EcoPrint's headline partner, HP, has announced initial details of its activities for the forthcoming EcoPrint Show which is due to be held on the 26th and 27th September 2012 in Berlin.
EcoPrint will see HP reiterate its focus on sustainability and, in particular, the commercial benefits achievable for print service providers (PSPs) that deploy technology designed to reduce the impact on the environment. This will be demonstrated via live printing applications on the HP Designjet L26500 Printer, which features water-based HP Latex Inks that produce odourless prints as well as through educational presentations and discussions.
HP will hold two informative presentations as part of the event’s Ecoshowcase activity:
- More sustainable choices for retail store decoration, 26th September, 13.00hrs; Roman Barba, HP Latex applications specialist : Digital sign & display printing technologies – such as HP Latex – and new substrates are providing opportunities to make more sustainable choices for decorating retail stores and creating retail signage. This session will review just some of the latest solutions in a way that increases customer impact, whilst reducing environmental impact.
- The environmental benefits of digital printing of labels & packaging, 27th September, 13.00hrs; Christian Menegon, business development manager, HP Indigo : Innovation in digital printing is for the first time allowing brand owners to reduce inventory, waste and the carbon footprint in their label and packaging supply chains. This session will look at real examples of how brand owners have already been able to achieve this, whilst enhancing their ability to make rapid design changes.
In addition to its educational presentations, Stephen Goddard, environmental leadership programme manager for HP’s Graphics Solutions Business, will host a panel discussion looking at recent sustainability developments in the USA. Often an early indicator to what can influence methods and practices in Europe, this discussion will consider where the market is headed in terms of environmental issues.
Part of this session will look at the work of the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership, a not for profit organisation backed by major US printing associations, HP and others. SGP is starting to win the support of well-known brands, some of which are already requesting that PSPs that undertake work for them have attained the certification. According to Goddard, leading certifications around the world that are applicable to printing businesses – like the one from SGP in North America – can not only drive PSPs to take a structured approach to sustainability improvement in their print shop, but can also provide them with a ‘badge of honour’ that they can use to help demonstrate their sustainability credentials to their customers.
“As suppliers, most PSPs would readily acknowledge that more and more customers – especially international brand owners – are asking them for more sustainable print solutions and, increasingly, driving them to implement more sustainable production methods,” he explained. “Those forward-thinking PSPs that have taken such necessary steps would also likely concur that printing with the environment in mind can be good for business; saving them - and even making them - money.
“Print business owners remain at the sharp end of the challenge to build a more sustainable future for the printing industry and consequently, they need to be at the heart of the discussion. EcoPrint provides us the ideal forum to present new ideas, look at best practice and help PSPs to make informed decisions regarding their own environmental choices,” he concluded.
For more information on EcoPrint, please visit www.ecoprintshow.com
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