55 March / April 2025 - Issue 353 www.printmonthly.co.uk LITHOGRAPHIC AND DIGITAL PRINT TECHNOLOGY THE NEW INDUSTRY STANDARD? As offset printing still remains a sturdy part of the print industry, many manufacturers have heralded digital printing as a complimentary technology to lithographic print, instead of competition. David Osgar investigates the way both technologies are being used in the field and manufacturers' thoughts on the different options A historic part of print, lithography is one of the most traditional forms of print you can find. Using plates and a mixture of inks, lithography is used for a number of processes such as book printing, catalogues, and posters. Despite the quality and reliability of lithography, digital printing has generated more and more popularity of the last thirty years. The reduced cost of operation and the manual input involved in the process has made it an appealing direction for the industry to go in. However, with less capabilities for heavier weights of stock and more expense when it comes to large print numbers, litho is still key for many print sectors. One of the biggest questions surrounding last year’s drupa trade fair was the role of lithographic/offset printing considering the number of advancements that have been made in digital technology over the last few years. But as the industry has done many times in its long history, manufacturers and businesses have embraced change and ensured a future that best serves all relevant technologies. At drupa many big names such as Kodak, Koenig & Bauer, and HEIDELBERG supported the addition of digital technology to their arsenals, with the latter company even announcing a partnership with Canon to produce an inkjet product into the HEIDELBERG portfolio. So, what is the future of litho considering this news, and how can these technologies work side by side? Let’s investigate. Utilising Both Technologies As already alluded to, HEIDELBERG and Canon’s collaboration is one that certainly turned a lot of heads at last year’s drupa. But rather than recap that news, lets find out more about the technology straight from the horse’s mouth. HEIDELBERG Druckmaschinen AG (commonly known as HEIDELBERG) has been a part of the printing industry for 175 years, with the company founded in Germany in 1850 manufacturing precision
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