At Printing United Expo in Orlando, Wayne Beckett from INKISH meets Dimitri Van Gaever from Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems for an energetic conversation about the company’s expanding range of cutting tables and its growing influence in the U.S. market. “Your first Kongsberg trade show,” Wayne says with a grin. “Absolutely,” Dimitri replies. “And it’s been very busy. After just the first day, we’d already exceeded our targets in leads and sales. We’ve got a great spot — right at the entrance — so everyone walks straight into Kongsberg. Everything’s been running smoothly, and all our applications are performing perfectly. So yes, we’re happy.” The booth showcases three major platforms, reflecting Kongsberg’s strategy to serve every customer tier — from entry-level users to industrial-scale production. “Over here,” Dimitri explains, “we have the Kongsberg Entry, which, as the name says, is our entry-level cutting and routing platform. It’s perfect for sign and display producers who want Kongsberg quality and precision at a lower investment level. It can cut both rigid and flexible materials — foam board, composites, acrylics, self-adhesive vinyl, even roll-to-roll media. There’s also a smaller version for sampling or smaller workshops. The idea is simple: there’s now a Kongsberg for every business size.” Next up is the Kongsberg Ultimate, the booth’s showstopper. “It’s our most productive table and the winner of multiple awards — the Pinnacle, EDP, and Red Dot design awards,” Dimitri says. Originally designed for corrugated and folding carton packaging, it’s so versatile that we’re showing it here for the sign and display segment too. You can see it running roll-to-roll, cutting canvas, and kiss-cutting stickers. And it’s fully automatable — feeders, stackers, even robotic systems can be integrated.”$ At the back of the booth, the focus shifts to industrial routing with the Apex 3R EVO from Multicam, which is now part of the Kongsberg group. “We acquired Multicam four years ago,” Dimitri notes. “They’re based in Dallas, Texas, and everything is designed and built in the U.S., which is a huge advantage today. The Apex 3R EVO is built for heavy-duty materials — wood, aluminum composites, dense substrates — things that need industrial-level routing power.” Dimitri emphasizes that the company’s conversations with visitors go far beyond machinery. “For us, selling a table is the end of the process,” he says. “The real value is in understanding the customer’s applications. What are they producing? Can we speed up their workflow or automate it? Whether they’re cutting foam board, plexi, or textile — we start by solving problems, not just by selling equipment.” Wayne looks around the stand, filled with live demos and steady traffic. “It’s busy,” he says. “Looks like you’re going to have a great week.” Dimitri smiles. “Thanks, Wayne. It’s been a lot of work, but worth every minute.” “Bearing in mind how short a time you’ve been with Kongsberg,” Wayne says, “you’ve learned a lot very fast.” Dimitri laughs. “That’s the Kongsberg way — learn, adapt, and cut faster.”