Publishing houses, readers, and advertisers benefit from the variety of applications

Money and giveaways in newspapers? Tempting prospects for just about every reader. Integrated Inkjet applications have become increasingly popular thanks to attractive lotteries and other competitions. Nevertheless, inkjet newspaper imprinting offers even more exciting facets and applications.

2012 was a good year for inkjet imprinting in newspapers: Lotteries in the German daily "BILD" brought this application to a broad readership in Germany for the first time. Now, interest is growing across the European continent. At an event in late 2012 at the Ahrensburg printing site, the world's first pilot installation of Integrated Inkjet, 70 newspaper experts from 10 countries received a closer glimpse at the application. In Ahrensburg, Axel Springer equipped two of its six COLORMAN newspaper rotary presses with an inkjet imprint system from Kodak for variable data printing. Two additional installations are in operation at the Spandau printing facility on the outskirts of Berlin, Germany. The COLORMAN system printed an international newspaper edition with inkjet imprints of varying images and raffle numbers for the visitors. During the event, topics such as the addition of other variable information to static newspaper content were also addressed. Variable QR codes, graphics, and text information offer target group-specific advertising, the latest news, a platform for cross-media marketing campaigns, and logistical support.

• Winning readers. With variable number codes, Integrated Inkjet is the ideal solution for lotteries with unique ticket numbers. The Hamburg regional edition of the BILD ran its "Cash Million" campaign for six weeks starting in April 2012. The technology behind the lottery tickets convinced the printing house: instead of using supplements, the individual tickets could be imprinted in the newspaper using the inkjet system.

• Effective advertising. With Integrated Inkjet, advertisers can create customized, "hyperlocal" ads. A bakery chain can use the same motif to advertise its pretzels in store A and its farmers bread in store B; the prices and store addresses are adapted based on the location.

• Endless cultural variety. As with commercial advertising, inkjet imprints are also ideal for local events and their locations, for example concert or theater tours.

• More up-to-date. What's today's weather forecast? An ever-recurring question that just got easier to answer thanks to last-minute imprinting. The latest top news and sports results make it clear: inkjet makes your daily even more up-to-date.

• Code name: Inkjet. Inkjet barcodes convey additional tailor-made content. By linking print and Internet documents, readers can receive route maps, information on lotteries, product descriptions, or videos with just a click on their mobile phone.

• Flawless logistics. Imprinted barcodes support the logistical organization of printed products. The barcode makes it easier to plan the distribution and truck shipments, and record returns. Sequential recording processes become more efficient; human error in manual data entry is eliminated.

Smart high-tech combination
Integrated Inkjet can be retrofitted in all newspaper printing systems. At the Ahrensburg printing company, the Prosper S30 inkjet imprint system from Kodak, with a working width of 105.6 millimeters and 600x200 dpi print resolution, was installed as auxiliary equipment in the superstructure of the COLORMAN. This allows the inkjet system to print on different ribbons depending on the web lead – at a full production speed of up to 15 meters per second. "We have gathered an enormous amount of experience with inkjet in newspaper printing during years of development and field tests," Anton Hamm, Vice President Service and printcom at manroland web systems explains. "This leading position is now paying off: efficient workflows ultimately require an optimum coordination of control and print technology, as well as mechanical components. The integration and modification of web paths requires specific expertise. We have developed patented processes that include numerous applications in newspaper printing."