best meets their needs.

Planning and preparation, the keys to winning

Paul Cherry says this means today’s salespeople must be better at planning and preparation before they engage their customers. If your planning and preparation are in line, you can customize a solution that is meaningful to their unique challenges. If it is not, you are playing a game of risk.

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It’s hard to motivate a salesperson until you first know what motivates them. Find what drives them. – Paul Cherry, President, Performance Based Results

“Selling is the one profession that requires taking risks and not always winning,” says Cherry, president of Performance Based Results, a leading authority on customer engagement strategies. “The selling process requires dealing with a good amount of rejection. Those who succeed have a high degree of resiliency. They bounce back from failure and focus on the right opportunities in order to secure the right outcomes.” Cherry says sales become less of a gamble when you do your homework. “You have to research your customer. You have to understand your industry. You have to understand the market challenges and buying criteria. And you have to know the problems your customers are facing and the outcomes they want to achieve.” One of the best ways to enhance your company’s sales efforts is to get to know your salespeople. Understand their needs, their challenges and what they want to accomplish. “It’s hard to motivate a salesperson until you first know what motivates them,” Cherry says. “Find what drives them – making more money, job security, recognition and/or feeling valued, reducing stress, job flexibility, professional growth, etc.”

Ask any salesperson, and they will tell you that achieving outcomes is the ultimate outcome in any sales strategy. Along with regular sales meetings, sales managers must continue to emphasize the training process. And that includes practicing and learning with your team. Cherry recommends going on joint sales calls, so that managers can observe and reinforce what they are doing right, and coach what people can improve. Only when training is put into action can you create ‘stickability,’ i.e., behavioral change.” Part of behavioral change is holding your reps accountable for applying the new skills they are taught. To do that, Cherry says you must set clear expectations. Get your reps to commit to putting a new concept into action, and then reporting back how it worked within a specified timeframe. “If they need to better plan, ask them

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STEPS

EVERY SALES

to show you their planning sheet, what research they did on the account, who they’re going to call, questions they plan to ask. Ask them what outcome they want to achieve and by when. That’s accountability.”

To me, being ready to sell means having a default sales system in place, something that becomes an automatic ‘go to’ when the opportunity arises. – Jim Warble, Co-CEO, Brands To Marketplace Achieving the perfect outcome

Ask any salesperson, and they will tell you that achieving outcomes is the ultimate outcome in any sales strategy. To achieve outcomes, you must take the risk out of the equation. Brian Sullivan, president of Precise Selling, says that while virtually every sales call is a gamble, it is critical to think through every outcome during your sales presentation. Define the concessions your client may ask for and the ones you can counter with. By creating a list like this, you will separate yourself from the pack. “The ineffective gambler often gets knocked out in a sales call,” says Sullivan, a highly sought after speaker and author of the book, “20 Days to the Top – How the PRECISE Selling Formula Will Make You Your Company’s Top Sales Performer in 20 Days or Less.” Sullivan says to imagine yourself as a prizefighter. “When a punch is thrown at him, he doesn’t pause to think about what his response will be. If he did, he would be on his back. Instead, he practices, drills and rehearses his responses well before he enters the ring. This not only prevents him from lying on his back, but also gives him the confidence he needs to be a champion.”

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STRATEGY SHOULD INCLUDE

You want results in your sales initiatives, here are seven things every salesperson should do on every call: Plan, plan and plan

Before you ever take that first step, do all the homework and preparation you can on your client and his needs. Preparation is king.

Who’s the boss?

Find out who the real decision maker is in the sales process. Is it your client, their boss, the owner or the end user? Make sure that whomever makes the decision is in the room before you ask for the sale.

Know your game

Ask good questions and listen. What does your client want? Best price. Best product and/or performance. Best possible solution.

Be an advocate

Success ultimately comes down to knowing your product. Understand your suite of products and show the client how they best meet their needs.

Be on the ready

With your sales conversation comes objections. There is no way around it. Be prepared to answer any and all questions before they arise. That means do your homework.

Ask for the business

Sounds simple, right? Many sales opportunities are missed because the salesperson does not overtly ask for the business. So just come right out and ask for the sale. After you get a commitment, move on to the next step that will help close the deal.

Find the next great thing

Nothing feels better than giving your customers what they need, when they need it, and then hearing how it worked. Building this kind of trust is critical. The next step is exploring what other opportunities are there. Look for ways for your relationship to go deeper.

SNAPSHOTS ON INNOVATION

What’s new with Fujifilm

THE RIGHT WHITE

Why you should switch to Supernova White If you’re looking for white ink for your non-shrink flexo applications, Fujifilm’s Supernova White ink is the only one you need. “Supernova White by Fujifilm is one of the many flexo inks designed to help print providers produce unique and visually stunning graphics,” says John Kaiser, product marketing manager, Packaging & Specialty Inks, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division. “The opacity of Supernova White is a standout in flexo printing, and has allowed many of our customers to eliminate their slower rotary screen printing process and produce jobs faster.” The advanced design enables the extreme opacity and smooth laydown of a rotary screen white running at flexo speeds. That not only gives you faster speeds than rotary screen printing, but also eliminates the cost and setup time of rotary screen. If you need more proof, Supernova White also prints exceptional detail when used with fine line anilox volumes, allowing it to be the one-ink for all flexo applications.

✔︎ High opacity UV flexo white ✔︎ Smooth laydown with no pinholing ✔︎ Very broad adhesion range

✔︎ Fast curing ✔︎ Very fine detail capability ✔︎ Replace ‘double-hitting’ flexo backing white

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CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT

With an efficient and cost-effective plan to modify this press into a full Inca Onset R40i, print providers have the unique ability to upgrade the Inca Onset R40-LT as their businesses grow.

The Middleton Group has always been the “go-to” printer. For more than 60 years, well-known brands from across North America have called on Middleton Group to provide state-of-the-art strategic direction for large format printing, creative concepts, and eye-catching retail displays. And now, to bolster its efforts to give its clients what they need, the Toronto-area based design, merchandising and print facility has added the Inca Onset R40-LT, a scalable wide format UV flatbed inkjet press that COO Craig Riethmacher says is just what the company needed. The R40-LT is their third Inca press. In 2005, Middleton Group purchased its first Inca Onset press, the Eagle – a technology Riethmacher says was “unbelievable.” “It met our needs, and we ran it all the time,” he says. “As technology advanced we bought the Columbia Turbo, which was another giant leap. The speed was amazing. We ran two shifts constantly for seven years; it was our only digital machine at the time. The Columbia Turbo was a really good machine.” So, when it came to the R40-LT, the decision was easy. “We’ve had nothing but success with Inca products,” Riethmacher says. “I didn’t have to shop around too much before I bought our new R40-LT.” Fast forward to 2015, and Middleton Group’s purchase of the Inca Onset R40-LT fits right into what the printer is doing. The remarkable output of the Inca Onset R40-LT produces the quality Middleton Group demands and expects. Uniquely built utilizing Inca’s scalable architecture, the R40-LT delivers stunning quality prints at speeds of 40- 5-foot x 10-foot beds an hour, and can be field upgraded to boost speed as well as enhance the press productivity with additional options.

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With an efficient and cost-effective plan to modify this press into a full Inca Onset R40i, print providers have the unique ability to upgrade the Inca Onset R40-LT as their businesses grow. “We are in the visual display business, we need to be able to print on thick substrates, with a variety of highly creative outputs,” Riethmacher says. “Our new R40-LT has been fantastic thus far, and having the option to upgrade over time is perfect for our business model. The R40-LT complements our other equipment nicely.” The very first job Middleton produced on its Inca R40-LT was a series of rustic-looking wooden plaques for one of North America’s largest home improvement stores. “The client was very pleased with the output, and we will be receiving additional jobs from them in the future,” Riethmacher says.

THE RIGHT INK MATTERS

Craig Riethmacher, COO, Middleton Group, with their newly installed Inca Onset R40-LT

Our new R40-LT has been fantastic thus far, and having the option to upgrade over time is perfect for our business model. – Craig Riethmacher, COO, Middleton Group

To help improve the quality of its projects, Middleton Group is using Fujifilm’s Uvijet OZ ink on the R40-LT. The combination has produced noticeable differences in quality. “The quality of Fujifilm’s Uvijet OZ ink is top notch,” Riethmacher says. “One of our current projects involves heat-bending, while printing on quarter-inch acrylic with a curve, for a globally known high-end vacuum manufacturer, and the adhesion of Uvijet OZ ink is amazing.” “Additionally, the ‘gloss mode’ with the R40-LT looks like UV clear,” Riethmacher says. In industry circles, white ink is a heavily discussed topic. And Middleton Group is no different, with the printer experiencing success with white ink. “The white is really opaque, it’s truly amazing,” Riethmacher says. “We manage a lot of work on black signage, and this process is very efficient on the R40-LT. I see us using a lot of white ink.” In the quest to become bigger, stronger and faster, Middleton Group is hoping its new R40-LT will bring in more sales, more jobs and more work. “We have enjoyed a great relationship with Fujifilm for many years,” Riethmacher says. “Everyone I’ve worked with there has been very accommodating and helpful. The install of our R40-LT went perfect. It was seamless. We have been a customer of Fujifilm for 20-plus years. They are always innovating and exceeding our needs. I consider many Fujifilm folks my friends.”

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You need to be clear on what your goals are. You have to decide what kind of innovator you want to be. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Gene Farrell, leader and founding member, Amazon WorkSpaces

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4 WAYS TO MANAGE RAPID CHANGE

Google ‘innovation,’ and you’ll get about 410 million hits. Not since the 19th century, when the balance of society changed from agriculture to industry in the space of a couple of generations, has the pace of change been so swift. And it’s not slowing down. Many markets are changing so rapidly that the companies vying for a share of that market will be left in the dust if they fail to innovate. Innovate! has become a battle cry of our modern business culture. But Saul Kaplan, founder and chief catalyst of the Business Innovation Factory, says innovation has become a trite buzzword.

An innovation is a better way to deliver value. It is not an innovation until it solves a problem that a customer is having — it delivers value in the real world, solves a problem and helps get a job done that a customer is trying to do. – Saul Kaplan, founder and chief analyst, Business Innovation Factory “Everybody uses the word innovation, but most fail to understand the concept,” Kaplan says. “Innovation isn’t about some flashy new solution – it’s more about solving a problem in the real world in a different way.” How do successful companies start innovating and position themselves at the top end of the bell curve – what Kaplan refers to as market makers, rather than share takers? Here are four tips from innovation leaders:

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Get out of your silo and look around with fresh eyes

Constrained by our own organizational models and human behavior, we have difficulty looking beyond our own industry’s best practices, Kaplan says. Consequently, we fail to explore and experiment. Kaplan says the opportunities for innovation increase when we expand our view, get out on the edge, expose ourselves to the knowledge flow, get out of our own industry silos and look around at how other industries are creating value. “We should focus on next practices rather than best practices,” he says. “You’ll learn the most when you’re examining different industries and disciplines.” That includes combining capabilities from across silos and exploring how an existing technology can be applied to an entirely new application, perhaps one in a different industry. For example, every time you watch an LCD flat screen TV you are enjoying a Fujifilm innovation. Fujifilm’s photo film technologies are utilized to create a high-performance film that greatly improves the image on liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. “Now, a large percentage of flat-screen TVs utilize our film,” says Terry Mitchell, VP of Marketing, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division. “That’s a great example of innovation that resulted from applying a core technology to an entirely new application.”

Focus on problem solving

What do you think innovation means? Is it incremental? Is it transformational? Or, is it disruptive? Do your stakeholders concur? Kaplan says it’s important that all stakeholders share a common perception of what is meant by innovation, what their respective roles are and what their mutual expectations should be. “A lot of people confuse innovation with invention, and think that they just need new technology to solve a problem,” Kaplan says. “But an innovation is not the same as an invention. Inventions are important, and it’s nice to have new technology, but frankly

we have more new technology than we can use. We’re not short on new technology, but we are short on the ability to use new technologies to solve problems and deliver value to customers.” Often, game-changing innovations like Uber, Netflix and Airbnb improve the way services and products are delivered using existing technology. “An innovation is a better way to deliver value,” Kaplan says. “It is not an innovation until it solves a problem that a customer is having — it delivers value in the real world, solves a problem and helps get a job done that a customer is trying to do.”

Proactively use phrases such as “I wish” or “what if” to open up the dialogue for effective and strategic communication. – Terry Mitchell, VP of Marketing, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division

Provide a framework to develop new ideas

The best way to innovate in your organization is to foster a community that’s passionate about doing transformational things. But Kaplan says you can’t just announce you are going to be innovative, and then head back to your corner office. “You have to have clear objectives. Everyone has a role to play, and they need to understand that role.” Mitchell says you start by getting key functional departments together to brainstorm or list problems, and proactively use phrases such as, “I wish” or “what if” to open up the dialogue for effective and strategic communication.

Innovation is a cornerstone of the company’s philosophy. “Fujifilm innovated and transformed itself from primarily a film and camera company to a company that spans several industries,” Mitchell says. Mitchell suggests looking at the dynamics of various markets and customer needs, thinking about how they can be better served with propose-specific solutions to their problems; initiate comprehensive plans involving all the stakeholders in order to make improvements and then follow through with all team members working together to achieve targeted goals.

Implement and put into action

Once an innovative solution is developed, you must evaluate how well the solution solved a problem or added value to the customer. Fujifilm staff are encouraged to endeavor to understand what customers really want, and inkjet innovation is a classic example of continuous improvement. “Over time Fujifilm has made tremendous advancements in inkjet printhead technology, and inkjet inks” Mitchell says. “These solutions allow for greater inkjet print speeds and inkjet print quality. Today, our piezoelectric inkjet technology delivers print quality that rivals traditional lithography.” “You need to be clear on what your goals are,” says Gene Farrell, leader and founding member of the team that built Amazon WorkSpaces, a new Enterprise Cloud Desktop Service. “You have to decide what kind of innovator you want to be.” Says Kaplan, “Those who treat their end consumer today as an integral part of their value creation process will always have an edge over their rivals.”

Fujifilm’s slogan, “Value from Innovation,” speaks volumes for its brand. Accordingly, the company allots $2.1 billion annually for research and development. Collateral is given to employees and asks them to: think about its customers’ current and future needs, empower them to think outside the box and take on new challenges, and create new value through an open exchange of expertise and technologies within the company and with partners. ENERGY

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

The message is clear: The high-speed Inca Onset R40-LT with the amazing and consistent print quality that the Onset series is known for, will grow with your business. In today’s ever-evolving printing landscape, there isn’t much more a printer can ask for.

The Inca Onset R40-LT opens a new door for today’s print providers.

The Inca Onset R40-LT, a new addition to the market-leading Inca Onset range of full-bed array wide-format UV flatbed inkjet printers, offers the industry-leading technology of existing Onset presses from Inca Digital. Features like Spectra printheads from FUJIFILM Dimatix Inc., a 15-zone vacuum table, a UV sensor system and Inca Vision, a unique customer support service help the R40-LT maintain productivity, quality and reliability.

– Becky McConnell, associate product marketing manager, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, And with full-bed array printing, there’s no gloss-matte Graphic Systems Division banding commonly associated with conventional reciprocating head technology, especially in high saturation areas. Like the rest of the Onset series, this UV flatbed also offers a wide color gamut, variable satin to gloss finish, advanced job management and the ability to increase throughput with automated handling.

And that’s not all, as the need for an increase in throughput grows, the Onset R40-LT can easily be upgraded with minimal downtime to a full-build Inca Onset R40i with automation. The R40-LT also can be configured with four or six colors, and a single or double channel of white can be configured at the time of purchase, or as the print provider’s needs change.

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“The Inca Onset R40-LT opens a new door for today’s print providers,” says Becky McConnell, associate product marketing manager, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division. “At this investment level, Inca Onset quality, consistency and productivity are now more attainable than ever. It gives printers a foundation to win more work, and increase productivity and upgrade the press to increase throughput without having to even consider purchasing an additional machine.” The R40-LT is capable of producing sellable output at speeds in excess of 3,000 square feet per hour, equating to 40, 5-foot x 10-foot beds per hour by utilizing a small droplet size (14 nano-grams) jetted through 42,000 nozzles to produce crisp images, fine lines, sharp text and smooth tonal graduations. In addition, the Inca Onset R40-LT produces superb POP-quality display graphics economically up to 1.96 inches (50mm) thick. After the first upgrade, the R40-LT is capable of producing 58, 5-foot x 10-foot beds per hour with manual handling. That’s over 4,300 square feet per hour. The first upgrade includes the addition of a second UV lamp, the associated electronics and additional print modes. Adding a second UV lamp allows for bidirectional printing, which significantly increases printing speed.

• High quality, high-speed output of 40 beds an hour • Output increases to 58 beds an hour after the first upgrade • iNozzle auto nozzle mapping technology • 15 zoned vacuum print bed • Variable gloss levels from satin to gloss • Automated print head sensor protection • Inca Vision remote diagnostics software • Easy upgrade path to increase speed and automation

“It offers amazing print quality for an entry-level investment,” McConnell says. “It’s an exciting and affordable option for print providers considering a mid-range flatbed machine because it’s a full-width array printer that guarantees high-quality results with no banding at higher throughput speeds than scanning head technology.”

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INFOGRAPHIC

What do you think your company could do more of in the future? It's an interesting question. A recent study by B2B International study takes a curious snapshot of the challenges facing today's businesses and what they would do differently if they could. Here's a look at the top five:

72% Innovation

57% Building market share

Increasing brand awareness

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45% Countering the competition

Retaining customers or making them more loyal

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Think an Onset is Out of Reach? Think Again.

When we asked high-volume wide-format printers what it would take to upgrade to Onset, they quickly shared their wishes. Give us a more affordable option without compromising Onset’s renowned speed and quality – and while you’re at it, provide us an upgrade path for the press that increases throughput as our business grows. Wish list granted. Now for little more than you’d invest in a mid-range press, the Onset R40-LT will deliver press productivity to up to 40 5’x10’ full-size beds per hour. Plus, there’s an easy upgrade path to grow as your business grows.

The Onset R40-LT comes loaded with everything you need to produce crisper images, finer lines, sharper text and smoother tonal gradations for your clients. Dropon-demand printhead technology offers precise ink drop placement. Inca’s iNozzle technology allows the press to maintain Onset print quality like the day the press was first commissioned. Automated nozzle mapping finds and compensates for any deviated nozzle – giving you dependable print quality. You can also choose four- or six-color configurations, including white – and achieve faster job changeovers with our patented 15 zone vacuum bed.

The first upgrade boosts output to 58 beds an hour by adding bi-directional printing, and the second upgrade increases capacity to 80 beds by adding one of three automation options.

To learn more about how Onset quality and productivity is now right within your reach, visit fujifilminkjet.com today.

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