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Each edition of the drupa daily featured a Global Perspectives article that looked at the state of the printing industry in a specific nation or region. In this article, Fabian Ruiz profiles Colombia. Read More
At drupa 24, HP Indigo and ePac Flexible Packaging announced a multiyear strategic agreement to convert ePac Flexible Packaging fleet to HP’s Indigo 200K digital press. Read More
David Zwang takes a deep dive into Fujifilm’s Smart Flow workflow software, being demonstrated at drupa 24. Read More
David Zwang looks at Atomyx, a platform built on the vision of Connected Automation to enable the profitable production of individualized print jobs at scale, which was being showcased at drupa 24. Read More
At drupa 24, Canon announced that Mclays & MiPost have become the first UK printer to purchase the new ProStream 2133, which launched at the show. Read More
If you are a marketer, you likely have either a love or hate relationship with influencer marketing. But influencer marketing isn’t simple and straightforward. Heidi Tolliver-Walker explains the nuances. Read More
At drupa 24, Xeikon presented a refreshed brand with a range of new presses. Ralf Schlözer looks at what the company had on show. Read More
Konica Minolta made a big splash at drupa 2024 with the seventh largest booth at the show and 20 European premieres with a range of toner and inkjet printers and software solutions. Ralf Schlözer surveys the highlights. Read More
At drupa 24, Reka Klebetechnik was showing its range of professional hot-melt glue guns. Read More
Each edition of the drupa daily featured a Global Perspectives article that looked at the state of the printing industry in a specific nation or region. In this article, Rosa Arza profiles Spain. Read More
At drupa 24, the Atomyx, HP, and Horizon teams collaborated to produce a print sample that showed the power of partner collaboration and provided thought leadership. Pat McGrew documents how the project came together. Read More
Kornit Digital believes that textile printing is now at the same stage where print on paper was 25 years ago: predominantly analog, but on the brink of a digital transformation. Patrick Henry looks at the compnay’s drupa 24 presence and its direct-to-garment and direct-to-fabric systems. Read More
At drupa, Koenig & Bauer was promoting a long list of product innovations aimed at upholding the distinction it claims as a manufacturer that can apply any printing technology to any relevant substrate. Patrick Henry sums up the highlights of their presence at the show. Read More
At drupa 24, Landa Digital Printing and Gelato announced a collaboration that leverages Landa's Nanographic print technology and customer network, and Gelato's global software platform—GelatoConnect—for the delivery of on-demand, short-to-medium run, digitally printed jobs with unparalleled print quality. Read More
At drupa, Linney, a full-service UK-based marketing agency, became the first company in the world to invest in the new, ultra-high productivity, single-pass HS Series developed in partnership by Fujifilm and Barberán. Read More
In this article, sponsored and written by Canon, the company explains how its new UVgel Packaging Factory extends the Canon Colorado’s already broad application capabilities to deliver the digital equivalent of litho lamination for customized packaging. Read More
Kicking off a regular series of country-by-country analyses, European section editor Ralf Schlözer looks at the demographics of the printing industry in Europe as a whole—identifying revenue, employment, and the number of establishments. Read More
David Zwang looks at how Hybrid Software has grown organically and through the acquisition and integration of an extensive but synergetic group of companies, allowing them to build very complete and efficient solutions for both OEMs as well as PSP users. Read More
At drupa 24, Adobe was demonstrating how PDF can be used for textile production. David Zwang reports from drupa’s touchpoint textile display area. Read More
Are plastics manufactures starting to panic? I only ask because it seems that CNN—and maybe others—are being inundated by pro-plastic ads, reminiscent of when Big Tobacco was trying to save itself. In this article, we look at some of the PR plastics organizations are putting out, and you can draw your own conclusions! Read More
Each edition of the drupa daily featured a Global Perspectives article that looked at the state of the printing industry in a specific nation or region. In this article, Alice Machado profiles Portugal. Read More
In this article, written and sponsored by Canon, the company looks at trends in publishing and how the products on display in Canon’s Publishing Zone drupa display help publication printers overcome these challenges. Read More
Landa Digital Print’s tagline for drupa 2024 was “Run More,” and they supported that with the introduction of new “faster and smarter” presses. David Zwang looks at the S11 simplex and S11P duplex B1 presses. Read More
Ralf Schlözer looks at the analog and digital solutions Kodak was showcasing at drupa 24, including a new Sonora Ultra process-free plate, a new large-format platesetter, the Magnus Q3600 Titan, and the Prosper Ultra 520 press. Read More
David Zwang reports from drupa 24 on the HP/Cimpress partnership and how Cimpress s actively contributing to the development of the newly announced HP Indigo 120K Digital Press. Read More
Inkjet Insight's Mary Schilling looks at Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC), which was showcasing its flexible packaging printing capabilities at drupa 24. Read More
Trying to recreate a long lost “recipe” for blue dye. Costco is now only selling books at Christmas. A Polish artist works with “3D-printed clay” to create unusual textures. A 3D-printed chess king that will collapse when checkmated. People whose names are routinely autocorrected have had enough. All about duct tape. Engineering students invent a leaf blower silencer. A new exhibition dedicated to MAD Magazine and we are so going. A heavy metal band turns UPC codes into guitar tabs for serious consumer product riffing. Microbiologists have brewed a beer using yeast obtained from the guts of killer bees, for some reason. Here’s a term we had never heard before: smoothie keg. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
According to County Business Patterns, in 2021 there were 276 establishments in NAICS 322219 (Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing). This category saw a net decrease in establishments of -21% since 2010. In macro news, inflation was virtually unchanged in May. Read More
In this article, written and sponsored by The Plockmatic Group, recounts the company's booklet making and feeding solutions as it marks its 50th anniversary at drupa 24. Read More
Offset lithographic presses have come a long way, but the offset lithographic process remains what it always has been. Optimizing the process with specially developed inks and chemistry has helped one plant achieve results so striking that they sometimes can be hard to believe. Patrick Henry looks at Midnight Oil, which has specialized in precisely this kind of impossible-dream offset lithographic printing for at least a decade. Read More
At drupa 24, Heidelberg announced the Jetfire 50 B3 and Jetfire 75 B2 presses, introduced in partnership with Canon, designed as solutions for hybrid production in combined offset and digital environments. Patrick Henry looks at the details of the announcement. Read More
In this article, sponsored and written by Kongsberg Precision Systems, the company describes the new technologies the company showed for the first time at drupa 24, including the new Kongsberg Ultimate. It also looks to the future of automation. Read More
As All4Labels continues its plans to completely digitize its production floors, the company announced at drupa 24 that it was investing in several units of HP Indigo V12, HP Indigo 200K and the enhanced version of the HP PageWide Advantage 2200. David Zwang looks at the details of this investment. Read More
In this article, sponsored by EFI, Cary Sherburne looks at the company’s sustainability efforts, ranging from its Reggiani ecoTERRA pigment textile printer, Nozomi’s sustainability credentials as compared to analog printing processes, new aqueous inks being used in the new EFI Nozomi 14000 AQ single-pass inkjet technology for corrugated packaging and displays, and the Nozomi 12000 MP single-pass LED inkjet technology for direct-to-metal printing using GREENGUARD Gold certified UV LED inks. Read More
The challenges facing the printing industry in the DACH region are similar to those in the rest of Western Europe. The multitude of geopolitical crises, the persistently high energy costs and the resulting rise in inflation and interest rates have led to uncertainty in the market—which has also had a direct impact on the printing industry. Knud Wassermann of Vienna’s Graphische Revue, looks at the state of the printing industry in the region comprising Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Read More
In this article, sponsored and written by BOBST, the company announced its latest solutions and strategic partnerships to help shape the future of the packaging world, contributing to a new era in packaging where the entire production line is connected, enabling seamless end-to-end workflows. Read More
The 2024 Epson Design Awards honored outstanding creativity, unity, and progressive thinking in fashion design across the Benelux region. With inclusivity and diversity at the forefront, designers from various backgrounds converged to showcase their talents and ingenuity in a celebration of artistry and innovation. Debbie McKeegan looks at this year’s winners. Read More
Each edition of the drupa daily featured a Global Perspectives article that looked at the state of the printing industry in a specific nation or region. In this article, PrintWeek/WhatPackaging? Managing editor Noel D’Cunha looks at the state of the printing industry in India.) Read More
In the latest installment in the Smart Strategy Insights series, Wayne Lynn explains how strategy is possible only after looking at the big picture of the economy, society, and industry your company is part of. Looking at the industries of your customers will help to predict trends, and changes in trends. These inevitably impact the growth or decline of your business. Read More
At drupa 24, CloudLab announced two new web-to-print solutions—printQ and packQ—to enable printers of all sizes to quickly create products for their e-commerce customers without the need for IT support or long learning curves. Read More
When we think about artificial intelligence, we think about the ability of these platforms to spit out marketing copy in milliseconds and bring our creative imaginations to life in stunning imagery on demand. But when it comes to marketing, AI can do much more. Heidi Tolliver-Walker explains. Read More
At drupa 24, Fujifilm announced the new Dimatix SkyFire SF600 printhead. David Zwang taskes a close look at this announcement. Read More
In this article, sponsored and written by BW Converting, the company explains how at drupa 24 it launched an updated branding identity on the heels of incorporating leading print and industrial technology company Baldwin into its roster. Read More
Hiring new people is exciting and agitating at the same time. Hire experienced people and you may need to retrain them away from how they have done things in the past. Hire inexperienced people and you need a plan to get them up-to-speed on processes and procedures. It takes a plan! Read More
In this article, sponsored by Miraclon, David Zwang’s looks at recent developments in the technical “rebirth” of flexography that are allowing it to remain competitive as the go-to process for packaging production. Read More
This article, written and sponsored by eProductivity Software, takes a look at Nubium, a cloud-native MIS solution designed for the underserved small- to medium-sized commercial print market, which was launched at drupa 24. Read More
Embellishment guru Kevin Abergel looks at KAMA’s unique approach to automation and digital embellishments and their major presence at drupa 24. Read More
Each edition of the drupa daily featured a Global Perspectives article that looked at the state of the printing industry in a specific nation or region. In this article, Sean Smyth profiles Western Europe. Read More
This article looks at how print businesses are embracing the concept of sustainability which, for some, is more than a green ethical choice. Read More
At drupa, EFI launched the latest breakthrough version of the EFI Nozomi single-pass direct-to-corrugated printer. With more than 60 Nozomi units installed worldwide, this brand-new version takes the Nozomi platform to an entirely new level. Read More
HP and Canva announced that they will join forces in a groundbreaking collaboration to provide unique design-to-print services and experiences for over 185 million monthly Canva users with HP Print Service Providers across the globe. Read More
For years, Benny Landa has been saying that anything that can go digital, will go digital. In this interview, conducted at drupa 2024, Landa talks about the digital innovation Indigo and Landa Digital Printing brought to market, and so much more. You will be surprised at the breadth of the work The Landa Group and Landa Labs is doing to help preserve our planet. Read More
Grafica Venata Acquires P.A. Hutchison, OPM Closes Plant and more … Read More
In late 2023, Keypoint Intelligence completed a comprehensive multi-client study to gain a better understanding of how print demand is changing in key vertical industries. The vertical industries that were covered in depth include education, finance/banking, healthcare, hospitality, insurance, manufacturing, retail, and publishing. Read More
Johnson’s World is in eclipse as Steve Johnson derives life lessons from last April’s “eclipse tourism.” Read More
Drawing on six years’ worth of Print Business Outlook surveys, our “Tales from the Database” series looks at historical data to see if we can spot any particular hardware, software or business trends. This issue, we turn our attention to various aspects of finishing, including mailing and embellishments. Read More
A woman lived inside a store’s rooftop sign for nearly a year. Creating art with modified E. coli. A phone so horrible no one will mind losing it. A mosaic tribute to Alfred Hitchcock in the Leytonstone Tube station. A winery specializes in creative and humorous wine descriptions. “Giant venomous flying spiders with 4-inch legs heading to New York area.” An automated step-pedal kitchen cabinet. Oscar Mayer’s gummy bologna. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
In specific industries or communities, acronyms can signify membership or expertise. They act as shorthand that only a select few understand, which can foster a sense of belonging. Successfully applying today's acronyms when talking with your clients involves more than just inserting trendy terms into conversations. It requires understanding your audience and the context in which the acronyms are used. This article explores acronyms and offers strategies on using them without alienating your customers. Read More
Some folks have not gotten their trade show mojo back after the pandemic lockdown year, but after drupa, trade show season kicks off in earnest. Joanne Gore explains how to get your event groove back on and “survive” trade show season. Read More
A round up of some of the latest wide-format cutting table product introductions. Read More
Cary Sherburne speaks with Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar, professor in the Department of Environmental Toxicology and The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, about a unique approach to using AI to make textiles more sustainable. Read More
The packaging industry is poised for a transformative shift in the coming decade, with governments and brands actively pushing for change through legislation and innovative packaging solutions. To gain an understanding of how brands and retailers and the packing companies that support them can make this transition, Cary Sherburne spoke with Bryan Boatner, Global Managing Director for Automation at Ranpak. Read More
Employee recognition programs bring tangible benefits to companies that implement them. Printers serving those customers have an opportunity to get more “share of customer” by producing printed products to support those programs. Read More
Finishing is the final gate for every print project. Successful, efficient finishing relies on the design, prepress, and print processes to ensure that the rolls or sheets can be finished as called for in the specifications. To optimize finishing, begin the design process with a clear view of the intended finishing. Cut marks, crease and fold locations, sheet binding, and every other finishing process will be smoother and more efficient! Read More
Paul Hudson believes in reinvention, and he believes in print. With the addition of new embellishment capabilities to augment his offset and digital print production solutions, he is leading Hudson Printing in Salt Lake City into a new era. Static and variable embellishment on a significant range of substrates allows them to produce spectacular magazine covers, postcards, and other commercial work for their growing clientele. Read More
Die cutting has been around for a long time, however the growth packaging and of shorter run packaging as well as display production has increased the need for die cutting dramatically. There are lots of new types of die cutting solutions in the market and more coming. In the end it is all about application. Read More
This issue, we spoke with William Troxil, who served the past ten years as President of the Industrial Print and Production Print Business at Konica Minolta Business Solutions and just promoted to a new and expanded role of Advisor to the CEO, about the company’s finishing and embellishment offerings, the relationships they have with their customers, and how the industrial print business is the growth area for the industry. Read More
This week, we are publishing the content from our latest print edition, Issue Three: Finishing & Embellishments. Here’s a preview. Read More
How the special embellished print edition cover was created, thanks to Konica Minolta and Burlington, N.C.’s Elite Print Finishing. It’s a design that demonstrates new techniques using texture, color, and form to inspire and show “the art of what’s possible.” Read More
Embellishment guru Kevin Abergel looks at advances in embellishment technologies from established players as well as new entrants. We’re heading into a transformative phase in digital printing and finishing. This article provides an overview of what was on display at drupa and what will be hitting the market post-show. Read More
British towns are removing apostrophes from street signs as, it claims, they can cause trouble with geographical databases. To celebrate the baguette, the French Post Office has released a commemorative scratch-and-sniff postage stamp. Broadband plans now required to have “nutrition labels” that spell out what you’re getting and for how much. A cute stop-motion animation in which little felt spray cans appear to spray wool “paint.” How many Periodic Table elements are actually in the human body? Before alarm clocks, you could hire a “knocker upper.” Researchers used AI to decode sperm whale clicks. Are we in the midst of an orca uprising? Burger King celebrates its birthday with 70¢ specials. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
Overall printing employment in April 2024 was generally up—+0.5% from March—with production employment up +1.3% and non-production employment down +1.4%. Read More
Mimaki is looking beyond the traditional paper-based print applications. Ralf Schlözer reports from Mimaki's drupa 24 press conference. Read More
WhatTheyThink/drupa daily is profiling selected attendees to this year's drupa 24. David Zwang profiles Dr. Rasa Urbas, Head of the Chair of Information and Graphic Arts Technology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana. Read More
Patrick Henry reports from drupa 24 on Heidelberg's return to industrial inkjet printing with a pair of machines introduced in partnership with Canon. Read More
Drupa 24, eight years in the making, opened yesterday to much excitement. European Section Editor Ralf Schlozer attended the opening ceremony. Read More
At drupa 2024, FUJIFILM introduced the FUJIFILM Dimatix SkyFire® SF600 printhead. David Zwang provides an overview. Read More
WhatTheyThink partnered with EFI to use EFI Reggiani digitally printed textiles to accent the professional video studio WhatTheyThink operated onsite at drupa 2024. Read More
In this article, sponsored and written by Canon, the company announced at drupa 24 a global sales and service co-operation in inkjet printing with Heidelberger Druckmaschinen which will see the varioPRINT iX3200 B3 sheetfed inkjet press and the newly announced varioPRESS iV7 B2 sheetfed inkjet press integrated into Heidelberg’s commercial print portfolio. Canobn also announced other new technologies. Read More
The drupa daily for drupa 24 was produced in conjunction with HP Indigo, whose HP SmartStream Designer technology allowed every cover to have a unique image. This article looks inside the production of the daily. Read More
This article looks at how Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems partnered with WhatTheyThink to produce the display stands for the drupa daily. Read More
As drupa 24 opens, Canon has announced that it is launching its first B2 size press, the varioPRESS iV7. Ralf Schlözer takes a look at the announcement. Read More
The print industry is facing labor challenges at every level. The complaint is that no one is applying for open jobs, and when candidates do apply and get accepted, they don’t stay. It’s easy to point fingers at the upcoming generations and say that they don’t want to work, but is that really what’s happening? Read More
According to County Business Patterns, in 2021 there were 578 establishments in NAICS 322212 (Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing). This category saw a net decrease of 18% since 2010. In macro news,inflation in April eased a bit. Read More
Another tome for those building a color reference book library. Small Press Distribution abruptly closes, leaving small publishers in the lurch. Deloitte’s brand new Global 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey is out. Meet Reginald Bray, “The Human Letter.” A livestreaming portal connected New York City and Dublin—for a bit. Everything you ever wanted to know about eels. Find the nearest ice cream truck with the Mister Softee app. The James Webb Space telescope finds a distant exoplanet has an atmosphere, of sorts. Reese’s introduces an Olympic medal-shaped peanut butter cup. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
In the Ukrainian city of Charkiw, dubbed “The City of Print,” Faktor Druk survived the first round of attacks in 2022. One of the largest printing houses in Ukraine, it remained open, albeit at reduced capacity—until yesterday, when the company was hit by a Russian rocket, killing staff and damaging production considerably. Donations to help the victims and rebuild production are welcome. Read More
Minimalist packaging is not a fleeting trend. It involves using the fewest possible elements to package a product while still effectively protecting and presenting it. This article explores how minimalist packaging design is impacting every layer of the packaging food chain, including brand owners, designers, converters, digital equipment manufacturers, and consumers. Read More
Heid Tolliver-Walker looks at SkinDip’t, a Maryland-based provider of CBD products, and their unique labeling challenges. Read More
In the second installment in his Smart Strategy Insights, Wayne Lynn explains how “strategy” is figuring out how to overcome the obstacles that stand between where you are and where you want to go. Read More
Heidi Tolliver-Walker profiles Thysse, a third-generation family business based in Madison, Wis., and the subject of the latest documentary from WhatTheyThink Films! Read More
In this article, written and sponsored by HiFlow Solutions, previews a webinar, hosted by Florida Graphic Alliance, that will help print businesses unlock insights into their costing process. The focus will be on determining the true costs by showcasing how software tools can automate a shop's costing system. Read More
A shop run entirely by volunteers in the Bronx is teaching its members to print for the greater good with the help of friends in the printing industry. Read More
Once, the only consistent thing about offset lithography was its inconsistency. Harvey Levenson explains how testing, testing, and more testing stabilized the process and optimized its results. Read More
Last month we wrote about the fact that among a wide range of organizations, progress toward sustainability goals has been lackluster, to say the least. In this article, we drill down on responsibility and accountability of individuals—looking at you!—in helping sustain our planet for our children, grandchildren, and beyond. Read More
March 2024 shipments came in at $7.24 billion, up from February’s $7.04 billion—and yet the worst March the industry has had. Read More
The first scented billboard. Uncovering the remains of Richard III. Ordered to hide your boat from public view? Build a fence and paint a boat on it! Eliminating inaccessible graffiti using spray-painting drones. Costumed park rangers in Illinois act out the cicada emergence. Video of plants “talking” to each other. The winner of the annual Ugly Muppet Toy Pageant. The James Webb Space Telescope discovered complex organic chemicals surrounding two protostars. Red Lobster is closing locations and auctioning off their equipment. Eggo launches waffle-themed sneakers. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
This is the second in a series of articles that looks at the evolution of display graphics equipment manufacturers and their portfolios. Up next: Roland DG. Read More
In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan shares insights she gained from Kristine Go, founder of Pattern Curator—a Print forecasting and design service concept based in New Jersey. This includes macro trends in fashion design, sustainability, and socioeconomic and technological trends. Read More
Heidi Tolliver-Walker offers some tips for how print businesses can tap into the growing market for cannabis products. Read More
Oops! You might have bought the wrong software. Or, you may have outgrown the software you are using. The right software should integrate seamlessly, provide the needed features, and include ongoing vendor support. By being proactive, you can ensure your print software empowers your business, not hinders it. Read More
