the future of offset??

[kristianeyman]

hello all! i wanted to get some perspective on the topic of offset vs digital printing moving into 2011. i have read that at graphic expo this was the first year that ALL digital printers were up front and the offset guys were in the back!? so my question is where do you think offset fits in with digital, or where right now does or should digital compete with traditional offset? i know that for printing jobs of 10K+ or 1000's of magazines with 100+ pages a 8 up press can and probably should be the choice. what is you idea of how or where digital should be moving into the traditional realm, and in how can it become more efficent in the near future.

[Craig]

My opinion is that the two will compliment each other for quite some time. I don't see an "all digital" world, unless it would be inkjet taking over offset, not likely.... at least not that I see. Instead of looking at it a competing, look at it as complimenting. You build the strengths of one from the weaknesses of the other.

[rath307]

Well as I see it Offset will be around for quite awhile yet. The speeds of the
new Offset presses the need for spot colors the paper size and weight that
can run Offset will keep it out in front of Digital. Digital printing is still best bet
for short run and variable data jobs. Each Printing process has it place Flexo,
Gravure, Letterpress, Offset and Digital

[kristianeyman]

My opinion is that the two will compliment each other for quite some time. I don't see an "all digital" world, unless it would be inkjet taking over offset, not likely.... at least not that I see. Instead of looking at it a competing, look at it as complimenting. You build the strengths of one from the weaknesses of the other.

very well said craig! i think my question is should offset be passing the torch on certain jobs and looking for others? i.e. flyers, business cards and such? with the pricing of used newer digital presses becoming very affordable vs used offset presses, should digital printer be looking to pick up the slack (and what) of offset printers?

[nhprinter]

very well said craig! i think my question is should offset be passing the torch on certain jobs and looking for others? i.e. flyers, business cards and such? with the pricing of used newer digital presses becoming very affordable vs used offset presses, should digital printer be looking to pick up the slack (and what) of offset printers?

IMHO... that's already been determined in the industry. There isn't enough work out there to "pass the torch" on anything.

Most offset printing companies that I know of also have digital capabilities so they're able to keep those jobs in-house and determine the right fit for the job. (digital/offset) Those that don't, will in the near future. The all digital shops will just have to continue to go after the shortrun work just as they always have.

Dave

[benny123]

from a technology point of view inkjet is the future imo. toner based digital will be around for a little longer but inkjet is where the future is.

[ondemandbindery]

from a technology point of view inkjet is the future imo. toner based digital will be around for a little longer but inkjet is where the future is.

I would have to agree. Even the digital box sales people agree. I get to see a lot of different work in my business. I still say Letterpress printing is the most embracing of Printing. Nothing touches offset for quality and everything else follows suit. The way I see it the problem is not that any of these processes will ever get the torch passed from offset. It is just the volume of the printing that has been steadiliy killing offset. If we lived in a world where the internet did not exist as it does today and digital and injet capability was at the technology point it is today then Printing of any form would be a growing industry. A different time and there is no stopping it now. Imagine in 10 years what an Igen will be worth when Inkjet is running over top of it?

[UberTech]

You will probably always have the mom and pop copy centre that will depend on toner technologies but the future is almost certainly inkjet like fujifilms Jet press. Just the complete strip down of moving components makes inkjet the for gone conclusion.

The only thing holding the tech back at the moment is the cost of getting in and maybe ink cost but these will all come down. I give (production) toner based printing 6-9 years.

[gordo]

The only thing holding the tech back at the moment is the cost of getting in and maybe ink cost but these will all come down.

The cost of getting in will probably go down. But the cost of ink? I very much doubt that.

best, gordon p

[UberTech]

The cost of getting in will probably go down. But the cost of ink? I very much doubt that.

best, gordon p

Well I guess I'm thinking of people who are going to make clone inks. It would take a bit of investment and not much return to clone toner, inks (inkjet) don't seem to be as difficult judging by all the pseudo inks you can get for inkjets at the moment.