Printstore team at the exhibition «Drupa 2012»: our impressions

The global print media trade show Drupa, traditionally held in Dusseldorf, Germany, is certainly one of the brightest events in the print world. New printing technologies, latest printing equipment and new trends in printing process organization, which are displayed here, simply cannot be ignored by any print production specialist, who respects himself and his vocation; therefore, our team bought entrance tickets long before the exhibition date.

Well, now about what stirred our interest … The first thing worth mentioning is web print on roll-to-roll digital presses; the material used ranges from newsprint to coated paper with further post-printing processing, integrated into the printing equipment. It is noteworthy that this type of machine allows making both ultra-small runs, like newspapers, starting one copy, and up to large runs. Moreover, the press preparation process is of no need, since printing goes continuously subject to the prepared files. This is a revolution in the world of newspaper production, indeed!

This segment introduced various digital presses manufactured by Screen, Canon-Oce, Komori, Xerox, HP, KBA, Kodak. New post-printing equipment integrated with digital presses was represented by such manufacturers as Horizon – StitchLiner 6000 Digital – a saddle stitching line, requiring pre-printed rolls or cut-sheets; Muller Martini – SigmaLine – an automatic digital line for production of books and magazines, including web printing, cutting, folding, packaging segments by blocks, saddle stitching or gluing, and final trimming; JMD – Digital Robot 500A / 2000B – an automated machine of perfect binding to work in line with digital press, post-printing equipment of Kolbus, Wohlenberg and others.

One of the features of the exhibition was Autoprint as an embodiment of One Touch concept in newspaper and magazine web printing, when an operator intervenes in the process only in case of any failures. New printing machines by Manroland web systems – COLORMAN autoprint and ROTOMAN HiPrint and LITHOMAN long-grain systems, equipped with APL automation systems (automatic change of forms), AutoJobChange, InLine Control Systems, QuickStart, which significantly reduce the amount of paper needed for preparation and ensure printing cost effectiveness. This radically new concept provides for management of a printing machine using mobile gadgets and a new user interface.

Finally, about the most exciting things … Obviously, this is Landa, that became a sensation at the trade show having announced ananotechnology of digital printing and successfully introduced a range of nanographic digital and web presses for commercial, packaging and publishing market segments. Landa pretends to make the second digital revolution in printing industry, leaving behind the legendary Indigo, given the fact that new nanographic equipment combine the flexibility of digital method at a rate of offset printing, while providing an extremely low cost of one print. In terms of design, this machine looks like a huge iPhone with touch sensor controls, differentiating from other digital equipment with its small size, and giving the possibility of printing on any material from newsprint, coated paper to recycled cardboard and packaging film. The width of printing on sheets sizing B3, B2 and B1, with the printing capacity of up to 11,000 sheets per hour; the width of printing blanket on Landa web machines for publishing houses and flexible packaging segment is from 52 to 104 cm and printing speed of up to 200 m/min.

The range of nanographic digital machines based on Landa Nanographic Printing technology focuses on the production of job products, books, magazines, direct mail, cardboard and flexible packaging. Landa next-generation technologies are a real breakthrough into the future, which, according to the inventor Benny Landa, will let printing equipment show exceptional results. 

Having been inspired by the latest developments in printing industry and having gained new knowledge of today printing technologies, we are certain about the huge potential of the printing market in Ukraine. In particular, an absolutely free niche of roll-to-roll digital printing machines, with further post-printing processing, could be of high interest primarily to publishing houses that produce all-Ukrainian newspapers and magazines in part of regional news, by placing them on replaceable pages of the main edition.