Click here for "Digital Printing Makes an Impression" article (DTI Global Watch Service monthly magazine)

The findings of a visit to upper New York state to study best practice in digital printing were the subject of a seminar held at Leeds University on 7 June attended by over 100 people. The event was coupled with an afternoon devoted to digital printing organised by the Centre for Industrial Collaboration in Digital Printing at Leeds University. Led by the BPIF’s Membership Director, Mike Hopkins, and sponsored by the DTI under their Global Watch Mission programme, the mission team decided to visit the Buffalo and Rochester area because of the almost unique combination of printers, digital printing manufacturers and the world–renowed Rochester Institute of Technology, with its focus on the print sector. Delegates heard from mission delegates about their experiences and observations from their visit.

The focus of the mission was on the following:

• The creation and extension of markets for digital print
• The role of printers in technology developments ·
• Selling the digital message
• The role of manufacturing best practice ·
• The role of universities in company technology developments

A total of 7 digital and conventional printing companies were visited together with time spent at Xerox Corporation, Kodak NexPress and Rochester Institute of Technology.
Amongst the conclusions noted were:

• The market for data-driven variable colour printing for direct mail marketing is growing. There is a need for improved understanding of data among printers and clients, particularly regarding tracking of responses.
• There is potential for growing litho business out of the colour digital business. One company’s litho sales have increased as a result of digital because of its ability to offer a total solution.
• Strong opinion was voiced among our hosts that combining technologies – inkjet, offset, digital, online – is the future.
• New developments in ink technology and colour accuracy with special inks were anticipated. This will not only develop the offering from the manufacturers but will allow specific applications such as packaging to move to digital.
• Transpromo’ documentation will be a growth area – ie using transactional documents to carry promotional messages.
• The casino market, which is massive in Rochester, has the potential to be a part of digital business in the UK should ‘super casinos’ take off.
• One of the strongest messages to come through was the value of lean workflow and production, both a cost-saver and as a means of reducing the supply chain and speeding up the operation.
• Lean manufacturing and internal procedure streamlining is seen as an essential part of maintaining margin. Those organisations which are really exploiting digital have an automated online presence, workflows, front ends and finishing.
• No organisation can build a business around off-the-shelf software. Bespoke systems are the key to success as long as they are placed at the heart of the business.
• Compared to the US, where companies actively sponsor research, the UK print industry does not do enough to exploit academic resources for software development. The UK printing industry should be more aware of the existence of knowledge/expertise in academic establishments and more proactive in collaborating with them.

UK academic establishments need to work more closely with the BPIF to bring more in-depth technical knowledge and expertise to the industry - eg by encouraging print professionals to lecture/advise on academic courses, as at RIT. Joint initiatives between the BPIF and universities are likely to be most effective.

Click here for "Digital Printing Makes an Impression" article (DTI Global Watch Service monthly magazine)

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