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WhatTheyThink

Digital & Inkjet Commentary & Analysis

Voice of the Customer: Direct Mailers Partner with Screen to Drive Growth and Efficiency

Printers and direct mailers of every flavor gathered at PRINTING United in September to explore new technology, finishing, and workflow solutions. Lois Ritarossi spoke with three Screen Americas customers about changes in their production environments and expanding direct mail services. The interviewees shared their perspectives on strategic partnerships, evolving their capabilities, and preparing for the future. Read More

Mercury Print Productions: From the Basement to the Bleeding Edge

Mercury Print Productions was founded in 1968 by Valerie Mannix as a typesetter and forms printer in the basement of her little ranch house. They closed off the garage so they could store paper and she would print downstairs. Today, they are successfully operating in 300,000 sq.ft. and are not afraid to try something new. Read More

Kodak: Reestablishing a Brand

The Kodak brand became ubiquitous with photos creating the tagline a “Kodak moment” and becoming a part of the vernacular. Then came technological and market shifts, bringing them to bankruptcy. However, they are now profitable and innovative again, with what appears to be a future of growth. Read More

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: DIGITAL & INKJET—Inkjet Options for Folding Cartons

Ralf Schlözer surveys the current state of inkjet printing on folding cartons. Read More

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: LABELS & PACKAGING—Inkjet Options for Flexible Packaging Printing

Ralf Schlözer surveys the current state of inkjet printing on flexible packaging materials. Read More

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: DIGITAL & INKJET—Compact Inkjet Solutions Are Trending

While productivity, print quality, and cost typically top the list of criteria for evaluating inkjet presses, the size of the press also matters. For space-constrained shops, Elizabeth Gooding looks at options for smaller, “compact” inkjet presses. Read More

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: DIGITAL & INKJET—Inkjet Options for Label Presses

Ralf Schlözer surveys the options on the market for digital label printing. Read More

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: SUSTAINABILITY—Factors Affecting Sustainability in Production Inkjet

Elizabeth Gooding takes a close look at the nuances of determining sustainability when it comes to production inkjet. Read More

Product Spotlight: New RISO Printing Unit Integlide Offers Easy Integration for Package Printing

The new RISO inkjet printing unit, marketed as Integlide, is intended for OEMs and other inkjet developers and integrators. The target customer for Integlide is expected to integrate RISO’s inkjet technology with their own production lines, or develop a complete corrugated packaging press, depending on their needs. Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding takes a close look in this Product Spotlight.   Read More

Australia’s Largest Wholesale Printer Makes its First Inkjet Investment at drupa with Canon

At drupa 24, CMYKhub, the largest wholesale printer in Australia, made its first investment in inkjet production equipment by signing for two Canon varioPRINT iX3200 cutsheet presses. Read More

Kodak Receives Letter of Intent for 5 KODAK PROSPER ULTRA 520 Presses

At drupa 24, Kodak announced the sale of five PROSPER ULTRA 520 presses. Read More

Eco Flexibles Invests in Second Jet Press FP790

Fujifilm announced at drupa 24 that Eco Flexibles, a sustainability-focused flexible packaging specialist, has invested in its second Jet Press FP790. Read More

Miru Systems, Inc. Joint Venture Acquires Two New HP PageWide Advantage 2200 to Serve Philippine Commission on Election for 2025 Mid Term National Election

At drupa 24, Miru Systems announced that they are complementing the Miru Election Management System and Vote Counting Machine with two new HP PageWide Advantage 2200s. Read More

Customized Printing Solutions with Inkjet Integrators

If you don't find the printing system you need for your printing requirements at drupa, you can also have it built to your own specifications. Ralf Schlözer explains the concept of inkjet integrators, which specialize in non-standard applications and either build inkjet printing units into existing printing, finishing, and production systems or assemble completely new printing lines. Read More

Robust Printing with HP Thermal Inkjet

In this article, written and sponsored by HP, the company explains how it chose Thermal Inkjet (TIJ) to best meet the market demands for productivity, quality, versatility, sustainability, and economics. Read More

The Power to Move—Promotional Communications

In this article, sponsored and written by Canon, the company looks at the role of digital printing technology in the production of promotional materials. Read More

Ricoh Expands in Commercial Print

Nicknamed “the dragon,” Ricoh’s Pro Z75 sheetfed inkjet press was shown live for the first time at drupa 24. Ralf Schlözer takes a closer look. Read More

B3 High-Quality Inkjet with Kyocera

Kyocera’s TASKalfa Pro 15000c, launched in 2019, quickly became an established product thanks to its great price-performance ratio, with about 500 units having been installed worldwide. Ralf Schlözer looks at how the product has evolved, new capabilities being featured at drupa 24. Read More

Canon’s ProStream 2133 Helps to Drive McLays & MiPost Digital Transformation

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

Winning in Flexible Packaging through Chem-Stack Design

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

Heidelberg Stakes New Claim to Industrial Inkjet with Jetfire

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

Canon Moves into B2 Inkjet

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

2024 Inkjet Integrator Profiles: NEOS

This series of inkjet integrator profiles, courtesy of Inkjet Insight, aims the spotlight on companies focused on offering custom-developed inkjet printing solutions to their customers. In the first in the series, Ralf Schlözer looks at Italian integrator NEOS. Read More

Road to drupa Production Continuous Feed Inkjet Trends 2024

As part of our “Road to drupa” coverage, Marco Boer of IT Strategies looks at current trends impacting the continuous-feed production inkjet market, and what to look for in Düsseldorf. Read More

Road to drupa: Cut-Sheet Production Inkjet Trends 2024

As part of our “Road to drupa” coverage, Marco Boer of IT Strategies looks at current trends impacting the cut-sheet production inkjet market, and what to look for in Düsseldorf at drupa 2024. Read More

We Love Fast Inkjet—Part 1

Everyone loves a productive press. With inkjet vying to take more volume away from traditional presses, color and image quality are yesterday’s problem. Today, the challenge is to go faster and faster. In Part 1 of a two-part series, Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding explains what it takes to get that next bit of incremental productivity out of an inkjet press. Read More

My Father’s World Expands Home Curriculum Production with Affordable Color

In this article, sponsored by Kyocera, Pat McGrew looks at content publishing in the educational market, and how it comes with challenges that are not faced in most other markets. The demand for high-quality print is the same, but the print runs can be very short, and the requirement for substrates ranges from light to heavy across production needs. Add the need for engaging color, and it is clear why more content publishers like My Father’s World are turning to the Kyocera TASKalfa Pro 15000. Read More

Compact, High-Quality Label Printing with the SnapPress LP-1

The market for packaging printing, and especially labels, is gravitating towards digital print. European section editor and Inkjet Insight contributor Ralf Schlözer looks at a new entrant in the digital label space: SnapPress and the SnapPress LP-1 inkjet label printer. Read More

Kyocera Enters 2024 with Inkjet-Fueled Momentum

Kyocera has new presses, partnerships, and application segments helping to accelerate market penetration in 2024. However, the real story is the popularity and staying power of the first press they brought to market. In this article, sponsored by Kyocera Document Solutions America, Inc., Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding looks at the market reaction to the TASKalfa Pro 15000c and previews the upcoming TASKalfa Pro 55000c. Read More

The Secret to Inkjet Success Is in the Inks—and Primers

Inkjet is the main driver of the printing industry's transition from traditional printing processes to digital. The discussion often revolves around press architectures, print heads and technical aspects of the hardware, while inks and supporting fluids tend to be treated as secondary issues. This article, written and sponsored by Kodak, looks at how inks and primers have a significant impact on color quality, cost-effectiveness and sustainability of the jobs produced, as well as the variety of applications. Read More

3 Critical Components of Inkjet Innovation

Is innovation just new technology or is there more to it? Inkjet Insight guest contributor Kelly Lawrence looks at how a true innovation requires a commercialized technology or capability, market desire, and market viability. Ask yourself, what percentage of your new products and services are truly innovations? Read More

Inkjet Integrators: An Introduction

In part one of an Inkjet Insight series, Ralf Schlözer begins an extensive look at “inkjet integrators,” providers of custom solutions for applications for which there are few or no commercial inkjet press solutions available. Read More

If You Buy Inkjet, New Customers Will Find You

Contributor Lois Ritarossi talks with three Screen customers about how inkjet has transformed their companies, why they continue to invest in new technology, and the impact on their customers. Read More

The Production Inkjet Puzzle: We Introduce You to the Latest Production Inkjet Models Serving the Document-Oriented, Production Inkjet Segment

This features the latest production inkjet models serving the document-oriented, production inkjet segment. Elizabeth Gooding covers 2023 press introductions and products announced previously that became commercially available this year.  Read More

Executive Q&A: Canon USA’s Robert Barbera

We sat down with Robert Barbera, Director of Production Solutions Marketing in Canon USA’s Business Information Communications Group Division, and talked about Canon’s commitment to production print—in all its forms. Read More

Let Data Drive your Print Quality Comparisons

So many things can affect print quality: RIPs, print heads, pre-coating, inks, papers, speeds, dryer settings, and post-coatings, to name a few. Inkjet Insight’s Mary Schilling explains why using your subjective perception of print quality may be OK as an initial step in your decision process, but it should never be the only one. Read More

3 Inkjet Strategies for Offset Printers

For offset printing companies thinking about whether an inkjet investment makes sense for them it often comes down to a discussion of whether inkjet technology could supplement, complement, or replace existing offset equipment. In this article sponsored by Kodak, Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding looks at those perspectives as distinct inkjet strategies. Read More

Meeting the Graphic Arts Printing Needs of Smaller Enterprises

Kyocera has announced a B3 sheetfed press to serve printing companies in the graphic arts segment. Kyocera anticipates that the TASKAlfa Pro will  be available at the lowest acquisition price in the market for direct to offset coated paper inkjet capability. In this article sponsored by Kyocera, Elizabeth Gooding explains how the press will complement, rather than replace, the successful TASKAlfa Pro 15000c press. Read More

Canon Opens the Curtain on Two New Production Inkjet Printers

Today, Canon announced a sneak peek at two new production inkjet presses: the varioPRINT iX1700 cutsheet, and the LabelStream LS2000 label press. Since Canon has held the number one global position in inkjet presses for over 10 years, this is an important development and can only help ensure that they will retain that position. Read More

Landa: Hitting Its Stride

Here we are, 10+ years after the initial introduction of the Landa Digital Print technology, and roughly four years after initial sales commencement. Today there are over 40 machines installed, six installations coming up in the next three months, and right after that, another dozen and more in the pipeline. Sponsored by Landa, this article by David Zwang looks at the Landa Press technology, how their customer-centric support relationships are fairly unique, and why they are growing. Read More

Italian Printer PrintSprint Rises to Technological and Economic Challenges

Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding profiles Naples, Italy’s PrintSprint, a printing company that has been adapting to changes since its inception 30 years ago, including adopting production inkjet and installing solar panels across the surface of their building. Read More

The Production Inkjet Evolution: Xeikon

In 2011, I began a series that looked at the then-current production inkjet vendor product offerings, and over the years continued to look at how they were being, or could be, used. In this new series, 15 years later and with drupa 2024 on the horizon, it’s time to take a look at how production inkjet has evolved, how it is used and where we can expect it to go and grow. I will look at each of the production inkjet manufacturers and suppliers, customers and document some of their journeys. In this article I look at Xeikon. Read More

Putting Inkjet in Reach for More In-Plant Printing Operations

In-plant printing experts agree that production flexibility is increasing in importance and inkjet can help operations to adapt. In this article, sponsored by Kyocera, Lois Ritarossi interviews Christopher Donlon of the IPMA and Mark Fallon of the Berkshire Company and discusses the accessibility of inkjet printing for in-plant printing operations of all sizes. Read More

The Production Inkjet Evolution: Ricoh Production Inkjet

In 2011, I began a series that looked at the then-current production inkjet vendor product offerings, and over the years continued to look at how they were being, or could be, used. In this new series, 15 years later and with drupa 2024 on the horizon it’s time to take a look at how production inkjet has evolved, how it is used and where we can expect it to go and grow. I will look at each of the production inkjet manufacturers and suppliers, customers and document some of their journeys. In this article I look at Ricoh Production Inkjet. Read More

Digital vs. Offset: Debunking Definitive Crossover Claims

What is the digital and offset economic crossover point? It’s not a straightforward question. Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding provides highlights of a recent expert panel discussion that discussed the various criteria that contribute to determining the “sweet spot” for the crossover of offset to inkjet. Read More

Kyocera’s Expanding Footprint

Kyocera’s intention is clear: they are moving into the production print industry, and while they may be new to selling inkjet presses in this market, they have 30 years of expertise in developing ink and material jetting solutions, and an impressive track record at that. In this article, sponsored by Kyocera, David Zwang looks at their recent initiatives. Read More

The Production Inkjet Evolution: Canon Continuous Feed

In 2011, I began a series that looked at the then-current production inkjet vendor product offerings, and over the years continued to look at how they were being, or could be, used. In this new series, 15 years later and with drupa 2024 on the horizon, it’s time to take a look at how production inkjet has evolved, how it is used, and where we can expect it to go and grow. I will look at each of the production inkjet manufacturers and suppliers, customers and document some of their journeys. In this article, I look at the journey of the Canon continuous-feed line. Read More

Executive Q&A: Kyocera’s Jose Maria Estebanez

WhatTheyThink European Section Editor Ralf Schlözer talks with Jose Maria Estebanez, Vice President of Corporate Marketing for Kyocera, about the company’s first production inkjet press, the TASKalfa Pro 15000c. Read More

Print Volume Trends in Sheetfed and Continuous Feed Inkjet

Three weeks ago, as part of WhatTheyThink’s fourth annual Technology Outlook Week, our five-day series of webinars that look at the latest trends and technologies in a broad cross-section of the industry, Ralf Schlözer took a look at digital printing. In part two of her coverage of this session, Heidi Tolliver-Walker sums up the discussion of print volumes. Read More

The Production Inkjet Evolution: Canon Production Cut-Sheet Inkjet

In 2011, I began a series that looked at the then-current production inkjet vendor product offerings, and over the years continued to look at how they were being, or could be, used. In this new series, 15 years later and with drupa 2024 on the horizon, it’s time to take a look at how production inkjet has evolved, how it is used, and where we can expect it to go and grow. I will look at each of the production inkjet manufacturers and suppliers and customers and document some of their journeys. In this article, I look at Canon cut-sheet production inkjet. Read More

Technology Outlook: Digital Printing

Two weeks ago, as part of WhatTheyThink’s fourth annual Technology Outlook Week, our five-day series of webinars that look at the latest trends and technologies in a broad cross-section of the industry, Ralf Schlözer took a look at digital printing. In this article, Heidi Tolliver-Walker recaps the webinar. Read More

Production Inkjet Evolution: HP Preprint Corrugated

In 2011, I began a series that looked at the then-current production inkjet vendor product offerings, and over the years continued to look at how they were being, or could be, used. In this new series, 15 years later and with drupa 2024 on the horizon, it’s time to take a look at how production inkjet has evolved, how it is used, and where we can expect it to go and grow. I will look at each of the production inkjet manufacturers and suppliers, customers and document some of their journeys. In this article I look at HP preprint corrugated. Read More

Production Inkjet Evolution: Kodak

In 2011, I began a series that looked at the then-current production inkjet vendor product offerings, and over the years continued to look at how they were being, or could be, used. In this new series, 15 years later and with drupa 2024 on the horizon, it’s time to take a look at how production inkjet has evolved, how it is used, and where we can expect it to go and grow. I will look at each of the production inkjet manufacturers and suppliers, customers and document some of their journeys. In this article I look at Kodak. Read More

Production Inkjet Evolution: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

In 2011, I began a series that looked at the then-current production inkjet vendor product offerings and how they were being, or could be, used. Since then, I have been following them through their drupa 2008, 2012, and 2017 journey. In this new series, 15 years later and with drupa 2024 on the horizon—after a seven-year forced hiatus—it’s time to take another look at how production inkjet has evolved, where it is used, and where we can expect it to go. I will look at each of the production inkjet manufacturers, customers, and their journeys. Read More

New Developments at the High End of Production Digital Print

Production inkjet has been seeing great growth, especially after the enhancements in print quality, but electrophotography continues to have some advantages—particularly for higher ink coverage commercial applications. This article considers some new high-end production digital print technologies that will compete for market share and print volume in the future. Read More

Winning in 2023 Is a Team Effort

We present a virtual roundtable of Dscoop and HP Industrial Executives. They discuss the upcoming event in St. Louis, the value of the global Dscoop community, and the close connection between HP and its users as they transform the digital print industry in 2023 and beyond. Read More

Production Inkjet Shopping Guide 1 – Entry Level

This guide aims at providing an overview of the main inkjet presses available for commercial and document-oriented applications. This first in a four part series of articles will focus on entry and low volume devices, the most affordable presses in the market. Read More

Ricoh Releases the Dragon: The Ricoh Pro Z75 Goes Into Beta

Even with Ricoh’s background in inkjet and cutsheet digital toner press manufacturing, developing a reliable larger format cutsheet industrial press takes a lot of research, testing, and time. With the Ricoh Pro Z75, this new B2+ press may really be a game changer. Read More

HP Pagewide T700i Packaging Press: A Lot More than Corrugated Preprint

HP has announced a new PageWide packaging press that has a print width that fits nicely between their existing T400 and T1100 series presses corrugated preprint presses. However, the new T700i is designed for more than just corrugated preprint. Read More

HP Introduces the Advantage Inkjet Platform and It’s Brilliant!

In 2006, HP commercialized its “Scalable Printing Technology,” and in 2008 they introduced the PageWide T300 production inkjet press. Now, 14 years later, with the benefit of a lot of company and customer experience, they are introducing a newly designed high performance press platform. Read More

Conquering the New Frontier in Production Inkjet

The new frontier for production inkjet is high-quality, high-coverage, graphic arts applications. The challenge in this market is to precisely place high amounts of liquid ink onto porous, and non-porous, materials and dry them at high speed without damage. The very small number of presses serving this market is a testament to the difficulty of meeting this challenge. Today, we have a new entrant with a unique approach to delivering quality while driving up the economic equivalent order quantity between inkjet and offset. Read More

Inkjet Integration: Flexible and Sustainable

Production inkjet is not new, but increasingly we are seeing it used in bespoke solutions that address many disparate manufacturing requirements. Importantly, this technology can also provide sustainable solutions. Read More

Technology Outlook 2022—Digital & Inkjet: Overcoming Challenges Through Efficiency

In this year’s third annual Technology Outlook, Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding looks at the latest digital printing and production inkjet technology trends and new product introductions. Read More

Canon: Preparing for a Packaging Push

The challenges faced as a press manufacturer or even a print service provider when moving from commercial print to industrial and packaging market are very real and can be elusive and daunting. Most of all, though, it’s not just about technology. Read More

Freedom Leverages the Power of Digital for More Effective, Profitable Direct Marketing

In this feature, sponsored by HP, we explore how HP PageWide production inkjet printing systems have benefited leading direct marketing firm Freedom, based in Milton, Wisconsin. The company was an early adopter of production inkjet printing and now has three HP PageWide production inkjet presses installed. Read More

An Imaging Company at Heart, SCREEN Is Building Quite a Production Inkjet Portfolio

The roots of SCREEN are in imaging, dating back to its founding in 1868. The company has leveraged that expertise to create a significant imaging powerhouse which includes industry leading equipment for the production of displays, printed circuit boards, and semiconductors. They also continue to maintain a significant role in the production of printing equipment including high performance inkjet presses for commercial and packaging. Read More

Production Inkjet: The Year in Review

In 2021, for commercial print applications, production inkjet volumes held their own, and some applications saw modest growth. While production inkjet can displace toner printed pages, and has been for well over a decade, the lion’s share of the growth opportunity is offset pages, and that will continue for the foreseeable future. David Zwang looks back at recent press introductions, many of which are targeted at that volume. Read More

Compu-Mail: Relevant Information to the Right Person at the Right Time

Compu-Mail is a direct marketing services and solutions company located in Grand Island, N.Y., that provides database marketing for pharmaceutical companies, statements for medical insurance and even membership cards for automobile clubs. They have built their business around the variable data printing model: “Relevant information to the right person at the right time.” Read More

American Litho Turns to HP PageWide Production Inkjet for Increased Flexibility, Productivity

In this article sponsored by HP, Mike Fontana, CEO of Illinois-based American Litho, explains the decision process behind acquiring two HP PageWide Production Inkjet Presses and the value the company has received from its investments. The ninth largest US direct mail producer touts quality, speed, and support as key decision factors. Read More

Digital Unboxing: Packaging Experiences an Innovation Collision

Throughout the industry, from brand identity and messaging to converting and distribution, digital capabilities cause processes in every part of the packaging supply chain to be re-evaluated. Mary Schilling explains how the presence of digital print technology has created stellar opportunities for label, folding carton, and flexible packaging. Read More

Prime Rate Pursues a Digital Future with HP PageWide Web Press T240 HD

Tomcsányi Péter, CEO and Founder of Prime Rate, a printing firm located in Hungary, started his journey as a book author looking for a publisher and ultimately ended up starting his own printing company. In this article, sponsored by HP, Péter has been expanding Prime Rate’s digital capabilities by installing HP PageWide Web Presses and converting his entire digital color operation to an HP platform. Read More

Franklin Printing: Committed to the Craft of Printing

Farmington, Maine-based Franklin Printing has a long history of leveraging technology to enhance the craft of printing. Most recently, the company has added an HP PageWide Web Press T250 HD, the first production web press to be installed in Maine, as part of its evolution into the future of print. Read More

Paper’s Role in the Growth Potential for Production Color Inkjet

High-speed production color inkjet systems have truly revolutionized the document printing market over the past decade. Although these advancements have been clear, paper has played a quieter—yet no less important—role in the suitability of inkjet technology for various print applications. Factors like ink coverage, paper type, and running cost play a role in the future growth potential for inkjet. Read More

Inkjet Uncovers New Opportunities for Print in a Digital Era

Although the print industry is still reeling from the ongoing effects of the pandemic, direct mail communications have seen a resurgence because of their tactile nature and ability to establish a physical connection. This article explores how print service providers can leverage inkjet technology to capitalize on new opportunities in print. Read More

Printlink Finds the FireJet 4C Color Inkjet Press Ideal for Envelopes

Feeding envelopes through a printer is not necessarily an easy task, especially since there are so many sizes, configurations, and variations in thickness—even batch to batch. Yet Printlink has found an exceptional bespoke press solution that highlights what can be accomplished with production inkjet. Read More

From Fuji Xerox to Fujifilm

2021 marked the year that Fuji Xerox become FUJIFILM Business Innovation and started launching their own product range. While still supplying most print engines to Xerox, FUJIFILM Business Innovation is set to become a major digital printing player on its own. Get ready for an emerging major player in digital print. Read More

Product Spotlight on FUJIFILM Samba JPC®

Most people familiar with production inkjet printing are aware of the FUJIFILM Jet Press® 750s (marketed as JPRESS in the U.S.) and the FUJIFILM DIMATIX Samba printhead used in that press. This article by Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding discusses the capability of Fujifilm’s Samba JPC technology to meet the evolving needs of system integrators and OEM customers. Read More

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

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. Read More

Canon Expands their Production Inkjet Portfolio with ColorStream 8000

Canon has the leading market share in production inkjet and has the widest range of production inkjet presses available. With the introduction of the ColorStream 8000, they are expanding their commercial production inkjet product line to further capture both toner and existing offset produced pages. Read More

Inviting Innovation: International Inkjet Experts Came Together June 14–18th, 2021, to Discuss Innovation

Last week, Inkjet Insight hosted Inkjet Innovation Week, a five-webinar series that looked at new developments and trends in five areas of digital inkjet printing. In developing these sessions, which are available for download, Inkjet Insight focused on true innovators and their innovations, and drew on an international group of experts to determine makes something innovative rather than just new. Read More

Implementing Inkjet Technology: Mistakes to Avoid

Implementing a new inkjet press can mean great things for your company’s productivity, but the purchasing process is not without its pitfalls. This article outlines some common mistakes to avoid (in terms of capacity and capabilities) when acquiring inkjet technology. Read More

What “Industry 4.0” Means for the Print Industry

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. Read More

Inkjet Ink Estimating: Challenges and Work-Arounds

Estimating in any print business can be a challenge, but inkjet users face a level of variability that users of other print technology don’t. In this article, Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding and Alexandra Pekar look at the challenges of inkjet estimating and offer some solutions for overcoming those challenges. Read More

Can Measuring OEE Improve Your Productivity?

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. Read More

Nine Continuous-Feed Inkjet Webinar Takeaways

Takeaways from a recent webinar on assessing continuous-feed (CF) inkjet for your print operation. Read More

Leveraging the Evolution of High-Speed Inkjet in Today’s Digital World

Concerns about data security have escalated in the COVID era, making some people wary of digital engagements. As a result, traditional print-based communications remain effective and can sometimes enable businesses to stand apart from their competitors. This article explores how print service providers can use high-speed inkjet equipment to their advantage Read More

The Expertise to Innovate with New Inkjet Applications: NIXKA

NIXKA may be the new kid on the block, or are they? They actually have 30 years of expertise in developing ink and material jetting solutions, with an impressive track record. More importantly, they have the right philosophy. Read More

Executive Q&A: John Mills, CEO of Xaar

John Mills, CEO of Xaar, talks about the company’s rebranding strategy, the new ImagineX printhead platform, and the “new Xaar.” Read More

Is There a First-Mover Advantage for Inkjet? Five Inkjet Early Adopters Share Their Experiences

Why would a printing business want to be an early adopter and take a risk on unproven technology? Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding spoke with five technology leaders using inkjet in quality-sensitive operations about their experiences as pre-release adopters of production inkjet presses. Read More

Behind the Scenes with HP PageWide

HP has spent the past four decades not simply investing in inkjet research and development but perfecting it. Hear from subject matter experts on timely topics, including a customer spotlight on the new HP PageWide Web Press T250 HD. Read More

Ricoh Enters the Cutsheet Production Inkjet Press Market with a Game Changer

Ricoh is not a newcomer to production inkjet. But as a late-comer to cut-sheet production inkjet, how do you compete with both the existing B2+ and A3 presses in the market at the same time? Apparently, they figured it out! Read More

Inkjet, TikTok, and Happy New Year: The Year in Review

Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding  rounds up the production inkjet press launches serving the document and publishing market in 2020, when they were announced, when they will be commercially available, and the related development trends. Read More

KODAK NEXFINITY Digital Press: Versatility that Helps Printers say “Yes”

Print service providers who can say “yes” to virtually any job are at an advantage today. This article, sponsored by Kodak, explains how the KODAK NEXFINITY is a compelling solution for printers seeking a robust, flexible, effective sheetfed digital color press, delivering running costs competitive with medium-run offset andprints up to 400% more pages per month than competing sheetfed digital presses. Read More

Lane Changers and Game Changers: Competitive Diversification with Inkjet

Inkjet is not only entering new markets, it’s changing the way we think about and operate in those markets. As more printing companies adopt inkjet, we are seeing more “lane changers”: printing companies, like transaction printers and direct mailers, stepping outside their traditional segments and taking on new applications. Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding takes a close look at how lane changing is becoming game changing. Read More

Executive Q&A: Canon Solutions America’s Francis McMahon

We caught up with Francis A. McMahon, Executive Vice President at Canon Solutions America, in the wake of the virtual thINK Ahead 2020 Conference to talk about how Canon’s customers are faring in the crisis, how Canon itself has responded, and how the crisis has demonstrated the wisdom of the Grateful Dead lyric, “Once in a while you get shown the light/In the strangest of places If you look at it right.” Read More

KODAK PROSPER ULTRA 520 Press: Closing the Gap

Printers know the benchmark for quality, paper choice, and operating cost has historically been the offset printing process. That’s where Kodak’s ULTRASTREAM Inkjet Technology comes in, which is redefining what’s possible with inkjet in terms of productivity, output quality, flexibility, and customization. This article, sponsored by Kodak, takes a close look at the Kodak PROSPER ULTRA 520 press. Read More

Inkjet Innovation Week Highlights: New Inkjet Hardware, Software, and Media Are Driving the Market Forward

In June, Inkjet Insight presented Inkjet Innovation Week, a series of webinars that organized the latest inkjet announcements in the context of current market trends and new application segments. The topics covered included trends in production inkjet in the document and packaging space, snapshots of new inkjet product releases, highlights of recent software updates driving inkjet productivity, and an overview of new inkjet papers and specialty media opportunities. This article provides some highlights of the webinar series. Read More

Marco Boer of IT Strategies on How the Pandemic Will Drive Inkjet Growth

Conversation with Marco Boer, vice president of IT Strategies, about the changes in production being driven by the pandemic, including the impact of the cost of paper on hardware selection. Read More

Canon Solidifies Their Production Inkjet Leadership Position with ProStream 1800

Canon has the leading market share in production inkjet and has the widest range of production inkjet presses available. With the introduction of the ProStream 1800, they are expanding their commercial production inkjet product line to continue to capture both toner and existing offset produced pages. Read More

Inkjet Outlook: Interesting Times Ahead

Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding looks at the top trends in production inkjet technology, and highlights recent product introductions from HP and Canon. Read More