large part of our business is still offset and this is a critical space for us, no doubt. “Our view is that when printers are looking into the future, it’s not a question of whether you’ll be offset or digital, you really need to be both. So to us, it’s an ‘and’ situation, digital and offset, and we’re providing solutions in both spaces.” The debate around the shift from traditional to newer printing methods was also touched on by Kornit Digital in its press conference where CEO Ronen Samuel compared this to the shift from screen printing to digital for textiles. Samuel described textiles as “being where paper was 20 years ago – still mainly analogue but with trends showing a move to digital”. Samuel explained that in a world where people don’t want to be the same as everyone else but with an industry that still mass produces textiles and clothing, digital lends itself to on-demand and personalised production now more than ever. During the press conference, Vincenzo Cirimele, CEO of Teetaly spoke about how using Kornit technology for his on-demand business has enabled him to pivot. With paper numbers dropping precovid, Cirimele moved to textile and says he has made €5m (£4.25m) in revenue in five years. Cirimele credited Kornit technology for making this move from analogue to digital straightforward. He currently uses HP Indigo technologies for paper and stationery products and Kornit for bags, t-shirts, and hoodies. Canon has also focused on bridging the gap between different sectors with the launch of new machines. Building on the success of its VarioPrint iX 3200 sheetfed inkjet product, Canon has introduced the VarioPrint iX 1700 to complement this portfolio and to close the gap between toner and sheetfed inkjet. The manufacturer has also introduced the VarioPress iV7 which it describes as closing the gap between the B3 sheetfed inkjet market and offset which typically requires larger format sizes. Schmidbauer explains: “With 750 by 640mm, customers can continue with their rather than the exhibitors being organised specifically into each area of the market. This was certainly reflected across the 18 halls with many brands showcasing their entire portfolio across their booths including various printing methods. The blur between sectors and printing techniques was also demonstrated by the Drupa Daily magazine which was produced this year by What They Think! using a mix of digital and offset printing. Kodak used its presence at drupa to emphasise exactly this through its ‘and’ era of print concept by demonstrating the place both offset and digital have in today’s industry. With Smithers reporting that digital still only accounts for 6% of global printing, the message from Kodak’s press briefing at the start of the week was that offset and digital are complementary, not competitive. The report, which looks at the future of print to 2030, also predicts that the boundaries between different sectors will continue to blur. Chris Balls, VP Print at Kodak, says: “We recognise the fact that when you look at the printing industry in general, a lot of the hype and noise is around digital, but a lot of the volume and the mass production is still offset. You’ve got to respect that and a to automate digital print for packaging as well as a partnership with Canva as part of its “services beyond printing” offering, and a strategic reseller partnership was announced between Fujifilm and XMPie to deliver cutting-edge variable data solutions to the European print market. Another big piece of news was the announcement of a global sales and services cooperation in inkjet printing with Heidelberg Druckmaschinen and Canon. As a result, Heidelberg will expand its portfolio by launching its own inkjet product family based on the newly launched Canon B2 sheetfed inkjet press and the well-established B3 sheetfed inkjet press. Both presses will be integrated into the Heidelberg Prinect workflow and service and Saphira ink will be delivered through Heidelberg and the press will be available in Q4 of 2025. Hans Schmidbauer, director of marketing and innovation for Canon EMEA, told Print Monthly: “I think from Canon’s perspective it’s great news that a well-known company like Heidelberg with proven technology cooperates with Canon. I think it’s proof for the technology, proof for the B2 and B3 portfolio, and I think that it’s something that’s generated a lot of interest and it will have a strong impact on the business.” Reflecting on the number of collaborations and partnerships being announced at drupa, Schmidbauer adds: “There's a lot of openness and willingness to collaborate across the value chain. Whether it’s brands or publishers working together with printers, or vendors in finishing, software, and hardware, I think it’s a trend that we’ll see not only during drupa but also in business in general.” More businesses than ever are broadening their offerings and utilising various methods of printing within their operations. This trend was even reflected through the colour-coded key on the maps dotted around the show. The key provided an insight into the various verticals represented within each hall, 49 www.printmonthly.co.uk July / August 2024 - Issue 349 EVENT SPOTLIGHT: DRUPA 2024 REVIEW – TRENDS AND THEMES We recognise the fact that when you look at the printing industry in general, a lot of the hype and noise is around digital, but a lot of the volume and the mass production is still offset Sectors Continue to Blur
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