Business - Knowledge

Fifteen years ago in 1998, a small team from Cambridge Consultants exhibited a prototype of the first ever flatbed inkjet printer at Ipex. It immediately became clear that flatbed inkjet printing represented a clear opportunity for the printed packaging market and that, in addition, both the point-of-sale and signage markets could benefit from this innovation, provided that suitable inks could be found for these applications.

To take flatbed inkjet printing into the POS and signage sector, Cambridge Consultants entered into their first discussions with the world-renowned screen ink manufacturer, Sericol (now Fujifilm) to develop inks that would provide excellent printing quality on a variety of materials at high speeds.

Two years later Inca was officially formed by a team with venture capital support who were determined to take the Inca/Sericol partnership forward and create a successful flatbed inkjet printing business. In the same year, Sericol launched its first digital range of inks - the Uvijet range - designed specifically for use in Inca printers. These inks would soon prove to be essential in Inca’s continued success and Fujifilm remains to this day, the sole supplier of Uvijet inks.

From the outset, Sericol was the perfect match for Inca. As well as being a highly acclaimed ink manufacturer, the company also provided a well-established worldwide distribution network and global support service, which gave the two companies the means to reach out to a wide audience with their new products.

Shortly after Inca’s creation, it celebrated its first official product launch with the Eagle 44, in partnership with Sericol. As the first wide format flatbed inkjet printer on the market, the Eagle 44 proved immediately successful, providing a strong foundation for growth and development.

Between 2001 and 2005, inkjet technology evolved at a fast rate and with this rapid development, new opportunities for flatbed inkjet printing continued to emerge. Inca, together with Sericol, enjoyed several years of regular product launches, with each product proving more sophisticated and more capable in terms of speed and quality than the previous one. This pipeline enabled Inca to increase sales and, with the help of the Sericol global distribution network, expand to new territories around the world. This demonstrated that Inca’s technology, coupled with Sericol’s ink knowledge and well-established sales channels had the ability to be a powerful and highly successful combination.

In 2005, Sericol was acquired by Fujifilm, a global powerhouse with businesses in a number of technology sectors. This acquisition not only gave Fujifilm more opportunities in the fast-growing inkjet market, but also served to make the partnership with Inca an even stronger one. Inca itself was bought by the Dainippon Screen Group in 2005, providing support to develop new products and advance its technological expertise.

By 2006, wide-format digital inkjet printing had become a well-developed, highly regarded and extremely influential industry. As such a huge number of competitors had emerged, each one trying to offer new and innovative capabilities. During this period, Inca and Fujifilm worked even harder to strengthen their global position and reinforce their joint reputation as suppliers of ultra-productive and reliable systems of the highest quality.

This resulted in the highly acclaimed Onset printer being launched in 2007, which revolutionised the wide-format digital printing market. With its breakthrough speed and superb printing quality, the Onset became Inca’s flagship product with full width printheads, representing a huge step change in wide format printing and gaining an instant reputation for technological excellence. Even today, the Onset is virtually unrivalled in terms of quality and speed. This highly successful product launch and the continued success of the Inca/Fujifilm partnership around the world served to consolidate the pair’s reputation for excellence.

The collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008 and the subsequent global economic downturn led to a decline in sales for many wide-format equipment suppliers including Inca and Fujifilm. However, the two companies had the strength to look at the positives and find new opportunities. Despite the tough economic climate, the product development programme continued, and the Onset S20 printer was successfully launched in May 2009. This product filled a gap in the market and offered customers speed, quality and versatility at an affordable price. So, as sales of other products slowed, the popularity of the Onset S20 brought a needed boost.

As the economy started to pick up, Fujifilm and Inca continued to innovate and reinforce their position a global leaders in inkjet technology. Thanks to their robust partnership, the two companies have succeeded in regularly introducing impressive new Onset models that offer customers solutions to the challenges they encounter.

Inkjet technology is still evolving at an extraordinary rate. In 2013 alone both companies grew still further. Inca moved to a new, larger production facility which will enable the company to maximise opportunities and increase its overall product portfolio. Fujifilm continues to invest in new ink technologies and has opened a brand new digital ink manufacturing facility at its Broadstairs site, built to accommodate a projected annual increase of 56% in the production of UV ink, manufactured in a range of batch sizes of up to 4000 litres. With this ink expertise, Inca will be able to develop systems that meet a wide range of customer needs, such as the recently launched Onset Q40i which brings a new level of quality to wide format flatbed digital printing.

Inca and Fujifilm have demonstrated from day one that a strong and stable partnership is the key to success. As 2013 marks the 15th anniversary of working together, the knowledge, expertise and determination to succeed will ensure that the partnership continues to deliver innovative production systems for an even wider range of applications that break new ground in terms of wide-format digital inkjet printing.

Founded in November 2003 by Loic Delor, Josero is celebrating its tenth anniversary this month. 

Loic Delor has an extensive technical background in the inkjet market having worked for Xaar in the late 1990s followed by Lyson/Nazdar.  His intricate understanding and knowledge of printheads and inks led him to launch Josero in 2003.The business originally started in Luxembourg selling wide format Chinese printers, plus inks and printheads to the Middle East and Europe. With its products reaching global markets, Josero realised it was time to have an online presence and its first website was launched in 2005. This increased the sales of its products significantly with customers viewing their products online before purchasing them.

In 2008, Josero Limited was registered in the UK and Jon Spencer joined the Josero team as Technical Director. The first office and warehouse facilities were opened that same year in Cambridge, providing Josero with the ability to house all its products on site and allowing them to ship stock within 24 hours to customers throughout the UK.

Setting up in the UK facilitated further growth for Josero and in January 2009 the company was appointed the exclusive master distributor for Triangle inks for UK & Ireland.

By 2010, Josero had expanded its product portfolio so much, the company invested in new premises in Cambridge to accommodate additional stock of Triangle inks and expand its demonstration and training facilities. The new premises boast 2500 sq/ft of space for storage, technical training, a demonstration suite and staff offices.

Keeping a watchful eye on market conditions, Josero saw a gap in the market a couple of years ago, where customers were keen to invest in superwide printers but many couldn’t really afford do so. This led to the company selling refurbished superwide printers in the UK. This has proved a great triumph as printing companies can now invest in nearly new machines at a fraction of their original price, with technical support and servicing from Josero.

The past three years has seen Josero develop partnerships with key players in the finishing market and expand its offering to the inkjet market with products such as Kala laminators, Trimalco cutters and Hanolex eyelet machines. The company became the exclusive distributor for the Bubble Free Applicator table for UK and Ireland earlier this year and is enjoying tremendous success with this product.

Loic Delor, Managing Director of Josero comments, “It’s hard to believe we have been trading so successfully for a decade. The company is unrecognisable from what it was ten years ago as we have greatly diversified our product offering. That said, our roots and expertise are firmly within the inkjet market. We have adapted our product range in line with technological developments and market conditions. We believe the key to our success is understanding the challenges our customers face and delivering products that will help them achieve their goals.”

Contex has released a Buyer's Guide for wide format scanning. The comprehensive document provides an overview of standard usages for scanners and the main factors that end-users should consider before investing in the technology.

According to the guide, scanning usage falls into four distinct scenarios: productivity, convenience, copy and print, and flexibility. By identifying and understanding a scanner's flexibility, usability, and image quality, users are more prepared to choose the right scanner for their requirements. The Buyer's Guide is free and available for download from Contex's website. 

"Contex is sharing its wealth of knowledge and expertise to help the community gain a better understanding of the options available wide format scanning," states Steve Blanken, General Manager Contex North and South America. "This Buyer's Guide provides clear explanations of scanning technologies and scanner capabilities, and is an invaluable tool for anyone considering the purchase of a wide format scanner."

Contex's Buyer's Guide explores the technologies central to a scanner's operations. It defines CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) and CIS (Contact Image Sensor) technology, the two prevailing image capture technologies in scanners, and which types of documents are best handled by each one. Similarly, the guide breaks down components of image quality, explaining the different roles optical resolution, lens quality, color bit depth, light source, and accuracy play in capturing an image. The guide then highlights which components end-users should pay most attention to given their scanning needs.

The Guide also presents users with versatile scanning options and categorizes scanners into five groups -- classic scanning, productivity, convenience, single footprint, and side-by-side. It includes descriptions of Contex's current offerings and details the scanners' different imaging applications, familiarising readers with the depth of Contex's product line. 

For more information about Contex scanners, email sales@contexam.com.

In the latest article in the series, Trevor Crawford, Event Director of IPEX 2014, talks about the survival of the fittest in the print industry and how change is the key to success...

"The world is changing, and the key to survival is to change with it. The printing industry is no exception to this, having undergone seismic change over the past decade or so, which continues to present challenges to printers. From the research we have undertaken and the discussions I’ve had with industry representatives, the issues facing almost every printer, large or small, are generally the same around the world. These are well documented; declining volumes, overcapacity, commoditisation, pricing pressures, finance, as well as the ongoing competition and integration from the internet and other competitive communications channels.

Add to this the ongoing debate as to whether the global economy remains in recession or not and you might be forgiven for wanting to lie down in a darkened room. But, there are promising signs, especially in the economies of Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and there are also areas of growth in many areas of print. Sectors such as direct marketing, packaging and label printing and print logistics, for example, are all looking strong. According to the latest ‘Printing Outlook’ published quarterly by the British Printing industries Federation (BPIF), printers in the UK are reporting improved confidence and renewed optimism. Likewise, the Printing Industries of America (PIA) which represents print businesses across North America, Canada and Mexico are reporting generally stable print volumes. As Dr Ronnie Davis, Chief Economist at the PIA told us: “We are experiencing modest growth here in the US, albeit at a low level of about 2.5%, but there are definitely green shoots in certain areas of the industry.”

So, while there are undoubtedly challenges for all businesses to face up to, there is potential new business for companies willing to adapt. This coupled with a more optimistic economic outlook, and there are opportunities to be had for those willing to grasp them, a view firmly supported by Dr Davis. “You can’t bring back the market, but you can adapt to the new challenges and manage that change.”

There are certainly many examples of companies that have successfully adapted to the new market conditions. These progressive companies have evolved their businesses to tackle issues head on. In the process, they’ve often identified cost efficiencies as well as developing new strategies, be that investment in the latest technology or entering into new markets which have enabled them to tap in to potential new revenue streams.

Innovate to drive success

Innovation is central to any successful business, and being able to invest in the latest technology solutions is essential to continue to raise the bar in terms of efficient, cost-effective production while delivering the very best quality print and customer service. Kathy Woodward, Chief Executive Officer at the BPIF believes driving efficiency is crucial. “It’s the primary investment focus for almost three-quarters of respondents to our latest Printing Outlook survey, which shows that there is continued investment in kit, training and product and process improvement in our industry.”

Digital print and in particular, inkjet technology, is another key enabler for print businesses to respond to their customer’s increasing demands for shorter print runs, versioning and personalisation. Equally, the internet, once seen as the enemy of the printing industry, today has a vital part to play in a modern organisation. Every print business should be using the Internet to drive sales as well as market its services. In addition, web-to-print solutions are giving print businesses greater access to their customers as well as deliver a more efficient, streamlined and profitable business model.

Financing this new technology in the current economic climate has often been a barrier to companies wanting to invest in the latest equipment, with traditional methods of raising capital putting huge strains on a business. However, by approaching this from a completely different angle, can pay dividends. Some companies are now looking at financing their investment on a pay-for-usage basis in partnership with their equipment suppliers. At the end of the day, this arrangement works well for all stakeholders being a win-win for everyone involved; printers can make use of the latest technologies without a huge initial capital outlay; manufacturers can generate sales income that would otherwise not be possible; and customers get a much better range of services from their print provider.

But it’s not just about the technology alone, an opinion shared by Neil Falconer, industry consultant and organiser of the Ipex 2014 Masterclasses.  Neil, who has first-hand experience of working with printers across five continents, told us “The real issue for printers is how to maximise the technology they have, be that offset, digital, wide format or hybrid solutions, instil a culture of change throughout the entire organisation, and have the right business model in place to drive the company forward.”

Kathy Woodward is also quick to recognise that it’s not just about investing in the latest equipment that holds the key to success, but strong leadership and responding to change. “Printing companies and the wider industry, are all working incredibly hard and creatively to develop the future of the printing industry. 

Chairman of the BAPC (British Association of Print & Communication) Sidney Bobb, believes it’s all about developing a USP. “It’s vital that printers today can differentiate themselves from their competitors, be that through investment in new technology, the latest software, or by introducing new value-added services.” This is a trend that is being adopted throughout the developed world, where companies are moving away from the more traditional, single print offering and in to areas such as database management and integrated media services. These new services complement its traditional print-based operation, enabling them to enter into the more lucrative sectors of integrated marketing services. 

This is a view also shared by Hagop Tchamkertenian, Economic Commentator and printing industry analyst based in Australia.  According to Hagop, “The pivotal issue has been the failure of many print businesses to properly acknowledge their true role in the modern economy – that as an enabling communications solutions provider.” The concerted efforts of forward-thinking print businesses to develop new strategies and expand their reach, is paying off. In the US for example, the PIA has seen first-hand, that by adapting and evolving its offerings, members have successfully increased their businesses by anything from five to 20%.

The feedback I’ve gained from the international print community is certainly pointing to strategic planning, a sound business model, differentiation as well as strong leadership to innovate and drive change as being the fundamental requirements for printer to not only survive, but to thrive." 

Ipex 2014 – To educate and inspire change
If print businesses can recognise the growth areas, and have a strength and leadership to move forward, there is definitely the potential for growth. Ipex 2014, which itself has had to adapt to the new industry, is therefore well placed to inspire and educate printers for the future. Not only as a showcase of the latest product enhancements and technology innovations, but also through a programme of seminars, workshops and master classes designed specifically to address current issues and equip printers with the tools needed to respond positively to the changing marketplace and ensure a long term, profitable future.

For more information on Ipex 2014, which takes place from 24-29th March at the ExCeL London, UK, please visit www.ipex.org.

Connecting with your customers – I hear it a lot these days. Manufacturers, resellers – in fact anyone with something to sell – are all collectively clambering to use social media to 'engage in meaningful dialogue with the customer.'

Forget social media and whatever merits it may or may not have in the B2B arena. AGFA Graphics has just shown me the correct way to connect with a customer in the real world.

I'm talking about the VIP trip that AGFA Graphics regularly runs from the UK to its European HQ in Antwerp, Belgium. I was invited along as an observer of sorts, to provide some impartial feedback, and of course to share my experience with the LFR readership.

The premise of this trip is to allow potential buyers of AGFA Graphics wide format print equipment to visit the AGFA factory, get an insight into AGFA as a company, and to get up close and personal with an array of the latest AGFA print production systems.

In the process of achieving the above, potential customers will be wined and dined in the posh seats on Eurostar, stay overnight in a quality Antwerp hotel, eat in a Michelin starred restaurant – all at AGFA's expense, I should add – and be offered access to more AGFA Graphics experts than you could shake a stick at. All of this in the company of other graphics business owners that, just like you, are considering the next moves needed to take their business forwards.

As a method of connecting with your customers, delivering a positive customer experience and getting the most pertinent product information across in a relaxed yet effective manner, it was a complete success.

Let's rewind briefly to my perception of AGFA Graphics prior to my visit. In truth it was not entirely positive. Historically speaking, I always thought of the AGFA wide format offering as being little more than a badge-engineering exercise.

There is some substance to that viewpoint; the original AGFA Grand Sherpa solvent printers were made by Mutoh, the first Anapurna flatbeds were made by Dilli, and more recently AGFA acquired Gandi and rebadged the Jeti.

However, it is important to note that there is much more substance to AGFA these days. The company now owns a majority share in Dilli, and all machines from that factory are now built to AGFA specifications based on significant AGFA R&D investment.

Similarly, the AGFA Jeti machines of today have little in common with the machines inherited from Gandi.  They have been completely revamped with only the chassis surviving a major overhaul and upgrade of the printing engines.

As for the Grand Sherpa legacy – well, AGFA doesn't even play in that sector of the market now. Today, the company purely focuses on UV ink systems and only operates in the mid to high-end product range. There is no AGFA product offering in the commodity roll-to-roll solvent market where the likes of Roland and Mimaki dominate.

Getting back to the trip itself, the agenda is a simple one: prospective buyers from the UK are signed up to an all-expenses trip to the AGFA Graphics factory, they get to see all of the current products in action, get unbridled access to AGFA technical staff and are given a series of highly informative presentations about the market, its products and the solutions available.

On this particular trip, I found myself travelling in the company of 16 people: 13 from some of the UK's leading wide format printing operations supported by three AGFA staff that ensured everyone got what they wanted from the trip.

Day one was spent travelling in style to our impressive overnight accommodation.

Day two saw us all making an early start and boarding a coach for the 10-minute trip from the hotel to AGFA HQ. The day was then split between hands-on demonstrations in the AGFA showroom and an afternoon of presentations with Q&A sessions.

Undoubtedly, the AGFA showroom in Antwerp is a wide format tour de force comprising multiple Anapurna and Jeti printers, the new M3200RTR roll-to-roll printer, the new Ardeco fabric printer, finishing equipment and a comprehensive software demo suite. All equipment was attended throughout by AGFA technical staff who were there to answer questions, run customer jobs and otherwise provide all necessary product and application information.

The product demonstrations were followed by a delicious lunch after which we all assembled for a series of short but informative presentations prior to setting off for home.

I found the information that was provided to be honest, as impartial as it could be, and free of any kind of sales pressure. You leave AGFA very well informed.

The journey back to the UK was also beneficial as the assembled graphics professionals compared notes on what they'd seen. To me, this was invaluable. After all, when was the last time you sat down with a baker's dozen of like-minded professionals all running successful wide format print operations?

On the way back to the UK, I took the time to talk to the other attendees. All of them agreed that they were leaving with a sense that AGFA Graphics has an impressive portfolio of products that meets or exceeds the standards set by comparable products available within the marketplace.

In more general terms, all agreed that the trip was a very positive experience, with AGFA providing first-class hospitality throughout. In a wired world of increasing social media hysteria, AGFA proved that good old-fashioned face-to-face customer care is still the right way to build relationships and do business.

So on reflection, AGFA badge-engineering has for the most part been replaced with AGFA manufacturing. Lessons were undoubtedly learned along the way, and from all evidence I have seen, AGFA is now positioned to confirm its position as one of our industry's key manufacturers.

You'd dismiss them lightly at your peril. AGFA is not a company used to finishing second. In a number of other key market sectors, AGFA enjoys a dominant number one position, and I got the distinct impression that AGFA is now taking the wide format market very seriously indeed. As well as taking over the manufacturing of all of its key hardware products, the company is now producing its own ink, developing its own software – based on an already dominant platform – with a range of AGFA-manufactured media in the imminent pipeline. AGFA is certainly one to watch in the wide format space.

AGFA runs quarterly VIP trips from the UK to its HQ in Antwerp. Those interested in attending should contact Andy Spreag at AGFA Graphics' UK supplier, i-Sub Digital, on +44 (0)1536 415511 or email info@i-subdigital.com for further information.

Established in 1994 by Matteo Rigamonti as a service bureau for traditional printing, Pixartprinting was transformed into an e-commerce printing company in 2000 when the company widened its focus to address the market with its web-to-print formula.  The e-commerce model was successfully implemented across the business and ultimately enabled Pixartprinting to achieve undisputed leadership in its market across Italy.

Pixartprinting offers a wide gamut of print solutions including posters, flags, banners, POP displays, packaging, textiles, business cards and magazines to name but a few.  The company promotes itself as an online one-stop shop for businesses and professionals with any print requirements.

Alessandro Tenderini, CEO of Pixartprinting, explains, “Our objective was to move from a family-owned business to a dynamic company capable of supporting an impressive expansion project.  The funding enabled us to fulfil this business objective and today we are one of the most important European web-to-print companies for professional customers.”

Pixartprinting is a pure web-to-print company.  Its mission is to provide cost-effective, high quality printed products with a quick turnaround.  “We are a key player and – as well as being competitive in terms of product range, value for money and service – we are also to be innovative in terms of strategy,” adds Tenderini.

In 2011, the company sold 75% of its shares to Alcedo, a leading Italian investment fund.  The capital raised has enabled Pixartprinting to further extend its reach across Europe.  It has also allowed an expansion of the company's Quarto D’Altino, Italy-based HQ from 18,000sqm to 30,000sqm by the end of this year.  From this facility, the company serves customers across Europe.

The company employs around 300 employees working in three shifts, thus guaranteeing a seven-day-week service to approximately 95,000 active customers across Europe.

Tenderini continues, “We address the European market as a multinational business, capable of ‘speaking the language’ of each country, both literally and figuratively.  For this reason, we have created virtual stores – with their own individual web domains – for each target country with fully customised workflows.”

At present, Pixartprinting has bespoke websites for the Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, English, German, Romanian and Dutch marketplaces with a Polish version coming soon.

Approximately 90% of Pixartprinting’s customers are professional operators in the graphic arts sector.  They are primarily print service providers who take advantage of Pixartprinting services for jobs which they are not able to complete on their own – either because they do not have the adequate technology or because they don’t have the production capacity to offer deliveries in the extremely short time scales their customers demand.

As for future growth, Tenderini comments, “There is a steady increase in demand for offset printing which is complemented by a surge in demand for large format print and labelling.  We are seeing significant growth in textiles and are currently investing in a new dedicated production department and R&D activity for material development.”

He continues: “Our main objective is to anticipate printing market trends, where experts foresee a gradual disappearance of small operations in favour of new combinations able to be a single source for all printing needs, and ensuring high quality standards both in terms of product and service.  With the constant implementation of new technologies, we continuously improve our extensive product catalogue with the purpose of answering and, if possible, anticipating customer needs, by offering them the possibility to develop, in turn, their business in new sectors.

“There are so many new technologies or more established technologies applied to new products that deserve close attention. But in principle we are moving towards the printing or production of highly personalised short run (or in single copy) work at an acceptable cost that in the past could not be achieved.”

On the success of the company, Tenderini concludes, “There are certain features for which we have always stood out - namely, our highly competitive offering, our price to quality ratio and our unrivalled service.  But what truly makes us stand out from the crowd is our ability to innovate.  We continually renew our product range, offering ever-new solutions capable of meeting printing requirements and even anticipating market trends.  Technological innovation characterises our production and is essential for continuing to improve quality.”

For more information, please visit www.pixartprinting.com

[photo above shows Alessandro Tenderini, CEO of Pixartprinting and photo below shows Pixartprinting's headquarters in Italy]