Wayne Beckett from Inkish interviews James Thomas at Label Expo in Barcelona. James explains that his company, Focus, has developed a new water-based inkjet system for labels and packaging in collaboration with Simply Inkjet. Unlike previous attempts where material and coating costs were too high, this new system makes water-based inkjet viable and is currently in active development with projects already underway. It builds on Focus’s long experience with UV systems. It opens new opportunities in markets like food, pharmaceuticals, coffee cups, and other packaging applications where water-based solutions are preferred or required by legislation. The system can be adapted as a retrofit or built as a custom configuration with CMYK, white, precoating, and finishing units, making it suitable for complex applications like duplex pharmaceutical printing, fan folding, and peel-and-reveal labels. All Focus machines are manufactured in Nottingham in their own facility with in-house design, assembly, and demo areas. James says the label market is challenging but still buoyant, with good growth in international markets like the USA. Recent collaborations, new agents, and partnerships with companies like Kuka and OK have helped expand their reach and bring more production back in-house for customers. He concludes that the new water-based system represents a major opportunity and that it’s exciting to bring innovative equipment to such a large trade show.

James Struble, Director of Software Solutions at Eco3 knows the secrets of integration, especially when it comes to adding efficiency to print workflow. With Apogee taking care of the job capture and preparation and integrating with ePS or Graphic Communications products, his teams have saved their joint customers hours of time, leading to more efficiency, productivity, and larger bottom line revenue.

At the Printing United Expo in Orlando, Pat McGrew speaks with James Mekis from PODi and Chris Heric from CIP4, both attending to engage with industry partners and discuss workflow interoperability. Rather than selling or buying equipment, their goal is to explore how different print systems can better communicate using standards such as JDF and JMF. They explain how these specifications allow devices from multiple vendors—such as Heidelberg, Kodak, Xerox, and 3M—to integrate seamlessly within a single production environment, reducing the need for proprietary or custom solutions. James notes that CIP4’s mission is to make automation more accessible for print providers who rely on diverse hardware and software setups, and the organization has developed extensive resources, including an introductory guide for those new to JDF. Chris adds that as printers increasingly depend on MIS and DFE systems, interoperability has become essential for efficiency and competitiveness. They also highlight available case studies that show real-world benefits of standardization. The conversation emphasizes how organizations like CIP4 and PODi continue to educate and support the print industry in adopting open standards to drive smarter, more connected workflows.

Chinese language - English subtitles

At FESPA Barcelona 2026, Wayne from INKISH speaks with James Fu from Aily Group about the company’s rapid expansion into the European market and its latest AI-driven UV printing technologies. Based in China with growing operations and support infrastructure across Europe, Aily Group is focused on bringing advanced automation, robotics, and intelligent printing systems to industrial and graphics applications. The conversation centers on the company’s AI-enabled UV flatbed solutions, which combine robotic loading systems, automated positioning, and camera-driven print recognition to create highly automated production environments. Fu explains how the company has spent years developing “non-stop AI” technology that allows continuous automated production with minimal human intervention. The systems are designed to identify products automatically, handle multiple applications, and operate around the clock, particularly for industrial markets such as toy manufacturing and customized object printing. Together, they discuss how labor shortages, rising production costs, and increasing demand for automation are driving interest in robotics and AI-powered print systems. Fu also highlights Aily Group’s ambitions to build a stronger European distributor network while continuing to refine its products through close cooperation with end users and real-world production environments.

Bag print it: Chief Commercial Officer Jim Burns walks INKISH through what’s new with Inkcups, including the XJET Switch direct-to-bag printer. It’s not your father’s pad printing technology!

Some first-timers at Fespa Amsterdam, so a good time to get acquainted and learn more about them. As we speak, we are witnessing a big surge of foreign manufacturers out of India, China, Middle East, all trying to get a piece of the sweet European pie. So, we met with Kimala, a Polish cutting, milling, and CNC machinery manufacturer. We learned that it is not just in their slogan when they talk about Innovation, efficiency, and reliability of constructing their equipment. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakub-jarzabek-77521a149/

At Printpack India 2025, Wayne Beckett from Inkish speaks with Javier Singh, President of IPAMA, about the remarkable growth of the exhibition. With over 600 exhibitors, including 562 offering live demonstrations, this year’s event has surpassed previous editions, reflecting the industry's rapid expansion. Javier Singh attributes this surge in participation to the team’s dedicated efforts in promoting the exhibition and focusing on future growth. Attendance figures are soaring, with an expected 140,000 to 150,000 visitors, putting Printpack India on par with major global events like Drupa. Notably, international visitors have also increased, with 16,000 attendees from countries across Africa, Latin America, the Gulf, Russia, and Asia. As demand continues to rise, expansion plans are already in motion. The venue provider is set to construct new permanent halls, adding 42,000 square meters of space by the next edition, with plans for an additional 25,000 square meters. Despite the event's massive scale, organizers had to turn away 86 exhibitors due to space constraints—something they aim to resolve in 2027. With projections for the next edition targeting 100,000 square meters of exhibition space and up to 200,000 visitors, Printpack India is cementing itself as a premier international printing and packaging trade show. Singh reassures that India is ready to welcome the world, making the event a key destination for global industry professionals. As the show continues to grow, the future of Printpack India looks brighter than ever, with expectations to reach new milestones in 2027.

At Expográfica in Guadalajara, Jaime Agudelo from Miraclon discusses the future of modern flexographic printing, sustainability, and the launch of the company’s latest FLEXCEL technologies. The conversation highlights Miraclon’s FLEXCEL NX Ultra water-based plate technology alongside the newly launched FLEXCEL NX Prime plate, designed to improve performance, stability, productivity, and press consistency for converters working in demanding packaging environments. Jaime Agudelo explains how sustainability in flexo printing depends on collaboration across the entire production chain, including plate technology, inks, substrates, workflows, and press optimization. The interview also explores key industry trends such as extended color gamut printing, faster changeovers, shorter runs, reduced waste, and the growing importance of highly optimized “modern flexo” production environments.

Our Conversations are popular and for good reason, as you get the opportunity to get closer to the person behind the high-level management position. Editor Morten B. Reitoft can talk to the new Tarsus Group Managing Director, Jade Grace, in this film. You will learn what Jade Grace does when she is not working, but more importantly, learn about some of the considerations about expos, her own job, ambitions, and the future of tradeshows. Super nice conversations.

In this interview from LabelExpo 2025 in Barcelona, Wayne Beckett from Inkish speaks with Jacques Human, Managing Director of Kamboo, the new South African distributor for Weigang. Jacques shares how the partnership began only three months ago and how his team has already sold their first Weigang machine, which will be installed in Cape Town in January. He explains the challenges of the South African market, where currency fluctuations and economic disparities make it hard to find the right balance between quality and price, and why Weigang stood out as the perfect fit after visiting their world-class manufacturing facility in China. Jacques discusses overcoming the stigma sometimes associated with Chinese OEMs by emphasizing Weigang’s use of high-quality European components from brands like Siemens, which have strong local support in South Africa. He notes that while European presses are still considered the “Rolls-Royce” of the industry, Weigang offers comparable quality at a significantly lower price point, making them an attractive alternative without being the cheapest option. The first machine in Cape Town will serve as a showroom unit for potential customers, and Jacques is confident this installation will help build trust and accelerate Weigang’s growth in the region.

INKISH hosted for the first time ever our NON-EVENT. The Non-event is celebrating the people that have been in front of the camera, or been supporting INKISH during the past years. This is a new recurring event, and the idea is to give space for the people we have featured to connect in a new way. We invited 150 people, and 32 decided to join us. Our guests came from Japan, Canada, USA, UK, Belgium, Sweden, and Denmark - and we are confident that next year, even more, will come. We asked most of our participants to talk LIVE during the dinner - and here is Jacob Hededam Hummel from Denmark. Jacob Hededam Hummel is employed by Heidelberg GmbH, but work out of mostly Denmark and the UK, and that is among other reasons because Heidelberg is now working in clusters, but also since Jacob Hededam Hummel is specialized in Heidelbergs workflow and automation solution Prinnect. Enjoy!

At FESPA Barcelona 2026, Wayne from INKISH speaks with Jacob Hansen from Robotfactory about how robotics and automation are becoming increasingly important within the graphics and finishing industry. Working closely with Zünd for more than 30 years in the Nordic region, Robotfactory specializes in integrating robotic solutions with digital cutting systems to automate loading, unloading, sorting, and material handling processes for print and finishing companies. The conversation explores how modern robotic systems are evolving from simple collaborative robots into highly flexible production tools capable of handling sheets, rolls, stickers, streamers, and a wide variety of materials through interchangeable grippers and software-controlled workflows. Hansen explains that Robotfactory focuses on creating standardized automation platforms that can later be customized and upgraded to meet customer requirements. Together, they discuss the challenges of labor shortages, rising production costs, and the need for easy-to-use automation that integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. While robotic systems represent a significant investment, Hansen argues that the return on investment often comes faster than expected, especially as labor becomes more expensive and difficult to find. Both agree that robotics will play a central role in the future of print production, particularly as the industry moves toward more automated, flexible, and lights-out manufacturing environments.

Beyond printing technology innovations a lot of great things happened in the last two decades since the year 2000. Jacob Aizikowitz, founder and til June 2019 President of XMPie, became a pioneer and visionary for print in the digital age. His topic was always to synchronize or align print and digital communication, what we call today cross media or omnichannel. Andreas Weber, CEO of INKISH D-A-CH, picked-up Jacob’s current article on ”Why is Print Not Frequently Used in Enterprise Marketing?“, published by American Printer end of October 2020, to set up a great conversation. See: https://americanprinter.com/p/102320-enterprise-marketing-jaizikowitz-ampr#.X5Wb3sh_aHg.linkedin So this are the topics to talk about: There is a big gap between the print industry's praising of print's value and the reality of print's infrequent use by enterprises' marketing. — What makes you think that? Does personalization and customization may have different meanings to technology providers, printers and marketeers? If so, what could we do to solve the dilemma? At least: is omnichannel a linear-organic further development of direct marketing? Or is it more or less a disruptive approach, as things change completely for enterprises? Which areas/markets in the world are ahead or behind? Do PSP’s already use omnichannel for their own purpose? And finally something personal: thinking back 20 years ago, would you have expected things to turn out the way they did? Or could it have been different? As always in those COVID-19 times we had to use Skype to set up the conversation between Jacob’s home town Haifa, Israel, and Frankfurt am Main, Germany, where Andreas lives and works. So apologize if there is any disturbance caused by weak bandwidth etc. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-aizikowitz-a6975b/

Jacob Aizikowitz, a print and digital media visionary, has revolutionized how we think about personalization and cross-media. Known for his groundbreaking work in variable data printing and cross-media integration, Jacob’s contributions to companies like XMPie and EFI have paved the way for innovative customer experiences. He is credited with inventing object-based variable data and introducing creative and personalized print capabilities that became industry standards, including PDF/VT. His leadership in cross-media innovation bridged the gap between print and digital media, ensuring seamless integration in modern customer campaigns. As the founder of XMPie, Jacob fostered a global community of innovators and inspired a transformation in how the print industry embraces the digital age. His dedication to innovation and passion for enabling creativity continue to shape the industry's future.

In this "Over the Skype" session, we speak with Jack Strimber, General Manager for Latin America at Kornit. Kornit is a company dedicated to textile printing that seeks to enter the Mexican market. Jack spoke about the benefits of direct-to-garmet printing, as well as the trends in this sector. En esta sesión "Over the Skype", hablamos con Jack Strimber, Gerente General para América Latina en Kornit. Kornit es una empresa dedicada a la impresión textil que busca ingresar al mercado mexicano. Jack habló sobre los beneficios de la impresión directo a tela, así como de las tendencias que marca este sector.

To measure is to know, and that is the core business of JS Hamilton. With increasingly strict and changing Low Migration legislation, brand owners, processors, and machine manufacturers are under increasing pressure to comply with food safety requirements. Iwona briefly overviews how they support the printing industry and customers with their laboratory services.

At Expográfica in Guadalajara, Iván Pavón Flores from Comitec explains why measurement, calibration, and process control are essential parts of modern print production. The conversation explores Comitec’s work with ISO 17025-certified calibration services, color management technologies, spectrophotometers, viscosity measurement, weighing systems, and other precision instruments used throughout the graphic arts industry. Representing brands such as Konica Minolta, Comitec focuses on helping printers reduce waste, improve consistency, and optimize production using accurate data rather than relying on visual estimation alone. From color measurement and viscosity control to paper thickness and formulation accuracy, the interview highlights how modern print quality increasingly depends on measurable and repeatable processes.

On the second day at the Peak Performance Print Experience event, we got a chance to ask Gareth Ward from Print Business in the UK about his views on the event and the Jet Press 750S. As expected, the answer is not about the technology but more about what the technology can do business-wise - and we liked that answer. But listen for yourself and enjoy the insights from one of the leading media in our industry. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gareth-ward-792b3312/

Print Sample TV is all about great print samples, but it's also about bridging great design and great equipment into what makes host and evangelist Pat McGrew's heart beat a bit faster. In this episode, she shows how production inkjet equipment not only delivers amazing speed, agility, but more important higher and higher quality. With HP's new Brilliant Ink the WidePage contesters deliver stunning results at the speed of - well - the speed of a production inkjet machine! Enjoy!

Advantage Label & Packaging is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based label printing company, and we got the chance to meet with General Manager Brad Knoth. Advantage Label & Packaging runs multiple flexo/hybrid/digital presses and operates a business solely focusing on narrow web label production. Besides being a supplier of labels, Advantage also develops, supports, and sells turn-key solutions for its customers that include machines that can applicate those labels, but also as a reseller for label printers. What brought INKISH to Grand Rapids is a relatively recent investment in CERM. CERM is an MIS system - formerly owned by Heidelberg - but today owned by the management of CERM. CERM has focused on labels for a long time, and when seeing it in action, you see sensors on machines and barcodes in the warehouse, and you for sure learn that CERM has been a game changer for a customer like Advantage Label & Packaging. Most people realize how big of work it is to change the MIS system, and what surprised Brad Knoth and his team was how smoothly the process went with CERM. Coming from a home-brewed solution, the company already knew what they wanted, and before deciding, they asked four suppliers to demo and present their solutions. CERM came out as a clear winner, and Advantage Label & Packaging proudly discusses the process and the result. Enjoy!

At PRINTING United INKISH was broadcasting daily. On October 24th, we spend the day with CHILI Publish trying to understand more about their products, services, and offerings. Spending time with specialists gives you a deeper insight, and therefore it's a pleasure to welcome Gabriel Flippo here on INKISH.TV where he talks about customers, and what kind of products/services they use CHILI Publisher for.

5 Colors seem to be the new "black" in the digital printing industry and the company that kind of kick-started this is Ricoh. When Ricoh introduced NEON colors, clear toners, white, and more, Ricoh differentiated them from most of the competitors. To keep a lead in technology is one thing; print samples is something completely different. In this 28th episode of Print Sample TV, Pat McGrew have got an envelope with a nicely printed number '5' on the front indicating Ricoh's creatives have been on work. Pat McGrew is impressed and show tickets, posters, postcards, and even a small box printed on a very silver-shiny surface showcasing all the possibilities a customer will get with five colors. As usual. Watch, Like, and Share