Ikuya Atsuchi · Executive Officer · Mutoh · FESPA Barcelona 2026
At FESPA in Barcelona, Editor-in-Chief Morten Reitoft speaks with Ikuya Atsuchi from Mutoh about product development, Japanese engineering culture, and the company’s future together with Brother Industries.
As part of Mutoh’s product planning team in Tokyo, Ikuya Atsuchi works closely with R&D, manufacturing, dealers, and market demands to help shape the next generation of products. The conversation explores how the recent acquisition by Brother was initially a surprise, but is now seen internally as an exciting opportunity where the strengths of both companies complement each other extremely well.
The discussion also touches on Japanese long-term thinking, product quality, reliability, service networks, and the constant challenge of developing successful products in an increasingly competitive market.
A warm and honest conversation about engineering culture, product philosophy, and why Mutoh believes the partnership with Brother creates opportunities far greater than either company could achieve alone.
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Wed May 20th
Heiner Rupperath · Director · Brother · F...
At FESPA in Barcelona, Editor-in-Chief Morten Reitoft speaks with Heiner Rupperath from Brother Industries about industrial printing, customer relationships, and how innovation often comes from the most unexpected places. The conversation explores how “industrial print” is increasingly difficult to define, spanning everything from garment decoration and merchandising to highly specialized applications for footwear, leather, and other industrial sectors. Heiner Rupperath explains how Brother works with customers ranging from small innovative niche producers to massive production environments operating hundreds of machines. One of the most fascinating stories involves an Italian footwear producer using 28 separate process steps to create highly customized premium shoes, demonstrating how creativity and specialization can create entirely new business opportunities. The interview also touches on long-term customer relationships, trust, automation, software, and the Japanese company culture inside Brother, where the philosophy “At Your Side” is treated as far more than just a slogan. A warm and insightful conversation about industrial print, innovation, relationships, and why the future of print is often shaped as much by people and creativity as by technology itself.