By Cassandra Balentine
Part two of two
Large print providers are well versed at the benefits of automation. However, optimizing workflows is beneficial to even the smallest print provider.
“Automation can assist printers of any size, as the benefits can include lowering staffing needs, working to remove the potential bottlenecks in workflow that can impede job volume and hinder productivity. Reducing human touchpoints can enable jobs to move faster through the production process and can help minimize the possibility of errors from human intervention, which is beneficial for printers of all sizes,” shares Lisa Weese, Director, Product Strategy & Business Planning Marketing, Digital Press Printing Solutions, Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Regardless of their size, Piere points out that all print businesses today are facing similar challenges. “Print buyers expect ever faster turnaround times, while the move from mass production to mass customization is resulting in even shorter print runs, and more print runs of one. Set against this backdrop, we’ve also seen a boom in ecommerce, the rapid adoption of web to print systems and the growth of the platform economy. As a result, print businesses of all sizes need to find ways to streamline production in order to keep up and remain profitable and competitive. For these print businesses, embracing automation will be the choice that enables them to continue growing and operating profitably.”
Jacquie Perno, business development manager, ACCO Brands, believes that automation democratizes print production and benefits operations of all sizes. It can be the ultimate field leveler.
Many Forms
Automation comes in many forms for all business sizes. Larger, higher volume providers often require larger, expensive solutions that can deal with a wide range of offerings. “Those are the glitzy solutions we often envision when thinking about automation. However, smaller, more focused providers do not require those robust solutions. Its important to recognize this and to look for the appropriate solutions to your specific pain points. Working with the right partner, they can deliver a custom recommendation to scale to your business needs,” offers Tim Bolton, manager, inkjet technology, Ricoh USA.
While John Cusack, product line leader, BW Converting, feels that automation is more commonly adopted by larger print groups, he says smaller innovators are also benefiting, though they often face budget or bandwidth constraints. “For these businesses, selecting the most relevant and cost-effective tools is essential. While their approach may be narrower in scope, the right solutions can still deliver significant efficiency gains and competitive advantages.”
Don Dubuque, director of marketing, Standard Finishing Systems, asserts that the market has recognized that print service providers need different kinds of automation depending on their business size, common applications, labor pool, existing technology, and more.
While larger print environments often have access to more resources to invest in automation, Matt Raab, marketing director, global product offerings, Xerox Corporation, says small- to mid-size printers are also finding significant benefits and are increasingly adopting these technologies to stay competitive.
“All printers, regardless of size or specialty—i.e. digital, commercial offset, packaging, labels, textile, etc., can benefit from customized workflow automation and seamless integration of all production-critical processes,” states Marc Raad, president, Significans Automation. “For example, a small print franchise deployed a highly customized Significans Automation Turbo Switch Pack, that boosted sales by 30 percent, reduced labor costs by 35 percent, and minimized turnaround times, recouping their original investment in just over a month. This allowed the company to increase its efficiency by 300 percent without adding staff or equipment.”
That being said, Raad admits that larger companies with more presses, finishing equipment, and employees, obviously require more complex deployments. “The true strength of automation lies in its scalability. Small- to mid-size printers can start by automating high-impact areas like prepress, proofing, or job ticketing. These incremental changes not only improve efficiency but also minimize upfront costs, making automation accessible even for businesses with limited resources. As their needs grow, additional automation can be integrated into existing workflows.”
Therefore, it is important that your automation partner must has a thorough knowledge of every workflow software solution on the market, and fully understand their strengths and weaknesses. “Only then can you unlock automation’s enormous efficiencies by optimizing each and every process and implement the best possible solutions specific to each printer’s unique production environment,” notes Raad.
Automating to Compete
Carlos Martins, solutions manager, Muller Martini, sees more small to mid size companies adopting more automation than the larger print companies. “We see these smaller companies need to automate in order to compete with larger companies, as I heard recently from one of our customers ‘we automate or we die,’” he comments.
Lance Martin, VP product marketing, Komori America, adds that some smaller companies may be able to move quicker to a solution due to a shorter decision tree, smaller scale factor and containment of processes. “As the print industry goes forward, small and mid-size companies will be required to have sophisticated automation to stay competitive against the larger conglomerates that have the advantage of scale.”
Ernie Crawford, president/CEO, Crawford Technologies, agrees, noting that smaller organizations, being more nimble, can make changes more quickly. “In many cases, automation is often even more critical for smaller printers, who have tighter resource constraints and need to find ways to do more with less. The ability to streamline operations, reduce manual steps and scale efficiently helps smaller providers stay competitive.”
Nick Bruno, president, Harris & Bruno International, says many small-to-mid-size printers are discovering that modern automation solutions are scalable, flexible, and designed to fit operations of any size. “These systems empower smaller providers to optimize workflows, reduce overhead costs, and compete for high-value jobs that may have once felt out of reach.”
The beauty of today’s automation lies in its modularity. “Providers can start small, addressing their most pressing pain points, and expand as their needs grow. For these businesses, automation isn’t just a tool—it’s a strategy for growth and a way to level the playing field in an increasingly competitive market,” adds Bruno.
Dr. Mark Bohan, director, Color Solutions, Konica Minolta, says many benefits of automation are in addressing individual areas rather than trying to fully automate the complete workflow. “Relatively small investments can give rise to significant improvements and increase the profitability of these printers. They will increase the speed of the jobs progressing through the company, as well as reduce the number of errors with the subsequent accommodation needed. Examples range from introducing ecommerce solutions to aiding the speed of job submission through specific solutions to automate/impose the jobs prior to printing.”
“Our products tend to be aimed at the small- to mid-sized print business, so we are helping them to take the next step in automation, but all sizes of company can improve with a more streamlined workflow,” says Ray Hillhouse, VP sales and marketing, Plockmatic Group Offline Business Unit.
One difference is that just a very small step forward for a big player can be multiplied by thousands when they are producing a long run. “I recall from the very distant past, a packaging company that was seeking to upgrade its printing presses. One supplier had a machine with a slightly larger print area. The customer printed large volumes of pizza boxes for a client. The extra few millimeters of print area meant that one supplier could provide a press to produce the work two-up rather than the one-up of other press suppliers’ machines. The printer gained a huge advantage and enjoyed some nice fat margins for a while,” offers Hillhouse.
For the smaller print operation, automation can mean work is processed faster, but more importantly, with the potential for lower costs. “People, as we all can recognize, are expensive. People are also prone to errors. Improved automation can help to speed up production, can aid error free production, and can, over time, reduce costs. Automated equipment has an upfront cost, for sure, but generally it will pay for itself over a given time, and once it’s paid for, the ongoing cost is minimal.”
When discussing automation, Hillhouse feels it’s also important to consider the fact that the industry has a growing skills shortage—older, apprenticed tradesmen are retiring. “There isn’t the number of industry trained professionals coming through the system to replace them. Good, well thought out, and well constructed automation may go some of the way to fill that void.”
Bob Waddington, product line leader for curing and drying, BW Converting, stresses that automation doesn’t have to involve large, capital-intensive investments. “Software tools for prepress, workflow management, and inventory control are often extremely cost-effective, even for smaller operations. These tools can streamline processes, reduce errors, and increase output, giving smaller print providers the ability to compete more effectively with larger organizations.:
Because software licensing has changed to a subscription model, it is far easier for small and mid-size companies to benefit from software solutions. “These small and mid-size printers generally have a simpler environment to automate because they do not have as big a range of different applications to process. This makes it easier to get to the goal line,” says Kevin McPherson, senior client executive, digital, Quadient.
Benefits of Automation
Even for smaller print providers, automation within the production workflow make a big impact on performance and profitability.
Jamie Reber, product manager, Software, Kodak, says benefits of automation include cost reduction, improved turnaround time, flexibility and adaptability, and consistent quality.
Small- to medium-sized print providers are not exempt from collecting on these benefits.
Read part one of this web exclusive series.
Apr2024, DPS Magazine
