What's the buzz from Ipex 2010?

A dozen veterans share their Ipex experiences with Alok Singh and Samir Lukka - and in the process they answer classical technological puzzles which confront us when we visit an international show

Shailesh Sharma, Inndus, Mumbai

For you Ipex was?
It was a great learning experience, especially in the arena of digital printing.

What did you like most about Ipex?
Organised display.

What did you like the least about Ipex?
Actually, nothing to complain.

What was your dream technology at Ipex?
B2 size sheetfed digital press, which was epitomised by the Fuji JetPress 720.

What was your favourite product?
I closely examined the Xerox iGen4. We already have an iGen3, as you know.

The best stall?
Xerox.

One thing which made your trip worth it?
Nothing in particular. For me, the whole of Ipex was worth it.

Any investments, post Ipex?
Under consideration, might be prospectively, yes.

You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek IpexDaily?
Used it to gather some vital information which helped me in discussing various issues in-depth.

Which was your favourite post show party?
A good hot vegetarian dinner hosted by Xerox at Asha, which serves the best Indian food in Birmingham.

One phrase that defined Ipex for you?
Seedhi baat, no bakwaas.

Pankaj Gupta, Galaxy Offset, Lucknow

For you Ipex was?
For tapping knowledge about printing industry.

What did you like most about Ipex?
Good place, transportation and the weather. We were truly blessed with sunny English weather.

What was your dream technology at Ipex?
Nothing in particular. Just curious about new and emerging technology.

What was your favourite product?
Kodak CTP systems.

The best stall?
Heidelberg.

One thing which made your trip worth it?
Getting a competitive price because of which I could buy a new Kodak CTP system.

Any investments, post Ipex?
No plans, as of now. But as mentioned above, a Kodak CTP system is in the pipeline.

You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek Ipex Daily?
I did have a look. Nothing in it for me.

What were your gastronomic preferences during the show?
Sandwiches and bananas.

Was your beer at the right temperature?
No.

One phrase that defined Ipex for you?
It was a good exhibition.

Souvik Bhattacharjee, Swapna Printing, Kolkata

For you Ipex was?
For me, Ipex was a peek into the future of the graphics art industry.

What did you like most about Ipex?
The feature which appealed to me was getting to see the latest innovations in pre-press, press, and post-press under a single roof.

What did you like the least about Ipex?
I disliked the fact that machines in the packaging sector were not highlighted as compared to the other sectors.

What was your dream technology at Ipex?
It has to be the post-press equipment which was showcased by Muller Martini and Kolbus.

What was your favourite product?
My favorite product was the Akiyama eight-colour sheetfed offset machine.

The best stall?
Horizon and Muller Martini.

Any investments, post Ipex?
I am brimming with new ideas. Some investments will follow in the near future

You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek IpexDaily?
Ipex Daily was very informative, and useful.

What were your gastronomic preferences during the show?
We were left without any option. And so most us had to survive on sandwiches, crisps and cappuccino.

One phrase that defined Ipex for you?
Think … Print … Experience!

Tushar Shah, Rich Offset, Mumbai

For you Ipex was?
A platform to see new technology and to understand it and then subsequently make a purchase decision.

What did you like most about Ipex?
Small and beautiful. The main thing is, you can focus on your product and area of interest. At Drupa because of the size of the show one tends to get exhausted and mentally dehydrated.

What did you like least about Ipex?
Exhibitors not displaying machines at the expo.

The best stall?
Bobst.

One thing which made your trip worth it?
Bobst. This is because some of their finishing solutions are useful for the development in the Indian packaging segment.

A print celebrity who you spotted?
Jean Pascal Bobst, the CEO of Bobst Group, I managed to click a few pictures with him

Any investments, post Ipex?
Yes, looking at adding kit.

You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek IpexDaily?
It was informative and interesting to read.

What were your gastronomic preferences during the show?
Coffee and vegetable sandwiches.

Which was your favourite post show party?
I attended the Bobst party and it was very good.

One phrase that defined Ipex for you?
Midsize Drupa.

Rajesh Rana, KGS Printek, Mohali

For you Ipex was?
A huge platform for the whole world.

What did you like most about Ipex?
Opportunity to find something relevant for my business.

What was your dream technology at Ipex?
LED technology from Ryobi.

What was your favourite product?
The Heidelberg Speedmaster.

The best stall?
Heidelberg.

One thing which made your trip worth it?
The weather in Birmingham.

A print celebrity who you spotted?
Myself.

Any investments, post Ipex?
I am planning to invest in a Ryobi 925 with LED technology along with a Cardline Versa Atlantic Zeiser.

You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek IpexDaily?
It helped me gain inside knowledge about the big deals.

What were your gastronomic preferences during the show?
Nothing specific. But I missed the Indian food.

Was your beer at the right temperature?
Yes, Stella beer double refined.

One phrase that defined Ipex for you?
Excellent show.

Dharmvir Jain, Paras Offset, New Delhi

For you Ipex was?
Overall good.

What did you like most about Ipex?
My focus was post-press kit from Kolbus, Muller Martini specially for hardcase books. So, I got what I was looking for.

What did you like least about Ipex?
Size of Ipex was reduced; and with greater emphasis on digital. First three days were dull and thereafter I was not there.

What was your dream technology at Ipex?
We get to see dream technologies at Drupa only. 

What was your favourite product?
Heidelberg.

The best stall?
Heidelberg, undoubtedly.

One thing which made your trip worth it?
An insightful talk with Michael M Starford of Muller Martini.

Any investments, post Ipex?
Yes, in post-press. It is a critical area for us.

What were your gastronomic preferences during the show?
Liquid diet, juice, fruits and light snacks.

One phrase that defined Ipex for you?
It was an average show. There was nothing that motivated me to loosen my purse strings.

Kapil Kejriwal, Parksons games and Sports, Mumbai

For you Ipex was?
Very dull.

What did you like most about Ipex?
Digital printing stalls.

What did you like least about Ipex?
Lack of machines at the expo.

What was your dream technology at Ipex?

Digital printing with in-line finishing. Some of the applications were astounding.

What was your favourite product?
Sample makers.

The best stall?
Manroland.

One thing which made your trip worth it?
Conversations at the Manroland stall.

A print celebrity who you spotted?
Dr Markus Rall, member of the executive board, Manroland (sheetfed) and Ramesh Kejriwal of Parksons Packaging.

Any investments, post Ipex?
Yes, it is my intention to upgrade our existing press to UV.

You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek IpexDaily?
It was very comprehensive and a good read.

What were your gastronomic preferences during the show?

Coffee and sandwiches.

Which was your favourite post show party?
I did not attend any particular party – but the beer was always at the right temperature.

One phrase which you overheard that defined Ipex for you?
Very poor show.

M N Pandey, Avantika Printers, New Delhi

For you Ipex was?
It was great in terms of technology.

What did you like most about Ipex?

The finishing equipment.

What did you like most about Ipex?

CTP systems.

What was your dream technology at Ipex?

Digital printing with inkjet.

What was your favourite product?
Photo printing. Plus the different UV effects and value-added applications.

The best stall?

HP and Horizon stalls.

One thing which made your trip worth it?
Meeting old friends and vendors from India at Ipex was a pleasant experience. This is a homely feeling, when you are away from India.

Any investments, post Ipex?
Yes, will invest in digital printing to make photo albums. New technology increases your productivity, quality and creates better brand image in the industry.

You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek IpexDaily?
It was good to have detailed information about Ipex from a single source.

What were your gastronomic preferences during the show?
Blueberry muffins.

Which was your favourite post show party?

Canon India international day party at Ipex.

One phrase which you overheard that defined Ipex for you?

Low turnaround at this Ipex.

Fred Poonawala, Comart Lithographers, Mumbai

For you Ipex was?
It was great.

What did you like most about Ipex?

The emergence of digital inkjet printing for short-run colour.

What did you dislike?
English food.

What was your dream technology at Ipex?

The two-size digital inkjet machine.

What was your favourite product?
The HP inkjet web press.

The best stall?

HP booth.

One thing which made your trip worth it?

The customer site visits arranged by HP were fabulous.

A print celebrity who you spotted?

Benny Landa, founder of HP Indigo.

Any investments, post Ipex?
Yes.

You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek IpexDaily?

Yes, I read them on the train. They were well distributed and informative. Got few copies back with me to India.

What were your gastronomic preferences during the show?
Hot dogs!

Which was your favourite post show party?
The HP party. The beer was perfect.

One phrase which you overheard that defined Ipex for you?
Everything that came digital will go digital!

Jehangir Surti, Prodon Enterprises, Mumbai

 

For you Ipex was?
A memorable event.
 
What did you like most about Ipex?
The participation of digital and post-press companies, plus it is an English speaking trade show.
 
What did you like least about Ipex?
The food stalls. The food was bland.
 
What was your dream technology at Ipex?

Foil-stamping, embossing and UV. Many good UK manufacturers were present.
 
What was your favourite product?
HP Indigo 3550.
 
The best stall?
Xerox.
 
A print celebrity who you spotted?
Kamal Vyas of Proteck Machinery.
 
You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek IpexDaily?

I gathered a lot of information on the hall layout. Good content and very user friendly.
 
What were your gastronomic preferences during the show?
Sandwiches and bananas.
 
Which was your favourite post show party?
Did not attend any. I was on a holiday with my family.
 
One phrase that defined Ipex for you?
In Drupa you personally don’t get so much attention and hence this show is more interactive and The economics of a print job, especially short runs, is bringing digital technology to the forefront.

Rakesh Bhatnagar, rave India, New Delhi

For you Ipex was?
An eye opener in terms of technology. A fulfilling visit.

What did you like most about Ipex?
Digital technology which was showcased by HP, Xerox, Kodak and Canon.

What was your dream technology at Ipex? Heidelberg.

What was your favourite product?
The Heidelberg CX-102.

The best stall?
HP.

One thing which made your trip worth it?
A personal meeting with Bernard Schierer, the CEO of Heidelberg.

A print celebrity who you spotted?
Bernard Schierer.

Any investments, post Ipex?
At Ipex, we invested in two printing machines and a range of post-press kit. All our buys were from Heidelberg.

You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek IpexDaily?
Given the rapid expansion in India, perhaps the PrintWeek team could have had a special focus on the Indian printing industry.

What were your gastronomic preferences during the show?
After a while, I pined for Indian masalas.

Was your beer at the right temperature?
The chilled beer at the Kodak stall was perfect.

One phrase which you overheard that defined Ipex for you?
A must visit for potential investors.

Manoj Mehta, Utility PrintPack, Mumbai

For you Ipex was?
An opportunity to keep updated with the technology and knowledge in print.
 
What did you like most about Ipex?
Celebrating Xerox India day with Andrew Horne and Vipin Tuteja at Asha restaurant in Birmingham.
 
What did you like least about Ipex?

Companies which were simply occupying stall space and not displaying any machinery.
 
What was your dream technology at Ipex?
Knowledge tunnel at the Manroland stall where the sheetfed sector focussed on value added printing and the webfed sector concentrated on the highly-automated autoprint press series.
 
What was your favourite product?

Heidelberg CX 102.
 
Most disappointing?
No product display by Bobst.
 
The best stall?
Xerox.
 
One presentation which made your trip worth it?
The talk by Frank Romano on The future of print. He gifted me an autographed copy of his book which is a prized possession.
 
Any investments post-Ipex?
Yes. Wait and watch…. !!!
 
You grabbed a copy of the PrintWeek IpexDaily?
Oh yes!! Breaking news all over. It helped me for the next day and I could target what I wanted to see from the information printed in the IpexDaily.
 
Gastronomic preferences during the show?
Food… for thought with technology and innovation at Ipex.
 
Favourite post show party?
Bobst party where I had nice dinner with Nigel Tracey and Attila Kajari. The beer was served at a temperature which was beyond my expectations.
 
One phrase that defined Ipex for you?
It has become so easy and fast to get food from a Subway or a McDonald joint. Digital is galloping on a similar path.