Digital Domain

Dscoop5 Packs 'Em In

CHICAGO—More than 1,800 HP Indigo owners and users gathered at Dscoop5, the 2010 Dscoop Annual Conference that ran February 18-20 at the Gaylord Texan Hotel & Convention Center in Dallas. Both attendees and exhibiting HP partners increased significantly from last year's event. The Solutions Showcase exhibition included 90 participating vendors.

"Dscoop5 was absolutely phenomenal and blew away all of our expectations," says Larry Vaughn, Dscoop chairman and president of Ideal Printers. "The strong showing from our members and support from our partners shows that everyone is connecting with the whole idea of Dscoop—that as a cooperative, we can all help each other to achieve more."

Conference attendees chose from 110 educational sessions and five hands-on workshops that addressed important business and operational issues that face HP Indigo and Scitex owners and their staff teams.

One of the many highlights of Dscoop5 came from the opening keynote presentation by Ken Schmidt, marketing visionary and former communications director for Harley-Davidson. He emphasized that when you compete the same way as your competition, you actually become less competitive. He also told the audience that "you don't want to appeal to someone's sense of logic; you don't want to compete in the brain." The key is to make an emotional connection and make the customer feel special.

Other highlights included presentations from Christopher Morgan, senior VP, Graphics Solutions Business, HP Imaging and Printing Group; Stuart Varney, business and financial journalist for FOX News; Alon Bar-Shany, VP and general manager, HP Indigo Digital Press Business; and Jan Riecher, VP and general manager, HP Americas Graphics Solutions Business.

"Dscoop continues to impart a great deal of value to our members, and seeing our tremendous success year after year shows me that we truly are addressing a critical customer need," says Francis McMahon, director of marketing, HP Americas Graphics Solutions Business, and Dscoop board member. "I couldn't be more thrilled to see Dscoop grow and offer more to our members."

At the conference, HP also announced new solutions to drive productivity and profit opportunity. These included a new HP SmartStream Production Analyzer; HP ElectroInk White, which HP claims is the first white ink for sheetfed digital presses; HP SmartStream Labels and Packaging Print Server; and HP Indigo Print Care diagnostic and print quality tools.

"The annual Dscoop conference is our most valuable forum to meet with graphic arts customers, learn from them, and highlight the ways HP can help them succeed," said Bar-Shany, in anticipation of the event. "The solutions HP is bringing to Dscoop5 exemplify the types of innovations and process improvements that spur continual growth in digital printing."

KPG Corp., SEI Laser 
Converting Form Partnership

WILLISTON, Vt.—KPG Corp. announced its newly-formed partnership with SEI Laser Converting, an Italian manufacturer of lasers for diecutting labels.

SEI Laser Converting provides a number of options for laser cutting, combining cutting and marking, and laser-marking engraving. Use of SEI technology allows the elimination of dies, added versatility, and the option to operate both offline and inline. With the rapid growth of digital presses in the label industry, this technology offers a solution for diecutting short-run labels with no tooling costs. In addition, working from a digital file results in significantly reduced set-up time and start-up waste.

John Warwick, president of KPG says, "KPG is very excited about its partnership with SEI Laser Converting and introducing its technology to U.S. and Canadian printing markets. With its high-end laser equipment, we anticipate an enthusiastic response from printers looking ahead to expanding their production capabilities and strengthening their competitive edge within the marketplace." pP