Leading Graphics Arts PR and Marketing business, The Bespoke Group, has collaborated with FuturePrint Virtual Summit 2-4 June as its consulting partner and will organise the event’s daily ‘Breaking News’ broadcast.

Jenny Matthew is the Event Director of Sign and Digital UK. In this interview, Jenny speaks to Karis Copp about returning to Faversham House, the current trends that are influencing next year’s show, her passion for visual communications, and how digital innovation can enrich the events industry.

On April 13, Len Lauer, CEO of Memjet, passed away unexpectedly at his home in La Jolla, California. He was 62 years old. Lauer was named the CEO of Memjet in 2010 and assumed the role of Chairman in 2012. All at FuturePrint and FM Future wish Mr Lauer’s family and the Memjet team strength during this especially difficult time.

The variety of inkjet applications has exploded in the last 5 years, with inkjet being used as the key part of many different manufacturing processes. With an ever-widening choice of print heads to suit application needs of print speed or droplet size, it is the ink chemistry and surrounding print process that then defines the key design inputs to the final production machine. It has, therefore, become more and more important to able to test for materials suitability at a feasibility stage of any substantial R&D project and that learning is catalysed by innovative use of commercially available laboratory-scale equipment. In this article, we explain why it is important to prototype early in a project and gives some examples of what we’ve done at DoDxAct.

Ricoh Additive Manufacturing technology is used to provide 40,000 face masks for the NHS in the UK to help the fight against COVID-19. The rapid prototyping facility helped design effective protection but which also fits comfortably avoiding cuts and bruising allowing the professionals to do their job effectively.

Rosie Whitelock is Managing Director of book printing business Bonacia and founder of Women in Print UK. In this interview, Rosie speaks to Karis Copp about leading and growing a business, how Bonacia champions young writers and entrepreneurs through publishing, the importance of a fun company culture, and why she founded the initiative Women in Print UK.

In this interview, Karis Copp talks to Steffen Ohr who is Vice President, Innovation at Sihl, a producer of media for digital printing. In this interview, Steffen talks about how Sihl serves its varied customer base with its innovative media solutions, the future of digital inkjet in packaging, Sihl’s environmental responsibility, and the future of the business.

UK Innovator Inca Digital has officially joined as a FuturePrint partner joining 10 other leading print tech businesses in this growing community dedicated to the development of advanced print technology. 

As Holly Steedman begins a new role as Business Development Manager for Integration Technology in Germany, I ask her to share more something about her life in print and the vision she has for her new role.

InPrint Munich 2021, the International Exhibition of Print Technology for Industrial Manufacturing, is teaming up with ICE Europe and CCE International, two leading trade events devoted to the latest innovations in converting and finishing, as well as corrugated and cardboard production technology, with a strong visitor interest also in printing for packaging solutions. The industry has welcomed the move to create a powerful, multifaceted platform with increased opportunities and synergies across related markets. The new show dates are 9 to 11 March 2021; the venue remains unchanged at Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany.

In response to the current crisis the world is experiencing, FM Future announces the first FuturePrint Virtual Summit (2-4 June 2020).

Free for all attendees and participants, the objective of the summit is to provide an online platform to connect the international print industry, to facilitate knowledge sharing, valuable networking, product and service updates and provide the inspiration and support to stimulate business during and beyond this very challenging period.

GIS announces the latest release of its industrial print Atlas Graphical User Interface (GUI) software, offering significant usability and functionality with interface options and language packs.

Richard Darling has a strategic business development role at Ricoh Europe. He manages a whole range of industrial inkjet initiatives with customers plus some of Ricoh’s own strategic equipment development projects and partnerships. Through the years Richard has contributed to some game-changing innovations across several sectors. Dedicated to digital and inkjet developments, he questions the way things have traditionally been done, identifying and dismantling barriers to introduce inkjet wherever it gives practical, operational and economic benefit.

Sabine Geldermann is the Director of drupa, the world’s largest print trade fair, and Global Head of Print Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf. In this interview, Sabine talks about her career trajectory that led her to become drupa’s first female director, the challenges and opportunities in the industry today, the decision behind the postponement of drupa 2020, and what we can expect from drupa 2021.

There is no questioning the popularity of PVC. It is a hugely successful material. Why? Because it is tough, durable, and it is easy to work with and you can print onto it easily. It isn’t a difficult material to manufacture so therefore, it is easily standardised. What you see is what you get! However, the main benefit of PVC is economic: It’s cheap and widely available. But according to Kavalan, it really doesn’t have to be this way.

PRINTING United was a big success last October in Dallas. Part of this success was in achieving the unity suggested within the title of the event. NAPCO Media and SGIA combined really effectively to achieve a sell-out event and a buzzing show centred around the theme of convergence. But what next? We talked to Executive Vice President of Business Development, Frank Tueckmantel, whom we have known for many years of his plans in his new role at NAPCO Media, the sector ahead of the events move to Atlanta as the team take the event format onto another level.

I recently caught up with Dorinda Gibbons who is Director and Owner of Profile Recruitment Ltd, a specialist recruitment company that has been operating in the field of Digital Inkjet Technology for over 20 years. We find out more about her experience and view of the trends in the industry.

I’ve always been someone who appreciates innovation. I fall into the innovator or early adopter category. I am excited by the potential and the value of exciting new things and I am prepared for it to not be 100 per cent. I accept that to break new grounds, perfection isn’t always the right target or indeed achievable at an early market stage. In this article we focus on FuturePrint partner Memjet and their culture of innovation.

Mark Stephenson is Marketing Product Manager for Jet Press at Fujifilm. In this interview, Mark speaks to Karis Coppabout challenges and opportunities in the commercial print market, why digital packaging growth remains subdued, and how the Jet Press outshines the competition even when it comes to traditional print.

Guy Newcombe is CEO at Archipelago Technology, which develops print solutions unique to areas such as adhesives and coatings. In this interview, we look at the fundamental environmental and efficiency needs that Archipelago’s technology is resolving, the importance of listening to what customers want, and how Guy’s years of experience in inkjet has shaped both his leadership style and Archipelago’s business model.