These are my top 3 themes for Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023. What are yours?
This is not a new theme but it is one that Print Service Providers (PSPs) need to increasingly consider in every step and process. Consumer choices across the world have for a long time encouraged brands and retailers to mitigate the environmental impact of their activities. Changing public attitudes, with the involvement of many special interest groups and lobbyists, have also driven greater legislation focused on environmental protection and climate control. It has become a much higher priority for all of us as the effects of climate change and extreme weather conditions grow and taxation on waste increases.
Paper and packaging represent significant waste streams. We are all asked to separate paper from general waste, well as use paper recycling bins in offices and public spaces. This awareness has encouraged many to choose electronic alternatives. However, they create their own environmental impact. While well managed forests benefit livelihoods, ecosystem services and biodiversity, and help tackle climate change.
Dueto its commitment to sustainability and climate change action Ricoh has been recognised with a gold rating from EcoVadis, a place on the prestigious CDP2021 Supplier Engagement Rating Leaderboard, Gold Class rating by S&P Global and inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for two consecutive years.
- Security
Not a week goes by when there isn’t a story about a large scale cyber attack. Security remains one of the biggest digital challenges in the future as the technology to scam people becomes more and more sophisticated. The Ukraine-Russia war has also helped these types of attacks gain greater momentum.
As a result, we are all more conscious of the need to be safe. For commercial printers keeping their data and IT secure is a major concern. Ricoh has a number of solutions that help secure information from the start to finish of document or data creation while Ricoh’s Data Cleansing Services offer a comprehensive solution for removing data from printers’ hard disks.
Security Printing itself can be a major opportunity for printers. Secure printed communication (using all the possibilities of digital print such as special colours, special media, and increased personalisation) can be a powerful measure to counter scams that occur with email communication.
- Artificial Intelligence
Increasing plant productivity is in many ways the culmination of a lot of challenges. With staff shortages, scarce supplies, and more expensive supplies, how can businesses keep producing jobs in a timely fashion?
Once limited to imaginative science fiction AI is quickly becoming a part of our daily lives and a powerful business reality. Initially harnessed to improve the efficiency of business processes, AI has made a real breakthrough and will undoubtedly play an increasing role in PSPs transforming their operations to better adapt to today’s market demands for fast turnaround, short run, data driven, personalised jobs, in an economically viable way.
AI also has the potential to be a solution to another key industry challenge – the shortfall in personnel due to the ageing of the workforce. My colleague Sander Sondaal explains more about the everyday role AI can play here.
To explore these themes and more visit us at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023, Messe Luzern, February 27 to March 2. You can meet us at our Software Centre an you can also request some time with a Ricoh continuous feed specialist here.