Printers attending EFI Connect in Las Vegas have begun to descend on the desert city, with the mega-event due to kick off Tuesday in the US, writes Paul Brescia from the event.
With less than 24 hours until it begins, New Zealand Printer give the run down on what to expect from the software and hardware giant’s annual user conference.. Taking place at The Wynn, Las Vegas, the conference will be primarily located in the Lafite Ballroom, a 3,374sqm space, but also spread throughout the hotel, including the Latour Ballroom, and the Wynn’s multiple meeting spaces.
In terms of attendance, 900 printers have already registered for the event, including Australians such as Peter Wagener of All Flags, and representatives from the local Kwik Kopy offices. All Flags uses EFI software, and hardware, including the Vutek 5r LED roll-to-roll printer, and FabriVU soft-signage printers.
Andy Yarrow, director, Asia Pacific, EFI says, “There is a big push in the Australian and New Zealand markets by EFI in terms of software, which will be a focus at Connect.
“It will see the debut of the latest iteration of Fiery DFE on the newest digital printers being launched by our event partners, Xerox, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, and Riso among others.
“The newer Fiery hardware was previewed at drupa, but will be seen in full for the first time here.
“For hardware, attendees will see the latest roll-to-roll printers, the Vutek 3r and 5r.”
Toby Weiss, who heads up the Fiery portion of the business, will speak on what the latest Fiery digital front end can produce, including its increasing of throughput by ten times, driving speeds beyond 2,400ppm.
With the packaging printing market set to boom while some traditional applications of print wind down, EFI’s single-pass technology for corrugated board, the digital Nozomi C18000 printer is set to generate a lot of interest.
Spanish packaging company Hinojosa was the first to install it worldwide, and its chief executive Eric Bacourt will lead a fireside chat on how the press has improved its business. Yarrow says the first Australian installation of the Nozomi will take place in the middle of February.
EFI says, “Bacourt will share how his company – which was a leader in digital corrugated production even prior to adding a Nozomi press – achieved even greater digital opportunities and defied expectations by establishing a 24-hours-a-day, five-days-a-week high-volume manufacturing operation with its newest single-pass production technology.”
Guy Gecht, chief exwecutive at EFI, will deliver a keynote speech, closely monitored by those attending, as printers seek an advantage in finding out the digital giant’s intentions for the year to come, and the areas of print in which opportunity can be found.
