Graph Expo Preview — Digital, Anyone?

Chicago should provide a little something for everyone, and a few surprises. Freelance journalist Stephen Beals notes that direct imaging (DI) presses, while largely written off by industry pundits, will generate interest at the show among printers looking to replace aging offset hardware.

“The pronouncements of the death of digital offset are premature. The numbers just work in an era of shorter press runs,” Beals says. “The automation of the Ryobi/Presstek presses make them very efficient and profitable. Digital—toner and ink-jet—will certainly continue to capture a lot of that market segment, but I think you’ll see unusually high interest in DI at this Graph Expo.”