In this interview with Stefan Hunkeler, we discuss the Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023. It takes place in beautiful Lucern in Switzerland, February 27th - March 2nd, 2023 - and we can't wait! Hunkeler Innovationdays has grown to become one of the most important events in the industry but had to postpone, like everybody else, because of the pandemic. Now it's the point of no return, and exhibitors and many customers are planning to attend the maybe only end-to-end event for digital print/finishing. INKISH will be covering Innovationdays intensively and will also talk to many of the vendors exhibiting before the event to encourage you to attend. Registration opens November 2nd, and it's a must-attend event, to be honest! Enjoy!

Everybody is shouting for labor, but what is the long-term solution to the labor shortage? In hall two at IGAS, one booth looked considerably different from all the other booths. There was an education stage sponsored by several OEMs and branded Think Smart Factory. On stage during the day's many presentations, but outside the stage area, there was a technology show-off with a Horizon BQ-binder and an HT-three-side knife wrapped in a cool anima-style design. The solution was entirely managed by two robot arms and one AGV. Bryan Takano from Horizon explains that it's a technology show-off to show young people about opportunities in the printing industry. By combining art and technology, more will likely be interested. Behind the technology show-off, a huge fantastic painting was shown. In front, some really cool, very large print samples using different technologies were among the draws for the passing audience. But see for yourself, Jan Majnik (INKISH Filmer) captured some really nice views of both!

At the BOBST booth at LabelExpo we got the chance to meet with Patrick Graber from BOBST. We are in front of the DM340 talking about the success of the machine, but also the new digital white that give customers an extra option on the machine. But see the interview and learn :-)

First, you may ask yourself what Taxonomy is? Second, you may ask yourself why this at all is important to you? PRINTING United Alliance in the US recently announced a new Taxonomy initiative that essentially will develop a new taxonomy paradigm for printed products, services, technologies - and the impact is vast. Taxonomy is used to build logical groups and entities known from how books in a library are organized. This is a VERY important initiative, and right after the announcement, we reached out to David Zwang and Marco Boer to hear more about the project and, of course, their views on the potential impact. Enjoy!

Danjel Jungersen is the CIO/CTO of a small family-owned printing company in the suburbs of Copenhagen, Denmark. The company survives on excellent service, fast turn-around time and high quality but regardless of these virtues the company needs to invest in the future. Danjel Jungersen has for some time been wondering about what steps to take to be profitable and able to deliver what the clients needs - and the decision investing in Heidelberg Prinect was decided - also based on the new SaaS model offered by Heidelberg. We met with Jacob Hededam Hummel and Brian Thorsgaard Hansen from Heidelberg at Jungersen Grafisk to talk about why Prinect in their opinions is the right choice. To visit a small printing company with 6-7 people employed a full-featured Prinect solution isn't the most common thing for us to run into but its always interesting to see the many different approaches to the future many different printing companies choose. Workflow is always a very hot topic on INKISH.TV, so enjoy this episode and hopefully find inspiration for your own printing company!

Back in March (2019) we covered Deborah Corn's Project Peacock Print Fair and reached out to our network to see if we could find a printing company interested in talking to us while being in the area. Fortunately for us – and our audience – we got in contact with 'Command Digital' in New Jersey and made this fantastic film from there. 'Command Digital' is a division of the 'Command Companies' who produce books in both digital and analog plus printing of Health Care, Pharmaceuticals, and financial services. In this film, both President Nicholas Brusco and Executive Vice President Dale Williams talk about their company, and the services they offer. This is one of our BEST films, and we are very proud of both the story as well as what our recent investments in equipment achieve.   Subtitled versions: Chinese German Hindi Italian Russian Spanish

Domino Digital Printing was pretty busy during the second day. Demos of three different machines, hereunder an entirely new machine introduced at LabelExpo. We got a chance to talk with Emily Kroll about print samples, 1200 DPI as a competitive advantage, and of course, a guided tour of the new machine. Enjoy the tour - it was really fun. Thank you, Emily!

Workflow/automation is becoming increasingly important in all segments of our industry. At PLASTGrommet's booth at PRINTING United, we got to talk to Rob Harris from CSI Printing & Graphics from the D.C. area. Harris speaks about his recent investment in PLASTGrommet and his expectations - great product - great customer!

The new MPrint C4 Compact sounds almost like the name of a new car, but it's not. The C4 Compact is a UV-coated 4-color printing device that can be fitted onto any existing Flexopress, essentially turning the Flexopress into a hybrid machine. Super nice idea that should be THE option many are looking for. Mprint is a company owned by Kurz, and they develop some pretty nice technology. A small four-color label printer was presented when we met with Achim Herzog at the IST UV-Days just a few months ago. Still, at LabelExpo, they introduced the 4C Compact, which, in our opinion, probably should have won the prize for best new business idea! Many excellent digital print bars/print heads are mounted on flexo presses. Still, with the Mprint 4C Compact, Mprint has developed a 4-color printer that can be mounted on almost any flexo press and essentially turn the machine into a flexo press with digital printing capabilities. Herzog emphasizes the potential, and well - it's a super great idea! LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/achimherzog/

Friedmann is an amazing printing company. Of course, they have machines seen elsewhere, but it's an entirely new building, and the company produces applications you don't see everywhere. The company produces photo books, puzzles, and cards. All are produced digitally and in copies down to one. CEO Michael Schmid tells about dramatic changes COVID forced the company to make simply because some of the produces disappeared almost overnight. While visiting Friedmann, we got the chance to see the new Horizon BQ500 - an iteration of the previous and extremely popular BQ series. With BQ500 installed with variable gauze, and endpaper feeders, along with more automation, the machine serves Friedmann well. It's always exciting to see new technology at work, and BQ500 as a binder should be interesting for many.    

At LabelExpo Xeikon shows off with a range of new products, updates, and a super nice booth. Filip Weymans talk about Xeikon offerings, but of course, we also talk about the new Xeikon Lion.

The annual Online Print Symposium is about gathering some of the smartest minds to share information and knowledge about online printing. One of the exhibitors this year was Anna Oñate, who is the CEO & Founder of OctoBoost. OctoBoost is a software company that deliver various online print solutions. One of the quite exciting products is called OctoSprint, which help printers to optimize their production. But instead of reading, you should watch it. Enjoy!

You see GEW everywhere - and they support conventional mercury-based UV and LED-UV. In this film, Director of Sales & Service Marcus Greenbrook explains how easy it is to shift from mercury to LED if you have a GEW frame and how LED UV is becoming increasingly important for converters. Now GEW 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 GEW - Hamillroad, COE, MPS, and Zeller + GMelin. We produced a film from each EcoFlexo member while in The Netherlands. For further information, visit the EcoFlexo website: www.ecoflexo.net

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.

Does the PreDrupa press event work well from a media perspective if you want to cover new products and services as much as possible in a short period? We spoke with Nessan Cleary, one of our industry's best journalists — listen!

Nele Van Den Haesevelde is responsible for customer success, which essentially means that after a solution has been delivered to a customer, she and her team follow up with the customer to ensure satisfaction. Great approach!

In this online interview, Neil Felton from FESPA openly answers some of the questions we asked, so enjoy the video. FESPA Amsterdam opens its doors for the public in a little more than a week and will be the first major tradeshow in Europe in the hopefully soon post-pandemic time. Neil Felton talks about a massive interest from exhibitors - so we take that the real test will be how many attendees we will see. As Felton underscores, it is the quality of the visitors rather than the quantity - but listen to the interview, and hopefully, enjoy :-) LinkedIn Neil Felton

In this short interview FESPA CEO Neil Felton talk about the success of FESPA Amsterdam 2021. Enjoy!

At Print Pack India 2025, Wayne Beckett sits down with Neeraj Sheth of Sheth Printograph to discuss the company's rich history and its impact on the printing industry. Neeraj shares how his father co-founded Ipama, the organization behind this massive trade show, with a vision to unite small and large manufacturers under one roof. From humble beginnings in 1988 to one of the most significant exhibitions in the industry, Print Pack continues to grow, attracting record-breaking crowds. Sheth Printograph has an impressive legacy, having been in the print-finishing business for over 60 years. Neeraj highlights its extensive range of laminating, foiling, and packaging machines and strong export market across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. With its sights set on expansion into North America, Sheth Printograph is looking to make its mark in the USA. Join us for this insightful conversation as we explore the evolution of India's print industry, the future of Print Pack, and Sheth Printograph’s global ambitions.

LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/neal-inghelbrecht-7977ba116/

Can you get to know people in just 20 minutes and virtually? I interviewed Nathaniel Grant, who owns a printing company in Sterling, Virginia - and we genuinely had a good laugh. I got a pretty good understanding of his company. This film is part of our promotion of the upcoming EFI Connect event in Las Vegas from January 17th-21st. Take a listen to Nathaniel Grant and maybe you also decide to go to Vegas in January - and if you do - let's connect!

Join us in this inspiring conversation with Naresh Khanna, a multi-talented storyteller, publisher, and knowledge worker who will take us on a fascinating journey through his life. Born in post-independence India, Naresh shares stories from his childhood, travels across continents, and transformative experiences in the print and publishing industry. Discover how Naresh embraced the challenges of preserving Indian languages through technology, pioneered the implementation of non-Roman scripts in printing, and contributed to the democratization of knowledge through innovative approaches to content creation. He delves into the evolution of printing technologies, from traditional typesetting to digital revolutions, emphasizing the power of creativity, content, and cultural preservation. In this episode, Naresh reflects on the future of print in a rapidly changing technological landscape and its role in a growing economy like India. He also shares his thoughts on sustainability, the balance between innovation and practicality, and the importance of listening to customers. The discussion takes a personal turn as Naresh envisions a future where he steps away from printing to explore storytelling through detective novels, blending humor, politics, and societal commentary.

Ahmedabad-based OnPrintShop, part of Radix, recently launched Version 12 of its proclaimed web-to-print solution. In this interview with VP of Sales Naimish Patel, we learn about some features and understand where W2P is moving. These are interesting conversations—great to learn from!

At Printpack India 2025, Wayne Beckett speaks with Naimish Patel, Vice President of Sales at OnPrintShop, about the company’s innovative web-to-print solutions and how they are transforming the global printing industry. With over a thousand customers worldwide, OnPrintShop has been helping SME print businesses move online since 2008, offering a scalable, SaaS-based solution for both B2B and B2C markets. Patel highlights OnPrintShop’s modern UI/UX, integrated AI-powered design tools, and multi-storefront capabilities that allow printers to serve corporate and retail clients without needing separate platforms. He also discusses the increasing demand for automation as print companies worldwide face labor shortages and the need for greater efficiency. Integrating with payment gateways, shipping providers, MIS systems, and imposition tools, OnPrintShop enables seamless order collection and production workflows, reducing manual touchpoints and increasing profitability. A key feature of OnPrintShop is its advanced estimating tool, which connects directly to MIS systems to pull real-time cost rates and generate instant online quotes. With automation becoming a major focus in the printing industry, Patel shares how OnPrintShop is helping printers streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and scale their businesses globally. For those looking to optimize their web-to-print capabilities and drive digital transformation in the print industry, this conversation provides valuable insights into OnPrintShop’s technology and future vision.