Why inkjet?

Drupa’s ninth Global Trends Report predicts a five per cent lift in print volumes produced by high speed colour inkjet printers.

IT Strategies projects that by 2029 continuous feed inkjet pages will account for about 12.5 per cent of total worldwide volume of output at 800 billion pages.

In comparison offset document and publishing pages are declining about four to five per cent annually.

Book manufacturers and consolidation of transactional page volumes on fewer but more productive machines accounts for part of this market outlook.

As does strong growth in the graphic arts segment due to the technology replacing offset, and existing users adding second or third units to drive print volumes and high margin revenue in direct mail and specialty applications.

They are capitalizing on these opportunities:

What’s the potential for PSPs?

Charging more for less – tailored and personalized content achieves greater return on investment. It also helps reduce the cost of paper and postage on items that will not obtain optimum results. It is measurable too – JICmail figures found 40 per cent of website visits prompted by mail converted into online purchases in the fourth quarter of 2023. More than six per cent of mail (including direct mail, business mail, partially addressed mail and door drops) encouraged Christmas purchases, with half completed online. It was also reported that 95 per cent of mail was engaged with, 30 per cent of mail promoted a commercial action, and five per cent of mail prompted a purchase.

How to benefit!

Focusing on higher value pages – a business model of fewer pages, but at higher value per page, if done well, can result in significantly higher revenues for commercial printers. This fits in with trends for magazine publishers to focus on high quality, low volume run publications or hyper-personalized marketing campaigns.

Being at the forefront of growth – few print markets offer such high growth rates. Now is the time to explore how inkjet technology can help transform your print production model to produce high return applications. One area is book production. IT Strategies reports it is the second largest application for continuous feed inkjet output. Key drivers are re-shoring from Asia to Europe and America, due to cost savings, and the growing number of short run titles printed on demand. In fact, these have enabled many book manufacturers to double their revenues during the last four years. The report states that “the convenience provided by production inkjet of nearly ‘instant manufacturing’ and local delivery is unlikely to ever disappear.”

Capture the online growth – as businesses move to more sustainable procurement, the growth in online printing continues to drive more opportunities for inkjet pages. Automated job submission from web to print to pack will allow PSPs to redefine their sales approaches to capture new markets for print.

Sander Sondaal is director of Commercial Print Sales, Ricoh Europe.

The availability of higher volume production DTF technologies opening up market opportunities is just one of the reasons it is making strong gains in the global market for direct to garment (DTG) printing that is predicted to reach nearly US$1.9 billion by 2032.

As well as the impact the latest technology is having on DTF‘s growth, predictions for its continued upward trajectory are being fuelled by these five drivers:

1. Quality – The process can be used to produce high quality prints on a variety of surfaces, including dark and light fabrics, non-cotton fabrics, and hard surfaces like metal and ceramics. It can reproduce intricate designs and exceptional images.
2. Sustainability – The ability to cost efficiently deliver multiple run lengths enables operations to move towards a more responsive print on demand approach that reduces waste. DTF can also support responsible production processes that achieve Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certifications.
3. Flexibility – There are multiple application possibilities, including typically T-shirts, hoodies, sportswear, promotional items, and interior décor. Adoption of the relative newcomer technology will enable print service providers (PSPs) to continue to capitalize on consumer desire for customized products. The Future of Digital Textile Printing to 2026 report from Smithers found more than a third of consumers are interested in personalized products commonly made with textiles. Customers are also happy to pay a premium for their customization. The report forecasts digital printed textile volume will increase significantly up to 2026, reaching 5.531 million square metres annually.
4. Speed – DTF is more time efficient than traditional methods of printing on textiles. As a result, it is suitable for creating custom designs for clients on demand. Once the film is printed, it can then be stored and applied quickly when needed.
5. Easy technology adoption – Simple to use, plug and play systems mean any PSP looking to explore DTF can implement the technology quickly and effectively.

Axel Stuhlreiter is head of Textile Solutions, Graphic Communications Group, Ricoh Europe

The Oxford Dictionary also defines tsunami as “an arrival or occurrence of something in overwhelming quantities or amounts.” There are hundreds of words that have dual, often opposite intents, just as futuristic technologies often carry equally painful and joyful outcomes.

Future of offset

Recently, a raft of industry news signalled hope for some offset press manufacturers—photos of customers with toothy grins standing before their new investments on social media and trade magazines. Most of the recent installations are B1 (40 in.) and often have unique configurations. Late last year, Heidelberg announced the installment of the world’s largest offset press, a Speedmaster 106 with a whopping 20 units, at a Westrock plant in Poland. It’s as if we took the last 15 years of stagnation, wrapped it up in a beach towel and buried it someplace: Did the printing industry’s struggle against the internet ever happen? This rejuvenation is only an illusion; declining print use is the reality. Print service providers must do everything faster and at less cost to keep afloat.

The recent resurgence of traditional offset press sales is exciting, even with print’s decline. New equipment makes mincemeat of older presses that have become obsolete overnight. But I still wouldn’t bet on the long-term future of offset. Other new digital technologies are making huge, tsunami-like moves to replace the old guard.

Fully digital

A client in New York recently contacted me with big news. This 100-year-old business and longtime offset commercial printer wanted to sell all their offset equipment and go 100 per cent digital. This is no small operation. The pressroom held two 16-page webs and a six-colour 40-in. press. I’d never encountered a situation as significant and evolutionary before, and as I travelled, I assumed the company’s president wasn’t completely serious. I held onto that notion until I walked into the area that used to house their offset webs. It was all true; this company had overnight transitioned from typical old-school printing methods to a shiny new HP T250 HD inkjet roll-fed press. As I stood and watched, the HP, with only two operators (it looked as if one was enough), hummed along at close to 500 ft per minute from paper rolls through to a bespoke ribbon-deck finishing line that folded and then collected complete products ready for (in this case) perfect binding.

The owner likes to say he grew up making “signatures.” Now, no longer. The plant also doesn’t need a battery of traditional folding machines, as pages are printed in order and bound.

As if the HP T250 HD to a perfect bound book—sans signatures—wasn’t enough, the same HP runs roll-to-roll. Then the printed rolls are sent to another line, encompassing a Hunkler sheeter, an MBO eight-page folding section and finally into a Müller-Martini Prinova stitcher. The Prinova collects each folded signature until the book is complete, then sends it along where a cover feeder can fold and feed a cover. One operator for the whole line. There are no skids of signatures awaiting the entire book to be printed. Printing and binding are in real-time with few personnel and drastically lower costs. Run lengths vary from a few thousand to well over 30,000 copies.

The 40-in. sheetfed, mainly used for cover work (also equipped with UV), hasn’t seen a job in months, with all the work transferred to a few recently installed toner cut-sheet digital presses.

With such a long, successful history, this printing firm had to overcome two world wars, a global depression and fierce competition in the transactional and book printing segments. Today, they have accomplished something few thought feasible: a completely digital process from workflow to delivery.

This isn’t the first HP T250 HD or HP T485 HD installations and Hunkler and Müller-Martini aren’t new to collaboration. Twenty years ago at Drupa 2004, these two were running with Koenig & Bauer’s RotaJet. HP has been marketing the web lines for over 10 years. Transitions of this kind continue to spread. Whether it be Ricoh’s ProZ75, Canon’s ColorStream or Xeikon’s SX30000, choose a partner, as there are many. What has changed is the frequency of these new technologies taking the lead away from old-school offset. The tsunami is already here. Discover it soon.

Nick Howard, partner in Howard Graphic Equipment and Howard Iron Works, is a printing historian, consultant and Certified Appraiser of capital equipment. He can be reached at nick@howardgraphicequipment.com.

While many in INSEAD’s academic community say climate change is the biggest threat to business in 2024, INSEAD also firmly believes that this is an area where businesses can be a force for good.

Climate change

The World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Global Risks Report 24 based on a survey of 1500 global leaders gave a similar perspective. Two-thirds of respondents rank environmental risks as “most likely to present a material crisis on a global scale” in 2024.

At the WEG annual general meeting in Davos, the patron of INSEAD’s Hoffmann Institute, Andre Hoffman, spoke about the need for long-term thinking in managing the environmental impacts of organizations.

Hoffmann said. “It’s the question of a functional economy… We need to make sure we understand the consequences and dependencies we have on the three main capitals: the social, the human and the natural. The idea of a business that is completely independent of nature [doesn’t] go very far.”

Geopolitical crises

The threat of geopolitical crisis looms large. Conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Sudan are obvious contributing factors, but other variables are at play. This year, 64 countries have elections, entitling about half of the world’s population to vote. Outcomes may intensify geopolitical tensions and lead to more conflict.

Social instability

Social instability can be the spark for, and a consequence of, geopolitical crises. It is also an area where businesses can have a positive impact.

The surge in AI-generated misinformation and disinformation is one of the catalysts for increased societal and political division. Furthermore, civil society is becoming less trusting towards leaders and institutions. The ingredients for polarisation and unrest are clearly present.

Income and wealth inequality

INSEAD sees income and wealth inequality as both a risk to business and an area where business can make a positive impact. The World Bank’s Gini Index indicates that income inequality has worsened following the Coronavirus pandemic. According to the World Bank, poorer countries took a bigger economic hit than richer countries in 2020. And generally, poorer households lost jobs and income at slightly higher rates than more affluent households, contributing to greater worldwide poverty and inequality.

These global trends suggest a challenging time ahead. However, with its critical role in society, business (a more competent and ethical institution than governments, NGOs, and the media, according to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer) has power. With this power comes responsibility. The responsibility to function as a force for good. In fact in the Edelman Trust Barometer, 62 per cent of respondents expect CEOs to manage changes occurring in society, as well as in their organization.

So, we are in a testing period no doubt. But not without agency. Business leaders, in print and elsewhere can make a difference, levering and justifying the trust that the general public has in their competence and ethics. By promoting responsible choices, by implementing sustainable practices and sourcing, by taking part in community initiatives and sponsorships, and by supporting charities and just causes. And also, very simply, just by continuing to set an example in terms of integrity and passion, your business sits on the right side of the line, a force for good.

John Blyth is marketing and communications manager, Graphic Communications Group, Ricoh Europe

Hosted by the Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA) and media and marketing forum the Debating Group, discussions were held on the motion that “Printed paper is the preferred medium of record, whilst also a sustainable marketing communications format”.

Of course, most of us are already aware of the many reasons why print is consistently chosen and for the majority it will be no surprise that the room unequivocally found in favour of the motion.

The debate covered the most widely acknowledged reasons why print is trusted and valued. They included:

• Engagement – Richard Pepper, founder of greetings card service Funky Pigeon, said human beings simply engage with the medium better than they do with the digital word. Deep learning comes from reading books.
• Sustainability – Digital media is often considered to be consequence free by consumers who are often encouraged to go paperless for environmental purposes. Jonathan Tame, managing director of Two Sides, pointed out paper’s high European recycling rates and that pulp is grown in expanding European forests. This compares to electronic devices that are rarely recycled and rely on extractive mining of non-renewable materials as well as the ICT industry which accounts for five to nine per cent of energy use globally. The latter could rise to 14 per cent of global emissions by 2050. Emma Newman, chief revenue officer, EMEA of digital advertising firm PubMatic, responded that while nearly 90 per cent of PubMatic’s energy usage is from its data centres, U.K. data centres and all global collocation data centres are powered exclusively by renewable energy. She added the transparency of data-driven marketing operations, where every process can be logged, allows for proactive action to drive carbon reduction.
• Highly targeted marketing – This was acknowledged by John Booth, data centre expert and founder of sustainable IT consultancy Carbon3IT. Highly customised communications see the greatest return on investment.
• Tangible impact – Booth also recognized how print’s success can be measured. There are numerous studies that show how effective print is in driving action and achieving return on investment.
• Near-universal deliverability – Booth accepted print’s ability to reach a wide and varied audience. Combined with the ability to deliver consistently interesting and engaging content enables the creation of desirable, and as a result, successful communications.
• Medium of record – Booth agreed that historically, printed paper is the preferred medium of record in some sectors, such as legal and banking.

The last four points, Booth said, were also possible with digital media with many business environments digitalizing content, from internet banking and libraries to legal papers. He said this allowed for real time updates, helped keep users informed of latest news events and developments and ensured information is up-to-date and relevant.

IPIA general manager Brendan Perring defended the printed word too. He said print, being static, is a strength for a medium of record, while digital’s weakness is that it can be changed and edited. He concluded that in a world where moral integrity and the meaning of truth is under threat, digital needs an ally.

Print and digital can be combined to deliver powerful, memorable, and hyper personal messages that can be delivered in highly sustainable way.

Erwin Busselot is director, business innovation and solutions, Ricoh Graphic Communications, Ricoh Europe

While familiarity can be comforting it breeds complacency and diminishes excitement. In fact consultancy Accenture reports a YouGov survey found that 45 per cent of global respondents find shopping experiences dull. Accenture’s own Life Trends 2024 survey reported 35 per cent of respondents consider app designs to be indistinguishable across brands, with the sentiment rising to nearly 40 per cent among 18 to 24 year olds.

Customers yearn for the thrill of newness. In response brands should respond with a mix of familiarity and innovation. Whether in the form of cutting-edge products, immersive campaigns, or unexpected collaborations, novelty delivers sustained interest and emotional connection.

Generative AI is increasingly being deployed in creative processes to strive for new ways to be seen. But there is the danger that this novel approach quickly becomes commonplace. It could then become more difficult to stand out, as competition for attention increases due to the volume of content being created. On the other hand, differentiation could become easier because, as organizations lean heavily on generative AI, human creativity could set others apart.

Where there’s a void of novelty, there’s opportunity – in a sea of familiarity, originality truly stands out. This is true for all forms of communication.

Creativity can be expensive, but the investment usually pays off in the richness of the quality of results. Accenture makes these recommendations:

• Make friends with risk – rather than sacrifice quality for speed, reintroduce craft, creativity, fun, and attention to detail.
• Break the technology templates – to avoid bland, recycled, templated design content, skilled creatives should be involved in the use of generative AI to deliver something truly creative that breaks through.
• Know thyself – a deep understanding of the brand’s identity and culture makes it possible to take creative risks and to focus on the right metrics.

Employing fresh ways to differentiate is a key challenge for businesses and one that print can help meet.

Industry leaders such as Peter Field, Tyler Brûlé and Sonoo Singh agree. They applaud the effectiveness of print in capturing attention in advertising. Kevin Longhurst of IPG media company Magna adds that whether through direct mail, newspaper adverts, catalogues, magazines, or door drops, print media consistently proves its power to enhance other channels. There is a very good reason why digital giants like Amazon, Disney and Netflix include print advertising in their media mix.

Print can also drive up client engagement (79 per cent of mail is read) and prompt a commercial action (41 per cent) as discussed here. Digital print supports the creation of targeted content that is delivered to a pre-determined select group. Action can be encouraged by QR codes that also aid accurate measurability with for example UTM tracking codes, which can be used to report KPIs, or power seamless collaboration of physical and online channels.

Unleashing a more imaginative approach doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. Attention grabbing and attention holding communications can be curated to hit the mark and drive interaction. Discover how you can transform the bland into brilliance to enthral and captivate.

My company has identified five key ways in which AI can take digital print production forward:

Ensuring consistently high print quality – AI algorithms can process data captured from a press’s integrated inspection system to analyze the quality of the printed output in real time to maintain colour consistency and to identify any potential print quality issues early, enabling the press to automatically take action to address them as they arise.

Reducing operator load through automation of repetitive tasks – A valuable use of AI is to help automate repetitive tasks such as print scaling, front-to-back registration, density adjustment, and paper profiling, allowing operators to focus on higher value added activities.

Keeping presses productive cost effectively through targeted preventative maintenance – Changing out components before they fail has become a well-established industry practice. However, the frequency of part replacements has often been based on simple estimations of their average operating lives. AI, on the other hand, can analyze the performance of the press to predict much more accurately when individual components will fail – allowing just those that need replacing to be changed, thus reducing waste from unnecessary downtime and unwarranted component replacements.

Increasing efficiency via print production automation – AI has the potential to play a role in the management and optimization of the entire print production workflow from prepress through to post-processing – automating processes and giving executives better visibility of performance, supporting management decision making and driving even greater efficiencies.

Creating value through greater print personalization – AI can be deployed to analyze large quantities of customer data, facilitating a higher level of print personalization. This can, for example, increase the return on investment for direct mail campaigns.

Sander Sondaal is director, commercial print sales, Ricoh Graphic Communications, Ricoh Europe

Rupert Murdoch is one such media mogul who understood this well. From an early age, he built his empire on a simple premise: give consumers something different. In September 2023, 92-year-old Murdoch stepped down as chair of News Corp and Fox News, leaving behind a dynasty that includes print and television media.

Australian-born Murdoch found himself at the helm of his late father’s fledgling newspaper group, News Limited (now News Corp) in Adelaide, Australia. In 1952, soon after his father’s passing, Murdoch saw the opportunity to build a distinct market for his newspaper, embracing the tabloid format and offering salacious headlines, which were the opposite of the staid conservative broadsheets typical in Australia, America, and Europe. He realized competing for readership using the established playbooks wouldn’t increase readership or profits. During the next two decades, Murdoch replicated his formula to become Australia’s largest newspaper publisher. He then he turned his attention to Britain.

The United Kingdom

London’s Fleet Street, home of all the great British papers, operated as if it were 1869, not 1969, when Murdoch purchased News of the World. Publishers and powerful print unions were locked in a perpetual round of disputes. The unions stifled technological progress with bloated ranks and refused to modernize the print process. But publishers were still making money since newspapers commanded the lion’s share of news and, more importantly, advertising.

With quick success at News of the World, and after a vigorous battle with Robert Maxwell for ownership of the Sun shortly after, Murdoch reworked the Sun from a broadsheet to a tabloid and juiced it up with brassy headlines, plenty of sport and titillating pictures of women. The modern tabloid was thus born.

In Britain, Margaret Thatcher’s Conservatives were marching toward the right, and Murdoch’s papers supported her as she took a sledgehammer to deep-seated unionism in the country. Fleet Street was well past its expiry date, still embracing letterpress to print all national papers. Offset had not entered the picture even though the technology was mature and used elsewhere in Europe. So, in 1986, Murdoch secretly took over an old factory at Wapping and purchased the latest electronic pre-press equipment and new offset presses, where they were set up, ready for his final ultimatum to the powerful, yet behind-the-times print unions: either reduce your numbers or be out of a job. The unions refused and were summarily fired, forcing 6,000 members on the street.

Meanwhile, the new Wapping factory (with a small contingent of bused-in non-union replacement workers) started up the Sun and News of the World presses and carried on without missing a beat. Murdoch had won a decisive battle.

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean

Murdoch would see other successes, with the addition of the famed the Times in 1981. Still restless, Murdoch next cast his eye on America. In 1974, he moved to New York City, where he launched the trashy Star, a gossip-filled tabloid. This was followed in 1976 with the purchase of the New York Post. But then he cast his net wider and established 20^th Century Fox studios along with Metromedia, a small group of TV stations. In 1986, the new Fox Broadcasting Company would have two hits, the Simpsons and the X-Files. Murdoch had already invested in British TV with Sky Television in 1983.

It wasn’t long before Murdoch envisioned the next great opportunity ripe for huge profits. CNN and MSNBC, both left-of-centre networks, dominated cable news for years. Competing for viewers with similar content made no sense. The obvious choice was to offer content to the right-of-centre viewer. In 1996, Murdoch would do just that with Fox News.

Canadian hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky was once asked about his secret. “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been,” he responded. This logic epitomizes Murdoch. He reasoned that competing in mass communications required a new approach to develop a loyal base of consumers who sought a unique voice. Once he realized this, making money was as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. Nobody else was there; open ice provided more chances to score!

Praise him or loath him; it doesn’t matter. Murdoch may not even believe what his tabloids or Fox News publishes daily. But he does know how to make a buck, and this is a valuable lesson for our world of print. Versions of the Sun are now sold all over the world. They attract those who feel disenfranchised, often angry, and usually right-of-centre. Nobody saw this wide-open market until Rupert Murdoch, and it’s a lesson for print communication: Find new markets, develop new products, and go where no one has gone before.

Nick Howard, partner in Howard Graphic Equipment and Howard Iron Works, is a printing historian, consultant and Certified Appraiser of capital equipment. He can be reached at nick@howardgraphicequipment.com.

Ambitious print service providers (PSPs) will want to improve on both. They will recognize there is a need to continuously be innovating and to offer clients new opportunities to amplify their communications.

They will be looking to do the same for their own business to affirm their capabilities while expanding their own client base.

They will need to identify clear goals such as the three below.

1 Create targeted and impactful personalized communication campaigns

Software tools can support increasingly complex scales and levels of automation that were not previously possible. This means PSPs can do more without increasing labour. Images, text, and colour can all be customized and adjusted directly in the file – both for their clients and their own messaging. And most importantly provide a service which allows clients to use valuable customer data effectively across all their marketing activities.

2 Enhance production flexibility

Automating print workflows as a print job is being onboarded can extend production capabilities, save time, increase throughput, and reduce manual errors. This results in higher client satisfaction.

3 Achieve higher client satisfaction

Clients who receive more work, faster, with fewer errors, and without additional costs are happy clients. Automated print workflows help deliver a client friendly service by speeding up the entire process from input to finished production.

To help respond to growing client needs and continued pressure on margin and profit, print marketing automation is no longer optional. It’s essential.

PSPs risk being separated by what they can do, how efficiently they can do it, and at what price and profit margin. Digital transformation, aided by intelligent software solutions, can assist their seamless shift toward operational versatility.

Print is still a highly effective marketing tool, but speed is vital in today’s world with companies required to react quickly to changing circumstances. Therefore, the turnaround time of producing print marketing materials needs to match the speed of digital communications to provide cohesive messaging across the customer journey.

Juergen Krebs is software sales manager, Ricoh Graphic Communications, Ricoh Europe

Mail continues to be one of the most viable ways to reach consumers since it is tactile and stands out when compared to the hundreds of emails clogging our inboxes daily. In fact, most consumers have banner blindness with 58 per cent of people ignoring most online ads, according to Two Sides UK. According to the 2023 The State of Direct Mail report by Lob and Comperemedia, nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of marketers agree direct mail delivers the best ROI, response rate and conversion rates among all channel options. All that to say, mail is still an important marketing channel.

Which is why, if given the opportunity, our knowledge as print purveyors, graphic designers, creatives, etc. means we can offer advice to clients and marketers. 

First, mail as a medium introduces limitations: size, weight, material, and required postage (the conditions change between different postal systems). It is important to know and understand the different specifications. For example, the smartmail marketing solutions offered by Canada Post neighbourhood mail (one to many), postal code targeting (one to few), and personalized mail (one to one) all have their own guidelines. Knowing the creative limits helps us plan and design mail that will be deliverable. 

Second, at our fingertips is a wealth of knowledge about paper weights, types and brightness, envelopes of every size and colour, inks that span a rainbow of opportunities, and a wealth of finishing techniques (diecut, foil, emboss/deboss, etc.).

All this knowledge can be put to good use in creating mail that stands out. Whether it is producing a short run of PR packages or large mailings for non-profits we can create quality, eye-catching print materials at a variety of price ranges that get attention in the mailbox.

Go beyond the conventional #10 white envelopes and perhaps use a handwritten invitation for better response rates. Photo © alswart / Adobe Stock

Is standing out enough?

Getting eyes on the mail is only half the battle as, arguably, many companies want to see a return on investment. John Lepp, author of Creative Deviations and an expert fundraiser with over 20 years of experience, would argue action is the key differentiator of effective mail. To get a consumer to act requires excellent storytelling and copywriting, along with meaningful design choices.

In 2022, Good Works released, Changing Tides: The Evolution of Giving Behaviour in Canada, stating that “33 per cent of Canadians polled reported that they made a donation in response to a fundraising letter they received in the mail in the past year.” The Time We Spend With Mail (2023) report by the Joint Industry Currency for Mail (JICMAIL) showed a strong connection between mail attention and commercial effectiveness. According to their research, spending more time with direct mail items can result in a x2 to x3 increase in effectiveness, leading to more purchases, footfall, discussions, and voucher redemptions. 

Additionally, mail generates significant digital attention for brands’ owned channels. A mail item that prompts visits to advertiser websites keeps users engaged for five minutes per session on average.

Studies have shown direct mail marketing delivers the best ROI, response rate and conversion rates. Photo © Joshua Resnick / Adobe Stock

Commercially effective mail triggers action

Think back. If it comes in a #10 white envelope with a logo in the top left corner most can predict what’s inside—bill or appeal. While the contents might be printed on a beautiful gloss stock with colour pictures and a solid brand campaign, is that enough to get us to act? To my earlier point I have lots of mail samples, but I can count on one hand the number of times I have acted.

Lepp uses the term, ‘doormat dominance,’ to explain our need to dominate a prospect’s mailbox. When he’s at conferences, he will show the conventional #10 juxtaposed against a handwritten invitation envelope with stamps and invite readers to contemplate, “Which would you want to open?”

Our focus on cosmetics or esthetics in print means we may blind ourselves to the end user’s experience. The need to create something that stands out can be our own downfall. For example, coated stocks are harder to hold, read and write on. Grey text and small point size have legibility issues. The use of colour or expensive finishing techniques can have the opposite effect. 

Charities struggle with threading the needle between compelling design and not appearing to be squandering funds. Their audience knows print is expensive and expects non-profits to use their gifts meaningfully; expensive appearing print may alienate donors.

Lepp makes the following suggestions for achieving compelling personalized persuasion at a commercial level.

Change the envelope

A white #10 is expected and boring. Try a 6×9 envelope or change the envelope’s colour. Taglines or pictures on the exterior, while attention getting, immediately indicate it’s marketing. Create curiosity by inverting normal mail expectations.

Make it human

Handwriting, mistakes, stamps; things that are not ‘commercial’ break up the monotony of mail and get people’s attention. To create this appearance consider using the ‘stamp-like’ indicia and a legible handwriting typeface while pre-sorting your mail to follow Canada Post standards. 

Consider how you can add ‘more’ human elements like organic lines or hand drawn arrows. Informal and fun tone, voice, and visuals make the content more approachable. Personal and impactful stories make it less clinical and can connect deeply with audiences.

Match the scope to the audience

In our quest for segmentation the cost of the mail should relate to the values of the audience. 

The average customer may be skeptical of flashy or over-the-top designs and materials. Consider what a piece of mail for Ferrari versus Honda Civic prospect looks like; these are varied groups with different expectations around marketing materials and messages.

Say thank you no matter how small

Admittedly, Lepp is a fundraiser, but he emphasizes how much impact a thank you can have.

“I went through 500 pieces of mail that my mother-in-law got from charities last year…through all of those she got only one thank you card. Although it was all automated, she still indicated she would give again because of that card,” he said.

A culture of gratitude is appreciated, and it matters. Encouraging clients to also print some thank you cards they can personalize could make all the difference.

Simple may seem boring, but there is a need to strike a balance in both presentation and content, so it resonates. Pretty marketing is definitely one way to be persuasive, but Lepp offers another perspective—break the rules.

“The more personal a piece of mail feels (like something that I sent to you), the more likely it’s going to get opened, and looked at, and hopefully acted upon. It feels weird in our roles in the professional world to be imperfect and personal but that creates action…You’re still a human being trying to talk to other human beings about something they hopefully want. Just all these professional barriers get in the way of really good open communication,” he explained.

People are paying attention to their mail, so we have a responsibility to make sure it also inspires action. 

Olivia Parker, BTech, MPC, BEd, teaches visual communication and media production. Her areas of interest include omnichannel marketing and communication, direct mail, and personalization. She can be reached at olivia.ovp@gmail.com.

Since the time of Sheng and Gutenberg, our industry has grown and prospered with ever-increasing demands for the dissemination of information. Speeds increased, and materials like paper improved, as printed materials became cheaper with new technologies. The desperate hunger for knowledge created a profitable market for printing until a better way cast the last 500 years aside in a flash.

The age of internet

The year 1995 was symbolized by the great transition to the internet. Drupa 1995, the lynchpin of all things prints, failed to grasp the changes soon to decimate a large segment of our world. At this exhibition, large web newspaper presses were erected, and a host of new offset machines dominated those of the upcoming digital age. Something was afoot, but other than firms discovering websites and the expanding use of email, few in print media knew how the internet would alter their livelihoods.

Print is no longer a critical information media source. Instead of being four wheels and a spare, we are now just a spoke on a larger wheel. Printing presses aren’t lifetime investments, but rather short-term solutions producing products of today and, with luck, maybe tomorrow.

Take, for instance, printing for the pharmaceutical industry. OTC (over-the-counter) medicines come with inserts and outserts, which are six-point type, virtually impossible-to-read, folded sheets of warnings and instructions. Out of legal necessity, these mini-signatures have been included in everything from cough syrup to pain relievers. But now, a movement is afoot to eliminate them in favour of the ubiquitous QR codes. Smartphones are everywhere—almost everyone has one—and getting the same information with a phone click relieves big pharma of an expensive packaging cost. It’s possible inserts and outserts will be gone from OTC medications soon.

Changes are happening with other forms of packaging too, such as CPG goods packaging. With the rapid rise of in-mould-labelling, a potentially lucrative new enhancement could be wide open to attack from those who wage war on plastic in packaging.

No one segment of the print industry is safe from the future demands of the consumer. We must be aware that everything we do today is ripe for obsolescence tomorrow.

Drupa 2024 will soon be upon us. The event is still important, perhaps not for the new devices on display, but for what ‘may’ be relevant over the next few years. 

The expo will showcase legacy offset and even more toner and inkjet, but we can no longer view a trade show as a sherpa to the mountaintop. Ultimately, the consumer will judge our future sustainability in placing ink on paper, plastics, or whatever media they demand.  

Nick Howard, a partner in Howard Graphic Equipment and Howard Iron Works, is a printing historian, consultant, and Certified Appraiser of capital equipment. He can be reached at nick@howardgraphic.com.

This column originally appeared in the September/October 2023 issue of PrintAction.

Measuring devices

In my Colour 101 class, I describe three categories of colour instrument: densitometer, colorimeter, and spectrophotometer (the names are indicative of what they measure). In printing, traditionally density measurements are used to monitor ink amounts on press. Recently, instruments and press consoles have migrated to better, more visually relevant metrics, primarily L*a*b*. A spectrophotometer (spectro) measures the spectrum of a printed colour which allows us to compute L*a*b* (and any other desired metric). A spectro is “backward compatible,” as it can report L*a*b* while also allowing readout of old-fashioned print density.

Spectral data is the uber data type, and the holy grail of colour measurement. It enables us to do many colour calculations, such as predict metamerism to see if the colour of a product on a supermarket shelf will change when exposed to outdoor natural light. Spectral data allows for efficient spot colour matching. The spectrum allows us to take into account different light sources such as daylight D50, fluorescent lights (F Illuminants), or LEDs.

Until recently, to get spectral data, a user had to buy a $10,00+ handheld or scanning spectro.

Nix Toolkit and Variable Spectro represent a new generation of phone-based colour instruments. Measurements can be easily shared via text or email or used within an app to match paint or Pantone colours.

Phone-based spectros

An exciting development in colour measurement is a new generation of lightweight, low-cost, durable spectros that tether to smartphones. At Toronto Metropolitan University, we studied two new-generation smartphone spectros, the Nix Spectro 2 (CD$1339) from Hamilton and Variable Spectro 1 (CD$400) from the U.S. The Nix and Variable spectros were simple and easy to use; they have apps that were effortlessly downloaded from the app store. Measurement data was a one-click export via text or email. Data was plotted within minutes.

Colour difference is technically described in terms of Delta E. Typically, a value between 1-2 Delta E is acceptable in printing. In our testing, we noted around a 1 Delta E colour difference between the low-cost instruments and the $10K+ handheld model.

Phone spectros are a great idea as they rely on your phone for display. The app can be easily updated, and computation is done using your phone’s processing power. Everybody owns a phone these days. Apps can take the measured colour and assist a designer in finding complementary, analogous, opposite colours, shades, harmonies, trends, palettes, etc. The spectros have licenses for spot colour libraries and are therefore able to measure a colour and give you the nearest Pantone match. App developers can go wild with data from these devices.

Further, colours are displayed on a tablet or smartphone in much better fidelity compared to the LCD panel of a hand-held instrument. Connection to the device via Bluetooth, and from the phone to the internet, makes two-way communication a breeze.

The Nix sensor has found huge success in helping customers choose and match paint. In a real-world application, when a burst pipe in the author’s home needed dry wall repair and painting, a Nix Spectro 2 was used to measure the colour of the wall and the app showed the nearest Dulux paint colours with one, two or three stars to indicate best matches. With the user-selected preference, all that was needed was for the painter to estimate the amount of paint needed and a quick bike ride to the local Dulux store with the SKU to get ready for a colour accurate repair job.

M1 and M2 measurement modes

The whole colour measurement industry (both handheld and phone spectros) have contended with two major changes in colour measurement: UV-excited optical brighteners as well as measurement of textiles and fabrics.

UV-excited optical brighteners are widely used in printing papers. To deal with colour measurement of optically brightened papers and to reduce inter-instrument differences, there are standard measurement modes: M1 (UV included) and M2 (UV excluded). M1 is equivalent to D50 lighting and is the preferred measurement mode in the graphic arts. The Variable Spectro 1 only measures in M2 mode, which is a limitation if intended for use in the printing industry.

The other change in instruments is due to the need to measure colour on textiles and fabrics. The weave or thread count is very coarse compared to a halftone printed dot or tiny inkjet droplet. Instrument manufacturers were forced to create larger measuring apertures, 2 mm for print samples but often 5 mm for colours printed on cloth. Some instruments have interchangeable apertures. The Nix Spectro 2 comes in 2 mm and 5 mm sizes while the Variable Spectro 1 is only available in an 8-mm aperture size.

When a burst pipe in the author’s home needed dry wall repair and painting, the Nix Spectro 2 was used to find the closest Dulux paint colour.

Colourful applications

The low price of phone spectros means that we don’t mind their use in a range of dirty situations, such as measuring the colour of raw meat in meat processing plants, wastewater liquids, or nicer liquids such as wine. The consumer can measure and match paint for home decor.

The development of low-cost spectros, linked to our smartphone, has created an infinite range of opportunities to advance the use and integration of colour into design and equally exciting technical and scientific applications. 

Acknowledgement: The author is grateful to Nix Sensor for review devices provided for testing and evaluation and to Sasha Blay for proofreading and copy editing.

Abhay Sharma is a Professor in the School of Graphic Communications Management at Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, and author of Understanding Color Management, Wiley, 2018.

Previously, they utilized profiles downloaded from the RIP vendor on one machine, while on the other flatbed, they relied on custom profiles created years ago for a specific media. For roll devices, they utilized profiles included from a different RIP.

During our discussion, I suggested utilizing a single RIP software platform across all devices to maintain consistent colour output. This approach ensures the same underlying colour management process is applied to all printers, resulting in improved colour accuracy. Additionally, using a single RIP software can simplify spot colour reproduction.

Initially, I worked with flatbed printers that utilize UV-cured ink. Through my experience with UV and LED curing systems, I have come to realize that it is unnecessary to develop a profile for each individual type of media. Instead, I opt for a media with a neutral white point, which serves as my profile for all media. This is because on UV and LED curing printers, the ink adheres to the surface of the media and is bonded with the LED/UV lights. The sole difference in colour lies in the media’s white point.

I have measured various batches of styrene and coroplast and the white point varies from batch to batch. One can be blue while another can be neutral. The same is true for coroplast and other media.

A master profile

Printing and colour management become easier with a single master profile. There is no need to guess which profile to use, and managing your spot colour library becomes simpler. Most importantly, if you need to re-profile due to a change in colour, you can do so within an hour to bring the machine back to its baseline. I have come across systems with six to eight profiles created at different times, and redoing all those profiles in case of colour drifts can be a daunting task.

Some have argued against my theory, claiming that I am not taking into account the media’s white point. While this may be true, it’s important to note the white point is constantly shifting. Although profiling the bluer styrene may provide a slight advantage, there’s no guarantee the next batch will be the same colour. Additionally, some argue different media types require separate profiles due to their unique characteristics. However, this is not the case with UV and LED-cured inks, as they do not behave like aqueous or solvent inks.

Getting back to my customer. I created one master profile for each machine. I then tested the colour on three different media. I measured the colour between the two flatbeds. The primary and secondary colours (CMYKRGB) were within 1.1 DE00 average to each other. Visually you could not see a difference between them. They did share the same ink set. I then compared the roll printers to the flatbed and the variation in the same colours was an average of 2.3 DE00. Still a very close match but there was a slight saturation difference. However, the colour was really close.

Lastly, I measured the Lab values for the custom brand colours and created new spot colours in the RIP. We printed and optimized the brand colours for each printer. The brand colours now matched so that if they colour print a job on any of the four printers, they would be visually very similar. 

I wanted to share this experience because this customer had been doing a great job with printing but spent too much time every day making colour adjustments. I revisited the customer after a few months, and they said that now they are able to print, and they don’t have to think about colour. If they get a new custom brand colour they know how to measure it and load that colour into the RIP, print the swatches and choose the best version. This becomes the brand colour for that printer. That process takes 30 minutes. The operator said, “Now the greys are grey.” Yes, the foundation of colour that you may recall from my last article.  

Angus Pady is a G7-certified expert that has helped customers resolve colour management challenges for over 30 years. He can be reached at angus.pady@fujifilm.com.

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of PrintAction.

Since Henry Ford’s time, companies have argued over how best to attract young people, but with meagre results. Once powerful organizations, such as trade unions and the Craftsman, are distant memories. We are too busy trying to keep our ships afloat, so we don’t have time to agree and fund a plan. Apprenticeships may have worked decades ago, certainly in Europe, but in North America, we graduated employees from sweeping floors to running  presses.

‘Let the cream rise to the top’ was our form of labour capture. This may have worked in the past, but better incentives are needed now.

Different skillsets

Today, skill levels differ with new print technologies. The in-depth knowledge and experience needed in 1960 aren’t required in the digital age. With recent changes, along with the general public’s opinions of what we do, we often find hiring people to become non-skilled servants of a large inkjet printer—heaving large sheets onto a table and taking them off. This drives them away to seek something with more of a future in an industry offering better prospects. Still, we have positions to fill, and although remuneration has increased, we can’t seem to attract talented people.

Previously, governments attempted to build proper apprenticeship programs. Those failed because schools tended to look forward to the needs of printers by looking back in time. Secondary schools and trade colleges that should have kept current ran antiquated courses on print. Students ended up graduating with the same knowledge Gutenberg used to print his 1450 Bible. Isn’t it ironic an industry that owned the ability to communicate finds it hard to benefit from its own tools? 

Some post-secondary colleges and universities may have taken an equally misguided approach, giving up on essential, practical machine skills and instead focusing on print management. All exciting, perhaps, but what is needed now is more practical skill learning. Look at most inkjet production equipment; only some are well cared for. In almost all cases, the piezo heads are poorly maintained, as it’s better to replace a head than clean it. The same holds for offset presses. How often do we see poor-quality, washed-out colour and incorrect densities on relatively new machines equipped with in-press tools to correct and maintain colour? Isn’t it ironic how we complain about finding talent, yet accept the costs of re-running a lousy job?

Better marketing

The solution may reside in us marketing what we do as exciting, relevant and financially rewarding. We can start by removing negative obstacles, particularly the perception that print has no future. If some ‘printers’ and industry pundits spent the effort used on promoting themselves on encouraging workers and new hires, perhaps more quality applicants would take notice. Pay the key people better. Focus on engaging a company’s most important asset: people.

With print technologies changing, we must attract more workers to join our ranks. It’s never been as easy as it is now for a young person without print skills to enter the workforce. Methods and machinery have never been as simple to learn or as effortless to operate. Institutions and private enterprises must help rally support for logical training plans and foster much-needed encouragement for young people who thought printing was what their grandfather did.

Nick Howard, a partner in Howard Graphic Equipment and Howard Iron Works, is a printing historian, consultant and Certified Appraiser of capital equipment. Contact him at nick@howardgraphicequipment.com.

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of PrintAction.

My test images feature multiple four-colour grey balance images. One of the most difficult things to achieve is a linear greyscale. When creating a linear greyscale test image, always ensure your CMYK colour space is GRACoL (Figure 1). This ensures your CMYK values are correctly targeting your press. 

What do I look for?

First is the blend. Do you see any transition issues? Are there any areas where the scale is not linear? This is a sign that the conversion did not work properly, or you have made an error creating your ICC profile. 

The grayscale should be neutral and smooth (Figure 2). 

Figure 2: An example of bad shadows.

The second scale, as shown in Figure 3, has been exaggerated but displays big issues in mid-tones. It has a strong cyan cast and no highlights.

Figure 3: The mid-tones are off in this example.

Grey balance and process control

A great advantage of utilizing grey balance for process control is its simplicity, practicality, and effectiveness. One method of evaluating grey balance on press is to place two grey patches side by side. 

One patch should be composed of chromatic grey (C: 50 M: 40: Y: 40) and the second a true grey (K: 50). The goal is to get the two patches to look the same.

G7 and grey balance

When it comes to achieving grey balance on press, your CTP plate curves play a major role. The G7 method was created to accomplish a nearly neutral appearance when printing four colour images. Grey balancing is not a new technique; it has been a standard practice in photography for many years. Having spent a significant amount of time working with a drum scanner, I fully appreciate the importance of grey balancing when it comes to enhancing the quality of an image.

Based on my experience calibrating hundreds of presses using the G7 methodology, I can confidently say it’s a reliable process. I’ve observed press-to-proof matches that are very close. The secret to its effectiveness lies in creating individual curves for each press unit and keeping the CMYK colours within those units. The approach used here differs from the conventional dot gain TVI technique, as it employs distinct curve values for each colour instead of using the same values across the board. To achieve successful press calibration/fingerprinting, it’s essential to ensure the press is well-maintained and in a consistent condition.

As individuals, we have the ability to differentiate and assess colours that are placed alongside one another. Our sensitivity is particularly high when it comes to identifying variations within shades of grey. 

Figure 4 demonstrates how simple it is to distinguish these differences in grey, as opposed to certain colours.

Figure 4: It is easy to detect colour differences with grey. Notice the sweaters. They match the G7 grey balance colour wedge. Grey balance is the objective.

Improper grey balance will quickly identify if the “spread” or deviation between CMY colours is too great. It is well known that with process inks in offset printing, inking and damping fluctuations show up more distinctly in 4C grey images than in coloured image areas. This is why grey balance patches in colour control bars have been instrumental in the indication of printing process disorders, if any.

Do not forget lighting also plays a huge role in how we perceive the colour grey. If you suspect lighting may be adding a colour cast to your images, take the sheet outside in daylight. 5000K or D50 tries to mimic a cloudy day at noon.

To summarize, if you are not using grey patches to evaluate colour, you are missing out on a valuable tool.

Angus Pady is a G7-certified expert that has helped customers resolve colour management challenges for over 30 years. He can be reached at angus.pady@fujifilm.com.

Qualifications

Your company must:

• be a for-profit business with incorporated legal entity or a limited liability partnership;
• have a CRA Business Number (unless Indigenous-owned or led);
• have between five and 500 full-time equivalent employees; and
• sales for your last fiscal year must not be less than $100,000 and not over $100 million.

Your company also needs to be spending a minimum of $20,000 and no more than $100,000 per new market development activities.

Coverage details

CanExport funding covers several export market development-related activities.

A: Travel

For this activity, CanExport will cover the following expenses for two employees:

the cost of economy or premium economy plane tickets;

• a $400 daily allowance per person;
• costs for transportation;
• mandatory visa fees; and
• costs of hiring an interpreter.

B: Trade events

This includes the cost of registering and participating in international trade shows, seminars, forums or private exhibitions. Types of expenses for two employees covered are:

• space rentals, booth design and construction services, trade shows services (such as power and Wi-Fi) and AV equipment rentals; and
• shipping and handling costs of promotional materials and prototypes.

C: Internet and print marketing for export markets

Expenses covered includes:

• cost of producing or adapting marketing material; and
• cost of online advertising.

D: IP protection

Expenses covered includes:

• application fees for the protection of intellectual property including trademarks, patents, etc.;
• application fees related to required certifications;
• the cost of registering a product in the export market; and
• adaptation and translation of contractual agreement for the export market (e.g. sales contract, distribution agreement etc.).

Markets

Businesses may receive funding for no more than five countries per year. A business may continue to receive export funding until their sales in that export market hits 10 per cent of their annual sales.

Application deadline

You need to apply for CanExport funding 60 days before your scheduled departure.   

Bonny Koabel, CPA, CGA, is president of AKR Consulting Canada that specializes in government grants, subsidies, tax credits, refunds and rebates since 2003. She can be reached at bonny@akrconsulting.com.

While in England, the partners designed and constructed a breakthrough printing press for the Times of London newspaper. This cylinder printing press produced in one day what a battery of hand presses took weeks to do. This technology ushered in a dramatic change that vaulted K & B to a leadership position.

K & B never looked back and went about designing and building ever more complex web presses while expanding into other print areas, such as sheetfed cylinder presses, offset machines, and security presses. Today, it has a firm footing in digital printing systems.

The Oberzell facility also employed a young Andreas Albert, first, as an apprentice, and then master craftsman. Albert eventually left K & B to work for Reichenbach Mashinenfabrik, which was started by Koenig’s nephew and continues today as M.A.N. (Manroland).

In 1861, Albert joined forces with a cast iron foundry run by Andreas Hamm. Hamm’s firm has been in business, notably casting bells for churches, since 1850. Today, it is known as Heidelberger Druckmaschinen (Heidelberg). It wasn’t long before stop-cylinder presses left the picturesque German town of Frankenthal with both names emblazoned on the side frames.

Frankenthal’s domination

However, all was not well with the partners. By 1873, Albert terminated the partnership with Hamm and set up his company, Schnellpressenfabrik Albert & Cie. Soon there were new machines and radically improved technologies under the Albert name. In short order, web-fed presses were reaching customers all over Europe. K & B realized this young company was elbowing its way onto their home turf. As Albert grew more powerful, reaching over 1,200 employees and entering the gravure and offset business, the Frankenthal company became a threat to K & B and M.A.N.

In the 1920’s, Albert already had the world’s fastest web press, known as the “Red Devil.” By the early 1930s, Albert web presses with speeds of 30,000 revolutions were being installed in Europe. At that time, sheetfed letterpress business was dominant in Germany. But Albert held a whopping 60 per cent of the worldwide market of web presses, specifically rotogravure, by the late 1980s. Many web offset platforms designed by Albert during the 1970s and 1980s would become “Compacta” presses, a K & B trademark.

K & B decided to take action. In 1978, K & B orchestrated a purchase of 49 per cent of Albert from the owners, Rhineland Palatinate Ministry of Finance (local state government). In 1988, it increased its ownership to 74.99 per cent. When the 1990 unification of Germany brought about new opportunities, K & B purchased the final shares of Albert and, in so doing, launched the trade moniker, “KBA.”

This is how things remained until 2017 when KBA celebrated its 200^th anniversary. K & B’s senior management marked the anniversary by adding an arsenal of press designs to its conglomerate. The brand, “KBA,” was also retired. Albert was relegated to the past. K & B was deemed to be the brand name of the world’s oldest printing press company.

The Albert purchase by K & B is one of the most monumental print-related acquisitions of the 20^th  century. Sadly, Albert’s role in shaping our industry is not widely known and only a few of us remember when the “A” in KBA stood for much more than just Albert. 

Nick Howard,  a partner in Howard Graphic Equipment and Howard Iron Works, is a printing historian, consultant, and Certified Appraiser of capital equipment. He can be reached at nick@howardgraphic.com.

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2023 issue of PrintAction.

Digital transformation in the printing industry – where do you start?
The following areas in particular are considered for digitization:

• productivity and collaboration;
• security & compliance;
• analytics & intelligence;
• flexibility, efficiency and sustainability; and
• mobility.

The easiest way to start is probably to increase productivity by starting to automate processes that make it easier for us. This frees up staff to spend more time on value-adding activities and also on further concept development. Once the start is in place, it also makes it easier for them to collaborate and achieve higher quality results.

The printing industry focuses on production before administration
A recent Drupa survey found the printing industry places its main focus on productive processes. More than half of the participants already map production processes (such as production, makeready and downtimes) in their operating system. Production planning is also automated. Whereby only six per cent state that the automation potential in pre-press has been exhausted. In contrast, only 10 per cent have completed automation in accounting. Likewise, 50 per cent of the companies use production data acquisition to identify problems at an early stage.

Decisions are made on a digital basis
A cornerstone of digitalization is knowledge. Knowledge that is drawn from data. Around 75 per cent of the printing industry already uses this knowledge to make decisions.

Status quo of digitalization
The theory of Print 4.0, the digitalization of the printing industry, has one goal: the process from the customer’s order to the delivery of the product runs completely digitally and autonomously. The manufacturing and delivery processes are digitally linked and automated. Seamless processes between paper supplier and printer, prepress, printer and material transport: stocks are filled by sensory observations. Human intervention is no longer necessary.

Our industry has already produced many best practice examples from which we can learn. In reality, many industry players have dared to start and have already automated individual workflows. Printing machines behave autonomously. The COVID-19 crisis has once again increased the willingness to digitize. Many companies are switching to digital offerings. Digital providers are entering the market, forcing other entrepreneurs into digitalization in order to maintain competitiveness. Now it is time to use this beginning as a competitive advantage and take the next step.

The largest Inkjet Summit yet hosted over 350 attendees and sponsors and delivered 34 hours of inspiring content spread across two-and-a-half days.

Attendees were energized with new knowledge and ideas of what next steps to take for the successful evolution of their businesses.

The summit began with this poignant quote from a commercial printer: “For decades we as commercial printers have been wishing for a stop to the race to the bottom. This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for…”.

This was an acknowledgement that, for the first time in decades, the American print industry has been able to raise prices. Increases in the cost of paper, staff, and consumables, have been passed onto the print buyer with a little extra margin for the commercial printer on top.

While price elasticity has been more flexible than anyone could have projected, at some point in the future print buyers will hit a ceiling in terms of what they are willing to pay for print. This, IT Strategies suggests, is when print will become a luxury product.

Impacting this is:

• paper costs, while down now after a 2022 high, will probably increase to even higher levels thanks to a widespread reduction in paper production capacity; and
• desire for employees to work in cleaner, more office-like environments;

At the summit it was also reported that IT Strategies found a high proportion of American commercial printers could have a better understanding of their total cost of ownership (TCO).

The reasons for this are:

• rapid shift in costs during the last 12 months – “little” price increases here and there add up to a big difference;
• lack of MIS/ERP systems that track and measure print from the moment it is ordered to the moment it is delivered (while offset and digital print costs are measured other areas such as finishing are often overlooked partly because finishing is mostly an analogue process and doesn’t connect to the MIS system used to track production); and
• commercial printers wherever they may be reviewing their TCO today could find the gap between printing offset and digital printing has closed, which makes longer runs more cost effective on digital printing equipment.

By 2028, an IT Strategies research shared at the summit, predicts more than 50 per cent of all print expenditure will be on digital printing. If inkjet print volumes that currently account for about five to 10 per cent of commercial and publishing print today, continue to grow between 10 and 20 per cent annually, by 2028 inkjet pages in America will account for over 30 per cent of all pages printed.

With a digitally printed page approximately four to 10 times more valuable than an offset printed page, the potential for future profitability is clear.

The summit suggested that this is the moment we have all been waiting for. It proposed that built up capital should be used to accelerate automation and enable a shift in business models supporting the move from print as a commodity to a high value product.

The well proven quality and value of inkjet technology, combined with automation and software solutions, can more effectively manage the fragmented, smaller print jobs that need to be delivered quickly and efficiently.

It can enable end-to-end automation and value creation as we head into a brave new world of print industry business models, one where print becomes a luxury product with prices and margins to match.

Sander Sondaal is director, commercial print sales, Ricoh Graphic Communications, Ricoh Europe

Error detection

AI-powered cameras and machine learning algorithms can be trained to identify and detect errors such as misaligned images and incorrect colours in the printing process. This can be done in real-time, allowing for immediate correction and minimizing the need for manual inspection.

Quality prediction

Machine learning algorithms can be trained to predict the quality of the print based on various factors such as press settings, ink and paper characteristics, and other parameters.

Quality monitoring

AI and ML can be used to constantly monitor the print quality throughout the run. This can involve capturing images of the print and running them through machine learning algorithms in order to identify and correct errors as they occur.

Deep learning, specifically computer vision and natural language processing, can be designed to identify defects during the product packaging process. These deep learning models can verify that a label on a package is present, correct, straight, and readable.

Quality improvement

Machine learning algorithms can also be used to learn from past print runs and find ways to improve quality. For example, analyzing data from past print runs to identify the press settings and other factors that lead to the best print quality, and using these settings for future print runs.

Multidimensional quality control

Machine learning algorithms can be trained to analyze data from multiple sources such as visual, spectral, and mechanical data to create a multidimensional view of print quality and identify errors and issues that may be missed with traditional methods.

AI package structural creation

Designers use AI-enabled virtual reality environments to design packaging. In some cases, you can see how the package will look when placed on a shelf in a particular store. What will it look like behind glass in the freezer section and under various lighting conditions? How will it look next to other products? All of these can be tested before actual design.

Predictive maintenance

In AI and machine learning, predictive maintenance refers to the ability to use volumes of data to anticipate and address potential issues before they lead to breakdowns in operations, processes, services, or systems. 

AI-driven nesting

The ability to optimize how images are distributed on a page is already being used on various cutting tables and RIPs to minimize material waste.

Custom box creation and personalized printing

We can set up a system that looks at all outgoing shipments and categorizes the packages into groups. The groups then get sorted and placed together, a corrugated feeder matches up the packed groups with box sizes, boxes are automatically created to the exact size required and the packages are then fed into the production line. At the end of the line, the boxes are printed with a personalized message and shipping instructions.

AI-driven inspection

This is, by far, the most advanced use of artificial intelligence in our industry. AI-driven inspection systems can not only see defects faster than any human, but also learn. Computer vision modelling is incredibly adept at learning what an acceptable product/package should look like as it moves down the line. A properly trained model should easily detect wrinkles, rips, tears, warpage, bubbles, colour, and printing errors. The challenge at this stage is that these types of systems require significant amounts of CPU power and the sheer amount of data science knowledge it takes to train, deploy, and monitor a suite of deep learning models running in production is difficult to deploy correctly without outside support.

Adobe Sensei

If you have used Photoshop lately, you may have seen some of the AI-powered tools like Content-Aware Fill. Did you know Adobe Sensei has AI tools that can use your customer data for unique insights about individual consumers? You can use your data assets for predictions.

We are entering a new era where machines will allow us to do our jobs quicker and more efficiently. At the same time, technology will challenge some of our deep-seated beliefs. Embedding AI into your company’s operations, much less ensuring business impact, isn’t going to happen overnight. Organizations will need a short-term strategy for delivering quick, high-impact AI wins and a long-term strategy enabling a progressive artificial intelligence culture.  

Angus Pady is a G7-certified expert that has helped customers resolve colour management challenges for over 30 years. He can be reached at angus.pady@fujifilm.com.

An edited version of this article originally appeared in the March/April 2023 issue of PrintAction.

Gaston Lefebvre, the 36-year-old owner of Printing Material, was the Canadian agent for Polygraph-Export, which included exclusive selling rights for all graphic arts products produced in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). By all accounts, he was well educated, with a B.Comm degree from McGill University and a sales pitch that could convince most printers to hand over their cash. To crack the U.S. market, Lefebvre deviously booked space at Spectra ’59 and installed a Universal Webmaster RZO (offset half-web made in Leipzig, GDR) at his booth.

You’ve stolen our press!

Not surprisingly, there was already a Webmaster RZO dealer in the U.S.—the Acme Litho-Plate Graining Co. Acme was owned by New York-based Milton Berg, who, in 1949, craftily chartered a ship loaded with wastepaper from New York to the East German port of Rostock. Berg then bartered the paper, desperately needed by East Germans, in exchange for machinery made by Planeta, Brehmer, Universal, and Perfecta. The Universal, quickly renamed the Milton, was being displayed at Acme’s booth at the 1959 Graphic Arts Exposition.

Since 1950, Berg’s company had been the official U.S. importer of over 53 lines of Polygraph machinery produced in the GDR. Planeta was the diamond of the bunch, and since 1954, Berg had successfully racked up U.S. sales of the popular Planeta PZO-6 and PZO-7 presses (49 and 55 in., two-colour) while at the same time reminding prospective clients that Planeta had indeed designed and sold its drawings to the English firm George Mann. The resultant 1932 design facsimile known as the “Mann Fast-five” had then seen brisk sales all over the U.S. through local agent, American Type Founders.

Where did the money go?

It wasn’t long before Berg caught wind of the cheeky Canadian. He showed up at Lefebvre’s booth yelling, “You’ve stolen our press!” and sharing with passers-by the lurid details of the betrayal. This incident ironically helped expose what would soon become Canada’s largest bankruptcy among printing industry suppliers. After the dust settled, a $4 million deficit (worth $41 million today) would be uncovered.

In 1943, Printing Material, trading as Matérial d’Imprimerie Ltée in Quebec, was a subsidiary of Lefebvre & Sorin Ltée, a company formed in 1937 by Lefebvre’s father, Achille. 

In 1955, Lefebvre gained sole ownership and immediately sought to take advantage of the growing Canadian printing industry by lining up many European graphic arts agencies, such as Kiekebusch, Grafopress, Nebiolo, Koenig & Bauer, Johannisberg, Sadolin & Holmblad, Buhler Bros (Swissplex), GMA Tirfing, and Parisolith.

In 1957, Montreal firm Barer Engineering & Machinery, which held the Canadian rights to all East German machinery, agreed to sell Polygraph-Export rights along with their remaining inventory to Printing Material. Now with even more lucrative lines to sell and at exceedingly low prices due to East German companies’ desperate need for hard currency, Lefebvre signed crazy deals, offering long-term repayment plans, extending credit, and inflating the value of trade-ins, and basically anything to secure a sales contract. The financing firms of the day were delighted to extend loans to Printing Material after they saw the potential of fat margins on East German equipment. All Lefebvre needed was to show a copy of a sales contract along with a customer deposit. Air travel back and forth to Europe and California, expensive hotels, and fast cars became a part of Lefebvre’s life: an addiction that has been the downfall of many salesmen.

A ponzi scheme

As debts piled up, Lefebvre felt the screws tightening and pushed his sales staff to write contracts with even more generous terms to appease bankers. The ruse worked for months, but there would be no escaping reality. On the surface, Printing Material was a successful venture ensconced in a palatial building on Montreal’s Park Avenue and employing over 80 people. The dam finally burst on October 28, 1959, when Lefebvre orchestrated a “voluntary bankruptcy with only hours to spare.” Over 520 creditors discovered they’d be whistling for pennies on the dollar and had been duped by Lefebvre’s hyperbole. Polygraph-Export had the most to lose and flew a representative to Montreal to salvage remaining inventory, but their $608,000 ($7 million today) had already vapourized.

Further bad news awaited the appointed receiver when substantial cash sums paid to the company by finance companies “were never entered in the company books,” and individual sales were “financed not only once, but twice, and, in some cases, three times.”

Oddly, Lefebvre was listed as a creditor, but he would vanish from the scene by the end of November, after transferring his house in the affluent town of Hampstead, outside of Montreal, to his brother-in-law.

The saga of Printing Material would haunt the industry for years to come. On a personal note, my father had to look for a new job after the sudden bankruptcy.

Lefebvre never materialized again nor did the money. To add insult to injury, the Statler Hilton Hotel in New York never got paid for Lefebvre’s stay during Spectra ’59.

Milton Berg, on the other hand, had some terrific years selling East German machinery. By 1957, he had delivered 135 Universal RZOs alone. Still, by the end of 1960, he relinquished his agency to Royal Zenith. 

Royal Zenith would hold on to the agencies until 1990 when Koenig & Bauer purchased Planeta and the Iron Curtain finally imploded under its weight.

Nick Howard, Graphic Equipment and Howard Iron Works, is a printing historian, consultant and Certified Appraiser of capital equipment. Email him at nick@howardgraphicequipment.com.

An edited version of this article originally appeared in the March/April 2023 issue of PrintAction.

One of the main challenges of dye sublimation printing is matching the printed image’s colours to the original as closely as possible. In this article, we will look at the process of calibrating your dye sublimation printer, some areas where you can get into trouble and a few techniques to maximize the final result. First, let’s discuss the goal. Obviously, we want to have an accurate colour match. The greys must be neutral and colours vibrant, but not oversaturated. The road to getting there requires a thorough understanding of seven key steps, which can be applied to almost all kinds of printing processes.

Dye sublimation challenges: Blotches

Modelled blotches spots usually point to too much moisture in the paper. This is even more pronounced on hard non-porous material. Use additional layers of Kraft paper to absorb excess moisture. Further, your environment should not have a high amount of humidity.

Blurred/ doubled image

The ink is bleeding, or the paper is moving during the pressing, which causes a ghosting image. If you pull the paper off too soon or your transfer is done too quickly, you can get rough edges.

Transfer lines

These can be alleviated by reducing the pressure. Over time you will learn how much pressure is required for various times and pressure. This is only determined by testing.

Faded images

One would think a longer transfer time would yield a denser black. The reality is dye sublimation chemistry will reach a point where too much heat and transfer time decreases the ink’s density. If you’re getting brown blacks, first decrease the time in five-second increments. I always start with time and then pressure.

Colour management walk-through

Every RIP software will walk you through similar steps when creating a new media setup. It’s beyond the scope of this article to discuss every step in detail, but let’s focus on the ones with the biggest impact.

Step 1: Ensure your environment is not too humid, as this can cause issues with dye-sub.

Step 2: Calibrate your device. Check the nozzles and alignment. If your printer has an internal calibration, then that needs to be done.

Step 3: Choose the optimal printer settings, print speed, and dot pattern. My trick is to look at what the manufacturer has done in the past. Their colour may not be ideal for your printer but they usually know the optimal combination of printer settings to use.

Step 4: Determine primary ink restrictions. This is one of the most important steps as it will determine the gamut of your printer. Most printers, when unrestricted, will print too much ink. Your goal is to find the most ink that gives you the highest chroma. If your device that can show you LCH, then you can use the C portion for chroma. As you measure each swatch from light to dark, the chroma will increase. At one point, the chroma will stop increasing and may even decrease. Select the swatch with the highest chroma value. Your RIP may also display a graph where you can toggle from density to chroma. Always use chroma.

Step 5: Linearization just needs to be measured and I accept the RIP settings here. 

Step 6: Determine total ink limit, which is the most difficult one to figure out. Here are a few pointers. If you have over-inking at 200 to 300 per cent, and that area is wet or bleeding, then you need to stop and go back to Step 4 and reduce ink there. Ideally, you want the ink limit to be between 300 and 360. Getting to this stage may mean going back and forth between this step and step 4. When reducing in step 4, start with yellow, as it is the wateriest ink, then cyan, black and, lastly, magenta. We never have enough magenta. I test the ink limit target by rubbing various areas to see if the ink is wet or damp and if it scuffs easily.

Step 7: When profiling, you want to measure at least 900 patches. More patches will give you more accurate spot-colour matching. I start with the middle GCR setting. Start your backs at 40.

In conclusion, colour management is an essential part of the printing process, as it helps to ensure the colours of the printed image match the original as closely as possible. By following the above steps and using the right equipment, you can improve colour match and achieve excellent results with your printing projects. 

Angus Pady is a G7-certified expert who has helped customers resolve colour management challenges for over 30 years. You can reach him at angus.pady@fujifilm.com.

What if their attire itself reflects a commitment to a worthwhile cause? That is the mindset driving organizations like RCGD Global and its Red Carpet Green Dress initiative, which promotes eco-consciousness in global fashion design and production. With the support of celebrities taking to the “red carpet” each awards season, the initiative partners with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to spotlight the cause of making fashion more sustainable.

Celebrities may have the platform to model sustainably made apparel for the world, but making sustainable apparel accessible—or the norm and the expectation—for consumers worldwide is the true objective, and one that may be closer than many think.

Reconciling the fashion world with demands for sustainable practices is an ongoing challenge, and one that presents no easy answers. The World Economic Forum estimates fashion and textiles are responsible for one-tenth of the world’s carbon emissions, with more than 85 per cent of all textiles produced headed to the dumpster annually. The Harvard Business Review suggests there have been no significant gains for sustainable fashion since 2000, pointing to the increased overproduction of footwear as an example. It’s well-established that textiles are one of the highest-polluting, most wasteful industries in the world, and measures such as the New York Fabric Act and European Union Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles reflect the continued struggle to proactively drive the industry toward a more responsible, accountable state.

Some companies are breaking the traditional production models, eliminating dependence on complex and vulnerable global supply chains, and streamlining the journey from creative concept to wearable garment to make the textile more sustainable.

Consider what the traditional fashion production model entails. A concept may take more than a year to reach the runway, and to bring a garment to the marketplace requires building inventory. Building that inventory requires stable or cost-controlled access to the necessary raw materials—supply chains subject to bottlenecks, tariffs, human or labour rights concerns, pandemics, acts of God, you name it. You hope to break even by selling enough merchandise to justify that inventory. When the fashion cycle turns, you’re marking down that inventory, with unsold goods ultimately being written off, donated, scrapped, or even burned. Essentially, you’ve gambled on the popularity of your creation, and losing means not only dwindling profit margins, but also, in many cases, a reputation for being a wasteful contributor to the problem. Ask Shein, H&M, or Burberry what that means. Overproduction isn’t sustainable as an environmental model, a business model, or a public relations model.

Digital on-demand production technology is already solving this problem for creators, brands, and fulfillers throughout the world, and that new reality is about to burst into the mainstream. E-commerce has long created a nearly unlimited array of options for the consumer, but a maturing ecosystem of digital technologies is doing the same for designers looking to fulfil their visions without compromise, brands looking to capture and capitalize on social trends the moment they’re perceptible, producers looking to create new products and tap new markets at will, and more. Virtual reality, augmented reality, and the Metaverse are giving designers and consumers alike new ways to engage each other, model concepts in real time, and “try on” any apparel virtually before committing to any one piece.

In addition to using pigment-based inks that meet several rigorous environmental standards (such as GOTS, OEKO-TEX Eco Passport, and Bluesign), on-demand print systems empower designers to bring their creations from concept to runway in mere weeks, with custom fabrics ready to use in minutes—perfect for sampling different materials and graphic effects. Production costs are low and consistent, so fulfilling orders of one or 1,000 yield reliable profit margins. The speed to market, supplemented by efficient workflow and visibility systems to ensure a streamlined, accountable pixel-to-parcel fulfillment process, means producing only what has been sold is a realistic business model, safeguarding operations against unforeseen disruptions, and enabling nearshoring or onshoring of operations to mitigate supply chain risks.

It’s one thing to discuss the mechanics of digital fashion production, but another to see just what the finished product can be. That’s why working alongside such organizations like Red Carpet Green Dress is key to highlighting what bold and beautiful creations may come of a process that delivers on the promise of a digital world—using less labour, less material, less energy, less time, and less space to shrink carbon footprints while demanding no compromises, and, in many cases, even introducing new graphic and tactile possibilities.

In the end, the award just might go to sustainable fashion on demand.

Don Whaley is vice-president of North America at Kornit Digital

What is power factor?

In some provinces, power factor is used to determine delivery charges on hydro bills. Power factor is the ratio of actual energy used divided by the amount of energy your company uses at peak demand, called reactive power. This number varies between 0 and 1 and is displayed as a percentage (0 to 100 per cent) on your hydro bill.

When your power factor is below 100 per cent, your facility is drawing both reactive power and real power. However, the hydro charges (cents per KWh) applied to your account only reflects the cost of providing your facility with the real power you have consumed.

Causes

Poor power factor quality may be caused by surges from turning on equipment and machinery that have power transformers and electric motor driven loads (i.e. starting up printing presses and packaging machinery in a facility). Also, equipment that does not use a consistent supply of electricity, such as variable speed drives and compressors, computers, compact fluorescent and LED lighting, electrical chargers, and induction furnaces, may also contribute to low power factor. Another cause is poor quality in areas often referred to as “dirty power”.

Surcharges

Most hydro companies begin billing a company power factor surcharges once the factor is below 90 per cent. The first 10 per cent of extra electricity required is free of charge.

The lower a company’s power factor, the more a company pays for hydro, and the surcharges increase rapidly. If your power factor is 87 per cent, you pay a surcharge of four per cent. However, if the power factor drops to 77 per cent for example, the surcharge is 16 per cent.

Correcting power factor

If your facility is experiencing low power factor, you should contact an electrician specializing in dealing with power factor upgrades. Here are some recommendations for improving power factor:

Install capacitors – Capacitors are recommended when the low power factor is the result of power surging from turning on electrical motors. Capacitors produce a leading power factor to counteract the power surge.

Harmonics filters – They may be needed if the cause is non-linear load.

Load rating – Sometimes operational changes are all that are needed to improve power factor. For example, you can operate a motor closer to the full-load rating.

Benefits

There are many reasons for improving power factor such as:

• reducing electricity bills;
• enhancing equipment operation; and
• reducing transformer maintenance or upgrades. 

Bonny Koabel, CPA, CGA, is president of AKR Consulting Canada that specializes in government grants and subsidies. She can be reached via email at bonny@akrconsulting.com.

An edited version of this article originally appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of PrintAction.

At that time we were highly focused on developing the best response for our existing market while maintaining a keen eye on the future.

In the past the printing industry based operational strategies on production capacity availability. But that no longer works for today’s fast paced, quickly changing, and highly demanding times. Now an effective strategy is shaped around the needs of customers. They want greater flexibility, smaller runs, and more services.

With the decision made to go 100 per cent digital, we started our investigation and analysis.

It revealed uncertainties, complex criteria, and difficulty in drawing an objective road map. It was a challenging start where certainties were scarce and elusive. Given this backdrop it would have been easy to rethink and postpone the decision, even if we knew that taking the road to 100 per cent digital was inevitable. However, vision and determination moved us forward.

For those who are interested in learning from our experience, there are three major areas that should be considered and I will share some reflections on each of them. Spoiler: having reliable and committed partners is key.

1 Changing technology

Any comfort we felt with the printing equipment we understood disappeared when making comparisons between devices that were never unequivocal or fully quantifiable. That reality was ultimately a blessing for Tórculo. When making the investment decision we soon understood that just as important as the web press and its performance was the overall quality of the supplier. No machine performs the transformation on its own. Plus, the risk of obsolescence in investments that have long payback periods.

2 Transforming people

Tórculo is an ecosystem in itself, as are all printing companies as far as I know. Ecosystems are formed by technologies, processes, and people. The first two are clearly digitizable, but what about people? This can be quite a challenge. Digital transformation affects the collective but ignoring the fact that the collective is made up of individuals can have far reaching consequences. In production it will be people who will have to move from the understood and known sheetfed offset technology to the new and unknown web-fed inkjet press. We believe a good operator is always a good operator, and our team has proven it. As a result, we just needed good training and a plan to involve them and allay their fears.

Fears, however, are not confined to the production floor. Sales and marketing teams have spent years, decades even, gaining the trust of customers with offset technology at the heart of the offering. Suddenly, the addition of a digital inkjet press required a rethink of strategies, targets, and value propositions.

3 Managing increased production

In Tórculo, we have always employed good levels of automation, but our transformation forced us to climb one more step. Or several. The digital technology raised our production capacity and our ability to take it to market.

The installation and testing processes that ran in parallel in our workshop and in our prepress area raised some potentially significant problems, dilemmas and needs.

Today I can proudly say that Tórculo’s workflow is one of the best in the industry for robustness, flexibility, and automation. We believe the future value of the graphic industry rests in how we respond to all the changes and transformations that our clients are also experiencing.

Jacobo Bermejo is CEO of Tórculo Communications, a graphic communications specialist in Spain

Trend No. 1: Expressive typography
Typography is one of the most essential elements of graphic designers. In order to give the individual letters more character and to convey essential messages demonstratively and decisively, designers resort to expressive typography. This is no wonder, because, in a visually oriented era, it makes sense words evolve to become more pictorial. In the new year, accessible software such as Glyphs makes it easy to create your own font that is an ideal fit for your business or brand.

Trend No. 2: Branded illustrations
Brand illustrations can make complex messages simple and also add character and feeling to a company’s brand. Big companies prefer using branded illustrations, and smaller companies also use their advantages for themselves. By creating their own unique look and feel, they establish their own distinctive visual identity that will inevitably be associated with them, even if no logo or lettering is used. After all, illustrations can easily tell a story or an idea by combining visual elements with fine art. Also, audiences love illustrations, mainly because they are relatable, personal and usually creative. Branded illustrations also add creativity and style to any platform where it exists.

Trend No. 3: Motion
Advancements in design technology have made it possible to create high-quality, moving images that can be used for both indoor and outdoor advertising. The world of motion graphics has experienced a big boost over the last few years. From kinetic typography to isometric shapes, there exists a huge variety for experimenting with motion graphics. In a world where audiences’ attention spans are increasingly diminished by the constant stream of content across all channels, moving image formats attract more interest simply because the recipient can’t catch them in a single glance.

Trend No. 4: Bold minimalism
Unlike trends like branded illustrations, bold minimalism is an industrial design style characterized by clean, simple lines and shapes. The focus is on functionality, so decorations are kept to a minimum. In graphic design, industrial elements like small icons and badges are often used to add depth and interest and can be combined with expressive typography for an overall effect. In contrast to this is the trend toward maximalism. Yet, here, too, striking fonts can play an important role. If the tone of voice and aesthetics of a brand are rather, bold, loud and energetic, the “more is more” approach can also be the way to go. The main thing is to stay true to yourself.

Trend No. 5: Nostalgia
Fashion already showed it last year, and now in 2023, we’re looking back to the 1970s and 1990s in graphic design as well. The designs recalling these years show cute icons, stamps or doodles, placed seemingly randomly on a product to mimic the visual effect of a sticker book. Further, the ‘70s vintage aesthetic is coming back and we’ll see more and more designs in warm, earthy colour schemes and comforting designs, especially in the packaging industry. All of these elements can serve as vehicles for storytelling and reviving the past.

Trend No. 6: Foil printing
Another trend we can expect in 2023 is foil printing. It offers a unique way to add an extra bit of luxury and style to print materials. For brands, finishing can help add a touch of class and sophistication to products. For instance, you can go full gold to give a product an air of sophistication or you could use multi-coloured foil to make it appear more futuristic.

In summary, 2023 holds exciting design trends that inspire the printing and packaging sector alike – whether that’s reflected in print products or how goods are advertised and packaged. Of course, it is unclear to what extent the design trends presented will actually prevail in 2023. But one thing is certain: it will definitely not be boring.

Pantone goes on to say it is an assertive, but not aggressive, carmine red that does not boldly dominate but instead takes a ‘fist in a velvet glove’ approach. Exuding dynamism, the transformative red tone is capable of driving design to create a more positive future.

The strong colour echoes Pantone’s forecasted spring and summer 2023 top 10 standout colours for London Fashion Week including Cherry Tomato, Blazing Yellow, Electric Blue Lemonade and Pink Cosmos. They integrate tradition and innovation marrying the need for brightness and vibrant positivity with quieting tinted tones. They embrace the freedom to colourfully express individuality without constraint.

Vivid colours form the foundations of some key trends set to dominate 2023. Among the ones that caught my eye are the following.

1. Acidic hues

This is not just about bright, sharp colours, it’s about colours that hurt your eyes. They are arresting and striking. They grab your attention. It is a trend rooted in science. It takes inspiration from testing acidic substances. The more acidic a substance, the brighter the colour gets.

2. Colourful retro

Bright colour pallets will combine with idyllic retro imagery as the 1990s revival and vintage visual trends of 2022 continue. Everything from posters to packaging will be imbued with a sense of nostalgia.

3. Silver chrome

This moody and dark trend subverts the status quo with its distorted, melted metallic look. The shade of silver can range from a dark or dull tone to a shiny silver metal. This colour trend is about stirring anti-establishment expression and pushing back on norms.

4. Rich jewel colours

The rich jewel colours of 2023 are elegant, tonal and sensual. They are ushering in an interesting and chic era for colour in graphic design. Inspired by 1930s palettes, rich crimson, burnt orange, forest green or powdery lavender, offer a cosseting and indulgent quality. They allow colour to do the talking for high end-branding or luxury packaging design.

5. Condensed typography

Simple neutral colour schemes or black and neon can be combined with condensed typography to create two very different results – to temper drama or escalate it. In 2023, in line with the move toward Metaverse and futuristic styling, condensed fonts and compact typography will take centre stage.

Strong, vibrant colours that stir emotions are shaping the palette for 2023. Combined with the leading design trends they deliver an energized tone for the coming year. For print service providers the accurate recreation of the shade, depth, and nuances of a colour is vital. Consistent repeatability is essential.

John Blyth is marketing and communications manager, Ricoh Europe.