What digital printing trends will impact the graphic arts sector in 2019?

Macarena Rodriguez - Regional Marketing Manager Commercial & Industrial Printing Business Group at Ricoh Latin America

Business printing needs have diversified dramatically in recent years. Organizations are demanding ways to improve quality and efficiency while reducing costs. As such, digital printing is growing because it can offer advantages in handling variable data for corporate and education businesses, among others. This transition from offset to digital is being felt more strongly in commercial printing due to the continuous development of technological improvements in digital presses.

In this context, we can say that digital printing is not a new phenomenon, but it is becoming an increasingly important trend as professionals in the graphic arts sector and other professionals, such as marketing or design, look for new ways to capture the attention of their audience.

The shift towards differentiation and added value is fundamentally changing the print industry, driving the need for shorter runs of higher-quality products containing unique and individual designs. Today, graphic designers are also under more pressure to find ways to be more creative and produce impactful designs to support marketing strategies.

Against this backdrop, Ricoh Latin America unveils the top 5 trends in the digital printing industry for 2019:

1) Metallic effects: The use of a fifth color creates shiny results, which are particularly popular during the festive season. Using gold or silver colored papers produces a more subtle effect and gives the impression of a more premium product. Metallic substrates are perfect for adding authenticity to trust signs, awards, and logos. For an even more vibrant effect, it is recommended to use a coat of white as a first layer before applying the color.

2) Neon / fluorescent colors: Nowadays, most advertising includes bright, bold colors. When viewing printed marketing material, comments such as "it's not as bright as on the screen" are likely to be made. To match the screen colors to the print, it is recommended to add fluorescent colors or mix neon Fifth Station toner with CMYK toner. Some would say the brighter the better, and this is a trend that will undoubtedly be on the rise in 2019.

3) White: As we enter another year, look out for the demand for dark but impactful prints. Typography in design is expected to remain a key trend and adding white in print offers a variety of possibilities in dark and transparent media. White also acts as an underlay that can help colors underneath stand out or stand out against a colored background.

4) Support of increasingly thicker weights: The substrate is the base that serves as the support for the print job, so being able to print on thicker papers broadens the possibilities for commercial printers, giving added value to their customers who want to do different and special jobs. Today new low-cost solutions are entering the market and making textured printing more affordable.
Customers are increasingly demanding printed products that speak to and connect with their audiences - what better way to do this than with different types of substrates and papers? And when combined with fluorescent colors, the possibilities are endless.

5) Larger formats: The size of print formats that graphic designers require has always been a challenge for print service providers. But these will increasingly become much larger on digital cut-sheet presses to cover a fuller range of applications.

What is Ricoh Latin America's current value proposition?

The Ricoh Pro C7200x Graphic Arts Edition with a fifth color station allows for the addition of pink and neon yellow toner, as well as white, transparent gloss, and the new "invisible red" adding value to the printed piece with stunning visual impact.

The new Ricoh Pro C9200 and C9210 Graphic Arts Edition series offer an affordable and predictable way for businesses to maximize revenue due to their robust production capabilities, along with their up to 470 gsm media support capabilities that allow for expansion into new markets thanks to their wider print formats that have the ability to produce book covers, six-page booklets, and other unique applications.

Ricoh's production printing portfolio offers end-to-end solutions for different market segments. It ranges from copy center solutions to commercial printers with book production capabilities, to wide format and garment printing projects.