Atlanta, GA – Dscoop, the largest digital printing user group in the graphics industry, today reported that more than a dozen manufacturers and suppliers of substrates will be represented among the partners participating in Dscoop 11, scheduled for 14-16 April in San Antonio TX.

Dscoop’s annual conference is the event of the year for learning, connecting and collaboration among members, thought leaders, partners and HP. Dscoop San Antonio will be a packed three days of business development, innovation and inspiration. The 2016 event has been reimagined to accommodate Dscoop’s continuous worldwide membership growth and further enhance the attendee experience.

"One of the most important aspects of our solutions showcase for our members is participation by substrate suppliers,” said Mike Duggal, CEO of Duggal Visual Solutions and Dscoop Conference Chair. “We have been extremely pleased with partner participation overall for the 2016 conference, and we know that our substrate partners will be bringing lots of new ideas our members can take away for implementation in their businesses.”

“Print service providers today are interested in finding new ways to create more powerful print,” said Ron Pergande, GPA’s Director of Digital Media. “They want to help their customers create greater ROI and more meaningful interactions with their brands, and are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves from the competition while bringing more value to their customers. One way they’re accomplishing this is by looking to unique substrates that draw attention through a rich tactile feel, heavier and more robust weights, or different colors and finishes. GPA will have a number of offerings on display at Dscoop that will meet this need.”

“The large and diverse attendee makeup of the Dscoop conference has always made this the market event for new product innovation from a supplier standpoint,” commented Greg Maze, Senior Brand Manager for Digital and Wide Format at Neenah. “HP continues to lead in terms of print technology from the digital sheet-fed perspective, and now the growing emphasis on wide format and packaging applications has expanded the reach and importance of being involved. That’s why Neenah has continued to expand its presence at this event year after year.”

“With the exhibit floor demonstration areas and first-rate speakers and educational sessions, Dscoop is that one time each year where you can immerse yourself in what is new and upcoming within the digital segment,” added Dennis Essary, Director, Digital Papers, for Verso. “Visitors to our booth at the event will learn about our capabilities to meet the special sheet sizes, packaging and quantity requirements so important to the success of quick-turn programs that are common in today’s digital print operations, and we are looking forward to speaking with them to learn more about future requirements as well.”

Key Substrate Trends

Dscoop attendees can expect to see availability of a broader range of both lightweight and heavier, high caliper substrates as well as pre-converted products that remove finishing bottlenecks and allow print service providers to produce custom applications in a shorter amount of time. New developments that make this possible have been enabled by the close collaboration between paper manufacturers and press manufacturers such as HP, with technologies advancing for both.

Synthetics like Tyvek® for both HP Indigo and wide format inkjet presses are increasingly being used for everything from personalized race bibs for runners to durable banners. But for many print and packaging applications, paper-based products, as opposed to synthetic-based products are being sought after, largely due to recycling stream issues, according to Neenah’s Maze. He promises Dscoop attendees many examples of both new and tried-and-true paper substrates that have a unique and natural appearance sure to attract the interest of savvy marketers.

GPA’s Matt Buckley, Wide Format Product Manager, points out another important trend that opens new opportunities for print service providers, saying, “Today’s marketers are searching for new and interesting ways to advertise and get their messages out. In the past, they were restricted by the limitations of the substrates available. Window signage, floor graphics and banners are still popular wide format applications, but now marketers and print service providers have a whole new world of options available to them.” Buckley cites the ability to cover large areas, such as subway walls, parking garages, stadium floors and building walls with vibrant wide format printed materials as an example of new applications that were previously off limits. He also points out that custom wall coverings are gaining popularity, adding, “In response to that demand, there are more substrates on the market, including fabrics and others materials with short- and long-term adhesive options to give businesses and consumers the greatest flexibility to create wall graphics that meet their needs.”

Production inkjet substrate and specialty solutions will also be on display at Dscoop. Verso’s Essary said, “The next opportunity for growth for paper manufacturers and print service providers alike is in the production inkjet segment, with certified coated papers that have the same full support we have seen for digital toner-based printing.”

Attendees can also expect to see examples of many ways that white ink, for both Indigo and wide format, can enhance production and help printing operations create stunning promotional pieces. Greg Kestler, GPA’s Director of Technical Products, says, “Substrates such as clear synthetics, color and pearlescent papers have continually increased in popularity because of the endless creative ways there are to marry them with white ink. It has opened up new avenues for playing with opacity and adding drama to a printed piece.”

Latex inks are another area of growth opportunity, according to Mary Ann Geers, Central Region Area Vice President for GPA: “Latex presses can produce applications that have richer saturation on fabrics, which provides a stunning combination with the luminosity of the lighting and the softness of the fabric working together. The added bonus is that it’s less expensive to ship since fabrics do not need to ship flat. They are also easy to slip into light box frames, making installation fast and simple.”

Dscoop 11 promises to be the most exciting and well-attended Dscoop ever, and attendees will want to allocate time on the solutions showcase floor to ensure that they are up to date on the latest substrate trends, take home inspirational samples, and learn from substrate partners what to expect in the future.

Conference registration can be accessed by visiting DscoopSanAntonio.org. For exhibitor information or information about becoming a Dscoop partner, please contact Kathy Popovich at [email protected]. Visit DscoopSanAntonio.org for updates as they become available.