PRINT 09: Adding Value as Printing Supply Chain Grows
Digital printing technology, mailing, workflow and sustainability dominate as PRINT 09 exhibitors preview what's in store for the Sept. 11-16 Chicago trade show.
Linda Casey, Contributing Editor -- Graphic Arts Online, June 17, 2009
Digital printing is deeply embedded in traditional printing workflows, along with sustainability, mailing and adding value as more than a dozen suppliers preview PRINT 09 exhibition plans for two days in Chicago. On day one, Kodak announced announced Prosper as the name of the platform that will bring long-awaited Stream technology to market. The Prosper S10 imprinting system, a monochrome printhead for inline printing on web presses and web finishing equipment, is the first product of this platform. Kodak also will show updates to Prinergy digital workflow software to unify digital and conventional printing, and tie printing firms more closely to customers.
Presstek reported on beta 52DI-UV digital offset press installations, including LSD G.Neumann GmbH in Hamburg, Germany. Announced at drupa, the 52DI-UV is fully commercialized as of PRINT 09. Presstek will debut a 52DI digital offset press with fully integrated aqueous coater, the 52 DI-AC , which will do spot coating or flood coating up to 8,000 sph.
Ricoh will show the Ricoh Pro C550EX/C700EX 55-ppm and 75-ppm digital color printing imaging systems, launched earlier this month. Carl Joachim, Ricoh VP marketing recapped progress in the continuing roll-out of its 90 ppm C900 digital color press debuted at Graph Expo 08. Joachim says 60% of C900 sales to printing firms center on workflow solutions. "We maintain a 2-to-1 ratio of sales to support," Joachim noted, to support implemention of the 90 ppm digital color press, with much time spent color profiling substrates. There are 75 demo sites and a Printing Innovation Center in New Jersey which has test run 700 customer files. Printing is Premium Color Graphics, a Clifton NJ prepress firm that after adding offset printing, added a Kodak NexPress, then a Ricoh Pro C900 as a beta site. In keeping with a PRINT 09 focus on printing sustainability and a new GREENspace show-floor feature, Joachim told of Ricoh's 100% wind-powered electrified “eco-board” billboard in Times Square.
EFI plans to feature new modules for its suites of print MIS software applications—including the web-driven Pace system acquired last year, its higher end Monarch offering, PrintSmith for smaller shops, PSI Flexo, and Digital Storefront, and enhancements to its VUTEk and Rastek superwide and wide-format digital printing lines, and its new Fiery Command Workstation 5 centralized job management system. New Fiery SeeQuence Impose and Compose, a plug-in to Command Workstation 5, are available at an e-store as EFI moves to sell applications online.
EFI will demonstrate inkjet printing delivering photorealistic color at PRINT 09. On the tradeshow floor, EFI workflow solutions, including Print MIS, Web-to-print and Fiery solutions, will emphasize reducing printing waste to eliminate errors so commercial printers can be more productive with current workforce. EFI's broad offerings—spanning Jetrion digital label printing through VUTeK wide format, Fierys, proofing and workflows through its MIS systems—allows it to identify printing hot spots.
“As we are starting to see production grow we are responding with a web front-end for Jetrion and a web front end for Vutek," noted EFI Sr. VP Frank Mallozzi. “As alternative to offset environments grow even further we see a definite increase in wide format and label,” said Jeff White, EFI GM EFI Monarch. “It's a huge area of growth for us on the [MIS] apps division.” White estimates 5% of PSI/Logic users have moved to Monarch or Pace MIS applications. At PRINT 09 will be PrintSmith Sign for the sign and screen market. Also shown will be EFI Inkjet Workflow and Color Management. EFI also reports success with its Fiery XP bundled by Epson with its 7000 and 9000 wide format inkjet printers. ”They have already sold through two-thirds of the commitment,” said Mallozzi.
Ben Cooper from the updated editors on the non-profit’s efforts to promote printing and announced its latest campaign: Why Print is Green? He also informed the audience about the Print Council’s work with the USPS to help boost direct-mail volume.
In June 2009 GAM
Michael Abergel announced that MGI USA Inc. will debut live the JETvarnish 20x29" to the U.S. market at PRINT 09. He says that the near-line finishing coating device is a eco-friendly and inexpensive alternative to traditional screen- and offset-varnishing methods.
DiMS! organizing print introduced Luther Erlund as the President of DiMS! organizing print, North America. Before joining DiMS!, Erlund held management and sales positions with several print business management system suppliers, including EFI and Tailored Solutions. The system is in use at Japs-Olson and Brown Printing.
Graphic Arts Show Co. revealed research that indicated PRINT 09 exhibitors will have most success and strongest appeal by demonstrating live running equipment on the show floor. Digital presses and wide format printing are among top interests. Attendees even value being able to bring in their own files for production when possible. As well, attendees are drawn by opportunities for live comparisons of competitive equipment, and peer-to-peer discussions.
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