EFI Connect: The Fourth Industrial Revolution

For the 18th year, print professionals from around the globe gathered at The Wynn, Las Vegas, to attend EFI Connect, January 23-26. The conference, celebrating EFI’s 30th birthday, featured more than 200 educational sessions, a myriad of networking opportunities, plus keynotes, customer panels, and fireside chats, all tailored to signage and graphics, , in-plant production, and commercial print providers from 23 countries. 

The event kicked off with CEO Guy Gecht sharing EFI’s insight into digital print’s future and the era of the fourth industrial revolution:

“Adapt to change; it’s what successful companies are doing,” he said before giving the audience a virtual tour via augmented reality of the Nozomi, their massive single-pass machine.

Gecht said the enabling platforms to be successful in the fourth industrial revolution are inkjet printing and smart automation. And the new definition of print involves personalization with very frequent design changes. “Markets where the image is primary – apparel and – will be the first to benefit due to personalization,” he said. EFI’s goal in 2018 is to “go deep” in packaging, textiles, and sign and display. 

Top Takeaways: 

“Digital print can do it quicker, better, and more competitively.” –Mal McGowan, McGowans Print  

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 “One little typo can turn into one big problem.” –Sally Gilbert, Gilson Graphics 

“The industry today includes high customer expectations; change in product mix and complexity; diversifying; becoming a one-stop shop versus specializing in what you know best; consolidation; on demand; and personalization.” –Gaby Matsliach, EFI senior VP, general manager of productivity software

“Corrugated, textiles, and display graphics are the top emerging opportunities for inkjet printing.” –Ken Hanulec, EFI VP marketing, inkjet solutions