June 2012
4 posts
drupa inside – a closer look from outside
by Andrea Köhn, June, 19th 2012 This year I was not able to visit drupa, because I was expecting my second child at the end of April. Nonetheless, I was involved in drupa projects and management like the coordination of the drupa cube program as much as possible. But a few weeks before drupa started, I was only able to follow the developments and news from behind my computer at home. So I was...
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It’s over but it’s not over: The summer after...
by Naresh Khanna, Indian Printer & Publisher
After a pleasant and unexpectedly rainy April and an equally unexpectedly temperate May, June is upon us in New Delhi. Fiercely hot with an occasional dust storm and daytime temperatures touching 44 and 46 degrees centigrade and night time lows above 30, we are now waiting for the rains – the monsoon which hit the Kerala coast on time at the...
drupa 2012: A Fantastic Opportunity
By Katherine O’Brien, Senior Editor, American Printer Division, OutputLinks Communications Group
This was my fourth drupa. My first show, drupa 2000, was overwhelming, both in terms of the volume of information as well as the precipitation.
“Above all, we were wet,” writes Frank McCourt in the introductory paragraphs of “Angela’s Ashes.” The same phrase aptly...
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drupa 2012 - investing in the future of print
by Ed Boogaard
Even after spending 15 days at drupa, it is hard to decide on what exactly had the most impact on the industry. Actually, it looks like we may even have to wait until (at least) 2013 to find out.
Until recently, the way forward looked pretty much decided on. After toner came inkjet, and that was what the future of print after - or: next to - offset would look like, right? Not so....
May 2012
16 posts
6 tags
drupa 2012 - thanks to you all!
As the curtain comes down on drupa 2012, we’re delighted to report that the event was a huge success. As expected, drupa cemented its position as the world’s largest, most important B2B trade fair in its sector. And we want to thank all of you who joined the drupa community for making this drupa a successful edition. During the last two weeks around 314,500 print professionals from 130 countries...
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Guest blog by Mike Horsten - Are textiles greener...
by Mike Horsten, Marketing Manager Mimaki Europe
Why there is so much discussion about sustainability and a more environmental conscientious approach, when most of us are worried about surviving this economic downturn? Politicians say the crisis is over, but the wide-format industry has not yet seen any clear indicators of recovery.
Economic uncertainty does encourage introspection and new ways...
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Guest blog by Jan De Roeck (Esko) - Packaging is...
When dwelling the halls at drupa in Düsseldorf, it’s easy to see that many suppliers aim at inspiring commercial printers in their quest for added value products and services. Two of such added value initiatives seem to be developing into mega-trends. First of all there are many suppliers focusing on the marriage between printed matter and interactive online media. Cross-media publishing has been...
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More wide format by Infotrends
Submitted By: Barney Cox on May 10, 2012
The following is a short list of wide format ink developments at drupa.
I covered the other key wide-format themes to emerge from drupa 2012 around application flexibility, quality and productivity in a separate blog. There it was notable that most hardware launches incorporated technologies that enabled a single device to produce at both high quality and...
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Guest blog by James Matthews-Paul - How not to...
Tweeting is a mysterious world, and companies of all sizes are right to be cautious as they decide their strategy. Who’s the right person to tweet? What can or can’t they say? How does one deal with negative @ mentions and when should the conversation be taken offline? These are all things to be decided internally, perhaps bringing in a specialist to help demystify, and in many cases...
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Guest Blog – Joel Basa - #drupa Tweetjam
The big event is happening – drupa 2012! After months of preparation, graphic communications professionals from around the world have gathered in Düsseldorf, Germany to check out the latest technologies and applications on display. On April 24, Xerox partnered with Cary Sherburne of Sherburne & Associates and WhatTheyThink.com for an industry-focused #futureprint Tweetjam to discuss...
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Guest blog Infotrends - Barney Cox on wide format
Wide format developments were in evidence at drupa, but weren’t the centre of interest. The biggest noise at drupa was Benny Landa’s nanography and the other big noises were B2 sheetfed digital presses and the universal interest by vendors in applying their products to packaging and label printing. However, there were some launches and technology demonstrations of wide-format printing hardware...
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Guest blog by Infotrends - a first feedback on...
Submitted By Jim Hamilton on May 7, 2012
Before I left for drupa 2012, I wrote a blog about what I thought would be the top stories. Benny Landa’s nanography was at the top of the list and I can confirm now, after nearly a week here, that his new company and products are the most talked about development at the show. Last Wednesday, the day before drupa 2012 opened, Landa Corporation held its...
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Mobile marketing, the social drupa and Kodak
Drupa 2012 is also known as the Social drupa. We’re actively engaged in social media and encourage all exhibitors and visitors to engage with us on all levels, so we can spread the (graphic) word. Kodak also makes great efforts to build and further develop their social media actions. Kodak’s chief blogger, Jennifer Cisney, explains how.
And don’t forget to join us on the drupa...
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Guest blog Marcus Timson - The green issue
It seems that news from Drupa suggests sustainability is high on print’s agenda. And this is timely indeed. Because in April, without fanfare, and without anyone really even noticing it, the EU Eco label has been launched into the market, and the news is that there is a specific EU Eco label for print. But does print need a label or indeed a standard at all?
This is a debatable issue. Print is...
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Guest blog by Infotrends' Barney Cox and Tim...
One of the most interesting things that we saw at drupa yesterday was a preview of a wide format printing system seen at the Caldera booth A14 in Hall 4. This 42-inch wide technology printer represents a collaboration between Xerox partner Fuji Xerox and Caldera. We are hearing that this product should launch in the Asia-Pacific region by the end of the year. It is a 4-color aqueous inkjet printer...
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Guest blog by David Pittman - Landa’s legacy
I’m writing this after experiencing my first ever day at a drupa show, the first of many I’m sure.
What an experience it was too. I’ve become accustomed to tradeshows in Germany; whether materials or construction machinery focused, they are always, without fail, humongous. However, drupa 2012 is by far and away the largest I’ve ever been to.
I only managed to get inside a couple of halls, as...
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Guest blog by Eddy Hagen - drupa: my geeky half...
Fortunately drupa only takes place every four years. The geeky half of my brain is already doing overtime and it will get a nearly lethal overdose in just a few days. New and sexy models (from a technology point of view) will call for our attention. And we love it! Yes, you too… admit it!
Question number one for drupa 2012 will be: what is that nanographic printing? Will it really...
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Prediction: The Top drupa 2012 Stories
Submitted By: Jim Hamilton Group Director for InfoTrends’ Production consulting services on 18 April, 2012
I could be wrong. After all, the show just opened, but I think these will be the top stories at drupa:
1. Benny Landa – Whether Landa Labs shows market-ready products or early tech demos doesn’t really matter. This will be a drupa remembered for the show that Benny Landa put on. Is it...
Guest blog - David Pittman - drupa word cloud
There’s a swirl of launches, information, meetings and schmoozing set to take place at drupa over the coming weeks, and preparations are coming to a head.
As my first drupa, it’s shaping up to be quite a daunting prospect, with so much to see. Even though there’s a full fortnight to see it, there’s the potential that it could be information overload when I emerge from the other side.
We’ve got a...
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Brands continue their search for packaging power
Three-quarters of all retail products are purchased on impulse, so it’s no surprise that brands are demanding attention-grabbing packaging to set their products apart from their competitors’. At drupa 2012 we can expect to see a raft of solutions for giving products that stand-out shelf appeal.
Packaging is the interface between brand owner and consumer. In this fast-moving sector, digital...
April 2012
8 posts
Guest blog - first of many we hope
There is so much we want to share with our followers, but we don’t always find the words. That’s why we’re heartily welcoming guest bloggers. We stumbled accross these poetics words by Steven Kiernan, editor of ProPrint in Australia, who wrote a great story on the recovery of the graphic arts industry after the 2008 collapse. An extract:
The little corner of the world economy...
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The long road to recovery: how print is surviving...
Like every industry, the print world was hit hard by the economic crisis. Even among those businesses that have survived, many are still struggling. But this isn’t just because of the banks withdrawing their financial support – the impact of the internet on traditional printing services has also affected revenue.
Almost all operations have had to adapt to survive. The traditional print business...
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Sustainability - great for business and for the...
Everyone knows how crucial sustainability is for the environment. But at drupa 2012 we can expect a focus on how sustainability can have a positive impact on a business’ bottom line too. The true cost of waste can be as much as 4% of a company’s turnover, so it’s crucial that businesses take steps to reduce, re-use and recycle wherever they can.
There are a raft of measures companies can...
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Litho and digital – a winning team
Today it’s common to see printers using more than one technology, with sheet-fed digital often complementing offset. This set-up allows offset operations to turn a profit on short-run work and enter new markets, like business-to-consumer photobooks, variable data printing, direct mail and even internet-based services.
Generally, the technologies are run separately using different workflows, with...
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Why it pays to be a communications expert, not...
The coming years could prove tough for some print service providers, what with a volatile economic climate, falling demand for print products and more expensive raw materials.
So don’t be surprised if we see some pretty big changes in the global graphics market. The companies that flourish will be those that evolve with the times and respond best to changing demand. Print service providers will...
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Turning data into profit
The economic downturn meant capital investment has been a major issue for the print industry in recent years. But printers are an imaginative breed. Many have turned to software and data handling to streamline their operations, ramp up productivity and stretch margins.
We’re seeing a proliferation of apps that have improved the print process – things like being able to remotely check a job’s...
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Make room for large-format printing
Many labeled drupa 2008 as the ‘inkjet drupa’, which helped spur a surge in high-speed four-color inkjet solutions being brought to market.
And while digital large-format printers couldn’t be described as the new kids on the block, the rate at which they’re evolving in terms of quality, speed and application range is exciting. We’re seeing a glut of innovations in this area, with developments...
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Finishing sector all set for the drupa stage
Today, finishing is anything but an after-thought – it’s a crucial part of the print process. After all, there’s little point having a lightning-fast offset printer, or a flashy new digital system, if the finishing isn’t up to the job. For example, wasting paper in the folding process will dent profits, while even one poorly-trimmed photobook leaving the production line can damage a...
March 2012
3 posts
6 tags
Expect packaging to get cosy with digital this...
Digital is taking an increasingly stronger hold in all print markets, and packaging is no exception. Heidelberg predicts digitally printed packaging will grow at double-digit rates, while HP anticipates that its digitally printed packaging division can take the same 10 per cent share of the market that it has in label printing.
So what makes digital so attractive? The technology has advanced...
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The drupa that won’t be labelled: there’s no...
In previous years, drupa has been defined by an overriding theme. We had ‘inkjet drupa’ in 2008, ‘JDF drupa’ in 2004, and back in 2000 there was the ‘press and workflow drupa’. This year’s show is proving much harder to pin down, not least because the perception of print is changing.
Customers are looking to print houses to add value to print products and help brands differentiate themselves from...
drupa blogs!
That’s right - the drupa team has decided to launch a dedicated drupa blog section to share some thoughts, insights and fun facts with you. As we receive so much information via our personal contacts with you (exhibitors and visitors alike) and also via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Time to filter, process and share with you. This week we’ll be pondering on the first one.
Stay tuned...
