EFI Connect 2016: Adding Fuel to the Fiery

Mark Olin, CFO, EFI

Marc Olin, CFO, and Gaby Matsliach, Senior Vice President and the General Manager of the EFI Productivity Software, took the stage at EFI Connect 2016 on January 20 in Las Vegas to deliver the annual State of the Products address for EFI.

Olin began by speaking about the “unique ecosystem” created by the combination of EFI Fiery front end and software. He noted that an increasing number of digital printers are supported by Fiery and suggested that buyers always ask if printers contained Fiery infrastructure if they want full visibility of productivity levels.

Olin also spoke about some recent digital inkjet printer offerings, including a next generation hybrid printer that allows both roll feeding and flatbed feeding.

“There is a dramatic increase in speed and productivity over prior generations,” said Olin.  “This, of course, uses our UV-LED cold curing process which uses up to 85 percent less energy than traditional curing [and can be used] in many types of applications.”

Olin also addressed the “really exciting” acquisition of Reggiani Macchine, a leading provider of fabric printing technology.

“It gives us the industry-leading textile print capability and an entry-level offering that puts [dealers] into the soft signage space,” he said.

At one point, Olin pointed to the multiple displays surrounding the conference and told the audience that everything, including a booth with curtains and furniture fabrics, were all printed with EFI technology.

Clearly however, this year, Fiery automation and integration software took center stage as Matsliach called it “a growing part of our DNA.”

At its core, EFI’s goal for the Fiery Productivity Suite is to process files faster, reproduce images more accurately, and increase the productivity of digital printers—all with fewer touch points while reducing/eliminating waste. The objective is to streamline the entire digital printing process, squeezing lost time and materials in the process (and therefore, improving your bottom line). The more disparate pieces of the printing process that can happen automatically and without human intervention, the better. The end result, as Matsliach put it, is that “when automation is done right, the return can be significant.”

In 2015, EFI showed its continued commitment to the suite and introduced new platforms FS200 Pro and Fiery XF 6.2 as well as a new Fiery Command Workstation CWS 5.7. On the hardware side, they’ve shown an investment in inkjet and added compatibility for the following inkjet printers:

• VUTEk GS3LX Pro
• VUTEk HS125 Pro
• VUTEk HSr Pro
• VUTEk GS5250LXr Pro
• EFI HS1625-SD
• EFI HS1625-RS
• Cretaprint C4

All of investment into the Fiery Productivity Suite is designed to make it easier and less scary for dealers to jump into the print production, wide format, or other channels to help grow their businesses—as well as improving processes for those already in those markets. The suite is designed with complete end-to-end optimized workflows designed for rapid evolution and ROI that address customer pain points. This is all complemented by EFI’s consulting services, as well.

Matsliach promises that Fiery is designed to “minimize the headache of trying to put all of the pieces together. We can see end-to-end workflows in action that can improve your bottom line and your business.”

In 2016, EFI is bringing its end-to-end workflow philosophy to a number of different channels by introducing new productivity suites designed around the following channels:

• Packaging Suite
• Enterprise Commercial Print Suite
• Midmarket Print Suite
• Corrugated Packaging Suite (sheet feeders, sheet plants, and full corrugated box plants)
• Publication Print Suite (estimating, planning, scheduling, tracking, and production)
• Quick Print Suite (for smaller print shops)

Technology and software is always improving, and today more than ever, there are great solutions for taking the pain out of jumping into various printing markets, with Fiery and EFI leading the way. The continued evolution of Fiery will only make it easier and easier to do so.

Todd Turner contributed to this report