Inkjet technology is reshaping the face of the print industry, from proof to finished print, in all shapes, sizes and applications. Fujifilm is in an ideal position to help you make the most of the new opportunities it represents.

By common consent, this year's was the ‘inkjet drupa', with devices for all kinds of print applications crowding the halls at the Düsseldorf Messe. Inkjet isn't just for proofing any more, it can power presses for high quality commercial work as well as for more specialist applications such as labels and transpromo. It is well established in an increasing range of wide-format printing devices for signage and other display work, and it's even found its way into spot coating via the Emblaze unit shown on Fujifilm's stand.

It's clear that inkjet is a major force shaping the future of the print industry. Figures from market research company IT Strategies predict a global market expansion for inkjet printers, ink and media from US $8.9bn in 2006 to $11.9bn in 2011. As many of the inkjet presses previewed at drupa and targeted at general commercial print applications aren't scheduled to reach the market until 2010, this means that most of this growth is coming from elsewhere.

Another study by US market researchers The Industry Measure (TIM) suggests that wide-format print represents a substantial but underexploited opportunity for general commercial printers. Over 30 per cent of graphic design and production firms surveyed in the US expect their requirement for wide-format print to increase, while a further 50 per cent expect it to stay the same, but the majority of this work is not being given to commercial printers.

Three reasons were offered for this by TIM senior analyst Richard Romano, reported in PrintWeek: "It's been our experience that US [commercial] printers aren't buying wide format equipment, or if they do, it's for proofing rather than production; commercial printers don't support the range of substrates and finishing options that specialist sign printers do; and many creatives don't know that their commercial printer can produce these materials."

Missing out

While the UK situation may not exactly mirror the US one, it's likely that the same opportunities are being missed this side of the Atlantic. Against a continuing backdrop of pressure on margins, having a complementary range of services under one roof is one potential key to unlock business growth. It's not just a case of having more to invoice at the end of the month - handling a larger proportion of your customers' work helps you to get a clearer view of their business, allowing you to spot opportunities and synergies that they may have missed, and so make suggestions to enhance the service and ultimately the effectiveness of the print they're buying from you.

Traditional screen printers may be struggling to get into the digital age in order to meet their customers' growing demands for flexibility, speed of turnaround and ability to deliver complex campaigns cost-effectively at high quality. But offset printers are already familiar with digital workflows and are in an ideal position to tap into a rapidly-growing market.

Firm foundations

Fujifilm's move into the wide-format inkjet business rests on a combination of strategic acquisitions and in-house research and development. The former brings products and technologies from new Fujifilm companies resulting from acquisitions, such as Fujifilm Sericol, Fujifilm Imaging Colorants (formerly Avecia's inkjet business) and Fujifilm Dimatix. Fujifilm Sericol's UVijet inks are central to the company's wide-format UV offering, with a strong reputation for quality and brilliance of colour, while the Dimatix print-head technology is at the heart of the Jet Press 720 inkjet press and a growing host of other applications.

Fujifilm Sericol is also the worldwide distributor for Inca Digital's range of flatbed printers - and collaborated closely with Inca in their development - with more than 300 units installed and a market-leading position in the high-end UV category. With the Inca Onset, Fujifilm offers the world's highest productivity of 500m² per hour and higher quality than conventional screen printing.

At the lower end of the flatbed range, the Acuity HD 2504 offers a highly cost effective entry point into wide-format UV print, and will be joined next year by a new eco-solvent-based roll-fed wide format machine previewed at drupa.  

The level of R&D investment necessary to realise the potential of inkjet can only be supported by a very few companies. Fujifilm is one of them and so has established its Advanced Research Laboratory in Japan, where the Advanced Marking Research facility is engaged in the development of innovative inkjet technologies, ranging from print-heads to materials, including inks and substrates, to create the inkjet printing systems of the future.

Combined with its expertise in colour and the backing of an established support infrastructure, Fujifilm is ideally placed to help commercial printers expand their range of services, enhance their competitiveness and increase their profitability, even in a tough economic climate.