Rumors of Demise Are Greatly Exaggerated

There is no denying that digital print technology is the newer, sexier topic in today’s industry. The ability to print runs of hundreds — or more — pieces, each one totally unique opens the door to innovative and creative applications that just weren’t cost effective before.

But don’t make the mistake of counting offset out of the game just yet.

Offset is still a vibrant and productive print method, and just because it’s been around longer doesn’t mean the manufacturers have stopped innovating. “Offset is alive and strong,” said Eric Frank, senior vice president, Marketing and Product Management, KBA North America Inc. “There is a movement by the media and some consultants to talk about digital because it’s more exciting than traditional offset printing. But the majority of jobs — 95-plus percent — are not printed digitally.”

Tracking the Trends

So what are the latest and greatest innovations in the offset space today? For Goss’ Graham Trevett, vice president of sales - The Americas, the most exciting space in that market right now is on the web press side.

“The continued adoption of web offset technology for packaging is very exciting right now,” he said. “Web offset presses offer capabilities that can turn marginal short-run jobs into sustainable, profitable ones. With high productivity and fast, low-cost plate production and makereadies, web offset is far more capable than flexo to address short lead times and run lengths. Other capabilities that reinforce the case include: print quality, greater color control, and a standardized process, as does the ability to handle a wide variety of substrates, including those as fine as nine microns, at high speeds.”

Trevett noted that while companies have been combining web offset and digital technologies as far back as the 1990s in the direct mail space, other markets are starting to see the benefits as well, as the quality of the digital presses has risen to a point where it can run side-by-side in a single system and not stand out.

“For example,” Trevett said, “printers are adding digital inkjet towers to their Goss web offset press to provide monochrome or full-color variable printing inline for commercial or unique advertising/marketing content in newspapers. Other applications include micro-promotions codes, barcodes and coupons, and regionalized information including personalized text and images. If we are talking packaging, converters can offer economic short runs, very high image quality, and solid opaques and varnishes utilizing the integrated flexo or gravure technology. This flexibility enables so many product offerings, the possibilities are endless.”

KBA’s Frank, on the other hand, is most excited about the possibilities with automation. He noted that the latest offset press technologies are running at speeds so fast, they are currently outpacing all the other equipment in a shop. A push for more automation for things like the paper handling to create a more hands-off and efficient process is going to be key for taking advantage of everything these machines can offer.

In addition to automation, Frank is paying attention to a few other big trends impacting this segment. “Another trend is toward color management in line,” he said. “That has always been done, but it is now being taken to a new level with in line grey balance control and PDF inspection processes. And I think the final trend we’re seeing is more complex configurations. We’re seeing longer presses with coaters in the front, or two coaters in the back, for example.”

The longer press configurations, in particular, are going to continue to drive demand for automation in everything from the process controls to the color management. More moving parts in a single system — often from multiple manufacturers — will require more partnerships and tight integrations to allow operators to have as close to a “push button” type of system where they can press start and walk away, returning to a fully printed and finished application at the end of the day as possible. That level of total automation isn’t quite here yet, but finding ways to remove touchpoints and headaches is a major goal for the hardware OEMs right now.

“The fact that color quality can be guaranteed using in line spectrophotometry and applied to a full push to stop approach [is very exciting],” said Andy Rae, senior vice president, Equipment & Marketing; and Clarence Penge, vice president, Sheetfed, Heidelberg Americas. “In effect we now have a press operating as a fully integrated and optimized manufacturing line, like you see in car plants. Or put another way, think Amazon efficiency.”

Rae and Penge noted that in the next 12-18 months, the see even tighter integration of the full business process with presetting, equipment feedback and data analysis to hone the entire print shop process.

Staying Relevant in a Digital World

Digital press manufacturers are constantly innovating and improving their systems, improving quality and decreasing the cost-per-print. But the fact is, digital will never be able to match offset when it comes to the total cost of the job on longer runs.

“It’s totally relevant and will continue to be as offset manufacturing continues to integrate and offers the lowest manufacturing cost,” said Rae and Penge. “Digital can’t compete on static runs over a few hundred sheets. The cost per sheet based on toner/click is too high, so there has to be a break even cross over point. Heidelberg are neutral as we sell both technologies. The important thing to remember is that when investing, look at the return based on the latest technologies from both sides. Also consider what will be your market need (run length) for that machine and can you fill it.”

Even markets that were either moving toward digital technologies — or moving away from print entirely — are starting to realize the power that offset printing can bring to a campaign. “The continued rise in the book production market is something to watch in the coming months,” said Trevett. “Although there have been negative reports about publications either closing or moving to digital platforms, this segment — and the consumers that are driving its trends — see the value in print. After years of trying to reduce print cost, things are now changing course and the trend is towards higher quality papers and binding type. The traditional magazine has also been under pressure, but some high-profile retailers are increasing their ‘magcat’ print runs significantly. It’s interesting to think that five years ago, many said that the printed publication was dead, but now we expect a solid recovery for this application.”

“Offset is going to stay relevant by being able to address short runs,” noted Frank. “There’s a crossover point where those costs will become lower. And it will remain relevant by people producing products with added value, such as specialty coatings and colors [that digital still can’t offer.] It will stay relevant by being financially more viable, able to produce a product that is more interesting. Speed, absolutely is a factor as well. The cost per print on longer runs and the wider variety of substrates” are both factors that will contribute to offset remaining a compelling technology for the vast majority of every day jobs.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of offset’s death are greatly exaggerated. It might not be the technology everyone wants to talk about, but it is still the driving force behind the vast majority of printed materials distributed and mailed around the world. It brings a value proposition that no other print process can match, and with no signs of that changing in the near future. Hybrid technologies allow printers to access the best of both worlds, with lower cost-per-print on the static portions of a page and inkjet heads in line to create variable elements, but the fact remains: offset isn’t going to disappear any time soon.