APIGRAF participated on 8 and 9 July in the Open Days Portugal held at the SCREEN Europe Inkjet Innovation Center in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands.
Organized by SCREEN Europe, in partnership with inPrintout and APIGRAF, the initiative brought together professionals from the Portuguese printing industry around industrial inkjet applications in the production of books, commercial printing, labels and packaging. The programme focused on high-speed digital printing, reduction of production times, response to shorter printouts and integration between printing, finishing and workflows.
During the visit, participants attended demonstrations of Truepress JET technologies and met different configurations for editorial and commercial production, labels and packaging. The sessions included the presentation of workflow solutions and a visit to the premises and warehouse of SCREEN Europe.
The technical programme also addressed structural waste in production processes, the high speed inkjet applied to commercial and editorial printing, the latest developments in the area of CTP, the integration between printing, finishing and packaging and the applications of digital printing in paper packaging.
APIGRAF participated directly in the program with an intervention dedicated to the characterization of the Portuguese graphic market, framing the structure of the sector, the size of the companies and the challenges associated with technological investment.
One of the most involved moments of the meeting was the debate between APIGRAF associates on the situation of the sector and the relationship between the real needs of companies and investment in new machinery. The discussion was lit up, but very elucidative, confronting different perspectives on the adequacy of the equipment to the existing production models, the ability to return investments and the organizational changes that the introduction of new technology may require.
The debate continued during the moments of demonstration and contact with the technical teams of SCREEN, allowing participants to ask questions about concrete applications, production quality, integration with existing equipment and choice of the settings most appropriate to the reality of each company.
The trip ended with an open forum, in which several of the topics discussed throughout the day were resumed, and with an interview from APIGRAF to Osamu Yamagata, President of SCREEN Europe.
Interview
Osamu Yamagata, President of SCREEN Europe
At the end of the Open Days, APIGRAF talked to Osamu Yamagata about the evolution of SCREEN, the centrality of the inkjet and the relationship of the company with the Portuguese market.
SCREEN has over 150 years of history. Also the APIGRAF represents a graphical associative movement with 175 years. What does this ability of organizations linked to the printing industry reveal to remain relevant and reinvent themselves over so long?
I think it is necessary to change constantly. Over time, SCREEN has been developing different technologies and adapting to market developments.
The company was not always concentrated in the same areas. He followed the technological changes and tried to apply his knowledge to new solutions. This capacity for evolution is important to continue to meet the needs of industry.
SCREEN had activity in several technological areas before taking the position it occupies in the inkjet printing today. How did this evolution occur?
SCREEN has a long experience in image technology and in different processes linked to the graphics industry.
With the evolution of the market, we have developed new applications and directed this knowledge to fingerprint and inkjet. It is a process of change that results from the experience accumulated by the company and the need to follow what the market seeks.
Does inkjet represent a central part of SCREEN strategy today?
Yeah. Inkjet technology plays a very important role.
We have been developing different machines and solutions for various applications. During these Open Days it was possible to see several equipment in operation and realize that there is not only one machine or one application.
We seek to offer solutions to different needs and different types of production.
During the Portugal Open Days several machines were presented. What is the advantage of showing customers the solutions in operation?
It is very important that people can see the machines and the results directly.
A presentation allows explaining the technology, but seeing the machine in operation is different. Visitors can observe production, analyze quality and talk to the people responsible for solutions.
It also allows you to better understand which of the machines or settings can be best suited to the situation of each company.
Does SCREEN seek to provide machines that can meet different production needs?
Yeah. There are different possibilities and it is important to find the right solution.
Not all companies produce the same jobs or have the same requirements. We have different machines and we try to understand which can best respond to each customer's needs.
In some cases, it is also important to examine whether a solution can be adapted to the reality of existing production.
Is this adaptability important in a changing market?
Yeah. The market is changing and companies are looking for solutions to meet new needs.
It is important to understand what is happening in each market and to monitor this development. The needs are not the same in all countries or in all companies.
How do you see the Portuguese market?
Portugal is a market with a different dimension than other countries, such as Brazil.
They are very different markets and we cannot analyze them in the same way. It is necessary to understand the characteristics of each country, the size of companies and the type of production.
Portugal has companies in the graphic industry with experience and interest in knowing new technologies. For us, it is important to have this contact with the market and understand what its needs are.
Can Portugal also be important in approaching other Portuguese-speaking markets?
Language and relations between countries can facilitate contact, especially with markets such as Brazil.
However, they are markets with different dimensions and characteristics. Each one must be analyzed according to his own reality.
How important are initiatives directed specifically at Portuguese professionals?
These initiatives allow you to present the solutions of SCREEN and talk directly to companies.
It is important to listen to people, to know their issues and to show what technology can do. When visitors see the machines in operation, they can better understand the possibilities and evaluate how these solutions can be used in their companies.
What balance does these Portugal Open Days make?
It was a good opportunity to welcome Portuguese participants, present various machines and exchange opinions on the market.
We hope that visitors have been able to learn more about SCREEN solutions and understand the different possibilities that exist for their companies.
This interview was conducted on site, in the language of Camões, and later edited and adapted for a clearer and more fluid reading.