Canon thINK Ahead 2023 Conference

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The annual thINK Ahead conference brought together hundreds of professionals in the inkjet printing industry to discuss the latest technologies, strategies, and innovations in the market. This year's event, held in July 2023, featured insightful presentations and discussions around key trends shaping the industry.

In addition to my report detailing my review of the show for service subscribers, some of the major themes and takeaways from thINK Ahead 2023 I feel stand out include:

• Canon Solutions America confirmed strong growth in 2022, dominating the high-volume inkjet market and dramatically increasing sheet-fed inkjet market share.
  • Overall, Canon inkjet presses printed a staggering 86 billion pages last year.
• Sustainability was a focus, debunking misconceptions about the environmental impact of paper and printing. Responsible forestry practices, efficiency improvements, and increased use of lightweight and recycled papers were all discussed.
• Attracting and retaining young talent is crucial for the industry's future. A panel of young professionals emphasized career development, work culture, flexibility, and mentorship as key to job satisfaction and longevity.
• Print providers need to embrace digital marketing trends like augmented reality, social media engagement, and artificial intelligence to reinforce print’s value in omnichannel campaigns.
• Direct mail is evolving with more creative, experiential mailers versus classic letters.
• US Postmaster General Louis DeJoy aims to reform the USPS through $160 billion in savings and new revenue streams, while optimizing operations and repositioning the USPS as the low-cost provider for last-hundred-mile delivery.

Keypoint Intelligence Opinion

The enthusiastic community and willingness to share ideas were evident at thINK Ahead 2023. By embracing new technologies and strategies, inkjet providers can continue leading print's evolution. Canon Solutions America delivered its stated intent to support its inkjet customers and the industry.

I was excited to see the enthusiasm and creativity of the direct mailers, service bureaus, and commercial printers along with thought-provoking ideas on innovative ways to incorporate print into modern direct marketing. I like the direction Canon Solutions America is taking with the soon-to-be-launched PRISMA software products they demonstrated for high-volume cut-sheet inkjet presses driven by PRISMAsync as well as for roll-fed inkjet presses with SRA controllers.

But the most impressive outcome was how this group of competitors was willing to brainstorm ideas and share insights. thINK Board President and President of Access Direct Systems Lori Messina summed it up in her opening remarks. She’s Italian and every Italian family makes their sauce using the same ingredients and often the same or similar recipes. However, every sauce turns out unique based on personal experience, skills, etc. Thus the “secret sauce” isn’t about the ingredients or the process—it’s about the people who make it. What a terrific perspective.

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