LFR was recently treated to a live demonstration of Ricoh’s new Flora X20 UV hybrid printer at the manufacturer’s Print Evolution Live event. Here is what we learnt about the machine and other developments at Ricoh during the second edition of the one-day event…
While the winter months are now upon us with the temperature falling and a noticeable chill in the air, opportunities for growth continue to blossom in print, with plenty of scope for new business and expansion as we move into 2025.
A driving force behind these opportunities is new technology, with the latest features and capabilities allowing users to take on a wider range of printed work by expanding out of their usual remits.
In October, LFR was lucky enough to see one of the newest machines available on the market in the form of the Ricoh Flora X20, a brand-new UV hybrid printer. Shown publicly for the first time at the second edition of Ricoh’s Print Evolution Live, the device has already drawn interest from both inside the industry and other markets.
Stand-out features of the machine include a maximum resolution of 1200dpi, as well as top speeds of 116sq m/hr in draft mode and 25 sq m/hr in quality mode, opening up all manner of applications to users. The 2.0m wide hybrid printer can handle many rigid substrates, up to 51mm thick, as well as flexible media applications with ease producing high quality, vibrant prints. It is an ideal solution for those businesses that are tight for space or have access difficulties for traditional true UV flatbed systems.
The Ricoh Flora X20 UV hybrid printer is powered by the professional Ricoh ColorGATE RIP which is expandable when needs grow. For additional flexibility, further Ricoh or third-party devices – including finishing solutions – can be added at any time in the future.
Other highlights on the machine are that it runs with Ricoh’s coveted GEN6 high-speed piezo durable printheads (MH5320), offering a 5pl droplet size with multidrop capability. In addition, it can be supplied in three ink set combinations, including six-colour mode with CMYK, plus white and clear, all on GEN6 printheads.
“A simple, easy to use, intuitive and flexible solution requiring a smaller footprint than other UV flatbed systems with easier installation and an easy return on investment,” Ricoh said of the new machine. “High quality printing on rigid and roll-fed materials, productivity, quality and speed are part of our proposition, and automatic features such as media height detection and vacuum operation foot pedal simplifies the process.”
Yucel Salih, Wide-Format and DTF Specialist for Inkjet, UV and Latex at Ricoh UK, oversaw the live demo on the day. He said the price point and productivity of the machine will make it a popular choice, with the CMYK plus white version available at around £95,000, which is some way lower than other, comparable machines already on the market.
What else did we learn at Print Evolution Live?
The Flora X20 was just one highlight of the event at Ricoh’s impressive Customer Experience Centre in Telford, with the day also offering insight into other developments at Ricoh, as well as the wider industry.
The overwhelming focus of the day was that print companies need to evolve and change the way that they operate if they are to continue to succeed and thrive in the modern, ever-changing world – and investment in new machinery such as the Flora X20 could well be the way to go.
This was very much the theme of a presentation led by Brendan Perring, general manager of the Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA), who set out details of ‘A New Narrative for Print’, the organisation’s new project aimed at positively shifting the perception of print among UK consumers and businesses across a range of critical factors.
After being advised to both listen to and be aware of wider trends to ensure their businesses are in a position to address evolving demands, attendees were split into a series of breakout sessions, each offering insight into key talking points.
One such session offered interesting insight into the changing face of retail, with visitors given live demonstrations of smaller-format lines and automation, as well as the role these printing and finishing solutions have to play for retailers and similar businesses. Another session focused on how Ricoh operates as a partner – rather than just a seller of its technology – to customers across a range of markets.
This was very much echoed in the titles of sessions throughout the day, which ranged from ‘Make waves with digital inkjet’ and ‘Grow with large-format’, to ‘Power to lead with digital printing’ and ‘From complexity to clarity’, with the aim of offering advice and guidance to those seeking new growth opportunities.
Intelligent thinking
Taking this a step further, the event’s keynote session delved into the subject of artificial intelligence (AI) and the role it may have to play not only in the print industry but in all sectors as the technology continues to evolve and grow in popularity.
Leading the presentation was Jeremy Page, Executive Vice President and Global Director of Creative at KWT Global, a brand strategy and PR agency that partners with many big-name clients. Speaking on the day, Page set out how he has worked with household names such as Facebook, Coca-Cola and, topically, Ricoh, on marketing strategies, explaining how AI is going to play a much bigger role, whether we like it or not!
The key message from Page was the importance of adapting for AI. He said rather than seeing this as a threat, print companies, and indeed their suppliers and manufacturing partners, should harness the advantages of AI to make their lives easier. This could be from something as large-scale as the way certain machines operate in production, through to the ability to use software to draft emails and create presentations for those all-important meetings.
Much more than an open day
Ricoh concluded the day by setting out its hopes that Print Evolution Live will become an annual event. Based on the second edition of the gathering – not to mention some lovely food for lunch and tasty treats in the end-of-day goody bags – this is a real possibility.
While open houses are commonplace in the industry, allowing manufacturers and suppliers to throw open their doors to new and existing customers, inviting them to learn about the latest developments in their portfolio of solutions, in recent years, we have seen these events evolve to become much more than just a sales opportunity. Instead, they now serve as a hugely valuable source of information and insight to industry members seeking ways to grow and expand their businesses.
Customers are now expecting much more from manufacturers and suppliers when it comes to open days and open house events. Equipment demonstrations will only appeal so much; if you can expand on this and deliver real added value in the form of insightful and thought-provoking sessions like at Ricoh’s Print Evolution Live, everyone will take much more from the day.
Thanks for having us Ricoh; see you again next year?
