The new Share To Benefit is impressive

The new STB format with 16 members is nice. This ensures maximum participation by each member with HLD (Highs, Lows and Discoveries).

 

The thing I liked most was how the focus was on day-to-day issues that in some way or the other is relevant to print. This for me accrues greater learning than an expert speak on not so relevant topics.

 

 

Share To Benefit's chairman Faheem Agboatwala's presentation was nifty.

 

During a chat with the petrolhead, gizmo loving print CEO, the Hunkeler Innovation day came up.

 

Agboatwala said that the visit to the Hunkeler show in Lucerne was both happy and disturbing. 

 

Happy, because this is the kind of niche and focused exhibitions our industry requires. Several exhibitors and stall were buzzing with visitors who sought innovation.

 

Disturbing because till yesterday digital was all about toner. Then, said Agboatwala, came electro-ink which promised to be the solution to all problems. After which, Benny Landa came and confused us further. Now we have every single manufacturer (at the exhibition) displaying inkjet as a saviour technology. This leaves me confused and as a first-time entrant to digital. It makes me want to wait and watch and see this space develop.

 

When I asked him about first mover advantage, Agboatwala retorted, "Sure first mover advantage is a reality but in these times I would be a bit more careful in taking a decision to invest." 

 

The discussion that followed Agboatwala's presentation was about how the shopfloor can enable efficiency improvement plus de-bottleneck the production space.

 

Then there was the classic debate: Many customers or a select few?

 

Recently, I attended a printer-publisher roundtable during PrintPack. One trend that emerged was: Indian publishers reducing the number of print vendors in order to minimise variation and standardise the output.

 

But it was a first time that the top book print firms stated that they were comfortable to work with fewer customers if the publisher provides a commitment for the presses. A major book print firm in Noida said, they worked with three publishers in the current season; whereas for the last season they worked with 22 publishers.

 

Till the next Share to Benefit, happy printing!