"We are only at the beginning," Noam Zilbershtain says when talking about the opportunities with digital print - and we are talking to a very confident General Manager. Noam Zilbershtain is a super nice and open person who walks into you - easy to talk to, and still with great opinions about the market and how he and his team can drive HP in the right direction. We also get a chance to talk to Noam Zilbershtain about the war in Israel, about liking people, and, of course, he gets an option to mention football :-)

At Durst Group’s joint Open House with Koenig & Bauer in Radebeul, I speak with Michael Deflorian, and it’s a reminder that no matter how impressive a press looks, it doesn’t run without software. And in many cases, that’s exactly where the real value is created. Michael explains how Durst has built its software business from the ground up since 2018, scaling to thousands of installations and a dedicated team of around 100 people. That’s not a side project anymore, it’s a core part of the business. And when you look at it, it makes perfect sense. The bottlenecks in production are rarely the presses themselves. They sit before or after, in data preparation, workflow, integration, and how jobs move through the system. That’s what the “pixel to output” strategy is about. Not just delivering machines, but connecting everything around them, automating processes, integrating workflows, and ultimately removing friction. Because if you don’t, even the most advanced press won’t perform as it should. What’s interesting is how this ties into the broader Durst story. A company that has reinvented itself multiple times, from photography to digital printing, now also moving into areas like additive manufacturing. There’s a mindset here of constantly challenging what you do and where you go next. And that mindset shows in software. We also talk about something very practical, the growing complexity in production. More jobs, more variation, more data. Especially with digital, where variable data becomes part of the value proposition. Without the right software, handling that complexity becomes almost impossible. With the right software, it becomes manageable, even efficient. That’s a big shift. Another point Michael raises is people. Skilled operators are harder to find, and the next generation expects something very different from the tools they use. If the interface isn’t intuitive, if the workflow isn’t logical, you’re creating friction not just in production, but in recruitment and retention. That’s why user experience is becoming just as important as functionality. And then there’s the technical side, which often goes unnoticed. A machine like the variJET 106 processes enormous amounts of data, especially when you talk about variable content. The way Durst approaches this is through scalable architecture, distributing the workload across multiple systems, so performance matches the application. More variation, more power. Simpler jobs, less demand. It’s flexible, and that’s exactly what digital production requires. What I take from this conversation is simple. Software is not an add-on. It’s the enabler. If you want to get the most out of a digital press, this is where you should probably start. Watch the interview with Michael Deflorian, this is the part of the story that doesn’t always get the spotlight, but without it, nothing really works.

Realtryck & Screenbolaget is a successful Swedish printing company located in the suburbs of the Swedish capital Stockholm. The company have specialised in the print on plastic, cardboard, and campaign materials in both digital and offset. The company see higher competition than in the past but are still very successful in the Swedish market. Realtryck and Screenbolaget have an amazing showroom where customers can see some of the many applications possible to produce. In this INKISH film, CEO Patrick Nermark talk about the company's history, products, investment strategies, etc. Produced by INKISH.SWEDEN - in Swedish, with English subtitles.

In this 27th episode of Print Sample TV, Pat McGrews gives this print sample from HP Indigo an A+++. This is a truly great print sample, and it does a fantastic job showcasing many different technologies while this can convince print customers about the value of print. HP demonstrates their printing technologies, of course, but binding, perforations, combined with a stunning design justifies Pat McGrew's high grade on this printed product. Take a look, and please remember to Share, and Like

In this "Over the Skype" session Founder of YesGo Nizam Appas, explains the background for YesGo. YesGo is an institute training students in the use of packaging software. Now the focus is on Esko's solutions. Still, in the session with K.S. Ashik from INKISH India, Nizam Appas reveal that YesGo will support other software solutions in the future as well. We also learn in this session about the expansion plans for YesGo - not only in India but globally. 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!

The Tech Fair is a tiny yet important corner of the DSCOOP hall, where HP's PreDrupa event also took place. HP's Nimrod Cohen allowed us to learn what Tech Fair is about, and in short, this is where new products and ideas are shown. The examples at the PreDrupa were direct print on aluminum cans, HP Indigo transfers, Conductive print, and much more, but listen to what Nimrod Cohen shared with us in this video!

BHS is among the largest companies in the corrugating business, and it’s always interesting to get the latest info—and we got the chance to talk to Nils Gottfried. We got the chance, despite being interrupted at the end of the interview, to hear about the jetliner, mono-version, strategy for printing on the pre-corrugated liners, and why a monochrome version. Enjoy!

BHS is among the largest companies in the corrugating business, and it’s always interesting to get the latest info—and we got the chance to talk to Nils Gottfried. We got the chance, despite being interrupted at the end of the interview, to hear about the jetliner, mono-version, strategy, why printing on the pre-corrugated liners, and why a monochrome version. Enjoy!

Nils Gottfried is one of our recurring guests who always brings interesting news to the industry. BHS is among the world's largest producers of corrugators, and since the company announced the Box Plant 2025 strategy, everything they do turns around the plan - and part of that is to add printing capabilities to the line of products and services BHS offers. In this interview, Nils Gottfried talks about the new monochrome print bar that can be added to new and existing corrugators, enabling black print. This opens up many new opportunities, and that is just among the things we talk about - watch/listen - and enjoy!

Wayne from Inkish interviews Nigel Walsh from Glunz & Jensen at Label Expo in Barcelona. Nigel explains that they are showcasing their latest LED technology on the 5280 format machine, which is an upscale from the 420 model they launched at Drupa named 520. The 5280 format opens up many more applications, becoming the go-to size for trade houses and in-house plate manufacturers, and it also creates opportunities to sell Glunz & Jensen’s other equipment, like dryers and light finishers. He highlights that LED offers consistency, reliability, repeatability, and a much longer lifespan compared to tube systems, while also being more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, saving about €15,000 over three years. The machines are manufactured in Presov, Slovakia, where all their equipment is built in-house. Glunz & Jensen is also working with Luscher under the HelioGraph Holdings group, cross-referring customers between Luscher’s imaging devices and Glunz & Jensen’s processing equipment. Nigel acknowledges that selling capital equipment is always challenging, but says Glunz & Jensen’s long-standing reputation for quality gives them an advantage. He ends by saying it’s still early in the show and hopes everything will be sold by the final day.

Niels Rask is a member of FESPA and Chairman of the board of FESPA Denmark. Here Jacques Michiels asks Rask about what FESPA bring back to their members - and Niels Rask has some good answers. Enjoy!

Nidhi Agrawal is the CEO and co-founder of Design'n'Buy. Over the years, the Indian based software company have become an international player in the web-to-print industry. In this Over the Skype Nidhi Agrawal tells about the advantages she sees working from home, and of course, also about the new products/features that were supposed to be presented at the now postponed drupa. 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!

Nidhi Agrawal, CEO and Co-Founder of Design'n'Buy, and editor Morten B. Reitoft often meet at tradeshows. Still, Nidhi Agrawal is also a constant at our NON-EVENTs in Copenhagen. Always good to see her, and the company's success is great to follow. In this interview, Agrawal explains the continued success of their design plug-in - worth a watch!

Wayne from INKISH is at The Print Show in Birmingham, where he speaks with Nicola Peacock from The Printing Charity — one of the UK’s oldest and most respected benevolent organisations serving the print, packaging, publishing, paper, and allied trades. Nicola, who has been part of the charity since 2019 and has nearly three decades of experience in the industry, shares how the organisation provides crucial financial and emotional support to individuals and families across the sector. The Printing Charity’s welfare department, based at its head office in Crawley, assists people facing financial hardship — from unexpected expenses like replacing a broken washing machine to more significant challenges such as household redundancies. Anyone who has worked in the industry for three years or more can reach out for support. Each case begins with a simple conversation, and if direct financial help isn’t possible, the team ensures individuals are signposted to other relevant resources or referred to the charity’s dedicated helpline. The helpline is available to over 30,000 families through partnerships with more than 460 UK companies. It provides confidential, in-the-moment access to trained counsellors for emotional well-being, as well as practical advice and information services. Everyone aged 16 and over in the household of an employee covered by the programme can use these services at no cost. Nicola also highlights the charity’s Rising Star Awards, which recognise and empower young talent aged 18–30 within the industry. Winners receive funding for professional development courses, and this year’s programme supported 84 recipients, with over £100,000 invested in training. The winners are celebrated each July at a special event held at the House of Lords, a moment that showcases the industry’s future leaders. In addition to welfare and career development initiatives, The Printing Charity operates two independent residential homes — one in Bletchley and another in Basildon — providing safe and supportive environments for those connected to the industry. Wayne and Nicola discuss how few people truly realise the scope of the charity’s work. Funded entirely through legacies, wills, pensions, and donations, The Printing Charity is financially stable and does not rely on public fundraising — allowing it to focus solely on helping those in need. A heartfelt conversation about compassion, community, and the enduring support behind one of the UK’s cornerstone industry charities — filmed live at The Print Show in Birmingham.

English (German introduction below the English version) Over the Skype - Premiere in German with DFTA and Andreas Weber, INKISH D-A-CH As guests today, at our premiere for 'Over The Skype' conversations in German, we would like to extend a very warm welcome to Ms Nicola Kopp-Rostek and Prof. Dr Greet Martin Dreher. Nicola Kopp-Rostek is managing director of the DFTA Flexographic Printing Association e.V. Prof. Dr Martin Dreher is a professor for packaging printing at the renowned Stuttgart Media University (HDM). Both are also managing directors of the association's DFTA technology centre. Despite the Corona crisis, the interlocutors were relaxed, level-headed and open to conversation. Topics were a .: What is special about the flexographic printing industry? What does the association do? What is the mood like among the members? What are the prospects? The abbreviation DFTA stands for German-speaking Flexographic Technology Association. The association has existed for 40 years. The statutes provide information on the tasks. Here is an extract of the purpose and tasks of the DFTA: - The DFTA is the professional association of companies, institutions, associations and people who deal with flexographic printing. - The DFTA promotes technical and scientific progress in the areas of packaging printing with a focus on flexo printing. - The tasks of the DFTA are in particular of a technical, business and organizational nature as well as training and further education, public relations and marketing for flexographic printing. - The DFTA supports the work of the DFTA Technology Center. Note: As with all our "Over the Skype" interviews, the picture/sound quality is based on the available bandwidth and the respective webcams as well as the possibility of literally leading the conversations LIVE. Despite everything, it works amazingly well, and with Over the Skype we have brought together more than 50 special personalities so far and give insights into the industry as it currently is. Have fun! --- GERMAN Introduction --- Over the Skype — Premiere in deutscher Sprache mit dem DFTA und Andreas Weber, INKISH D-A-CH Zu Gast heute, bei unserer Premiere für Over The Skype-Gespräche in deutscher Sprache, dürfen wir sehr herzlich Frau Nicola Kopp-Rostek sowie Herrn Prof. Dr. Martin Dreher begrüßen. Nicola Kopp-Rostek ist Geschäftsführerin des DFTA Flexodruck-Fachverband e.V. Prof. Dr. Martin Dreher ist Professor für Verpackungsdruck an der renommierten Stuttgarter Hochschule der Medien, kurz HDM. Beide sind zudem Geschäftsführer des zum Verband gehörenden DFTA Technologiezentrums. Trotz Corona-Krise waren die Gesprächspartner entspannt, besonnen und gesprächsoffen. Themen waren u. a.: Was macht die Flexodruck-Branche aus? Was leistet der Verband? Wie ist die Stimmung bei den Mitgliedern? Welche Perspektiven bestehen? Das Kürzel DFTA steht übrigens für Deutschsprachige Flexographic Technology Association. Den Verband gibt es seit 40 Jahren. Zu den Aufgaben geben die Statuten Auskunft. Hier heisst es auszugsweise zum Zweck und zu den Aufgaben der DFTA: - Die DFTA ist der fachliche Zusammenschluss von Firmen, Institutionen, Verbänden und Personen, die sich mit dem Flexodruck befassen. - Die DFTA fördert den technischen und wissenschaftlichen Fortschritt in den Bereichen des Verpackungsdruck mit Schwerpunkt Flexodruck. - Die Aufgaben der DFTA sind insbesondere technischer, betriebswirtschaftlicher und organisatorischer Art sowie Aus- und Weiterbildung, Öffentlichkeitsarbeit und Marketing für den Flexodruck. - Die DFTA fördert die Arbeit des DFTA Technologiezentrums. Hinweis: Wie bei allen unseren "Over the Skype"-Interviews richtet sich die Bild-/Ton-Qualität nach verfügbarer Bandbreite und den jeweiligen Web-Cams aus sowie der Möglichkeit, die Konversationen buchstäblich LIVE zu führen. Es funktioniert trotz allem erstaunlich gut und mit Over the Skype bringen wir bis dato mehr als 50 besondere Persönlichkeiten zusammen und geben Einblicke in die Branche, wie sie derzeit ist. Viel Spaß!

Being responsible for the Home of Print is a big task - almost 10,000 m2 of technology - not just put in vacant places, but as Nick Trabold carefully designed to show applications, and what Heidelberg can do. Super interesting chat with Trabold, so dig in and learn :-)

At Printpack India 2025, Wayne Beckett spoke with Nick Price, BHS's Head of Sales for Asia Pacific, about the company’s expansion into digital printing for the corrugated and broader packaging market. Traditionally known for its corrugating solutions, BHS is now developing innovative in-line and offline digital printing systems, allowing customers to produce high-quality graphics directly on packaging materials. Price highlights that these new digital printing solutions are set to launch by the end of the year, with initial installations taking place in Germany, the US, and China as part of an alpha and beta testing phase. With manufacturing in Shanghai, the new product range is designed to meet the demands of the Southeast Asian, Indian, and Australian markets, providing a strong return on investment and enabling businesses to bring their printing in-house. BHS is leveraging its infrastructure and engineering expertise across the Asia Pacific to ensure comprehensive support, including spare parts, print heads, and inks. The first machines will be installed in China in the coming months. The company aims for a full market rollout by the second half of 2025, leading to widespread installations in 2026. For those interested in the future of digital printing in corrugated packaging and the evolving role of automation in the industry, this discussion offers a first look at BHS’s latest advancements and strategic vision.

Nick Khatri from Lake Image Systems is a world leader in variable data integrity and print quality inspection for the security, labels, packaging, and commercial print industries. By reading and processing the variable data on many printed items, they provide solutions to inspect, verify, track and report on billions of secure documents, labels, plastic cards, and packages daily.

That photo represents to me the Mavericks. The outlaws. The entrepreneurs in the printing industry. That I have so much respect for. If you're not already thinking in the future. I guarantee you there are companies who are doing that. If you subscribe monthly. That vendor has to deliver value to you each and every month. Disruption is something that's natural in business. And I think it's something that should be sought after and encouraged. There's a gentleman who's the CEO of a company called Zuora. His name is Tien Tzuo. And he wrote basically the authority on subscription economy. And it's called 'Subscribed'. And that for me has been so inspiring. You know, not only for my position in the printing industry. But just someone who's a fan of business. It's so nice to know that during these times of challenges that there exists scholarship foundations like PGSF. In particular, one that's able to help provide over half a million dollars a year. And support hundreds of students. It Is so critical that the industry has that type of support. And I would just encourage anyone listening to this, you know, whether it's monetary donation or mentorship. We all play an important part in helping support the future of the industry. That is from the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. And it's the part time MBA program that I'm involved in. And you might find yourself sitting next to a commercial airline pilot, a medical doctor or a McKinsey consultant or even a guy from the printing industry. That picture of New York City back in the day represents, to me, challenging the status quo. Why I chose that photo is because I'm just in love with the companies who come up with disruptive business models. And fundamentally change the way people look at an industry. And the way that the interact with the products. I never would have thought we'd see the day. But things like, for example, an ecosystem... It fundamentally changes the way printers, suppliers and end consumers, all those traditional relationships, how they interact. And not to accept something just because that's the way that it's always been.

Nick Bruno speaks with Pat McGrew at #HID25 about the coatings they offer in the digital space and explains that they have learned a lot from the offset space and have also worked with several partners throughout the years. They also discuss the competitiveness and sustainability perspective of using coatings over laminations, so dig in and learn!

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-benkovich/

In this Conversations, VP Portfolio Product Management, Nick Benkovich, shares his views and insights on how eProductivity Software plays an immense role in the future of - well - essentially all software needed in the graphics arts industry. You will ALSO get to know more about Nick Benkovich as a human being - and what drives him as a leader in our industry—interviewed by INKISH Editor-in-Chief Morten B. Reitoft in a very open-minded conversation. Enjoy!

At Printing United in Orlando, Pat McGrew from INKISH speaks with Nick Benkovich from eProductivity Software (now under the CAI Graphic Communications banner) about the company’s direction, its embrace of AI, and the ongoing evolution of MIS and workflow automation. Benkovich emphasizes that while the name may have changed, “the people are the same, the products are the same — and what changes is the level of investment.” He explains that continuous development, customer feedback, and a strong user community are what keep their solutions ahead in a fast-changing print technology landscape. “Software is about people — the people who build it, support it, and use it,” he says. “That’s what drives innovation.” AI plays an increasingly central role for both users and developers. Benkovich describes how artificial intelligence helps simplify complex quoting processes, support onboarding, and accelerate internal software development. “I think of AI as a smart friend who taps you on the shoulder and says, ‘You could do this better,’” he explains. “We use it every day.” Looking ahead to the company’s Connect event, Benkovich says customers can expect “evolution, not revolution,” with genuine, production-ready AI rolling out across the portfolio. “By February, many of our customers will be running real AI in production — not just marketing hype,” he adds. Discussing Nubium, the company’s cloud-based MIS introduced last year, Benkovich notes its rapid adoption across the U.S., Europe, and the U.K. “The feedback has been phenomenal,” he says. “You can be up and running in about a month, with built-in training and live support. For smaller print shops, that flexibility is a game-changer.” Benkovich concludes by reassuring customers that the company’s mission remains constant despite the new branding. “Keep doing what we’ve always done — stay committed to our customers, keep listening, and keep improving. The opportunity ahead of us is huge, and we’re ready for it.”

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!