Tech

Thu February 29th

En

Stephan Reiter · OneVision

OneVision delivers Workflow Solutions to the industry - and has developed a modular-based solution that fits all sizes. In this engaging interview with Stepha Reiter, you get an insight into what OneVision offers, the challenges, and what to expect at drupa. Nice talking to Stephan Reiter again!

Tue November 14th

En

First RICOH Pro VC80000 installation in ...

RICOH announced their new Pro VC80000 inkjet printer today, November 14th, 2023. Part of introducing new technology is using beta sites that are using the machine under certain conditions, reporting back to the vendor, having engineers on-site, and understanding the equipment from a PSP perspective. Christian Haneke is the Innovation & Solutions Manager at Sattler Media Group and has a deep knowledge of technology and its implementation. However, Sattler Media Group is a relatively new player in the digital print space, and the knowledge and experience from the group have influenced the development of the Pro VC80000 - so listen to the interview, and hopefully, you find it interesting!

Tue November 14th

De En

RICOH Pro™️ VC80000 · 50% Faster & ...

In an engaging conversation with Morten Reitoft from INKISH, Sander Sondaal from Ricoh discussed the latest trends and developments in the printing industry, particularly focusing on the shift towards digital and inkjet printing solutions. Sander Sondaal highlighted Ricoh's journey since acquiring IBM's printing division in the early 2000s and its continuous innovation in printing technologies. A key topic was the shift in market dynamics from traditional offset to digital printing, driven by the need for high-quality, high-productivity solutions. Sander Sondaal also emphasized Ricoh's focus on continuous-fed inkjet solutions aimed at high-productivity sectors. He touched on the challenges of the analog or offset printing market and how digital printing offers a viable alternative. Ricoh's strategy includes providing solutions that cover various market needs, from high-end continuous-feed inkjet printers for long runs to toner printers for ultra-short runs. The conversation also covered the advancements in inkjet technology, making it suitable for a broader range of commercial print applications. Sondaal mentioned the importance of flexibility in printing solutions, catering to different market segments and customer needs. The recent developments in Ricoh's portfolio, including the Z75 and the new inkjet solutions, demonstrate their commitment to innovation. Sondaal further delved into the operational aspects of transitioning from traditional printing methods to modern digital solutions, outlining how Ricoh's technologies are designed to be user-friendly and accessible to a wider range of printing businesses. He concluded by discussing the competitive landscape of the printing industry and Ricoh's position in it, emphasizing collaboration and innovation as key drivers for future growth. This interview underscores the dynamic nature of the printing industry and Ricoh's adaptive strategies to meet evolving market demands, focusing on quality, productivity, and innovation. RICOH is one of the leading inkjet companies in the graphic arts segment. In this talk with Director Commercial Sales, Sander Sondaal, and Editor Morten B. Reitoft, they talk about the market, toner print, obviously the Z75, and the new continuous fed inkjet printer Pro VC80000. In a market that continues to develop and where inkjet becomes more and more choice for many PSPs, the new Pro VC80000 delivers 150 meters per minute, equal to about 10,000 B2 sheets (4+4) per hour, and on substrates up to 300gsm, and with precession and easy better than previous models. A super nice and intense conversation that hopefully gives you many answers to the newest member of the RICOH family - enjoy!

Sun November 12th

En

Great Design & Marketing · Melissa ...

A few months ago, we visited Courier Graphics in Phoenix, Arizona - and besides the fantastic technology they use to produce great print and also the implementation of a new MIS solution from PrintVis, which brought us to the site, we got a chance to see the amazing showroom, talk to Designer Melissa Loughran from Courier Graphics - and to see some of the samples that really pushed the boundaries. Enjoy this!

Thu November 2nd

En

Made in Germany · Jordi Giralt · CBO · K...

KAMA develops and produces folding/gluers die/hot stamping machines with several smart features, making them unique in the market. With a 100+ years history, based in the former East Germany (Dresden), they have developed technology that today gives them products that fit the digital space tremendously well. Almost everything is produced on-site. In this film, the new CBO, Jordi Giralt, shares insights about what KAMA produces, its philosophies, and what markets it addresses. Super interesting, but watch for yourself! LinkedIn Profile: Marcus Tralau

Tue October 17th

En

Part of Something Bigger · AlphaGraphics...

AlphaGraphics Sandy is one of the bigger franchises of AlphaGraphics - and in this film, we talk to the  Owner and president, Andy Selcho, about the advantages of being part of AlphaGraphics. Andy Selcho's father started AlphaGraphics Sandy, and though it wasn't the plan at first to have Andy Selcho take over, it became increasingly the plan - and today, Andy Selcho runs the Sandy division with many different technologies and services. In the film, we talk about the history. Still, also about current time and the future - we even get time to visit a customer, showing how many different technologies and applications AlphaGraphics Sandy can deliver. This is our first visit to a franchise company in the industry, so we are very excited about the story and the drive that Andy Selcho and his employees deliver. We contacted AlphaGraphics Sandy due to an unfortunate cancellation on one of our US trips. As we knew Director of Operations Paul Gardner from previous visits to Salt Lake City - a connection was established. We hope you like the story, and if you have great stories to share - feel free to reach out. We often have opportunities to do editorials like this - thank you for your support!

Thu October 12th

En

Eagle Systems Cold Foiler on AM Litho...

Minutes after arriving at AM Litho in Chicopee, MA - a smiling Al Meadows welcomed us. I believe everybody who arrives at AM Litho comments on the 'rain forest' you have to pass to get into the printing company. Al Meadows first gives us a tour starting with the rain forest, the history of the Caribbean-inspired wall paintings, and the entire production. In the pre-press area, we meet Fred Gamber, who joins us for the rest of the tour and is part of the interview. AM Litho is a super interesting printing company, focusing on high quality with the abilities of the Eagle Systems cold-foil unit on the company's Koenig & Bauer KBA 106. We are entering the color lab where colors are mixed and checked so they comply 100% with the high-end brands that trust their work to AM Litho. You'll easily recognize the iconic whiskey and perfume brands, and when you see the work put into the colors and the quality insurance, you get a sense of what AM Litho is all about. Besides the KBA with Eagle Systems, the other printing presses are from Komori. Al Meadows is very pleased with his relationship with Komori - and for the first time (for INKISH), we get to see the Komori IS40 (digital inkjet printer based on the Konica-Minolta KM1). Also, this machine is highly appreciated by both Al Meadows and Fred Gamber. The digital department is all Canon printers, which are also highly appreciated by the two. You realize these people invest in technology, supporting their business and supplier relationships. AM Litho is veteran-owned as Al Meadows, and many employees are veterans. AM Litho highly values employees, and you see signs of appreciation and constantly reaching customer satisfaction as a very integrated part of what makes AM Litho, AM Lithography! Great story!

Wed October 11th

En

Ultimate TechnoGraphic Scalable, Bindery...

How can you explain software that you can hardly see? In this case, we have told a story about a successful company based in Groningen, in the North West of The Netherlands. Ziga Kovac and Editor Morten B. Reitoft arrive at the company Chris Russel and quickly realize that the company operates with several names - to serve different markets. This film focuses on Fotofabriek.nl, which delivers photo-related products, as the name indicates. Fotofabriek produces over 6,000 products daily; most orders are shipped out the same day. On top of that, all productions are filmed so the customer can follow the production process - the users share these films and generate further interest for Fotofabriek.nl, which adds up to a total of more than 2 million videos a year. Can you imagine managing imposition, planning, binding, and logistics without software? Totally impossible, and that's where workflow/automation comes in place. All printing companies have workflow software, often delivered with your hardware. With Fotofabriek, this is the same, but a strategy of streamlining the workflow will minimize or even eliminate other workflow solutions and focus all into Impostrip/Bindery is what's in plan - and when we visit Fotofabriek.nl, we hear for the first time how the new scalable solution in Impostrip allow the company to scale processing power and nesting engines based on needs. This is SUPER cool and very valuable as Scalable allows any company to adjust to workload instantly! Here is also the link to the 'testimonial' we did for Ultimate TechnoGraphics, where Chris de Jonge explains how Ultimate TechnoGraphics is being used to solve all of the above challenges! Stephan de Vries https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephan-de-vries-52098142/ Chris De Jonge https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-de-jonge-b5b30a257/

Thu October 5th

En Pt-BR

How Hunkeler helped Forma Certa transfor...

Finally, we are ready to show you our films from Brazil and Argentina, and the first is from Gráfica Forma Certa and COO Francisco Souza. Forma Certa is an amazing printing company that has almost entirely been transformed into one of Brazil's leading digital printing companies. Having a company that used to supply other printing companies with plates and is now so dedicated to IT development, digital books, and all the amazing things the company does is amazing. The perspective is even more challenging for US and European people as buying technology and getting into Brazil is considerably more difficult than in our countries. Francisco Souza explains how his three HP T-series are configured with three Hunkeler finishing lines - an amazing company and a super interesting story. The language is in Portuguese but, of course, with subtitles in English. Enjoy!

Mon October 2nd

En

Dennis Groh & Bernie Lacy · Added V...

We arrived late to Litho Press in Indianapolis, connecting flights from Europe becoming more and more difficult, but when we arrived, it was SUPER cool. The reception area nicely designed 50's airplane kind of style furniture and a great deal of humor with a doll as a receptionist. We were welcomed by Plant Manager Dennis Groh, who has only been with Litho Press for a couple of weeks; he was so excited, new, and with many ideas for how to make the VLF packaging printer even smarter. One of the two brothers, Bernie Lacy, still owns most of the company. Still, the transition into an employee-owned company has already started. We talk with Bernie Lacy about everything from being third-generation, investing in technology, and relationships with customers and vendors - and of course, we get to see the Eagle Systems foiler - which is the biggest of its kind in the world, mounted on the huge manroland press - You will like this film!

Mon September 18th

En

Optimizing using PrintVis MIS/ERP · Scot...

Courier Graphics is located in Phoenix, Arizona, and is yet another amazing printing company. When entering the production, you'll see the huge 32-page manroland web-offset press, which is great to see in work, and funny to see how small a Heidelberg XL-106 - 8-color suddenly is compared to the manroland - however, the combination is super great for a company that focuses on HIGH-quality magazines, catalogs, etc. We are visiting Courier Graphics and President Scott Carritt, as the company recently invested in a new MIS/ERP solution from PrintVis, which has given Courier Graphics productivity gains and many other advantages, which we talk about in this INKISH film.

Mon September 4th

En

The Future Looks Bright · Franz Kriechba...

Franz Kriechbaum is the CEO of manroland GOSS, and as we speak to him in this interview, the future looks bright. Good order books, a clear strategy, and a profitable future on new and refurbishing machines in the market, including competing brands. Also, a move into packaging is among the ingredients that manroland GOSS has in the pipeline for its future. Franz Kriechbaum also talks about how manroland GOSS had used similar services on their machines before the term was invented. Therefore, the company has excellent data on its customers securing in-time services and upgrades. Nice to hear, and though production is lower than in the past, the assembly hall was busy while we were visiting the company. Enjoy!

Thu August 24th

En

Ultimate TechnoGraphics and Horizon Coll...

An article published on INKISH.NEWS about an extended collaboration between Horizon International and Ultimate TechnoGraphics got our attention, and we reached out to both parties to hear more. Here is the first (of two) where CEO Julie Watson, Ultimate TechnoGraphics, explains that Horizon and Ultimate TechnoGraphics have worked together for a long time - and without saying anything specific, the new collaboration could mean tighter integration and new products released. We are excited, and though not specific - enjoy this interview with Julie Watson!

Mon August 21st

En

How Technology Drives · Brandon Boyers ·...

When planning trips that involve many printing companies in many states or countries, we, from time to time, get last-minute cancelations as a PSP can be too busy, machines are not ready, or simply days in between without work. This time, Editor Morten B. Reitoft had a stop-over in Louisville before heading back to Denmark, and we called Steve Wuerdeman from HP, as he lives in Louisville, to hear if he could recommend a printing site to visit - and lucky us - we got to meet Brandon Boyers and Jen Von Almen from Vivid Impact in Jeffersontown. A super interesting company with so many capabilities, from offset to digital, and the production of beautiful applications like covers for vinyl albums to children's books with amazing effects, a company that once again shows how things can be done differently. What you see is a printing company, but speaking to Brandon Boyers, you realize that the production is merely a tool enabling the real business - data-driven communication, where print is "just" a part of it. But listen for yourself and enjoy!

Tue August 15th

En

AMS Spectral UV on brand new fully equip...

Arriving at the Windles Group headquarters in Thame indicated that this printing company is above most - and we weren't disappointed. Windles Group has specialized in the production of greeting cards and other, well, let's say, more complicated printed products that include covers and other products where you need to go the extra mile to get what you want. The brand new Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 printing press is a perfector press. Still, it has built-in multiple curing systems - one is the AMS Spectral UV LED curing system, which we will hear and learn more about as the nice folks from AMS Spectral UV sponsor this INKISH film. The four curing systems on the press give Windles Group options to pick the right dryer or the right combination of driers to create stunning prints with PMS colors, foil, embossing, even metal dust, and more. Miles Podmore is the 3rd. Generation, head of production, has a new engineering degree and is now very pleased about his job, where he can combine his education with his passion for hands-on production. Super nice visit - and shout out to Jack Fischer - our new filmer - who filmed this project - Ziga still mastered the editing :-)

Wed August 9th

En

Koenig & Bauer Best Service · Janak...

Somewhere in the always surprisingly huge Los Angeles, you'll find Ultimate Paperbox, a company specializing in packaging. The owner Janak Patel has been in the industry for years and has built a growing packaging printing company. In this film, we talk to him about his relationship with Koenig & Bauer. Besides going way back with the German manufacturer, Patel is still very focused on what they do now - and has invested in folding/gluer from Koenig & Bauer Iberica - and listening to Patel, we wouldn't be surprised to also see a Koenig & Bauer Durst Varijet at some point at the site. In the meanwhile - enjoy!

Wed August 2nd

En

How ABG ‘Bertha’ made a diff...

For good reasons, Label Apeel is one of the UK's most recognized label converters. Whiskey, Gin, and Luxury product labels are what the company is specialized in, and they are super good at. Awards, lifelong customers, and close collaboration with their suppliers. The ABG 'Bertha' is one of more ABG machines at Label Apeel, yet a very purpose-made machine that gives Label Apeel excellent opportunities to win award after award and, of course, satisfy demanding customers. This is our first film with James Quirk as reporter/editor and Jack Fisher as filmer - GREAT job, gents! LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helena-kellock-708346a7/

Wed August 2nd

En

From four to two machines · Brian Stone ...

Visiting a company like ColorDynamics is an experience in itself. The entrance is impressive, and the company's design makes it interesting, with gardens, courtyards, and space. The history of ColorDynamics is also fascinating, as it was founded in Chicago but moved years ago to Allen in Dallas and has since grown through excellent management and acquisitions. We learned all this from Brian Stone and David Dey, along with how the company reduced their four wide-format digital printers to two new Agfa wide-format printers, delivering more than anticipated and higher quality. ColorDynamics is a fantastic printing company specializing in trading cards and providing solutions using their Heidelberg and HP presses and web-offset machines with tailor-made finishing - super lovely company!

Wed July 19th

En

ChatGPT and Ultimate TechnoGraphics · Da...

Boone Graphics is located in Santa Barbara, about 2 hours drive from Los Angeles, and besides the traffic in LA, the rest of the tour was super nice. When we got to Boone Graphics, we were kindly received and got into a super nice meeting room with all types of print - and the rest of the day was interesting. Learning about how ChatGPT is used to write XML documents to be used with Ultimate TechnoGraphics Impostrip and Bindery was a surprise - but the story and how Boone Graphics navigates in the industry was just super nice. Enjoy! LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-tanner-313ba58/ Apology from the editor: As Boone Graphics ALSO uses both Impostrip and Bindery from Ultimate TechnoGraphics, Editor Morten B. Reitoft asked about the use of Impostrip Bindery but used the phrase ImpoBind, which obviously isn't the name - sorry for this - hereby disclaimed!

Wed July 19th

En

From Syria to Successful Bay Area Printe...

As part of our California Cruising tour, we visited Lahlouh in San Francisco. That was an interesting visit, not only because of the company's technology - ranging from Xerox over Heidelberg to EFI, Horizon, and tons of other equipment but also because Lahlouh is a truly family-operated and owned printing company. The company has a commitment to its customers is second-to-none. With an ever-optimistic approach and willingness to develop new products and services, Lahlouh is in the hotspot of why print has a long and amazing future. Enjoy! LinkedIn Profiles: Catherine Lahlouh https://www.linkedin.com/in/lahlouh/ Tony Lahlouh https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-lahlouh-49b20535/

Thu July 20th

En

Full Service provider Prisma uses Hunkel...

Kerry Labatt has been with Prisma Graphic in Phoenix for years but with five different positions/roles and has thrived with the company's growth. Visiting Prisma Graphic is truly interesting - the shielding between the entrance and reception area to the customer service people is one long arc with super nice samples of print done by Prisma Graphic - and they are GOOD. The company excels in several types of print, from offset to web-offset, to various types of digital print from inkjet to toner, and the facility is WELL laid out. We are visiting Prisma Graphic as they use Hunkeler equipment and their Screen 520 Truejet device - and Hunkeler kindly sponsored this film. Super nice company, and great to see a company that keeps investing in technology. In the film, you will learn how Kerry Labatt sees investments and when the time is right to do new ones! Enjoy!

Tue July 18th

En

Daragh Whelan · OneECG Process Manager ·...

Editor Morten B. Reitoft sat down with Daragh Whelan a few months ago. Whelan has a lot of experience in the label/flexible market and has managed one of the larger UK-based label-converting companies, taking them from one position in the market to the next. Now he works for BOBST and has the title of OneECG Process Manager. OneECG is a BOBST term, but nevertheless extremely interesting to learn from, as the flexo-technology evolves so fast and in such a quality that ECG or extended color gamut is becoming a game changer in the industry. Faster setup times, a higher level of automation, and great opportunities for Converters to make more money. In this interview, Whelan shares his insights, and we are pretty sure you will both learn and enjoy.

Wed June 28th

En

SignAgain – recycled PVC done righ...

This is a VERY interesting film - full disclaimer - I love it. Karis Copp interviewed Jordy Silva de Jong in a recent interview done at FESPA - and we simply had to talk with him about their project SignAgain. Probo is a large reseller-only wide-format production company in the Netherlands, and as so many companies experience - they produce waste from the production. Still, they also deliver products that often end up in landfills or are burned. Probo has now turned waste into a viable recycling venture called SignAgain, which takes PVC waste and recycles this into new boards with many great properties - and in this film, you can hear and see all about it. And pay attention to the Wonderland event Jordy Silva de Jong speaks about initially.

Mon June 19th

En

Néstor Pascual · People & Technolo...

In this chat with Néstor Pascual from People & Technology, he explains the technology P&T delivers to the market, from test printers to printhead cleaning devices. At IST UV-Days, People & Technology will show their equipment to the attendees.