Fujifilm Energy Fall 2013

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A magazine of new ideas, developments and solutions

VOL. 3, ISSUE 4

SELF-DIAGNOSIS Sometimes seeing the future requires looking inward

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inside What VDP Means to You • NAPL’s Howie Fenton on Inkjet

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Acuity Select Series The all-in-one, mid-range flatbed

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Introspection

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Product Spotlight

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Tips & Tricks

10 The Buzz

Conversations with...

What variable data printing could mean for your business

Howie Fenton, consultant & business advisor, NAPL

A letter from Todd Zimmerman

Inca Onset S50i

How we printed this issue’s cover

Join our mailing list.

Sign up here. www.fujifilmenergy.com

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Kristi Hubert Editor > khubert@ prairiefirecommunications.com

ENERGY is published quarterly by Fujifilm North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division Copyright 2013 All rights reserved www.fujifilmgraphics.com

Stock: Sappi 100# Opus Dull Cover and 100# Opus Dull Text Press: Komori LS 840 Plates: Fujifilm LH-PJ thermal plates Screening: Fujifilm Co-Res Screening Coatings: 5031A-A100 UV Pearlescent Coating, 1512D Soft Touch Coating with 1740 Aziridine, 5262 Raised Image UV Gloss Coating

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A letter from Todd Zimmerman

Introspection

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xactly five years ago, we all were forced to reassess almost every aspect of what we do. The recession seemed to change things forever and most of us had to take a look at ourselves both personally and professionally. Although the catalyst was not the most desirable or pleasant, some self-assessment became a good habit to get into, regardless of the economic climate.

Fujifilm began to look inward as well, and today we are much better for it. By taking a good look in the mirror, we were able to gain a clearer picture of our clients and what our brand and relationship means to them. In turn, that insight is allowing us to develop groundbreaking technology, chart a clear strategic direction and foster better overall relationships with the communities we serve.

Our world seemed to change dramatically in late 2008, and those conditions are continually forcing us to maintain the processes around self-analysis, market and product segmentation and community building. Clearly these are good by-products of difficult conditions. In fact, there is an old saying, “It is not what happens to us that matters. It is how we react to what happens to us that matters.”

Our cover article, “Self-Diagnosis,” discusses the process of analyzing your business in order to gain the insight you need to help catapult you forward. A lack of self-awareness and introspection can hold an organization back.

We thought it was important to share some ideas around these concepts because the climate is in constant flux and, for all of us to prosper, we must have great insight into our organizations and our clients.

It is not what happens to us that matters. It is how we react to what happens to us that matters.

Our second feature, “The Buzz,” examines the state of printing with variable data applications, how printers are currently using personalization and how it’s changing over the course of time.

Certainly, the buzz originally created around variable data many years ago has dissipated; however, new products like the J Press 720 (sheetfed) and 540W (web) inkjet presses have recently emerged, creating a “new buzz.”

Speaking of buzz, we continue to be thrilled with the feedback we have received with ENERGY. We are proud to bring you thoughtful articles on what matters most to you along with great perspectives and new thoughts from experts like Howie Fenton, a few tips and tricks and spotlights on new products and technology that may help you succeed in this ever-changing world.

I hope you enjoy this issue and encourage you all to share your feedback. In the meantime, take some time for a little introspection. I promise it will go a long way.

All the best,

Todd Zimmerman Vice President and General Manager Fujifilm Graphic Systems Division

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Product SPOTLIGHT

The all-in-one, mid-range flatbed…

Acuity Select Series Gives Printers Even More Options The ultimate platform for printing on rigid, flexible and even roll media and delivering near-photographic quality images across a range of applications, the new Fujifilm Acuity Select Series gives printers additional opportunities to expand their capabilities and, ultimately, their businesses.

Fujifilm recently added to the already-successful Acuity line and introduced the Acuity Select Series, which includes the Acuity Select as well as the Acuity Select HS models.

“These new additions expand the Acuity platform and feature up to eight color channels, including options to run white and clear, making it an affordable solution for a number of creative print applications,” explains Jeffrey Nelson, business development manager at Fujifilm Graphic Systems Division.

The Select Series also includes new print modes, producing higher quality work at a much faster speed.

As with other Acuity models, the Select Series has an optional roll media kit for printing onto a number of flexible materials. This option affords users additional versatility, allowing an operator to prepare rigid material on the flatbed while the roll media option is printing.

The Acuity Select HS (high speed) model further builds on the series, but runs at higher speeds, up to a maximum of 646 ft2/hr in its fastest mode. The Acuity Select produces 368 ft2/hr.

Finally, the Acuity Select Series features additional vacuum zones, further reducing the need for manual masking. Together with new job handling capabilities for more complex jobs or those requiring multiple sets of prints, users see improved production efficiencies.

The Acuity Select Series’ print performance is optimized by Fujifilm’s uniquely formulated Uvijet inks, incorporating the company’s proprietary ‘Micro-V’ dispersion technology in order to consistently deliver wide adhesion, color vibrancy and durability.

A key development with the new Acuity Select Series is the inclusion of additional ink channels: eight channels for the Acuity Select and six channels for the Acuity Select HS. In addition to the standard CMYK ink set, the Acuity Select Series includes additional white and clear ink channels, which can be configured in several ways on both devices:

The addition of white and clear ink channels allows for printing on a range of non-white substrates and adds a spot or flood coat ‘varnish’ effect in a single pass. This allows for some enhanced versatility and improves the efficiency with which these types of added-value effects can be achieved.

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Alternatively, the devices can be used with two white ink channels to improve the density of white in a single pass, which can be particularly useful for demanding backlit applications.

The extra channels can also be used for laying down additional cyan and magenta inks, meaning output with uniformity, smoothness and overall improved quality can be achieved while still running at a higher speed.

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What they’re saying about the Acuity Select Series J. Rockland “Rocky” Proffit knows a good thing when he sees it. And in an industry that continues to change with the times, that’s saying something.

Since he founded NAPCO (National Advertising and Promotional Co.) in 1977, Proffit has had a front row seat to the cultural shifts and technological changes the printing industry has experienced, especially of late.

From its roots as one of the first game board producers for Trivial Pursuit, NAPCO today specializes in high-end rigid paperboard products and packaging for the media and cosmetic industries. It also is the largest domestic manufacturer of coin storage products.

The Game of Doom had multiple components. The cards were printed 4/4 on 12 pt. SBS and Clay Coated News Board. The game box lid and base, and the game board label were printed on 80# C1S Litho. NAPCO printed and fabricated two complete games in 24 hours after receiving the art files.

NAPCO printed 25 units of the Mandy Gawley Digi-Book which were used for testing and sales pre-promotions prior to the production run of 1,500 units. The cover was printed on 80# C1S Litho; the inside booklet was printed on 80# C2S Litho; and the insert was printed on 16 pt. SBS.

One of the secrets to NAPCO’s success is being able to stay in step with the product trends that continually redefine the industry. Several months ago, Proffit pulled the trigger on the purchase of the Acuity Select from Fujifilm, which builds on all the advantages of the highly successful Acuity Advance platform. Along with providing the same ultra-high print quality, the Acuity Select extends the versatility of the platform and allows NAPCO to use it in a wider range of applications.

“It has really helped improve our business because it provides samples that are exactly what the end product looks like,” Proffit says. “In turn, this has really enhanced our sample-making capabilities. Thanks to the Acuity, we have actually turned our sample department into a profit center.”

The Acuity’s inclusion of eight independent ink channels has helped make the difference.

“It has helped give us more opportunities to sell,” Proffit says. “It makes life so much easier in that in the past we had to go to the press to see what a product looked like. That was the age when pre-press ruled and dictated everything that we did. The digital world, driven by printers like the Acuity, changed all of that. It has helped decrease turnaround time and increase speed to market.

We have seen a huge, huge difference.”

The Near Field Communication (NFC) card was printed on 15 pt. PVC on two sides with the NFC chip sandwiched between the two printed PVC sheets.

NAPCO produced 20 cards for a presentation and pilot test prior to producing 100,000 units.

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In 2007 and 2008, many commercial printers were taken by surprise when demand for their offset presses suddenly plummeted. Some quickly pointed to the financial crisis and the economy, but the reality was their customers were well on their way to shifting toward more short-run, quick-turn marketing solutions well before the Great Recession.

Retailers reduced circulation of their catalogs, brands scaled back advertising in magazines and banks were shifting to paperless statements. Why, then, were so many commercial printers caught flat-footed?

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For many, the answer was a lack of self-diagnosis and strategic planning.

Commercial printers failed to anticipate their clients’ changing needs, even as those clients scrambled to catch up with consumers’ rapidly changing habits and expectations. They failed to set aside time to evaluate where their customers were going and how they could help them get there.

They never conducted an honest and thorough self-diagnosis.

“Many printers say, ‘Look, I’m a printer, this is what I do,’” says Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center, which provides strategic planning and other consulting services to the printing industry. “‘Why do I have to understand all these other things?’ For those who have taken the marketing service provider path and made investments, they understand it and are on the way. It has everything to do with the capital investments you are going to make and the people you are going to hire.”

In today’s new market, just being a commercial printer or screen printer probably is not going to be enough to survive for the long term. Printers need to look into other areas to increase and diversify their portfolio.

– Peter Vanderlaan, Marketing Director, Fujifilm Graphic Systems Division

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self-diagnosis

For those who have taken the marketing service provider path and made investments, they understand it and are on the way. It has everything to do with the capital investments you are going to make and the people you are going to hire.

– Dr. Joe Webb, Director, WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center

Expanding your print portfolio

“In today’s new market, just being a commercial printer or screen printer probably is not going to be enough to survive for the long term,” says Peter Vanderlaan, marketing director at Fujifilm Graphic Systems Division. “Printers need to look into other areas to increase and diversify their portfolio.”

For example, recent research by InfoTrends and I.T. Strategies shows wide format printing growing at 14 percent a year – or more than three times as fast as commercial printing. Net margins for wide format printers also are up 11.5 percent – or 400 basis points higher than for commercial printers.

Fujifilm estimates that wide format inkjet printing remains on average two to three times more profitable than both screen and commercial offset printing. While inkjet output is sold in smaller quantities, print shops can sell it for a higher cost-per-square foot, says Marco Boer, VP of I.T. Strategies. “Smaller quantities enable more frequent job orders and allow the end customer to respond faster to market changes, creating an overall higher value for all.”

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Stepping outside your business

In the business context, the term “self-diagnosis” is somewhat of a misnomer. At the end of the day, the objective is to grow profits, and that requires viewing your company through the broader context of your customers and the marketing profession.

Before embarking on a S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis or hiring a consultant, Webb urges owners and executives to take a few steps on their own. First, they must develop a personal relationship with long-time customers to establish a basis for a candid dialogue.

“You have to prepare your relationship with the customer so you can have a conversation without them worrying about being pitched,” Webb says. “You can break the ice by saying, ‘We are going to create a customer advisory panel and we’d like you to join it.’”

Often, these meetings result in some very illuminating surprises.

Webb remembers asking a commercial printer years ago why his customers kept returning to him. The client responded that it was because he ran a full-service print shop. Yet when Webb interviewed long-time customers, none mentioned full service.

“Instead, they always mentioned some specific event, an employee, delivery, insight into a job or saving their behind because they were running behind on a job,” he recalls. “It was all those other things. So unless you have a strategic planning process that allows you to look at your business from the outside, S.W.O.T. won’t help.”

Expanding your universe

Webb also urges printers to read about client industries every day and think about how it will affect their business. They should also consider expanding their networking within the larger marketing community. For example, Webb belongs to the Triangle chapter of the American Marketing Association, which draws hundreds to its monthly meetings in the Triangle Research Park region of North Carolina.

“It’s amazing what’s discussed there,” Webb says, noting how the chapter recently has held its annual CMO panel discussion featuring chief marketing officers from a Fortune 500 company, a software company, an email marketing firm, a dot.com and a risk management firm. “They laid out their entire marketing plan, media

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allocation, why they select certain media. If you just sat there and listened to that panel, you would have tremendous understanding of how people use media today and strengths and weaknesses of each.”

What may emerge from these initiatives is the realization that your biggest opportunities lie with existing customers, Fujifilm’s Vanderlaan says. “Take a printer who has used offset to produce catalogs for a motorcycle manufacturer, which also operates stores with display graphics and counter mats. In the past, they might have had a variety of printers doing their campaign marketing, catalog, direct mail and POP display work. Maybe there is an opportunity for you to become a one-stop shop for more of your clients.”

Fujifilm has invested more than $1 billion since 2006 per fecting inkjet technology to help printers do just that. The technology combines variable data capabilities, automation and groundbreaking inkjet technology to speed up the learning curve and reduce the risks of breaking into new markets. Screen printers can use Fujifilm’s inkjet presses to break into direct mail while offset printers can use them to break into higher-margin, short-run specialty segments, such as display, labels for wine bottles, Mylar balloons and projects on a growing array of new substrates.

“What a lot of printers are finding is what printing was prior to the Great Recession – the days of just being a commercial printer long-term – are no longer viable,” Vanderlaan says. “They need to do a self-diagnosis on what capabilities they have, because just having one principle business is not enough.”

The sooner companies get started, the better, Webb says. “One thing that’s sad is that these processes often start too late. They end up with a strategic plan and no resources left to implement it and all the good people have left.”

The biggest challenge to making a self-diagnosis of your business is filtering out your own preconceptions about your company’s strengths and weaknesses. Below are a few tips on how to start the process from Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center.

Webb also is the author of several books on how commercial printers can strategically plan to adapt and even thrive in the rapidly evolving communications industry.

Read

Pick up a few books on strategic planning, including Webb’s self-published “Renewing the Industry,” which is written specifically for commercial printers. Also, begin reading trade publications relevant to how your major clients track the ever-changing marketing world. Think about how their evolution will affect your business.

Keep strategic planning separate

Don’t confuse strategic planning with your annual budget planning. These are two separate processes.

When done correctly, strategic planning informs the budgeting process, the recruitment process and even the compensation system you use to incentivize your sales force.

Expand your horizons

It’s hard to make an objective assessment of your present and future from within the echo chamber of your own business. To see the bigger picture, find a local chapter of the American Marketing Association, Public Relations Society of America, the International Association of Business Communicators, the American Advertising Federation or some other group and start attending their monthly meetings.

Prepare your customers

Rather than rely on your sales team, develop your own personal relationships with top customers so you can engage them in frank conversations about how they view their company and how their needs are changing.

Conduct a S.W.O.T. analysis

After you have spoken with key customers and gotten up to speed on the strategic planning process, and before bringing in a consultant, conduct your own S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. This will prepare you whether you decide to proceed on your own or engage a consultant.

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What variable data printing could mean for your business

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t all comes down to information. In today’s highly competitive, ever-changing economic climate, the power of information – who has it, who can get it and how – can be the difference between success and failure for any business in any market segment.

It is somewhat like the chicken or egg story. You have to have the work to justify the investment, but you have to have the capability if you are even going to be offered the work.

– David Gilson, President, Gilson Graphics

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the buzz

That’s what makes the evolution of variable data printing (VDP) such an important tool for printers that are adding the service to their production arsenal. The world of consumer demographics is changing – daily, it seems, by some accounts. And in the continual battle to keep up with who’s buying what and why, and how they prefer buying it, having a tool that can help keep a business stay in step with the game is vital.

Ask those printers that offer VDP, and they’ll tell you that the intricate balance of acquiring data effectively can be a godsend to an industry that continues to seek ways to redefine itself.

Not too long ago, Lee Rady, founder and president of 360 Digital Print in Carol Stream, Ill., received a marketing piece at his home that grabbed his attention.

The flyer was addressed to the previous homeowner, who hadn’t lived there in 15 years. “They were a bit behind with their data,” he says.

Paul Marnell knows this. As manager of the Technical Center for Inkjet Presses at Fujifilm, Marnell knows what the power of information can do for today’s printers. One of the pieces at the disposal of Fujifilm customers is the J Press series, which includes the J Press 720 and J Press 540W. Both of these devices have the capability to offer short-run and variable data capabilities, are helping to create new opportunities for a growing number of applications requiring these particular features.

The (VDP) process is not a one-time deal. It takes time to evolve. If you can get a customer to look at how it works, they will see the benefits of how it all comes together.

“With variable data today, the customer is limited to the type of devices that can produce it,” Marnell says. “The J Press has the ability to produce data in every realm – every sheet can be different at the same higher-level quality of an offset press. That’s the real game changer. It opens a door of opportunity for printers by giving them the chance to expand their offerings.”

Marnell says most printers today don’t do variable data printing outside basic address changes – jobs that typically are done on a folder or insert machine. But the ability to do it upstream, on a press, and to be – Lee Rady, Founder & President, able to change anything they want on a 360 Digital Print given page, is becoming more intriguing for “Today, I think you can make a today’s printer. “When a customer comes in strong case for the statement, ‘you’re only as good as your last for a demonstration, and they can actually see the quality and the ability to produce a different sheet, one after another, on the list,’” he says.

J Press, they are flat-out amazed.”

Rady, whose company has made the foray into variable data printing, says there is a certain amount of know-how needed to Getting into the game develop the kind of mindset it takes to make the process work. At its core, variable data printing still is a direct marketing strategy. And “At first, there were a lot of printers who were intimidated by to do it, your clients must have data on their clients and prospects – data it. But to embrace it, you just have to take a step back. The that can be self-generated by your client company or purchased from process is not a one-time deal. It takes time to evolve. If you can third-party vendors. Lists, which are available in a range of options, can get a customer to look at how it works, they will see the benefits be tailored to their exact needs. of how it all comes together – how the mining of information can work to their advantage. Any printer that isn’t using it is missing Take the concept of variable data printing and marry it with the right data, and you have the makings for an elite marketing option for your out on a great marketing opportunity.”

There is no doubting how VDP continues to significantly change the landscape for designers of direct marketing pieces. The days of crafting one-off pieces that marketers hope appeal to a broad range of potential clients are fleeting fast. Today, thanks to variable data printing, they can utilize data captured from emails, web pages, surveys, phone calls and in-person interviews to create individualized direct marketing pieces that more accurately target the needs of their clients.

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clients. You most likely have seen the practice in play in marketing campaigns from places like auto dealerships, insurance agencies, sporting goods and apparel retailers and college alumni departments, among many others.

The secret to the variable data printed piece is how the information and artwork are integrated. While the name and address are from one database, the customers’ stated preferences are used so the right copy and artwork also are included. This process allows the designer to

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incorporate pre-written copy and pre-selected pictures about the best choices of product for a customer. For example, a resort might know that certain customers preferred a “FREE Dinner,” while others wanted their rooms comped.

As more data is captured on responsive clients, further enhancements to the campaign can be made. “VDP is not just address changes,” Marnell says. “Today, it has the ability to run jobs such as pre-collated books, something that has a huge cost savings.”

Gilson Graphics continues to find success with variable data printing jobs with the J Press 720 it purchased in 2011 – the first one installed in the United States.

“The J Press’ larger sheet size and running speed provide a competitive advantage over other digital presses on the market,” says David Gilson, president. “There is consistent quality throughout the run and when we have the inevitable reprint, along with quick makereadies. Also, when we run similar jobs – same stock, same press and sheet size, etc. – the makeready time is even quicker.”

One of the adjustments Gilson had to make was in its team set-up. “Since variable is generally tied to mailing, you need at least one member of your staff who is up to date on all the postal regulations,” Gilson says. “That includes sorting and purging of lists, offering the client ideas on how to save postage costs through better initial design of the mailing piece itself and the effect the weight of the stock being selected has on the weight of the individual piece. You also need gluing or tabbing equipment, preferable inline, to meet those regulations.”

Gilson also says you have to educate your sales force on the benefits VDP has to offer. “Salespeople tend to sell what they are familiar with and may overlook variable work their clients are currently doing. It’s best to share ideas and samples among your sales team. You have to educate your clients with your samples, and how savings were generated through better design and stock selection.”

As the printing services market continues to reinvent itself, the world of variable data printing continues to find its place amid the changes. Is it a game worth getting into?

“It is somewhat like the chicken or egg story,” Gilson says. “You have to have the work to justify the investment, but you have to have the capability if you are even going to be offered the work. As costs continue to come down and software continues to improve, variable will become just another option we offer our clients.

The key will be to make it easier for the client to do such work through offering design options, faster turn around and higher quality at a competitive price. You also will have a blending of print on demand and variable work, and print on demand quantities reduced to a quantity of one.”

How to get into the game For printers wanting to jump into the variable data printing (VDP) fray, David Gilson, president of Gilson Graphics has a little advice. Attend seminars and trade shows, where you can talk to hardware and software vendors to get references of those who have entered the market. Ask about their experiences. What did they do right? What would they have done differently? Talk to your existing client base and see if they are doing any variable work or if it is in their plans.

The J Press has the ability to produce data in every realm – every sheet can be different at the higher level quality of an offset press. That’s the real game changer.

– Paul Marnell, Manager, Technical Center for Inkjet Presses, Fujifilm

Fujifilm J Press 540W ENERGY

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product spotlight

Inca Onset delivers a combination of quality, speed, cost and business economics

Onset is, quite simply, a formidable printing machine and it represents a breakthrough in both productivity and profitability.

The world’s first 3-billion-dots-per-second printer produces up to 150 full beds (5’ x 10’) of perfect, satin-finish print an hour.

Onset’s pedigree is outstanding: Inca design and manufacturing; Fujifilm experience with images and award-winning ink technology as well as Spectra print heads from FUJIFILM Dimatix. Onset isn’t just the most powerful printer in the world. It’s a whole new business model for graphic print.

Onset works on an industrial scale. It prints like-for-like at double the speed of any other digital flatbed printer, meaning the cost per sheet is much lower than other printers in the market. It speeds through large jobs and offers a variety of finishes – from low-glare satin to high-impact gloss.

Onset is impressive. As Onset proved itself in production, we’ve found it’s capable of producing excellent results at even faster speeds. Its design and precision have completely eliminated structural banding and results are so impressive, it’s hard to tell an Onset print apart from screen or offset.

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What they’re saying about the PERFORMANCE

To reach performance on this scale, you have to get ink to the right spot and cure it fast. The processing power and the engineering needed to put each drop measuring as small as 9 picoliters in exactly the right spot – at full speed – are formidable.

PRODUCTIVITY

Onset’s not just a heavyweight in size. For pure productivity, it is the mightiest digital flatbed printer in the world. Because Onset works at great speed, the cost per copy is lower than other machines. Ease of operation and automation cut labor costs. With Onset, digital print is just as economical or better than screen or offset at up to 1,000 impressions. Digital prepress is faster and cleaner than screen, and has none of the costs of materials and labor screen entails. And compared to offset, there are no plates or makeready.

RELIABILITY

Fujifilm and Inca Digital have solved the hundreds of technological challenges, for example, created by air turbulence over the media, cooling, ink management to multiple heads, alignment of print heads printing across the bed, stresses, and so on. Where we anticipate problems, we build in the right backup systems. So, for instance, Onset sports an array of up to 224 print heads and more than 50,000 nozzles, many of which are used as reserves to accommodate any nozzle drop out.

Onset takes known and understood systems and makes them better. It’s all designed to put drops of ink in the right place for stunning, vibrant results, time after time after time.

Inca Onset S50i For state-of-the-art printers such as GFX and Tempt In-Store Productions, it’s all about getting bigger, stronger, faster and more sophisticated. That’s why the companies took the leap and invested in the Inca Onset S50i printer.

Tighter color consistency. Quicker color adjustments.

Increased visual resolutions. The Onset S50i had everything the printers wanted, and more, when it came to enhancing the overall production of their respective production capabilities.

GFX International, which has always been in the forefront of investing in new digital inkjet technology, was the first printer in North America to preview the new digital technology.

“The S50i will position us in an even stronger stance when it comes to delivering large-format variable data programs,” says Chuck Huttinger, founder and CEO of Grayslake, Ill.-based GFX. “It’s all about customization, versioning and speed. We are revolutionizing the large-format, print-on-demand and variable data process. We work with many highprofile brands and retailers. The S50i, along with our focus on eliminating transactions in prepress, delivers the additional speed and capacity needed to execute these strategies. The combination is powerful.”

To keep pace with double-digit growth and continue its commitment to deliver the best value in the industry, Tempt In-Store Productions bolstered its offerings with a new Inca S50i large-format digital UV flatbed press at its New Berlin, Wis., facility (and a new Inca Q40i large-format digital UV flatbed device to its Southern California operations).

Already one of the most advanced printers in North America, the strategic investment in new equipment will enable Tempt to become even faster and more efficient, as well as add value for clients across the country.

“The new S50i greatly reinforces our large-format digital UV printing horsepower and offers new options for our retail and brand clients to more efficiently and cost-effectively provide a colorful, customized and satisfying visual experience for their customers,” says Mike Draver, president of Tempt. “The new press is a perfect example of our passion and commitment to providing our customers with a one-stop resource for innovative in-store marketing solutions.”

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Q&A

Conversations with...

Howie Fenton

During his 20-plus year industry career, Howie Fenton has advised commercial printers, inplants and manufacturers on workflow management, operations and digital services. As a consultant for NAPL, he helps companies identify opportunities for improvement.

Define today’s inkjet market.

What trends do you see developing?

The large-format signage market continues to grow for all sizes of printing companies. In my opinion, this is one of the greatest opportunities for small- to medium-sized companies. Not only are sales increasing, but the value add or profitability remains high. And, due to the low cost of entry, even the smallest printers can invest in the technology.

For years, the focus had been on inkjet head life, the cost of ink and objections about substrates and quality. While these questions still are discussed, they are taking a backseat to questions about the business model. With more than 500 installs, the proof of concept that inkjet production printing works is complete. Today, the question is how do you make money (commercial printer) or save money (inplant printer) with this technology?

There are two markets – one is the large-format inkjet market, which refers to signage applications, the other is production inkjet, which refers to commercial printing applications. Both markets are growing, but for different products and different markets.

In contrast, the inkjet production presses require a much larger investment, typically in excess of $1 million or more. This requires a certain amount of page volume to cost justify the purchase. Therefore, at this point in time, we’re seeing the vast majority of inkjet presses used for three specific niches: book printers, direct mailers and transactional printers.

Within production inkjet, define the printing capabilities.

The vast majority of inkjet production presses are web devices.

The larger, sheetfed inkjet presses are just starting to become available. While the advantages are less clear, typically a webfed device is faster, while sheetfed devices print in higher quality.

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Anyone following this technology knows that improvements in inkjet heads, inkjet ink and inkjet paper have occurred very fast. In fact, the technologies have come so far that we’re changing the conversation and objections that plagued inkjet production printing for decades.

What have been the most significant advantages of inkjet production printing?

There are three different technologies for production printing: offset lithographic printing, toner or EP (electrophotographic) printing and inkjet production printing. As inkjet improves, it’s shifting the balance of power between these technologies. While offset remains the king for longer print runs, inkjet production printing is nipping at its heels for shorter offset print runs. EP remains the technology of choice for the shorter end of the marketplace, but inkjet also is pushing that breakeven point lower. Inkjet production printing is cannibalizing the middle.

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Anyone following this technology knows the advances in inkjet printing have been rapid over the last decade.

Different people have different crossover points for the various technologies. This often has more to do with specific applications (books versus direct mail) and different finishing options (inline, near line or offline).

Ask a group of users about the specific advantages of inkjet and you’ll get different responses. Some will compare EP to inkjet production and focus on what’s called “burst speed,” which refers to the productivity of the inkjet press that comes from both its faster running speed and its larger format size (compared to EP).

For others, the price comparison between inkjet production color and EP color is an advantage. If you have enough volume, the cost per page for inkjet production color printing is about half the cost of EP color printing. For example, with enough volume, EP page will typically cost about 5 cents per page, while a inkjet page, with enough volume, will cost about 2.5 cents per page.

There are a few users of inkjet production printing starting to talk about performing one-pass, high-volume variable data printing, as opposed to printing offset shells and overprinting with toner.

Some also are talking about comparable quality to offset.

The exciting new opportunity may be for sheetfed inkjet production presses, which may redefine the cost/quality production category for short- to medium-run lengths. The goal for sheetfed inkjet devices is to produce high-quality, short- to medium-run lengths at lower costs than offset or EP technologies. If this occurs, there will be a new opportunity for companies that can offer this quality at these run lengths and costs.

What should printers know about the benefits of inkjet production printing?

The most important thing is that it’s evolving. While cost for entry remains high, it’s inevitable that equipment prices will come down and we’ll see greater adoption in the commercial and inplant markets. While nobody wants to admit it, price continues to play a significant role in both the commercial and in-plant spaces. When pricing starts to drop, more companies will adopt inkjet production technologies.

What should we expect moving forward?

We can expect three changes: products with higher quality, the ability to print on a wider array of substrates and lower equipment price points. This will result in faster adoption and more cannibalization of offset and EP markets.

How can inkjet technology help today’s printers grow their business?

For more information, contact Howie Fenton at

There are several opportunities. Large format is much more profitable for large and small companies. In the production inkjet space, web presses are printing at about half the costs for color applications (direct mail, books and transactional documents). Both of these are well-established and well-known.

hfenton@napl.org or call him at 201-523-6328

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TIPS & TRICKS

De signer s and brand manager s are c o n s t an t l y s e ar c hin g f o r w ay s t o differentiate their printed pieces and make an impact, whether they’re sitting on a shelf competing for a buyer’s attention or arriving via postal mail and need to stand out against the others that land on a desk.

Coatings often add richness, brilliance and even protective layers to projects and help bring them to life.

In this issue, we’ve employed a number of coatings to highlight various components and create the pattern you feel on the front cover.

Layer 1

A white pearlescent coating floods the white area of the front cover to not only give a bit more interest to the white area, but also to provide contrast for the other coatings.

Layer 2

Soft touch coating makes up the background area of the brain.

Layer 3

Raised UV gloss covers the pattern on the brain to create texture. Additionally, it covers the “Self-Diagnosis” title, the Energy logo at the top and the “Inside” teaser bar at the bottom of the page.

All of these coatings are available from Coatings & Adhesives:

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• 5031A-A100 UV Pearlescent Coating • 1512D Soft Touch Coating with 1740 Aziridine • 5262 Raised Image UV Gloss Coating

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Why you should expect more from your paper and your paper company.

In these challenging times, you need more than just the highest quality paper competitively priced. You need a paper company that genuinely understands what you’re facing everyday and is constantly working to help you succeed now and in the future. That’s Sappi.

The Standard Sappi is committed to promoting the viability and relevancy of print. One of the ways we bring this commitment to life is with The Standard, our series on how to use print to create unique and compelling campaigns.

Growing the Future Sappi continues to make capital investments to ensure our paper mills are state-of-the-art and globally competitive. We’ve invested over $37 million in our paper machines this year alone.

e-Business Solutions From on-the-go mobile apps to our latest tool—echat, Sappi is at the forefront of making it easier for you to do business with us through a robust suite of eBusiness solutions.

eQ Providing videos, white papers, eQ blog, eQ Tool, and product benefits statements all to help you lead the conversation when it comes to paper and sustainability.

Printers of the Year Celebrating how your hard work is an art form and rewarding this work with much needed financial resources to strengthen your marketing and branding initiatives.

Digital Design Center Personalizing your marketing collateral to help you sell your unique digital printing capabilities.

Ideas that Matter Since its inception in 1999, 500 nonprofit projects have been funded with $12 million worldwide to causes that enhance our lives, our communities and our planet. This strategic initiative powerfully illustrates how print can promote social good.

Off Register It’s no surprise that printers love Sully.

He gets to say everything you guys are thinking. He gets “it”…because we get it.

For more information on any of these important initiatives, please contact your Sappi sales representative, or call 800.882.4332.

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Multiple print solutions. A single source.

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Visit FujifilmResearch.com to Get Your FREE I.T. Strategies Inkjet White Paper

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