Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Articles by Gershon Alon, HP Indigo (Workflow Chef)

The Workflow Chef is a column led by Gershon Alon, Head of PrintOS at HP, and a workflow expert and industry speaker. Gershon has been at the forefront of print automation and workflow for over two decades. He’s had roles at Scitex, Creo, and Kodak and since joining HP Indigo in 2010, he has led its workflow and solutions team and managed the ongoing growth of HP PrintOS. Feedback or questions may be sent to [email protected]

Displaying 1-12 of 12 articles

Smooth Sailing in the Production Process: How to Ensure Your Artwork Files Won’t Slow You Down

Published June 28, 2021

Using error-free artwork files ensures that print production will go smoothly and that the result will be a timely delivery of your product. In this article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's “Workflow Chef” Gershon Alon, learn how to ensure the quality of your incoming artwork.

What’s Your Digital Transformation Quotient?

Published June 21, 2021

One of the more important movements in the print industry is the inevitable trend of digital transformation—the transition from offset to digital. In this article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's “Workflow Chef” Gershon Alon, learn how print service providers can tackle this transition. What does the roadmap look like, and where does one begin?

Where Brands are Headed with Mass Customization

Published June 14, 2021

Mass customization avoids many pitfalls of typical VDP projects because it doesn’t require the development of elaborate cross-sections of personal user data. In this article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's “Workflow Chef” Gershon Alon, learn how creating such campaigns is relatively worry-free and less complex, yet can be a very effective way of giving each individual the feeling of being unique.

Time is Money—The Spot Color Matching Challenge

Published June 7, 2021

With more products and SKUs out there than ever before, converters must manage a larger number of short runs. As a result, they are spending a lot more time on spot color matching. In this article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's “Workflow Chef” Gershon Alon, find out how they are dealing with this challenge.

An Internal Indigo Study—How HP Indigo Customers Fared During the Pandemic and What We Learned

Published June 1, 2021

Indigo did some research to understand why some commercial print customers managed to come out ahead during the pandemic crisis—some even doubling their volume. This article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's “Workflow Chef” Gershon Alon, looks at the factors that made some print businesses more resilient than others.

VDP De-Mystified

Published May 24, 2021

Personalization is a trend that’s not going away any time soon. Research shows that about 63% of consumers agree that personalization is now part of a standard level of service that they expect. This article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's “Workflow Chef” Gershon Alon, looks at the essential elements of a successful VDP program.

When Blended Learning Meets the Printing Industry

Published May 17, 2021

The knowledge level of employees is one of those important cornerstones to a successful operation. There is clear evidence that a well-informed and self-sufficient production team ensures higher productivity, resulting in increased business success. This article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's “Workflow Chef” Gershon Alon, looks at how can you ensure your staff has all the knowledge it needs to keep your print shop running smoothly.

What “Industry 4.0” Means for the Print Industry

Published May 10, 2021

The industry is challenged by increasingly tough customer requirements for fast delivery, high quality, and low price. Without a significant improvement in production efficiency, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to meet these challenges. Industry 4.0 provides the technological infrastructure for improvement, and government support will lower the barriers to implementation. This article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's “Workflow Chef” Gershon Alon, details the importance of Industry 4.0 for the printing industry.

The Two Approaches to Prepress that Could Have an Impact on Your Bottom Line

Published May 3, 2021

The time it takes to prepare a job for digital print depends on many variables: the type of application, job complexity, number of pages, quality standards, and of course, the type of systems you have in place to automate and enable all of these. This article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's “Workflow Chef” Gershon Alon, looks at prepress and what it means for your bottom line.

How Accurate Is Your Job Pricing (And Can You Do Better?)

Published April 26, 2021

Having an accurate estimate is crucial for business success. Making mistakes—such as costing that is too high or too low—can have significant implications on the top and bottom lines. This article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's “Workflow Chef” Gershon Alon, explains the advantages of automatically collecting production data and using it to generate accurate estimates.

The Color Challenge and How to Solve it

Published April 19, 2021

Color correction is a repetitive, time-consuming, and complex process. This article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's "Workflow Chef" Gershon Alon, explains how to optimize color correction, focusing on two aspects: automation and simplification.

Can Measuring OEE Improve Your Productivity?

Published April 12, 2021

It seems like everyone is talking about “OEE” these days. This article, sponsored by HP and written by HP Indigo's "Workflow Chef" Gershon Alon, explains how OEE is a standard way to measure the “overall equipment effectiveness” of a manufacturing process—in this case, the printing process.