This installment of What’s Happening August-September 2022 looks at how a Fujifilm Jet Press and Layflat.com’s equipment are bolstering the bottom line of China print service providers (PSP). We also cover a new Epson wide-format printer for photo fulfillment, retail photo labs, poster and graphic art production. In addition, we report on the successful Print & Digital Convention 2022 as well as some innovative back-to-school photo products.
What’s Happening August-September 2022
PSPs in China Boost Profits with Layflat.com & Fujifilm
In 2019, Excell Imaging’s B2B business model was manufacturing prints/pages for other wedding book companies, but they encountered key barriers. Shipping and handling costs represented a significant portion of the price. And shipping took a few days. Reprinting consumed a few more days and hurt profits.
They concluded that manufacturing a complete book block would resolve these issues, especially a layflat book block. They decided on the Layflat.com LF 1000 All-in Max to complement their Fujifilm Jet Press 750S.
Despite the impact of Covid-19 on the wedding photo business, sales of premium wedding photo books were expanding. Excell Imaging’s new B2B2C business model boosted profits, and three more Layflat.com binding systems were installed to handle demand.
Additionally, China print service providers’ success with the Fujifilm Jet Press 750S did not go unnoticed. Fujifilm sold five more Jet Press 750S printers to Chinese PSPs. Each installation is supported by multiple bookbinding units from Layflat.com.
This year, Excell introduced a new type of photo book that uses synthetic paper, and sales increased dramatically. Recently, Yupo Corp. announced that its synthetic paper will be available for the Fujifilm Jet Press 750S. This is expected to stimulate additional sales of prints and benefit the overall wedding photo business.
While these printers produce only simplex, or one-sided, prints, they can create double-page spreads for dramatic effect in photo books, and premium wedding albums are made with single-sided lay-flat binding.
Headquartered in Switzerland, Layflat.com has woven together an alliance of companies globally to offer reliable regional manufacturing, sales and customer support.
Epson SureColor P8570D 44-Inch Production Photo & Graphics Printer
The Epson SureColor P8570D 44-inch dual-roll printer leverages a new space-saving design. The photo/graphics printer is the first in the new line of high-volume production-class SureColor P wide-format printers for photo fulfillment, retail photo labs, poster and graphic art production.
To meet high-volume photo production needs, the P8570D employs a flattop design with front operation; automatic roll loading; and an integrated dual-roll/take-up reel. It also features Epson’s 2.64-inch PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead technology.
Moreover, it uses six-color UltraChrome Pro6 ink with gray. Epson says this produces “vibrant, rich, colorful prints with gradations and neutral black-and-white images that rival comparable eight-color printers.” It also prints on various media: photo, fine art, canvas and rigid poster board up to 1.5mm thick.
For dual-roll productivity, the printer automatically switches between two media types or sizes. Operators can use the second roll as a take-up reel for roll-to-roll production.
Further, a 4.3-inch touchscreen control panel allows for simple operation; automated routine maintenance; and user self-service. The printer does not require assembly and can get printing in 30 minutes. SuperSpeed USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet or Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) options fit workflows.
More than 28 enhanced security features for office or remote office locations are provided. They include hardware encryption; IC card options for user control and tracking; and IT management tools.
Epson bundles the printer with an Adobe Embedded print engine. It natively processes JPG, TIFF, PDF and PostScript files. And the Epson Software Suite and Epson Cloud Solution Port let users remotely manage and monitor printer fleets from smart devices.
The Epson SureColor P8570D 44-inch dual-roll model sells for $6,445. Epson will release 24- and other 44-inch SureColor P-series production-class models in late 2022 and 2023.
Print & Digital Convention 2022 Sees 50% Visitor Increase
With more than 1,250 participants, the Print & Digital Convention 2022 successfully closed in Düsseldorf, Germany. The fifth edition of the event was a platform for multichannel and dialog marketing. The focus was on sustainable media production, programmatic print and value-added printing.
The concept of the convention and trade show ensured a communicative atmosphere, enabling long-awaited networking and knowledge transfer at the booths and presentations.
The event encompassed nine theme worlds; four stages; 50 speakers; 19 half-hour presentations daily; and 63 international exhibitors. All offered participants future-oriented content on the potential of digital printing applications; multichannel solutions; creative finishing; and sustainable packaging solutions.
Visitors benefited from seven highlight projects that represented hands-on best practice. Thus, they reflected the special unique selling point of the convention: a “hands-on” trade show with practical application examples.
Additionally, to attract new, younger target groups interested in print and packaging, the Media Production Association and Messe Düsseldorf, organizers of the event, cooperated with Fritz-Henßler-Berufskolleg (FHBK) from Dortmund; Stuttgart Media University; the Akademie für Mode & Design (AMD) Düsseldorf; and Berufskolleg Bachstraße from Düsseldorf.
“The young talents of tomorrow were able to find out directly from the experts at the booths and in the lectures about the fascinating applications of print and packaging in modern and sustainable media production,” the organizers announced.
The sixth edition of the Print & Digital Convention will be held May 2023 in Düsseldorf, Germany (before drupa 2024). For further information on visiting or exhibiting, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America: telephone, (312) 781-5180; e-mail, info@mdna.com.
MailPix Names Top 2022 Back-to-School Photo Products
MailPix, the photo-printing, canvas and gifting site, announced their most popular photo products for the back-to-school season. “Photo items are practical yet personalized ways for students to express themselves,” the company said. Here are some of MailPix’s most popular products.
Photo Notebooks. These are a colorful way for students to take their favorite photos with them everywhere they go. The 5×7-inch notebook features a laminate front and back cover, with front and back images personalized. The spiral-bound notebook has 75 pages of lined paper inside.
Personalized Journals. Budding writers will appreciate the choice of either softcover or hardcover journals to capture their ideas. Both allow the front and back covers to be personalized and have perforated pages for tear-out. The hardcover journal features 75 leaves of lined paper, providing 150 pages for writing. The softcover journal has 100 leaves, for 200 pages of writing, as well as rounded corners to prevent bending.
Custom Photo Plaques. Frameless photo plaques are the new wall art. Students can add photos and text as well as choose a color or background. Custom plaques can brighten up a desk or dorm room. Desktop plaques are smaller versions of photo panels and come ready to stand or hang as decorative wall plaques.
Laptop/Tablet Sleeves. Available in five sizes, neoprene sleeves permit students to take a laptop or tablet to class in style. Photos are printed on one side of the case, which keeps the contents secure with a handy zipper.
