More print service providers turned to Ricoh’s innovative technologies at drupa to help them imagine change and discover new ways to transform their business. Peter Williams, Executive Vice President, Head of Production Printing Business Group, Ricoh Europe, said, "“We will remember drupa 2012 as one that truly considered the future of the printing industry, by looking at print and beyond, where print service providers focused upon increasing the services and the value they add to their clients and further bridging the gap between digital and online. Visitor numbers to our stand far surpassed drupa 2008 and the number of new contacts made and sales orders placed have increased beyond expectations.”
Thousands of print service providers from all across the world visited Ricoh to learn more about its rich combination of hardware and software solutions, services and environmental values and how it is working with printing businesses to manage the trends that are changing the way ‘print’ will be purchased and used in the future. Ricoh’s Transformation Hub featured leading industry thinkers and Ricoh partners, including Heidelberg talking about its strategic partnership with Ricoh.
Some of the demonstrations that proved popular with visitors were the InfoPrint 5000 VP, shown in Europe for the first time, the new large format inkjet Ricoh Pro L4000 printer with latex inkand the Ricoh Pro™ C901 Graphic Arts Edition digital colour press.
Print and Beyond
Trends and applications showcased in Ricoh’s Innovation Zone included technologies with future potential such as Clickable Paper and 3D printing, which will enable operations to take their service proposition beyond traditional print. Print service providers were also attracted to the creative solutions in the Packaging Zone to see the short run, on demand, personalised packaging examples such as retail boxes. On demand applications also created a buzz, with the InfoPrint 5000 GP (General Production) colour printing solution customising a book byRe.Be.L, a Turin-based variable data digital printing specialist. The process would allow print service providers to print books on demand, and delivered to customers within five hours of ordering. Rebecca Noviello, CEO of Re.Be.L, says: "Publishers are benefitting from new-found freedoms to choose the books to publish without being influenced by the mass market, and eliminating the stifling cost of warehouse and distribution." Ricoh also demonstrated how cross-media solutions can help commercial printers establish creative credentials that foster stronger customer relationships.
A specialist application that generated interest among commercial printers was the preview of Ricoh’s ‘black box’ interface device. Ricoh took the opportunity to get customer feedback on the potential for linking third-party systems to its digital presses. The RPIP (Ricoh Parallel Interface Protocol) was used on four different concept configurations on the booth: a Pro C651 EX printer was connected to a Nagel UV coating and die-cutting system for a packaging solution; a Pro C751 was fitted with a Plockmatic envelope inserter; a Pro C901 press had a Nagel vacuum feeder for handling tricky stocks; and a monochrome Pro 1357 EX printer was fitted with a Müller unwinder and reel sheeter.
Supporting Ricoh’s zones with advice and guidance was the comprehensive Ricoh Business Driver Programme™. Reviewed and updated following continual client consultation, the programme helps operations to accelerate their business performance. A team of experts walked visitors through its many business-enhancing capabilities including new exclusive reports from PIRA about strategic options for Print Service Providers.
Welcoming new clients
Ricoh's approach to long-term partnerships, services and business values where cited as just some of the reasons for printing companies placing new orders at drupa 2012. Julian Barnwell of Barnwell Print, who ordered a Ricoh Pro C901 said, "If you look at the ethos of Ricoh and its green credentials, it’s right on track with our own vision. Our company culture dovetails in perfectly with Ricoh’s philosophies."
On stand deals underlining Ricoh’s success included, German insurance specialist LVM with a multiple order of seven systems, including the InfoPrint 5000 MP continuous feed and digital cut sheet presses. In addition, South African Ricoh distribution partner Nashua secured 25 Ricoh Pro™ C751s to meet fast growing regional interest in high quality, cost effective, digital print to efficiently manage a greater range of print run lengths. Polish graphic arts specialist Multikop chose the Ricoh Pro™ C651EX digital colour press to enable it to move in to high quality production printing.
The Ricoh Pro™ C901 Graphic Arts Edition was selected by a large number of UK print service providers. New Ricoh client, John Rowell of Jasprint said, “We anticipate a 30% increase in production speed and a 50% reduction in downtime with the Ricoh Pro C901.” UK commercial printer Remous’ director Alan Bunter said, “We wanted a press that could increase our digital print capacity to 25% of our total business while at the same time enabling us to move into new markets.” UK design-to-print-to-finish specialist Creative Digital Printing chose the Ricoh Pro™ C751 digital colour press combined with a Pro™C751 digital colour press to better position the company for future growth.
Ricoh’s Graham Moore, Business Development Director, Production Printing Business Group, Ricoh Europe, concludes, “drupa 2012 enforced our view of the bright future for our industry.The popularity of our demonstrations from the Ricoh Pro C901 colour cut sheet press and InfoPrint VP 5000 to cross media software solutions and the future concepts of Clickable Paper and 3D printing proved that print service providers are embracing change and planning their approaches to keep up with the accelerating rate of change faced by businesses in the future.”
Comments
Post a Comment