exclusive distributor for the UK and Ireland, to provide the Japanese manufacturer’s range of solutions. According to Bolton: “Over the past few years, innovation in inkjet has been less about dramatic overhaul and more about steady, practical improvements. Technologies like roll-to-roll UV printing have become far more accessible, changing how many print businesses operate on a day-to-day basis.” Bolton asserts that faster turnaround times, greater flexibility, and more predictable production are now achievable without the level of cost or complexity that used to be a barrier. He also notes that print quality, colour consistency, and operational efficiency have all continued to improve. “That combination has raised expectations across the sector,” he says. “Our line-up reflects this by focusing on machines that help customers grow output and capability in a realistic, manageable way, rather than simply chasing incremental gains in speed.” Bolton suggests that, rather than focusing on headline performance, print businesses need to be clear about the applications they are producing, the volumes they are running, and how a new machine will fit into their existing workflow. He adds: “Support after installation is also critical. Manufacturer testing, firmware development, and long-term parts availability all play a role, but so does the level of after-sales support once the machine is in production. At printMAX, we see that support as a continuation of the purchasing decision, not something that starts and ends at installation.” According to Bolton, PrintMAX’s support begins with understanding how a customer actually intends to use a printer day-to-day, with the supply of the machine only being part of the picture. As he puts it: “Ongoing technical support, training, and honest advice are central to keeping customers productive and confident in their investment. By taking a consultative approach rather than a purely transactional one, we’re able to support customers as their needs evolve – whether that’s expanding applications, increasing throughput, or adapting to changes in their market.” Looking to the future, Bolton believes that, while the market can expect continued improvements in areas such as print speed, automation, and output consistency, it is less likely to see “major disruptive shifts.” He concludes: “The next phase is likely to focus on making high-performance inkjet more practical, dependable, and accessible across a wider range of production environments.” Up to the Task The Kyocera TASKalfa Pro 15000c previously noted by Will Doherty as “one of the most underutilised products on the market” is one of the solutions supplied by our next contributor, Jet Technology Group (Jet Tech). For Andrew Crane, sales director at Jet Tech, the sustainability of modern inkjet printers like the TASKalfa constitute a key benefit for customers. As he describes: “The TASKalfa produces low emissions and uses planet-friendly inks onto substrates that align with many customers sustainability goals.” Crane suggests that in-line finishing solutions including Plockmatic bookletmakers, which cater specifically to the TASKalfa can bring “even higher levels automation to the production process.” Solutions such as the Plockmatic BF-450e are specifically designed to work with the Pro 15000c, where outputs can include workflows in high-volume technical documentation. Crane concurs with the other experts that in the last few years he has seen advances in speed, quality, and automation for inkjet. He also adds that “the introduction of cut-sheet solutions has widened the application range and sweet spot for inkjet.” As he explains: “No longer are the benefits of inkjet specific to large transactional or direct mail print service providers (PSPs) running high volumes on complex and costly continuous-feed lines.” Crane sees the advancement of lower investment cut-sheet models as having democratised inkjet and made it more accessible, allowing more PSPs to take advantage of the lower cost-per-page and productivity that cut sheet inkjet brings. He continues: “More and more commercial 51 www.printmonthly.co.uk Issue 359 - March | April 2026 INKJET PRINTERS | JONATHAN PERT The next phase is likely to focus on making high-performance inkjet more practical, dependable, and accessible Data Bridge Market Research predicts that the global inkjet printer market will rise to $81.82bn (£60.39bn) by 2030 Factoid ▲ PrintMAX was crowned Roland DG’s most successful UK authorised dealer for 2025
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