Personalization: Grab New Business Opportunities with Digital Printing
Author: Calvin Chung Section Head, Graphic Communication, FUJIFILM Business Innovation Hong Kong With over 20 years of solid experience in traditional printing, Calvin has recently embarked on a new chapter in digital printing, aiming to create a blue ocean for the industry. |
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Printing technology has enabled the wide dissemination of information for hundreds of years. Traditional offset printing is still used today to print large volume projects like newspapers, magazines, leaflets, packaging and more.
However, as consumption patterns are changing, print production requires more flexibility and efficiency, leading to the rise of digital printing including toner- and inkjet-based methods. Different from complicated processes in offset printing such as plate making and color mixing, digital printing directly prints digital files. It is thus possible to print items on demand and at speed – as and when they are ordered by the end-customer.
Digital printing also supports Variable Data Processing (VDP), which allows personalized products or messages as per customer requests. It is then gaining recognition in Hong Kong because companies are increasingly looking to personalize their printing in smaller quantities.
Increasing demands of personalized and small volume printing
Personalization is now one of the major marketing strategies. The new generation of consumers are willing to pay more if products can perfectly fit their requirements. With the help of digital printing, boutiques can now offer personalization services easily. Customers simply need to upload their own texts and images via websites to order unique gifts for themselves and their beloved ones, for example, phone cases, Lunar New Year Fai Chun, card holders, books and more.
On the other hand, consumers prefer limited editions and there are high land costs in Hong Kong. Small volume printing thus is more suitable for business operations today.
Looking ahead, print providers will face rising demand for personalization and small volume printing orders. Choosing the right digital printing system to deliver quality work with simplified workflows and optimum uptime is a key concern, where expert advice can make all the difference.
Offset printing faces multiple challenges
Although offset printing still has a place for large print runs, industry challenges should not be underestimated. Talent shortage is a major problem worldwide. The number of professional printing technicians in the UK is reported to have fallen by 73% between 2006 and 2021 to 30,500,1 while 76% of Australian print businesses are struggling to attract labor, with technical skills in very short supply.2 Offset printing requires specialist skills and experience that few job applicants now possess. For example, print quality relies heavily on color mixing by hand, creating challenges for businesses with an aging workforce and lack of young talent.
Moreover, cleaning offset printers produces a large amount of waste chemicals, generating volatile organic compounds (VOC) that contribute to air pollution. Offset printers also use more ink and other resources than digital printing, making them difficult to be up to current environmental standards.
However, the transition to digital printing is not always smooth. Firstly, printers have to select the digital solution that will best boost their productivity and flexibility to meet the changing needs of their market. Secondly, digital printing is a relatively new technology compared to offset printing, and it takes time for printers or manufactures to integrate it with their existing processes. Thirdly, even though digital printing involves fewer preparatory processes, staff training remains essential.
Breakthroughs in digital printing quality
While offset printing has traditionally provided the best quality, digital printing technologies have advanced to the extent that both processes can now be relied on produce equally high-quality finished products.
Known for its breakthroughs in the field of digital printing, FUJIFILM Business Innovation Hong Kong has a comprehensive suite of production press solutions. Its flagship production printing system Revoria™ Press PC1120, for example, equips the industry-first 6-color print engine that supports specialty colors including Gold, Silver, Clear, White and Neon Pink. Like all of the FUJIFILM Business Innovation Hong Kong solutions, it comes with extensive after-sales service to support clients with training and advice.
Offset printing undoubtedly remains an important pillar of the printing industry, but as business needs changes and technology advances, print shops and in-house operations are realizing that digital printing can – and should – complement offset printing. FUJIFILM Business Innovation Hong Kong provides professional advice and support to companies in Hong Kong interested in expanding their digital printing operations, be it toner or inkjet printing, to meet new printing needs.