Production inkjet technology has emerged as the cornerstone of today’s printing revolution. Inkjet has become a versatile and efficient solution for print service providers of all sizes. As we move into the future, critical factors like automation, artificial intelligence, and greater media flexibility promise to further enhance inkjet's capabilities while uncovering new opportunities for growth and innovation. Read More
With more than 2,000 ColorStream units delivered worldwide, Canon has introduced the new 7000 series for mid-range production. To say that Canon has been broadening their portfolio of production printers is probably an understatement. There are new developments in the ProStream platform and the new iV7 B2+ cut sheet press is about to hit the street. Read More
Production inkjet technology has emerged as the cornerstone of today’s printing revolution. Inkjet has become a versatile and efficient solution for print service providers of all sizes. As we move into the future, critical factors like automation, artificial intelligence, and greater media flexibility promise to further enhance inkjet's capabilities while uncovering new opportunities for growth and innovation. Read More
With more than 2,000 ColorStream units delivered worldwide, Canon has introduced the new 7000 series for mid-range production. To say that Canon has been broadening their portfolio of production printers is probably an understatement. There are new developments in the ProStream platform and the new iV7 B2+ cut sheet press is about to hit the street. Read More
A B3 sheetfed inkjet press can fill a variety of needs, from making inkjet accessible to a small print operation to enabling cost-effective reprinting and job flexibility to larger shops with continuous inkjet presses. This article covers the currently available presses, their reseller channels, and the outlook for the eagerly anticipated graphic arts additions to the fold. Read More
In this article from the Printing & Manufacturing Journal, Nessan Cleary reports from the MetPack trade fair in Essen, Germany, which covers the metal decorating industry, and discusses the latest in direct-to-can printing technologies. Read More
There were few converters in Europe purchasing an HP Indigo V12 that were purely digital operations—they’re mostly converters moving work from flexo to digital because of the overall efficiency digital adds to their production floor. In the case of LABEL!STEN, a purely digital converter, they made the purchase decision because they were always 100% digital and knew that with the HP Indigo V12 they could produce a range of larger and smaller volumes much faster, and more sustainably. Read More
The inkjet printing industry is in one of its most consequential periods of transformation, with the graphic and packaging market now valued at over $101 billion and output growing at nearly 9.4% CAGR. To make sense of what is driving that growth and where the market is heading, Smithers analyst Jon Harper Smith identifies the forces reshaping the competitive landscape. Read More
Labor shortages continue to challenge print and packaging providers, driving the need for more accessible, efficient production. Digital technologies that simplify operation, reduce setup time, and rely on automation help companies maintain productivity, expand hiring flexibility, and build more resilient workflows in a constrained labor environment. Read More
Hanway hosted 200 global industry leaders at its 2026 Huizhou Digital Factory Open Day on April 16-17. The event featured live demonstrations of advanced water-based inkjet solutions, highlighting high-quality, efficient digital packaging capabilities and cementing Hanway's role as a strategic industry partner. Read More
Whether you are a manufacturer or a print service provider, as market demands continue to change, you need to build for the future. The data is there, and it shows opportunity for those who embrace the change. David Zwang reports from a recent Konica Minolta open house. Read More
Is your printing press a Millennial or even a Boomer? Is it older than the people running it? Is the cost of printing plates cutting into your bottom line every time you fire up the press? Let’s look at how you can get a little relief without ditching the technology you know and love. Read More
Dscoop Rockies 2026 was firmly directed at the future, with AI, partnerships, and nonstop printing as the major themes, providing the attendees with a view of their direction and the direction of HP going forward. Read More
The print industry is working to identify where artificial intelligence can deliver the most meaningful value. Most of today’s AI-driven solutions are focused on improving operational performance, but there is more to the equation. This article explores how AI can be used to improve print’s effectiveness, productivity, and ROI. Read More
Upstream file problems, standards-based appearance governance, and what can go wrong between design and installation across materials, processes, sites, and seasons. Read More
From December 2 to December 5, 2025, the largest dedicated labels and package printing event in the region was held in Shanghai, China, attracting over 30,560 visitors from 114 countries. WhatTheyThink contributor Oleg Litvinov attended the show, and sums up the digital label printing equipment on display, as well as the expanding market for digital labels. Read More
As digital media continues to dominate, PSPs must diversify their offerings to stay competitive. The photo book market continues to experience growth, driven by consumers’ desire for personalized and tangible representations of their memories. This article explores the market potential of photo books and considers how PSPs can benefit from adding photo book printing to their offerings. Read More
Komori’s J-throne 29 B2 UV-LED inkjet press blends offset DNA with digital efficiency. Installed at 1Vision in Houston, the press delivers high-speed productivity, reliable sheet handling, and compact footprint performance. Designed for commercial and packaging printers, it offers consistent quality, push-button operation, and a competitive edge in modern print production. Read More
Roland DG announced that it had entered into a global distribution partnership with LSINC, a manufacturer of high-productivity direct-to-object printers, a move that continues Roland DG’s interest in exploring adjacent and complementary markets. Read More
Using inkjet for book manufacturing enables ultra-fast turnaround, critical for Amazon, educational publishers, and self-published authors, so books can be printed as orders arrive, drastically reducing unsold inventory. Inkjet book production will continue reshaping the publishing landscape, making it possible to efficiently print, personalize, and deliver books at nearly every scale from bestsellers to niche specialist titles through 2030 and beyond. Read More
We spoke with Tim Murphy, President of iJetColor by Printware, about the company’s extensive history, its current lineup of inkjet envelope printers, the promise of inkjet, and tips for leadership. Read More
From its founding in 2015, Hanway now reaches the 2025 mark of its first decade—a journey defined by relentless development—unwavering in its mission: to lead the manufacturing of digital printing solutions for the packaging industry. Read More
Contributor Lois Ritarossi speaks with Don Mader, CEO of Southeastern Printing about the company’s decision to invest early and decisively in inkjet technology. Read More
Contributor Lois Ritarossi speaks with Danny Green, Sales Solution Manager at Digital Print Solutions (DPS)—Screen Americas’ newest dealer partner—about the new opportunities available to commercial print customers thanks new inkjet solutions. Read More
According to textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, one of the hottest debates underway in the fashion industry is whether its digital revolution is a threat to creativity or its greatest opportunity. In this article, she summarizes the debate on this topic that took place at a recent industry panel. Read More
WhatTheyThink contributor Kelly Lawrence looks at the state of all the facets of inkjet in the commercial print and related segments. Read More
Production inkjet has reached the offset quality barrier, and digitalized analog printing is targeting shorter run, so some believe that it is the death knell for electrophotography (EP), aka “toner.” Although, as Mark Twain said, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated” and based on trends and recent developments in EP technology, I believe that is the case here as well. Read More
From dashboards to diapers, inkjet printing has gone way beyond the label. Mary Schilling demonstrates how a once-humble tech is reshaping how we design, manufacture, and interact with the world around us. Read More
With a hybridized approach, two printing processes can be better than one printing process—even if the processes are fundamentally different from each other. Patrick Henry explains. Read More
Digital printing adoption in Central Asia is on a steady upward trajectory. The demand for digital print solutions is being driven by several factors, including economic growth, the rapid increase in short-run jobs for digital packaging, labels, and publications, and the growth of e-commerce. WhatTheyThink contributor Oleg Litvinov reports on his visit to two Kazakhstan print businesses. Read More
In today’s environment, when shopping for printing equipment, it’s time to move beyond the table-top beauty contest. Evaluating pre- and post-install inkjet systems based on visual inspection alone is not just outdated, it is risky. Mary Schilling explains why buyers need to shift to quantitative Print Quality Analysis (PQA). Read More
On September 6, 2025, the $80 million acquisition bid by FIMI was accepted by the Central District Court, giving the private equity firm 100% ownership of the Landa Corporation. Importantly, the reorganization is designed to keep the company operational and provide a solid path forward, more than 20% of their customers have placed a repeat order for a second or third press. So how do they keep it going and growing? Read More
It’s now more important than ever for printers to understand press utilization, automation, and emerging technologies so they can make the right investments. Citing recent research from Keypoint Intelligence, this article offers recommendations to help print service providers make the most of their capabilities. Read More
WhatTheyThink contributor Kelly Lawrence reviews the latest production inkjet technologies and product announcements, highlighting new press features, their impact on print businesses, and the trends driving growth and profitability. She also shares strategies for streamlining operations, differentiating your inkjet offering, and key questions to ask vendors at upcoming events. Plus recommended reading for deeper insights into production technology strategy and market opportunities. Read More
Canon U.S.A., Inc., has extensive experience with inkjet for commercial applications and maintains a leading global position. Now it is time for them to enter the label and packaging press market with a successful new approach, initially for labels and then corrugated and folding carton in the future. Read More
From buying the world a Coke to sharing a Coke, the Coca Cola Company is a master at building the earworms that get stuck in our consciousness. They are back again with a refresh of the Share-a-Coke campaign from more than a decade ago, but this time it’s targeted to the GenZ consumers who may not remember it! Read More
Canon has extensive experience with inkjet for commercial applications and maintains a leading global position. Now it is time for them to enter the label and packaging press market with a successful new approach, initially for labels and then corrugated and folding carton in the future. With the depth and breadth of this projected packaging product line, it could ultimately give Canon the largest footprint this segment of the industry. Read More
In this article learn how Hermon, Me.’s Snowman Group has leveraged the Kyocera TASKalfa Pro 15000c to help grow their business. Read More
David Zwang takes a close look at Canon’s imagePRESS V family of digital presses, designed with state-of-the-art engineering developments that are intended to deliver both high quality and high performance to address the needs of today’s customer. Read More
Here we are, 13+ years after the initial introduction of the Landa Digital Print technology. Today, there are more than 51 machines installed, and many more in the pipeline. The Landa Press technology, and their customer-centric support relationships, are fairly unique, and that is why they are growing. However, there have been internal and external headwinds to that growth, and on Sunday, June 29, Landa Digital Printing filed for a Title 10 reorganization plan in Israel. Read More
Screen and digital printing represent two technological extremes, with the former a comparatively simple though versatile process that is mature, while digital printing is fast-growing and the subject of extensive technological development and innovation that are designed to broaden its application reach. A new market report, from Smithers, “The Future of Screen vs Digital Printing to 2030,” identifies the factors that are driving the replacement of screen with digital technologies. Read More
IDC Research Director Tim Greene was a bit ahead of the times when he conducted several multi-client and custom research studies on digital textile printing while he was at CAP Ventures/InfoTrends in 2014. Since those days, he sees dramatic progress and explains why. Read More
Recently at a Dscoop event, Noam Zilbershtain, General Manager of HP Indigo said, “We’re moving to a world where everything is printed digitally, seamlessly, and autonomously—24/7. ‘Digital First’ is no longer an aspiration: it’s a standard.” David Zwang looks at how HP is building on that tenet. Read More
Digital print technology will advance rapidly over the next 10 years, increasing market value from $167.5 billion in 2025 to $251.1 billion in 2035 (constant pricing), according to the latest research from Smithers. Read More
In this article, written and sponsored by Fiery, discover how Fiery is driving DTF innovation with its patented Single-Pass Underbase with Highlight technology. Built into Fiery Digital Factory software, the technology allows printers to intelligently separate and apply both the solid white underbase and the lighter highlight white ink in a single pass. The result is brighter, more detailed prints with greater speed, consistency, and efficiency—no media rewinding or extra hardware required. Read More
For two decades, HP Industrial Print and Dscoop have cultivated one of the most admired alliances in the printing industry. More than a partnership, it’s a vibrant ecosystem. David Zwang looks back as HP and Dscoop celebrate 20 years together. Read More
In this article, provided compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, Jos Notermans of The Note Consultancy B.V. (https://thenoteconsultancy.com/) provides an update on the status of pigment ink formulations introduced since ITMA 2023 as we prepare for ITMA 2027. Read More
Hybrid Software held its first-ever global user group meeting, “Hybrid Fusion,” in Amsterdam, bringing together 180 attendees. The event featured customer case studies, plant tours, and lively social events, highlighting Hybrid’s growing community and product innovation. The next user meeting will take place in North America in 2026. Read More
In our debut edition, we look at everyone’s favorite topic, so-called “artificial intelligence”—aka AI. There has been a lot of hype about AI, and even those who have been initially skeptical about its applicability to the print industry have come round to seeing the vast number of use cases it can have. There is no doubt that it has become a highly transformative technology—more than any we have seen since, arguably, the advent of digital printing. What are those use cases? What is it good for? And what is it not good for? Read More
Automation has been the buzzword of the last decade as organizations across every sector have looked to its transformative potential to accelerate gains in sales, productivity, quality, sustainability, and much more. In this article, written and sponsored by HP, Joan Perez Pericot looks at HP’s portfolio of highly automated presses, robotic solutions like MoviGo, and HP PrintOS and Site Flow solutions. Read More
In this article, compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, she shares insight from Kathryn Sanders, the founder of Western Sensibility, based in Montana, offering a fascinating look at democratizing design. From crafting one-of-a-kind bespoke textiles to innovating sustainable printing techniques, her work embodies the marriage of “Art and Technology.” Read More
Last year, Fujifilm highlighted their post FujiXerox rebirth with wide range of new product previews and introductions targeting different market applications. While not everything previewed at drupa or PRINTING United is ready for shipment, some key market leading products and technologies were deemed ready for shipment at the Digital Disruption Event. They also seemed to put a stake in the ground identifying themselves as a forced to be reckoned with. Read More
In this article, provided compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, SPGPrints’ Jos Notermans shares his thoughts about investing in digital fabric printing. He highlights the benefits of digital fabric printing and suggests a logical approach to adding this capability to your business! Read More
In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan shares insights from a talk that Chris Govier, EVP of Strategic Growth & Marketing at Kornit Digital, gave at the recent Heimtextil show. He points out that the digital transformation in textile printing makes it easier than ever before to transition from supply and demand to demand and supply, as well as an array of other valuable insights. Read More
Technical developments and other drivers are transitioning work from analog to digital and is notably affecting the market for offset litho print. These are analyzed and quantified in detail in The Future of Digital vs. Offset Printing to 2029—the new in-depth market study from Smithers. This article provides some highlights. Read More
Hunkeler Innovationdays 2025 was a resounding success for the partners, the attendees and the industry at large. The theme of the event was Next Level Automation and it was displayed in every solution on display at the event. Importantly, it is also a sign that the industry as a whole is on the right track. Read More
Production inkjet technologies have roots dating back to the 1970s but really didn’t see any commercial impact until the early 2000s. In 2015, Canon introduced a sheetfed press that changed the landscape and went a long way to increase inkjet adoption. Read More
Now that production inkjet printing is fully ready to take its place as a solution for the commercial market, firms that have embraced it are finding that it meshes well with their offset litho activity. Read More
Historically recognized as a hardware provider, Kyocera has now established itself as a system and solution provider. Launched in 2019, their game-changing TASKalfa Pro 15000c press was developed as an affordable entry point into production inkjet while offering productivity and output quality to go toe to toe with its laser rivals. David Zwang recently had the opportunity to speak with Dustin Graupman, the Senior Director of the Inkjet Division for Kyocera Document Solutions America, Inc., about the company’s successes and peek into the future. Read More
The printing industry continues to experience a natural and organic shift from offset to digital printing, primarily driven by a growing demand for shorter print runs and greater customization. Despite this transition, a critical question persists—why is it that all potential digital printing volumes are not being produced digitally? This article explores some of the key barriers that continue to hinder the transition to digital. Read More
In this article, sponsored by HP, Haim Levit, SVP & Division President, HP Industrial Print, shares his observations and predictions for the Commercial Printing Industry after a drupa year. Read More
David Zwang takes an in-depth look at Canon’s varioPRINT 6000 series TITAN, the latest model in the company’s line of high-volume, sheetfed, production monochrome printers. Read More
I recently listened to a very informative fireside chat hosted by the World Textile Information Network (WTIN) and wanted to share a summary for our readers who are interested in this segment. Content was presented by two Sun Chemical executives: Simon Daplyn, Manager, Product Marketing; and the company’s business leader for textiles, Edri Baggi. Read More
Get ready to experience the Hunkeler Innovationdays 2025. This is the premier event for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve and gain unparalleled insights and networking opportunities. Join industry leaders from around the world and explore cutting-edge solutions for continuous and sheet-fed trends, shaping the future of print. Read More
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 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
Have you been thinking about getting into direct to film (DTF)? It’s certainly been a hot topic at shows this year! In this article, compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, you’ll find valuable insight, including how this technology is poised to disrupt Direct to Garment and screen printing for many applications. She also provides links to some of the suppliers to the industry who offer DTF solutions. Read More
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
WhatTheyThink sat down with Francis McMahon, Executive Vice President, and Nicole Tully, Manager, Marketing Communications & Sales Enablement, Production Print Solutions of Canon for a wide-reaching conversation that touched on a Canon business update, how better targeted marketing campaigns can help save print, and education initiatives the company has been involved in to help attract the next generation to the printing industry. Read More
Installing inkjet systems inline on offset press equipment stands out as the opportunity to meld digital non-impact printing with analog impact printing in a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts. Read More
When the Fiery acquisition by Epson was announced, many were scratching their heads trying to understand the logic and synergies—although the acquisition does make sense when you look at the expansion and growth rate of inkjet. Read More
According to textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, rewiring the entire apparel supply chain is underway but progress is slow and painfully incremental—and must accelerate if the industry is to make positive environmental change. In this article, first published on Pixel to Parcel, McKeegan explains how smart manufacturing in the textile industry can help accelerate this much-needed transformation. Read More
Ralf Schlözer surveys the current state of inkjet printing on folding cartons. Read More
Ralf Schlözer surveys the current state of inkjet printing on flexible packaging materials. Read More
David Zwang rounds up the six new B2 and B1 cutsheet presses that were on display at drupa. Read More
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
Ralf Schlözer surveys the options on the market for digital label printing. Read More
Elizabeth Gooding takes a close look at the nuances of determining sustainability when it comes to production inkjet. Read More
How should you make the decision of what size press—be it offset, EP, or inkjet—to acquire? David Zwang weighs the different factors. Read More
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
HP launched a new PageWide packaging press in Würzberg, Germany, at Koenig & Bauer that has a print width that fits nicely between their existing T400 and T1100 series corrugated preprint presses. However, the new T700i is designed for more than just corrugated preprint. Read More
In this article, sponsored and written by SnapPress, learn about how the SnapPress LP-1 revolutionizes short-run label printing with a compact, user-friendly design and competitive pricing. Focusing on cash flow, total cost of ownership, and net profit, it boosts productivity, reduces costs, and opens new business opportunities. Enjoy cost savings and increased profitability with its efficiency, low maintenance, and waste reduction. Read More
At drupa 24, Fujifilm announced that Kunze & Ritter invested in an additional Revoria PC1120 press to be used at its showroom in Villingen-Schwenningen. Read More
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
At drupa 24, Kodak announced the sale of five PROSPER ULTRA 520 presses. Read More
At drupa 24, HP Indigo announced that it is collaborating with Fiverr to make digital print more accessible to Fiverr’s millions of freelancers and designers. Read More
Fujifilm announced at drupa 24 that Eco Flexibles, a sustainability-focused flexible packaging specialist, has invested in its second Jet Press FP790. Read More
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
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
At drupa 24, HP announced that RR Donnelley has made an major investment in HP Indigo and PageWide presses. Read More
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
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
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
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
David Zwang runs down the myriad hardware and software product announcements made by Fujifilm at drupa 24. Read More
In this article, sponsored and written by HP Indigo, the company takes a close look at its Liquid Electrophotography (LEP) technology and the new LEPx technology. Read More
At drupa 2024, Screen launched a number of brand-new inkjet production devices to improve performance and to address new markets—including the Truepress JET 560HDX, which was shown publicly for the first time. Ralf Schlözer reports. Read More
Instead of using labels, a resource-saving alternative can be printing directly onto a container. There are several options for direct-to-shape inkjet printing available—but at drupa 24, newly established supplier LabelSaver believes it has found a novel approach. Ralf Schlözer takes us inside this new technology. Read More
At drupa 24, RISO was showing their new printhead engine that can be easily integrated into packaging and shipping lines. Ralf Schlözer reports from the show. Read More
Fujifilm won three EDP Awards at drupa 24, for the Jet Press FP790, and the 42K and 46kUV print bars. 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
At drupa 24, HP announced that Shengda Printing Technology is continuing its analog-to-digital transformation by acquiring five new HP Indigo Digital Presses. 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
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
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
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, 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
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
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
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
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
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
At drupa 24, Fujifilm announced the new Dimatix SkyFire SF600 printhead. David Zwang taskes a close look at this announcement. 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
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
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
At drupa 2024, FUJIFILM introduced the FUJIFILM Dimatix SkyFire® SF600 printhead. David Zwang provides an overview. 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 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
Kyocera, very much like Fujifilm, Epson, and others, have been developing and supplying system components to print solution providers for years. Those developments have been at the cornerstone of many products in the market today. Kyocera (NIXKA) has been working on an inkjet photo printer for a while and this full color 1200 dpi grayscale system press is ready for its introduction during drupa 2024. Read More
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
Here we are, 12 years after the initial introduction of the Landa Digital Print technology, and roughly four years after initial commencement of commercial sales. Today, there are over 50 machines installed, with many more orders and some new product introductions in the pipeline. Landa Digital Print’s tagline for drupa 2024 is “Run More,” and they are supporting that with new faster and smarter press introductions. Read More
In this article, written and sponsored by SnapPress, learn how the SnapPress LP-1 is reshaping short-run digital label printing. No other label press has brought HP Inkjet technology together with a Xitron RIP and color profiling by Schilling Inkjet Consultants. The LP-1 has an incredibly easy-to-use interface that puts professional label printing power in the hands of any user. Read More
HP Indigo has not slowed down in their mission to drive the digital transition of print and packaging production. For drupa 2024, they have lots of new product announcements, all of them targeted at “Breaking the Analog to Digital Boundaries.” Read More
As part of our “Road to drupa” coverage, Marco Boer of IT Strategies looks at the current status of digital printing of packaging, the benefits it can provide for converters, and what to look for in Düsseldorf. Read More
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
Ink consumption is one of the variable costs in digital printing. It varies from job to job and often sets the economic limits for the process. Guest contributor Dieter Finna of pack.consult looks at the newly developed, contact-free cleaning system used in the Gallus One. Is the reduction in ink consumption so significant that the total cost of ownership is also reduced? Read More
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
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
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
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
The advent of digital press technology has created new avenues for label production, delivering numerous advantages over traditional printing methods. With shorter lead times, lower quantities per order, and a growing demand for competitive prices, digital press technology is swiftly gaining popularity. This article explores the print label market and offers strategies for successful participation. Read More
After previewing it at PRINTING United in 2023, Fujifilm has officially launched the Revoria Press GC12500, the first dry toner B2 press. European section editor Ralf Schlözer provides the details. Read More
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
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 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
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
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
Agfa’s first foray into production inkjet was with the introduction of Dotrix in 2004, a product that was ahead of its time and ultimately abandoned. Their new production inkjet folding carton press seems to check all the boxes for today’s and tomorrow’s growing and evolving market. Read More
Senior editor Cary Sherburne speaks with Brian Techter, Senior Vice President of RR Donnelly's Packaging and Labeling Solutions Group, who has recently added an EFI Nozomi single-pass digital direct to corrugated press in the company’s Milwaukee plant. He talks about the reasons Nozomi was chosen, what he sees as the value of digital, and where he sees it going in the future. Read More
With so much attention focused on inkjet, we tend to expect little news and progress from electrophotography (EP) technologies. However, the reality is quite different. Ralf Schlözer reviews the last 12 months of news and launches in EP technology. Read More
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
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
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
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
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
Guest contributor Dieter Finna of pack.consult looks at the current state of digital printing using dry toner, a technology that has had a decisive influence on the success of digital printing processes for more than two decades. Read More
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
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
The legacy fashion and textile industry is complex and slow-moving. Offshoring, waste, and inefficiency are the rule, not the exception, and progress towards a more effective and sustainable model is still terribly slow as the industry remains pegged among the worst polluters in the world. In this article, compliments of Debbie McKeegan, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor, Kornit’s Chris Govier outlines some of the reasons why the pace of change is so slow and highlights some of the governmental and other actions taking place or anticipated that could accelerate the necessary transformation. Read More
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
Following the news that Xerox has pulled out of drupa 2024, European section editor Ralf Schlözer explores the ramifications of this announcement and what it might mean for Xerox’s future in production print. Read More
In recent months, we have seen a number of printer manufacturers jump into the digital direct-to-film (DTF) market, some with equipment dedicated to that application, and others hybrid DTF/DTG (direct-to-garment) solutions. Senior editor Cary Sherburne takes a look at the current lay of the land. Read More
This article from Heather Kendle, Manager, Product Management, Epson Europe BV, provided compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, points out that the processes and materials at work in the fashion industry are fast approaching their expiration date. Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato has partnered with Epson to help accelerate the needed change for fashion to achieve a more sustainable future. This includes the benefits of newly developed dry fiber technology. Read More
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
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
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
In this article, compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, she provides an update on digital textile printing via Future Markets research, and also explains why increased interest in custom home and interior décor is poised to further spur market growth for digital textile printing. Digital share for digital textile printing still hovers around 10% of all printed fabric. Read More
Some highlights from the recent Taktiful/WhatTheyThink “2023 Specialty Digital Ink and Toner Embellishment Study” shows how digital press users can get the most out of their specialty ink and toner options, and points toward how printers can take advantage of the broader universe of “embellishments.” Read More
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
The latest developments in digital textile printing vastly reduce the factory footprint for technology while also reducing (if not removing altogether) the need for ancillary machinery. Wet-on-wet printing is widely recognized as one of the main facilitators in this simplification. WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan takes a deep dive into wet-on-wet, one-step textile printing solutions. Read More
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
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
In a digital world, many expect color management to be an exact science, a simple and automatic function of the print process—simply place your on-demand order, and voila—your print arrives on time and just as you imagined it. But unfortunately, that’s far from true. In this article, complements of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan and the Pixel to Parcel blog, color management—and how to get it right, first time, every time—are explained. Read More
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
This guest article written by Jos Notermans of SGPrints, and brought to you compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, dives into some of the objections or concerns of textile printers who have not yet stepped into the digital world, and explains why they should be making the move to digital, sooner rather than later. Read More
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
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
Kyocera printheads are popular components in many digital textile printing systems. Now, Kyocera has applied that knowledge and expertise to its first digital textile printer, FOREARTH, making its first public appearance at ITMA in Milan. In this interview, Sho Taniguchi, Kyocera’s Deputy General Manager, IDP Business DevelopmentDivision, explains the strategy behind development of this system and why they believe it is beneficial to the textiles market. Read More
Today’s mail technology enables campaigns that are truly cutting edge, and that edge is getting sharper. We’ve barely scratched the surface of what can be done with personalized, customized messaging printed on the outside of the envelopes. Heidi-Tolliver Walker takes a look at the current state of the art. Read More
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
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
Dye sublimation continues to grow in popularity as a digital fabric printing technology. Critical to the quality of the print are the inks and transfer papers. In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan reviews both. Read More
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
DTF (direct-to-film) apparel printing is making a real impact on the decorated apparel market. Machine manufacturers now offer ever more successful industrial solutions for this growing technology that just a few years ago seemed to be the preserve of the small craft manufacturer. In a global market for DTG (direct-to-garment) printing that is predicted to reach nearly US$1.9 billion by 2032, the DTF process is gaining ground by the month—as it offers new and unique advantages to trade printers. Textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan shares more information in this article. Read More
The global digital textile printing market size which was valued at US$2,669 million in 2022 is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.4% from 2023 to 2030 when it will reach US$8,957 million according to Grand View Research, and the use of dye-sublimation technology continues to grow. In fact, Grandview Research also found that 52% of all digital printing used dye-sublimation inks, making it the largest ink type by usage in the digital textile print sector. Learn more in this informative article compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan. Read More
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
Screen’s customers across print segments spoke at Hunkeler Innovationdays about their goals for workflow automation and their quest for innovation to serve customers. Screen is strong reliable partner that listens to their challenges and provide superior innovations and solutions. Read More
imagePRESS V-Series represents next-generation innovation based on ground-up development efforts, and PRISMA solution developments include strategically migrating components to the cloud. Cary Sherburne talks to Katsuhiro “Jerry” Matsufuji, Canon U.S.A., Inc. vice president and general manager, marketing BICG. Read More
Today we are sharing another “Meet the Designer” story compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan. Sarah Thorley is a recent graduate of Bolton University BA(Hons) Textiles and Surface Design and was recognized in the Green Grads-ECO STORIES Textile Challenge. Learn how Sarah is leveraging technology in developing her product range and how she is learning about commercial life in real time (as a solo designer) in a challenging marketplace with her Pink Tiger Design brand. Read More
Kyocera’s intention is clear: they are moving into the production print industry, and while they may be new to this market, NIXKA isn’t. They actually have 30 years of expertise in developing ink and material jetting solutions, with an impressive track record. This acquisition should help fast track them to their intention. Read More
Digital textile printing has grown more slowly than projected, but an emerging new business model perhaps promises a boost to that growth. In this new model, digital printing as a service, the digital print enterprise offers a managed virtual shop for the designer, where their designs and styles are presented online to the public, but where all the shop functions, comprising order handling, payment processing, digital printing, and drop-ship delivery are handled by the digital printer. Learn more about this trend in this article provided by textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan. Read More
Last week, Morton Grove, Ill.’s Quantum Group and the executive team from Landa Digital held an open house to demonstrate the recently installed Landa Nanographic S10P—and how Quantum Group is starting to shift work from their fleet of digital and offset presses to the S10P. Read More
Now that the market for digital production of flexible packaging is starting to take hold, HP has developed the next generation of product that builds on the expertise gained with the 25K as well as their other products and technologies. Read More
After seeming to stall for some time, the digital textile industry is now projected to grow by 14.4% to 2030 according to Grand View Research. In this article, compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, we recap the research and why it is important to the industry and to the planet. The growth will be driven by the success of web-based on-demand business models—the urgency of the sustainability agenda—and the sheer economic efficiency of digital textile printing, according to the research. Read More
In the constant battle for consumer attention, marketing managers have a variety of communication options—digital and physical—for reaching their customers. Despite ongoing concerns about data security and privacy, consumers still expect a personalized experience from the firms that they do business with. This article explores how personalized communications can foster loyalty, increase customer engagement, and ultimately deliver the best possible experience. Read More
Stellar growth in the use of direct-to-garment (DTG) digital textile printing machinery continues to provide a unique and highly successful business model, gaining traction worldwide. As a technology built to deliver speed to market, it’s built for on-demand production and as such sustainable manufacturing—driving down inventory and production costs. In this article, provided by textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, you'll learn not only about DTG opportunities, but also the growing field of direct-to-film for garment printing. Read More
Digital label printing has been a growth market for many years, served by a large number of printer suppliers. Xeikon, offering both electrophotographic and inkjet label presses, expands both product lines. European section editor Ralf Schlözer looks at the new units. Read More
Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato chose Paris Fashion Week to launch his latest collection. He seeks to deliver garments that enhance the life of the wearer whilst seeking to improve the environmental impact of the fashion Industry and ultimately to democratize couture. His work symbolizes the reform of apparel—where design and materials combine to deliver a biophilic experience, nurturing the body and the planet simultaneously. Read More
This video interview, conducted by and provided compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, discusses digital textile printing with Adele Genoni, senior vice president and general manager of EFI Reggiani. They discuss new printing technologies and Adele shares her insights on industry trends and how EFI Reggiani technology is evolving to fulfil market demands. Read More
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
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
We’re hearing more and more about demand for customized wallpaper—or at least there are more providers offering this solution, ranging from family-owned Raspberry Creek Fabrics to Shutterfly-owned Spoonflower. In this article, compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, Phil McMullin of Epson talks more about the trend. Read More
David Zwang recaps the year in labels and packaging, with a look at notable product releases, and the continued growth of digital labels and packaging. Read More
European section editor Ralf Schlözer looks back at some of the notable product announcements in digital print—and identifies some trends to look for in 2023. Read More
Every year, What They Think offers insights into the print production outlook for our industry. This year was no exception. Our webinar “The Print Production Outlook: The Digital Transition Continues” looked at production technology shifts and the trends driving them. Sponsored by Canon Solutions America, the webinar was moderated by Richard Romano with presenter WhatTheyThink European Section Editor Ralph Schlözer. Read More
Andy Wilson, the owner of Kent UK based PressOn, a wide-format printing company, entered the print industry some 28 years ago and has been a disruptive force ever since. He has consistently questioned the norm to develop and deliver new products, applications, and commercial opportunities—often in challenging times. We share his story here, compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan. Read More
As the digitization of the textile industry accelerates, on-demand textile printer Caspar’s business model is built for a new decade of industrial manufacturing using smart technologies—they have equipped their smart factory with necessary tools for success. This interview, compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, tells the story. Read More
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
European section editor Ralf Schlözer reports on Canon’s Make-It Future-Proof event, which took place October 19 and 20 at Canon’s continuous-feed press manufacturing site in Poing, Germany. Canon used the opportunity to make some new product announcements, such as additions to the imagePRESS V-Series and new Prisma software. Read More
In this article, sponsored by HP, WhatTheyThink talks to Haim Levit, Senior Vice President & General Manager, HP Industrial Print, about the major dynamics impacting the industry and how HP is responding to them. Read More
In this feature, written and sponsored by Kodak, learn about the new KODAK ASCEND Digital Press, a highly flexible and economical solution for short-run production of paperboard-based packaging. Read More
Print technology and production methods have been changing along with the changing market requirements. All of this coupled with the “can do nature” of print and packaging service providers, continues to push technology and equipment manufacturers in new ways. David Zwang looks at how new modular component production solutions can be integrated and combined with almost all printing technologies including digital, offset, flexo, screen, and inkjet. Read More
Designing a digital press for today’s market requirements can be a challenge. Canon’s latest production digital press is the result of years of customer feedback and engineering ingenuity. It focuses on productivity, cost control, automation, quality, and ease of use, individually and collectively. Read More
The integration of Gallus into Heidelberg is beginning to show impressive returns, starting with the Labelfire 340 hybrid press and now the Gallus One digital all-in-one label press, a jointly developed press and ecosystem. This new press is designed for the industry’s digital future and the new normal. Read More
Labelexpo cemented the reality that digital is very much on the rise and at lightning speeds. The digital equipment is getting more sophisticated and, more importantly, productive. Digitalization is what will provide the platform for the new normal. Read More
One of the trends that emerged from the pandemic was an increased focus on décor -- home, office and otherwise. And that included a resurgence in interest in wallpaper. New technologies, including high quality production inkjet printing and equipment designed specifically to output short runs of customized wallpaper, have made it easier than ever before to produce bespoke wallpaper. And designers and producers alike are taking advantage of this trend. In this article, compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, we highlight the work of John Mark Watson of John Mark LTD as an inspiration to others. Read More
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
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
If you’ve been paying attention to some of this year’s new DTG printer launches, you may have noticed that the traditional gap between commercial and industrial printers appears to be closing. Today’s DTG devices are delivering faster printing speeds, better print accuracy, and more advanced technologies—all with a smaller footprint and a lower price tag. This article offers a brief overview of the devices that are blurring the lines between commercial and industrial printers. Read More
Movable Ink’s second annual Audience of One consumer survey has many takeaways. It continues to confirm what we’ve known for a long time: Consumers want you to market to an audience of one. But it has some other takeaways about customer loyalty and customer preferences related to product purchases that are just as important. Read More
Live events are back in play and here to stay! They support and connect the print community by providing a window of opportunity where networking and the transfer of knowledge go hand-in-hand. Textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan talks with Jason Burroughs, Managing Director of Perfect Colours, about why their workshops offer the visitor such a valuable experience. Read More
The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has developed a prototype robotic inkjet printing system that can print directly onto three-dimensional surfaces—specifically, airplanes. Richard Romano spoke to SwRI Senior Research Engineer Branson Brockschmidt about the project. Read More
The textiles industry is blessed to have many young, innovative and creative designers entering the field. Maria Begum is just one example. She was recently awarded the Epson "Design in Context Award" for her work titled "The Floating Fields of Bangladesh," which combined dye sublimation printing and laser engraving to achieve stunning results. Thanks to textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan for sharing this story with us. Read More
With the aging out of skilled labor in the print and packaging industry, engaging and training new hires in the intricacies of print is becoming a problem. David Zwang looks at Canon’s Press automation modules, which can simplify the process while optimizing quality and productivity for new and even older digital presses. Read More
Home decor is a hot market, and wallpaper, which had fallen into disfavor over the years, is making a comeback, fueled largely by the high-quality, fast turn, customized wall covering products now enabled by digital printing solutions. Printer manufacturers like Xeikon are offering turnkey wall covering production solutions, and companies like Spoonflower see high demand for custom wall coverings from its maker community. In this article, complements of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, PONGS Group explains how they use digitally printed wallcoverings to add drama, scope, and style to their designer kitchens. Read More
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
HP Indigo held its first VIP event in three years in Israel May 24 and 15. European section editor Ralf Schlözer reports from the event, and highlights several technology introductions—as well as a few “on the horizon.” Read More
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
As so often happens, entrepreneurs in the textiles and apparel industry are driving change in the U.S. market. While digitally-driven businesses have not yet reached critical mass, there are good examples of companies that are taking advantage of new ways of working and doing business to build the businesses of the future. We’ll be discussing this in an upcoming WhatTheyThink webinar scheduled for July 20 at 1 pm ET! Read More
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
Last week we wrote about British home decor firm Gillian Arnold leveraging digital printing to bring production of wall coverings in house. This week, we share another wall covering success story that started with digital production of 200 square meters of wall covering by Digital Space for Marriott Hotels. Read More
The quality of inkjet printing has improved over the years, so more and more print volumes have shifted away from electrophotographic printing and toward inkjet for productivity and cost reasons. This article offers some considerations about the future of the EP market as the drive toward inkjet continues. Read More
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
If priming and coating are each important to the success of inkjet in commercial printing, both are crucial for inkjet printing in the label and packaging segments. In this article, sponsored by Michelman, Inc., and based on a just-released white paper, European section editor Ralf Schlözer explains how folding carton and corrugated packaging markets are expanding for inkjet in large part due to the application of these fluids. Read More
There has been a running joke amongst some analysts and media that it takes at least two drupas—or about 8–10 years—before an initially shown product is ready for production. Granted, some of what is “envisioned” as new product technologies may never make it, but many products do successfully make it to market, ready for reliable production. Read More
Xeikon Café, held at the company’s headquarters, was full of great information, partners, and products, including some new ones. The takeaway was that Xeikon is positioned for good future growth with the confidence of their customers and a lot of new products. Read More
When you want to create an authentic replica of one of the most famous and treasured historic artifacts ever discovered, where do you turn? If you are the curators of the Shroud of Turin, you turn to EFI Reggiani. Heidi Tolliver-Walker looks at this unique printing project. Read More
European section editor Ralf Schlözer reports from Make It ’22, the return of live events for Canon EMEA. With about 500 customers in attendance, a considerable number of visitors had a chance to see production equipment live in operation. Canon also used the event to launch the imagePRESS V1000, the next generation of the imagePRESS platform. Read More
Another sign of the growth in customized interior décor is the increased interest in using white ink in producing higher quality and more diverse interior décor products. This includes such applications and materials as signage and graphics, window displays, wallpapers, vinyl, glass, wood, aluminum, cork and even printed leather to name just a few options. Participants in a recent HP sponsored webinar discuss how the addition of white ink has helped them successfully expanded their businesses and product portfolios. Read More
HP Indigo held a VIP event at their facilities in Israel, the first one since February 2019. While a lot has changed for everyone since that last event, both the company and their customers have been knowingly or unknowingly preparing themselves and the market for these changes since 1993. Read More
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
A critical factor in the future of textiles and apparel is the education of new talent in the world’s fashion and design schools. Increasingly, these schools are bringing in digital technologies, including digital textile printing, to prepare their students for the changing world they will be entering. Cardiff School of Art and Design is one of the schools that is doing just that, as explained in this article compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan. Read More
Xeikon recently held a press briefing where it announced it will be holding a special Xeikon Café around developments in labels in light of the cancellation of Labelexpo Europe. Senior editor Cary Sherburne some highlights from that briefing. Read More
In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan shares a summary of a recent webinar with a panel discussion about how the business of interior decor has changed, the influence of digital textile printing, and the value of a printing system that includes white ink. Read More
European section editor Ralf Schlözer looks at the Gutenberg One, a compact and fully self-contained printing and binding unit for books, small and affordable enough to be placed in a wide range of locations. Read More
A little over six months ago, four young graduates joined the “Creatives in Residence” project based at the CMYUK demonstration facility in Shrewsbury. After a difficult two years with little access to their university facilities from 2020-2021 the CIRL initiative presented a unique opportunity to explore digital manufacturing technologies and build their commercial knowledge. In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan summarizes the results of the initiative. Read More
Direct-to-film (DTF) printing is a transfer technology that enables users to print designs onto polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film using water-based pigment inks. This article offers an overview of this up-and-coming technology and also explores how it compares to other printing techniques. Read More
Textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan shares the story of Dubai fashion designer Michael Cinco, who has turned to digital textile printing to create truly amazing designs. Read More
David Zwang talks to Alon Bar-Shany Chairman of Highcon, Executive Chairman of Redefine Meat Ltd., Chairman and CEO of Twine Solutions, and former General Manager of HP Indigo about the digital transformation of graphic arts, printing, and packaging. Read More
Guest contributor Dr. Mark Bale looks at how developments in industrial inkjet printheads paved the way for digital printing on ceramics. Read More
Jordan Patterson, vice president of Virtual Packaging (Grapevine, TX), shares his experience working with a Landa S10P Digital (Perfecting) Press—how they’ve used it, what their experiences have been, and what new markets the press has opened to them. Read More
There is no doubt that digital packaging is a huge growth area for production inkjet, and SCREEN seems to be targeting the high growth areas. They have been developing a range of digital packaging presses including their currently available prime label presses, and the new flexible packaging press and a folding carton press. Read More
Francis A. McMahon, executive vice president at Canon Solutions America, Production Print Solutions discusses the most recent additions to Canon’s equipment portfolio, the company’s approach to R&D, the 2021 edition of the thINK Forum, as well as his views on focusing on the customer during economic turbulence like COVID. Read More
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
The COVID-19 pandemic created numerous challenges for the digital production printing market, including a decline in demand for print services and reduced investments in new production technology. This article cites recent forecast data from Keypoint Intelligence to explore key dynamics, challenges, and opportunities within this market. Read More
Digital textile printing is starting to gain steam in the contract furnishing marketplace! Find out how this development is benefiting Mallion & Knowles! Our thanks to textiles expert Debbie McKeegan for sharing this story. Read More
Cary Sherburne recently spoke with Adele Genoni, senior vice president and general manager at EFI Reggiani, to get the latest information on what the company has been up to. Despite the pandemic, it doesn’t seem that R&D efforts have slowed down, with three new products announced in just the past few months. Read More
Choosing to purchase their own machinery and not to outsource the manufacture of their products will give the husband-and-wife team at The African Print Company absolute control of their supply chain as they gear up the business, removing the requirement for keeping inventory on hand. And importantly, giving them the freedom to listen to their consumers and create the designs and products that their loyal customers love. They intend to implement customized manufacture and on-demand production from day one. Read More
Paul Hudson, CEO of Hudson Printing (Salt Lake City), shares his rationale for investing in a Landa S10P—why now, why the Landa, and how he expects it to impact his business. Read More
Back in 2019, we pointed out the opportunity presented by adding dye-sublimation printing to the mix as a diversification strategy. A great deal has happened since then, not the least of which is the continuing impact of the pandemic. But one thing that has not changed is the opportunity this technology offers. Read on! Read More
There has been significant focus on improving sustainability in the textiles and apparel industry, and that concern for the planet is also affecting what customers are demanding in signs & display graphics, especially looking for more sustainable soft signage. What type of textile printing is greenest, and what can be done to reduce waste? These are just two of the topics addressed in this article provided by Ella Faulkner of Soyang Europe, compliments of Texinel. Read More
Digital packaging printing allows brands to make content decisions closer to the consumer, helping them to provide more than just the traditional containment and protection functions of the pack, with information and promotion. Digital print and finishing of packaging can provide a wider range of functions beyond analogue capabilities, which is why it is growing so quickly. Smithers’ Sean Smyth looks at the current state of digital packaging and where it’s heading. Read More
Miss the “Landa Nanographic Printing in the Market” webinar on November 3? Here is a recap of Landa’s portion of the presentation, giving an update on its expansion, its installed base of users, and what it’s learned about the crossover points with offset. Read More
As we move towards a sustainable future, each and every product we consume has an environmental impact. Every choice that we make as designers and printers matters and collectively, we can make a significant contribution to the environmental impact of the products we create across all commercial sectors. Together we can drive effective change for a sustainable future. That’s the message that global retail sustainability strategist Steve Lister is communicating through his participation in HP’s Sustainable Impact Series. Don't miss this important read! Or view the recorded presentation. Read More
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
When we talk about digital print for fabrics, we are often dealing with woven fabrics. But digital print can be used with knitted fabrics as well, as demonstrated by the success of Eurojersey in introducing digitally printed knit collections. The company, based in Italy, has been around for nearly 70 years and continues to lead the market in technical fabric innovation and sustainable sourcing. With its digitally printed Sensitive® Fabrics, the company uses digital printing to give the fabric a different appearance and different properties compared to its plain color products. Learn more. Read More
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
Kornit Digital showed a 118% year-over-year revenue increase for the second quarter of 2021. The company also has shifted its strategy a bit and made a couple of acquisitions that reflect this shift. In this Executive Q&A, Chief Marketing Officer Omer Kulka shares insight about Kornit’s strategic focus and the state of the industry at large. Read More
Over the years, many different methods have been used to decorate glass including painting, silk screen, sandblasting, etching, and decals and cling films—and of late inkjet technology has been increasingly used. David Zwang surveys the current state of direct-to-glass printing. Read More
Part 2 of a two-part series based on the What They Think webinar “Print Production Outlook: Tracking the Turning Points.” In Part 1, presenter German Sacristan of Keypoint Intelligence analyzed Keypoint and other data on the industry’s growth and key turning points, including the shift to high-speed inkjet. In Part 2, Sacristan analyzes the current and future state of industry applications, as well the state of packaging and labels. Read More
As more companies in the textile and apparel industry look to digital printing for more efficiency and a smaller environmental footprint, it can be confusing to determine exactly where digital textile printing fits. In this guest post from SPGPrints, compliments of Debbie McKeegan and Texintel, Jos Notermans highlights seven different factors that help with that decision process. Read More
Part 1 of a two-part series based on the WhatTheyThink webinar “Print Production Outlook: Tracking the Turning Points.” In Part 1, presenter German Sacristan of Keypoint Intelligence analyzes Keypoint and other industry data on the state of the industry’s growth and key turning points. Read More
Kodak has been successfully operating a transformation strategy that has shored up the company while investing in innovation in their core strengths of print (with an emphasis on digital), advanced materials, and chemicals. With the introduction of an EP press designed for folding carton, packaging, and retail POP, Kodak expands their existing packaging portfolio options to a wider audience. Read More
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
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
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
Despite the constraints of the pandemic, manufacturers of digital direct-to-fabric printing solutions have been hard at work bring innovative solutions to a market which is already bouncing back. In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan highlights the most important developments and product launches in this growth area. Read More
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
Beyond CMYK is a $25 billion market and growing. Market research shows that Beyond CMYK print applications increase visibility, influence what gets looked at first, boost dwell time, encourage repeat engagement, and differentiate a print product. In this article sponsored by Xerox, Marybeth Gilbert looks at the Beyond CMYK market and Xerox’s broad portfolio of Beyond CMYK solutions. Read More
When The Fabricant was founded in 2018, digital fashion barely existed as a concept, and the idea of a digital atelier crafting couture for the non-physical environment? Forget it. Micky LaRosse, Head of Content & Strategy with Fabricant, says the trouble with creating something utterly new is the complete lack of reference points to guide your path. He offers advice to others pursuing this path in this article provided by Texintel. Read More
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
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
One of the critical needs in the textiles and apparel industry is attracting new talent. CMYUK is helping address this need by launching a worldwide competition to recognize emerging talent. Its “Creatives in Residence” program will give two young surface designers and one talented videographer an outstanding opportunity to undertake a six-month placement at CMYUK’s advanced digital training and demonstration facility in Shrewsbury in the UK. While this might seem UK-centric, it is a worldwide opportunity. If you know a talented young person that would like to participate, please let them know about this opportunity! Learn more... Read More
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
Throughout history, silk has been recognized as one of the most, if not the most, exquisite and luxurious fabrics available. Now fabric printers are having huge success with digital printing of this glorious textile. In this article, textile expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan shares an example from Italian firm Mantero. Read More
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
The textile manufacturing industry is on the cusp of dramatic change, driven by increased focus on restructuring fragile supply chains and growing consumer demand for more sustainable practices. Learn why heat transfer dye sublimation fabric printing can help meet these challenges by enabling responsive on-demand production of textile-based products. Read More
Carles Farre, vice president and general manager, HP PageWide Press, talks about his background, current role, and views of the future of HP’s production inkjet business and the industry at large, including both commercial and corrugated applications. Read More
Digital pigment technologies have helped shape the customization culture that is prevalent among many of today’s online shoppers, and this technology is now making its way into textile DTF (direct-to-fabric). This article explores how pigment solutions are helping to fuel a revolution among textile printers. Read More
Much of the discussion around the benefits of digital textile printing have focused on apparel, and its associated development and manufacturing processes as well as its supply chain issues. In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan points out that home décor is also a high growth opportunity for digital textile printing and other forms of inkjet printing, including wall coverings. Read More
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
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
There is a lot of focus on digital textile printing for apparel, but another great market opportunity for digital textile printing is interior décor. In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan talks with Terry Raghunath, Business Development Manager for Printed Decorative Applications based at HP Barcelona, about market trends and how HP focuses its development efforts to meet them. Read More
Digital print or conventional print? Do you have a preference? More importantly, do your clients? If it is ink on paper, it is printing. The rest is just labelling. Read More
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. Read More
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. Read More
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
The Direct-to-Garment (DTG) business is booming. During the pandemic, businesses with online ordering capabilities explored new ways to add new solutions or capacity to their portfolios, and DTG was one of the key ways to do so. Learn more. Read More
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. Read More
As digital workflow increasingly makes its way into the textiles & apparel supply chain, how do you simplify the complex process that carries a creative piece of artwork through print production? That’s the question that Debbie McKeegan, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor, addresses in this article. Read More
As part of our preview of next week’s Technology Outlook Week, Ralf Schlözer takes a look at the state of toner and inkjet digital printing during a pandemic drupa year. Read More
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
Designers are increasingly selling their designs directly to consumers for a variety of fabric-based applications. WhatTheyThink contributor and textiles expert Debbie McKeegan highlights the successes artist Gillian Arnold has had with this approach using the HP Stitch digital textile printer. Read More
Kornit recently upped its direct-to-garment (DTG) game with announcement of the Kornit Atlas MAX printer, incorporating new technology that allows much more detail to be printed on garments than before. MAX technology is expected to be available for direct-to-fabric printing in the future. Read More
COVID-19 fueled a surge in ecommerce, leading to increased demand for digitally printed garments. This article offers a brief discussion about the changing dynamics of consumer buying habits, explores why the pandemic accelerated digital print on-demand, and considers how supply chain and GTM strategies will be forever changed as a result. Read More
The latest trend in the analog-to-digital transformation underway in textiles is creating home and other decor on demand. In this article, WhatTheyThink contributor and textiles expert Debbie McKeegan shares how Epson's developments in pigment inks are transforming home decorating. Read More
Cary Sherburne talks to Robert Stabler about the latest digital packaging product introductions from Koenig & Bauer Durst, as well as some of the changes the pandemic has brought to the press placement process. Read More
In this age of virtual everything, print means more—it is tangible and can be personalized to replicate that human connection we’ve been craving since the pandemic hit. This article explores how print service providers can better sell the value of variable data printing to businesses and brands. Read More
Is Rialto’s growth a sign of the times? The UK-based digital textile printer thinks so. The company prints millions of meters of dye-sublimation prints onto polyester bases but is also investing in the future with technologies that can print digitally onto a wider array of fabric types. Read More
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
Who’s Mailing What! recently released its report “18 Direct Mail Trends for 2021,” with predictions from leading industry experts about what they are seeing on the horizon for this year. First on WMW!’s list is “more sophisticated personalization.” But what, exactly, does “more sophisticated” mean? Read More
Variable content can add value, streamline supply chains, and create engaging customer experiences, but it takes some work. There is more complexity to the creative process, more steps to proof and approval, and more challenges in delivery. Contributor Pat McGrew looks at the current state of variable-data technology with an eye on where it’s going. Read More
Brought to you by The Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech), Mike Porter, President, Print/Mail Consultants, and author of this VDP 101 article, will be moderating a panel of industry suppliers and practitioners in a session titled, “Variable Print & Mail: The Software Required to Do the Job,” at the APTech Variable Data Print & Mail Summit to be held Wednesday, April 14 from 10am–3pm. Here, he offers tips on improving data for variable-data printing. Read More
Working with top-end designers to create exclusive short runs means the fabrics printed at Forest Digital are not contributing to the “cheap-throw-away fashion” landfill that is so damaging to our world. In fact, we should be eliminating the term “fast fashion” from our vocabulary and our practices! Learn more about what this leading producer is doing to bring more sustainability to the industry. Read More
One of the key components of the digital textile printing ecosphere is inks—and increasingly, sustainable inks. In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan reviews the latest developments in ink technology for digital textile printing. Read More
Textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan says the biggest driver of change in the textile industry is its past history. Now exposed as the second largest polluter of our planet, the conventional textile industry needs to clean up its legacy production processes and evolve. Greendrop of Italy is doing just that. Read More
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
Imageco is on a mission to greater sustainability, driven by their own sustainability concerns and customer demand. In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan explains how the company is pursuing these goals with the latest HP Latex technology. Read More
A new focus on mass customization and a growing demand for sustainability are causing digital printing to become more vital in one area of industrial printing: woodworking. We expect to see continued growth in the woodworking industry as a whole, including categories like furniture. This article will focus on two key areas where industrial printing has a significant impact: digital décor paper for laminates and direct printing in the woodworking industry. Ron Gilboa explores the opportunity and technology that is driving this innovation to be adopted. Read More
Here are two corrugating companies that have found that production inkjet in place of the litho laminate process makes great operating and financial sense. Read More
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
2020 was a remarkable year for labels and packaging, particularly digitally printed pressure-sensitive labels, sleeves, flexible packaging, and other high-demand applications for the health, pharma, household, and food industries. The demand for digitally printed labels and packaging has grown significantly during the pandemic and customers are investing more in workflow and automation to manage the load. In this article, sponsored by HP, we spoke with HP Indigo’s Maya Poleg, Head of Products and Solutions, and Esko’s Chuck Ravetto, VP & General Manager, Supplier Solutions, to hear their perspectives on their long-standing relationship, and where they believe the industry is heading. Read More
Textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan recently attended a very interesting session on the possibilities digital print offers for home décor. Presenters included a variety of industry experts with excellent insight. The piece also includes links to replays in case the reader wants to hear directly from the experts. Read More
If you are a designer working in a larger organization, you probably have access to formal color standards. But there are a growing number of freelancers starting their own businesses, and creating color standards that ensure what gets printed carries out your design intent is not a trivial process. Textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie Mckeegan rides to the rescue with a free color chart to get you on your way. Read More
A recent report from McKinsey stated that 58% of fashion executives expected that assortment planning was a key area for 2021. The direct result means “less is more,” holding less stock and replenishing at speed in-tune with data and sales analytics. But how do they get that done? It means overcoming decades of doing things a certain way, and we all know that change is difficult. Further driving the need to make these changes are increased focus on sustainability and the need to restructure supply chains. These can be accomplished by, among other things, simplifying fabric printing, and as textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan points out in this article, that requires increased use of digital technologies across the board. Read More
How do you switch an entire industry to sustainable technologies and increased profitability? It’s been done in the past, of course, but never on the scale of the multi-trillion-dollar textiles and apparel industry. While it may seem impossible to turn this large ship in a new direction, the past year has caused some significant shifts to happen. Here’s what textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan has to say about this shift and what it may mean for the future. Read More
UK-based Screenworks is accelerating its growth by blending screen printing with digital printing, including investments in tools and solutions to enable production of a catalog of protective, antiviral, promotional, workwear, and day-to-day wear products and accessories. Read more from textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan. Read More
Duggal Visual Solutions is a company that has been growing and transforming itself since its inception in 1963, and through it all has maintained their core values of high quality and service to their customers. They have proved that they can, and will, continue to innovate and transform to meet the changing needs of visual communications. Read More
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
Looking for a growth opportunity? Look no further than the digital textile industry. A recent report from Allied Market Research predicts that digital textile printing will grow by over 230% by 2025. This is at least partly driven by a reduction in the cost of digital textile inks. Read what textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan has to say about this opportunity. Read More
In biology, “adaptation is the physical or behavioral characteristic of an organism that helps an organism to survive better in the surrounding environment.” When we look at one of the newer requirements of packaging—sustainability—we tend to limit it to the ecological focus, when the more consequential focus relates to adaptation. Read More
From the outside, digital textile printing can look like a plug-and-play operation; but for the specialist practitioner, the commercial reality is often quite different … until now. Textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan shares insight into some of the technology advances that can make the process easier without sacrificing quality and accuracy. Read More
The cost of printing has always been important. For packaging, which has volume counted in the tens of thousands to millions of pieces of each, it is a primary focus. Since the product manufacturing and time to market are dependent on it, not only is the cost of packaging important, but also the level of productivity. Read More
Despite the technology’s relative infancy, the choice of digital printers is already so widespread that you have to understand every detail of what you are buying before making a decision. Getting it wrong is likely to be very costly! In this article, corrugated industry veteran Nick Kirby looks all the variables involved in selecting a digital corrugated press. Read More
One thing the pandemic has boosted is online shopping. And one application that is experiencing terrific growth is direct-to-garment printing, allowing consumers to personalize their T-shirts and other items. Guest contributor Peter Wright, Managing Director of Amaya Ltd., shares more information. Read More
Digitally printing on synthetic paper and plastics is more expensive than running traditional, wood-fiber papers on press, but certain products may be worth the expense, especially in the COVID era. Contributor Mark Vruno looks at the latest in synthetic papers. Read More
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
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
The story of how Lilly Pulitzer got started as a fashion designer is fascinating, and so is the story of how the company has leveraged digital printing technologies to streamline its workflow and unleash increased design creativity. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Margaret Getty, Lilly Pulitzer Senior Associate for Woven Fabric and Trim, to learn more. Read More
North Coast Litho devoted a great deal of time and effort in assessing digital printing options, waiting until it could find solutions that met its extremely high quality requirements and that of its customers. It found that quality level in digital presses, acquired in 2011 and 2016, but only recently was able to find the same level of quality in an envelope press, acquiring the iJetColorPro from Printware in 2020. General Manager Bob Strohmeyer explains in this article, sponsored by Printware. Read More
Can the digital packaging transition learn from commercial print transition experiences, and increase the rate of migration, or are they destined to relive the same growth pains? Read More
The COVID-19 crisis has upended the fashion industry, but it has also given the industry an unprecedented opportunity to reinvent itself for the better. Texintel CEO Debbie McKeegan discusses the supply chain, sustainability, and the impact of digital technologies on textile production. Read More
Growth projections from the pre-COVID forecast for digital print for packaging are just slightly below the initial 2019 forecast in the short term, while a longer-term forecast looks much more encouraging. However, moving from analog to digital production brings some challenges. Read More
In order to reduce the ecological footprint of textile printing, a lifecycle assessment of the entire printing process is essential. In this SPGPrints guest article first published on Texintel.com, Jos Notermans talks about how digital technologies can improve the sustainability position of the textiles industry and reduce the environmental footprint of textile printing. Read More
Seattle-based RPI recently made several acquisitions, actions that caught our eye in light of the uncertain times we find ourselves in. We reached out to CEO Rick Bellamy to get an update on RPI, the strategy behind the acquisitions, and Bellamy’s general feelings about the industry at large. Read More
In order to achieve the change required in the textiles and apparel industry, brands and manufacturers must be able to deliver product diversity at any scale – a new generation of agile manufacturing. While this clearly requires the adoption of digital technologies, like other industries moving along the analog-to-digital continuum, it doesn’t mean that analog technologies are going away. Read this insightful piece by textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan. Read More
Amazon has revolutionized retail sales and personalized/customized service. Now it looks like the company is taking it to the next level with the addition of a massive digital textile printing investment as part of its luxury stores where Amazon Prime customers can buy a wide range of top luxury fashion labels. This is part of Amazon’s Climate Friendly Pledge, helping customers make sustainable and eco-friendly purchasing decisions. Read more. Read More
Spoonflower was a pioneer in the field of on-demand textile printing and production. As the rest of the industry races to catch up, new CEO Michael Jones is aiming to take Spoonflower to the next level. Cary Sherburne talks with Jones and senior vice president of research and development Kerry King about their vision for the future. Read More
In this article, sponsored by HP, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne provides an overview of the latest features of the HP Indigo 12000 and HP Indigo 15K digital presses, including innovations that take digital printing to a new level of quality and productivity. She also cites on-site experiences of two customers, L&L Printers and New London. Read More
Printing company owners are seeking new markets as the pandemic affects their businesses, and many owners are evaluating an opportunity that leverages their inkjet printing expertise—digital direct-to-shape (D2S) printing. Contributor Pete Basiliere details the market opportunities for print providers in the D2S space. Read More
Velox specializes in industrial-scale direct-to-shape digital printing—or, as the company calls it, “decorating”—predominantly on tubes, aerosols, and other cylindrical items. We take a look at the capabilities of Velox’s technology. Read More
What’s driving customization in the textile manufacturing sector, and why do we need to redefine fast fashion production? These questions are answered by textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, who offers a look at Fashion Enter, an ethical, sustainable business that manufactures sewn products and which has embraced digitization and continue to invest in the future. Read More
Yesterday, Canon Solutions America announced the new Arizona 2300 Series wide-format flatbed printer. The new series is built on a novel approach to media handling that eliminates zones, masking, and taping, helping speed job changeover and reduce operator intervention. Read More
Now that production inkjet has finally reached the offset quality barrier, some believe that it is the death knell for toner. Although as Mark Twain said, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated” and based on recent developments in toner technology I believe that is the case here as well. Read More
Kornit is expanding its digital capabilities through the acquisition of Custom Gateway, positioning itself to offer a complete end-to-end digital production process. Textiles expert Debbie McKeegan explains. Read More
Art director Hadar Peled Vaissmanlays out how the design community should embrace digital print as their new design tool, as it can help designers reach new heights of creativity, stretch the limits of their imaginations, and design campaigns that better connect with younger generations. Read More
Epson’s new SureColor F10070 sports new features and capabilities, sure to help spur growth in digital textile fabric printing. Cary Sherburne takes a look at this new printer. Read More
As the global pandemic crisis has evolved, the print community has sprung into action, converting capacity freed up by declining demand to production of personal protective equipment (PPE) for first-line workers and average citizens. This includes, of course, face masks, which has turned into big business. Read about one example of how a supplier has provided tools to make production of these life-saving masks easier. Read More
Commercial printing has been in decline for the last decade,yet it is still a huge, multi-billion-dollar industry. While the total commercial print volume will continue to slide, digital printing’s share of the pie will continue to grow both in terms of volume and value. This article, sponsored by HP Indigo, looks at three HP Indigo 100K Digital Press customers and the steps they took to push their businesses forward, even as they are dealing with the effects of the global pandemic. Read More
Benson Integrated Marketing Solutions offers a wide variety of small- and wide-format printing, signage, apparel, and promotional materials to the multi-family home real estate market. Early adopters of web-to-print, Benson provides individual B2B sites for customers through which they can order customized materials, and has recently launched a B2C site for COVID-related products. Read More
As machine manufacturers increasingly add hybrid functions to textile solutions, production costs go down while throughput goes up; in fact, the EFI Reggiani BOLT can produce more than 5,400 linear meters per hour and can include two analog stations for embellishments such as metallics. These speeds and the accompanying functionality rival traditional analog solutions and have a hugely smaller environmental footprint. Learn more. Read More
Mimaki's recently introduced 3D printer models are giving commercial printers an entry into 3D printing—and are finding applications in some unique market niches. Read More
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
More businesses and brands embrace digital print as an efficient and cost-effective way to reach their audiences. This article, sponsored by Neenah Paper, offers some tips, best practices, and new ideas for using digital printing for direct marketing, and looks at the latest in Neenah’s popular Explore series that uses creatively designed print samples to help designers and printers alike get the most out of digital printing technologies. Read More
Last week, Miyakoshi Printing Machinery launched the MJP30AXF web-fed digital inkjet press, focused on the short-run, flexible packaging market. The company is positioning the MJP30AXF for success in the fast-growing flexible food and beverage segment by using water-based, pigment inks that the company says are safe for food packaging. Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding takes a look at the MJP30AXF. Read More
Inkjet Insight co-founder Mary Schilling describes how she used her digital printing skills to start a cottage industry making masks...with a little help from her friends. Read More
Highlights from “Digital Packaging: The Time Is Now!” (Napco Research) with a focus on changes in attitudes toward digital packaging and how technology is no longer the limiting factor in adoption. Read More
Kodak has been rebuilding, innovating, and is ready reclaim their leadership position. Refocused direction and new products that will support their customers’ needs will get them there. Read More
System vendors and paper mills are working diligently to create effective strategies for inkjet printing jobs that require glossy finishes and high coverage levels. These solutions can be separated into inkjet-treated papers and advanced inks and drying systems. Last week’s article discussed the pros and cons of inkjet-treated papers. This piece, the second in our two-part series, addresses advanced inks and drying systems. Read More
System vendors and paper mills are working diligently to create effective strategies for inkjet printing jobs that require glossy finishes and high coverage levels. These solutions can be separated into inkjet-treated papers and advanced inks and drying systems. This article, the first in a two-part series, will discuss the pros and cons of inkjet-treated papers. Next week’s piece will address advanced inks and drying systems. Read More
There are currently many postprint corrugated solutions out there, yet most have not gained significant traction in the market. Xeikon, their credibility, and the market understanding of Flint, puts them in a great position to enter and even grow the market. Read More
Colordyne 3600 Series AQ – Retrofit Printer Powered by Memjet offers increased flexibility and 3X increase in job throughput for Florida-based label and packaging printer G2 ID Source. Read More
Axpanel, a custom developer of inkjet printing and industrial automation for XY, rotary, and single-pass solutions, offers solutions for customized inkjet printing on sectional garage door panels. Read More
At the end of April, Global Graphics Software announced its Direct product range, a new class of software that drives data directly to the printhead electronics without any intermediate disk access. There are three products in the range: ScreenPro Direct™, Harlequin Direct™ and Streamline Direct™. The significance of Harlequin Direct for a PDF workflow is that there is no longer a need to RIP ahead. Read More
HP has spent the last four years developing ways to overcome the existing production barriers of their EP products and processes. They recently announced LEPx, a unique new imaging technology as an integral component of the V12, their future platform label press. Read More
Digital printing technologies have enabled a wide range of entrepreneurs to get into the industry, something that was more difficult before. An example is Cotton Bee Fabrics in Poland, which has leveraged Mimaki printing technology to transform a side hustle into a viable business. Read More
Printing on ceramic objects is a great business opportunity for printers and sign shops of all sizes. Although there are multi-million-dollar ceramic printing systems on the market, the good news is that it can be easy and affordable to enter the market for short to mid-sized runs of decorated ceramic products. Senior editor Cary Sherburne explains how. Read More
Lower barriers to entry and entry-level inkjet presses have created opportunities for new competitors for transaction printers. Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding offers strategies for how transactional printers can competition-proof themselves. Read More
As the textiles and apparel industry works to improve supply chain management and reduce its environmental footprint, many view pigment inks as the Holy Grail—print on any fabric, no need for pre- or post-treatment in many cases. What’s not to like? The hand feel, that’s what. Here’s what Kornit is doing to address that issue. Read More
Global demand for T-shirts continues to grow with direct-to-garment printing being the top technology choice for decorating them with an annual double-digit growth rate projected. Learn why pigment inks are key to maintaining—and even accelerating—this growth rate. Read More
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed significant shortcomings in today’s supply chain structure. As companies look to reconfigure their supply base, do they also nee to think about radically restructuring manufacturing processes? This thoughtful piece from textiles industry expert Debbie McKeegan addresses that issue. Read More
Canon has announced the next generation in its VarioPrint line of sheetfed inkjet presses. The varioPRINT iX series is built on a new platform, based on the experiences from the current i-series platform, and is designed for commercial print applications. Read More
On March 30, Xeikon unveiled its extensive plans for what was to be its drupa 2020 exhibit in an exclusive briefing for the media. Following the briefing, we spoke with Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s Vice President of Marketing, to gain deeper insight into the strategy behind these developments, how being part of Flint Group has benefited the company, and more. In light of the postponement of drupa till April of 2021, Xeikon is putting plans in place to support the industry with continued innovation during the balance of 2020. Read More
Xeikon isn’t waiting until drupa 2021 to introduce new products they have been working on. The SX30000, Cheetah 2.0, and an upgraded X-800 are designed to reduce operating costs and increase competitiveness compared with other EP press manufacturers and entry level inkjet solutions like the Canon VarioPrint i300, and Xerox’s Rialto and Baltoro. Read More
We have a new word for you: “printfullness”! A digital state of mind and machine that is spawning the next industrial revolution. It’s a growth of design, process, production and demand. Learn more! Read More
We all love our blue jeans. They are comfortable, often stylish, but what about their impact on the environment? What if you could have a pair of jeans with an almost indistinguishable look on the outside, but silky soft on the inside, with a 97% water footprint reduction? Sound impossible? With new fabric printing technologies, it’s totally achievable. Read what Dalton Cheng of Intech has to say on this subject and more. Read More
On the heels of the HP PageWide announcement last week, HP Indigo has now announced some significant technology and product advancements which seem to reaffirm industry shifts, but more importantly highlight the company’s direction going forward. Read More
HP likes to combine technology innovation with the release of a new press. In this case, the new innovation is HP Brilliant InkTMand the press is the new HP PageWide Web Press T250 HD. Targeted at commercial and publishing markets, initially Brilliant InkTMadds compatibility with offset coated and uncoated media through the selective use of a new HP Optimizer. This brings HP PageWide to the level of media handling capabilities of the competing Canon ProStream and Ricoh VC70000. Read More
Kevin Shimamoto is the CMO of Memjet, a company that is positioned to provide the tools for the next generation of printing applications. His background, and the Memjet mission, is a great story that brings energy and innovation to print. Read More
There have been many advances in ink sets for digital textile printing over the last several years. Are you up to date with the latest information? This article will give you insight into five ink types available, how they work, and which fabric types they are suited for. Read More
There is a surge in demand for printed books, driven by two trends: self-publishing and on-demand printing, both enabled by digital printing technology. Of the 700 million books produced in the U.S. last year, about half were printed on demand using digital technology. Frank Romano profiles Lowell, Mass.’s King Printing Company, which takes on-demand book printing to the next level. Read More
The push and pull between creatives and production professionals occurs in just about every industry, including textiles. Creatives want bold designs that enhance their portfolios and bring beauty to the world. Production folks just want something that they can produce! Helping bridge that gap is the topic of today’s article by WhatTheyThink contributor and textiles expert Debbie McKeegan. Read More
As the world’s second largest polluter, the textiles and apparel industry has placed a huge focus on improving supply chain management to reduce its environmental footprint. WhatTheyThink contributor and textiles expert Debbie McKeegan talks about how digital textile printing can be a key to this effort, unlocking the supply chain while offering speed and sustainability. Read More
You can’t attend any textiles and apparel events or speak with industry professionals without the subject of workforce challenges arising. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Marilyn McNeil-Morin about the Fashion Exchange program at Toronto’s George Brown College that has programs in place to help address these issues. Read More
Although UV technology currently dominates the inkjet printing market, aqueous printing is gradually rising. This article provides a brief overview of the inkjet printing market and considers what the future may hold for UV and aqueous technologies. Read More
In Part 2 of this series, I focus on the available digital post-print solutions with some limited product mentions. Leading up to drupa, I will cover some of the offerings in greater depth. All of the solutions discussed here are “single pass” printers, where the printheads are stationary and only the media moves. They include complete corrugating equipment with built in printing, to a tabletop printer with lots of other options in between. Equipment pricing ranges from in excess of $4MM to as low as $19K. In summary: Lots of Choices! Read More
At last month’s AATCC/SGIA Digital Textile Printing Conference 4.0, I had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan Tio and his brother Patrick of California-based Prima-Tex. His active and informed participation in the conference discussions were an inspiration, and he agreed to a subsequent interview for this article. Read More
Any time textile professionals gather, color management is always a topic of discussion. It becomes even more complex when introducing digital fabric printing into the mix. WhatTheyThink contributor and textiles expert Debbie McKeegan shares insights on achieving the perfect print. Read More
There are “two primary” corrugated print manufacturing processes for high graphics: a multi-process method of printing on a top sheet (liner) which is then laminated to the corrugated material, or, alternatively, a single process method of printing directly on the corrugated material, sometimes called “post-print.” In this article, we will look at the award-winning Bobst THQ (Très Haute Qualité) FlexoCloud technology focused on corrugated post-print production, and perhaps some alternative methods. Read More
One of the most exciting growth areas in print today is direct-to-object (DtO) printing, but challenges of ink adhesion, transport, and feeding abound. I spoke with Peter Baldwin, Director of Marketing for East Dorset, Vt.’s Engineered Printing Solutions (EPS), about some of the issues—and opportunities—involved in direct-to-object printing. Read More
At the AATCC/SGIA Digital Textile Printing Conference 4.0 last December, one of the high points was a presentation by Kathy Phillips, Vice President of Design/Trend at Springs Creative, a show-and-tell that highlighted the company’s rich history in textiles, beginning with the founding of the Fort Mill Manufacturing Company in 1887 by Samuel Elliot White. We talked with Phillips to get more detail on this fascinating story to share with our readers. Read More
One of the more active growth areas for print service providers and of digital printing equipment development is corrugated, and for good reason. Estimates of corrugated shipments in North America are in excess of 420 billion square feet and growing. Estimates for three or more color “high graphics” corrugated production is growing as well with actual output for 2019 anticipated to have 20%–30% share of the overall corrugated volume. Overall, this is an exciting market with a lot of growth potential. Read More
In the printed textiles market, pigment inks are a hot topic due to their ability to print brilliant colors on a wide variety of fabrics, often without pre-treatment. WhatTheyThink contributor and textiles expert Debbie McKeegan explains why. Read More
For the fourth straight year, AATCC and SGIA joined forces to bring the Digital Textile Printing Conference to the industry, a forum that addressed pressing issues and provided nearly 140 attendees with the ability to learn, network, and provide feedback that will help the associations continue to meet the needs of an evolving industry. Read More
The Maker movement continues to grow around the globe. In this post, WhatTheyThink contributor and textiles expert Debbie McKeegan outlines how digital technologies are spurring even further growth and opportunity in the UK market. These trends are relevant to North America as well, enabling creative individuals, designers, and artisans to build their own unique businesses and together generate a vibrant craft Industry in ever increasing numbers. Read More
Uteco and Kodak have just announced that they sold the first UTECO Sapphire EVO W product production inkjet press designed for flexible packaging. The “W” refers to “Wide” since this press has a 1250 mm (49 in.) width. The EVO W is the first press to be powered by the Kodak ULTRASTREAM technology. The press supports a higher resolution of 600 x 1800 dpi at up to 150 mpm (492 fpm). Overall productivity can be 4X over existing digital solutions. Read More
For decades, digital printing for the fashion, décor, industrial, and graphics industry was relegated to sampling and short-run printing. With the advantages of innovative inkjet technology, the industry is now addressing the demand for environmentally responsible output, innovative designs, and the need to improve supply chain operation. This article examines the latest textile industry trends and the dynamics of digital innovations on this massive industry supply chain, and looks at innovations in design and digital print, as well as cutting and sewing of textile-based products. Read More
Spandex, Lycra, elastane: Whatever would we do without these stretchy, comfortable fabrics. And digital textile printing adds even more flexibility to what can be done with them. Textiles guru Debbie McKeegan explains. Read More
Cary Sherburne looks at how print businesses can profit from offering heat-transfer dye-sublimation services, including textile-based products, as well as mugs, metallic substrates, and more. Read More
Senior Editor Cary Sherburne interviewed Craig Chumney, Vice President of Baton Rouge-based Franklin Direct Marketing, to gain insight into how the acquisition of a Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1 UV inkjet press has enhanced his business. Read More
Digital print output is forecast to grow by 65% over the next 10 years to reach $230 billion by 2029. This dynamic growth rate will be driven by incursions into package printing, as well as books and other graphic printing areas, according to Smithers report The Future of Digital Print: Long-Term Strategic Forecasts to 2029. Read More
OnPoint Manufacturing has been looking for a digital textile printing solution that could keep up with the rest of its manufacturing process for some time. The company has determined that the new Kornit Presto digital textile printer fits the bill. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Chairman Kirby Best to learn why. Read More
As ink and machine prices tumble, with print speeds and quality increasing at an astonishing rate, there’s a huge opportunity for the digital print community to take advantage of new business opportunities, according to textiles guru and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan. Read the stats! Read More
What was new at PRINTING United on the wide-format front? In this feature, Richard Romano runs down a handful of announcements and other items that caught his interest. Read More
When you think about digital textile printers and where they might be installed, your first thought isn’t a photo lab. But that’s exactly where the first North American HP Stitch S1000 production model went. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Mark Lane, co-owner of American Color Imaging (ACI), to learn how this printer will fit into its overall business model. Read More
Fashion Designer Mary Katrantzou embraced digital textile printing in 2008 and has already become known as the Queen of Digital Print. Textiles guru and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan shares the story of her meteoric rise. Read More
WhatTheyThink spoke with Marybeth Gilbert, Vice President General Manager Production Inkjet and Packing Business, Chris Irick, Worldwide Product Marketing Manager, Entry Production Inkjet, and Bill Bay, Manager, Production Cut Sheet Business Team. Read More
Digital wide-format printing and new substrates are changing the face of wall décor, both in commercial and residential spaces. In this feature, we look at some unique applications and detail some prevailing trends. Read More
Web-to-print has become well-entrenched in commercial printing, and same on-demand production model is now making its way into the textiles and apparel industry. Cary Sherburne talks to Steve Smith, founder of DPInnovations, about the company’s Web2Fabric, a set of tools that can be modularly configured to meet the needs of individual companies. Read More
The adoption of production inkjet so far has narrowly targeted mid to high-end production requirements. However, light production including higher-end departmental MFP devices currently addressed by EP (toner) devices is a significant portion of the market. Memjet just introduced a low-cost single pass OEM printhead solution to target that market. The tide may be turning… Read More
One of the hottest topics in packaging print today is corrugated, and for many reasons. One of those is that it is a market area showing a solid growth trajectory. So, what are the areas of growth, and what are some of the challenges that will affect the growth of digital print, more specifically production inkjet, in corrugated? Read More
Senior Editor Cary Sherburne interviewed John Hummel, fourth-generation owner and CEO of Hummel Integrated Marketing Solutions, to gain insight into how the acquisition of a Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1 UV inkjet press has enhanced his business. Read More
World Textile Information Network (WTIN) has released its latest data regarding worldwide digital printing of textiles and we recap some of that information here. Read More
"Inkjet devices can print on any surface" is a common industry talking point, but the practical reality is a bit more complicated, involving the chemical and physical interplay of inks and substrates. This article offers an inkjet printing reality check. Read More
This article is a part of a series looking at production inkjet solutions leading up to and through drupa 2020. We will look at what’s new, how it’s being used, and how it’s transforming print service providers. In this article, we go to the front lines and we take a look at Mercury Printing of Rochester, N.Y., a perfect example of a digital technology and business transformation. And for all the right reasons… Read More
TransPromo—bicapitalized with a T and P to emphasize the link between transactional and promotional communications—is experiencing a resurgence. Consumer-facing communicators are using TransPromo techniques in their printed and digital communications. This article explores why TransPromo is re-emerging as a talk track. Read More
Many businesses believe they’ve made the digital transformation, yet market shares of digitally printed pages are only in single digits. This article explores the disconnect between perceptions and reality in our industry’s digital transformation, and also discusses what must be done to help close this gap. Read More
Production inkjet solutions are proliferating at an ever-increasing rate. The quality of many of the solutions has finally reached that of offset, and the productivity has surpassed that of toner. There are also a lot more options and opportunities. Perhaps it is time to step back and take stock of where we are and where things could be going? Read More
In the textiles and apparel industry, color management has historically been a given. Now with the introduction of digital textile printing into the mix, new color management challenges have arisen. In this article, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne takes a look at the current state of color management in the textiles and apparel industry, and where it goes from here. Read More
Benny Landa first introduced the concept of “Nanography” at drupa 2012. There was a reaffirmation of the introduction at drupa 2016, and since then, lots of quiet. It turns out the quiet was self-imposed, and in the interim Landa has been very busy building an organization and shipping presses. Read More
Digital technologies, innovation and sustainability were key elements that drew a great deal of attention at the recent ITMA 2019 show in Barcelona. In this second ITMA article, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne highlights some of the advances she noticed during the show. This just scratches the surface of ITMA announcements but provides a feel for the speed with which the industry is adopting digital technologies that affect the entire supply chain. Read More
During LIGNA 2019, Keypoint Intelligence – InfoTrends caught up with José Luis Ramón Moreno of EFI and Olaf Rohrbeck of Bürkle/LIGNA to learn more about the recently announced partnership between EFI and Robert Bürkle GmbH. This article provides a transcription of the interview. Read More
ITMA 2019 Textile and Garment Technology Exhibition, the world’s largest trade fair for the textiles industry, is taking place in Barcelona from June 20 to 26. For our printing industry readers, this is like the drupa of textiles. Here are some of the highlights from the show, with a focus on how companies are addressing the growing need for an ecosystem approach to digital textile printing. Read More
Once again, market research firm SmithersPira hosted Digital Print Week, with two conferences back to back: Digital Print for Packaging U.S. and Digital Textile Printing U.S. WhatTheyThink Senior Editor Cary Sherburne attended both sessions. The WhatTheyThink team also captured some great video content during the conferences, which will be run on the site over the next few weeks. Read More
David Zwang reports from Interact 2019, Ricoh’s annual customer event comprising nearly 60 sessions which covered a wide range of topics, both high-level and highly detailed. It also provided an opportunity to meet some of the new Ricoh leadership team. Read More
FESPA 2019 in Munich was, by all accounts, its most successful show yet. The WhatTheyThink team walked all six halls, attended lots of press events, and did video interviews with a number of exhibitors that will be running over the next few weeks. Here are our key takeaways from the show. Read More
In Part 2 of “Rebirth of Flexo,” David Zwang looks at an example of a flexo solution and its components that provides a significant deterrent to the onslaught of production inkjet in packaging production. Read More
During new printing technology introductions there has usually been displacement and realignment of the existing print technology roles. During those transformational times, there are many old and new options. Packaging production is now going through one of these periods, raising the question: what type of print technology is best? In packaging production, this decision is getting harder, as a result of the rebirth of flexo printing. Read More
Kevin Karstedt reports from last week’s Xeikon Café, two days of forward-thinking presentations, nearly 40 solutions partners, and some new “killer apps” that are pushing far more than envelopes in today’s digital printing environment. Read More
FESPA 2019 attracted attendees on a global scale under the theme of an “Explosion of Possibilities.” In partnership with Keypoint Intelligence – InfoTrends, the event’s organizers collected feedback from the 2018 Print Census research to determine key areas of focus for the 2019 event. Read More
We are seeing significant advancements in label and packaging production in both digital and analog production. However, one thing in common is rapid growth. Global Graphics released the Harlequin RIP v12 about a year ago with some of the new PDF 2.0 features. This new Harlequin RIP/Renderer v12.1 has added many additional features designed for print and further targeted at label and packaging production. David Zwang takes an in-depth look at this new release. Read More
Digital has become a viable method for printing a variety of fabric applications, and the technology is now extending its reach into the direct-to-garment (DTG) market. This article offers a brief discussion about the growth in DTG printing and discusses some key trends for the commercial and industrial printing sectors. Read More
Last week, Fujifilm held a user event at its experience center outside Chicago to launch the J Press 750S, the company’s third-generation cut-sheet production inkjet press. The event included presentations from Fujifilm executives, a user panel, and a tour of the center featuring Fujifilm’s vast portfolio of inkjet technologies, both small- and wide-format. Read More
On Friday, EFI announced yet another acquisition, this time Turkish company BDR Boya Kimya, a leading manufacturer of reactive inkjet inks for industrial digital textile printing. We spoke with Adele Genoni, EFI Reggiani’s Vice President and General Manager, to get the inside scoop on this acquisition. While we had her on the line, we also asked for an update on EFI BOLT, the world’s fastest digital textile printer. Read More
Inkjet and digital technology typically have a large color gamut—larger than Idealliance GRACoL and Fogra. This market needed a color space, profile, and dataset so Idealliance created XCMYK. Read More
High-value applications and the digital devices that are required to produce them are becoming increasingly prevalent. These solutions are now moving downstream and have become accessible to medium-sized and even small print service providers. This article explores how high-value applications are coming to represent the fast track to the digital transformation. Read More
Back in early 2018, we spoke with Mike Horsten, then Business Manager for Large Format Professional EMEA at HP, about HP’s potential plans for entering the digital textile printing market. Now, more than a year later, HP has made its first announcements, launching the HP Stitch series of textile printers. The company held a media briefing to discuss its strategy. Read More
Embellishment has been a function of print production for as long as there has been printing. In fact, it almost goes back to the beginning of the writing of documents. There is no doubt that embellishment does add value to the printed product. Especially with the more recent introduction of digital embellishment technologies designed to complement digital printing. Now that embellishments have finally begun to capture market awareness, new developments are happening all the time. In part 2 of this series, David Zwang will look at new mainstream technologies that add embellishments and value to print and packaging production. Read More
The acquisition of Ferrari Color by Signs.com caught our attention. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Signs.com cofounder and chief operating officer Nelson James to get the inside story. Read More
The 2019 Xeikon Café event, which took place in late March, attracted 1,000+ visitors from about 250 companies. This article provides a brief overview of Xeikon’s recent progress while also discussing the effects of its annual event. Read More
Canon Solutions America President Peter Kowalczuk and Production Print Solutions Executive Vice President Francis McMahon talk to WhatTheyThink/Printing News about the company’s new emphasis on the services part of the organization and how today’s production inkjet vendors are tasked with not just offering top-of-the-line technology, but playing a more consultative role in helping customers with business development. Read More
DSCOOP is a mature show, so its organizers are continually seeking ways to innovate, educate, and inspire. This article provides some key highlights from this year’s event and the DSCOOP Edge agenda. Read More
Security printing is no longer about just about foiling counterfeiters. From packaging to book printers to retail to businesses that serve the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, along with financial printers, protection of files and products must be considered. There is a need for a broader definition of what security printing means and for a greater number of print providers to think of themselves as “security printers.” Maybe instead it should be called “secure printing.” Read More
The Fashion Institute of Technology and OnPoint Manufacturing yesterday announced a new development in fashion design that will enable more entrepreneurism to occur in this market. Unique.Fashion is a unique web portal for designers and buyers that is set to transform how fashion is marketed and produced. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with OnPoint Chairman Kirby Best to learn more. Read More
We have all seen the studies and even experienced first-hand the value of personalization in direct mail and other forms of communication. But what about the value of personalization in products and packaging? There are a lot of projections into what the market value “could” be, but how do you take advantage of that? Read More
To move the needle on direct mail responses, your customers may change up their copy, their images, or their list. But what about their offers? A new Bed Bath & Beyond mailer raises an interesting question. Read More
Window graphics are a growing subset of wide-format printing, and are popping up in more and more locations, both public and private, and new films and materials are making window graphics more versatile and eye-catching than ever. Printing is the easy part; it’s installation that can cause problems, and eat into your profitability. Here are some dos and don’t for working with window graphics. Read More
Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Roland DGA President Andrew Oransky about the company’s entry into the direct-to-garment (DTG) market as well as its overall go-to-market strategy and its future plans relative to direct-to-textile printing. Read More
HP Indigo hosted its annual Global VIP event in Tel Aviv, Israel, from February 11–14, 2019. This year’s event drew over 650 visitors to HP Indigo’s headquarters, production, and Research & Development sites to learn about the company’s latest offerings. The event highlighted the latest devices in HP’s digital press lineup and also discussed business opportunities for growing applications. Read More
Hunkeler Innovationdays is a biennial event that brings together some of the latest digital press workflows and equipment with the latest finishing equipment to showcase complete solutions. Surprisingly, this is done in an atmosphere that presents exhibitors as equals, without much of the hype or fanfare that you might expect at a print show. The theme of this year’s event “Success with Automation” is a very timely topic considering the growth and impact of production inkjet technology. As they have done in the past, they have accomplished their goal. Read More
As the analog-to-digital transformation heats up for textiles, the opportunities for entrepreneurs heats up as well. Experience in transformations of other industries shows that not only do opportunities abound for entrepreneurs, but established businesses risk the most from non-traditional competition. We share some of their transformative stories in this article. Read More
As we put the final touches on our Printing Outlook 2019 report, based on our Winter 2018–2019 Business Outlook survey, this article highlights a few of the findings specific to wide-format and specialty printing. Is it still a compelling business opportunity? And what are print businesses’ wide-format investment plans? Read More
An announcement from WeaveUp, a technology company offering digital print room solutions and customization tools for fabric, about its partnership with JOANN Fabrics, the leading fabric and craft retailer in the U.S., caught our eye. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne connected with Flint Davis, the company’s President, to learn more. Read More
Kodak Enterprise Inkjet Systems Division (EISD) has officially put a stake in the ground—and that stake is positioned in the heart of volume label and packaging production. While they have been flirting around the edges of packaging production since drupa 2012, outwardly their focus has seemed to be in their legacy wheelhouse; transactional, direct mail, and commercial print. That is about to change, and in fact it already has…. Read More
Today we have many different print technologies available, including a variety of offset, electrophotographic, and inkjet presses from many different manufacturers using a variety of unique manufacturing and design techniques. Additionally, all of these at a minimum have a DFE which controls the file processing prior to print. They all have the potential to be used to produce commercial print, labels, packaging, and industrial printing. So how do you determine that the press you are using or about to purchase is up to the challenge? And how do you compare it to other similar and even different presses? Read More
Even though EFI Connect has been around for two decades now, the 2019 event included many firsts! Customers, partners, analysts, and journalists in attendance enjoyed a lively event emceed by Frank Tueckmantel and hosted by Bill Muir, EFI’s new CEO. This article provides a brief overview of EFI’s strategy as it moves into the future with a new focus and new leadership. Read More
EFI is turning 30 this year, and the EFI Connect user conference turns 20. It’s been a rollercoaster of changes in technology, in printing, and in the culture at large. Cary Sherburne and Richard Romano recap this year’s event. Read More
Thanks to ongoing innovations in customer segmentation and data mining, today’s enterprises now have access to more information about their customers than ever before. In parallel, consumers’ expectations are also shifting—people understand that their providers have access to a great deal of their personal information, and they now expect any communications to reflect this level of knowledge. This article explores the impact that personalization has on the effectiveness of customer communications. Read More
MGI’s AlphaJET is unique and it goes to the core of their company’s DNA: building “application-based” printing presses. However, it is designed to support a much wider range of solutions than just commercial printing applications, with a primary focus on packaging and industrial. It sure looks like a print factory… Read More
This Minneapolis-based startup is changing the way retailers and others are thinking about direct mail. No batches. No minimums. Just programmatic direct mail generated by a trigger determined by the customer that puts the mailer into the queue in real time. Read More
2019 has all the potential to become a pivotal year in print and packaging. It is a Hunkeler Innovation Days year and the leadup year to drupa 2020…and available technology is maturing. Strap yourselves in for an exciting year! Read More
On a recent visit to Miami, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne stopped by to visit Carla Llull at House of Llull Atelier, an apparel design and manufacturing operation focused on delivering high quality swimwear. House of Llull is celebrating its fifth anniversary. Read More
Significant market drivers are having profound impacts on the printing ink market. Technology, changes in world population, and shifts in brand use of printed packaging and graphics, among other trends, are causing disruption in the global inks market that will be seen to 2023. Smithers Pira presents some highlights of its new report “The Future of Global Ink Markets to 2023.” Read More
As we head into 2019 and toward 2020, what are the emerging and accelerating trends in wide-format and specialty printing? The buzzword is “convergence,” which will only accelerate, but what other forces are changing the nature of applied graphics? Read More
MakerBot, a subsidiary of Stratasys, has two primary missions: Helping to innovate in STEM education to better prepare kids for the future, and to help companies bring product to market faster. It is in this latter category that today’s announcement of MakerBot Method falls. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Forrest Leighton and Shawn Miely of MakerBot to learn more. Read More
A look at a well-intentioned personalized mailing that illustrates why it’s so important to get these communications right. Not just so the client gets the best return on investment, but to preserve your own relationship with the client. Poor personalization = poor results, and poor results = disengaged clients. Nobody wants that. Read More
For the most part, commercial printers are locked out of the existing supply chain for digital textiles. This article explores the more accessible textile segments that commercial printers can participate in, including textile-based sign and display graphics and direct-to-garment. Read More
Wide-format is here with a vengeance. One webinar provided a great summary of data on the growth and opportunities in wide-format graphics. Read More
Earlier this month, print shop owners and managers from around the Northeast journeyed to Grant Graphics in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for a day-long program of wide-format educational sessions and equipment demonstrations. Read More
Thanks to some internal numbers from United Mail, we get a look inside the cost savings and QC improvements of switching from a hybrid to a Canon Solutions America VarioPrint i300 workflow. Read More
How do you reinvent a 160-year-old business to address the new market requirements? This is a challenge that we have been seeing over and over again, and many companies have not been able to make that change. Heidelberg seems to have found the formula that looks at their internal organization, but more importantly, at their customers’ changing requirements as well. Read More
Officially launched in September 2018, the Rhode Island Textile Innovation Network (RITIN) is another example of initiatives across the country that are working to revive the U.S. textile and apparel industry, both with innovations that improve efficiency and to reshore textile and apparel manufacturing. We spoke with RITIN steering committee chairman and CEO of textile company Trans-Tex Michael Woody to learn more. Read More
EFI Reggiani held a gala launch event for its new EFI Reggiani BOLT single-pass digital textile printer at Reggiani’s Bergamo, Italy, headquarters. Attended by nearly 300 media, customers, and potential customers, the event generated a high level of excitement. With high-quality print speeds of up to 90 meters per minute, this press looks to be a game changer for high-volume digital textile printing. Read More
Smithers Pira shares its recent research that looks at the future of packaging to 2028, quantifying the overall market by packaging type and identifying the major emerging drivers of packaging market growth. Read More
The digital transformation in textiles and apparel is well underway. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne writes about the drivers for this transformation and how fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff is leveraging digital technologies in unique ways. Read More
The Vomela Companies, headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., started in 1947 doing promotional product printing. Now, 71 years later, the company has expanded through both organic growth and acquisition to produce retail, POS, décor, event, and fleet graphics for a wide variety of local and national brands and venues. Their most recent project: wrapping 3M’s 14-story corporate headquarters. Read More
Designers in textiles and apparel typically use Adobe products to create their designs. But until now, there have not been textile-specific tools to make the task easier. To address this, Adobe has announced Project Paras, a set of tools that allow designers to stay within Photoshop CC and reduce the number of steps required to complete and preview a design. We spoke with Adobe to learn more. Read More
The final SGIA Expo was a culmination of all the specialty graphics innovations of the past decade or two—with a few signposts (digitally printed, of course) pointing to the future. Read More
Labelexpo 2018 in Rosemont, Ill., and PRINT 18 in Chicago are over, and it they were pretty exciting shows. The crowds were enthusiastic and buying from early indications. In this second of two parts I will look at how embellishment is moving from a standalone mechanical process to digital mainstream production. Read More
This survey by NAPCO Research and commissioned by the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) included something rarely seen in digital printing surveys: a look at the use of digital printing across the entire buyer’s journey. It’s good news. Retailers are embracing digital printing for more than just direct mail. Read More
Since launching its high-end Avalanche HD6 direct-to-garment printer and HD upgrade to most Avalanche systems with RAPID ink technology in the first quarter of this year, Kornit Digital has installed or upgraded a whopping 150 HD systems. Now the company has brought HD direct-to-garment technology to within reach of smaller businesses with the launch of the Storm HD6. Read More
The SGIA Expo 2018 opened yesterday to large crowds and a completely full exhibition hall. Our recap of Day 1 looks at where SGIA President and CEO Ford Bowers sees the organization and the industry going, and highlights a handful of new product announcements. Read More
Gibsonton, Fla.’s Rocken Graphics has carved out a unique niche among print service providers: signage and tent graphics for traveling carnivals. We spoke with Kenny Smith, founder of Rocken Graphics, about how he got into this market, as well as how his product offerings extend beyond simple printed graphics. Read More
Labelexpo 2018 in Rosemont (Chicago area) is over, and it was an exciting show. The crowds were enthusiastic and, from early indications, buying. In this first of two parts, I will look at interesting press hardware trends. Read More
For over 10 years BERGSTEIN has been developing and delivering industrial printers. Their first flatbed printers were based on solvent inks, already printing products with a height up to 30 cm. They put significant investments and developments into small flatbed printers, which are suitable for a huge range of industrial products using UV or LED inks and direct to shape. And in the last 5 years Bergstein is selling solutions for customer in Industrial Single Pass printing. Read More
Ongoing research and forecast data from Keypoint Intelligence – InfoTrends shows that the digital textile printing market continues to grow. As the industry develops new manufacturing methods to meet this continued growth in demand, it is important to consider the environmental impact of these developments. This analysis explores some recent innovations in digital textile printing and considers the effect that these innovations may have on the environment. Read More
Consumer demand and technological innovations continue to drive growth within the apparel and home décor industries. This article outlines the key components of the digital textile printing industry and highlights how mass customization is fueling the adoption of various technologies. Read More
Value in the world inkjet market will rise at 9.4% across the next five years according to the latest market report The Future of Inkjet Printing to 2023 from Smithers Pira. As the worldwide print market transforms, shifts in buyer demands—short runs, versioned and personalized products—and higher quality are aligning with the capabilities of inkjet. This is making it a key focus for technology developers. Smithers’ analysis shows that across the next five years inkjet will grow, both by deepening its penetration into existing markets, and exploiting new emergent market opportunities. Read More
Consumer demand and technological innovations are driving growth in the apparel and home décor industries. This article explores some of the ongoing shifts that are occurring in the industry and considers how these shifts are affecting the digital textile market on a global basis. Read More
IGAS 2018 may not get as much attention as some of the other international trade shows, but InfoTrends analysts still found several products that we believe will make an impact on the global print market. Read More
Digital marketing claims to have the corner on truly personalized experiences, but does it really? How can print compete? Accuracy. Read More
Every year, Keypoint Intelligence – InfoTrends publishes its digital printing forecast to identify placements of digital devices, installed base, print volumes, and revenues achieved. This article provides an overview of some recent top-level forecast data and also explores how new developments in a long-established market can create new opportunities while also driving print volumes. Read More
This is the first of a series of articles by Senior Editor Cary Sherburne on technical textiles—how they fit in the industry, why they are important, and interesting new developments. In this first installment in the series, Sherburne defines technical textiles and provides examples of how they are purpose-built for specific applications. Read More
Ecommerce has created a new demand for custom corrugated boxes. To satisfy that demand, the purchase of Plymouth Packaging by WestRock has created a new momentum for producing custom sized boxes on demand at a time when the demand for variable-sized boxes in exploding. Read More
Digital textile printing is taking off, and solutions that increase flexibility while maintaining high quality standards will help speed this analog-to-digital transformation. We recently spoke with Ann Sawchak, co-founder of Expand Systems, about the company’s DuraVibe fabrics and the role they play in enabling more digital printing volume. Read More
Web-to-print is well established in the world of commercial printing, and web-to-fabric is now gaining steam in textiles, as the demand for shorter runs and faster turn times for customized and personalized textiles and apparel grows. We recently spoke with DPInnovations about its web2fabric workflow solution which has been installed in more than 20 customer locations. Read More
In 2011, David Zwang began a series that looked at the current production inkjet product offerings from a wide range of vendors, discussing how they are being, or could be, used. Since then he has continued to evaluate and report on new developments. The latest product is the new Ricoh Pro VC70000, which rounds out the Ricoh VC Pro production print offerings with an impressive press targeted at higher-quality offset-to-digital migration with the ability to print on many commodity coated offset papers with higher ink densities and without the need for precoat. Read More