Heidelberg hosted a seminar for print buyers on the 6 October 2006 in Bangalore. The print buyers seminar was the first of several that Heidelberg hosted a seminar for print buyers on the 6 October 2006 in Bangalore. The print buyers seminar was the first of several that Heidelberg plans to organise in other cities across India. The seminar was intended for print buyers, advertising agencies and individuals who buy print.

The seminar was initiated by Ajit Kumar,Heidelberg India's sales manager. K Radhakrishnan, general manager press and finishing of Heidelberg India added some remarks on the current challenges and opportunities of the Indian print industry. He focused on the need for print buyers to connect their business success with specific and new facets and applications that the modern offset printer can now provide using new technology and materials. Print buyers also need to plan outfuture market requirements while strengthening and consolidating their business on the basis of the current market upturn. For printers, he suggested that printers making investments in capital equipment should be able rely on products and solutions that are dependable and cost efficient.

Radhakrishnan stressed that the future focus of print communication cannot continue to be based on a single platform for all kinds of production — there have to be imaginative production concepts. He added that the offerings and technology leadership of Heidelberg enables it to create the conditions for printers to be successful in a competitive market. This also enables Heidelberg's customers, the printers to show their skills to best effect and they can develop consumer-focused products —in consultation with their customers, the print buyers. However, “customer segment orientation” is not sufficient in itself. Providing advice and guidance is important but listening is even more crucial. That's why Heidelberg's initiative of “expert advice” through these seminars for its customers and print buyers will deliver specialist presentations and know-how by experts ready to listen to their questions and answer them as well.

The last speaker at the seminar was Guenther Keppler, general manager business development, Heidelberg. Keppler threw light on the strengths and limitations of print media production and emphasized the objectivity of print quality and special effects application. His presentation highlighted the attractiveness of print media, the promise and results of high-end printing, prediction and reality, special application trends and their impact and refinement. Speaking about some of the latest developments in printing, he displayed a range of surface finishing procedures for extra-high gloss, special effects and unusual printing stock.

Keppler showed complete UV curing solutions in which the hardware and UV equipment can be perfectly tuned in terms of quality, productivity and reliability. He suggested that UV printing is a perfect answer in the move towards greater surface finishing and value addition in terms of gloss, feel, protective qualities and scuff resistance in comparison compared to traditional products. These may also includes metallic effects, pearly lustre effects, matt-gloss effects, spot or full-area coatings and printing on plastic films and metallized paper.

Keppler also highlighted many factors that cause deviations in the quality of print products including dependence on temperature, moisture, paper grade, inks and, last but not least, the press itself. Colour management was discussed as a separate issue. He said that end-to-end integration of all production resources is the key to the new paradigm in consistency over the entire run length of the printing process and this approach is set to play a vital role in future investment considerations of print buyers.

Guenther Keppler explained that reliable production and greater efficiency in the printing process — with the resultant reduction in costs — are the basic requirements frequently desired by customers. The flexibility of being able to create quality coated products or conventional print products inline sets completely new benchmarks of both quality and cost effectiveness. This also provides printers with new applications and surface finishing techniques, opening up new markets that allow them to stand out from the competition. Seminars are an ongoing investment that Heidelberg is making to improve information management in the service chain. Heidelberg's efforts are aimed at providing more efficient service delivery for their customers resulting in less downtime and higher productivity for their own customers — the print buyers.

A seminar on “Printing in competitive environment” will be held on 27 October 2006, in Cochin, Eranakulam, Kerela. This will be the second seminar in line with Heidelberg India's plan of conducting a series of seminars in various cities across India.