As the print industry continues its evolution in an increasingly digital-first world, finishing is emerging as a powerful differentiator for commercial printers. At the forefront of this transformation is Duplo USA, whose innovations in automation, modularity, and embellishment are helping print providers streamline production while adding high-value enhancements. We caught up with Bob Massa, Vice President of Sales at Duplo USA, to discuss the market forces reshaping the graphic arts space, the exciting expansion into B2-format solutions, and what today’s printers should prioritize to stay relevant and profitable. Bob has decades of experience in the print industry and expertise in Duplo finishing products. Prior to his current role, Bob served as National Production Finishing Director and Regional Sales Director, consistently driving growth and innovation within the company.
From your vantage point as an innovation leader in print finishing, what market shifts or customer needs are driving the most change in the graphic arts industry right now—and how is Duplo responding?
For many years, there has been demand for shorter print runs, faster turnaround times, automation, and workflow integration. Duplo has been the leader in automated finishing for over 30 years. No longer is the quality of a finished product dependent on the quality of the operator. Finished products that took multiple steps with costly wasted prints and set-ups can now be finished in one pass with very minimal waste.
With Duplo’s PC Controller software on most of our equipment, jobs and any of their settings and fine adjustments can be recalled at a push of a button or the machine can read a barcode, replicating the same quality output from weeks or months ago. This saves time and money and eliminates touch points. Duplo’s automation is putting profitability back in what used to be no margin or low margin jobs.
“Printers today need to make sure that they stay competitive, relevant, and profitable. Prioritize the customer’s experience and results.”
Duplo has always been known for pushing the boundaries of automation and modularity. What advice would you give commercial printers who want to stay relevant and competitive in an increasingly digital-first world?
That is correct, Duplo’s reputation for automation and modularity has long positioned us at the forefront of finishing innovation.
Embrace automation and invest in equipment that is easy to use and is modular. As your business grows or your needs change, the equipment can adapt. Set yourself apart, invest in equipment that adds value to your printed piece, or invest in machines capable of doing unique applications.
Commodity print is being squeezed. In many markets it is a race to the bottom. Value added finishing is where margins and customers’ impact lie! For the last several years, Duplo has devoted a lot of resources towards embellishments. Nothing catches a consumer’s eye better than spot UV, foil, or that tactile experience. By adding these finishes to a printed piece, you bring a lot of value to that packaging or marketing campaign. By offering this service in-house, you can easily and cost effectively produce several iterations of a packaging sample to see which style offers the greatest impact. Educate your clients on the marketing power of tactile and visual effects; this will drive demand.
Don’t just print, be a problem solver! Your customers aren’t buying paper, they’re buying communication, branding, and results. Position yourself as a solutions partner and use embellishments to enhance the customer experience.
What’s the mindset or investment priority you think they should adopt today?
Technology is rapidly changing. Printers today need to make sure that they stay competitive, relevant, and profitable. Prioritize the customer’s experience and results. Look at automation and innovation not as a cost but as a growth opportunity.
Duplo’s B2 portfolio has expanded in a big way with the DuSense DDC-8000 and the DSM-1000. What excites you most about these solutions—and why should B2 print providers be paying attention right now?
Great question. First, we are extremely proud of our global marketing team which has given our engineers the vision of where the future is headed and how we can take our expertise in automation and ease of use and incorporate it into machines that tend to require a higher skilled operator while minimizing waste. Duplo has focused on both the B2 market as well as the packaging industry these last several years. Industry publications continue to show the rise of the packaging market, whereas the traditional print market remains stagnant.
Many B2 print providers tend to use older, more traditional machines when dealing with a larger sheet size. Those machines take up a larger footprint and require more set-up time, causing a bottleneck in those quicker, digital jobs. The DDC-8000 is unique in size, easy to use, and modular in design. High-end embellishments are no longer reserved for those luxury brands.
“Don’t just print, be a problem solver! Your customers aren’t buying paper, they’re buying communication, branding, and results.”
Most B2 printers either send their B2 sheets out to a finishing house or use older, more traditional cylinder or clamshell die cutters. These machines require a highly skilled operator and many of these operators are aging out, their (and hard to find) replacements do not possess the same skill level and are geared more for green button technology. With Duplo’s PC Controller software, it is very easy to program a job with an in-line separator, which eliminates the need to hand separate the finished piece from the skeleton. All settings get retained with the job, so the initial set-up may be a few minutes. But the next time you recall that job, you may be ready to run within a minute or two. In many cases, old die boards may be used in our chase too.
Both the DDC-8000 B2 Raised Spot UV Coater and the DSM-1000 B2 Die Cutter can easily do a job of one or several thousand with their easy-to-use PC Controller software and unique vacuum belt feed system for fast simple set-up.
Raised spot UV and die cutting are often seen as premium or niche—yet your new B2 solutions make these enhancements more accessible and automated. How do you see these capabilities reshaping short-run packaging and print embellishment?
B2 printers can now offer premium level embellishment profitably, even on short runs. Now, mid-sized print shops can enter the B2 finishing market too without a major expense or the need for a specialized staff.
