ERWIN DRIEVER

Print Technology Expert Bullish on Future

Erwin Driever is an esteemed figure in the printing industry, renowned for his expertise and leadership in technology-driven solutions. As the Vice President of Technology at Cober Solutions in Ontario, Canada, Erwin spearheads the company’s IT operations, research, and development initiatives. With a robust background in Agile Project Management and strategic planning, Erwin brings a wealth of experience to his role, ensuring Cober Solutions remains at the forefront of innovation in print media communications. He shares his thoughts on the future of print and his view to the future.

How do you see the role of printers evolving in both consumer and business settings over the next decade?

Printers can and will have the opportunity to positively affect the success of customers in both consumer and business settings.

I believe that printers who have created a technologically advance company, implemented automation across the company and have a technologically savvy team of great communicators, will engage with customers in a manner more conducive to partnering than a traditional customer/supplier type of relationship. Success is dependent on complete and transparent collaboration, fueled by current and new technologies, leading to the production of relevant and timely printed material.

In what ways could you see AI technologies being incorporated into printers, and how would they improve the user experience?

AI technologies are going to become increasingly important for printers. Effectively, it should be incorporated across the printer’s company wherever possible. Likely the easiest place to start with AI technologies would be marketing and communications, using tools to listen, understand and communicate to customers quickly with accurate information gleaned directly from “live” estimating data, production data or other required information. AI technologies can be used with online submission tools or applications providing POD software to make it easier for consumers to create content and place orders with accurate information and correct specifications for the manufacturing process. It could be used to quickly create marketing content, “on the fly”, while ordering a product or multiple products. It could be used to automatically organize uploaded photos or content by date, for example, and flow the content across pages, as required.

In the internal workings of a printing company, AI technologies can have a positive impact in the efficiency of manufacturing, in places like scheduling, order batching, order ganging, order binning and shipping. Tying this together with the autonomous movement of material through a facility will be the advantage to printers to produce increased volumes of orders in shorter time frames, with less error and more control.

For printers, how do these technological advancements translate into improved operational efficiency and cost savings?

In short, these types of technological advancements, when implemented properly, can create efficient workflow processes that streamline the manufacturing of printed material, shorten the sales cycle, get consumer’s product to market faster and reduce overall costs. The gains and cost reductions are achieved by eliminating repetitive and timeconsuming tasks. Staff, particularly experienced staff, can now focus on what they do best, increasing their productivity, instead of interrupting the tasks that require their expertise to perform other mundane tasks.

What are the latest advancements in sustainable printing technologies, and how are they impacting the industry?

Sustainable printing technologies continue to be a hot topic of discussion. Many technologies are being introduced to support a sustainable model. One area of importance that may or may not be considered as a sustainable printing technology is workflow and process automation. Automation throughout a facility can be used to significantly reduce waste during the process, which directly affects sustainability.

One of the technologies we have found is a “Plate To Unit” system for offset presses, in combination with enhanced color control on the presses and press setup information transferring directly from a prepress system. There has been a 75% reduction in the number of sheets required for job make-ready, there has been an 85% reduction in makeready time and an 80% reduction in job changeover. All of that has led to a 70%-80% reduction in waste.

What do you envision as the next big breakthrough in printing technology?

The next big breakthrough in printing technology likely isn’t any “new”; rather it will be a major upgrade or enhancement to current printing technologies. I believe that traditional lithographic printing will completely disappear in the next 10 years or so. It will be replaced by some type of liquid toner-based system or inkjet press that can print a 40” x 28” sheet correctly, without any defects, +3X faster than currently available machines today. I believe inkjet will take the lead in this regard and become the core printing technology.

In addition, I believe we will see significant breakthroughs in the equipment required for finishing the printed material, with the addition of a lot of automation for these devices, particularly in the cut sheet environment.

One other area of breakthrough will be the use of robotics and autonomous vehicles in a facility to replace or offload the mundane tasks of material and order handling and movement across a shop floor.

How important is collaboration between technology companies and printing manufacturers in driving innovation in the industry? Collaboration between technology companies and printing manufacturers is critical to driving innovation. It is the only way that technology companies can create the software and systems that best suit printing vendors and print manufacturers. Collaboration has been critical to our success and all of our primary suppliers have become partners in our business, creating success for everyone.