Eastman Kodak vice president of business-to-business marketing Chris Payne stresses the importance of "quality, consistency and efficiency' in the new year, and looks ahead to Drupa 2012.

Kodak vice president of business-to-business

marketing Chris Payne

What do you think will be the greatest opportunity for and threat to the print industry next year?

 As we look across the globe and ahead to 2012, we see the dynamic transformation of the print market continuing to accelerate, creating a great opportunity for those who are prepared to make the changes necessary to survive. The industry as a whole must work together and embrace new technologies to balance the complementary strengths of print and digital communications. Printers must be ready to offer new services such as marketing campaign management, multi-channel communications, data management, fulfilment, metrics, and more. 

What do you believe is the most under-recognised aspect in printing that is likely to gain more prominence in 2012?

For commercial printers and publishers, personalization and targeting will continue to grow at a rapid pace in 2012, as our customers begin to explore the many opportunities afforded by digital printing. Not only does digital print enable cost-effective shortruns and supply chain efficiencies, it also makes it easier for printers to move into value-added services and grow their businesses. With high-speed inkjet presses, imprinting systems for hybrid offset environments, and high-quality toner-based presses, printers can employ personalization that drives higher response rates and builds stronger relationships between marketers and consumers.

For packaging professionals, quality, consistency and efficiency are the keys to success in today’s global brand market. With increasing competition among brand owners, packaging professionals are under pressure to reduce costs and enhance brand image. Flexographic solutions such as the Flexcel NX System allow package printers to do more with less, producing gravure-quality results and growing their bottom lines. In the same way, offset package printers are pursuing growth opportunities with the help of Trillian SP Thermal Plates, experiencing a lower total cost of use and reduced environmental impact.

Kodak offers one of the broadest portfolios of solutions to drive this growth across all markets, giving customers solutions that are upgradeable—enabling them to grow at their own pace.

What do you hope to get out of Drupa 2012?

Our presence at Drupa 2012 will spotlight our global customers, who have grown their businesses and their bottom line by offering new capabilities and services, producing unique applications, and improving operational efficiencies by partnering with Kodak. We will show attendees how they can experience their own success with Kodak solutions, including the game-changing Kodak Prosper Platform, which can print on coated stocks, and our award-winning flexographic technology for packaging applications. To help customers build their businesses, optimize applications and enhance product performance, we will be demonstrating Kodak MarketMover Business Advantage Solutions—a suite of consulting, marketing, and educational resources designed to make it easier to identify and pursue new business opportunities.
 
What new technology do you expect to see at Drupa 2012 in your sector?

The pace of digital print adoption will certainly continue to increase, and as we head into Drupa 2012, you can expect to see a strong presence across the entire range of digital printing solutions. The market is quickly uncovering the new opportunities digital solutions offer in the areas of direct mail, transactional printing, book, newspaper and magazine publishing. At Drupa, Kodak will have a number of significant announcements about new or enhanced digital technologies, solutions and expertise, and we will have very exciting news about new partnerships in the key markets we serve.