FuturePrint Podcast

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In this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, we speak with Christophe Imbert from Lubrizol about how digital printing is evolving in response to changing market conditions, and the growing role of chemistry in enabling that shift.
Drawing on nearly two decades at Lubrizol, Christophe shares a perspective that connects materials science with real-world print performance.
A central theme throughout the conversation is how global uncertainty is reshaping investment decisions across the print industry. While large capital investments are often being delayed, Christophe highlights how digital printing is continuing to gain traction as a more flexible, efficient alternative. Its ability to support shorter runs, reduce waste, and minimise energy and water consumption makes it particularly well-suited to a market that increasingly values adaptability.
Sustainability is a key driver behind this shift. As Christophe explains, industries such as textiles are moving towards digital processes not only for flexibility, but also to significantly reduce resource consumption. The conversation explores how this is accelerating the adoption of water-based ink systems and more sustainable production methods, with digital printing positioned as a long-term solution rather than a short-term trend.
The discussion also touches on regional differences, particularly the pace of change in China. Christophe notes the speed at which innovation is adopted and scaled, as well as the strong alignment between industry and long-term strategic investment. This dynamic is not only driving rapid growth in digital print, but also increasing competition, as Chinese companies become more responsive to global market requirements.
From an application perspective, textiles remain a major area of growth, with a shift from dye sublimation towards water-based pigment inks across both small-scale and industrial systems. In packaging, the conversation reflects a more cautious market, with growing interest in smaller, more flexible print solutions alongside continued development in labels.
Throughout the episode, Christophe emphasises the importance of looking beyond the hardware. Ink performance, dispersions, and the interaction between materials are critical to achieving consistent, high-quality results across different substrates and applications. As sustainability requirements increase, this level of technical understanding becomes even more important — particularly in areas such as recyclability and de-inking.
Looking ahead, the message is clear: digital printing is not just an alternative production method, but an enabler of a more flexible, sustainable, and responsive industry. As market conditions continue to evolve, those able to align technology, materia
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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 speaks with Clay Oliff, President and CEO of Polytype America Corporation, to explore how the beverage can market is being reshaped by changing consumer behaviour, brand fragmentation, and the rise of digital direct-to-shape printing.
Once defined by high-volume, standardised production, the beverage can industry is now evolving rapidly. Consumers are demanding more variety, faster product cycles, and more personalised experiences, driving the growth of microbrands, ready-to-drink beverages, and niche segments such as canned wine and functional drinks.
Clay explains how traditional dry offset printing - built for scale and consistency - struggles to meet these new demands. In contrast, digital direct-to-shape printing enables rapid design changes, short runs, and even mass customisation, dramatically reducing time from concept to shelf.
The conversation also explores how packaging is becoming a dynamic marketing tool, with brands using cans for localised messaging, personalised campaigns, and variable data such as unique QR codes.
Sustainability is another key theme. Digital printing supports recyclability by eliminating labels and enabling direct decoration, while new ink technologies and processes continue to evolve in response to regulatory and environmental pressures.
While still in an emerging phase, digital can printing is gaining traction, particularly among agile brands experimenting with new formats and marketing strategies.
Looking ahead, Clay outlines how Polytype is investing in digital technology and positioning itself for a future where flexibility, speed, and innovation define success in the beverage packaging landscape.
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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, we speak with Marc Graindourze from Agfa about the evolving role of inkjet in packaging printing, and how the technology is beginning to find its place in one of the most demanding areas of the print industry.
Marc outlines the ongoing challenges that continue to define packaging print — from complex substrates and high production requirements to the constant pressure on cost. While these fundamentals haven’t changed, the conversation highlights where inkjet is now gaining real traction, also for fibre-based packaging such as corrugated and folding carton.
A key theme throughout the discussion is the relationship between packaging and the end consumer. Whether on a supermarket shelf or delivered through e-commerce, packaging plays a critical role in shaping perception and influencing buying decisions. As Marc explains, this is driving a shift towards more flexible, application-led print strategies — from globally consistent branding through to more localised, targeted production.
The conversation also explores how this shift is impacting production models. Alongside high-output, centralised systems, there is growing interest in more compact, lower-investment inkjet solutions that can operate closer to the point of production. These approaches enable faster turnaround times, greater flexibility, and new opportunities for regional branding and short-run applications.
From a technical perspective, Marc emphasises the importance of starting with the business case rather than the technology itself. The success of any inkjet solution depends on how well it aligns with the application — whether that’s single-use transit packaging, high-quality branding, or functional requirements such as track and trace. In this context, utilisation becomes critical to achieving a viable total cost of ownership.
The discussion focuses in particular on single-pass inkjet systems using water-based consumables, which are increasingly seen as a strong fit for packaging applications due to their productivity, compliance with food packaging requirements, and sustainability advantages. Marc also highlights the importance of consumables within the system — including primers, inks, and varnishes — and how their interaction ultimately defines print quality, consistency, and durability.
Looking more broadly, the conversation reinforces that there is no single solution for packaging print. Instead, the modular nature of inkjet allows systems to be tailored to specific applications, from lower-cost, localised corrugated printing through to high-end, full-colour production for sectors such as FMCG, pharma, and luxury goods.
Marc’s central message is clear: success in inkjet packaging depends on collaboration.
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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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You can feel how close we are to a world where your “digital agent” can take the meeting for you. The unsettling part is not the tech, it is the question it forces: what is left for humans when a bot can summarise, persuade, and perform?
Sitting face to face with Dave Erasmus, we dig into the piece that still resists automation: the messy, emergent creativity that happens when two people actually share time, pay attention, and build trust.

Dave’s story is a masterclass in interdisciplinary learning. He has ridden major technology waves, stepped away to live off-grid in the woods, built global community through online video, and now finds his purpose reshaped by his daughter Mila’s life on dialysis and her upcoming kidney removal. That personal reality grounds our conversation about AI, thought leadership, and what “good work” looks like when the future feels less predictable.

We unpack Dave’s three paradigms of knowledge: Britannica as gatekept knowledge, Wikipedia as crowdsourced knowledge, and a new AI-generated layer where machine-written pages like “Grocopedia” can end up cited as sources. From there we tackle trust, polarisation, and why we may all need a cognitive gym to protect our thinking. We also bring it back to the future of print technology, manufacturing innovation, and how “stumble-along” breakthroughs can jump fields when the right people share stories.

Subscribe, share this with someone building in tech or print, and leave a review if it sparks a new way of thinking about learning, trust, and the AI era.
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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
Single-pass inkjet is no longer just “printing faster”, it is changing how manufacturers mark, identify and customise products on the line. We sit down with Ruud Oderkerken and Sven Bongartz from Bergstein in the Netherlands to unpack what’s driving the shift to direct-to-object digital printing as production runs fragment, labour costs rise and sustainability targets tighten.

We get specific about where industrial inkjet delivers real value: replacing labels with durable printing onto parts, adding variable data like QR codes and barcodes for traceability, and keeping output stable even when jobs change constantly. Ruud explains how a modern single-pass platform combines surface treatment, primers, colour capability and optional vision systems to protect adhesion and print quality across different substrates, while staying modular so customers can add capabilities as their needs grow.

Software becomes the through-line of the conversation. We explore why Bergstein builds key tools in-house and what its Print Manager means for the factory floor, from connecting ERP to the printer to managing workflow, multi-printer control and remote servicing. We also talk ROI with a concrete business case and preview the Digi1, a compact tabletop-style system aimed at making the jump from pad printing to digital far easier, backed by an expanding partner network across Europe and the Americas.

If you want more on industrial inkjet, single-pass digital printing and direct-to-object manufacturing workflows, subscribe, share the show with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest question about going digital.
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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