March 2010
What's in this issue
It’s 17,000kms and almost 100 days away, yet Ipex keeps creeping into conversations. It’s certainly on my mind. In February, I went to London for the Ipex Media Summit, where the likes of Canon, Océ, Xerox, Ricoh and Fujifilm revealed their show plans (p24).
You’ll notice all of those are in the digital space – none of the heavy metal guys were there. The big news out of the event can be summed up in three little words with big implications: “Digital overtakes offset”. For the first time, digital has taken more floor space at the NEC than litho. Did anyone think we’d pass this watershed so soon? I remember a report from Canon at Drupa 2008 that predicted digital would dominate the market by 2020. Will that turn out to have been a conservative estimate?
But it’s not just about what technology can do, rather what it can do for your business. While all the digital vendors in London waxed lyrical about their
new kit, most put an equal or greater emphasis on applications. This is the test of whether the shiny new machines on the floor at Ipex end up in print rooms across the globe. It will depend on whether they fulfil a market need. Now more than ever, printers are savvy shoppers who want every sheet per hour to convert to sheets of bank notes.
The tech getting the most attention is inkjet. Fujifilm continues to generate buzz with its Jet Press, shown at Drupa and set to ship around Ipex (p51). Once the hype dies down, the real test will be whether it fits a real-world need.
Either way, offset will continue to be the benchmark for a long time to come. So we’ve looked at how heavy metal vendors have reacted to falling sales by focussing on service and support (p46).
Meanwhile, print itself is once again under threat. This time, it’s Apple’s new tablet computer, the iPad, which we look at on page 9. Is this the iPod moment for books? I doubt it, but like any technology, the acid test will be in the applications. I’m sure that whatever the future holds, much of the new technology and new media will complement – not replace – traditional ways of doing things.
Steven Kiernan, Editor
Articles in this issue
Burning debate fires up over forest felling
Green experts have come out of the woodwork to hit back at Gunns’ use of fire in Tasmanian operations, as Samantha Schelling explains.
Don’t be mistaken – there’s a war going on
The launch of the Apple iPad is another shot across the bow in new media’s attack on print’s heartland, says Daniel Fitzgerald.
Flexo’s future forecast is fair and favourable
The latest study from Pira International shows that the sector is set for an uplift over the coming years, as Henry Mendelson explains.
Getting inside information
There’s a goldmine of business data at your fingertips. It could
be just a matter of getting the spec right with your management information system and knowing how to use it, says Peter Kohn.
Print with distinction of first for extinction
Some types of print will be consigned to history due to the unstoppable rise of new media alternatives, says Frank Romano.
Printing goes back to school
There are a wealth of training providers out there to help print firms bring their skills up to scratch, writes Henry Mendelson.
Star Business: Vega Colour Group
The Melbourne-based printer remains at the forefront of the industry, both environmentally and in colour standards, by planning ahead and sticking to a strategy.
View from the Top: Garry Muratore
The former Agfa figure and all-round pre-press guru talks to Henry Mendelson about his new position at GMG, promoting colour management 'down under'.