Newsletter Archive: Transactional Printers, Service Bureaus, and In-plant Printers June 2024

Canon Showcases Forward Thinking at drupa 2024

The opportunity to explore Canon’s latest advancements in production inkjet and beyond was definitely a highlight at this spring’s drupa 2024. In its impressive booth, Canon demonstrated “The Power to Move” theme by highlighting emerging technology and its long-standing commitment to working with customers to meet current and future needs.

To showcase its sustained investment in solution-oriented RD, Canon introduced both enhancements to its existing portfolio as well as new products and technology in development—all focused on helping print service providers (PSPs) pursue gains in productivity, versatility, operational efficiency, application range, and new markets. A wide spectrum of Canon commercial and industrial print technologies was on display, allowing drupa visitors to be among the first to see a variety of new products, including:

• The ColorStream 8200 web-fed inkjet press, available now
• The varioPRINT iX1700 sheetfed inkjet press, slated for 2025 availability
• The ProStream 2000 compact web-fed inkjet engine, slated for 2025 availability
• The LabelStream LS2000 water-based digital label press, slated for 2025 availability
• The Arizona 2300 FLXflow flatbed wide format printer with PRISMAelevate XL
• The imagePROGRAF PRO Series for photo and fine art printing
• The imagePROGRAF GP Series for outstanding poster production

Prior to drupa, Canon also announced exciting new models for the Canon ProStream and ColorStream series of high-speed, web-fed inkjet presses. Visitors to the booth were able to learn more details.

The Canon ProStream Presses Forward

The launch of the Canon ProStream 3160, the new flagship model of the ProStream 3000 series, generated considerable buzz for its market-changing ability to enhance quality and productivity.

Showing Canon’s commitment to the evolution of the ProStream 3000 series platform, the ultra-fast, roll-fed, 4/4 inkjet press can deliver up to 525 feet per minute (160 meters per minute). It also offers an extended color gamut and exceptional 1200 dpi print quality on a flexible range of papers, from 28 gsm to 300 gsm. In addition, with its optimized, new pigment ink set, the ProStream 3160 boasts a 100 percent productivity increase when printing on 12 pt media and up to a 66 percent productivity increase on 9 pt media compared to previous ProStream models. For existing ProStream 3133 customers who want to take advantage of the new ink set and productivity increase, Canon is providing an investment insurance option to upgrade to a ProStream 3160.

In addition, the new, smaller footprint ProStream 2000—designed for businesses that find themselves in a converging market—was displayed and demonstrated in the Canon booth. Customers were able to watch production of roll-to-cut applications featuring a new ink set, which offers exceptional 1200 dpi print quality with an extended color gamut at a speed of 436 ft per minute (133 meters per minute). The ProStream 2000 will be available for customer installations in the United States in 2025.

The Canon ColorStream Continues Legacy of Innovation

Canon announced two new additions to its industry-leading ColorStream series—a web-fed inkjet platform that has proven to be an attractive investment for high-volume print production environments since 2011, with more than 1,800 towers installed worldwide. Building on the success of the ColorStream 8000 series, the ColorStream 8200 and the ColorStream 8110 both work to help meet evolving customer needs while delivering proven print quality, reliability, and application flexibility.

The new flagship ColorStream 8200 offers a maximum speed of up to 656 feet per minute, making it one of the most productive models in the series and an attractive option for PSPs needing to easily handle production peaks while producing a mix of output, including transactional statements, publications, books, direct mail, and product inserts. It features native 1200 dpi printheads and highly pigmented, water-based polymer inks designed for a wide color gamut on uncoated, recycled, inkjet-coated matte, and inkjet-treated paper without pre-treatment.

Canon Accelerates Move into New Markets

As a clear indication of its expansion into strategic areas poised for growth, Canon showcased a new digital press and technology in development specifically for the label and packaging markets. Live demonstrations at drupa included Canon’s first water-based inkjet label press, the LabelStream 2000, which prints CMYK and white inks that comply with food safety standards on self-adhesive substrates.

In addition, a 3D model, print samples, and technology animations of Canon’s concept for a single-pass, industrial-scale, digital corrugated printing system targeting packaging converters were featured. And thanks to its 2022 acquisition of Edale, Canon has started to establish a presence in the folding carton market. A compact configuration of the Edale FL5 folding carton production also was on display at the Canon drupa booth.

Finally, in a exciting statement of purpose regarding Canon’s future in the B2 product arena, the booth featured an interactive display showcasing the new Canon varioPRESS iV7 inkjet press. Dubbed the “ultimate B2 sheetfed factory,“ technology highlights include:

• Media support up to 450 gsm
• 1200 dpi piezo printheads
• Polymer pigment inks and ColorGrip
• Up to 350 B2 4/4 sheets per hour
• Up to 4.5 million B2 images per month

The Industry Experiences Canon Innovation

According to Francis McMahon, executive vice president at Canon Solutions America, attendees who visited the booth were presented with an immersive experience that provided “compelling examples of print’s power to move audiences and clear evidence of Canon’s ability to drive growth, evolution, and positive progress—for our customers and the printing industry as a whole.”

“As a complete imaging company,” Francis continued, “Canon is a strong and healthy partner for every stakeholder, with a clear commitment to maintaining long-term, flourishing relationships with our customers and to supporting commercial and industrial print as strategic growth drivers.”