FuturePrint TV - The Importance of Sustainability in the Digital Print Industry (IPI 2022)

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Written By Karis Copp

In this episode of FuturePrint TV, Fraser Chesterman speaks with leaders across the Print Industry at IPI 2022, to find out their response to the hot topic of sustainability in the industry.

What is inkjet’s role?

Angus Condie, Xaar, noted that sustainability is the key issue for the inkjet world this year, and  increasingly more end users are coming to Xaar to ask for help on their sustainability journey.

Thomas Lehnen, Siegwerk, agrees that the environmental impact is at the forefront of minds, explaining: “Sustainability is extremely important and inkjet is part of the solution. Inkjet allows for sleek production, low stock levels, no overproduction, no set up levels of the machines etc, so it can be one part of the solution, which we take very seriously.

Jeremy Spencer, Global Graphics Software, has already seen sustainable schemes and innovations put in place: “We’ve put several systems in place from electric vehicles, to supporting sustainability products worldwide, to offering technologies that can reduce waste, power and other materials with smart technology.

Marc Graindourze, Agfa, recognises that the solution lies with more than just the actions of each company: “The shift is going away from sustainability company by company. The new focus is more on the product you bring to the market, how is that sustainable on the chain that is used, up to end of life? For packaging, like corrugated, 87% of Europe's printed corrugated packaging is recycled, not downcycled. It’s the most recycled material in all of print. So if you develop an ink for that, it’s an important sustainable element.”

Richard Darling, Ricoh, is looking at the bigger picture when it comes to sustainability, explaining: “So many industries have been used to source at lowest cost from anywhere in the world, which makes for a high carbon footprint. When there's a long supply chain, to cover risk there’s always an inventory which ties up cash, and if you’re buying large quantities over long supply chains from remote sources, particularly with things like fashion, you buy predicting what consumers might want in the end, so more local is necessary. Everybody’s aware that they need to be more responsive to their markets.”

To watch the full interviews, click here.

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Karis Copp
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