I think both points are true. Except for the manufacturers that have put two machines in tandem allowing the first to print on one side and the second to print on the second side there has not really been an increase in productivity in the sheetfed toner-based devices for a few years. But let’s keep this straight – the productivity concern is really two issues, size and speed. Let’s just focus on format size for this discussion.

As they ask in the Godzilla movies, “Does Size Matter?” For larger sized applications it does – for smaller sizes it may not. The reason it may not is because increasing the speed with a tandem based configuration can help with applications that fit. (Except when a larger device can print it multiple times up on a sheet and be faster or more cost effective.)

But if that last international show showed us anything about format size it appears that size limitation is more of a toner issue than an inkjet issue. If you remember, one of the manufacturers announced that they would bring a 32” inkjet press and then showed up with a 36” press. As a result, we are learning that the inkjet heads are grouped into specific widths and can be added or subtracted and the toughest challenge is to the paper handling function. However, there are rumors that there is a width barrier for the toner-based devices due to the electrophotographic nature or ability to hold a charge across a sheet.

What does all this mean? Clearly this is speculation but it could mean that understanding your application mix based on size may become a more important consideration in the future when deciding which digital print technology best suits your needs. Of course quality and equipment cost is important too, and there are critical differences with these technologies, but lets take quality and cost off the table for this conversation and see what happens.

One more disclaimer. Admittedly at this point in time what I am about to suggest is more of a bizarre idea, but if quality, cost and speed were comparable and you could buy either a electrophotographic 2 up press or an inkjet 4 up press for $500,000, which would you buy?

Howard Fenton is a Senior Consultant at NAPL. Howie advises commercial printers, in-plants, and manufacturers on workflow management, operations, digital services, and customer research.

Megaspirea, a French firm, introduced what they called “Dynamic Envelope Creation” via the Mailliner 100 at IPEX way back in 2006. Dynamic Envelope Creation was hailed as a holistic process for making a complete mail piece (envelope plus content) out of a single print stream. Variable images and messages could be printed directly on the envelope itself. Despite a strategic relationship with Pitney Bowes and Emtex that should have given the company a lot of reach in the US market – the technology never really took off.

You would think that the ability to dynamically market on the outside of the envelope would be marketing catnip – but in fact, many direct mail marketers feel that the white envelope approach is more effective than jazzy graphics on the outside of the envelope. Transaction mailers today, are still not well integrated with marketing departments (whether in plant or service providers) and therefore envelope marketing is a tough sell to this group.

DST Output (www.dstoutput.com) recently announced an envelope marketing solution that, despite the demise of past market entrants, I believe has a real chance of success. Why? Because the solution is as appealing – or potentially even more appealing- from an operations and efficiency standpoint as it is from a marketing standpoint. Like white paper, full color printing in general – operational efficiencies from wrap envelopes are creating the business case for more effective marketing. First let me explain the solution.

DST’s Wrap Envelope technology is a no-touch process for printing, wrapping and finishing high-volume, First-Class Mail packages in a high-speed production environment. Wrap extends major mailers’ customer marketing efforts with dynamic messaging that can be applied to the front, back and inside of the envelope. This means that the solution provides an envelope marketing opportunity for transaction mail like statements and bills, but also can double as a stand-alone self-mailer.

DST Output’s Wrap Envelopes are printed duplex on continuous plain roll-stock paper, and then literally wrap around multiple pages of statements, bills, inserts and reply/remit envelopes. The process enables mailers to embellish the interior as well as the exterior of the envelope with marketing messaging and promotional content, such as coupons, event information or other customer marketing materials – and can include customer data on the interior to create the self mailer – or additional personalized offer.

There are other operational benefits as well:

1. Placing messaging on the envelope can minimize postal weight by reducing the insert count and replace separate mailings and direct mail.
2. Wrap Envelopes can serve as a self-mailer for privacy statements, regulatory notices or e-statement bounce notifications minimizing the cost of these mailings.
3. The windowless Wrap enhances security and privacy with no see-through areas.
4. No window also makes it fully recyclable (no cellophane) and therefore more sustainable.
5. There is no need to pre-order and warehouse envelopes reducing storage, commercial print and procurement costs as well as improving cash flow.

The Wrap Envelope is a compelling solution for one-page statements or bills – with or without a remit envelope. From a quality perspective, Wrap utilizes an integrated no-touch manufacturing process that tracks each and every mail piece during production to verify that the total package is complete and accurate. If an error is detected, the process automatically remakes the entire mail package.

So, no-touch quality control, cost savings, improved privacy and sustainability and – oh, by the way – completely dynamic messaging inside and out. I think that’s pretty innovative. (Take a look at the examples below.) If DST was selling this as a hardware solution, I think it would be a big success. For now, only DST outsourcing customers can take advantage of the technology and it will be interesting to see whether it is adopted for the marketing features, the operational features or both. How would you use it if you could?

(Click on pictures to see larger view)

Wrap Envelope (front) with logo and text message

Example of Wrap Envelope (front) with Dynamic Graphic

Wrap example with Dynamic Messaging on Back of Envelope

Wrap envelope with Dynamic Graphics and Messages Inside

"Outside In" Wrap Campaign

.

.

.

.

Download the report for all the details.

The IMI European Ink Jet Printing conference has for many years been the place to come to find out the most recent developments in new print head designs and support systems from the different suppliers. This would often indicate the likely trends of the market as integrators and printer manufacturers incorporated these new heads into their latest products. This year however was slightly different with hardly any new print head designs being announced. Instead once could say that this years conference showed a maturing of the markets as finally areas of the market that had been discussed for years as having potential for inkjet printing saw new products and approaches becoming available.

During the conference IT Strategies provided a look at the market adoption of new ink jet press technology:

The conference started with update given by IT Strategies on what was happening in the market for inkjet production presses. This was of great interest considering the amount of interest in this area at drupa last year. This update showed that this market has yet really to take off. According to IT strategies there were only around 80 sites around the world with installation of these presses predicted to be 325 engines (or between 160 – 180 systems with a system being two linked engines). In 2009 sales have been less than 2008 as the early low hanging fruit of leading monochrome installed base customers switching to colour have completed their purchases. It appears that the majority of installations are for either transactional applications or direct mail. It also appears that few installations are pushing the presses to anywhere near their production capacities. It also showed there are few installations carrying out publishing type applications.

You can read the rest of Moving Inkjet Technology into the Future at WhatTheyThink.

NW: Océ used to show only its high speed production presses at shows like PRINT or Graph Expo, but at recent shows you often have one or two wide format machines on hand. Why the shift?

MB: Océ has one of the broadest product lines in the industry covering the office, wide format, display graphics, and production printing. But even customers in these segments weren’t always aware of our other offerings and capabilities and didn’t necessarily think of Océ when they needed a different type of equipment. Having a wider range of equipment at shows strengthens our brand by showing the full scope of our offerings and helps position Océ as a leader in more segments of the printing market. We also share some technologies across the different divisions of the company and are always looking for ways to leverage what we know. As I mentioned, our inkjet experience in wide format aided us in developing the JetStream family. Many of our customers had no knowledge of Océ’s breadth of solutions in the office, production printing and wide format segments. And many of them have needs in more than one segment .

NW: Last question, Mal. What else will Océ have at PRINT 09?

MB: The theme for this year’s show is “The Power of Color. The Speed of Business.” We think this sums up what the market is looking for and we’ll be showing both color and speed in a number of ways. There’s a lot to see and some of it relates to inkjet technology. As you know, there’s a lot of information out there and many of the claims make it hard for print providers to get a handle on the real costs of inkjet compared to electrophotographic or offset printing. This causes a lot of confusion in the market. We want to make it easy for print providers to make the change to inkjet when it’s the right move for their businesses, so as I mentioned, we’ll be introducing some new tools that help accurately calculate the cost of inkjet printing and show how it can work for a customer.

Then there’s the ColorStream 10050, the five-color version of the ColorStream 10000. As you probably know, we’re placing two of these systems at Jeppesen, the company that produces the charting and navigation tools pilots and airlines use. Being able to add the fifth color was critical to Jeppesen and why they chose this press.

As in the past, we’ll be producing an issue of the Chicago version of Where magazine, this time on the new CS665 Pro, but this one will contain examples of how CodeZ QR can be used drive more value from a print publication. Watch what happens when you take a picture of a CodeZ QR with your smartphone. We’ll be doing some other things with CodeZ QR too, so come see how this new technology works.

We’ll also have some fascinating new printable substrates you can use to build things, like furniture and trade show booths, for example. We’ll be showing these in conjunction with our Arizona 350 XT wide format system. Sustainability has always been important to Océ and this is a new way to foster sustainability in display graphics. There’ll also be some announcements in the cut-sheet area that we think will cause some excitement. All I can say for now is, Think Speed of Business!

NW: OK. This is all good, and many printers I talk with see inkjet as having a lot of potential. But the thing they all say concerns them is being able to fill up a significant portion of the capacity of these machines. How is Océ addressing this and helping customers make the transition into inkjet?

MB: That’s a great question, and it really all comes down to applications and the importance of printers understanding their customers. When we first introduce a customer to the JetStream line we learn about all the applications they are running, who their customers are, and look for all the applications that make the most sense to print on a JetStream. For example, we know there are many jobs, especially in direct mail and transactional shops, that require preprinted forms. We’ve done the math, so we know that simply shifting these forms to inkjet adds a lot of volume to the press and will save the printer’s customer a lot of money. But as you know, that can a difficult conversation for some printers to have with their customer. So we provide the support our customers need when they introduce JetStream to their customers. We can help to explain the technology, answer questions, and show them, based on their current printing costs, how eliminating pre-printed forms can make a substantial difference in their business.

Of course, most printers usually have a few new prospects in mind when they are thinking about acquiring a JetStream. So here again, we can help provide the technical support they need as they introduce the advantages of inkjet technology to the prospect. In both instances we support our customers with test printing, file preparation, and making sure the quality is where it needs to be to satisfy everyone involved.

This approach is a tremendous benefit for our customers and makes it much easier for them to justify the investment in a JetStream. This is just part of the support we believe is so important to customers and so critical to helping grow this new technology in the market.

We also help customers add volume and value with trans-promo. As you know, this is a bit more complicated than just filling up empty space on statements. We have a have a full range of services designed to help customers add trans-promo capabilities, such as showing how their customers statements need to change to be effective trans-promo documents. This includes optimizing white space marketing, statement design, database mining and management, incorporating QR codes, and how to comply with new federal regulations. It’s important that we share our expertise with customers and it’s really satisfying to see them succeed.

NW: Earlier this year I wrote an article about a Gartner study run by Peter Basiliere which indicated that toner and inkjet presses were being seen as equal to or better than offset presses for some applications. Are you seeing evidence of this through any of your customers and the types of jobs they are running on their Océ presses?

MB: Customers tell us that their clients are becoming much less likely to differentiate between offset and digital and this trend is only going to continue. It’s encouraging to see the market moving in this direction. I think we’re reaching a tipping point that opens up a lot of opportunities for vendors like Océ that are ready with the right solutions. A lot of this comes down to what will satisfy customer needs. The Gartner study looked at transactional and trans-promo applications and especially ones where replacement of pre-printed forms was an important element. This is one place where there are few reasons for any print provider to still rely on offset printed shells. The economics of digital print—especially inkjet—make shifting to a plain paper model a smart move, particularly in a tight economy. We’re seeing both inkjet and toner customers increasingly make the shift and all see the reduction in waste, warehousing and obsolescence making a difference in their businesses. Looking forward, we believe inkjet and high-end toner based production presses will take an increasing share of the offset market.

For example, with quality no longer a concern, one of the key markets for inkjet is in publishing, especially books. Océ has been very successful in book production applications with both our continuous-feed electrophotographic presses and VarioPrint 6000 simultaneous duplex cut sheet systems. We see this success expanding even further with inkjet. The difference is that inkjet can dramatically increase the practical, economic run lengths for publishers and help them make some very important and profitable changes in their business models.

Over the last few days we’ve gotten a good look at how Océ is approaching the inkjet market. Next time, in the final installment of this interview, Mr. Baboyian talks about how Océ has changed the range of products it shows at major events and talks about some of what the company will be showcasing at PRINT 09 in Chicago.

NW: Mal, most people probably don’t think of Océ as having a history in inkjet printing, yet you’ve introduced several models of the JetStream family in a bit over a year and a half. But you haven’t done this on your own. Tell me about the alliance with Miyakoshi that has led to the JetStream line.

MB: Let me answer that in a couple of steps. First, Océ actually has developed a lot of inkjet technology and provided innovation and industry leadership in a number of markets. Our first inkjet products came to market almost 15 years ago. The wide format side of the company has been very successful and has the leading market share in some segments of wide and superwide format printing. Some machines, like the Arizona line of flatbed printers that can also print roll-to-roll, have won awards for innovation and quality. Last year at drupa I’m sure you saw our CrystalPoint solid toner technology which can be jetted onto a wide variety of substrates. At GraphExpo 2008, the Océ Colorwave 600 with Océ CrystalPoint technology won a Must See ‘Em award and this product has been recognized once again for PRINT 09 with a Must See ‘Em Encore award. Océ R&D developed and we manufacture these products. Of course, these wide format machines address a different market and at lower speeds than a production press, but the underlying knowledge of inkjet technology, chemistry, color, and material science has been very instrumental as we developed the JetStream family.

Second, our relationship with Miyakoshi is very much a strategic alliance that draws on the strength of both companies. Miyakoshi is a well-known offset press manufacturer that was developing an inkjet technology. We’ve brought our expertise in inkjet, color management, controllers, security, and error recovery systems for high-speed, high-volume digital printing. The win-win is that JetStream is built like a press for heavy duty use, our SRA MP [Massively Parallel] front-end can handle every aspect of the data in full color, and can be easily integrated into any PRISMA-based system as just another print engine.

NW: So Miyakoshi builds the press and Océ does the controller. To what extent has Océ been involved in machine design and engineering?

MB: It depends on the press. With the JetStream 1000, Océ and Miyakoshi worked closely to jointly design the product. So together we drew on our expertise in paper transport systems to create a paper path that would give us the compact design we needed but still achieved our speed and throughput targets. Miyakoshi designed and built the type of frame and overall design needed to make this press a reality. Meanwhile, our software and controller teams made sure the DFE would be robust enough to handle the high print volume customers will expect on the press. And we’ve already talked about our innovation with jettable MICR ink.

NW: Talk to me about software and what it takes to operate one of your inkjet systems.

MB: All our JetStream presses run the same PRISMA job management and workflow software as our toner-based presses. Of course with JetStream there are some additional controls for color management, but these are similar to those used on our ColorStream family of continuous feed toner-based presses. While the mechanical processes for running and maintaining the machines vary, the workflow software that manages the jobs through the production process is the same whether it’s on a monochrome cut-sheet system like a VarioPrint 6250, a ColorStream 10000 or one of the JetStream family. This makes it easy for customers to cross-train equipment operators and help contain staffing costs. But you know, it goes beyond operating the machines. You have to be profitable. We’ll be making some exciting announcement at PRINT 09 about some new software that will help printers price inkjet applications more profitably.

Leveraging its legacy and expertise make sense but there’s still more to a successful digital press than speeds and feeds. It’s building the volume that makes a system profitable. And those are points are what we talk about next time.

NW: What kinds of applications will you be showing on the JetStream 1000 at PRINT 09?

MB: The JetStream 1000 prints everything in a single pass, so much like our VarioStream 7000 and 8000 family of toner-based presses, adding MICR is really just business as usual. At PRINT we’ll be running a number of apps using MICR printing and showing how trans-promo statements printed on the JetStream 1000 meet all newly announced regulations and are CPSA compliant. We’ll also be running full color books and a newspaper application that shows how inkjet can be a real fit for the changing shape of the newspaper industry.

NW: OK. What’s else is new and different about JetStream 1000? I know it’s smaller than the other JetStream models.

MB: That’s right, Noel, it’s much smaller than the rest of the JetStream line but there’s a lot going on in the smaller package. The JetStream 1000 offers duplex printing capability in a “one-box” configuration rather than the conventional “twin” configuration used for most inkjet and toner-based continuous feed printers. In fact, the JetStream 1000 has a 30 percent smaller footprint than competitive devices; taking up less floor space. Although the JetStream 1000 is up to 20 percent faster than some of our competitors, its smaller size and lower speed compared to the JetStream1500 and JetStream 2200 fits the needs of print providers with moderate print volumes who still want to provide cost-effective full-color printing for their customers. For example, take a service bureau that has several cut sheet or maybe even a couple of continuous feed black-and-white presses. Many shops like that want to make the shift to color and maybe add some capacity but they don’t always have the floor space for some of the larger inkjet systems on the market. The Jet Stream 1000 is smaller than a dual-engine toner-based press and takes up about the same amount of space as a couple of monochrome toner-based cut-sheet presses. But it can print over 1,000 duplex, full-color pages a minute and can produce up to 20 million pages a month. We believe these characteristics make it a great fit for a large segment of the market today, and one that spans many applications.

NW: Two of the inevitable questions I hear regarding inkjet are about quality and whether dye-based or pigment inks are better. Of course quality is both subjective and objective and the type of ink is certainly a part of it. Tell me about Océ’s perspective on inkjet quality and how you see it evolving.

MB: Quality has always been in the eye of the beholder. As you know, ink acts very differently on a page than toner. Our DigiDot technology lets us produce very small droplet sizes which provide higher quality images, smoother halftones and excellent color output with less ink and less waste. Being able to vary drop sizes gives customers better control when printing photos and provides better reproduction of fine details. We’ve been able to do this with dye-based inks too, which helps control costs. In fact, several of our JetStream customers tell us that our dye based ink output has higher quality than many of the pigment ink samples they have seen from other competitive products. And don’t forget paper! It’s another very important aspect of quality. We’re working closely with a number of paper vendors in developing substrates that will meet the cost and quality targets our customers require for a full range of applications.

Given Océ’s history in electrophotographic printing, it’s very interesting that the company’s move into inkjet has happened so quickly. This is the result of leveraging existing Océ technology and an alliance with Japanese offset press manufacturer Miyakoshi to develop the JetStream line and bring it to market. Of course, with digital printing it’s not just the machine but the front-end and software. And that’s what we talk about next time in Part 3, Leveraging a Legacy.

There’s nothing like a talking at length with an industry exec to get a better understanding of how a company thinks. And it’s especially important when a company is leveraging its legacy to adopt a new technology. Consider high-speed inkjet printing, one of the hottest topics in the industry today. Most major equipment vendors have significant programs for development and marketing inkjet machines that have the versatility and print quality to be compelling replacements for electrophotographic systems and even begin to intrude into the realm of offset presses. Océ has been one of the most aggressive in bringing new inkjet presses to market. It’s JetStream family posits a significant shift for the company which is an established player in continuous-feed toner systems. This makes me kind of curious, so I called Mal Baboyian, president of the company’s production printing systems division in Boca Raton, Florida to get the story straight from the top. We wound up talking for a long time and in this extensive, multi-part interview, Baboyian explained Océ’s vision for the market and shared what the company will have at PRINT 09. Watch for this interview to unfold here on Digital Nirvana over several days.

NW: Mal, thanks for taking the time to talk with me today. I want to start with inkjet. Océ has a lot of market share in electrophotographic printing, with some very fast machines. Even so, you’ve been adding inkjet systems over the past year and half. Why add inkjet to the mix?

MB: It’s good to talk with you, Noel. Toner-based printing can do a great many things and do them really well and we’ve been very pleased with the leadership we’ve shown in that market. However, as the market continues to evolve, our customers are asking for ways to deliver more performance in both speed and color at a reasonable cost. While we intend to continue providing leadership in continuous feed toner based printing, we believe the next evolutionary step in meeting the needs of high-speed, high-volume digital printing will be inkjet. Inkjet allows for much faster printing while reducing the operational cost per page for both color and monochrome printing. Over the past two years, we have expanding our inkjet product line into the broadest in the industry, including offerings from the new Océ JetStream 500/1000 with the industry’s smallest foot print up to the JetStream 2800 printing at 426 ft. per minute with a 30” print width. At Print 09, we’ll be adding some new and exciting JetStream models to the family, so stay tuned!

NW: I agree that inkjet will be playing an increasing role. What does that mean for Océ as a leader in electrophotographic printing? How do you see the mix of presses in the market changing?

MB: Print providers have always invested in equipment that fits the needs of their customers. At Océ we think of toner and inkjet as complimentary technologies which can be selected based largely on the application and run length. Inkjet is a great fit for longer runs and for capturing offset transfer for applications such as statements, books, newspapers, catalogs and many types of direct mail. Toner, both cut-sheet and continuous-feed, fit some of the same markets at lower print volumes. High speed inkjet for the production print market is still a relatively new technology, and as printers and their customers become accustomed to it, we envision successful shops will use both inkjet and electrophotographic presses to meet their customers’ needs. Our intention is to provide ongoing innovation in both markets and capture a leadership share in inkjet as we’ve done successfully in continuous feed. Inkjet also offers now some new functionality at a very high volume. For example, with inkjet customers can now print applications in a single pass, eliminating preprinted forms and with Océ’s integrated MICR, eliminate separate check runs.

NW: The new Jet Stream 1000 and other JetStream models also offer MICR printing capability, making them the only inkjet presses to use MICR ink integrated into the engine. While some analysts say MICR is a dying technology, at least two of your competitors have stated that MICR capability is being developed for their inkjet systems. Why does this technology remain so important, and how do you see your customers using it?

MB: This is a great question. When we introduced the first JetStream press in 2008 customers were very interested in the speed and color capability but one of the first things they asked was, “Will it print MICR?” So we knew there was demand, but of course conventional wisdom said that MICR inkjet wasn’t possible. But our R&D teams were able to develop it as an integrated part of the system, and we’ve also added a sixth color to the JetStream 1000. So the new JetStream 1000 can now print CMYK, MICR and a spot color, significantly opening up the color gamut print providers can choose from. We were very proud to be recognized by Xplor as the 2009 Innovator of the Year for our MICR solution. In fact, the MICR technology we’ve incorporated into the JetStream has helped one of our customers, Direct Group, earn CPSA [Check Payment Systems Association] certification, meaning the output meets all recognized security standards. That’s a first in the industry.

I think the fact that some of our competitors are attempting to develop MICR ink actually validates the importance MICR has in the transactional printing market. Because so many of our customers require MICR in their key applications we believe it will be an important requirement for years to come. When you think of all the different types of checks that are printed as well as other transactional documents that require additional security, MICR is still the proven and trusted technology. What makes our solution even more unique and valuable is the ability to integrate MICR into a regular print run, not as an afterthought. Some of our newer customers believe this capability will revolutionize their business model and dramatically change their print cost structures.

Baboyian’s comments give some insights into the thinking going on in Boca, as well as at Océ headquarters in Venlo, The Netherlands and Poing, Germany. But as Océ brings its newest inkjet system to market, what sets it apart from the rest of the JetStream family and competing machines? Stay tuned for the next part of this interview coming up in a day or so.

While many reactions will be more End of Print blabla, I would like to share a path that allows printers to benefit from the deep troubles in the textbook industry.

On the most theoretical level, the idea is to connect Print to Video to create a possibly new communication media. As a robust global distribute and print network becomes operational, there will be the scale to make this media channel interesting to global marketers.

When I was teaching at design school, they always told me it was better to show than to tell. So in that spirit, I ask you to consider the following clickable postcard. The same principle works for clickable A4s, printed in MFPs in school districts and clickable posters, signage and packaging, which are already being used extensively in Asia.

The Front of the Postcard

GOP Activist Makes Controversial Remarks:
Written by Robin Hinson
Saturday, 13 June 2009 22:48

Friday’s gorilla escape at Riverbanks Zoo prompted a prominent Republican to make some controversial remarks about First Lady Michelle Obama.

In an article posted on the website, www.fitsnews.com, Rusty Depass, a former chair of the State Election Commission, commented on the gorilla escape on www.facebook.com.

The post says quote, “I’m sure it (referring to the ape), is just one of Michelle’s ancestors…probably harmless.”

ABC Columbia News attempted to contact Depass, but he did not return our phone calls.

The Back of the Postcard

http://tinyurl.com/qgfwe

created at QR code generator

The video

There are more examples of how this could work at my blog at Clickable Print + Printernet Publishing.