Print + Innovation: further challenge to the printing industry

IGAS ’15 getting ready for the solution 

The market environment in printing industry is going through rapid changes. The print volume in the developed countries is decreasing while that in the developing countries is rapidly expanding. With the growth of the Internet, the role and value of print media is being changed. These global environmental changes have a big impact on the printing industry. The innovation by proactive thinking and action is a crucial aspect of the printing industry in the 21st century. What are these innovations and how to adapt those changes, were the few questions addressed at the recently concluded IGAS 2015 Media Conference in Tokyo, Japan. Here, Varsha Verma of Print & Publishing brings a report.Under the theme of “Print + Innovation – Further challenge to the print technology”, IGAS 2015, aiming at innovation in the printing and communication industry, is all set to showcase the latest technology, solutions, and innovation potentiality for the future of printing industry, from September 11-16, 2015 at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan.

IGAS 2015 Media Conference was recently held at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan, where select media from countries like India, China, Australia, Singapore, Korea and Taiwan had gathered alongwith media from Japan, to know more about IGAS. The conference started with the IGAS 2015 Outlook, wherein Takeshi Hirotsune, secretary general of Japan Graphic Arts Suppliers Committee (JGASC) declared that as of date the number of exhibitors is 323, using 2065 units of booth space.

These would include wide range of exhibitors from the prepress, print, and post press fields while from the digital print field, there will be significant number of companies. “The general theme of IGAS 2015 is print + innovation, further challenge to the print technology. We will make IGAS 2015 an exhibition which provides problem solving solutions and opportunities for communication for print by involving not only the print related companies but also the print buyers and the brand owners,” he said.

Salient features...

It was also declared that IGAS will switch to a cycle of three years now onwards. The main events at IGAS will include +Session where over 100 special lectures, panel discussions, and seminars will be held to attract key visitors such as managers who make purchasing decisions. Topics directly related to business, such as the latest printing technologies, marketing, business style innovation and new business model will be discussed. While, +Tour will feature professionally guided tours with total 5,000 participants capacity. This will be the perfect chance for exhibitors to promote the products, technologies and services offered by their companies. A special tour allowing visitors from abroad will also be offered.

Another important feature would be + Live Studio, where industry specialists will summarise the exhibits, speak and discuss topics, highlights and industry trends. This also will throw the spotlight on the normally overlooked small-scale exhibits and exhibits in new categories. A talk show will be presented and timely information will be offered to enhance visitor satisfaction.

An exhibition area for new technology and new business fields ‘+Future’ would showcase cutting-edge/next-generation technology, future marketing/business models including 3D printers, printed electronics, next generation inkjet system and nanotechnology, etc. Further, business-matching corner for exhibitors and visitors from abroad will be featured in + International. Here, exhibitor information by multi lingual presentaions including English, Chinese, Korean and some other languages will be provided. Also, business matching services by professional coordinators will be prepared.

Exhibitors preview...

Prominent exhibitors like Komori Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd, Horizon International Inc, Screen Graphic and Precision Solutions Co Ltd, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Japan Co Ltd, Ricoh Company Ltd, Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co Ltd, Sakurai Graphic Systems Corp, Morisawa Inc, Fujifilm Global Graphic Systems Co Ltd, Canon Inc and Taiyo Kikai Ltd previewed their showcasing solutions at the exhibition to be held in the month of September this year.

Komori Corporation is aiming at elimination of all bottlenecks in printing companies – production cost, education, colour, use of IT, secure the volume of work, expansion of the business area and human resources. The IGAS exhibits would include core products – offset printing systems + digital printing system including Lithrone GX, Lithrone G40, Lithrone A37, Impremia IS29 and KStation 4 and K-ColorSimulator 2. While, their PESP (Printing Engineering Service Provider) portfolio will include Impremia C Series, Apressia series, K Supply and Komori Kare.

Natsohiko Yamada from Horizon International informed that they will have a 1000 sq m booth at IGAS, under the theme ‘The world loves books.’ They will focus on post press as it is the key to production efficiency. The booth would be divided into distinct zones – die-cut, binding, stitching, folding, crease & perforate and smart finishing solution.

IGAS 2015 stand at the Print China 2015

Lisa Watson from HP Indigo & Inkjet Web Press Solutions, Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, explained their theme for IGAS – Innovation wins. She explained that innovation is multi-dimensional through partnerships, synergy and acceleration. She gave interesting case study of Coke using personalisation in their ad campaigns. She told that at IGAS, they will showcase full HP Graphics Solutions portfolio, including end-to-end complement of solution partners. They will also highlight customer and brand applications focus in commercial printing, photo, labels & packaging, publishing, design and direct mail.

Yoshinori Tsuruya from Screen focussed on how to diversify business in printing industry. At IGAS, Screen will showcase TruePress Jet520HD, TruePress Jet L350UV, Jet Converter L350 and Motioncutter.

Junichi Arai from Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Japan explained their products portfolio in office business products, production print, healthcare, optical products & systems and functional materials. Their theme for IGAS 2015 is Advanced synergy of offset and digital.

The showcase would include electrophotography digital products – bizhub Press C1100, bizhub Press C1070 and bizhub Press C70hc; monochrome digital press – bizhub Press 2250/1250; workflow solutions; proof and CMS solutions; spectrophotometer and softwares. They will focus on new business like packaging printing, and label printing, by announcing new products in these categories. Kaname Miyazaki from Ricoh Co Ltd informed that they will showcase Pro C9100, Pro C7100S, VC6000 and workflow solutions. He also focused on the transition from print service providers (PSP) to marketing service providers (MSP). Miyakoshi Printing Machinery will display MHL18A rotary sleeve-offset press and MJP20MX full-colour waterbased inkjet printer.

Sakurai Graphic System Corp will display direct servo drive cylinder type roll to roll screen printing line MSDR60, B2 wide 5 colour sheetfed offset press with LED-UV system Oliver-580SDC. Akihiko Morisawa from Morisawa Inc explained their proposed display profile – advanced type font solution for embedding, embedding font for CE devices, C catalogue + ebook, webfonts, etc.

Hirotsugo Hosono from Fujifilm Global Graphic Systems told that Fujifilm will focus on digital press solutions, offset printing and package printing at IGAS. They will showcase Superia CtP system, Flenex water-based flexographic plate making system and xmf workflow solutions. Jun Ozawa from Canon Inc Tokyo explained their broad portfolio in the production printing arena. He highlighted their dry toner and inkjet technology for DPS, newspaper and commercial print while liquid toner for package printing. He said that Canon is new in packaging printing and will offer digital printing packaging solutions also at IGAS. Taiyo Kikai Ltd will offer STF- 340 mid-range flexo printing press, STF-370 C low-end flexo printing press and TFX-350 highend flexo printing press.

Besides, Junichiro Yamashita from Brighter Later discussed on Printing Market in Japan: Now and Future – How IGAS will drive the innovation. He explained the concept of MarTech— Marketing Technology which integrates two worlds of marketing and technology.