It’s a truly international event. Visitors from all four corners of the globe will descend on Düsseldorf
while exhibitors from 53 different countries will be demonstrating the latest kit. So far, 1,950 exhibitors are signed up and will cover a sprawling 175,000m2.
With so many mind-boggling statistics, it’s hardly surprising that some visitors may struggle to find their bearings. The scale of Drupa means that unless you’ve planned ahead, you might find it difficult to pack everything in. And it’s here where the organisers, Messe Düsseldorf, are on hand to help with a series of special features at this year’s show.
Getting your bearings
There are several events it hopes will broaden visitors’ knowledge of the print industry and help them navigate the numerous halls at the Messe. Firstly, there’s the Compass Sessions; a series of two-hour intensive workshops on a range of different topics. Starting from 30 May to 11 June, the seminars are designed to help visitors get their bearings and give them assistance.
Topics at the Compass Sessions range from inkjet and offset through to web-to-print and packaging printing.
Drupa hopes that these seminars will give visitors an “ideal start to the day”; held from 9-11am with a light breakfast each session will incorporate four half-hour talks from industry experts.
“This modular system gives our visitors the opportunity to put together a personalised package,” explains Manuel Mataré, Drupa project director.
It’s not the first time the Compass Sessions have featured at Drupa. Back in 2004, a total of 39 speakers from more than five countries addressed nine themes. The 11-day programme also attracted 500 participants – Drupa will be hoping for similar numbers this year.
Organisers also have high hopes for the Highlight Tours. They are ideal for anyone wanting to focus on a particular sector and not wanting to spend all day wandering around the hall trying to find the relevant exhibitors.
Each guided tour lasts three hours with a maximum of 12 people allowed. Like the Compass Sessions, the tours cover a raft of topics including packaging and CTP. The Highlight Tours are also available in several languages – English, German, French, Spanish and, perhaps indicating a sign of the times, Chinese.
Drupa has also, for the first time, targeted print buyers at the show. Situated outside the main halls, the Drupa Cube will shift the focus away from printing technology to markets such as direct mail, newspapers, magazines, catalogues and corporate communication. Also high on the agenda is the environment, brand protection and corporate communications.
But any print buyer from the UK wanting to attend had better have a phrasebook handy. All the presentations are in German only. Drupa says that if the Cube is successful, the seminars will be in English in four years’ time.
Innovation Parc
A fluent grasp of German isn’t necessary at the Drupa Innovation Parc. The organisers describe it as “3,300m2 of pure innovation” and the feature contains 160 exhibitors in eight sections. The idea is to showcase young companies that supply the industry with digital products ranging from web-to-print to media asset management software.
“The Drupa Innovation Parc is the hotspot for digital innovations,” adds Mataré. “Here visitors can discover new applications and companies with great ideas can promote them.”
Away from the main Drupa features, there will be other events tied into the exhibition. Both the PEFC and the FSC will be hosting conferences. The former will run a seminar on 10 June looking at the growing trend towards certified wood and paper products, while the latter will be hosting its global paper forum on 9-10 June, looking at the impact of FSC certification on the industry and exploring global opportunities.
Also hosting a conference will be Doxnet, the European association for digital printing. The event takes place on 4 June and will include presentations from Infotrends’ Ralf Schözer and print expert Frank Romano from the US.
Covering all the news at Drupa will be the show’s daily publication. The Drupa Report Daily will be produced by Druck & Medien, in partnership with PrintWeek, in both English and German, and will be distributed every morning.
Drupa can be a daunting show to visit with so many exhibitors in so many halls. But the signs are that even the most befuddled visitor will find that help is on hand to guide them smoothly through the show.
THE INNOVATION PARC
The Innovation Parc is situated in Hall 7 with 160 exhibitors. The sections are:
Print buyer integration parc
Web-to-print, print-on-demand, campaign planning tools, online catalogue production
Creative production parc
Computer generated imaging, contemporary typography, creative image re-touching, professional illustration
Document product parc
Document management, transactional printing, corporate mailing
PDF and XML production
Software products dedicated to PDF XML and Microsoft XPS, XML single source publishing system
Digital picture parc
Professional and creative photography, digital camera applications, photo printing systems
Online communication parc
Digital services, ASP applications, web providing, CRM, media asset and content management
Print and publishing parc
Desktop tools, workflow, editing systems, colour management, proofing solutions, server applications
GENERAL INFORMATION
Venue
Messe DüsseldorfDate 29 May–11 June
Website www.drupa.com
Opening times Daily from 10am–6pm, Saturday/Sunday from 10am–5pm
Registration To register on the website costs €37 for one day and €120 for four days. If you’re registering at the door, a ticket will cost €55 for one day and €180 for four days. Students will be charged €15.
Getting there
By air Düsseldorf International Airport has connections to 180 destinations and serves 70 airlines. The airport is located 3km from the Messe and you can get to the venue by taxi or via the 896 bus. By train the central station is Konrad-Adenauer Platz and is located in Düsseldorf’s city centre. At the station is a Messe Düsseldorf information desk. Buses and trams frequently go from the station to the venue. If you’re travelling by tram, take the U78 and U79. Journey time should take 15 minutes to the venue. By road Messe Düsseldorf is situated on the right side of the Rhine and is accessible via the A3 and A44 motorways.
DRUPA LAUNCHES
Welcome to PrintWeek’s pick of the Drupa launches. It goes without saying that with almost 2,000 exhibitors attending the show, it would be impossible to mention every new launch. So, instead, we’ve focused on the products that, in our opinion, will be drawing the biggest crowds at Messe.
PRESSES
Goss
www.gossinternational.com
Stand: 17/A76
In addition to its sheetfed alternative, Goss will also be bringing the biggest press that the Messe has ever housed: the new 96pp Sunday 5000.
Heidelberg
www.heidelberg.com
Halls: 1 & 2
Obviously, the firm’s new behemoths, the Speedmaster XL 145 and XL 162 will draw their fair share of the crowds at the show, but its baby, the XL 75, should prove equally popular. The 75, which replaces the CD 74, claims higher productivity rates than other B2 sheetfed machines – it has a top speed of up to 18,000 sheets per hour and a slightly larger sheet size than the standard SM 74. It’s also boosted by the new Prinect Press Center with Intellistart presetting that allows an operator to be prepping a second job while a first is running.
KBA
www.kba-print.de
Stand: 16/B45
KBA is to present a raft of press developments including two new sheetfed machines and closed-loop production enhancements at the show. The 15,000sph Rapida 75 replaces the firm’s Rapida 74 and Performa 74 and is available in two formats: 520x750mm and 605x750mm. KBA is also showing its new high-end 18,000sph oversize B1 press, the Rapida 106. The press can be configured with the firm’s established DriveTronic servo-motors, an enhanced DriveTronic feeder for lighter stocks and KBA’s SPC plate cylinder drive. Automation developments include QualiTronic inline sheet-inspection, QualiTronic Professional inline density measurement system and DensiTronic PDF.
Komori
www.komori.com
Stand: 15/D04
Komori is to showcase its web portfolio with a focus on increased productivity and higher-quality print. The Japanese giant will bring a System 38S 16pp web to Düsseldorf, one of only two web presses to be demonstrated at the show. The System 38S, featuring a 625mm cut-off will incorporate a new high-speed single-chopper folder, which will be demonstrated carrying out a fast-fold format change.
MAN Roland
www.man-roland.de
Stand: 6/D28
This time around, the German manufacturer has focused on its ‘Inline’ range of added-value options for sheetfed presses, and the Drupa stand will be the launch pad for the new 900XXL size 7, 7B and 8 press with inline perfecting. The firm has also turned its attention to dryers and in the field of colour management, MAN Roland is also to introduce ProcessPilot, a standardisation tool for measuring proofs, plates and prints within a colour controlled workflow.
Mitsubishi
www.mlpeurope.com
Stand: 15/C55
Featuring more than 80 makeready and production improvements, Mitsubishi’s Diamond V3000 will be making its European debut at Drupa. Able to print at speeds of 16,200 sheets per hour, it’s been designed from the ground up with an overhaul of the chassis and architecture. It is the Japanese manufacturer’s first new press in seven years and options include a simultaneous plate change system which, according to the firm, enables a full plate change in under 75 seconds. Also introduced onto the press are lubricant-free cylinder bearings that the manufacturer reckons will save up to 70 hours in maintenance downtime every year. Able to handle substrates of 750×1,050mm, Mitsubishi argues that the Diamond V3000 is 10% more productive than other competing machines on the market.
Ryobi
www.ryobi-group.co.jp
Stand: 17/A06
Ryobi is moving into the B1 market and will be demonstrating its challenger, the 1050. As a printer, moving up to the super-competitive B1 market is a big, brave step. As a manufacturer, it might be described quite simply as madness unless, of course, you’re offering something unique in terms of price or productivity. Ryobi is confident that its 1050 series machines, unveiled in February, but set for their official launch at Drupa, offer the perfect balance of both. The 16,000sph press comes in two flavours, the 1,050x710mm print area S type and the slightly larger 1,050x770mm XL. Both machines use double-diameter impression cylinders and transfer drums and come with a raft of features as standard, such as semi-automatic plate changing. The bad news is the press isn’t due to start shipping until in early 2009.
POST-PRESS
Autobond
www.autobondlaminating.com
Stand: 11/A78
Autobond looks likely to score a first at this year’s Drupa with its laminating embossing facility. The process involves using a special textured calendar roller to emboss special-effect textures into the laminating film. Also on display will be a new UV coater/laminator and a dual-function laminator/encapsulator, the Mini 76 TPE-H. The firm will also show its new Mini 76 TPM, a perfecting laminator with the ability to apply magnetic film on one side of the print while standard laminating the other.
Bograma
www.bograma.ch
Stand: 6/B02
Swiss manufacturer Bograma will use the show to unveil enhancements to its product range and will demonstrate new friction and cover feeders and stack delivery systems for its family of inline die-cut/punch systems. It will also demo the new BSM 450 Basic punch, linked to a MBO folder.
CP Bourg
www.cpbourg.com
Stand: 13/B69
On the adhesive binding front, the manufacturer is launching a new version of its small-capacity adhesive binder, the BB3002, capable of PUR use. Impressively for a single-clamp machine, the BB3002 has a fully automatic set-up and can handle a book block thickness of up to 60mm. A new bookletmaker will also take pride of place on CP Bourg’s stand. The BME is configured with two modules: a stitch-fold unit and a front-edge trimmer. It’s designed for use with Bourg collators, and will handle paper sizes from 600x370mm at a top speed of 5,000 books an hour.
Duplo
www.duplointernational.com
Stand: 13/B53
Nestled among a host of new products, Duplo has a new baby adhesive binder to unveil, the DuBinder, for short- to medium-run adhesive-bound books. A new closed design of glue tank is claimed to reduce glue waste and downtime by avoiding the need for draining at the end of each use, and the binder runs at up to 525 books per hour. With bookletmakers, Duplo has gone to town with a raft of new products including the mid-range DBM-350T bookletmaker and the independent sheet feeder DSF-5000. Duplo’s High-Speed Dynamic Sheet Feeder joins the company’s sheet-feeder range at the top end. OMR and barcode readers offer flexibility of operation and security for personalised jobs; a new belt suction feeder, internal buffer and enhanced sheet separation devices mean that feed speeds reliably reach up to 400 sheets per minute, and ultrasonic and optical double detectors eject faulty sets or misfeeds.
Heidelberg
www.heidelberg.com
Halls: 1 and 2
As well as launching the 4,000cph Eurobind 4000, Heidelberg will premiere its updated Stahlfolder KH 82 combination folder. It features a fully automated cross-fold unit, which the firm says can cut set-up time by up to 80% and deliver a service life of up to 10 times longer than traditional knife technology. Heidelberg calculates that on a three-shift pattern, the extra productivity boosts of the KH 82 will yield an extra 7.2m sheets each year. The new KH 82 also has the ability to eject mis-folded sheets at full production speed, and three separate operator control panels sited throughout the machine help to optimise operator time.
Horizon
www.horizon.co.jp
Stand: 13/B35
The Japanese manufacturer is dedicating a significant part of its biggest-ever Drupa stand to new folding technology, including a version of its B3 range, the EF-35, featuring combination steel and rubber rollers for greater transport integrity and reduced marking; two new versions of the AF-406 pharmaceutical folder; a prototype of the new six-plate B2 folder; and in deference to the rising call for secure finishing for personalised products, a fully automated AFC-744 B1 folder with two CCD image recognition detectors.
Hunkeler
www.hunkeler.ch
Stand: 14/A40
There will be a raft of new kit on the Hunkeler stand, including the Variweb Matrix Rewinder (for ‘smart’ label production), and a plough-fold module for the company’s online paper processing equipment. Hunkeler will also show its Universal module for making one-piece mailers, together with a sheet-end gluer, an offline mailing line with merge and chip-out cutter, and a roll-to-stack line for four-up production.
MBO
www.mbo-folder
Stand: 6/B11
Details are sketchy, but MBO will use the show to launch a raft of new automated functions for its range of folders. However, it has confirmed that it will demonstrate a highly automated K800 Super-KTZ combination folder that MBO says reduces makereadies by 50%.
Muller Martini
www.mullermartini.co.uk
Stand: 14/B46
Muller will introduce a new gathering line for its perfect binding range. The 3697, which was launched in November, gives a maximum production speed of 18,000 copies per hour and uses a ‘peel’ method of signature separation as well as an enveloping air-cushion to protect the book during transport.
Shanghai Purple Magna Machinery Co
www.sh-pm.com
Stand: 10/C48
MAN Roland’s new co-operation with Shanghai Purple Magna Machinery Co has enabled the group to bring a range of heavy-duty folders to the European market. The line will include the ZYS780 buckle folder with a 4/4/2 configuration and 10 buckle plates, and a B3-format ZYS560 in 6/4/2 configuration with 12 buckle plates. The Purple Magna offering also includes combination folders.
Tauler
www.taulet.net
Stand: 6/C25
Spanish manufacturer Tauler will be focusing on its range of semi- and fully automatic laminators including the Printlam Smart 52, aimed at the short-run offset and digital print sectors, the medium-run length PrintLam B2 and CT, and the top-end modular PrintLam CTI and CTIS and bespoke PrintLam Plus.
Watkiss
www.watkiss.com
Stand: 13/B70
Watkiss has experienced “overwhelming” response in the past six months to its PowerSquare machine – the bookletmaker that turns a standard-spine stitched book into a square-spined equivalent, similar to the spine of an adhesive-bound book. At Drupa, the company will be consolidating the device’s market position. A new PowerSquare, the 200, will be launched: this features an optional Hohner stitching head and a speed boost of up to 35% over its predecessor.
Wohlenberg
www.wohlenberg.com
Stand: 6/C11
The new generation of Wohlenberg machines will be launched, known as the High-Speed range, with a faster backgauge speed, CIP4 compatibility and an improved air cushion for easy handling and turning. The guillotines are operated entirely via touchscreen, and Wohlenberg has moved the hydraulic unit that drives the clamp to the centre, underneath the clamp, to give even pressure across the clamp’s width.
MIS & WORKFLOW
Agfa
www.agfa.com
Stand: 8a/B63
The Belgian giant has given Apogee a major overhaul for Drupa with Apogee Suite now comprising four modules: Publish, Portal, Prepress and Color. Publish is a new module aimed at publishers and brand owners. Portal was previously Delano and includes WebApproval, StreamProof and Project Manager tools. Prepress is what was formerly known at Apogee-X, and includes enhanced JDF links to digital presses and a new tool Platemaker for maximising plate throughput. Color
includes the new Ink Save separation optimisation tool, SherpaProof, ColorTune colour management package, and Sublima screening.
EFI
www.efi.com
Stand: 5/C01
The latest version of EFI’s digital colour print server Fiery will be on show. New features include the incorporation of Adobe’s PDF Print Engine for native handling of the latest PDF files and native processing for the XPS page description language that Microsoft introduced with its Vista operating system. Also on show will be the Fiery Central workflow controller for linking multiple devices and the tight integration between Fiery and the firm’s other tools.
Fujifilm
www.fujifilm.co.uk
Stand: 8b/A25
Fujifilm’s C-Fit product is on show and aims to address two problems at different ends of the workflow: fixing and enhancing colour of supplied files; and ensuring the colour reproduction of offset, inkjet and toner output all match to meet customer’s demands for consistent branding. C-Fit uses Image Intelligence technology that originated in Fujifilm’s minilabs to enhance files on input. New at Drupa is the ability to process images inside PDFs as well as standalone files. Also on stand is version 2.0 of Fuji’s XMF workflow which will drive the firm’s platesetters and wide-format digital presses.
Heidelberg
www.heidelberg.com
Hall: 1 & 2
Finishing was always going to be the last part of the process to feel the full benefits of JDF, and while it’s not time to herald the lights out bindery just yet, with the advent of Heidelberg’s JDF-based Postpress manager we’re finally – eight years on from the first fanfare welcoming JDF – seeing it at all stages of the workflow. Postpress manager is the last of the Prinect tools for managing production, following on from Prepress Manager and Pressroom Manager. It’s the interface between MIS and the bindery and can control all of Heidelberg’s machines. The firm is pushing its benefits for collecting shopfloor data as much as the automation of machine set ups. Also new is Prinect Scheduler, which takes advantage of of JDF’s march through production and shows real-time job status based on live machine feedback.
Kodak
www.graphics.kodak.com
Stand: 5/D01
As well as the latest version of Prinergy, Kodak’s EMS will also get its European debut at Drupa. It’s an enterprise resource planning (ERP) package tailored for print rather than a dedicated print MIS, which the firm claims makes it more flexible for handling multiple print processes and non-print services. After a somewhat drawn out gestation, EMS is now on sale in the US and Kodak is looking for suitable European early adopters.
Optimus
www.optimus2020.com
Stand: 6/D60
With more of a focus on business intelligence, Optimus has distilled the very essence of the subject into its 2020 Vision MIS, with ‘lean’ techniques too. Anyone in a business can see at a glance the status of its key performance indicators (KPIs) as recommended by Vision in Print. The small set of KPIs, which are updated every three minutes, include jobs on time, quote turnaround, customers gained and lost, and non-productive time. Using a small set of KPIs is designed to focus attention where it matters and to stop users drowning in data. Although you can drill down data from 2020 Vision, for customers requiring more detail there’s also the firm’s Analysis tool.
Press-sense
www.press-sense.com
Stand: 9/E62
Press-sense will hand version 5 of its web-to-print iWay package a debut at Drupa. It includes enhanced support for non-print products and services, a new user interface and support for working with customers that don’t want to work online. The Israeli developer also promises news on another new partner following on from its agreement with DI press manufacturer Presstek.
PAPER & CONSUMABLES
Inx International
www.inxinternational.com
Stand: 4/C11
Inx will be unveiling a raft of new ink technology at Messe, including some eco-friendly options. However, one of its star launches will be Colour-Chain, a software suite designed to increase production speed, colour accuracy and quality.
James Cropper Speciality Papers
www.jamescropper.com
Stand: 7/D02
A clutch of products are on the James Cropper stand, including bookbinding papers and decorative effects. It will show its Docugard anti-microbial papers incorporating BioCote, an active silver agent that gives protection against bacteria. There will also be some new colour additions to the company’s Comet range, with either a silver or bronze ‘lustre’.
MetalFX
www.metal-fx.com
Stand: 15/D17
MetalFX is using Drupa to mount a push into flexo printing with a new system for its metallic ink colour process that it says can offer results on a par with foiling.
M-Real
www.m-real.com
Stand: 6/C61
M-real believes Drupa will demonstrate that the packaging sector is gaining “greater significance”. With this in mind, the paper manufacturer will be showing its Carta Integra and Carta Solida grades at Drupa. Part of its Limelight pack of products, they form part of the company’s lightweight range, which it adds, has been designed with environmental compatibility, sustainability and cost-cutting in mind. On top of that, the grades reduce the overall weight of packaging material and result in less waste. Terhi Koipijärvi, senior vice president for the environment and corporate responsibility at Metsäliitto Group, says: “There is a dual advantage to lighter-weight products – they bring environmental benefits and cost savings throughout the supply chain.”
Stehlin Hostag
www.stehlinhostag.ch
Stand: 3/C68
Part of the Huber Group, Stehlin Hostag will be showing its inks for the offset, flexo and gravure markets and Drupa will be the springboard for its new Inkredible range.
UPM
www.upm-kymmene,com
Stand: 6/C43
The paper manufacturer will be presenting an updated version of its Paper Sommelier, designed to help customers find their ideal product. It has linked up with software developer Dalim and will incorporate its Virtual Library to allow customers to view a realistic effect of different papers. The Virtual Library can simulate different paper stocks including the effects of whiteness, see-through and opacity in real time. It’s part of UPM’s Paper Sommelier service to help publishers select paper not just on production values but on “emotional and physical” values such as touch and feel. Emotional characteristics can include ‘fun’, ‘radical’ and ‘conservative’ while the visual and physical characteristics include the feel of the paper, bulk and substrate colour.
PRE-MEDIA
Agfa
www.agfa.com
Hall: 8a/B63
As well as launching its new chemistry-free violet plate, the Azura V, and an upgraded thermal version, the Azura TS, the firm will unveil a new range of B1 and VLF thermal platesetters at Drupa. The Avalon N series comprises the B1 N8, the VLF N16, N24 and N36, and will be joined later in the year by the N40 and N48, suitable for the latest 80pp and 96pp web presses. The N is available in a range of speeds from eight to 50 plates per hour. All machines come with internal punching and have the option of manual or fully automatic plate loading with one or multiple plate cassettes.
Bodoni Systems
www.bodoni.co.uk
Hall: 7/7c
With the latest version of pressSign, Bodoni has opened its software up to work with a wider range of measuring devices, including presses with a built-in spectrophoto-meter, which makes proving you’re on target that bit easier. It also means that unlike the previous version, which worked with hand-held spectrophotometers, that you can use it every day on every job. There’s also a version for print buyers to check that proofs and supplied print come up to scratch, which at last provides an objective measurement to start those tricky conversations and find a cause when the colour isn’t spot-on.
FFEI
www.ffei.co.uk
Hall: 7a/B19
A more powerful version of FFEI’s virtual print effects mock-up software Realvue 3D will be on show at Drupa. Many of these new techniques have previously been nigh-on impossible to predict without actually making a physical mock-up and giving designers the tools to predict the results on their Macs may make them more willing to experiment with added value print. FFEI certainly thinks there’s widespread potential for RealVue 3D with a new server version to allow multiple users in a studio to create 3D proofs and a developer version to allow third-party firms to integrate the technology into their own products.
Fogra
www.fogra.org
Hall: 5/A02
The web2proof product should be a star of the show for getting to grips with process standard offset, such as ISO 12647, and characterisations of it, including Fogra’s own Fogra39 set. Go to the Fogra stand and you can build a test sheet from images, graphics and text with tough to handle elements such as spot colours, overprints and transparency, along with the necessary control strips. From there web2proof workflow partners will create a flattened CMYK only PDF, which can then be output to soft proof, hard copy proof and print by any of the web2proof partners. Firms taking part include Adobe, Agfa, Alwan CGS, Canon, Dalim, EFI, Epson, EskoArtwork, Fujifilm, GMG, Kodak, MAN Roland and OKI.
Fujifilm
www.fujifilm.co.uk
Hall: 8b/A25
A new high definition (HD) option of the firm’s B2 Luxel V6 platesetter is being launched to coincide with the availability of the violet chemistry-free plate. The V-6 HD supports conventional screens with 1-99% dots and 20 micron spot sizes for FM screening across Fuji’s whole range of plates.
HighWater Designs
www.highwater.co.uk
Hall: 9/D26
HighWater will be showing its full range of platesetters including the new B1 Cobra 8. It and its B3 baby brother, the Cobra 2 and the semi-automatic B2 Python, now feature a “future-proof” 120mW violet diode, which should enable them to expose the violet chemistry-free plates being launched at the show.
Kodak
www.graphics.kodak.com
Hall: 5/D01
The Magnus range of thermal platesetters is getting bigger and faster. A new high-speed version of Kodak’s B1 machine, the Magnus800Z Quantum, can produce up to 60 B1 plates per hour and has the option of automatic plate handling for up to 500 plates online. Higher power also means more consistent imaging, which the firm claims means it can support its ultra-fine 10 micron Staccato FM screening. To support the latest 80pp plus web presses, Kodak has launched the Magnus XLF 80 Quantum, a semi-automatic machine with a maximum plate size of 1,296×2,260mm and throughput of up to 48 plates per hour.
Screen
www.screeneurope.com
Hall: 8a/A61
The latest generation of offset presses from Goss and MAN Roland are eyeing the heady heights of 80pp to 96pp and Screen has stepped in with a platesetter for the beasts. With a plate size of 2,900×1,350mm, big enough to hold 48 A4 pages to view, the Platerite Ultima 48000 is a fully automated machine, sparing anyone the trouble of handling the truly massive plates by hand. Although there won’t be that many people at the show putting in an order, the product gives an indication that there are going to be quite a few of these giant webs, which will send ripples right through the print market wherever they end up.
DIGITAL
Agfa
www.agfa.com
Stand: 8a/B63
Agfa’s three new Anapurna wide-format inkjet machines will be the Belgian firm’s digital Drupa stars. The XLS is built around Agfa’s own Universal Print Head technology. It’s a rigid/flexible 2.5m-wide printer with a top resolution of 1,440dpi and a speed range of 44m2 per hour to 13m2 per hour. Agfa’s M-series of Anapurna inkjet printers will also be extended with two new models: the M4f, an entry level UV press with a maximum width of 160cm and a top speed of 14m2, and the Mv, similar to the M4f but with ability to add value to display signage by adding spot varnish.
Canon
www.canon-europe.com
Stand: 8a/B46
The ImagePress range of machines will take centre stage for Canon, including a new range of monochrome ImagePress engines aimed at transactional and print-for-pay markets, which run at 135 A4 images per minute. There’s also an addition to the lower end of the ImagePress C (colour) range, with the new C6000 and C6000VP models printing with resolutions up to 1,200dpi at 60 impressions per minute. Canon will unveil its strategic partnership with Agfa – the result is the integration of the ImagePress with Agfa’s Apogee JDF-enabled workflow.
Kodak
www.graphics.kodak.com
Stand: 5/D01
The US behemoth admits that its Stream Concept digital press is more of an incremental breakthrough in inkjet technology than a revolution. But its still an impressive machine, offering higher resolution, smaller ink droplet size and faster droplet-generation resulting in a top speed of 2,500 A4 images per minute. The press also uses new pigment-based inks with what Kodak says is “outstanding colour saturation and permanence”.
HP
www.hp.com
Stand: 8a/B26
HP techies have been locked in their research and development 24-7 judging by the number of its Drupa roll-outs. Alongside the new HP Inkjet Web Press are three new HP Indigo machines: a speed-bumped sheetfed 7000 model producing 120ppm, and two new web-fed machines, the WS6000 for label and packaging applications, and the WS7200 for high-volume commercial work.
Océ
www.oce.com
Stand: 6/A44
It’s no surprise that Océ has brought its JetStream 2200 to Drupa. Launched in December last year, the inkjet machine will be creating full-colour transactional documents with marketing messages. Transpromo aside, the press also demonstrates Océ’s commitment to inkjet technology. While by no means ditching toner, the 2200 is further proof that inkjet is starting to come of age and is likely to make a major impact at Drupa, and its new CrystalPoint toner/inkjet hybrid technology, which was unveiled last week in its ColorWave 600 wide-format printer, is sure to turn a few heads too.
Ricoh
www.ricoh.eu
Stand: 9/A60
Ricoh has been muscling in on the commercial digital print market for a while now, but with the launch of its high-volume colour machine its definitely stepping up a gear. The Pro C900 printer is aimed at the high-end and mid-range variable data side of digital printing with a 1,200dpi resolution and maximum substrate weight of 300gsm. Ricoh will also unveil three high-volume black and white presses at Drupa – the Pro 9006ex, 1106ex and 1356ex.
Screen Europe
www.screeneurope.com
Stand: 8b/A61
Digital looks set to be Screen’s focus at this year’s show, with its stand positively bristling with machines and one of the highlights will be the Truepress Jet520. The inkjet machine was launched in November last year with the ability to print at 64m per minute on sheets of up to 520mm. The press can switch from simplex to duplex on a single engine and uses Epson’s drop-on-demand printheads.
Xeikon
www.xeikon.com
Stand: 8b/A78
Punch Graphix, Xeikon’s parent company, has high hopes for its latest machine, the 8000. At 230ppm, it has an image quality of 1,200dpi and targets a range of markets including transactional, point of sale and direct mail. Priced at €850,000 (£675,000), the press has a web width of 320-512mm and uses the X-800 front end software.
Xerox
www.xerox.com
Stand: 8b/A78
The eagerly anticipated Xerox 490/980 was launched at the end of last year and will be one of Xerox’s major attractions at the show. The manufacturing giant claims it has set an industry benchmark – at 450 images per minute it is currently the fastest toner-based continuous-feed device on the market. When set in a duplex configuration it can reach around 900 images per minute. The technology behind the machine is ‘non-contact flash fusing technology’, which incorporates high intensity xenon lamps. One of the areas Xerox is targeting with the 490/980 is the much talked about transpromo market, where full colour transactional statements incorporate marketing or promotional messages. The market has yet to take off in the UK and Xerox is one of many digital press manufacturers trying to push the benefits of transpromo at Drupa.
Read the original article at www.printweek.com.
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