Fujifilm UK managing director Keith Dalton predicts a rise in the ubiquity of cloud-based systems at the next Drupa, and vows to make 2012 a year of hard work and fun.

Fujifilm UK managing director Keith Dalton

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

 With such a big event as the Olympics taking place in the UK, I think the industry has a great opportunity to emphasise the effectiveness that print has.  For instance, it would be hard to capture a snapshot of history in the making without printing iconic posters, booklets, inserts and so on. While the past 12 to 24 months have seen a shift towards digital technologies, with the internet as an access tool, web-to print related applications are also opening up a whole new world.

Unfortunately, the biggest threat to print is still the European economy, which continues to be uncertain.

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

Web-to-print. This is the one application that brings print and digital technologies together, allowing end users much quicker and easier access to the printed product. We have noticed a growing interest and believe offering web-to-print will become an integral part of the production process during 2012.

What new technology do you expect to see at Drupa 2012 in your sector?

Cloud-based systems will take centre stage, allowing printers to manage certain elements of the print production process (such as web-to-print) in the cloud.  We will also see more sophistication in these cloud-based systems, which will help open up new business opportunities for today’s printers.

 What new technology do you expect to see at Drupa 2012 in other sectors?

I expect that we’ll see a great deal of development in short-run finishing, with a number of new technologies that will focus on high quality, low-end finishing.  We’ve seen such an exponential rise in personalised print (like photobooks) that there is definitely an opportunity for finishing companies to manufacture new technologies to fit in with this, but hit the higher end of the market.

What do you think the main trends will be at Drupa 2012 in your sector?

There will be many examples of how printers using traditional print technologies can improve their efficiencies and compete, in addition to seeing much more attention paid by suppliers to address the challenges faced by many PSPs in managing multiple print technologies and processes within their businesses.

What trends do you think will emerge at Drupa 2012 in any other sectors?

Inkjet as a technology will continue to influence a wider range of print processes, and there will be evidence of how such technology is opening up many new print applications. As a result, we will also start to see the true potential of inkjet as a print production technology, and therefore Drupa 2012 will help to shape our vision for the future of print.

What do you hope to get out of Drupa 2012?

Apart from sales, of course, Fujifilm – as a long standing supplier to the industry – will be echoing the key trends with a range of innovative solutions developed from our expertise in traditional and emerging print technologies.

What can the industry do to increase its profile next year?

Print service providers need to shout about what they can do well.

What will you do differently next year?

Continue to work hard, but have more fun than in 2011!