With Book Printing on the Upswing, Manufacturers Face an Industry in Transition

Andy Fetherman

Digital print is extending the life of physical books. Print book numbers are actually growing, as more and more titles are being produced. Digital inkjet printing for books is on the rise as publishers search for just-in-time inventory. Automated finishing systems are increasingly coming into play as file to finished product workflows become a reality. All of this leads to true print-on-demand capabilities. It is becoming the expectation and printers need to adapt to changing demands.

Matt Baehr

Join this insightful panel discussion, “Book Industry Update: Digital Printing, Finishing Options and More,” on Wednesday, October 23rd at 11:00am in Room C145.

Moderator Matt Baehr, executive director of the Book Manufacturers’ Institute will be joined by industry experts Andy Fetherman, vice president of sales and technology, Muller Martini (Booth 10543); , Mark J. Levin, director, executive accounts, Graphics Solutions Business, Americas, HP (Booth 6407, 6416); and Rick Lindemann, president, Total Printing Systems.

“The report of the death of the book was an exaggeration,” says Baehr. “And I bet that would make Mark Twain quite happy. Although not quite back to all-time peak numbers, more titles than ever are being printed. The book industry is going through a massive shift and gone are the days of only running 25,000 offset copies of a book. Equipment is becoming more versatile allowing for even more companies to become book manufacturers.”

Mark Levin

Learn about the book manufacturing ecosystem including print, finishing, workflow, and support that will help drive the efficiency of digital print as an alternative to traditional methods of book manufacturing.