EFI Reggiani targets new demographic with digital innovations
-By Joseph Link, Harry McMullen
Sponsored by EFI Reggiani
At the recent ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition, EFI Reggiani launched its latest multi-pass digital textile printer: BLAZE. Taking place at Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC) on 12-16 June, ITMA Asia + CITME was the first in-person exhibition to open its doors in almost 18 months for the showcasing of textile machinery.
BLAZE was a standout launch at the show and, like many digital textile printing innovations, attracted the attention of many visitors. BLAZE not only marked EFI Reggiani’s return to in-person trade shows, but also signified the Italian OEMs intent to appeal to a new demographic of print service provider following the Covid-19 pandemic – the impact of which has irreversibly altered the industry landscape, according to some analysts.
Like most OEMs, EFI Reggiani has missed communicating with its customers at leading events, which pre-pandemic led to a boost in sales. And even though the staging of ITMA Asia + CITME was a step in the right direction, the event was still a hybrid affair for the Bergamo-based business due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
During the event I spoke to Adele Genoni, EFI Reggiani’s senior vice president, general manager and Micol Gamba, the OEM’s product and marketing manager. The duo explained the inspiration behind BLAZE and disclosed key specifications.
The EFI Reggiani BLAZE on display at ITMA Asia 2021
During the conversation, Genoni and Gamba offered insight into the digital textile printing market’s recovery following the pandemic, stating that demand is returning and sales in Q1 of 2021 were encouraging. The duo also spoke about the influence of new trends and business models as a result of changing consumer buying habits, which are being influenced by a growing environmental awareness.
Pigment inks currently obtain a small share of the roll-to-roll digital ink market and Genoni and Gamba were keen to discuss their market potential. Digital pigment inks now perform to an appealing standard as a result of intense R&D during the last decade. Combine that with the streamlined printing workflow which pigments facilitate – enabling faster turnaround times and a more sustainable printing process – they are expected to expand their share of the roll-to-roll digital textile printing market in the future.
Aside from BLAZE, EFI Reggiani debuted its AQUA water-based inks at ITMA Asia + CITME as well as an enhanced version of its existing TERRA Silver printer. China is becoming an increasingly important market for EFI Reggiani having expanded its share of the textile printing market in 2020. Subsequently, the OEM has opened a new reactive ink facility in the country in addition to its existing premises around the world.
Meanwhile, EFI Reggiani has also released upgrades to its 1.8m-wide BOLT single-pass printer which was originally launched back in 2018. According to the OEM, the upgrade delivers improved quality and smoother gradients, enables faster print head replacement, and is said to increase file processing speed by up to 200% for large, complex files. The upgrade is based around advancements to hardware and software and is available for new and existing customers now.
Watch the interview for more information on EFI Reggiani’s latest initiatives.
