Peter Janssen is the CEO of Endless Branding from Beek, The Netherlands - and one of the interesting things Peter Janssen emphasize in his speech from Benelux Online Print Event 18 in Brussels is that we "pretty much produce the same things we have always done, however, the way we do it has changed a lot"... This is interesting since this is what a lot of printers experience and some are successful others are still struggling. Listen and learn!

Automation, automation, automation. The same word, repeated three times, pretty much describes what customers need and what Ultimate TechnoGraphics provide. In this interview, you will hear Andrew Bailes-Collins and Ray Duval talking about why automation is so needed, but also see what the software does and how it scales with your business. At the booth, Ulitmate TechnoGraphics also emphasized the importance of Binding Automation. If you are interested in workflow/automation, you should check out the options Ultimate TechoGraphics provide!

At PRINTING United, we got a chance to meet with Colin Flinn from Horizon USA. We first met Colin Flinn back at the Think Smart Factory event in Kyoto, where he surprised us by being fluent in both Japanese and English. We have also met Flinn at several online events LIVE from Japan, where he and his team has built up a comprehensive online/offline demo facility - but now it's at PRINTING United where Colin Flinn demonstrates Horizon's new Gauze, End Paper, and bar code printing capabilities, enabling customers to use the BQ-series binders for softcover AND book blocks for hardcover books - quite amazing, but see for yourself :-)

We have visited many great printing companies, but Rotolito is in its own league. It's among the biggest commercial printing companies in Europe, based in Milan, Italy, and it's a smart company. In this interview, we focus pretty much on the HP investments - counting a T380, T490, and an Indigo 100K, but besides investing in digital technology for print, Rotolito also invests in robot technology, workflow/automation, and talking to second generation owner Emanuele Bandecchi, you don't feel that we are even near the last investment. Smart company, great products, and a great example of how this industry can continue being interesting for decades to come! Enjoy!

Talking to Emilio Estrellas was a good experience. Projecta is an Italian manufacturer of tile/ceramic printers, and while we in the graphics arts industry just started the digital transformation today the tile market is 98% produced in digital. Interesting to learn, and also show that talking digital and inkjet is more of a replacement market rather than a transformation market. Interesting!

Michael Aumann, Director, Digital Embellishment from KURZ USA, has a vision that can't come as a surprise - "more embellishment, more embellishment, and more embellishment." He is responsible for digital embellishment, though very honest about the need for both digital and analog embellishment options for a long time to come. INKISH got the chance to meet with Michael Aumann, Allan Quimby, and Myron Werner from KURZ USA - and this is the first of the results - stay tuned!

It's difficult to decide how to start this story. It's about a print and packaging company in Leicester investing in new technology. A new Koenig & Bauer press and a new folding/gluer, also from Koenig & Press. In a way, enough, but there is more to it, because the configuration of the printing press is as such unique, and as Richard Pacey explains, maybe the only one in the world. A seven-color with three coaters. But doesn't that lead to the more obvious question, why? And that's really the story. Qualvis is a print and packaging company that has specialized in high-end packaging. As we sit in the meeting room before the filming, tons of samples are placed on the table, and, of course, we look at them. Marcus Short asks us - so how do you think it's made? It looks like overprinted coldset, yet it has a different shine, and it's still the best option. And here is what Qualvis has developed over the years. Instead of using cold foil, Qualvis has developed Q-lustre. It's a flexo-printed, reflective silver color, UV-dried, and ready to be overprinted, just like a cold foil. The result is a stunning print with a metalization that actually doesn't have any metalization, as we know. It's more sustainable because it doesn't use a foil carrier, the company claims, and customers like what they see. Combined with a fast folding/gluer, the company's existing blue Koenig & Bauer Rapida press, and a few BOBST die-cutters, the company is well set for the future, and the three gentlemen we speak with are all game and ready. This was a fun job!

At Intergraf Print Matters in Budapest, Morten Reitoft speaks with Emanuele Bona, Vice President Europe at PPPC, following a presentation that offered a realistic assessment of the long-term decline in graphic paper consumption across Europe and the broader changes reshaping the paper industry. While the numbers may appear challenging at first glance, the conversation quickly reveals a more nuanced picture of an industry that has spent years adapting to changing market realities. Emanuele explains how paper producers have diversified beyond traditional graphic papers, moving into packaging grades, specialty papers, recycled fiber applications, and even energy production. Many companies have successfully transformed their business models to remain profitable despite significantly lower volumes than in previous decades. The discussion explores the factors that have shaped the industry in recent years, from the financial crisis and the pandemic to geopolitical tensions, inflation, and energy costs. As one of Europe's most energy-intensive industries, paper manufacturing has faced extraordinary challenges, yet many producers have continued to invest in efficiency, sustainability, and innovation. Morten and Emanuele also discuss the role of recycled fibers, the balance between recycled and virgin fiber content, and why different applications require different paper qualities. While recycled papers play an increasingly important role in sustainability strategies, certain premium applications still depend on high-quality virgin fibers to meet customer expectations and technical requirements. The conversation also touches on the challenges associated with declining paper consumption, where lower volumes can create new pressures on fiber availability and recycling systems. Looking beyond the statistics, Emanuele argues that the industry is entering a new phase. Traditional segments such as newspapers, magazines, and catalogs continue to decline, but opportunities remain in commercial print, specialty papers, labels, and other higher-value applications. As producers continue adapting their portfolios and business models, the pace of decline may eventually slow, creating a more balanced and sustainable market environment. A candid and insightful conversation about market realities, sustainability, recycled fibers, specialty papers, and how the European paper industry is adapting to a future that is very different from its past.

MTEX has a background in the textile industry, which makes perfect sense, as MTEX is situated in Portugal. CEO Elói Ferreira speaks about the advantages of being part of Astronova. Enjoy!

Editor Morten B. Reitoft from INKISH speaks with Elni Van Rensburg from Miraclon at Expográfica in Guadalajara about flexographic printing, sustainability, and the changing ways the print industry communicates with customers. The conversation explores Miraclon’s FLEXCEL NX Ultra water-wash plate technology, the award-winning FLEXCEL NX Prime plate, and how efficiency, waste reduction, and productivity remain central to modern flexo production. The interview also touches on the continued importance of trade shows, digital communication strategies, and why plate technology plays such a critical role in overall print performance.

In this 'Over the Skype' session, we talk to VP Marketing & Sales, Ellen Manning, from Eagle Systems. You will get the insides from how Ellen Manning got into the printing industry - and yes, it was on a drupa show. More importantly, we get the chance to talk about why foiling becomes more and more important for printers around the world. As you can see already from the cover photo, Ellen Manning is a 'sparkling' woman - fun and always good to hear engaging stories from engaged people! Enjoy this one!

Elizabeth Gooding is one of the two founding partners of INKJET INSIGHT. Only three years old they have established themselves as the number one go-to resource for inkjet. In this 'Over the Skype' session, Elizabeth Gooding talks about how they are serving their audience and how they get the information that keeps them up-to-date. Great story. 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!

Elisha Kasinskas is the Marketing Director of Rochester Software Associated or in short RSA. RSA developed one of the very first web-to-print solutions more than 15 years ago dedicated to in-plants. In the conversation, Elisha Kasinskas explain some of the needs in-plants have and why RSA has focused on this particular segment. However, RSA does also produce software for the broader commercial print market - but listen to the conversation for your self. 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!

Starting in a new position is always exciting, and on INKISH, we share the considerations and ambitions of people getting into new positions. In this interview, Elisha Kasinskas talk to Editor Morten B. Reitoft about the new job as Director of Marketing for BCC software. Only a few days "old" in the position puts a lot of limitations on what you know. However, we find this tense field interesting as this is where knowledge, skills, and ambitions are manifested now, knowing the new company. We love this!

Elisabetta Engel is these days Meccanotecnica's Swiss Army Knife, as she manages for a great part the Open House, Marketing in general, but also sales in two major important markets like Korea and China - well done, and she is a great example of how Meccanotecnica over the years has been able to attract young, very well educated people to the company, and to part of the transformation process that clearly takes place. Enjoy the interview :-)

Mark's quest for American exhibitors or stories allowed him to talk to Elie Khoury, who talked about a jam-packed show. Alwan Color Expertise shows a spectrometric color management system that enables a printer to match print output with a reference image/color - interesting!

At the HP PreDrupa event in Indianapolis, HP revealed products to be seen at Drupa. Eli Mahal works with HP's labels/flexible products, so we talked about the Indigo 200K, continued to the 35K, and ended with the Indigo V12. The V12 is, by the way, almost out of beta and broadly available - but listen to Eli Mahal - a great walkthrough :-)

In this Over the Skype episode, CEO Eli Grinberg from Scodix talks about how Scodix got started and the ambitions of replacing analog enhancement technologies. Of course, we also got the chance to talk about how Scodix sees the current market situation and why they are launching six new machines. I have known Eli Grinberg for many years, but this was the first time we finally got time to sit down and talk - GREAT - enjoy!

At FESPA 2026 in Barcelona, Editor-in-Chief Morten Reitoft speaks with Eli Grinberg from Scodix about the company’s first-ever appearance at FESPA Global Print Expo 2026 and the launch of its new Ultra 7000 SHD with patented Direct-to-Board technology. The conversation explores how Scodix is bringing digital embellishment directly to corrugated boards and rigid materials, enabling packaging producers and display manufacturers to create premium visual effects without traditional stamping, laminating, or tooling. From luxury packaging and POS displays to food compliance, recyclability, and cost efficiency, the discussion highlights why digital embellishment is becoming an increasingly attractive opportunity for packaging converters looking to differentiate themselves in competitive retail environments. A fascinating conversation about innovation, packaging value, and why Scodix believes embellishment is becoming one of the strongest tools for creating attention on the shelf.

Elena Calaterra has a fantastic job, as a very important part of it involves visiting printing companies, primarily in Germany, Poland, and Scandinavia, so she can learn from printers about their binding machine needs. In this interview, she talks about her job, and how she also, as a young female, is received by printers - and how that it often turns into a very respectful relationship as they understand that she knows what she is talking about. Great to have young talents in our industry :-)

Eiji Kajita is responsible for Komori's operation in Europe and has been working out of the Utrecht office for about a year. In this conversations you get the chance to know Mr. Kajita a bit better - his background, how it is, for him, living in Europe, and also how he sees the European print market. Interesting insights, which we hope you'll like! Enjoy!

In this episode of Taktiful Tuesdays, Eric Vessels sits down with Ken Hanulec, Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at EFI, to discuss the game-changing innovations in digital print. From the revolutionary EFI X5 Nozomi and its impact on on-demand box production to the Pro 30H hybrid printer and the growing role of sustainability in print technology, this conversation is packed with insights you don’t want to miss. Ken also shares his thoughts on digital embellishments, the industry's shift from analog to digital, and practical advice for print service providers seeking to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Plus, they dive into personal fav

Nico Sleeckx guides us while colleagues explain the new Terra Silver printer for very fast direct sublimation printing. Applications to think of are printed fabrics for home furniture, fashion and all sorts of textile applications & more. LinkedIn Profile:

eProductivity Software/EFI Connect is about meeting people, and for sponsor Duplo USA, it's about meeting customers and prospects. In this film, Vice President Marketing Rick Salinas explains how finishing should be considered earlier in the buying process and how Duplo uses eProductivity Software/EFI to control the equipment as an integrated part of the workflow!