Flow 2026 Eric Worrall 路 Vice President of Products & Services 路 Hybrid Helix Software
A major change is coming to the European software market, and printing companies, equipment manufacturers, and software developers need to understand what it means.
At FLOW 2026 in Bad Hersfeld, Pat McGrew meets Eric Worrall from Hybrid Software Helix for an important conversation about the European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and its implications for the printing industry’s increasingly connected production environments.
Unlike GDPR, which focuses on personal data protection, the Cyber Resilience Act introduces cybersecurity requirements for software and hardware products themselves. Software must be designed with security in mind, vulnerabilities must be managed, and manufacturers need to demonstrate compliance with applicable requirements.
While vulnerability and security-incident reporting obligations began in September 2026, the main requirements take effect in December 2027, including conformity assessments, technical documentation, and CE marking.
Eric explains why these requirements extend beyond complete software solutions. Third-party components, software libraries, and development platforms all form part of a wider supply chain where security vulnerabilities can create significant risks.
And what happens when printing companies develop their own applications or build additional functionality on top of commercially available software? Depending on how those solutions are developed and made available on the market, additional responsibilities may arise.
The conversation highlights why printers should already be talking to their technology suppliers, understanding their software dependencies, and preparing for a future where cybersecurity becomes an essential part of software development and procurement.
An important discussion about compliance, responsibility, and why the next major challenge in print workflow automation may not simply be connecting systems, but ensuring that the software connecting them is secure.
Recorded at FLOW 2026 路 Bad Hersfeld, Germany 路 INKISH
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Thu November 5th
AI Won't Save Your Print Business If Your Dat...
Can you name your 20 most profitable printing jobs from the past six months? If not, you might have a bigger problem than outdated software. At FLOW 2026 in Bad Hersfeld, Pat McGrew meets Stephan Reiter from CAI Software to discuss why the future of print management isn't simply about implementing new technology, but understanding the economics and processes behind every printing job. With roots in EFI and eProductivity Software, CAI brings together an extensive portfolio of MIS, ERP, web-to-print, and workflow solutions serving printing companies of every size, from small businesses to multinational enterprises. But Stephan challenges the traditional way printers approach software investments. Rather than starting with a list of desired features, he asks fundamental business questions: Which jobs actually make money? How much capital is tied up in unused inventory? Where are employees spending time on unnecessary manual processes? CAI uses time-and-motion studies to examine workflows, often tracing completed invoices backward through production, estimating, and order entry to uncover hidden inefficiencies. And what about artificial intelligence? While CAI is developing AI-powered capabilities for onboarding, estimating, migration, and reporting, Stephan is clear that AI alone cannot solve structural problems. Without accurate data and well-defined processes, even the most sophisticated technology will struggle to deliver meaningful results. The conversation also explores why printing companies should reconsider legacy MIS installations that may have served them well for years but no longer reflect their business needs. With changing customer expectations, increasing automation, and growing competitive pressure, Stephan argues that printers need to understand their profitability and rethink how their entire business operates. A thought-provoking conversation about the real value of MIS, the limitations of AI, and why the printing companies that understand their numbers may be the ones best prepared for the future. Recorded at FLOW 2026 路 Bad Hersfeld, Germany 路 INKISH