Tim Carter: Ensuring Print Stays Relevant

Can you introduce yourself and your experience within the print industry?

My name is Tim Carter and I run the Commercial print Business at Ricoh in the UK. I have spent my entire career in the Print Industry, focussed mainly around Digital, dating back to the early 90's with the establishment of the first high end Digital Presses.

What are some of the new projects and initiatives Ricoh is working on at the moment to help its customers?

Ricoh is committed to the ongoing transition from Offset to Digital printing. This commitment was demonstrated at Drupa, where we showcased two new, best-in-class solutions.

The ProZ75, the world’s first true water based B2 Inkjet solution offering unprecedented levels of productivity and quality, and the new VC80000 which is the smallest footprint high speed continuous press extending applications beyond data driven and books into general graphic arts.

Both solutions leverage Ricoh's decades of experience in the development of ink and heads which are fundamental to the speeds, quality and uptime achievable.

Since the pandemic there has been a lot of focus on businesses utilising their workforces and exploring new innovations, what new opportunities do you think are still out there for print businesses?

The printing industry has faced significant workforce challenges in the wake of the pandemic, with a notable loss of skilled and experienced workers. As a result, there is a growing need for more automated and user-friendly technology.

In response, Ricoh has significantly increased automation and AI capabilities across all Inkjet and toner systems, supported and underpinned by complimentary workflows and reporting capabilities. This allows Print Service Providers to maintain high-volume production and optimum quality levels with a lower skilled workforce.

Recently you commented on Rioch’s approach to productivity, feedback, and efficiency, can you expand on why you felt this was relevant in 2024?

Feedback from our clients in the UK, Europe, and around the world consistently highlights a growing demand for enhanced productivity and uptime. ROI is a crucial factor in any investment decision.

To meet these demands, Ricoh will continue to advance automation through AI and invest in support infrastructure. This approach ensures our transition from reactive maintenance to a more proactive model, where potential issues are anticipated and addressed before they arise.

Ricoh often puts its beliefs and company ethos at the heart of everything it does, as evident at drupa, how do you think this is helping innovation within the company and how can customers be inspired by this?

Ricoh's culture of innovation was brought to life at Drupa under the theme of Henkaku, a Japanese term meaning the spirit of co-innovation. This concept perfectly reflects our collaborative approach and partnership with our customers. While innovation is at the core of our future strategy, it is the joint innovation achieved in partnership with our customers that generates the best possible outcomes.

What do you think are the biggest challenges currently facing print service providers and how can they tackle these challenges?

The biggest challenge our industry faces is the continued competition from other digital channels. To stay relevant and maintain print as a vital part of the marketing mix, we must continue to innovate and re-purpose our offerings.

Print Service Providers must focus on the end-user value, ensuring it is reflected in their margins. Additionally, incorporating innovative finishing can have a very positive impact

Anything else to add?

Finally, Drupa has absolutely validated that there is an exciting future within our sector. Although conventional volumes will continue to drop, Inkjet has emerged as a viable alternative technology, supporting the growing trend of print-on-demand, providing the exact quantities needed and when needed at the viable cost.