By Melissa Donovan
The August issue of Digital Output features our annual state of the industry article. Topics touched on include trending applications and verticals that print providers can profit from; challenges like tariffs, supply chain issues, and labor shortages and how to combat them; and a forecast into the next few years.
Of course, there is much more ground to cover when it comes to talking about the graphic arts. Noteworthy, recent technological innovations and how they shape the market.
“The most impactful innovations are those that improve speed, quality, or capability. Whether it’s media that installs faster, software that streamlines production, or inks with improved environmental profiles, technology must ultimately make the printer’s or installer’s job easier. The best solutions deliver performance benefits while also addressing broader concerns like sustainability,” shares Jay Kroll, director of product education, General Formulations.
We discuss automation and ink and coating developments in this article.
Automation Goals
Any innovation that helps streamline the print process is welcome.
“Technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace in today’s marketplace. We are witnessing the emergence of new methods for file creation, alongside growing customer expectations for automation,” attests Bobby Cagle, NA sales director, SAi.
Customized workflow integrations accelerate the adoption of automation. They “are literally transforming print businesses when it comes to efficiency and cost savings,” states Marc Raad, president, Significans Automation.
“The adoption of automation, especially highly customized workflow automation software specific to a shop’s unique production environment, can be game changing for a print business. What many printers may not realize is that full, in-shop workflow automation doesn’t need to be an all-at-once proposition. Quite often, business owners that choose to automate individual departments, quickly realize the cost savings and other efficiencies then move on to other areas of their company that cry out for improvements,” continues Raad.
Results from Significans’ customers include, for example, a 30 to 300 percent increase in yearly printing capacity, several hours of labor reduced to a few minutes, job preparation times reduced from eight hours to five minutes, prepress productivity increased from ten to over 50 jobs a day, labor costs cut by over 50 percent, 73 separate workflows reduced to three easy-to-use tools, and over 3,000 hours of job processing work reduced to six hours.
According to Thomas Giglio, segment manager, large format Latex production business in NA, HP, Inc., it is increasingly important to not only streamline processes but work in a more digital way. “The shift towards digital operations by print service providers (PSPs) and their customers reflects the changes in habits we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, and these changes continue to have more implications over time.”
One habit to derive from the pandemic is hybrid work environments. Having two or multiple workstations is the norm, and it is important they connect seamlessly. “Operators look for better ways to manage devices remotely so they can continue to print without physically being in front of the printer. For example, if you have a large job and want to continue printing overnight, you need to be able to monitor the prints and make adjustments remotely to ensure your prints are ready the next day,” explains Giglio.
To achieve this, Giglio says PSPs turn to remote error detection and as well as other monitoring application tools that can provide peace of mind. One example is an application designed to prioritize urgent requests even when there is no one there to facilitate.
Nick Dinunzio, director of business development, Alpina Manufacturing, LLC, points out that “automation extends to job scheduling and resource allocation, where intelligent systems dynamically adjust to real-time demands. This ensures optimal utilization of resources, reduces bottlenecks, and enhances throughput.”
“Printer companies try to automate as much as possible to reduce the demand for physical labor,” adds Adam J. Tourville, channel manager, Fluid Color. Other tools used on printers for automation are cameras for placement of images—this eliminates the operator manually aligning the prints, he suggests. These cameras also can provide a visual quality check so that every print is the same. Any print found out of spec is easily removed and reprinted.
Automation is apparent on the finishing end as well, and this makes sense—especially as PSPs invest in faster printers, they require finishing devices that must keep pace. These goals are met with a combination of advanced, automated tooling and integrated workflow software. “This innovation streamlines the finishing process, enhances control, and boosts overall productivity,” explains David Preskett, VP EMEA & APAC, Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems (PCS).
“Corrugated production stands to benefit significantly from automation due to the unique challenges of handling large, bulky, and sometimes warped materials,” continues Preskett. The Kongsberg PCS Robotics Material Handler is engineered specifically for automated feeding and stacking in corrugated workflows. A major outcome of this development was the patented Dynamic Gripper, which adapts to warped or uneven sheets, ensuring secure and accurate handling while maintaining the structural integrity of each board.
Tooling as well as software is pushing automation on the finishing side. “While the graphic arts industry is often associated with large, complex machines, the real differentiation today lies in software. This is where the customer experience is shaped—and long-term loyalty is built. Seamless, user-friendly software eco-systems can be just as impactful as hardware innovations. They allow print providers to streamline operations, reduce errors, and integrate new services more easily into their workflows,” notes Lieven Bertier, CMO, Summa.
“Needless to say, automation is a critical aspect of any attempt to re-shore whatever print production may have migrated overseas. With few opportunities to control costs in terms of labor or materials, time savings make all the difference. In today’s environment, it’s all about eliminating—or at the very least accelerating—processes through workflow automation in all phases of production—from prepress to shipping,” adds Martin Thornton, executive sales manager, Zund America, Inc.
Media manufacturers create products to support automation tools. For example, Michael Richardson, business development manager – graphics media, Jessup Manufacturing Co., says TenaciousTac was created to be as “consistent and reliable as possible—less operator intervention, fewer reprints.
“From order entry to final output, automation streamlines the process. On our end, that means delivering rolls with tight tolerances and performance consistency, so machines can run longer with fewer issues,” continues Richardson.
Changes in Ink and Coating Technologies
Advancements in ink and coating configurations also move the industry forward.
Emilio Rangel and Tommy Simmering, product managers, Mutoh America, Inc., believe ink is one of the most influential driving factors in the market. “Printers are relatively similar across the board in terms of functionality. Ink can take leaps and bounds in terms of performance and functionality.”
Tobias Sternbeck, CEO, Beaver Paper & Graphic Media, Inc., believes innovation is found on multiple fronts “growth in sublimation inks with lower energy activation, and new pigment-based inks for broader substrate compatibility.”
Two trends are intertwined—ink that is both eco and health friendly, but still delivering great performance characteristics. “Inks for general use, inks for specialty purpose use—direct print to glass or chemically resistant—require continual development and innovation,” admits Erik Norman, president, swissQprint America.
“On the ink side, hybrid UV inks and low-migration formulations become more prevalent. New inks, new primer coatings, overcoats, and more specific media will bring inkjet to new markets,” shares Tourville.
Noteworthy in coatings, companies like Advanced Greig Laminators, Inc. (AGL) responding to its customers’ needs by developing a UV LED cured liquid coater. “Our customers asked us to solve a concerning issue with respect to large fleet graphics manufacturers, that being, to offer a liquid clear coat over latex inks. The SheerKote UV62 does precisely that. The combination of AGL’s UV LED curing technology and a leading manufacturer in coating chemistry allowed us to provide a truly unique solution along with a five year warranty,” shares Brian Buisker, president, AGL.
Continuing the Conversation
Automation and ink and coatings developments are just a few of many technologies influencing the industry. Sustainability, primarily how manufacturers are making wide format printing more sustainable, is an important topic. We dive into this deeper in the third article of this series. Another impactful innovation is artificial intelligence. We cover its role in the sign and graphic arts in the second piece of this four-part series.
Jul2025, Digital Output
