Simon Wheeler has become general manager of HP‘s PageWide press business in Europe at a time when inkjet web presses are on the cusp of challenging the dominance of litho printing. This has been endorsed by Solopress becoming the first in the world to install the HP PageWide T250 HD – and persuading Onlineprinters, its German owner, to follow suit.
Wheeler has been involved with digital presses for 20 years, mainly with Océ and then Canon, taking roles in Australia as well as Europe.
Aside from the readiness of the technology, the Brilliant Inks and ability to print on standard litho papers, the market needs to be prepared. Wheeler believes the time is right. “The current climate has given us the opportunity to deliver more personalisation, more local production, shorter runs and we’re seeing digital really coming in to its own.
“We’ve also had the opportunity and time to get closer to our customers, closer to their needs as they adapt to the new ways of working. It has helped strengthened our partnerships as we work through this crisis together. It’s been incredibly positive, collaborative and supportive to work with our customers old and new so closely.
“For an industry known for in person interaction, it’s been interesting to see how easily we have been able to switch those interactions to digital overnight. Of course, I miss seeing people face to face, but while we can’t do that, the time you spent travelling can be put in to preparation, planning, and getting as close to the problem your customers are trying to solve.”
This will influence the next two or more years, accelerating a migration towards inkjet and HP is gearing up for growth in publishing and commercial print. This means building the support structures and ensuring that these are resilient to cope with whatever “external factors” come along. “For me this is the meaning of the overused expression ‘new normal’,” says Wheeler.
That will include increased personalisation, local production, shorter runs and more digital printing This will favour those that have already made the transition to digital printing or else have prepared for it. “I think our customers who are inherently digital and forward thinking are well placed to benefit from the disruption,” he says.
“I think everyone knows that inkjet is the upcoming technology and more and more jobs are now best delivered on an inkjet platform. It comes down to economics and the deal that can be done on both sides to make it work.”
Those economics are held to include the cost of inkjet ink, from time to time held as more expensive drop for drop than champagne. That is a function of demand, as demand grows and production of ink scales up, the promise is that the price will fall. But there is more to it, Wheeler points out. “Whether a job should go digital is a multi-parametric decision with ink being only one of those parameters,” he says.
The question is which jobs are suited to webfed digital printing. To date mono books, transactional printing and transpromo which was briefly the most discussed possibility for inkjet printing, combining an invoice with colour images of products and services that can be purchased. What then happened to transpromo?
“Trans what? Only joking. I made a living talking about transpromo in the noughties. To be honest I think the world has moved on and rather than look at whole new application areas, smart printers are taking a more granular approach. Inkjet can meet the quality demands on coated or uncoated media. The tools, technology and financial understanding is in place for printers to work out the right technology for their needs in real time and importantly to deliver innovative ideas and solutions to their customers.
“There are inevitably pain points to go through. I read once that life in the end is about what problems you choose to take on and solve. Printers will always be pushing the envelope to deliver quicker turnaround, better quality and lower costs and driving their suppliers hard to deliver. We as suppliers are ready to push the boundaries and solve the problems it causes together.
“By the way, I think transpromo happened, it’s just normal now and old news. A bit like home working.”
And having spent many years on the other side of the world, in the sun and lifestyle, asking what the problem is with Australia, prompts the answer: “Nothing, just full of Australians.”
