The Inkjet Summit Approaches

Production inkjet technology is proven, and its capabilities are rapidly expanding,” proclaims Marco Boer, vice president of IT Strategies. “Now, it becomes a matter of time and choice for those who have yet to adapt.”

The 2015 Inkjet Summit drew more than 100 managers and executives from commercial and in-plant printing operations.

Those late adopters will have a chance to catch up next month and learn more about this rapidly improving technology when the Inkjet Summit comes to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., for the fourth time. Boer will once again serve as conference chair for the invitation-only hosted buyer event, slated for April 18-20.

“The efficiency benefits enabled by inkjet technology are now starting to disrupt the old business models of print,” Boer continues. “To successfully integrate production inkjet into one’s print operations, the most critical aspect is not a plant’s size or resources, but rather its ability to adapt its business models. The culture change required can be daunting and requires leadership from the very top of the company.”

The Inkjet Summit promises to provide senior managers and business executives at printing companies and in-plants an educational forum in which to develop a big-picture perspective about adding production inkjet presses, as well as postpress gear, workflow software and consumables. It is also a medium for printers and technology suppliers to meet in a concentrated setting and discuss topics on a more granular level.

“If you’re a newbie to inkjet, it’s like being hit by a fire hose of information,” explains Mark DeBoer, director of customer experience for Darwill. “You’re meeting vendors from finishing, to paper, to OEMs. [The Inkjet Summit] is perfect for someone who’s doing inkjet exploration.”

Attending the first Inkjet Summit helped Colorado State Printer Mike Lincoln see the possibilities of inkjet technology and eventually bring a four-color Ricoh InfoPrint 5000 MP production inkjet press into his Denver in-plant.

“The Inkjet Summit is what helped me really understand that inkjet wasn’t as big a risk as I had heard it may be,” Lincoln says. “Talking to peers at the Inkjet Summit was the thing that really sold me on it.”

The manufacturers are starting to cast glances at the in-plant market, particularly now that cut-sheet inkjet presses are making the technology more attractive to in-plants.

“Since the majority of mid- to high-volume transaction print shops have already transitioned to inkjet, manufacturers have turned their attention to the many for-profit and in-house operations still using cut-sheet toner devices,” says Elizabeth Gooding, of the Gooding Communications Group. “This market requires a compelling cost/productivity model, and the benefits must be attainable at a cost well under $1 million.”

She notes that companies shopping for inkjet in 2016 get to enjoy more than just a lower price tag; they get to skip over many of the challenges that early adopters faced, such as a lack of suitable papers, mediocre color quality and scarcity of service personnel who understand inkjet.

All Expenses Paid

The Inkjet Summit is a buyer-hosted, invitation-only event, with all expenses paid for those who qualify. It provides the only platform of its kind, where major industry vendors amass in one venue to provide printer attendees with the latest information on what is available from an equipment, software and paper standpoint. Attendees are also able to hear numerous case histories and user panel discussions featuring printers who have already embraced production inkjet. Breakout tracks address digital book, direct mail, transactional and commercial printing opportunities.

Last year a dozen in-plant managers attended the inkjet summit. All left impressed by how far inkjet technology has come.

“Looking at some of the samples that were provided by the vendors during our case studies, I was pretty shocked at the level of quality of some of the devices,” notes Jeff Blue, printing manager at The University of Texas at Austin.

Other 2015 event participants also shared their views on the value they received from attending:

Joe Maloy, president and COO, Polaris Direct: “One of the great things about the Inkjet Summit is the opportunity to network and have conversations with others in the industry. The ability to talk to peers, as well as competitors, about their experiences with inkjet or their plans for adopting the technology in the future was a great learning experience.”

Rick Lindemann, vice president, Total Printing Systems: “The Inkjet Summit is probably the best networking event in the industry. The peer-to-peer interaction is definitely the most valuable part of the trip for me.”

Kevin McVea, senior vice president, Strategic Content Imaging (SCI): “The Inkjet Summit is a must attend for any offset printers that are thinking of entering the inkjet world. They will learn the do’s and dont’s from other printers’ experiences.”

Space is limited for this year’s Inkjet Summit. To learn more about attending, visit www.IJSummit.com or contact David Pesko at dpesko@ngagevents.com. A simple qualification form link is available on the website, which is the first step in the process of being invited to attend.