At the Inkjet Summit, experts discussed the market size, opportunities and steps to take when integrating this technology

By Mark Michelson

Key Takeaways from the Summit

Jim Hamilton, InfoTrends

There is an unmet need for mid-volume cut-sheet inkjet. Not everyone has the print volume to support a continuous-feed inkjet system. There is a huge installed base of monochrome cut-sheet toner-based printers in transaction and direct mail markets that are ripe for the move to a white-paper-in to color-document-out workflow. Yet the product needs to have the speed, quality levels, running cost and ability to run on coated stocks suitable for direct mail.
Finishing is key to unlocking the value of high-speed digital printing. Innovative feeding systems can make a huge difference in driving inkjet volume. New flexible systems are capable of producing more than one application. Some feeding systems can move sheets without conventional grippers, opening up imaginative new possibilities.
The paper supply chain needs work to get the right papers to service providers when and where they are needed.

Elizabeth Gooding, Gooding Communications Group

Paper continues to be a major factor in achieving image quality; however, experienced inkjet users expressed few concerns about paper costs. When running inkjet at target volumes, the cost of higher-quality paper is quickly absorbed. Evaluate new papers on a regular basis.
Software to organize jobs and keep the press running is crucial.
Take a broad approach to evaluating the cost of investing in inkjet. On the cost side, consider press, finishing, software and workflow investments, plus the cost of training and down-time. From the benefits side, consider reductions in warehouse and floor space, inventory, operators, energy consumption and paper waste. Factor in the value to customers of full variable color transaction documents and improved time to market weighed against the opportunity cost of not being able to offer those capabilities when your competitors can.
Some transaction printers are using inkjet to expand their portfolios into high-value, personalized mail. Research indicates 25 billion pages were printed on inkjet devices in 2013 that were neither toner nor offset replacement. These “new pages” represent money in the bank for transaction printers with inkjet capabilities.

Mary Schilling, Schilling Inkjet Consulting

Understand inkjet’s differences in color and print quality compared to toner and offset. These differences aren’t just with the technology, but with design creation, file processing, color management, paper choices and saturation limits, as well as post-processing.
There are many parts of the workflow that must be identified and tested. Many new manufacturers can help with part, or all, of a particular piece of the workflow. Include software, workflow, data processing, printing, paper and finishing suppliers in the conversation.
Inkjet papers for high-speed inkjet are being developed at a much faster rate than two years ago. This creates many options, but it also creates confusion about which papers are acceptable for certain markets. Papers have varied print quality results on different machines. Work with paper and equipment vendors prior to purchasing to identify “house stocks,” print quality expectations and coverage limitations.
Training creative teams on “fluid to paper compatibility” allows modifications within the artwork to enhance the print quality, lower ink usage and eliminate production issues. Train your sales teams on inkjet’s print quality, density and reproducible color differences on various papers compared to your existing printing equipment.

Adding a high-speed, production inkjet press is not a "build it and they will come" endeavor. Before moving forward, you'll need a formal strategy in place that anticipates more than simply transferring jobs from existing offset or toner-based presses.

This critical point was reiterated in both the general sessions and in the breakouts at the recent Inkjet Summit, held in April at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Beach Club, outside of Jacksonville, Fla. In fact, inkjet veterans emphasized that the work filling many inkjet presses is largely new and not replacing existing jobs.

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Mark Michelson now serves as Editor Emeritus of Printing Impressions. Named Editor-in-Chief in 1985, he is an award-winning journalist and member of several industry honor societies. Reader feedback is always encouraged. Email mmichelson@napco.com

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