Product Reviews

Before the recession, the B2 market had grown by around 8%. While the economic downturn has obviously dented this upsurge, there are signs that it hasn't been as bad as some had thought, with B2 remaining popular. It's no surprise, then, that the digital and offset players have set their sights on the sector.

"There has been more activity in B2 than in B1," says Neil Handforth, sales and marketing director and Apex Digital Graphics, which distributes the Ryobi range of presses.

Among the new crop of machines exhibited at last Ipex was Ryobi's expansion of its B2 780 series with a five-colour 785E. The machine will come up against B2 digital machines from Dainippon Screen and Fuji.

However, it's still early days for digital in this sector, according to Handforth. "I don't see how a B2 digital machine that's slower, yet costs more money than what is already out there, is going to be an advantage. You are paying more money to produce less and, as everybody knows, cost is king," he adds.

As well as a raft of new presses to choose from, automation is all being stepped up. "Our focus is to address how to control the quality of printed products," says Heidelberg's Gernot Keller, marketing and product manager for B1 sheetfed.

He adds that, while most machines are equipped with highly automated makeready features, allowing plate changes in as little as two minutes, printers will soon be able to enjoy enhanced image controls.

"At Ipex, we launched the next generation of our Prinect Controls," he says. "Future software will not only be checking the entire image, but comparing the printed sheet with the original digital file."

Other manufacturers demonstrating on-press technologies include Manroland. "We will show how our range of solutions, including ColorPilot, QuickChange, QuickStart and InlineInspector, can all help to optimise a press's performance," says Adam Robotham, commercial sales manager at Manroland. "Press technology is now so advanced that printers will begin to rely less on incremental improvements in technology and more on what they can do with that technology to add value."

When purchasing, check the reliability and level of support around the press, advises Keller. Exhibitions provides a good opportunity for printers to do their homework and take a closer look at what the market has to offer.