Digital Printing-Toner - Cut Sheet (Color)

Insurance is all about planning ahead. As the in-plant for one of the largest health insurers in the United States, Highmark's Corporate Printing Services (CPS) operation recently executed well-planned facilities and technology upgrades that leave it extremely well-positioned for the future.

Here's a look at some of the new printing and binding equipment and software that will be shown at PRINT 13, taking place in Chicago, September 8-12.

The PRINT 13 trade show emphasizes the trend toward the Great Diversification Movement. The printing industry is enduring some violent changes from a technology standpoint. With the decade-long trend toward shorter runs continuing, digital printing—especially inkjet—stepping up its game, and electronic alternatives continuing to harvest market share, diversification is on the lips of many printers as they prepare to trek to Chicago for the quadrennial Fall classic.

Océ PRISMAprepare 6.1 is the Canon's latest generation of all-in-one document preparation software. This solution streamlines the make-ready process from composition to production while maintaining color quality and consistency.

As he sat at the IPMA awards banquet last month, watching the video of the In-Print contest judges selecting the Best of Show winner, Steve Rigby was surprisingly calm. Two of Washington State University's Gold-winning pieces were among the final four, and he was feeling rather confident.

“A business card is very personal. It’s representative of the individual,” explains Michael Schaefer, Print Center director at Methodist Healthcare System. “So I tell the employees, ‘You may think it’s just a card, but that’s got their name on it.’”

Spring is in full bloom, but astute in-plant managers may have noticed one thing missing from the graphic arts garden this year. For the first time since it took root nearly two decades ago, the On Demand show is nowhere to be seen.

Topp Digital Label Solutions in Doral, FL, developed a solution for Interbeverage’s Bonfrüt line that enabled them to effectively launch six different juice and tea products and positively brand Bonfrüt beverages with consistent vibrant colors.

The potential for digital packaging is great, and while there are many obstacles, these can all be overcome. Commercial printers would also like to get into packaging, but commercial shops have some additional challenges. Commercial printers generally do not have the finishing equipment: folding, scoring, diecutting. Perhaps more significant, brand owners generally look to box makers for boxes, not commercial printers.

At the inaugural Inkjet Summit in April, Charlie Pesko, founder of InfoTrends, stressed that production inkjet technology was poised to transfigure the printing business. "I sincerely believe that inkjet is the next big game changer in the printing industry," he said.