If the last Drupa was about first-generation high-speed inkjet web presses, hailed as litho-slaying technology by some and shown by HP, Kodak and Océ, then this year will be about the evolution of that technology from concept to production. It will also be about the expanding range of applications where inkjet has become the fastest-growing, if not the dominant, technology.

HP graphic solutions business worldwide marketing director François Martin says it will become apparent at Drupa 2012 just how much inkjet and digital technologies have changed the print industry. He explains: "Digital printing is embracing everything that can be printed and will cause everything to shake this year. Everyone knows digital is happening, but the question printers will be asking at Drupa is: ‘when can I start and with what equipment?’."

Fujifilm Europe marketing communications manager Graham Leeson agrees that the focus for digital will be on the growing range of applications for the technology, rather than the radical launches that defined the exhibition four years ago.

"Inkjet technology will have grown to another level in terms of its impact on print and will have become more viable in more applications. However, I don’t think we will see any new products that will revolutionise the market," he says.

Developing software
Leeson expects the major manufacturers to have focused their energies on developing software such as new workflow systems, in order to help printers increase efficiency and cut costs. He adds: "I think what is important to the growth of digital is the evolution of software that will help with functions such as workflow, production management and colour management. A lot of printers are trying to manage traditional offset along with digital printing and there is now a need for software to help ensure that all their processes are efficient."

This is one of the main benefits of Fujifilm’s own inkjet device, the B2 sheetfed JetPress 720, which was specifically designed to slot into the physical workflow of a typical B2 litho printer. However, the press has taken longer to come to market than anticipated and some commentators, including Infotrends (see opinion), have questioned what the potential markets are for devices such as this and Screen’s Truepress JetSX.

Leeson responds: "The market for cutsheet digital printing is relatively buoyant, driven by the demand for shorter run lengths and the opportunity to get involved in areas such as personalisation. There has been a lot of interest in our JetPress 720 and we are talking to a number of companies with a view to confirming orders."

But the question remains and Fujifilm and Screen will need to prove the benefits of their inkjet vision to the crowds at Drupa versus the more established web-based technology from HP, Kodak and Océ, in addition to toner-based cutsheet devices.

Kodak, whose Prosper 5000XL press is still in beta testing in Europe at Howard Hunt, has indicated that it expects one of the major trends at Drupa to be printers looking for products or services that help boost efficiency or cut costs. Director of commercial segment strategy and marketing Chris Payne explains: "We are in a challenging global economy and that means graphic arts professionals from all over the world are searching for practical solutions and expert guidance that will help them succeed."

He says the manufacturer will highlight existing Kodak inkjet users who have grown their businesses and bottom line with "new capabilities and services, unique applications and improved operational efficiencies".

Xerox, which belatedly entered the inkjet market with the launch of the CiPress 500 last year, confirmed that it will demonstrate the waterless inkjet press at Drupa 2012 and would be looking to take orders throughout this year.

Xerox UK marketing manager Kevin O’Donnell said that he also expected to see a focus on workflow and efficiency. "I think there will be new technologies at Drupa but in the current economic climate many businesses are trying to focus on a couple of key areas," he added. "We are looking to help printers reduce their costs and increase automation through products such as our Freeflow software – a collection of digital workflows that integrate into the web. We want to help our clients achieve growth and do more with the technology they have."

Increased effectiveness
Although much of what we are likely to see from the commercial inkjet sector at Drupa 2012 will be evolution rather than revolution, one area which HP’s Martin believes could experience a major shift is brand owners’ priorities when placing their print campaigns.

 "This will be the year the industry moves from talking about cost per page to cost per lead," he claims. "Until recently printers focused on reducing cost and increasing speed, but brand owners want to increase the effectiveness of what they print."

If Martin is right, this would represent a much bigger shift than any technological advance we are likely to see in Dusseldorf. It would also be a much bigger threat to litho than the first generation of "litho-killing" high-speed inkjet presses that caused such a stir in 2008.

READER REACTION

Andrew Tribute
industry technology consultant
"We will see the continued growth of inkjet printing, but in terms of the major players, I think we will see enhancements to the current product ranges. Although there may be extensions, I don’t anticipate there being very much that is new. I think we will see some new players come into the inkjet market, such as KBA. I’m not yet convinced there is a market for sheetfed inkjet, but once a number of suppliers offer the products, printers may buy into it. There are not too many applications, but printers like the B2 format."

Craig Nethercott
director of production printing, Océ UK
"We will see a continued development of inkjet technologies, new inks, faster speeds, wider web widths, improved quality and expanded paper opportunities. Also, integrated workflows will be a more integral part of the story. As high-speed colour solutions increase, so do the complexities of the workflow and investment here is key to successful partnerships. With technological advancements so frequent, firms can no longer wait for events such as Drupa to announce the latest technology – though some may still have something up their sleeves."

Stephen Palmer
production print director, Ricoh UK
"We’ll show the workflow solutions that make print a more dynamic proposition, supporting customers’ shift from commodity print suppliers to communications services providers, including web-to-print solutions and fully integrated, total print management workflows running from job submission to fulfilment. Digital printing will display a range of workflow solutions to aid the integration of online and offline communications. We will see fewer big hardware innovations than in previous years, but inkjet will feature heavily."