FuturePrint Podcast

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In this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Marcus Timson speaks with Stefano Rogora, Marketing Manager EMEA at INX Europe, about the evolving role of ink in a rapidly changing print and packaging landscape.
Stefano outlines three major shifts reshaping the industry: the structural move towards packaging, the growing impact of regulation - particularly in Europe - and the increasing complexity of applications. Together, these forces are driving a transition from a product-led market to a solution-led one, where technical expertise and application knowledge are more important than ever.
The conversation explores why ink is far more complex than many assume, particularly in packaging applications where performance depends on substrate, process conditions, and even the contents of the pack itself. Stefano also introduces INX’s three-stage framework - upstream, operational, and downstream - to explain how the company approaches the full lifecycle of packaging, from raw materials through to recycling.
Key themes include the role of regulation as a driver of innovation, the shift towards monomaterials and paper-based packaging, and the convergence of flexo, gravure, and digital technologies. The discussion also highlights the importance of global scale combined with local expertise, and why people and application knowledge remain critical differentiators.
Looking ahead, Stefano makes it clear: sustainability is no longer just a trend - it is the central force shaping the future of packaging and print.
A practical, insightful discussion for anyone navigating the increasing complexity of modern print production.

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What is FuturePrint?
FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. 
We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:
FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain
FuturePrint Leaders Summit, 29 September '26, Valencia, Spain
FuturePrint Industrial Print, 14-15 April '27, Munich, Germany

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In this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Marcus Timson welcomes back Dario Urbinati, CEO of Gallus Group, for a timely and far-reaching conversation about the structural changes reshaping print, packaging and the wider industrial economy.
Two years ago on this podcast, Dario predicted that the market was not simply going through a temporary downturn, but entering a more fundamental reset. In this follow-up discussion, he explains why he still believes that this is happening now - and why the old pre-2019 model of global stability, easy growth and predictable supply chains is not coming back.
The conversation explores the long-term macro forces behind this reset, including demographic decline, labour shortages, geopolitical fragmentation, inflation, supply chain disruption and the end of the old globalised operating model. Dario explains why these are not cyclical challenges, but structural ones, and what that means for converters and label printers trying to plan for the future.
Marcus and Dario also discuss what the most successful print businesses are doing differently, why mindset matters as much as machinery, and how technology must now be viewed not only as a productivity tool, but as a resilience tool. Key themes include modularity, smart connected printing, workflow, total cost of ownership, operational flexibility and long-term investment security.
Dario also reflects on the thinking behind Gallus’s System to Compose strategy and why modular production environments may be increasingly important in a more volatile world.
A thoughtful, realistic and ultimately optimistic conversation about what print businesses need to do now to adapt, invest and grow.
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What is FuturePrint?
FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. 
We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:
FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain
FuturePrint Leaders Summit, 29 September '26, Valencia, Spain
FuturePrint Industrial Print, 14-15 April '27, Munich, Germany

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If you’ve ever admired a huge billboard or a flawless event backdrop and wondered what it costs the planet to make it, this conversation goes straight to the uncomfortable bit the print industry often skips.  Speaking to Nova Abbott from Kavalan, the PVC-free materials brand known for “Be Clean Print Green”, one point came through clearly. The real test is not whether sustainability is mentioned at the end of a project, but whether it has shaped the thinking behind it. 
We unpack the Kavalan Green Leaders Awards and why they exist in the first place: to celebrate real-world print projects that combine creativity with delivered environmental responsibility. Nova shares what changed in year two, why clearer criteria matter, and what the judges are truly looking for, not just visual wow, but intent, execution and impact. We also dig into the new Green Spark Award and why getting students and early career creatives thinking about sustainable design at the concept stage can reshape the whole market over time. 

The discussion widens to the reality of events and short-lifespan graphics through the Clean Slate rethinking events documentary, built around a simple question: how much waste are we generating, and are we being honest about it? We also tackle common misconceptions about PVC-free banner materials, including performance, durability, cost and suitability, and where adoption is accelerating across regions. If you work in wide format print, signage, display graphics, brand marketing or event production, you’ll leave with practical ways to think about sustainable materials, measurable impact and collaboration across the supply chain. 
Clean Slate | Rethinking Events
Kavalan Green Leaders Awards

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What is FuturePrint?
FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. 
We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:
FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain
FuturePrint Leaders Summit, 29 September '26, Valencia, Spain
FuturePrint Industrial Print, 14-15 April '27, Munich, Germany

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In this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Marcus Timson reconnects with Paul Jenkins, Founder of ThePackHub, for a deep dive into the evolving world of packaging innovation.
Drawing on insights from ThePackHub’s Innovation Zone - which tracks over 11,000 packaging innovations globally - Paul outlines how sustainability has become the dominant force shaping the industry. Today, around 90% of packaging innovation is driven by environmental objectives, with three key trends leading the way: paperisation, recycling and recycled content, and material reduction.
The conversation explores how regulation is increasingly dictating innovation, shifting the role of brands from creative experimentation to compliance-led development. While this has narrowed the scope for more speculative innovation, it has also accelerated meaningful progress in sustainable packaging.
Paul also shares perspectives on emerging areas such as connected packaging, the evolving role of QR codes, and the growing importance of digital printing for localisation, short-run production, and market testing.
The episode highlights the challenges facing new material technologies, including biomaterials and refill systems, which continue to struggle with scalability and cost despite strong interest.
Looking ahead, Paul discusses the potential impact of AI, digital product passports, and regulatory shifts, while emphasising the critical role startups play in driving bold, early-stage innovation.
A thoughtful and insightful discussion on where packaging innovation is today - and where it’s heading next.
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What is FuturePrint?
FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. 
We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:
FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain
FuturePrint Leaders Summit, 29 September '26, Valencia, Spain
FuturePrint Industrial Print, 14-15 April '27, Munich, Germany

Send us Fan Mail
In this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Marcus Timson speaks with Julien Bianchi, CEO of Polytype, to explore the remarkable evolution of a company whose roots stretch back more than a century.
Originally emerging from Switzerland’s precision engineering tradition and the newspaper press industry, Polytype has transformed itself into a global leader in direct-to-shape packaging decoration. Julien explains how the pivotal founding of Polytype in 1962 marked the moment the company shifted its focus toward packaging, applying high-speed printing expertise to aluminium tubes, plastic packaging and other complex three-dimensional surfaces.
The conversation explores why Polytype deliberately chose the technically challenging path of direct-to-shape printing, and how that decision has shaped the company’s engineering philosophy and competitive advantage over decades.
Marcus and Julien also discuss how Polytype balances its long-standing expertise in dry-offset analogue printing with the growing opportunities of digital inkjet. Rather than viewing the technologies as competitors, Polytype sees them as complementary tools within a broader decoration toolbox.
The episode also delves into Polytype’s digital ecosystem strategy, including the development of its proprietary CALMAR inkjet platform, its open approach to ink supply, and the company’s partnerships with research institutions such as the iPrint Institute in Fribourg.
Finally, Julien shares insights into Polytype’s global footprint, the importance of service and long-term customer relationships, and how the company is preparing for the future through investments in automation, sustainability, and digital manufacturing.
A fascinating discussion on innovation, leadership, adaptability, engineering culture, and the evolving future of packaging decoration.
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Apple Podcast
Google Podcast
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What is FuturePrint?
FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. 
We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:
FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, Spain
FuturePrint Leaders Summit, 29 September '26, Valencia, Spain
FuturePrint Industrial Print, 14-15 April '27, Munich, Germany