Kodak has for the past year or more promoted its view that for the foreseeable future, commercial printers need to use both offset and digital print technologies. It describes this as at the “and era” for print.
Now it has published the report of an extensive survey carried out by US print research body Napco which validates its beliefs. The organisation quizzed commercial printers in the US, Germany and Japan into the changes and opportunities working with digital alongside offset had presented.
The key finding is that digital is not replacing offset for this cohort of commercial printers. This had been anticipated when digital printing first arrived and continues to be the message from providers of high speed inkjet presses, Kodak included, that their machines can accelerate the transition from offset to digital printing. The authors of the report however point out that the digital print revolution did not sweep away offset litho because offset litho presses also evolved. Key technologies like computer to plate and automated makeready have allowed offset to remain relevant.
Consequently on average offset litho continues to account for around 70% of volumes from these printers, albeit that digitally printed jobs are increasing faster than new litho jobs.
But being able to offer both and to switch between the two technologies is essential for a commercial printer to be as efficient, productive and cost effective as possible. A key to this is being able to operate through a single hybrid workflow rather than separate workflows for each technology.
Operating both technologies provides the print business with the ability to reduce waste, increase efficiency, increase throughput and so increase margins than trying to manage with one technology alone.
Most have found that digital print suits short production runs thanks to lack of plates, reduced waste and lower set up costs. The ability to cope with shorter production runs had also attracted new clients and new types of work, particularly if personalisation can be offered.
To maximise the benefits, a combined workflow is necessary to be able to move jobs from one technology to the other. This workflow complexity is more of an issue for printers in Germany and Japan than in the US says Napco. Printers need to understand how to manage a hybrid workflow, requiring a different set of skills to those associated with offset printing. With offset the requirement has been about running a machine. Operating the digital press is simpler, but skills are needed upstream, in file handling in colour management and integration skills for success in this new era.
The survey also points out that commercial printers are having to invest in finishing equipment in order to keep up with the flow of short run digital print jobs as well as longer run conventional jobs without suffering production bottlenecks.
With success in these areas, the result is reduced production costs, in turn leading to a competitive edge for the ‘and era’ printer.
Kodak executive chairman and CEO Jim Continenza says the research has thrown up ‘valuable insights’ about how printers are adapting, adding: “We are committed to helping our customers stay competitive and profitable as the industry evolves by proving them with the right solution for their needs – whether it’s offset or digital or both.”
