Background

This was the 15th Innovationdays, but the first year under the new combined companies.

Hunkeler AG, a leader in paper processing solutions headquartered in Wikon, Switzerland, developed Hunkeler Innovationdays as a way for their partners and themselves to bring together some of the latest digital printing equipment with the latest finishing equipment to showcase complete solutions. A little over a year ago they joined forces with Müller Martini, who has been developing print finishing systems since 1946.

After the merger there were questions about the future of the acclaimed Innovationdays and if it would continue in its historically welcomed model. No worries, while there were some changes, this latest one surpassed the expectations of many.

HID 2025

Historically, HID has always been about connecting print and finishing machines. However, recently they have taken connecting to new heights by connecting the printing machines to the finishing devices, but also about connecting the machines to the supply chain, bringing greater benefit. According to Daniel Erni, CEO of Hunkeler, it is also about connecting the community, and you can see and feel it at the event. There is an intimacy to HID, that as one attendee told me makes it feel like a “users group meeting.”

It is one of the only events that I am aware of where competing manufacturers not only visit each other without hiding their badges or identities, but also ask and get answers to questions about each other’s products, challenges, and directions.

Over 100 partner exhibitors showed digital printing systems, workflow products, and consumables to approximately 6,500 visitors in two halls. The international character of the industry event increased with visitors from all around the world. Compared to 2023, there also seemed to be a larger number of people who made last-minute decisions to attend. An analysis of the visitor profile revealed that those who made the journey to Lucerne included company owners, managing directors and other key decision makers, with a surprisingly high volume from the US.

What We Saw

The 15th Innovationdays, hosted by Hunkeler AG, was held in the picturesque city of Lucerne, Switzerland. As usual, there were a lot of rollfed production inkjet presses with some new models and upgrades, although coming on the heels of drupa, not as many new models. This year we saw many more sheetfed inkjet presses as well, and as result more production scenarios and applications. All the presses are displayed and connected with highly automated finishing solutions, many supplied by Hunkeler and Mu?ller Martini. In the past, we saw solutions from their primary finishing partners Standard and Horizon. However, we also saw many more finishing solution exhibitors, as a result of the introduction of sheetfed presses. This helps satisfy the needs of the shifting print market and the addition of many new print applications. In fact, there were many integrations with multiple vendor finishing solutions all inline, and even multiple press vendors feeding a shared finishing line!

This year they also changed the layout of the exhibit halls. It not only created a much better flow for the attendees, but it also allowed for some larger presses and integrated application solutions. They also mingled the larger press and finishing solutions with the smaller exhibitor booths which not only brought better attention to the smaller exhibitors, but gave the attendees a much easier way to see the full breadth of what was available.

Historically, HID has had a significant focus on mailing-driven applications, although this year we saw a significant increase in book manufacturing solutions. While there were those that thought printed books were dead, the reports of its demise were greatly exaggerated! Considering Barnes & Noble opened 60 book stores last year and will open another 60 stores this year, we will need a lot of new production to fill those shelves. Most of the book production solutions were designed to work with shorter run lengths and quick turns through the use of significant automation, to satisfy the realities of today. The level of process automation shown at HID was impressive!

Digging Deeper

Many exhibitors had multiple presses and multiple finishing lines, and while it’s not practical to review them all, I wanted to give you a representative sampling of what was on the floor.

Hunkeler had solutions throughout the event with the press and finishing exhibitors. However, they introduced for the first time, the Gen8 EVO Cut-Stack solution. The GEN8 EVO roll to stack solution is designed to maximize the availability and performance of a plants production capability. This new device, designed with teams from both Hunkeler and Mu?ller Martini, has an intuitive interface and operation for maximized usability making job changeover and set-up more efficient.

The modern and elegant industrial design of the GEN8 EVO was designed to visually enhance any production environment. The innovative lighting concept of the status display provides immediate feedback on the operating status of the machine, making it easier to monitor and control the production process.

Fujifilm showed their Jet Press 1160CFG, which was launched at drupa 2024. The Jet Press 1160CFG is a high-speed full-color continuous-feed inkjet printer. The printer is equipped with a unique and newly developed “Paper Stabilizer,” designed to analyze paper characteristics during high-speed continuous-feed printing. The conditioning unit regulates the amount of moisture in the paper even on thick and thin coated paper. This was integrated with a solution from Meccanotecnica for flexible, short-run book production. They highlighted instant switching capabilities between books of varying sizes and pagination, in collaboration with Horizon and their StitchLiner technology.

Screen highlighted their flagship Truepress JET 560HDX combined with a seamless finishing integration. This press produces high-resolution 1200 dpi output at speeds of up to 100 m/min., without primers on offset-coated papers, simplifying printing workflows and optimizing post-press processing. They demonstrated advanced variable-data printing (VDP) functionality with PDFormstudio workflow software to highlight its suitability for custom or short-run “print-on-demand” book publications. With integrations with a variety of finishing equipment, like the Hunkeler CS8 Roll to Stack Solution, delivering an efficient, automated workflow from initial data processing to the final printed product.

One of the workflows HP showcased was the industry’s fastest end-to-end book production solution ever shown at a trade show. It was producing 750 bound books printed from blank sheets and rolls, although it has the ability to produce up to 2,000 books per hour. This demonstration brings together the power of HP Indigo 120K and HP PageWide Advantage 2200 with HP’s Intelligent Automation ecosystem.

The production line showcased publishing, direct mail and a wide variety of commercial applications including print on demand, greeting cards and photobooks. Leveraging HP Site Flow, nearline intelligent automation with HP PageWide Smart Workcell Controller and partner technology from Hunkeler Hunkeler Starbook Plowfold+ BD8-III, Mu?ller Martini Mu?ller Martini Vareo Pro with InfiniTrim, IDEAL, Movigo AMR, Harris & Bruno coating, and Spencer Metrics.

Kodak showcased their KODAK PROSPER 7000 Turbo Press, a high-speed inkjet printing system utilizing KODAK Stream Inkjet technology which is operating at speeds up to 35% faster than its nearest competitor currently on the market. It has printing speeds of up to 410 m/min. (1,345 ft./min.) and throughput up to 5,523 A4 ppm. It supports three print modes and resolutions: Quality (600 x 900 dpi), Performance (600 x 600 dpi), and Turbo (600 x 450 dpi). To emphasize the exceptional speed of the press as well as the data systems support it, they produced a very unique demonstration.

They had preprinted the individual frames of a movie promotion on the PROSPER 7000, and then fed it back through for the demonstration. There was a camera positioned at the printed feed role which was connected to a video monitor. The result was an amazing and unique print to video recreation and display!

MBO brought their flagship M9 Buckle Folder. With up to 24 buckle plates, the M9 is designed for flexibility and precision. It incorporates advanced features camera systems, water scoring, and faulty product ejection, all of which can be monitored and controlled through its intuitive machine control system. The M9 can be customized with H+H peripheral devices to create application specific production lines which can meet diverse customer needs. Additionally, the M9 DFT model, is designed for roll processing with 12 buckle plates, offering even greater versatility when combined with inline features like knife folding in the cross or parallel direction accommodating longer sheet lengths for web based print production.

Mu?ller Martini highlighted three different systems. One at the Mu?ller Martini booth was an inline solution for producing softcover books from white signatures in different formats and thicknesses. Integrated with the Heidelberg, the Jetfire 50 printing press in combination with the Starbook Sheetfolder from Hunkeler and the Vareo PRO perfect binder as well as the very versatile InfiniTrim trimming robot.

They also presented their highly automated Prinova Digital saddle stitcher. This hybrid solution is ideal for the efficient, low-cost production of magazines, brochures, and catalogs in small print runs. The Prinova Digital is designed for ultra-short setup times, with an intuitive operating concept. Finally, they presented their Connex workflow system as a key platform technology for the efficient, cost-effective production of customized and variable-print products. The system controls all the solutions that were shown and ensures seamless integration of all production steps, from imposition of the print data to sorting of the finished products. This relatively recent core technology will also be found in the most of the new and forthcoming joint Hunkeler and Mu?ller Martini developments.

Meccanotecnica presented their new Universe Web automatic folding and book-sewing line to produce thread sewn books directly from the printed roll. The solution was connected to inline, modular, and multifunctional back gluer, and Trimming, the new automatic three-knife trimmer. They also presented their Universe Web together integrate with Hunkeler modules: UW6 (unwinder) and the new “Generation 8” CS8 (cutter) to meet the demanding requirements of the continuous-feed inkjet market both in speed and quality, with quicker makeready time due to enhancements in automation, self-learning capability, and augmented ergonomics. They also presented an inline, modular, and multifunctional back gluer, with an improved nipping station, designed to press books up to 4.000 kg. The process reduces the thickness of the block and forms a squared spine, allowing the production of higher quality books. with multifunctional capabilities by producing event paperbacks with the application of the softcovers and blocks ready for the hardcover application with end-sheets and gauze. The trimming was done with the new compact three-knife trimmer, which supports high-quality cutting in a wide range of sizes. This was all presented with a redesigned software interface and monitor together with improved motion devices.

Canon displayed the ProStream 2133 printing an array of high-quality applications at speeds of up to 133m/min, including various short-run, format-variable brochures, direct mail, postcards, and calendars which were finished offline on the Mu?ller Martini stand using its Connex automated workflow—and also on the Hunkeler stand with the new Gen8 EVO Cut-Stack solution. They also featured inline finishing equipment with the ProStream including the Hunkeler web extender and Weko’s new remoistening unit for maximized product quality and efficiency for continuous digital inkjet production.

Canon also presented their highly successful varioPRINT iX3200 B3 sheetfed inkjet press, configured with a Horizon iCE StitchLiner Mark V. This combination was producing brochures with high variability and unparalleled scoring and folding. They also demonstrated the varioPRINT iX3200 with its new long-sheet paper input, with an adapted BDT VX 370 feeder with a modified exit height.

Embellishment Solutions Were In Abundance As Well

Scodix showcased an array of stunning printed and embellished samples produced with the advanced Scodix SHD (Smart High Definition) and MLE (Multi-Layer Enhancement) technologies. They presented breathtaking embellishments on coated and uncoated paper across a variety of stock types.

Kurz had a fascinating interactive state-of-the-art exhibit, the DM-UNILINER 3D, which offers a technology deep dive into 3D inkjet-on substrate technology for label and roll applications. It is designed as an experience in how this technology produces fascinating effects and exciting creations in just one work step, through digital metallization and coating.

They also presented the ultra-compact MCUBE complete solution, KURZ subsidiary MPRINT which offers an economical and easy-to integrate solutions for variable-data printing.

There were lots of software solutions as well, providing connectivity, workflow optimization, and automation.

I wish I could present more, and I am looking forward to HID 2027!

More to Come…

I would like to address your interests and concerns in future articles as it relates to the manufacturing of Print, Packaging, and Labels, and how it drives future connected workflows including “Industry 4.0” and 5.0. If you have any interesting examples of hybrid and bespoke manufacturing, I am very anxious to hear about them. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] with any questions, suggestions, or examples of interesting applications.