Panel Session:
· Yoav Lotan (HP Industrial Print APJ) (moderator)
· Milind (COO Trigon Digipack, India)
· Praput (Managing Director, Salee Printing, Thailand)
· Lakhwinder Singh (Co-founder, Gee7, India)
EXECUTIVE BOTTOM LINE
Leading print businesses are winning by combining cutting-edge digital equipment with people-centric strategies, relentless customer focus, and a pragmatic embrace of AI—positioning themselves to thrive in short-run, high-value, data-rich environments.
STRATEGIC CONTEXT
This panel grounded the broader HP Indigo vision in real-world operator experience. Building on the earlier product-focused presentation, the discussion explored how market leaders are navigating the shift from analog to digital, bridging generational mindsets, and applying AI in small but meaningful ways. As Dscoop continues to champion community-driven transformation, this session showed how growth strategies differ but converge on the same future: faster, leaner, smarter print.
KEY INSIGHTS
· Digital transformation is personal and cultural. Migration from analog isn’t just a tech shift—it demands mindset change, upskilling, and generational alignment.
· Customer-centric innovation drives adoption. Companies grow fastest when they build capabilities that directly reflect evolving customer needs, such as short runs, faster turnarounds, and sustainable packaging.
· AI adoption starts simple. Many panelists use AI for language support, data translation, and basic job analysis—small steps that build comfort and efficiency.
· Growth requires consistency. Investment in premium technology is justified by repeatability, color accuracy, and production stability—critical for client trust.
TACTICAL TAKEAWAYS
· Start AI adoption at the team level. Use AI for internal documentation, job summaries, or translation support—especially in multilingual markets.
· Treat print as a data business. Encourage ERP integration and press data analysis to uncover production inefficiencies and customer trends.
· Plan for EOL (End-of-Life) transitions early. HP reiterated its commitment to long-term support, but supply chain realities require customers to plan 12–18 months ahead.
· Prioritize ISO and sustainability certifications. Clients increasingly demand documentation and traceability—making compliance a growth enabler, not a burden.
STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS
· AI will augment—not replace—your people. Empowering teams with assistive tools will improve retention, performance, and decision-making across production.
· Being ‘first in market’ compounds advantage. Early adopters of equipment like the 18K and 200K gain a head start in workflow mastery and brand visibility.
· Packaging is now a platform for brand value. High-value, custom, short-run packaging is no longer a niche—it’s becoming core to brand storytelling.
· Community collaboration trumps competition. Models like G7 show that cooperative innovation and shared learning accelerate everyone’s success.
HIDDEN CONNECTIONS
· Digital success hinges on soft skills. The strongest growth stories paired high-tech investment with trust, communication, and team development.
· Workflow mastery > hardware ownership. Panelists consistently highlighted process integration (ERP, remote ops, cloud) as a critical advantage.
· AI fuels cross-border scalability. Translation tools and intelligent automation reduce friction for teams working across regions and cultures.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
· Are we investing equally in our people as we are in our tech stack?
· How might we apply AI today in ways that remove small friction and free up creative capacity?
· Are we prepared for certification-driven procurement—especially from large brands?
· What customer needs are we hearing but not yet acting on—and could that be our next growth engine?
NOTABLE STATEMENTS FROM THE PANELISTS
🚀 On Growth Drivers
· “Good equipment means nothing without a good team.”
· Emphasizing that human capital and training are as important as the latest technology.
· “We invested in higher-priced equipment to guarantee consistency—accuracy, registration, and quality build trust with our biggest clients.”
· “Being first matters. We were the first in Asia with the 18K because we saw where the market was going—not where it was.”
🧠 On AI and Automation
· “We’re using AI step by step—as an assistant, not a replacement. It helps translate, summarize, and simplify data for our team.”
· “AI is only useful if you can use it. We started with simple applications—just to help with English documents.”
· “Digital is a mindset. You need to train your entire workflow—from the press to the people—to think digitally.”
📦 On Packaging Innovation
· “Packaging is no longer just a product. It’s a marketing tool—and those who understand this will pay for value.”
· “Flexible packaging was seen as too complex for digital—but we proved otherwise. The 200K became our game-changer.”
· “We now print pouches that carry 20kg. We couldn’t have imagined this a few years ago.”
📈 On Market Strategy
· “Our growth didn’t come from expanding what we do—it came from aligning with what customers will need next.”
· “Digital allowed us to go from a wedding-photo business to global packaging. That’s not just a pivot—it’s a reinvention.”
· “We always try to offer new products before the customer asks. That’s how we stay relevant.”
🤝 On Culture and Collaboration
· “Competition kills. Collaboration grows.” – A panelist quoting the Dscoop slogan: “Together We Grow.”
· “The G7 model shows how family businesses can work together like a consortium to punch above their weight.”
· “If customers leave over price, let them. They’ll come back. What they want is trust, not just savings.”
