So why is there an automation gap between attitude and adoption in the print industry? And how can automation technology benefit your organisation?

Automation technology encompasses all processes and equipment to enable plants and systems to run automatically. These include machines, apparatus, equipment, and other devices. For human intervention to become minimal, investment in technology is necessary. 

Ricoh gathered insights from 152 respondents across 36 roles to better understand where the industry is on its automation journey, and maybe explain why so few are investing in technology and automating. We’ve compiled our findings in this report. Read more to discover:

• Who is automating and why?
• Further, what automation is right for you?
• How to adopt automation successfully
• Finally: how AI can be a useful tool in automation

Click to read Print Automation Survey Report

Business benefits of automation 

Firstly, what are the business benefits of automation? Your organisation will enjoy greater resilience, continuity, and compliance, while saving time and money. Automation minimises the potential for human error and improves employee morale by freeing them from repetitive, manual tasks and allowing them to focus on core business endeavours, creativity, and innovation. 

What type of automation is right for you?

Our research indicated that 80% would like to see more investment in production workflow automation, and 66% would like to see more investment in business process automation. We understand that the difference between the two is subtle, so let’s unpack them and how they might benefit your organisation. 

Production workflow automation

What is production workflow? It breaks down processes and allows employees to understand the steps by which components come together  to produce a finished product. Further, production workflows are important for training new team members, scaling your organisation, and ensuring efficiency and consistency. By automating this through production workflow automation, you can:

• Improve employee and customer experience
• Accelerate digital transformation
• Optimise business processes
• Boost productivity and employee satisfaction
• Ease the compliance burden
• Reduce printing, postal and document management costs

Business process automation

Business Process Automation is a little different, and involves an overhaul of your Business Process Management. This can be vital to overcoming the automation gap! Business Process Management (BPM) is a structured approach to improving the processes organisations use to get work done, better serve customers, and generate business value. Automating and outsourcing this can bring value to your business; if you’re not sure where to start, it’s ideal for tasks that:

• Fall outside of your core business
• Are cheaper to outsource than deliver in-house
• Can be expressed in clear deliverables
• Aren’t a skill that your team ought to learn
• Can be assigned KPIs and measured to track performance

 Learn more about the types of automation and which would work for you.

Getting past legacy to address the automation gap 

52% of companies still run legacy systems, even though 45.3% of respondents agreed legacy systems do not provide functional benefits that mirror company direction. It is difficult, if not impossible, for organisations to innovate, retain the best staff, and build their client base if they don’t take advantage of the newest technology. 

Incremental steps for large-scale change

Our report indicated that businesses are hesitating because they think automation needs a huge upfront investment or upheaval, but automation doesn’t need to occur across all business areas and platforms simultaneously. Why not start by assessing your Digital Maturity to order your priorities? You’ll immediately receive a tailored report of actionable solutions to help you get started on your automation journey. Solution areas might include: 

• Digital printing 
• Scanning and archiving 
• Inbound and outbound mail
• Document management

Your automation journey…

Automation doesn’t have to be complicated, costly or intimidating. With the right guidance and support from a knowledgeable, experienced partner, automation can be easily attainable and is vital to survive and thrive as the print industry continues to evolve. As a trusted digital services provider and automation expert, Ricoh can help.

Reach out to learn more.

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Question: What was the most important lesson you have learned? 

Answer: Print will always be popular. It will change, but I think we can all agree that it will remain an essential part of the communication mix for years to come. 

However, we need to modernise our approach. We need to be smarter in how we implement print for our customers, employees and our own business, making sure we respond to new demands, adapt to new working practices and be more efficient.

Ricoh has been at the forefront of innovative trends, working with our customers to build environments that use digital and print technology to improve capabilities, employee experience, productivity and operational efficiency.

Question: What do you think are the implications of hybrid working for print businesses? 

Answer: Print customers shifting to an outsourced on-demand service geared up for hybrid working will have new expectations. 

Therefore, the print industry needs to attract a younger and more diverse workforce while retaining and upskilling its existing one. We need to build diverse perspectives to meet new expectations and ambitions. 

This will drive innovation and new ways of doing business. Investing in people who engage with your customers and encourage new and exciting ideas is essential. We believe this will underpin the discovery and retention of new business relationships and drive the print industry forward.

Question: What is the biggest challenge facing digital print and how will changing trends affect the print industry?

Answer: Digital print needs to become more impactful, innovative and meaningful to compete effectively with online and digital-only campaigns.

In 2022, we expect more digital migration, impacted by the continued improvements of inkjet platforms. We also hope to see concerns around housing customer data and managing cybersecurity addressed through robust MIS software solutions.

Question: What innovation, new technology, or development are you most excited to see in the coming years?

Answer: We are very excited about our Z75 engine, which we previewed this year. 

Looking to the future, the print industry needs to optimise the value of print as a critical component of the marketing mix; it needs to attract younger and more diverse workers, focus on sustainability, and reduce carbon emissions. I look forward to seeing how we progress with these causes as an industry. 

Question: What is your organisation’s main goal for 2022?

Answer: To continue supporting, working and collaborating with our customers and partners within the print sector. We will help our customers to scale up and skill up in new directions and enhance their competence in delivering purpose-driven solutions.

Additionally, as a global digital services organisation we aim to drive alignment with the wider Ricoh portfolio. We see an increased number of customers taking advantage of our digital offering, i.e. cyber security, IT solutions, workplace solutions, sustainability solutions and manufacturing services.

Question: Is there a wider industry trend that you think will significantly make an impact over the next 12 months?

Answer: Hybrid working patterns may change print and fulfilment requirements. It will likely make production more localised to see a reduction in shipping, containers, and waste, as well as an increase in personalisation. 

Print businesses need to capitalise on the existing infrastructure in the upcoming year while challenging their current workflow process, identifying where manual processes could cause errors or slow production and transitioning these into digital. 

The quick wins and short-term benefits need to be identified first, and then an analysis needs to be undertaken as to where productivity gains could be made. 

This needs to be done carefully and considerately. Business leaders must take the time to further develop workers by upskilling them and nurturing their existing skills to optimise investments and collaborate efficiently with suppliers. 

Print businesses must ask for innovations, workflow reviews, and – most of all – remain curious about what is possible.

Question: Ricoh has announced a couple of DTG partnerships recently (Aeoon/Josero), so this is a market that’s important to the company. Can we expect any more news or developments on this front? 

Answer: Ricoh has an extensive range of commercial printing, corporate printing, and signage solutions. It is experiencing growth in these sectors, and it will continue to commit significant R&D resources and spending to improve its solutions in the DTG market. 

This Q&A was originally published in digital printer magazine in 2022.

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At Ricoh, we believe in the value of print and its ability to create human experiences, so we thought it was time to say thank you. 

Who are the Champions of Print?

Our Champions of Print video is a little tribute to the print businesses we work with. The print businesses on the front line, pushing the boundaries, advancing human communication and modernising a craft centuries in the making. 

They are enthusiastic about print and its ability to thrill and inspire. We see you, and the powerful outcomes you’re creating by fusing digital experiences with the familiarity of print. We admire the campaigns you’re producing. Your role in creating culture and the narratives you’re shifting, while delivering excellent service to your customers. 

You’re the people and the businesses that will keep our industry moving. 

Innovation in print

Despite the prevailing belief that the print industry is in a downturn, the reality is, print is experiencing significant growth. 

Our Champions of Print are at the forefront of this growth. We’re delighted to be working with you, side by side, to design and manufacture print technology that empowers innovation. Together, we can achieve groundbreaking results.

The challenges facing print

The pandemic, Brexit, digital transformation, and the shift from high volume to low volume, targeted print have all put pressure on the industry. But our Champions are always adapting and evolving, using our technology to make evocative and powerful print. 

Become a Champion of Print 

Print businesses don’t come to Ricoh just to buy a printing press. They come to us because we understand their journey, and they want Ricoh to join them as they innovate, collaborate, and problem-solve for a successful future. 

As a printer, you must be willing to embrace change, think hard and plan exhaustively as you chart a course forward, and invest in the people and technology that will enable you to put those ideas into effect.

We can advise you on how to move ahead. You can read more details in our Anything in Print ebook. 

Despite the challenges and ever-changing trends, we will continue to innovate and provide solutions to meet the demands of tomorrow. 

We are honoured to partner with some great purpose-driven print businesses, and we salute them, the Champions of Print. This is a proud industry, one that we are proud to be part of. Let’s carry on working together. 

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As we head deeper into 2022, leading businesses are setting their strategies to make the most of what lies ahead. And there are several key questions to address:

1. What will be the main drivers in our markets?
2. What issues and challenges are we likely to face in the current climate?
3. What opportunities are set to arise from those challenges?
4. How do we capitalise on those opportunities in a way that benefits our customers?

Of all of these questions, the last is the most important. More than ever, 2022 is going to be about customer benefits, customer satisfaction and customer experience. In this article, we’ll share our insights into why customer satisfaction is so important – and how to weave it into your own business strategy…

Gain a better understanding of your customers

To improve customer satisfaction, benefits, and experience, you need to know what your customers require from you. But how do you find out? 

You might get a reasonable idea from asking yourselves the four questions we mentioned in the previous section, but ultimately, the only way you get a true understanding is by talking to your customers directly. Approach them with an open mind, really get under the skin of their unique challenges, and work together to grasp the specific opportunities that arise.

Approach your customers with an open mind

Many organisations or suppliers will walk through their customer’s doors, armed with preconceived ideas of the ‘right solution’ and a determination to impose that solution. But this one-size-fits-all thinking does not allow for the unique challenges each customer may be facing.

Instead, you should engage with your customers. Ask them what their problems are – and listen. Formulate fresh solutions that purposefully meet their needs, work collaboratively to provide long-term support that truly works for them, and you’ll have a chance at developing a lasting relationship with a very satisfied customer indeed.

Encourage your customers to explore new perspectives

At Ricoh, we’ve found that when businesses are open to new perspectives, and are prepared to explore previously unimagined avenues, startling results can be achieved – far beyond a one-dimensional calculation of application and machine. 

“Challenging, pertinent questions from the Ricoh team made us think differently about the type of space we needed, to enable effective and efficient staff productivity; Ricoh’s approach and questioning set it apart from other suppliers and opened our eyes to the art of the possible.”

FRAIKIN HR MANAGER, HENRY HORSFALL

Such results can only lead to greater customer satisfaction, and a better relationship between you and your clients.

Four ways that Ricoh’s approach promotes customer satisfaction

Let’s go through some of the steps we’ve identified and explored as effective ways to support our partners in the print industry: 

• Bring best practice insights from across industry

Expertise, insight and different perspectives are extremely valuable commodities in 2022. Collaboration and discussion between a talented mix of people can lead to new ideas, fresh inspiration and positive action that shapes your business towards success.

We ask questions, listen, and share best practice learnings from across our varied customer base.

• Offer discovery sessions to unlock business value

Encouraging your customers to seek discovery sessions with your experts can help them think in new ways, sharpen their competitive edge, and understand that they will not be alone in their journey – that they have a partner to share it with.

We offer these sessions at our world-class UK Customer Experience Centre in Telford; where integrated hardware and software services and solutions are presented in ways designed to shift paradigms of thought about what is possible in industry.

• Put the right team in place to develop your own strategy

Just as important as providing your customers with support, expertise and services in a way that meets their unique needs, is exploring how you can support your own business and people, in a way that meets yours.

We put together a strengthened Strategy and Services Development team to explore opportunities for business growth, and for measuring the progress and levels of customer satisfaction that this delivers to our print partners.

• Commit to long-lasting relationships

Customers need to know that they can trust their supplier; that their supplier knows and understands them and their challenges; that their supplier delivers on its promises, solves problems, and helps it to operate effectively in business. All of this combined creates greater customer satisfaction and growth in the value of their business.

We have made this pursuit our priority, for both ourselves and our customers, in 2022.

Work with us to unlock your own potential and improve customer satisfaction

One of the best ways to take advantage of opportunities with your customers in 2022 is to work directly with a collaborative, people-first partner like Ricoh.

Ricoh has years of experience at working alongside your business to develop the right strategy for you, your people and your customers – integrating effective solutions and working practises for your organisation, through exciting initiatives like our Ricoh EDGE programme.

We’re on hand to listen to your challenges and share the latest business strategies, print innovation and industry insights with you. Get in touch to find out more.

Article originally published in Printweek January 24th 2022.

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The recent past has caused big problems for business. Not just in terms of finance or stability, but also in added pressure from customers to meet higher and higher expectations: a pressure that is rising all the time. So the commercial print business adapted, introducing more efficient workflows and automation to reduce costs and new innovations in colours, finishes and textures to create more engaging print solutions.

So, as we turn towards 2022, we can see the glow of opportunity and optimism that’s there for anyone willing to grasp it. By continuing to think boldly and imaginatively about what you want to achieve, it’s possible to create a positive digital print future.

This article will help you develop these future planning strategies – and make the most of your chance to grow your digital print business.

What makes 2022 a vital turning point for print?

We’re coming to a major sink-or-swim moment in the print industry. After a tumultuous 18 months for individuals and businesses, now is the time for printers to seize the moment. To take the initiative and move forward with big and bold plans for their digital print future.

We must take positive action in the faith 2022 will be kinder to us and Brexit complications will be overcome. Covid will be conquered. And structural shifts across our economy, society and industry will continue to develop. 

This is happening now, and will only accelerate. Make sure your digital print business is seizing the moment.

How are structural shifts affecting the digital print industry?

We’re all aware of how fast technology is advancing in our everyday lives. The same is true for the print industry. Digital transformation has been on the agenda of leading businesses for a long time now, but in reality, it’s a process that’s affecting every facet of life and society.

This has coincided with a growth in digital and mobile marcomms channels, and the accelerated growth of online shopping caused by the pandemic. Now, brands and retailers must fundamentally change the way they operate so they can respond to these new customer demands. The print sector is no different.

How are leading digital print businesses planning their digital future?

The most successful digital print businesses have realised that their most valuable commodity is their customers. In short, the lynch-pin of everything they want to achieve. As a result, they are making decisions focused on their customer’s evolving needs, learning those needs through research and in-depth discussions with those customers.

Once they have discovered the requirements of their audience, they meet them with imagination, creativity, innovation and an enterprising spirit. They’re investing in technology, people and skills that will enable them to meet these demands, grow their business and capitalise on a digital print future that will provide significant growth. And perhaps most importantly, they’re viewing competitors and suppliers as collaborative partners rather than rivals.

Listen to Ricoh’s ‘Nurturing the next generation in print’ Podcast 

Why working with a partner could be the key to your digital print future

We must all face it, the industry is changing.

Instead of outputs, we now work in a new digital print industry that is motivated by valuable outcomes. Hushed conversations about data and deliverables take place in front of clean machines that unobtrusively hum and click. Strategy is discussed and applied using a suite of smart solutions, all directed towards achieving the customer’s purpose most effectively and most economically.

But to make it work effectively and efficiently, this new digital print future needs fresh industry perspectives. Therefore there is no better way to get those perspectives than by collaborating with the right partner.

Introducing Ricoh, your collaborative, people-first partner

Ricoh has years of experience at the cutting edge of print devices and techniques. Specialising in working alongside your business to develop the right strategy for you, your people and your customers – and integrating effective digital print solutions for your organisation.

We can never be sure what is around the corner. But we do know that trends such as digital transformation are only going to accelerate. Ricoh has recently undergone its own digital transformation. Now, we’re perfectly placed to help our digital print partners – not just with technology, but with strategic consultancy and digital services that enable them to reposition successfully. Indeed, many of our print customers are coming to us for help with IT infrastructure, cyber security or workplace audits.

Article originally published in Printweek October 18th 2021.

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Amidst the many profound changes that digital technology has wrought upon the print industry is one that we at Ricoh feel is often overlooked: the relationship between a printing company and its technology suppliers has fundamentally evolved. Expectations of this new relationship have become a key consideration for us as a manufacturer.

Most printers, as they grapple with myriad pressures, want more from their vendors. In fact, they don’t want them to act like a traditional vendor at all. They want them to act as a partner – being interested in and engaged in the challenges and the opportunities the print business faces, contributing technology, yes, but much more besides – to be a sounding board, a source of ideas, fresh thoughts, knowhow, and a spirit of innovation.

The reason that printers want this level of engagement from equipment manufacturers is simple: their own customers are coming to expect very much the same from them. A print business that wants to be seen as a leader must be bold and confident; it must be a solution provider to its own customers, often in areas outside of its traditional print expertise.

It can seek to meet these challenges itself; it can partner with other service providers who perhaps bring new skills and capabilities; or it can harness the rich vein of digital experience and knowledge that sits within many technology suppliers.

The downloadable ebook covers topics from what makes a successful print company to what success looks like.

Click to read Anything in Print

At Ricoh, our response to these changes in the print market has been to ready ourselves for exactly this kind of partnership role. It is no longer just about price, or “selling boxes”. We can assist print businesses to make a digital transformation because we have already undertaken one ourselves. We can help them to innovate because it’s what we do each and every day. We are not afraid to say to our customers: whatever it is you need to find a solution for, challenge Ricoh!

Through our extensive R&D activity and the partnerships we have forged, we believe we have the biggest portfolio of print & enterprise solutions on the market. We are working with big printing firms and major brands on exciting new applications that bring both our own and other parties’ technology to the fore. Here are just a few examples where we are creating tailored solutions for our customers:

• Bespoke print with security features using infra-red toner
• Integrating robotics and third-party technologies that enable print and pack in one go
• Digital factories incorporating digital experiences
• Utilising applied print solutions
• Building custom-made, secure workflows to connect multiple production sites

These are all real-life jobs that are helping to propel our customers into new and exciting worlds of commercial growth and opportunity. We believe that anything in print is possible and we are committed to taking these kinds of journeys with our customers.

This has called for a new ethos for Ricoh as a technology partner. We have been through the digital transformation, but our culture and how we use it to approach our customers’ problems is also critical. The way we address this now is by taking a purpose-driven approach.

Everything that a print business does – from its big picture strategy to the day-to-day, minute-to-minute processes by which it tries to implement that strategy – must have a purpose. Our consultative outlook demands that, before we even talk about selling a piece of equipment, we must understand what the business is trying to achieve and how it wants to achieve it, from the big picture to the small details.

We’re happy to start small because we have done so many times and watched great things grow from it. As a partner to your print business, this is what you can expect from us: real engagement, and a tailored solution, based on an understanding of your purpose, and designed to maximise the contribution that everything makes to that purpose, at every level of the business. This is our purpose; for us, it’s how solution providers are supposed to work.

(Article first published by Printweek)

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The big picture, the big idea, on the one hand; the small details, the day-to-day, on the other.

These concepts are familiar to every macro and micro business. Every business has its objective or purpose – a grand plan to meet a market or customer demand – alongside the culture and values, the operational processes and the minutiae of ways and means by which it strives daily to meet this broader objective.

We have experienced in recent times how these things can evolve. For example, our objective was once to try to add value for offices by printing information that could be shared. That was our purpose, and all the details of a day’s work at Ricoh were pointed towards that end.

Today, both the purpose and many of those little details have changed. We recognise that the way information is shared has changed. While we know that anything in print is possible today. Other media also have strengths and weaknesses. In turn, this means that both our main purpose and the myriad ways we go about achieving it are different. Armed with that experience, we are putting our knowledge and technology to work to help other organisations deal with similar evolutionary shifts, both in the macro or strategic sense of their overall purpose, and in the micro or tactical sense of how they go about reaching that purpose.

Purpose-focused

We have the breadth of experience to look at the big objective and help create a system that takes a business closer to realising its purpose. Also helping at a much smaller level: we can consider the purpose of every process, every document, every touchpoint in the business; we can find ways to do them better, and to maximise their contribution towards attaining the wider purpose.

It makes Ricoh an organisation that has a far more profound purpose of its own than simply selling things. Instead we are value adders. We help customers implement their own digital transformation. We can perform a consultative role, as well as a systems integration one, and we can help customers to prioritise the steps they need to take to achieve their purpose. That might only be, in the first instance, a small, tactical change, but this might help get buy-in and pave the way for greater change.

Greater understanding of our customers’ needs

A focus on purpose means that we need to first gain a great understanding of our customers’ businesses and their needs, both today and tomorrow. We need to understand their marketplaces, the changes that are taking place in those marketplaces, and the progress our customers have already made on their journey to the planned destination. Only then can we begin to understand the dynamics of each situation and plan accordingly.

Building long-lasting relationships

Our aim is to forge a strong marriage between our customers’ deep knowledge of their own businesses and our understanding of how digital technology can underpin their success. Through this marriage, new horizons will become apparent for our customers; new destinations to aim for, and better ways to get there. Macro and micro.

To help them, we must talk to our customers and ask the right questions. This will become part of a formal, targeted process, with clear objectives behind it. We will never be afraid to start small, because we have done so many times. Watching great things grow from it.

We will be focused on maximising the purpose of everything, at every level of their business, for this is how solution providers work.

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In the corporate printing sector workflow automation helps to deliver visibility and control of printing costs. This may also go hand-in-hand with streamlined document output processes, helping to free up staff to concentrate on their core duties.

Not only can these result in better efficiency and profitability within your organisation, but they can also lead to better service provision to your end customers.

Additionally, a high number of respondents said they could use this technology to:

• Enforce new print rules to specifically control high-volume print jobs to better track their organisation’s print
• Gain visibility of print costs to enable fairer charging of print costs between departments

These benefits are achievable, whether or not your organisation has an in-house print facility for handling jobs which are more complex than everyday office print activity.

For print rooms and CRDs, automated technology will alleviate the inefficiency, lack of accounting control and the poor communication that occurs when these jobs are typically delivered or transmitted from within the company.

For the company itself, it could put an end to the maverick salesperson armed with a company credit card, buying ad hoc printing needs externally and with little oversight. The result will be better control of both cost and data security.

With 2020 now upon us, many major corporate companies are increasingly keen to accelerate these digital printing prediction trends. They want to enjoy the twin benefits of cost control and process improvement, and they want it now. Early adopters are already putting in place workflow automation technology that ensures print jobs are routed to the most suitable and most cost-effective output device, based on an intelligent and automatic assessment of the parameters of the job itself.

By streamlining processes and optimising document output they can enhance the performance of their people and their workplace as a whole. The organisation will gain visibility and control of digital printing costs, reduce unnecessarily and repeating expenditure. This delivers a clear and accurate answer to the question “how much do we spend on print?”.

The realisation of this digital printing prediction adds up to better productivity and better customer service; the challenge for in-house print rooms and CRDs is how to ensure a smooth path to these wins through their own enhanced operational capabilities.

Feel free to drop me a line on LinkedIn to carry on the conversation or check out our insights on how new digital print standards will transform your bottom line.

Are you in the public sector? Previously we spoke to Anthony Evans, President of APCOM for his insights on how in-house public sector print room can embrace service diversity. Hear what he had to say here.

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At the beginning of this year we covered the digital print trends that our customers are going to want to pay attention to this year. In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at one trend in particular – white toner printing.

White toner printing looks great on coloured media and can achieve effects that are almost impossible with a standard CMYK setup. It’s particularly effective for marketing and promotional materials, where eye-catching and original designs are a must.

Historically, spot colours such as white toner were mostly available to offset lithographic printers. Offset litho is a printing process which transfers ink to plates before printing that ink onto media. Because of the steps involved, it can be costly and time-consuming, making it problematic for quick turnaround or short-run jobs.

One advantage of offset, however, is that additional spot colours, such as white toner , could be added to the traditional CMYK combination.

Digital printers, by contrast, were limited to the traditional CMYK colour range. However, new digital printers with 5th colour functionality allow print providers to print fifth colours directly onto media.

Digital printers are more versatile and cheaper than offset litho printers, giving print providers a fast-turnaround and cost-effective option for short-run requests. Examples include limited edition packaging, targeted direct mail campaigns or one-off window banners.

Why is white toner printing popular right now?

With the above in mind and according to InfoTrends research, almost half of print service providers are considering investing in some form of digital print enhancement. And almost 30% of all coloured pages receive some sort of enhancement, such as white toner , foil, texture or gamut extension.

There are a few reasons for this:

• Print buyers, designers and marketers are looking to push boundaries and find new ways to engage audiences. Obviously, print service providers are happy to find new ways for them to do this – for a price. For this reason, profit margins on digital print enhancements can be high and well above standard print margins, from 50% right up to 400%
• Similarly, print providers are looking to stand out, stay relevant, remain competitive and differentiate themselves. It’s much better for print service providers to attract customers by adding value rather than reducing costs. And a key way for printers to add value is to offer enhancements, such as white toner , in a way that is cost-effective and timely

What are some key white toner printing applications?

• Dark or colourful card such as business cards, invitations, postcards, envelopes and packaging. Colourful media is a surefire way to grab people’s attention. In fact, coloured media has been proven to increase the effectiveness of direct mail campaigns by up to 135%
• Transparencies such as foils or window clings. If you want to print on transparent media foils or window clings you’ll need to create a base layer using white toner . white toner can also be used later in the printing process in order to create a sharp and defined image
• Magazines, photobooks, photo calendars. Sales of printed books rose 4% in the UK last year, while their digital counterparts declined by 2%. Physical, printed books are expected to be premium quality and print customers are looking for suppliers who can help them achieve this
• Direct-to-garment printing onto dark merchandise often requires the use of a 5th colour as it can be hard to achieve a full range of effects using just CMYK

Watch the video below to see a range of white toner printing applications for yourself:

How should printers market 5th colour solutions to marketers and designers?

At first, some printers question the use of white toner or any of the 5th colours. It’s only when they see the creative and commercial opportunities for themselves that they get onboard.

We often do a side-by-side comparison, one image with white and ink and one without. And when you compare the two, the difference is clear to see. Printing with white toner has far more impact. Combined with the extensive media options available on Ricoh technology, as well as five colour printing in a single pass, suddenly a digital printer with 5th colour technology starts to look very appealing.

But convincing printers is only half the challenge. The printers also have to convince designers.

For a long time, designers were very limited in the technology available and the media they could print on – especially digitally. Now, with the introduction of white toner , many more avenues are open to explore.

Small format point-of-sale creative with window graphics are a prime example. Being able to print on clear or transparent substrates has always been a challenge, because to give density the colour element needed to be backed with white. In the past, this was very difficult. But digital printing with white toner has made this much easier.

Printers who are successfully capitalising on the commercial opportunities that white toner printing opens up are the ones who are helping their own customers understand the creative opportunities.

5 things to consider if you’re thinking about investing in white toner printing

• Do you have a direct connection with the design agencies you work with? This will help you be able to advise your customers on how to make the most of your new print capabilities
• Do you have their own in-house designers ? In-house designers are particularly able to tap into the full range of creative possibilities that 5th colour digital printing presents
• Explore media & substrate options available as this is a major factor in the print process
• Don’t ignore the finishing options. This can detract from the finished product but if done well it will bring out the best in the work
• Look out for opportunities, you may see something in a store or restaurant and think, I can now do that in-line with my new printer

How Ricoh printers helped Your Memory Keeper create a unique and personalised product for their customers

Your Memory Keeper produce personalised gift boxes for personal and corporate clients. The personalised designs are printed using a Ricoh Pro C7100X, chosen for its speed of output and the richness and depth of the print-quality on the box.

You can watch the video below for more information on how your Memory Keeper were able to build a successful business using the Ricoh Pro C7100X.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Ricoh can help you achieve any of the applications listed above, you can follow the links below for more information on our print products:

• Pro C7200 cut-sheet series
• Latex Pro L4100 series
• EFI H1265 LED
• Pro T7210 UV
• Ri 3000 / 6000

And if you have any questions about anything in this article, feel free to drop me a line on LinkedIn.

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Printing businesses with ambition for growth are looking for new markets and new applications to diversify into. In doing so, they are generally responding to the demands of their customers, who are increasingly looking to rationalise their supplier base and utilise existing print suppliers to provide them with the complete range of their print needs, quickly and cost-effectively.

digital print technology used for store print display

A FESPA Print Census by InfoTrends illustrates these trends clearly. It found great confidence among printers in the sign and display sector: 80% of them were optimistic, buoyed by a doubling of average revenues in the eight years from 2007; 45% of them were investing in technology to move into new markets.

The research discovered an evolving product mix because although the old favourites of banners, billboards, signs and posters still led the way, some 80% of printers reported that they were doing more textiles, garments, décor and packaging. And the research identified four key trends in customer relationships that 70% of those printers expected to rise: point of need, personalisation, just in time production and faster turnarounds.

All of this suggests a market that is buoyant and teeming with opportunity for the sign and display printer that has an eye for branching out and building the business. There are a number of printing technologies that can help them achieve this. While most of the industry has long used various solvent and aqueous digital inkjet systems, printers can now also take advantage of the unique characteristics of UV-curable and latex printing technologies.

Indeed, when the 2017 InfoTrends-FESPA World Wide Survey asked printers whether they planned to invest in a new wide format printer in the next 12 months, 31% said that they would invest in UV-curable inkjet, 16% in eco-solvent inkjet, and 13% in latex inkjet – the three largest categories.

Both UV-curable and latex stand out for the large range of applications and materials that they each can bring in-house to a printer, saving on outsourcing and helping to tie customers in. Because the technology is digital, the print can be personalised and delivered quickly, thereby meeting those rising customer demands that the research identified.

With the rise of textile printing, digital direct to garment (DTG) printing systems are also starting to gain traction in the market, making the production of personalised items such as t-shirts, cloth bags and cushion covers another avenue that is potentially lucrative for printers looking to grow.

Choose your print partner wisely

All of this opportunity was a printer to grasp at it, requires careful decision making, not least in the choice of technology that can make the opportunity a reality. There are a great many manufacturers selling excellent digital printing systems in all of the above fields, and Ricoh is now applying in earnest its 40 years of research in inkjet technology, its commitment to working in partnership with printers, and its service excellence, to the sign and display market.

At Sign & Digital UK in 2019, Ricoh will for the first time exhibit a full portfolio of wide-format printing systems, including new UV flatbed, latex and DTG systems.

Helping Italian design and print specialist Beepag move into new markets

When you claim that you can print onto any material, you need to back that claim up with the right technology investments.

Italian graphic design and print specialist Beepag is proud to make such a claim and has invested in several Ricoh systems to back it up. Ricoh’s Pro T7210 UV flatbed printer, for example, is allowing Beepag to explore new market opportunities through its ability to print onto a vast array of materials, including wood, aluminium and glass. It is printing industrial decoration such as customised doors and interior furnishings, as well as Point of Purchase display material.

The company also uses a Ricoh Pro L4100 large format latex printer to produce wallpaper for the retail sector, which is a flourishing application area.

Matteo Pinzauti, owner and chief executive of Beepag, commented: “The Pro T7210 is more flexible than other flatbed printers. It handles media of up to 110 mm in thickness, including wood, aluminium and glass, as well as printing onto cardboard and Forex.”

If you have questions on anything mentioned above, you can connect with me on LinkedIn.

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