FuturePrint Podcast

FuturePrint
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Technology
  • Updated Semiweekly

FuturePrint is dedicated to and passionate about the power of print technology to enable new opportunities and create new value. This pod features deep-dive discussions with the people behind the tech as well as market analysis, trends, marketing and storytelling!

  1. 14h ago

    #354 - Seiko’s 25-Year Leap Into Inkjet, With Ali Eranpurwala, Head of Sales, Seiko

    Send us Fan Mail Seiko is known for precision, but the surprise is where that precision ends up: inside industrial inkjet printheads that can survive dust, heat and heavy-particle inks. We sit down with returning guest Ali Eranpurwala to map Seiko’s 25-year journey into printing, starting with a story from Olympic timekeeping where handwritten results created avoidable errors and a simple question changed the trajectory: why not print the data directly? From the early days of the 510BN printhead in 2001 through the 508GS series, Ali explains the engineering choices that matter in production, including isolated channel technology to reduce crosstalk and open the door to faster, more stable printing. We then get into the moment ceramics became the proving ground. With the RC1536 and recirculation, Seiko targets the realities of ceramic tile printing: higher print gaps, higher throughput, viscosity fluctuations, and the need to run at genuine industrial speeds. The payoff is not only performance, but simpler machines too, thanks to a wider 108 mm print width that can reduce head count, electronics and ink systems. We also talk ink collaboration and lifetime testing, plus what Seiko plans to demonstrate at Tecna (booth number D1401): waveform work aimed at jetting higher viscosity inks around 45 cP on standard technology, and progress on water-based “glue” printing that supports lower emissions and more sustainable ceramics production. We close with a look ahead to the next 25 years, including a 600 dpi push and where Seiko sees opportunities across corrugated packaging, textiles, décor and embellishments. Subscribe for more, share this with a colleague in industrial printing, and leave us a review. What application do you think will drive the next big leap in inkjet? Listen on: Apple Podcast Google Podcast Spotify What is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events.  We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events: FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain FuturePrint Industrial Print Show, 11-12 May '27, Munich, Germany

  2. 2d ago

    #353 - Printing Against the Grain: How Vislo and HP Are Bringing Digital Production to Metal Packaging

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when an innovator refuses to accept that digital printing with HP Indigo technology on metal packaging is impossible? In this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Marcus Timson speaks with Augusto França of Vislo and Amir Raziel of HP about the development of InnoCan: an indirect digital-printing process designed to bring the quality, flexibility and responsiveness of HP Indigo technology to three-piece metal packaging. Augusto traces his journey from growing up around Brazil’s printing industry to confronting the limitations of conventional can decoration. Working with canmaker Brasilata, he recognised that lengthy offset set-ups, ageing machinery, large production batches and costly inventories created a compelling need for digital production. The conversation explains how InnoCan prints onto a transparent film using HP Indigo ElectroInk before transferring the image to metal. A specialist coating developed with ACTEGA creates the required bond, producing a durable, high-quality result that can pass through established can-forming processes. Amir discusses why the project attracted HP’s attention and why customer-led innovation is so powerful. Because the concept emerged from a genuine production environment, it addressed the complete application—including forming, slitting, coating, economics and market requirements—rather than focusing only on whether an image could be printed. The guests also examine how digital production can reduce waste, inventory and working capital while allowing conventional offset equipment to focus on longer runs. Most revealingly, they explain why the greatest barrier was not the technology but the willingness of people and factories to change. It is a story of curiosity, persistence and complementary expertise, and a compelling example of how collaboration can unlock entirely new industrial applications for digital print. Listen on: Apple Podcast Google Podcast Spotify What is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events.  We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events: FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain FuturePrint Industrial Print Show, 11-12 May '27, Munich, Germany

  3. 5d ago

    Episode #352: Second Nature - Jorge Ania, Studio DC

    Send us Fan Mail Elena Knight spoke to Jorge Ania of Studio DC, a surface designer who has spent his career teaching industrial printers to imitate stone, marble and wood. He told us why he disliked digital printing at first, how it went on to transform ceramic tiles, why in his opinion wood décor has lagged behind - and why, in his view, the machine is only ever half the story.  Listen on: Apple Podcast Google Podcast Spotify What is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events.  We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events: FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain FuturePrint Industrial Print Show, 11-12 May '27, Munich, Germany

  4. Sep 9

    #351 - How Near Infrared Photons Transform Industrial Drying, With Kai Bär, Managing Director, adphos

    Send us Fan Mail Hot air drying has powered print and coating lines for decades, but it comes with a familiar trade-off: you heat the whole substrate, spend energy you do not really need to spend, and still fight limitations on speed and material choice. We sit down with Dr Kai Bär, Managing Director, President, and Owner of adphos, to get practical about an alternative: high-power photonic drying using near infrared energy that targets the liquid layer and absorbs where it matters most. Kai explains the core difference in working principle between conventional thermal drying and photonic processes, including the often-misunderstood point that “photonic” does not mean zero heat, it means better control of where heat is created and how it moves. We talk about why that matters for digital inkjet printing, coatings, labels, and especially packaging, where water-based inks on plastics and flexible packaging can be constrained by temperature sensitivity, solvent concerns, and cases where UV curing is a no-go for food or skin-contact applications. We also zoom out to the wider industrial picture: coil coating, paper manufacturing with high liquid removal, thermal forming, and emerging projects in printed electronics, solar cells, ultra-fast particle processing, and even lithium battery manufacturing. Finally, we tackle the cost question head-on, focusing on process cost, automation, reproducibility, and ROI rather than judging the technology by equipment price alone. If you find this useful, subscribe, share it with a colleague working on production upgrades, and leave a review with the one drying bottleneck you most want to solve. Listen on: Apple Podcast Google Podcast Spotify What is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events.  We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events: FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain FuturePrint Industrial Print Show, 11-12 May '27, Munich, Germany

  5. Sep 8

    #350 When Direct-to-Shape Meets AI, Automation & Personalization with Florian Fässler, Polytype

    Send us Fan Mail Printing on curved packaging sounds simple until you try doing it at industrial speed without missing nozzles, wasting materials, or slowing production to a crawl. We sit down with Florian Fässler, Head of R&D for Digital Technologies at Polytype, to unpack how direct-to-shape digital printing has evolved from a promising alternative into a robust manufacturing process that can handle real-world airflow, turbulence, and uptime demands. We get into the technical leaps that matter most, including greater throw distance, modern inkjet printheads, and waveform optimisation that improves drop speed while reducing satellites. From there, we explore why manufacturers and brands are increasingly choosing digital direct-to-shape for short runs, rapid changeovers, and simpler logistics, especially in B2C and web-to-print models where lead times can be hours, not weeks. Florian also explains how printing directly on the container cuts label carrier waste and supports recycling goals while keeping inventory lean. The conversation moves from decoration to capability: variable data printing enables unique QR codes and barcodes within the run, opening doors to connected packaging, traceability, and smarter customer engagement. We also look ahead at AI and automation, from AI-generated artwork to operator support tools, predictive maintenance, nozzle sensing, and even what happens when procurement becomes agent-to-agent ordering. If you care about industrial inkjet, sustainable packaging, mass customisation, and the future of manufacturing networks, this is a practical, grounded listen. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Listen on: Apple Podcast Google Podcast Spotify What is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events.  We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events: FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain FuturePrint Industrial Print Show, 11-12 May '27, Munich, Germany

  6. Sep 2

    #349 - Ink at the Centre: James MacDonald on Why Partnerships Will Define the Future of Industrial Inkjet

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Marcus Timson speaks with James MacDonald, Vice President of Nazdar’s OEM Inks business, about why collaboration is becoming essential to the future of industrial inkjet. James explains how ink has traditionally been introduced relatively late in machine development—after decisions about printheads, curing systems and equipment architecture have already been made. As industrial applications become more complex, however, OEMs increasingly recognise that ink must be considered from the outset as a fundamental part of the complete system. The discussion explores how Nazdar works as a strategic development partner rather than simply a consumables supplier. This requires a detailed understanding of the substrate, application, production environment, printhead, curing process and required end-use performance. James also explains how early collaboration can shorten development cycles, reduce technical risk and improve the prospects of successful commercialisation. Marcus and James examine the balance between customisation and scalability, including how specialist formulations can become significant commercial opportunities as an OEM’s installed machine base grows. They also discuss structured development processes, forecasting, manufacturing capacity, regulatory change and the importance of clear communication throughout a project. Above all, James argues that the next phase of industrial inkjet will depend upon closer cooperation across the technology ecosystem. Ink developers, printhead manufacturers, system integrators, raw-material suppliers, equipment builders and end users must align their technical and commercial objectives from concept to production. The message is clear: ink is no longer the final component added to a machine. It is central to the architecture—and ultimate success—of the complete industrial printing system. Listen on: Apple Podcast Google Podcast Spotify What is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events.  We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events: FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain FuturePrint Industrial Print Show, 11-12 May '27, Munich, Germany

  7. Sep 1 ·  Video

    FuturePrint PodFEST: Episode 1 - IPIA: Building Brands Beyond Short-Term Marketing

    Send us Fan Mail Two seconds of scrolling versus 108 seconds of real attention is not a small difference, it’s a completely different kind of marketing. Recording live from FuturePrint PodFest in London’s West End, we dig into why physical media still cuts through when digital channels feel saturated, fast, and increasingly fragile. Hosted by Mark Stephenson of IPIA, with Dr Chris Jones from the Ministry of Marketing Effectiveness and freelance marketer Elena Knight, we challenge the tired “print versus digital” argument and replace it with something more useful: print plus digital as a multiplier for brand growth. We get practical and evidence-led, from dwell time and household engagement to the uncomfortable truth that marketers often measure what is easiest, not what matters. That’s where the McNamara fallacy comes in: obsessing over clicks and last-touch attribution while missing brand salience, consideration, and long-term trust. We also explore the behavioural science behind print, including signalling, reciprocity, and how tactile media can encode memory in ways that fleeting screen impressions often cannot. From packaging to product passports, QR codes, and the convergence of physical print with digital experiences, we look at how modern print is becoming more measurable without losing what makes it powerful. We also talk about AI, platform volatility, and why education needs to catch up by teaching print effectiveness as a strategic part of the marketing mix, not just a design execution. If you care about brand building, marketing effectiveness, and smarter omnichannel strategy, this conversation will sharpen how you plan and how you justify budget. Subscribe, share the episode with a marketer who lives in dashboards, and leave us a review with your biggest question about using print in the marketing mix. Listen on: Apple Podcast Google Podcast Spotify What is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events.  We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events: FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain FuturePrint Industrial Print Show, 11-12 May '27, Munich, Germany

  8. Aug 24

    #348 - From Argo-108 to the Argo-Verse, With Kyle Kropman & Frank De Jonge, Buskro

    Send us Fan Mail "We do not impose; we propose." Buskro built a strong European presence in direct mail and transactional printing, then went quiet as that market contracted. It never stopped engineering. Now, fifty years into the business, the Canadian family firm is returning to Europe with a different proposition. Frazer is joined by Frank de Jonge, Sales and Marketing Director for Buskro Europe, and Kyle Kropman, third generation of the family behind the company, to talk about Argo-108 and the wider Argo-Verse: a modular architecture built on common mechanical, electrical and software interfaces, designed so customers configure a system around the job rather than reshaping the job around the machine. The conversation covers why Buskro develops its own software, controllers and printhead drivers rather than buying a print engine and putting a frame around it; how monochrome, two-colour and CMYK configurations scale across print width and orientation; the collaboration with adphos to bring drying into the architecture as a module rather than an afterthought; RFID and traceability; and where the platform fits commercially against multi-million-euro fixed presses. There's also a candid section on evidence. Argo-108 has no installed customers yet, and both guests say so plainly. What exists is fifty years of engineering, a prior carton printing and labelling project that returned roughly $300,000 in annual savings on a six-month ROI, and strong reactions from recent shows in Germany and Mexico. Buskro will run the only live machine demonstration at the FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit in Valencia on 29–30 September, printing labels, corrugated board, pre-erected folding cartons and selected porous substrates. Listen on: Apple Podcast Google Podcast Spotify What is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events.  We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events: FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain FuturePrint Industrial Print Show, 11-12 May '27, Munich, Germany

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About

FuturePrint is dedicated to and passionate about the power of print technology to enable new opportunities and create new value. This pod features deep-dive discussions with the people behind the tech as well as market analysis, trends, marketing and storytelling!

Information

  • Creator
    FuturePrint
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    369
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 FuturePrint Podcast
  • Show Website
    FuturePrint Podcast