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French with English subtitles: DB Print, based in Lille, France, is one of Komori's heavy users of its printing equipment and current offering. What are the new challenges, and what solutions are the large offset printers looking for, especially in commercial printing? What are the drivers when they seek to invest in new technologies, and how do they anticipate entrepreneurial difficulties? We chat with Stéphane Cannone, Managing Director of DB Print, and hear some of his thoughts on the matter. It turns out to be a difficult choice and must consider the lifespan of the technology, the cost savings, and the search for prolonged efficiency gains. -- DB Print basé à Lille, France est l'un des gros utilisateurs de Komori de son équipement d'impression et de son offre actuelle. Quels sont les nouveaux défis et quelles solutions les grands imprimeurs offset recherchent-ils réellement, en particulier dans le domaine de l'impression commerciale ? Quels sont les moteurs lorsqu'ils cherchent à investir dans les nouvelles technologies et comment anticipent-ils les difficultés entrepreneuriales ? Nous discutons avec Stéphane Cannone, le directeur général de DB Print, et découvrons certaines de ses réflexions à ce sujet. Il s'avère être un choix difficile et doit tenir compte de la durée de vie de la technologie, des économies de coûts et de la recherche de gains d'efficacité prolongés.

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!

Since Stephan Plenz left Heidelberg years ago, he has worked as a consultant for a number of companies. Ten months ago, he was appointed Managing Director for Actega Metal Print, and together with his team, he is now working on bringing Ecoleaf to the market - initially in the labels segment, but as Stephan Plenz explains in the film - later for other segments. Ecoleaf is developed on technology acquired from Landa Labs also years ago but is not, according to Plenz ready for the market. He describes Ecoleaf as a disruptive technology. Plenz is also a board member of Tresu and Landa, so a busy man :-)

Interview in Dutch - subtitles in English. Kennismaking met de exclusieve verdeler in de Benelux van het Zwitserse Zünd. We bespreken de trends in het "vrijmaken" van drukwerk en industriële applicaties. Termen als automatisatie, robots en connectiviteit zijn ook in de afwerking zeker niet meer vreemd, integendeel. -- EN -- Introduction to the exclusive distributor in the Benelux of Zünd. We discuss the trends in the "liberating" of printed sheets and industrial applications. Terms such as automation, robots and connectivity are certainly no longer strange terms in the finishing department, on the contrary.

Wayne Beckett talks with Stephan Eckner from Tessitura about software connectivity, software integration is a must now in the print sector and Stephan talks about the different possibilities using their software.

In this engaging conversation, Stephan discusses Tessitura's innovative technology designed to seamlessly connect hardware and software within the printing industry. Tessitura specializes in creating a "transporting and translation medium" that facilitates communication between various systems, such as MIS (Management Information Systems), workflow systems, machines, and reporting services. This integration extends to both modern and classic machines, offering a comprehensive solution for improving operational efficiency and data accuracy. Stephan highlights the origin of the company's name, "tessitura," an Italian musical term meaning "the weaving" or "comfort range of a singer," reflecting the company's mission to interweave different technological systems harmoniously. Most Tessitura team members are musicians, adding a unique cultural layer to their technical endeavors. The conversation delves into the practical benefits of Tessitura's technology, emphasizing its ability to provide production leaders with a transparent overview of production progress, enhance quality control, and facilitate accurate cost calculations. Stephan points out the challenge in postpress operations, where performance often relies on guesswork. Tessitura solutions offer a way to gather precise data, enabling better operational decisions and efficiency. Moreover, Stephan explains how Tessitura's technology simplifies the integration process between different vendors' systems, eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming custom project work. The company's approach significantly reduces development time and expense using a specialized interface that translates and transports data between systems. The discussion also touches on Tessitura's participation at Drupa, showcasing its integration capabilities, classic machine integration solutions, and tools for enhancing shop floor transparency. Stephan invites interested parties to visit their booth for more information. Despite being a relatively new player in the industry, Tessitura has made a significant impact. The market's reception has been mixed, with some clients quickly recognizing the potential of Tessitura's offerings while others are slower to appreciate the innovation. Stephan's narrative illustrates Tessitura's commitment to breaking down technological barriers and fostering a more connected, efficient printing industry.

Friday May 31st, Fujifilm had an award show at the Hyatt hotel in Düsseldorf - and one of the winners was Stephan de Vries from Fotofabriek in the Netherlands. First and foremost, congratulations - and second, in this interview you will learn more about how Fotofabriek won the Innovation Award by making a children's book product using AI.  

Think about it. Flyerline is today a well-known online printer in the DACH region, but when the venture began, it operated through a mail-order catalogue and fax orders. Digital only from the beginning, and recently an exclusive partner with Probo for Switzerland.

Flyerline.ch is a major Swiss-based company specializing in high-quality printed materials, promotional items, and packaging solutions. While we love hearing stories from vendors and tech companies, it’s equally important — perhaps even more so — to listen to the heavy users of this equipment. These users need solutions that ensure profitability and enable them to make their mark in this rapidly evolving printing space. Being in Switzerland, it only makes sense to hear from one of the “national” online print service providers to gain insights into the reality of online digital printing and the true needs of such operations.

Morten Reitoft from Inkish meets Steffen from CERM at LabelExpo 2025 in Barcelona. They discuss the number of Latin American printers, especially from Mexico, attending this year, and how both have recently invested in the region to expand their reach, seeing it as a fast-growing and promising market. Steffen notes that while global uncertainty has slowed some decision-making, European customers currently remain confident and are actively investing. He agrees that the current US uncertainty has, in some ways, strengthened European momentum, with many companies choosing to invest themselves out of potential crises. Steffen reflects on how challenges can drive innovation and how the industry must keep evolving. They then revisit CERM’s recent acquisition of Omikai about six months ago, which he says has gone very well — the teams work smoothly together, their cultures fit, and Omikai’s strong infrastructure, combined with CERM’s label expertise, is already showing results. While Omikai will continue serving commercial print, CERM plans to build label, packaging, and flexo capabilities on top of it rather than narrowing its scope, expecting this will strengthen the core platform overall. They also discuss how CERM’s partner ecosystem continues to grow, with new collaborations announced at the show, including those with MPS and Durst Group. This integration focus reduces manual touchpoints, improves cost control, and boosts production efficiency. Steffen concludes that CERM sees growth globally: in Europe, North America, and especially in emerging markets like Poland, Italy, Spain, and across Latin America, where they now also have local-language teams — a sign that their strategy is working.

At Labelexpo Guadalajara, CERM is present to showcase its growing commitment to the Latin American market, particularly Mexico. Steffen Haaga, representing the company, shares that this is his fourth visit to the country but the first time exhibiting at the show in Guadalajara. Previous visits revealed a vibrant and promising market, encouraging CERM to invest further and establish a stronger presence. Mexico has proven to be an exciting and significant region for the labels and packaging sector. With a large and growing population, increased demand for consumer goods, and a strong retail presence, the country offers substantial opportunities for companies like CERM. Some of the company’s largest and most impressive clients are based in Mexico, including Etiflex, a massive 500-employee printing facility in Mexico City, which stands out as one of the largest single-plant label operations. The conversation also touches on CERM’s recent acquisition of Swedish-based Omikai, a cloud-based MIS company. This strategic move is not just about expanding market reach but also about accelerating CERM’s technological development. Omikai’s advanced cloud architecture and highly capable team are expected to fast-track CERM’s cloud roadmap by several years. The synergy between the two companies is strong, both culturally and technically, making the integration a natural fit. Looking ahead, CERM sees significant potential in Mexico and across Spanish-speaking markets. With increased demand for automation and digital transformation in printing workflows, CERM is responding by building local capacity, including hiring support and implementation specialists in the region. The expectations for Labelexpo and beyond are high, driven by a belief in the region’s growth and a clear vision for supporting that growth with advanced solutions.

“It’s always about people, but a party is, of course, an opportunity to also meet each other in a more relaxing environment,” Franzisi explains, and as Editor Morten B. Reitoft has been with the company for a week, the interview circles around topics like people vs. technology, growth, and operating in a competitive environment. Steffen Franzisi is a straightforward leader with high expectations for his people and great expectations for the future - analog, digital, or whatever serves the customers best. Interesting interview. Language: German Subtitled: English

Editor Morten B. Reitoft from INKISH speaks with Stefano Formentini from Meccanotecnica at Expográfica in Guadalajara about the growing opportunities in digital book finishing and the importance of the Mexican market. The conversation also covers Meccanotecnica’s new distribution agreement with Grupo SG in Mexico, strengthening the company’s local presence and service capabilities. From automation and workflow integration to inline production and short-run books, the interview highlights how Meccanotecnica continues expanding its role as a full-solution provider for digital book production.

It's a new and revitalized Meccanotecnica we meet at the Open House in Bergamo, Italy, at the end of May 2026. New and revitalized because the company, along with a presentation of new machines and technology, now, more than ever, is ready to concur market with a full line of bookbinding products - from revised versions of equipment for mass production to super optimized binding equipment for the production of one. Interesting chat, and also this interview with Stefano Formentini shares where the 62-year-old company is moving, and how the latest and newest technology create an interested among the many guests. Enjoy!

The book industry is changing. Print runs are getting shorter, publishers want less inventory sitting on shelves, skilled bindery operators are becoming increasingly difficult to find, and digital printing has made book-of-one production commercially realistic. But finishing still has to keep up. At PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas, Morten B. Reitoft meets Stefano Formentini from Meccanotecnica for another look at LYRA — the company's new automated casing-in solution first presented at Book Your Future in Bergamo earlier this year. Since the launch, interest has been significant, but Meccanotecnica isn't rushing the first installations. Stefano explains that the company is working closely with prospective customers, studying their production data, running tests and identifying where LYRA can genuinely improve the economics of their book production. And economics is really what LYRA is about. For decades, hardcover finishing has depended heavily on skilled operators and equipment designed either for relatively manual production or very high industrial volumes. Meccanotecnica believes there is an important space between those two worlds — particularly as digital printing drives shorter runs, more frequent job changes and increasingly book-of-one production. LYRA is designed specifically for that environment. Automated changeovers take seconds rather than minutes, and much of the traditional knowledge of the experienced bookbinder has been effectively embedded in the machine. The objective is to enable an operator with considerably less specialist knowledge to produce consistent hardcover books while capturing experienced bindery expertise in the technology itself. That becomes increasingly important in North America. Stefano describes the U.S. and Canadian markets as among the world's most developed for digital book production. At the same time, printers are facing the same pressures seen throughout the industry: difficulty finding skilled employees, increasing labor costs and the need to reduce manual touchpoints. Publishers are changing as well. Rather than financing large inventories of books that may remain in warehouses for months or years, publishers increasingly want production to follow actual demand. Digital printing makes that possible on the press side, but finishing must be equally capable of economically producing one copy, ten copies, several hundred — or even runs of one or two thousand books. That is the space Meccanotecnica wants LYRA to address. The conversation also turns to something affecting almost every investment discussion in the United States right now: uncertainty. Geopolitical developments and tariffs are influencing purchasing decisions, and some companies are choosing to delay investments while waiting for greater clarity. Stefano understands the hesitation but also sees a risk in waiting too long. Technology continues to improve regardless of the political environment. A modern automated production line can deliver significant productivity improvements compared with equipment installed 15 or 20 years ago. Reduced labor requirements, faster changeovers, lower waste and increased throughput can potentially outweigh other cost increases associated with an investment. Companies therefore face an interesting decision. Wait for certainty that may never arrive — or invest in productivity and competitiveness that they can actually control. For Meccanotecnica, that investment philosophy fits directly into its broader evolution. Historically famous for book sewing, the company has steadily expanded into perfect binding, digital finishing and now automated casing-in, creating an increasingly complete production environment for digitally manufactured books. The press has already become digital. Now Meccanotecnica wants to industrialize what happens after it. Watch Morten B. Reitoft's conversation with Stefano Formentini from Meccanotecnica at PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas.

Stefano De Marco recently became the new General Manager for Tecnau taking over from his father. Congratulations to him and Tecnau. In this 'Over the Skype', we talk about market opportunities, competitive situation, and of course also the new Revolution50 platform. One of the things I liked about the session is the discussion about the changing needs when high-volume finishing moves from transactional print to commercial print. As with all our ‘Over the Skype’ interviews, quality is limited to bandwidth, web-cams, and ability to literally LIVE mix the conversations. However, it works, and with Over the Skype, we will bring you more than 20 exciting people, and angles on the industry as it is right now. Enjoy!

Tecnau has changed significantly over the past few years. The company is still deeply rooted in digital print finishing, but acquisitions, software development, packaging automation and a much stronger focus on service are steadily expanding what Tecnau wants to be for its customers. At PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas, Morten B. Reitoft meets Stefano De Marco, CEO of Tecnau and Sitma, for a conversation about that transformation. The acquisition of Sitma has been an important part of the journey. By combining Tecnau's experience in high-speed digital finishing with Sitma's expertise in packaging, fulfillment and logistics automation, the group can increasingly follow the printed product much further through the production chain. And the timing may be particularly relevant. Printers everywhere are dealing with increasing labor costs, difficulties recruiting skilled operators, rising material prices and constant pressure on margins. For Stefano, that makes automation less about impressive technology and much more about helping customers remove cost from production. Tecnau's Revolution 50 AutoSetup is one example. Automated job changeovers allow customers to move between applications with minimal operator intervention, reducing setup time, paper waste and dependency on highly skilled labor. The objective is increasingly to create production environments where short runs and even single-copy jobs can move through finishing without traditional manual setup. But finishing is only one part of the equation. With Sitma, Tecnau is also looking at what happens after the printed product is finished. Packaging and fulfillment remain surprisingly manual in many printing companies, and Stefano sees considerable opportunity to automate those processes as well. That is why the Sitma acquisition is more than simply adding another range of machinery. It allows Tecnau and Sitma to connect production, finishing, packaging and fulfillment in a broader workflow — helping customers move further toward what the company describes as “From Print to Profit.” Software is becoming equally important. Tecnau Connect gives customers visibility into machine utilization, uptime, production performance and recurring problems. Instead of simply installing another piece of equipment, Tecnau wants customers to understand how effectively their existing equipment is actually being used. That distinction is important. Increasing profitability doesn't always require buying another machine. Sometimes the opportunity is hidden in downtime, inefficient setups, unnecessary waste or production capacity that isn't being fully utilized. Behind Morten and Stefano at the booth, Tecnau's message says it very clearly: maximize uptime and minimize waste. There is also another important development coming in February 2027. For the first time, Tecnau will officially exhibit at Hunkeler Innovationdays in Lucerne. For Stefano, the invitation represents something larger than simply another exhibition. He sees it as a sign that one of the industry's most important digital-print events is becoming a broader and more open platform for technology suppliers across the market. Tecnau has confirmed its participation at HID27, February 22–25, 2027. That also reflects how the digital production market itself is changing. Press manufacturers, finishing suppliers, workflow companies, robotics specialists and packaging technology providers increasingly need to collaborate if customers are going to achieve genuinely automated production environments. And for Tecnau, that seems to be the direction of travel. Finishing remains at the company's core, but the conversation is becoming much broader: automation, software, packaging, fulfillment, service, production intelligence and ultimately profitability. Watch Morten B. Reitoft's conversation with Stefano De Marco from Tecnau | Sitma at PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas.

One of the surprises we got at FEFCO was that this vast industry seems to lack industry standards - and that's where OpenPack comes in place. With their software platform, they enable communication across different brands and devices - and despite still being a startup, the industry has onboarded with OpenPack - and it seems to be a huge benefit for the industry. We agreed with CEO Dr. Stefan Uebelacker to do an online session about their software and what they offer shortly to give more insights about their solution - super interesting to learn about!

Samba print heads from Fujifilm are probably the best-known in the industry, and of course, we had to talk to Stefan Steinle from Fujifilm about printheads - so here we are :-)

In this engaging conversation on inkish, Stefan and Jannik from MBO and H+H, subsidiaries of the Komori group, discuss their companies' expertise and innovations in the printing and post-press industry. MBO, acquired by Komori in 2020, specializes in post-press solutions, focusing on making printing companies more productive and efficient through advanced mechanical engineering. H+H, a part of MBO since 2000 and based in Bielefeld, Germany, excels in creating machines for folding pharmaceutical leaflets and other thin paper products, boasting capabilities of folding up to 24 times in parallel. The dialogue also touches on the future of printing, emphasizing the importance of robotic solutions like the CoboStack for enhancing operational efficiency and addressing labor shortages. As they prepare for Drupa 2024, both companies hint at showcasing their latest innovations and customer-focused solutions, demonstrating their commitment to advancing the printing industry's capabilities.

At Printing United in Orlando, Morten B. Reitoft from INKISH speaks with Stefan Schülling, Managing Director of MBO Group in Germany, about the company’s international position, market outlook, and the strong energy at this year’s exhibition. With more than 830 exhibitors and record-breaking visitor numbers, Schülling describes the atmosphere as vibrant and encouraging — far busier than many recent European trade shows. He emphasizes that the return of large crowds is a positive sign for the entire industry, especially for companies like MBO that invest heavily in both technology and presence at major global events. Schülling explains that while MBO operates worldwide, the American market has always been especially important. The company established a direct organization in the United States early on and continues to see strong demand there. However, he stresses that MBO’s strategy remains global, with each region playing a vital role in the company’s success. He acknowledges that current economic conditions vary by region — with challenges in Asia, emerging markets, and the effects of tariffs and currency shifts — but remains confident in MBO’s ability to navigate these factors and continue growing internationally. When comparing markets, Schülling notes that MBO is perceived somewhat differently across regions. In Europe and most other parts of the world, the company is still best known for its high-performance folding machines — a core technology that built its reputation. In the United States, however, MBO has become increasingly recognized for its continuous inkjet and postpress finishing solutions. This shift, he explains, is the result of both stronger digital print adoption in North America and MBO America’s successful focus on modular, inline finishing systems that integrate seamlessly with high-speed digital presses. Looking ahead, Schülling sees significant potential to expand these same technologies in Europe. While acknowledging that competition remains strong, he believes MBO’s innovation pipeline and upcoming product introductions will strengthen its position. Technologies already proven in the U.S. market — particularly in digital finishing and automation — will soon be made available to European customers as well, creating new opportunities for growth. As the discussion concludes, Stefan Schülling expresses optimism about the future, saying that while the industry continues to evolve, MBO’s commitment to innovation and adaptability remains unchanged. “Being pessimistic is not the right attitude,” he says. “Opportunities are always there — we just have to look for them.”

Stefan Schülling came to MBO with a background from the ink-side of the industry, and the journey he has been on the past year is impressive. Now leading MBO. Along with a new streamlined organization and being integrated with the Komori organization, there is plenty to do, and at drupa, MBO shows new products and updates to existing lines. But listen for yourself :-)  

KAMA seems to be the rising star on the finishing and embellishment sky, and here, INKISH's Jacques Michiels talks to Stefan Kleditzsch.  

Stefan Kessler from Lambda presents in this film their NIR - or Near Infra-Red curing solution that is the perfect solution for water-based curing. With the right frequency of the bulb, the drying process starts from the inside of the ink and gives the printer a number of advantages. If you are printing with UV, you know that it's photo-initiators that react to the UV-light, and though low-migration UV and a broader frequency perspective open up for UV to be used with food packaging, water-based has numerous advantages. This film is good to get wiser on!