Canon Solutions America User Group Conference Receives Overwhelming Response

thINK, an independent community of Canon Solutions America production print customers, has announced that it has received overwhelming support and interest in its inaugural user conference. With more than 350 registered attendees, thINK 2015 is expected to be the largest customer-run inkjet group and one of the largest events in the world dedicated to inkjet.

The conference, which will be held Sept. 8-10, 2015, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, brings together print professionals from around the globe to network, gain knowledge, discuss common challenges, and share production inkjet best practices.

“It’s exciting to witness this powerful community coming together,” said Francis A. McMahon, senior vice president, marketing and sales operations, Canon Solutions America, Production Print Solutions. “We’re committed to supporting them in any way we can to ensure Canon Solutions America production print customers are well positioned to take advantage of the inkjet opportunities ahead.”

Mark DeBoer, director of customer experience at Darwill Inc. and thINK 2015 Conference Chair, noted, “This event comes at a monumental time in the transition to inkjet. In less than two years, inkjet production color printing will outpace toner. At the same time, increased media selection and improved inks are enabling near offset quality in the smaller runs that the market demands.”

According to InfoTrends, inkjet will account for 58 percent of production digital color volume in the U.S. by 2019. At the conference, InfoTrends’ Jim Hamilton will lead a general session that gives attendees a sneak peek into the latest inkjet market trends and opportunities. He’ll offer up his vision of how the market will change in the next decade and share recent research on the production printing market.

thINK 2015 attendees will also choose from a multitude of break-out sessions developed for both in-house and commercial printers with tracks designed for business, as well as production/operations. They’ll gain knowledge from inkjet experts and production print professionals who have successfully made the transition to inkjet. Session topics covering the gamut of inkjet, from managing production and quality to selling and educating customers on the benefits of inkjet will give attendees practical information and best practices they can start implementing immediately. Here are just a few of the sessions planned:

•     Congratulations, You’re Expecting Inkjet! offers a leadership perspective on the thought processes, planning, preparation, implementation, and impact of adopting digital inkjet solutions.
•    Lessons for Your Inkjet Start Up gives attendees an opportunity to learn from those who’ve already made the transition to inkjet production printing. They’ll hear stories from the trenches about everything production printers wished they’d known before their inkjet press was delivered.
•     Selling the Inkjet Value Prop offers tips on positioning, pricing, and training the sales force, as well as finding your sweet spot—that magical place where printers are able to add the most value to the customer.
•     The Fit of Inkjet vs. Toner vs. Offset in Production Printing will feature a panel of three industry veterans discussing how they decide where to allocate jobs and what unexpected challenges and benefits they’ve faced along the inkjet journey.
•     Paper, it’s How You Roll: Everything You Need to Know for Inkjet provides an update on currently available media and the inside scoop on what’s on the horizon for continuous feed and cutsheet media and ink.

thINK 2015 attendees will also get an opportunity to spend a day at Canon EXPO. The once-every-five-years event brings together the most powerful products, cutting-edge innovations, and inspirational ideas for one incredible exhibition. Eleven zones—from homes to universities, businesses to hospitals, and stadiums to movie sets—showcase the many ways Canon strives to improve the lives of all who interact with its brand.

In the Professional Printing zone, visitors will see live demonstrations and a gallery-like experience that reveal printing processes and an astonishing range of output—all designed to change printing perceptions and open the mind to new possibilities.

“Both thINK 2015 and the Canon EXPO offer an incredible opportunity to interact, be inspired and innovate,” said Victor Bohnert, thINK executive director. “We’re bringing together likeminded print professionals who are leading the inkjet transformation. It’s no surprise that we’ve seen such overwhelming response to this important event in the history of print.”