The Dscoop Podcast

The Link conversation series features digital print leaders who share insights and experiences collaborating with competitors to achieve big wins for everyone involved. Whether you're a newcomer or an experienced expert in the industry, tuning in can help you learn how to grow your business through smart collaboration.

The fifth guest of the series is Rachel Crowther, Director of Sales & Marketing at Cober Solutions (Canada) and Dscoop Americas Board Member. Learn how and why Rachel focuses daily on driving global partnerships.

The Link conversation series brings together digital print leaders to share insights on collaborating with competitors to achieve big wins for everyone involved. By including Dscoop members, the conversation provides real stories and tips straight from the pros. Whether you're a newcomer or an experienced expert in the industry, tuning in can help you learn how to grow your business through smart collaboration. The fourth guest of the series is Frank Arostegui, Executive Vice President for Sales at American Litho (USA) and Dscoop Americas Board Member. Frank Arostegui is Executive Vice President for Sales at American Litho, one of the nation's fastest growing direct and omnichannel marketing firms. Frank brings more than 25 years of collaborative sales experience to his current role, which he assumed in 2013. As the company's top sales and marketing executive, he sets the direction for ALitho's relationships with Fortune 100 clients around the globe and oversees a staff of 30. Frank began his career in the print industry in 1994, and since that time he has developed and nurtured relationships with clients on behalf of the nation's largest and most prestigious printing companies, including Banta, Moore and R.R. Donnelly. Frank and his wife recently celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary. Together, they have raised three talented and creative daughters: Samantha, 24; Sophia, 21; and Sylvia, 19. In his personal and professional life, Frank has shown the ability to work for comprehensive solutions to the problems he encounters. He seeks to set the same example for his daughters and for all those he works with at American Litho.

The Link conversation series brings together digital print leaders to share insights on collaborating with competitors to achieve big wins for everyone involved. By including Dscoop members, the conversation provides real stories and tips straight from the pros. Whether you're a newcomer or an experienced expert in the industry, tuning in can help you learn how to grow your business through smart collaboration.

The third guest of the series is Ulrich Schätzl, COO Print & Packaging Elanders Group (Germany) and Dscoop EMEA Board Member.

Ulrich came into contact with the printing industry at a young age through his parents' business. The many hours spent in production paved his way into this industry, already during his school years. After graduating from the Munich University of Applied Sciences with a degree in printing technology, Ulrich's path led him to a large and renowned printing company in Bavaria, where he held various positions.

In 1997, Ulrich returned to his parents' company and six years later took over sole responsibility and management. Together with his management team in Donauwörth, Schätzl Druck & Medien transformed into an e-commerce specialist in the digital printing sector with a focus on books, calendars, stationary and wall art. Since July 2021, Schätzl has been part of the Elanders Print & Packaging Division headed by Sven Burkhard. Ulrich is responsible for the Mass Customization business unit within the Elanders Group.

As the "Print on Demand Playbook" series unfolds, it’s clear that the future of the industry is bright, driven by technology, creativity and a deepening connection between brands and their customers.

The print-on-demand (POD) market is evolving rapidly, and staying on top of its latest advancements is crucial for businesses looking to thrive in this space.

That’s why Dscoop's "Print on Demand Playbook" series is underway. Future sessions will be listed here.

In the series’ inaugural episode, host Rusty Pepper, a champion for the print on demand market and Head of New Markets & Partnerships at Taylor Corporation, invites three industry experts to share their insights on the print industry’s evolution, growth drivers and future trends.

The Expert Panel

Rusty brings together a diverse panel to represent different facets of the print industry:

• Mike Scrutton, Director of Print Technology and Strategy at Adobe, discusses software and design advancements.
• Melissa Stevens, Chief Marketing Officer at Fedrigoni Special Papers / Mohawk, offers perspectives from the supplier side.
• Craig Lenton, CEO of Hyble, focuses on the aggregator and reseller aspects of the market. Together, these experts explore the major shifts in print on demand and what innovations are driving the market forward.

The Evolution of Print on Demand

Over the last decade, advancements in print technology have transformed the way businesses approach print. According to Melissa at Fedrigoni, one of the most significant milestones has been the leap in print quality, crediting the HP Indigo for pushing those boundaries. This advancement has opened the door for more complex substrates and uncoated, textured and colorful materials, allowing brands to differentiate themselves in ways that weren’t previously possible.

For Craig at Hyble, the ability to connect print services globally through API integration has been a game-changer, allowing his company to plug directly into printers across the world. Automation is another key driver for Craig, as it significantly reduces the time from order to delivery, making print on demand faster and more efficient.

What’s Powering the Future of Print?

When it comes to growth drivers, all three panelists agree that digital print and automation are at the forefront of innovation. "We’re now seeing huge enterprises move towards on-demand printing," Craig notes, citing the frustration many large brands face when they invest in print marketing materials only to see them languish in warehouses or be recycled.

Mike at Adobe adds that the democratization of design tools, such as Adobe Express, is empowering more people within organizations to create their own print materials.

AI is the New Frontier

As the conversation shifts to the future, artificial intelligence (AI) takes center stage. AI is already being used to streamline design and content creation processes, and Mike believes it will continue to drive efficiency in the print industry. "AI isn’t just a shiny object — it’s a tool that can help us be more productive," he says.

Whether it’s helping non-designers create professional-quality templates or automating routine design tasks, AI promises to reduce workloads while maintaining high standards of creativity and quality.

Melissa echoes the sentiment but emphasizes the importance of maintaining a focus on the end product. She also highlights the growing demand for sustainable solutions, which is likely to play a critical role in shaping the future of POD.

Collaboration and Rick Bellamy go hand in hand. The experienced print industry leader and current managing director of Inflecton LLC shares inspiring stories and sage advice in Episode 2 of The Link, Dscoop's new conversation series about the value of networking and partnerships in the Dscoop global community.

From 2009-2021, Rick was CEO of RPI, and a master at developing the kind of trusting business relationships that earned both sides respect, business and even friendship. Today, in addition to serving as Dscoop's executive chair, Rick is using the same collaborative spirit to help graphic arts companies build diverse teams and embed a culture of sustainability.

Brands that want to stand up to their competition must find creative ways to stand out. That's why more and more brands are turning to The BoxMaker, a custom box manufacturer and packaging distributor that continues to innovate and advance. The company delivers truly stunning and highly effective packaging solutions that conventional print and finishing methods cannot produce. This episode of "Unvarnished" features Katy Hart, Director of Marketing and Communications at The BoxMaker, and Kristi Duvall, the company's Vice President of Sales. They share insight about how The BoxMaker approaches marketing and sales, developing the company's new website, the adoption of new technology in the packaging space, how COVID united the company and more.

In any profession, it would be totally forgivable for someone with nearly 20 years of experience to start putting things on coast — to rest on laurels and to lean on familiar answers when clients come calling.

The exact opposite of that defines Stuart Kellock, who has spent nearly two decades challenging the status quo, discovering new opportunities, and creating value for clients and partners in the self-adhesive label printing industry. Stuart is more than just managing director of Label Apeel, a UK-based company that supplies extremely impressive and brand-boosting labels to the beer, wine-and-spirits, food and retail markets. He's also the managing director of "let's do things differently" — of treating preconceived notions as the opposite of innovation.

In this episode of "Unvarnished," Stuart talks about what it takes to create high-impact labels, how his team pounces on the chance to make a difference to customers, the increasing importance of labels and packaging to brand development, and more.

Sustainability and technology combine in the mind of Jordan Darragh, founder and CEO of PrintReleaf. He recognized the need for print businesses to continually move toward sustainability goals and track their progress while doing so.

PrintReleaf's software enables print businesses to automatically reforest the equivalence of their paper and fiber-based material consumption, and offset the carbon emissions associated with their paper and packaging products. The result is good for both the planet and the bottom line — PrintReleaf's clients can certifiably plant trees to reforest their paper consumption and also use those efforts to impress and gain customers who also value eco-friendly practices.

In this episode of "Unvarnished," Jordan talks about how PrintReleaf started, and why its technology and efforts matter now more now than ever.

Here’s the recipe for the Alabama White Sauce Jordan mentions during the interview. "I was fortunate to meet Tuffy Stone last year at an event called Smoking University in Charleston, SC, where I went to barbecue school for three days, and I actually made the smoked chicken with him," Jordan says. "Life memory! Enjoy the recipe!"

Jay Dollries says he's "mostly retired now," but as you'll see in this video, his perspective and ideas about the digital print industry aren't going away -- they can guide and inspire any printing pro at any time.

Jay was an early adopter of digital print. After starting ILS (Innovating Labeling Solutions) in 1996, he essentially re-created the business in 2005 to focus on digital technology. During that time and since, Jay has been an active, enthusiastic Dscoop member, often volunteering to help organize events, contribute thought leadership and connect with others.

In this episode of "Unvarnished," Jay reflects upon...

• Why he and his team at ILS got into digital print back in 2005

• How Dscoop has helped him personally and professionally

• How print leaders can impress clients and prospects who are looking to boost their brands

• A key mistake today's printers make when thinking about digital print technology

• How ILS created projects that truly stood out on the retail shelf

• The importance of getting internal team members aligned and motivated to help customers thrive

• The need to recognize your own limitations, and the challenge of finding and hiring people with different skills

Jay says plenty of printers have digital technology, but "most companies out there aren't selling the true capabilities of what digital can offer. They look at it as a way to reduce their internal costs" instead of going to market with messages about the power of enhancing their clients' brands.

Thank you, Jay, for sharing your thoughts and opinions with Dscoopers in this "Unvarnished" conversation!

Helen Smith of Precision Proco Group attacks her job with gusto, fresh ideas and infectious positivity. She approaches the company's branding on two different fronts — customer relationships and internal communication.