On April 5 and 6, Kemtek and HP invited existing and potential HP Indigo users to an exclusive Dscoop (Digital Solutions Cooperative) South Africa seminar, in Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively. HP experts in the digital printing field shared technical know-how and success stories and attendees learnt about creating innovative, one-of-a-kind packaging and printing solutions that add value, and ultimately increase profit. The event also encouraged HP users to join Dscoop, with the aim of creating a South African Dscoop community.
Dscoop brings together Print Service Providers and converters to share new skills and strategies. The organisation is open and free for all HP technology users, industry experts and solutions partners and offers members training, tools and networking opportunities.
Julian Marsh, Dscoop Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Chairman and business development manager, Harrier LLC, said, 'HP users are at the forefront of the printing industry, and together, we want to innovate print. At Dscoop, we discuss our challenges and how to improve our businesses by working together. Members actively share information for the betterment of all.'
Based on the success of the inaugural Dscoop South Africa, Kemtek and HP will host the event next year. Karen Stretch, Marketing Manager at Kemtek Imaging Systems, said, 'The event provided us with the opportunity to introduce our HP digital users to the Dscoop community and the benefits they can gain by sharing ideas, networking and learning from each other. New digital users would appreciate the knowledge shared by experienced users. And of course, experienced users who are not yet members will benefit from learning how to solve business challenges and adding value to their current product and service portfolio. HP users interested in joining Dscoop can contact Kemtek directly, or register free of charge on the Dscoop website.'
From June 7 to 9, the Dscoop EMEA Conference will take in Lyon, France. For more information, visit www.dscoopemea.org.
Adam Curtis, CEO of South African company Hirt & Carter/Uniprint, would like to start a South African Dscoop community. 'There is an opportunity for those from the South African printing industry to get together and make Dscoop our own by creating an environment and content that is relevant to us locally.'
Some printers may be reluctant to share ideas with competitors, but Curtis said that they can't operate in isolation: 'We need to grow our businesses but we can only do that if we understand the broader environment in which we operate. It's about sharing knowledge and insight on non-competitive issues we face and working out solutions to these challenges.'
Tamir Hativa, Product manager at HP, spoke about 'Market trends in the digital world'. He said it was important to understand the changing behaviour of consumers, or the 'new them' and how to excite them. 'The number one trend across all markets is that you have to be more relevant to stay relevant. You can do this by offering something personal and unique, like customised magazines, personalised packaging and books and more.'
He also touched on the Industry/Print 4.0 trend, or the 'next step in super efficient production workflow'. This includes smarter factories, achieved by using print production operating systems such as the HP PrintOS platform, which provides a set of web and mobile apps that help users get more out of their HP presses and printers as well as simplify and automate production.
Hativa then changed the focus from customers and print rooms to printers, or 'the new 'you''. 'Partner with your customers and join them on their long-term journey by finding out the problem they want to solve over time. Identify where clients can improve their product and go to them with ideas – showcase the exciting possibilities you can create for them,' he said.
Hadar Peled-Vaissman, Creative Manager, HP Indigo Division, reinforced having a different relationship with customers by stating that printers have to take on new roles as marketers. Both Peled-Vaissman and Dana Shalev, Marketing Manager, HP Indigo EMEA, showed examples of unique campaigns created on HP printers, including the Diet Coke campaign, where HP Indigo technology and SmartStream Mosaic software were used to create two million unique bottles. This attracted a younger audience to the brand and generated major brand awareness on social media.
