By Erwin Busselot, Director Business Innovation & Solutions, Ricoh Graphic Communications, Ricoh Europe
Is investing in finishing capabilities among your top priorities for the next 12 months?
If it is, you are not alone.
WhatTheyThink’s 2025 Printing Outlook found that finishing was the top planned investment, with 23% of respondents having bindery equipment on their “to buy” list. Next at 22% was no planned investment followed by workflow automation software at 16%.
WhatTheyThink said this was due to companies spending the past decade broadening their digital and inkjet equipment capabilities and they have since seen the need to add inline or nearline finishing.
One of the biggest investments you might have is in supporting webfed production, but how do you make the right choice and ensure it enhances your print platform investment?
To support end to end production confidence, Ricoh is a long term partner with many leading finishing solutions manufacturers like Contiweb, Horizon, Hunkeler, Meccanotecnica and Tecnau. Many of their solutions were showcased at drupa 2024 or at the Hunkeler Innovation Days 2025.
All demonstrated comprehensive, scalable, and highly automated solutions that can work offline, nearline, and inline to meet almost every operational need.
Real life examples include the custom designed roll to cut sheet stack production line for Sattler Media’s RICOH Pro™ VC80000 high speed inkjet press in Germany. A Contiweb Autosplicer (aka zero speed splicer) enables continuous production during paper reel changeover while an inline Hunkeler Cut & Stack line gathers print into stacks that are removed on the fly for maximised uptime. Plus an additional Tecnau Cut & Stack solution including a Zero Speed Splicer system for automatic reel changes for continuous production.
To help find the best approach for every client, Ricoh cooperates with partners directly to identify innovative solutions. Examples include devising with Tecnau Revolution 50 AutoSetup solution tested and proven with the RICOH Pro™ VC80000 high speed inkjet press to seamlessly changing printing and stacking impositions on the fly with no operator intervention.
Among many partners, Ricoh’s research and development projects with suppliers include Horizon, Hunkeler, Mueller Apparatebau, Muller Martini, and Tecnau, to ensure new printer developments are aligned with the finishing capabilities to answer client needs.
We are also early adopters of technology such as the new communication protocol Print Line and Finishing Interface (PLF-I) that streamlines system setup, aiding uninterrupted production and minimising operator touchpoints.
As a result, we can support the changing demands of today’s finishing environment and support clients with their high volume, fast turnaround short run, time sensitive projects, where speed, consistency, and accuracy are paramount.
In addition to partnering with partner finishing solutions providers, vendor agnostic solutions like RICOH ProcessDirector™ provide a scalable automation workflow that help print jobs transition smoothly between production processes in all environments. And adds connectivity and seamless integration when working with finishing and bindery systems.
Easy integration with various print devices and systems ensures a seamless flow of data across the print production environment. This saves time and increases efficiency.
So, if you are among the operations planning to focus on improving finishing, explore with Ricoh ways to support end to end production confidence and deliver exceptional results, every time.
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