LARGE-FORMAT SHEETFEDS -- Size Matters

While increased automation, productivity and flexibility are all touted as reasons to consider a large-format press (and many manufacturers are planning to develop even larger formats), Sakurai's Grego predicts that changing buying habits may impact large-format machine sales.

"Large-format press sales are projected to decrease over the next five years. Shorter runs are becoming more and more popular. This type of work can be printed more economically on half-size equipment," he claims.