Future Links March 17th 2015
Here are our daily links with the most important news from the printing industry. Today they feature the need for results-driven marketing strategies for printing businesses, new print apprenticeship standards in the UK, a forecast for the global printing inks market, a new fast 3D printing process, Heidelberg’s additions to its Speedmaster product portfolio, a new flexo online course and opportunities in digital textile printing.
Print companies’ marketing efforts need to deliver results
In an opinion piece, writer and consultant Jennifer Matt details why the marketing departments of print businesses should pay close attention to their metrics. Marketing, she argues, needs to produce measurable results.
More at What They Think?
New print apprenticeship standards approved in the UK
The printing industry is changing. This requires taking a fresh look at the way young people are trained in the print-related professions. The UK government approved new apprenticeship standards designed to optimally prepare the next generation for the challenges ahead.
More at Print Week
Printing inks market is expected to exceed 20 billion USD by 2020
According to recent research by the company Transparency Market Research, the global printing inks market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 0.5 percent and reach 20.17 billion USD by 2020. The packaging market is estimated to drive the growth in demand for inks in the coming years.
More at Globe Newswire
New liquid 3D printing system speeds up the process
It sounds almost too good to be true, but according to the company Carbon 3D, there is solid research behind the method that is said to increase the speed of 3D printing by 25 percent. The new technique is called Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP) and seems to build on an existing 3D printing techniques.
More at Gizmodo
Heidelberg debuts eight-color Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor perfector
Heidelberg is further expanding its Speedmaster product line. The most recent additions are an eight-colour Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor perfector and a five-color Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor with coating unit and UV technology.
More at Graphic Repro
New flexo online course focuses on G7 technique
G7 is a set of specifications designed to achieve a very similar look of printed products across all processes. The Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), in partnership with IDEAlliance, has introduced an interactive online course, ‘G7, Flexography and the Production Environment’ with a comprehensive overview of G7 methodology and tips for its application in the workflow.
More at Labels & Labeling
Digital textile printing may reverse outsourcing trend
The textile printing industry is expected to double in size every two years, at least according to the most optimistic estimates. For Materialised, an Australian company specializing in custom-printed textiles, this translates into a great opportunity. The company installed three Roland DG wide format printers and is attempting to bring its printing operations back from Asia.
More at Pro Print