Hello everyone.
I am new here and I work for an international printer manufacturer. We design and build 4 color printers and pre-press machines, including CTP. Recently at one of our meetings, the question was posed "What do our customers want?" While this seemed like a silly question, the reason behind it is that we are focused on the small and mid-sized print shops as our primary customer base and we want to build the machines that will do what the customers need done. We've been in business for almost 20 years now - so we are not a start-up company or a flash in the pan.

Simply put - What would be an ideal machine for your business? Do you need a printer that reads certain software, does a certain output quantity, press compatible or stand alone, etc...

If you could build the perfect machine - or at least describe it - what features are valuable?

Thanks,
Dave

Hi,

When you say printer.............do you mean printer as in photocopier or printer as in lithographic machine.

Regards.

Sorry - we make pre-press printers. Not the actual presses, but the machines that image on polyester plates, aluminum plates, paper, film, etc. We have some CTP systems as well.

My directions were "Find out what the customers want so we can build it". I am new to the industry, so essentially any information on what type of printing you do most often and what features are important to you. If there is something that would improve a printer or method that you have now, you dont have to say what brand it is or anything if you aren't comfortable saying it openly. But we are looking to design something completely new. What are the things that slow you down on a job? What things would make your job easier, better, faster? Are there too many steps in the process or too much time on a certain point during the process?

Is Lenticular printing a worthwhile option? If you use a press to run large amounts, what would make it easier or better? Do the owners manuals make sense or do they even have one? If you have a problem with a printer - or cant get an option to work - do you deal with the website of manufacturer or call the dealer?

Open suggestions - a manufacturer is listening and askign for your input to build the perfect machine.