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In this last Bonjour from PRINTING United 2024, we have the pleasure of having Chris Manley from Graphco and Eric Vessels from Taktiful. There was lots of fun and announcements of great sales by Graphco - and, of course, we had to talk about Eric Vessels not being part of WhatTheyThink anymore. This last Bonjour was hosted by Pat McGrew & Morten B. Reitoft.

First day - what to expect? Well, C!Print in Lyon is live, and your hard-working INKISH team starts speculating about the expectations for the day. Enjoy, and check out the interviews we will be doing on January 31st and February 1st.

Great to have Barbara McManus and Volker Leonhardt together. HP and Müller Martini are close partners which is emphasized in this casual, yet super great Bonjour session, hosted by Jean Lloyd and Pat McGrew

Nous rencontrons Philippe Alzina, bien connu dans l'industrie graphique française et participant au salon C!Print depuis ses débuts. Excellent aperçu de comment tout a commencé, de ce que cela est devenu et de ce que cela signifie pour les PSP françaises. La finition et l'embellissement de l'impression sont des mots que nous entendons beaucoup comme un sujet important d'intérêt et de diversification. Mistral Graphic opère directement dans cet espace et on en apprend un peu plus sur eux. Excellente conversation et toujours agréable d'entendre des personnes ayant une longue histoire dans l'industrie. —— We meet Philippe Alzina, well known in the French printing industry and a participant in the C!Print show since the beginning. Great overview of how it all started and what it has become and means for French PSPs. Print finishing and embellishment are words that we hear a lot as an important topic of interest and diversification. Mistral Graphic operates directly in this space and we learn a little more about them. Great conversation and always nice to hear from people with a long history in the industry.

Kick-off du salon C!Print 2024 - Lyon avec notre interview matinale « Bonjour C!Print ». Nous rencontrons un Florent Zucca impatient et qui est excité pour l'édition de cette année. Beaucoup de nouvelles annonces, entre autres l'ajout de la C!Factory, une installation de production 100% entièrement automatisée pour produire des maillots de basket en direct sur le salon. Organiser un salon comme celui-ci ne se fait pas du jour au lendemain et nous sommes curieux de savoir comment ils y parviennent, nous leur demandons! C’est un événement de 3 jours avec beaucoup de choses à voir et à vivre, alors restez à l’écoute car nous vous en parlerons les prochains jours. Allons-y !

On the third and final day of PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas, Morten B. Reitoft and Pat McGrew sit down with Ford Bowers, President & CEO of PRINTING United Alliance, and Deborah Hutcheson from Agfa to look back at three busy days — and forward to where the industry is heading. The newly completed Las Vegas Convention Center has given PRINTING United more room to bring the industry's different parts together. Commercial print, wide-format, apparel, promotional products, packaging, software, finishing, and automation increasingly exist side by side rather than as separate industries. And that convergence may be one of the most important takeaways from this year's show. PRINTING United 2026 brought together more than 800 exhibitors across approximately one million square feet, with equipment, software and applications representing almost every part of the print ecosystem. Deborah has experienced that convergence directly at Agfa's booth. Customers aren't simply asking about faster printing equipment anymore. They want flexible automation, fewer touchpoints and technology that can grow as their production requirements change. AI is becoming part of that conversation as well. The PRINTING AI Pavilion returned this year with presentations and discussions about how artificial intelligence can move beyond the hype and become part of real production, workflow, and business processes. Ford admits there was initial concern that printers might be hesitant about AI, but the response at the show suggests the opposite: companies increasingly want to understand how to use it rather than whether they should. But technology is only half of the challenge. PRINTING United Alliance is also investing heavily in education and career development. Student Day brought young people from very different disciplines into the exhibition — not only graphic communications students, but programmers, engineers, chemists and others discovering that print offers far more career opportunities than they may have imagined. Deborah describes conversations with students who were surprised by the variety of technologies and applications they encountered. And Pat overheard perhaps the best reaction possible from young visitors walking into another part of the show: “I didn't know you could do that.” That curiosity matters. As automation, software, robotics and AI become increasingly important, the printing industry needs an entirely new mix of skills — and attracting those people requires showing them just how broad and technologically advanced the industry has become. Now the work begins again. Ford explains that planning for PRINTING United 2027 is already underway, but the Alliance will first evaluate everything from education and Student Day to hall layouts, signage, AI programming and visitor flow to understand what worked and what can be improved. Because just like the companies exhibiting here, the show itself has to keep evolving. Print takes all of us. Watch Morten B. Reitoft and Pat McGrew's conversation with Ford Bowers from PRINTING United Alliance and Deborah Hutcheson from Agfa as they wrap up PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas.

Day two at PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas starts with Wayne Beckett and Pat McGrew meeting Andrew Gunn from Fujifilm and Johan Laurent from Standard Finishing for a conversation about automation, workflow — and why partnerships between technology suppliers are becoming increasingly important. Digital presses are faster, quality continues to improve, and many processes that once required highly skilled operators are increasingly automated. But producing a great printed sheet is only part of the job. The customer needs a finished product, and that means workflow, printing and finishing have to communicate. Andrew explains that customers are increasingly asking Fujifilm how its presses can integrate with technology that Fujifilm doesn't manufacture. Lights-out production requires exactly that: different suppliers working together rather than expecting one company to provide everything. Johan sees the same development from the finishing side. The bindery can easily become the bottleneck when increasingly productive digital presses feed work into finishing processes that still require manual setup and intervention. And automation without workflow doesn't solve the problem. Barcodes, job information, imposition and production instructions need to travel with the job so binders, stitchers and cutters can automatically configure themselves for what comes next. That requires cooperation between press manufacturers, finishing suppliers and workflow companies long before the equipment arrives on the customer's production floor. The conversation also looks at convergence. Commercial printers are moving into books, packaging and other applications, while photo businesses are beginning to adopt digital production technologies that enable them to move beyond traditional photographic output. Customers increasingly expect their print providers to offer more — and being a one-product printer is becoming increasingly difficult. Both Andrew and Johan see automation as fundamental to making that diversification profitable, particularly as skilled labor remains difficult to find. The machines matter. But increasingly, the real competitive advantage comes from how well everything works together. Watch Wayne Beckett and Pat McGrew with Andrew Gunn from Fujifilm and Johan Laurent from Standard Finishing at PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas.

At PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas, Morten B. Reitoft and Pat McGrew meet Rolando Martinez from Canon and Andrew Fetherman from Müller Martini North America for a wide-ranging conversation about presses, finishing, workflow, automation — and why connecting all of these technologies is becoming increasingly important for print service providers. The starting point is simple. Customers aren't really buying individual pieces of equipment. They are investing in production capacity, and that means a press, workflow, and finishing system ultimately have to operate as one production environment. Canon and Müller Martini/Hunkeler therefore begin working together long before equipment reaches the customer's floor. Mechanical interfaces matter, but increasingly the more interesting connection is digital. Müller Martini's Connex workflow exchanges production information with printing systems, manages imposition and carries the job information and barcodes required to automate downstream finishing. That becomes particularly important in highly variable book production. Even when printing and finishing aren't physically in line, the workflow can create what Andrew describes as an almost electronically in-line environment. Information about a roll, job, splice or production event can follow the work downstream, allowing finishing equipment to understand what has happened before the printed product ever reaches it. Canon has plenty to show in Las Vegas as well. Rolando talks about the varioPRINT iX1700 sheetfed inkjet press, the Colorado XL platform, the newest generation of imagePRESS toner technology and Canon's growing PRISMA workflow ecosystem. The much larger varioPRESS iV7 isn't physically on the show floor, but Canon has created an interactive experience to demonstrate what its B2+ inkjet platform can deliver. For Rolando, one important development is how far inkjet has advanced. The discussion is no longer simply about accepting inkjet quality in return for digital flexibility. New generations of inkjet are increasingly competing with offset on both quality and productivity, fundamentally changing where printers can consider moving work from conventional to digital production. At Müller Martini and Hunkeler, automation continues after the press. PRINTING United is the world premiere of the new Separo PRO, an automated destacking solution feeding book blocks into the Vareo PRO perfect binder. Combined with barcode-driven production, Connex workflow, InfiniTrim and downstream robotic handling, the objective is increasingly touchless book manufacturing — producing more products per square foot and per labor hour. The Hunkeler GEN8 direct-mail line also demonstrates another important part of today's production environment: partnerships. The line is integrated with Heidelberg folding technology, illustrating how manufacturers increasingly have to work across traditional company boundaries if customers are going to achieve genuinely automated end-to-end production. And that leads naturally to one of the industry's biggest challenges: labor. Automation isn't being developed simply because robots and AI are fashionable. Printers continue to struggle to find skilled operators, and highly experienced employees are increasingly difficult to replace. Press automation, automated finishing, workflow integration, robotics and AI therefore become different pieces of the same puzzle. The conversation ends by looking beyond the Canon and Müller Martini booths. Rolando wants to explore apparel, promotional production, workflow and AI as commercial printers continue diversifying into new markets. Andrew is looking for robotics, cobots, backend automation and further developments toward the smart factory. Different technologies. Different manufacturers. One increasingly connected production environment. Or, as Müller Martini's theme at PRINTING United puts it: Stronger Together. Watch Morten B. Reitoft and Pat McGrew with Rolando Martinez from Canon and Andrew Fetherman from Müller Martini North America at PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas.

LabelExpo Europe in Brussels is the most important global show in the label industry, but the maybe more correct "label" would be flexible, packaging, label, mid-web industry, nevertheless, in this Bonjour, James Quirk and Morten B. Reitoft speculate about all the interesting trends and technologies we expect to see the next days. Stay tuned for a lot of interviews and presentations.

It's always interesting to learn from Bodo Tegtmeier. Here, we hear about the new version of the highly popular Cobostack and the new folder K8i—super interesting!

I had dinner with my family. And in fact, we ordered a home delivery. One lesson is 'nothing is as constant as change'. This is the MASTERCUT 106 PER. And the MASTERCUT is special for two reasons. It can put more than 50 million sheets on the floor in a year. Then it is equipped with functions to liberate the operator from manual work. It has a very high degree of automation. But in the end, it's all about quality, cost and time. I think the best strategy is to establish your own future yourself. So, it links the tool with the die-cutting machine. And you can see in this picture there's a little front of the tool. There's a very little RFID chip. The tool can be linked directly to the correct recipient. So that the operator does not need to look into the many thousand recipients which might be existing on a die-cutter machine. Or the good one. Quality is not negotiable. So, the question is how to ensure that the right quality comes out of a particular machine. The ACCUCHECK is not only able to check the text, or the color, or the completeness of the print. But it is also able to quality control and embossing or de-bossing. And metallized surface. DIT means Digital Inspection Table. It also takes the original layout, and it produces with projectors a digital image on the table surface. I took it because we are also working on new digital-cutting solutions. So that I can introduce some digital BOBST laser cutter. The Swiss Chalet is a restaurant. And coming back to our food delivery, which we talked about in the beginning. How to get out of the pandemic is also the outlook. We will be all ready to go back to our famous restaurant. And have a beer together and enjoy it together.

Technology Sales Director Nigel Tracey talks with Editor Morten B. Reitoft about several different topics in this interview. How is BOBST perceived by its customers? How does BOBST communicate so many types of products? What about sustainability? In this interview you get the real answers in a nice and openminded conversation - we are certain you will like this!

Sometimes you meet skilled people. Sometimes you meet successful people. You sometimes find funny people, and with John McLaughlin, you got all three - this was fun. An exciting company based in Canada and a current customer of the BOBST Mouvent LB702 and LB701. Enjoy!

Bob Raus, Category Manager for Automation, spoke about HP’s new offerings, HP Nio, your print assistant powered by HP, and your printer shop data. The goal of Nio is to be there to answer your questions in the context of your shop. It learns every day, growing its ability to provide deeper insights. Currently focused on HP Indigo and PageWide customers, Nio will expand into the rest of the HP printing ecosystem over time.

Every time we have an opportunity to talk to Bob Raus, we take it - not only is Bob Raus very knowledgeable, but he also has the ability to make things understandable - so listen to him. At PreDrupa he explains about the four pillars are founded of.

HP PrintOS has been around for ten years, connecting presses, collecting production data and increasingly becoming the daily portal through which HP customers manage their businesses. At PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas, Wayne Beckett meets Bob Raus from HP to ask the obvious question: What comes next? The answer is AI. With years of production data, connected devices and accumulated knowledge behind PrintOS, HP is now building HP Nio on top of that foundation. Instead of simply presenting dashboards and statistics, the objective is to enable operators, production managers, and business owners to ask questions about their operations and receive useful answers. Why isn't a press producing as much as expected? Is the problem technical, operational, or related to training? Could a different production setup increase capacity? What knowledge does an operator need to complete an unfamiliar application? Nio can combine production data with HP's extensive knowledge base and documentation to help answer those questions — and point users toward the information behind the recommendation. For Bob, this is also why AI needs more than enthusiasm. AI only creates value when it is applied to a real problem and backed by the right data and context. And the technology isn't only intended for companies with fleets of presses. A smaller PSP with one press and limited training resources can also use the same knowledge and production intelligence to find answers faster and make better use of its equipment. Another important step at PRINTING United is that HP is increasingly bringing Indigo, PageWide, and Large Format together under the PrintOS environment, creating a broader production platform across HP's graphic arts portfolio. Ten years ago, PrintOS was about connecting print production. The next chapter is about understanding it. Watch Wayne Beckett's conversation with Bob Raus from HP at PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas.

No question that printed packaging is a growing business. In this 26th episode of Print Sample TV, host Pat McGrew shows you a corrugated box printed on both sides making the unboxing an experience as well. In the 'case' the box comes from Birddogs who use the inner side of the box to present customer testimonials. Great idea, and with digital print, this is even an opportunity with short run. We like it! Do you?

The Xerox booth at PRINTING United is packed, and for good reason. Xerox is extending its new Proficio production platform into inkjet, and Billy Stojanovski is clearly excited to finally talk about the new Xerox Proficio Jet CS1100. Morten B. Reitoft meets Billy at the Xerox booth for a first look at a B3 cut-sheet inkjet press that Xerox believes can open an entirely new chapter for its production print business. The Proficio Jet CS1100 runs at up to 300 impressions per minute, delivers 1,200 x 1,200 dpi, handles stocks up to 350 gsm and, importantly, prints directly on coated and uncoated papers without requiring a separate pre-treatment process. But specifications are only part of the story. Xerox has developed its own W2-series printheads and ink formulation, giving the company control over the complete imaging process. Variable droplet sizes allow the press to combine fine text and lines with stronger solid-color reproduction, while the drying technology enables sheets to be taken directly into finishing. At the show, Xerox demonstrates exactly that, running printed sheets directly into a Plockmatic booklet-making solution. For Billy Stojanovski, the CS1100 is also significant because of the enormous installed base of Xerox production equipment. The new press is positioned as a potential migration path for customers running iGen and other production platforms who want to move work into inkjet while maintaining a familiar cut-sheet production environment. Morten and Billy also look inside the press and notice something interesting: four imaging stations are installed, but there appears to be room for six. Xerox isn't announcing additional colors, but with the company's long experience with Beyond CMYK and specialty colors, the obvious question is what those extra positions could eventually be used for. The conversation also moves into economics. Rather than the traditional click-based production model familiar to many Xerox customers, the Proficio Jet CS1100 introduces an ink-consumption-driven production economy. Xerox has therefore developed tools that can analyze a PDF before production and estimate ink consumption and job cost, giving print providers a clearer understanding of the economics before pressing print. There is also a dedicated black-only mode, making the press interesting for transactional work, publishing and book production, while the B3 format keeps it compatible with the finishing equipment already installed in many commercial printing companies. And Xerox isn't stopping with cut-sheet inkjet. Billy also introduces the upcoming Proficio Jet CF1200 continuous-feed platform, making it clear that Xerox intends Proficio to become a much broader production-print family. Three SOLD signs behind Billy during the interview perhaps say more than anything else. Xerox is making a serious move into production inkjet — and judging from the interest at the booth, customers have been waiting for it. Watch Morten B. Reitoft and Billy Stojanovski explore the new Xerox Proficio Jet CS1100 at PRINTING United 2026.

At Printing United in Orlando, Morten B. Reitoft from INKISH talks with Billy Stojanovski from Xerox about the company’s latest innovations and strong position in the production print market. Stojanovski explains that Xerox remains fully committed to advancing print technology through strategic partnerships and engineering excellence, highlighting three new machines presented at the show that demonstrate the company’s focus on quality, automation, and versatility. A key part of the discussion centers on the new Proficio subbrand, which Stojanovski explains is based on the idea of helping customers produce, propel, profit, and prosper. The Proficio 300 and 500 models offer four-color printing with an optional fifth color, running at up to 100 pages per minute and supporting substrates up to 400 gsm. These systems are designed to deliver high-quality output, flexibility across a range of applications, and consistent productivity for both commercial and packaging work. Stojanovski also outlines several key technical advancements, including the introduction of LED imaging technology that delivers sharper detail, lower power consumption, and improved reliability compared to traditional laser systems. The presses incorporate a bias transfer belt for improved toner laydown on textured materials, an inertia wheel to reduce image banding, and a static-dissipation module to ensure smooth performance when printing on polyester and synthetic substrates. Inline finishing options such as the GBC Advanced Punch Plus system expand creative possibilities with micro-perforation, hole punching, and advanced binding. Color and image quality are another major focus. Xerox’s extended gamut and fifth-color options, including fluorescent pink, enable highly accurate brand colors, more lifelike skin tones, and enhanced visual effects that closely match digital designs. The conversation also touches on creative gloss and matte effects that simulate varnish finishes directly from the press. Throughout the interview, Stojanovski emphasizes that Xerox’s strength lies not only in its technology but also in its comprehensive ecosystem — combining hardware, software, service, and automation to help customers increase efficiency and profitability. The discussion captures Xerox’s drive to support printers with solutions that evolve alongside the industry and prepare them for the future of digital production.

Wayne from INKISH is at The Print Show on day one, catching up with a long-time friend, Bill Jones from Exel Print & Machinery. Bill shares that the UK remains a vital market for Exel, representing a significant share of their business in quality used printing equipment. With the disappearance of major events like IPEX, The Print Show has become an essential meeting point for reconnecting with old friends and new contacts across the industry. Exel Print & Machinery is not only focused on buying and selling used presses but also provides comprehensive engineering and installation services. The company operates its own team of skilled engineers and maintains heavy-lifting equipment such as forklifts and gantries — ensuring that every installation is handled entirely in-house. Despite challenges in the global offset market, Bill reports a positive year, with multiple UK sales completed and more in the pipeline. Demand remains strong for high-quality used presses, particularly those with low-impression capabilities, such as B1 and B2 machines, which are suitable for both commercial and packaging printers. He notes that sourcing equipment remains one of the biggest challenges, making it crucial for anyone looking to sell or trade in a press to get in touch. Exel offers valuations based on detailed machine information and purchases stock directly. Bill encourages anyone with a B1 10-colour or similar press to reach out, as the company is actively buying. A solid reminder that the UK used equipment market remains active and optimistic, supported by hands-on expertise and a personal approach. Recorded live at The Print Show in Birmingham.

At Printpack India 2025, Wayne Beckett speaks with Bijendra Sharma, Managing Director of BHS India, about the company’s journey in the Indian market and its role in driving automation and sustainability in the corrugated packaging industry. Founded in Germany in 1717, BHS entered India in 2011 and has since grown to establish a strong foothold, with 24 running corrugators and a new manufacturing plant for corrugating rolls set to be operational by mid-year. Sharma highlights the rapid expansion of the Indian corrugated market, where approximately 12,000 million square meters of board is produced annually. Despite having around 10,000 corrugators, 95% of them are still semi-automatic or manual. He explains how BHS, initially perceived as too expensive for the Indian market, has proven the value of advanced technology, helping businesses improve efficiency, product quality, and competitiveness. The conversation explores India’s economic boom, growing infrastructure, and government initiatives such as the ban on single-use plastics, which is accelerating demand for sustainable, recyclable packaging. With India set to become the third-largest global economy by 2027, the need for high-quality corrugated boxes is stronger than ever, particularly with the rise of e-commerce and evolving consumer buying patterns. For those interested in the future of automated corrugated production and sustainable packaging in India, this discussion provides key insights into BHS India’s growth strategy and the broader industry trends shaping the market.

A year after becoming part of Duplo, BGM is entering a new phase — but Managing Director Adam James is clear about one thing: BGM will remain BGM. At Labelexpo Americas in Chicago, Wayne Beckett catches up with Adam James to discuss the acquisition, what being part of a larger organization means for BGM, and why the company continues to operate as a separate roll-fed specialist rather than simply becoming part of the Duplo product portfolio. With US distributor J&J representing BGM for around 20 years, the company is showing three very different solutions: the high-speed 450i label inspection slitter rewinder, the 370 EDSRT blank-label die-cutting system, and BGM's new compact digital finishing solution for varnishing, laminating, die-cutting, stripping, slitting, and rewinding in one pass. But machinery is only part of the conversation. Automation and production data are becoming increasingly important, and BGM is working to make machine information accessible in MIS environments — helping converters better understand productivity, machine performance, setup times, and even where additional operator training could improve output. The Duplo acquisition also gives BGM something important: the ability to think in the long term. Rather than chasing dramatic growth overnight, Adam James talks about organic development, greater security, and planning 10, 15, and even 20 years ahead. Part of that strategy will be simplifying BGM's extensive product portfolio, making it easier for customers to identify the core machine they need and then configure it with the appropriate options. Global domination? Maybe eventually. But apparently not within the next 12 months.

Wayne from INKISH is at The Print Show at the NEC in Birmingham, where he catches up with Bettine Pellant, CEO of PICON — the Printing Industry Confederation. With a long history in the print trade, Wayne and Bettine share memories of past shows from drupa to China Print, reflecting on how important face-to-face events remain for the industry. Bettine explains that while online meetings have their place, nothing replaces the value of personal interaction. Trade shows bring together industry peers, customers, and partners — often people you see only once a year — and PICON’s stand serves as a hub for networking, conversation, and connection. Members are encouraged to drop by, grab a coffee or a beer, and bring customers or prospects for informal meetings. Founded in 1918, PICON represents manufacturers and suppliers of print equipment, software, and consumables across the full spectrum of the industry — from prepress to press to postpress. Unlike associations representing printers, PICON focuses on the supply side and works closely with organizations such as the BPIF and IPIA to align efforts across the sector. Membership benefits include a strong calendar of networking and social events, such as golf days, seminars, and meetings, as well as support navigating complex topics like new employment legislation and regulatory changes. Bettine emphasizes that PICON acts as a guiding partner — connecting members with the right resources and expertise when issues arise. The association also operates several focus groups — including digital, exporters, importers, and suppliers to the paper industry — providing members with forums to discuss challenges unique to their area. These groups regularly address topics such as tariffs, trade documentation, and regulation. While PICON doesn’t typically lobby government independently, it collaborates with partners like the BPIF to ensure the voice of the industry is heard. A warm and insightful conversation about community, advocacy, and collaboration in print, filmed live at The Print Show in Birmingham.

We met Hamillroad Software for the first time at LabelExpo back before COVID. Here is a link to the interview we did at the time https://inkish.tv/inkish-video/andy-cave/ In this film, Danielle Kinsella explains the advantages of using Hamillroad's DMS technology for improved quality. Now Hamillroad is part of the EcoFlexo group. Each member remains an independent company but can offer end-to-end solutions by working together. EcoFlexo has the following members besides Hamillroad - GEW, COE, MPS, and Zeller + GMelin. We produced a film from each EcoFlexo member while we were together in The Netherlands Danielle Kinsella is not working for Hamillroad anymore, but Danielle Kinsella and Hamillroad agreed to push the film anyway! For further information, visit the EcoFlexo website: www.ecoflexo.net