Manufacturers of colour digital presses are currently in their element. There's a seemingly unquenchable demand from customers for machines that can produce short runs economically, while at the same time offering greater levels of personalisation.

However, the definite shining light of the digital realm at the moment is inkjet. While Ipex may have been hyperbolically described as a number of things, it was undoubtedly the print show that saw B2 inkjet devices come of age. So advanced is the technology, both in terms of speed and quality, that a number of B2 litho printers are weighing up investing in inkjet kit (one of the added bonuses of the technology being that it can link with existing post-press equipment).

Both Screen and Fujifilm Graphic Systems - among others - showed inkjet B2 presses at the show and garnered a lot of attention.

A no-brainer
Litho printers have been drawn towards the technology due to a number of factors. For example, makereadies are minimal, there's no need for wash-ups after printing within limited downtime between jobs and run lengths from as low as a handful of copies can be printed economically, yet still offer litho-like quality. Throw into the mix the ability to introduce personalisation, variable data and a web-to-print front end and going down the digital route becomes even more of a no-brainer.

Ipex 2010 certainly looked like the stage on which the technology at least matched if not surpassed litho. At this year's show, 38% of space was taken by digital technologies (this figure includes pre-media) whereas litho manufacturers only accounted for 26% against a figure of 64% in 2006. Even Heidelberg appears to have chucked its hat into the ring with its recent announcement that it was looking for digital print partners. But, as with any major investment, before you take the plunge, it's important that you do your homework on which financial plan will best suit your business - click charges may not always be the best model.

If you're looking at potential ROI, focus not just on cost per print, but on the amount of time the press is productive and what additional revenue streams can be brought in. Research your potential supplier of choice and make sure any press you buy has a solid front-end. Also, ensure you have in mind your actual average run lengths and speed of jobs as these will be the deciding factors when it comes to cost.

WHAT'S NEW IN DIGITAL COLOUR PRESSES
? In January, Ricoh launched a new high-volume colour digital press, the Pro C900 C-80, featuring colour server technology from Creo. The system allows simultaneous RIPping and printing. Following on from this model, in February, it introduced the Pro C720 and Pro C720S colour printers, which are targeted at corporate printrooms
? At Ipex, Konica Minolta launched its Bizhub Press range, the C8000 high-speed colour digital press. The machine can output up to 80 colour prints a minute and has a top resolution of up to 1,200dpi using the manufacturer’s new Simitri HD toner. According to Konica Minolta, this toner can deliver ultra-fine-quality prints
? Arguably, the star of Fujifilm’s Ipex stand at the NEC was its B2 inkjet press – the Jet Press 720. The Jet
Press 720 uses Fujifilm Dimatix Samba printheads, has the handling and registration of a standard B2 offset press and is able to deliver 1,200dpi resolutions at production speeds of around 2,700 B2 sheets
per hour