A two-minute silence was observed at the NSC booth in memory of the victims of Paris terror attacjs. The biggest development at ITMA 2015 was the coming of age of digital printing. This sector has its own chapter at the exhibition for the first time. The show’s theme, ‘Master the Art of Sustainability’ is in alignment with digital printing. It offers huge benefits in terms of vast reductions in the use of raw materials, water and energy.

In digital textile printing worldwide, until today, applications for industrial soft signage have been responsible for much of the growth. However, it is still comparatively small, despite growth rates of around 25 per cent annually, representing around just 1.5 per cent of the overall textile printing market.

Akiyoshi Ohno, Senior Advisor and ex-President of NSC, outlined the rapid development of his company’s digital systems and explained why the latest single pass machines now make sound business sense. Ohno was speaking at the Konica Minolta Inkjet’s press conference.

Italy’s value and influence are considerably higher even though it now represents only about three percent of the world’s printed textiles by volume. Giovanni Sommariva, a noted industry consultant said digital printing is among the key technologies that have been responsible for a revolution in making the most up-to-the-minute Italian fashions available to the world. The full textile production chain has been totally modified to provide flexibility and just in time supply, including RFID and bar-code tracking, inspection and packaging systems for complete traceability. Inkjet printing provides just in time production, low energy consumption, waste reduction and easy operation.