EFI Connect 2016: Focus on workflow, inkjet and futuristic opportunities

EFI’s users’ group conference Connect 2016 concluded its tenth edition on 22 January 2015 at Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas. Stretched over four days, the conference saw 10% increase in customer attendees as compared to 2015.

22 Jan 2016 | By Rushikesh Aravkar

During his opening keynote for the conference, EFI CEO Guy Gecht stressed the need for customers to "bet on changes in the market forces to accelerate." Successful printing businesses, he added, need to move with the window of opportunity. "You must be willing to take a risk. Doing nothing is a guarantee that you will be unsuccessful.
 
 
EFI announced three additions to its Productivity Suite range. Targeted at the quick printing, publication print and corrugated packaging segments, the three new Suites have doubled EFI’s Productivity Suite offerings. Click here to read more.
 
Stressing on the consulting services offered by EFI, Gaby Matsliach, general manager and senior vice president, EFI Productivity Software, said, “Given our extensive experience and exposure in the field, we took upon ourselves to build a stronger capability around consulting services as a business enabler. The idea is to help customers figure out the best approach to get about and bring about best practices, the things that are working elsewhere.”
 
EFI CFO, Marc Olin presented 2015 update on Fiery. Over last one year, the company launched new Fiery platforms – FS200 Pro and Fiery XF 6.2 and Fiery Command WorkStation 5.7. The newest version Fiery JobFlow digital print workflow automation software will be available this quarter, said Olin.
 
EFI’s USD 140mn investment in Italian textile ink and kit manufacturer Reggiani Macchine and Israeli wide-format manufacturer Matan clearly reflected across different sessions of Connect 2016.
 
Michele Riva, sales and marketing director for EFI Reggiani, provided insight into the significant opportunity in printing for fabric graphic display and industrial textile applications. “Of the 50bn metres textile printing market, only 5% is digital. EFI-Reggiani’s extensive range and the latest water-based platform Next is all set to leverage this opportunity,” said Riva, adding, "digital will open up new applications for textiles like floorings (carpets), wallpaper, car seats, outdoor etc."
 
In one of the presentations, Ken Hanulec, vice president – marketing, highlighted the areas covered by EFI in the USD 32 billion industrial inkjet space – display graphics,  ceramic tiles, labels and textile; corrugated, flexible packaging, folding cartons, decorative laminates and others remain untouched by EFI.
 
Hanulec said, “The idea is to leverage the strengths of the acquired companies. Reggiani is well known in the textile segment, Matan has highly extensible platform of over 12 options.”
 
During his keynote, Gecht unveiled the Imaging of Things exchange (www.ImagingofThings.com), an online customer applications gallery designed to help EFI customers and print buyers grow their network and business relationships.
 
The online exchange is free for EFI customers and provides a venue for them to post images and videos of their work in a forum targeted to print buyers looking for new, unique and innovative application ideas.
 
Commemorating the tenth edition of Connect at Wynn, therResort industry and Las Vegas business legend Steve Wynn, chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts gave a special keynote presentation. "What we've learned here is that only people make people happy,” said Wynn. With his unique story-telling technique, Wynn stressed upon building lifelong relationships with customers, making them loyal fans.
 
On display at the Connect were Matan Quantum, EFI’s Vutek GS3LX Pro, EFI H1625 LED, Xerox 1000i, Imagepress C10000 VP, Esko and Zund cutting tables and Duplo finishing systems.