Major Products: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division manufactures and distributes offset printing plates; offset, screen, flexo and inkjet inks; digital print and wide format print equipment; workflow, color management and proofing solutions; pressroom supplies; technical services and consulting services. FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants, Inc., in North America, is the group’s manufacturing center of excellence for aqueous inkjet inks. It also provides contract/toll manufacturing services for up to 22,000-liter batches.

Number of Employees: 600 (Ink World estimate)

Comments: FUJIFILM is an international leader in the field of digital printing presses, printheads and inks, and also has a significant presence in the screen and flexo ink markets. FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division and FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants are the company’s divisions responsible for printers and inks.

Becky McConnell, segment marketing manager, wide-format inkjet, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division, said that 2019 was a great year for Fujifilm Uvijet UV inkjet ink development.

“From a wide-format perspective, we continue to drive development based on market needs, and with increasing print speeds and UV printer capabilities, those pressures inevitably flow to UV inks and UV ink development,” McConnell noted.

“For our OnsetX Series of printers with market-leading productivity, we launched the Uvijet OX ink series, targeted at more aggressive adhesion to plastic materials commonly used in North America,” McConnell added. “Based on customer demand and the drive to be able to print on more substrates, a high adhesion ink was needed for the OnsetX series. We also retained a number of certifications for UL GREENGUARD, as well as gained additional certifications on new inks as far as UV/UV-LED wide-format inkjet inks are concerned, driven by retail markets, as well as custom interior design elements – whether that be wallpaper or corporate branding.”

Jon Fultz, product marketing manager, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division, said that from an analog perspective, ink operations remained level overall as significant growth in both OEM digital inks and the narrow web flexo market segments were able to offset the declines in the traditional commercial offset and screen ink business.

“While Fujifilm continues to gain market share in 2019 in the commercial offset and screen ink markets, the total analog market decline due to cannibalization from digital and non-printed technologies continued,” Fultz observed.

Michael Bush, marketing communications manager, FUJIFILM Ink Solutions Ltd., noted that Fujifilm is a leading manufacturer of aqueous inkjet inks in North America.

“The printing business remains challenging; however, FUJIFILM has a good position as a technology provider, supplying products through a variety of channels,” said Bush. “Environmental and sustainability concerns also favor aqueous inks. Our outlook for the coming year remains positive.”

McConnell said that digital inkjet for packaging is a large area of growth across the board, as that market continues
to digitize.

“In the world of wide-format solutions for folding carton and corrugated printing, we continue to develop inks focused on printing as economically as possible, as well as targeting ink migration to be able to deliver a realm of product solutions to the packaging market,” McConnell added.

“In the analog markets, growth will be very strong in LED or UV/LED hybrid inks for both screen and flexo inks,” Fultz said. “As the LED curing systems are becoming a better fit for flexo and screen applications and the total cost in use of the systems continues to decline, we are seeing a significant increase in the adoption rate of LED.”

Major Products: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division manufactures and distributes offset printing plates; offset, screen, flexo and inkjet inks; digital print and wide format print equipment; workflow, color management and proofing solutions; pressroom supplies; technical services and consulting services. FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC) develops and supplies novel, high performance inkjet colorants – including dyes and pigment dispersions – and inkjet inks for the digital print market. FFIC also offers contract/toll manufacturing of aqueous inkjet inks.

Number of Employees: 600 (Ink World estimate)

Comments: FUJIFILM is a global leader in the field of digital printing presses, printheads and inks, as well as having a significant position in the screen and flexo ink segments. In particular, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division and FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants both have had strong success in digital printing with the company’s Acuity, J Press and Graphium presses.

Larry Hettinger, product manager, Graphic & Industrial Screen Inks, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division, said that FUJIFILM did well in all of its segments in 2018.

“Fujifilm’s sales of ink into a diverse range of market segments remains strong with manufacturing volumes growing year on year,” Hettinger noted. “The majority of this growth is due to higher sales of inkjet inks in the sign and display segment, and is driven in part by being faster than ever, with printhead and ink development driving faster output and higher quality.

“Fujifilm is leading the transition in inkjet printing technology through innovations in printheads and inkjet inks, and by bringing inkjet solutions to customers previously served through our heritage business in the screen and offset printing markets,” he said.

“Our analog product development legacy allows us to continue to introduce coatings that are helping the overall growth.”

Hettinger noted that the major highlight would be printers continuing to work with Fujifilm’s inks on new media.

“Much of this is due to successful printers recognizing the consolidation of market segments and therefore looking at new markets to print for,” Hettinger observed.

Hettinger noted that Fujifilm is working to mitigate higher costs, both in raw materials as well as the transportation market.

“Due to the raw material price and availability issues, we have had to pass along increases to our customers,” he added. “Fujifilm continues to work diligently to improve production efficiencies, implement structural changes to control variable costs to help keep our costs down to our customers. Transportation costs are definitely having an economic impact on our business. Being a global business, Fujifilm has global manufacturing locations and we cannot avoid the stress put on the supply chain due to these transportation issues.

Hettinger noted that inkjet will continue to be Fujifilm’s focus for ink developments over the next 12 months. For example, the company launched a new food-safe ink for the Jet Press 720S for packaging production in Europe that allows the press to print on primary food packaging.

“We will continue to develop inks to open up new markets that are currently inaccessible to inkjet today,” he added. “We have ambitious short and long term growth targets for inkjet which we believe we can achieve by our ability to developing core technologies.

“Fujifilm believes the analog markets are at the tipping point where LED will begin to replace a significant amount of traditional UV arc and water-based printing,” Hettinger concluded. “The outlook for LED growth is very high and Fujifilm is poised to serve this market. With Fujifilm’s continued investment in R&D and ownership of the core technology for ink and printhead, we are well placed to meet the needs of our customers.”

Major Products: Major Products: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division manufactures and distributes offset printing plates; offset, screen, flexo and inkjet inks; digital print and wide format print equipment; workflow, color management and proofing solutions; pressroom supplies; technical services and consulting services. FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC) develops and supplies novel, high performance inkjet colorants – including dyes and pigment dispersions – and inkjet inks for the digital print market. FFIC also offers contract/toll manufacturing of aqueous inkjet inks.

Number of Employees: 600 (Ink World estimate)

Comments: Over the years, FUJIFILM has built a strong position in the digital printing field with its Acuity, J Press and Graphium presses. FUJIFILM is also known for is inkjet inks, as well as its positions in screen and flexo inks.

FUJIFILM has two divisions that manufacture inks: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division and FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC). Both divisions had successful years in 2017.

Greg Pas, director of product marketing, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division, reported that Fujifilm’s sales of ink into a diverse range of market segments remains strong with manufacturing volumes growing year on year.

“The majority of this growth is due to higher sales of inkjet inks in the commercial, sign and display and packaging segments, and is driven in part by printhead and ink development driving faster output and higher quality,” Pas said. “Fujifilm is leading the transition in inkjet printing technology through innovations in printheads and inkjet inks, and by bringing inkjet solutions to customers previously served through our heritage business in the screen and offset printing markets.”

Pas added that flexo inks also contributed to 2017 growth.

“This market continues to be strong and Fujifilm is gaining share with product expansion in water-based inks, the introduction of LED flexo inks and adhesives,” he noted.

Pas said that the inkjet ink market shows the most potential.

“Clearly the majority of promise comes from the inkjet segment,” Pas added. “With five ink factories around the world, supported by hundreds of R&D staff, Fujifilm is well placed to meet the demands in the future. Sign and display markets are well understood, maturing but still showing excellent growth. New ‘non-graphic’ or industrial markets are next to adopt inkjet as these segments can offer large potential but are inherently challenging applications and are far more challenging for ink developers to overcome. The packaging market continues to show strong growth with our analog and inkjet products being widely adopted by end users and press manufacturers.”

Dr. Hamid Shirazi, aqueous inkjet ink product manager, FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants, Inc., noted that FFIC had several significant contributions to the inkjet market at many levels during 2017, including significant R&D programs at the company’s Japan as well as UK research laboratories.

“New dye and pigment dispersion colorants development is an important active development area for Fujifilm R&D groups,” Dr. Shirazi said. “In 2017, new colorants were added to the sales range specially for textile and decorative printing, delivering a wider gamut and better light fastness. New pigment dispersion colorants were also developed and added to the range for indirect food contact packaging applications.”

Dr. Shirazi said that new special latex systems were also developed.

“One is of particular interest and is already in testing,” Dr. Shirazi added. “This technology is one the latest developments allowing direct printing onto many different coated substrates without the need of a primer. Fujifilm has already been conducting initial trials with key players in the commercial print market.

“As the FUIJFILM Dimatix Samba printhead is becoming the new benchmark for high speed single pass printing, we also see an increasing demand in the market for high reliability fast drying inks for new printers using the Samba printhead,” Dr. Shirazi continued. “At FFIC, we are very well positioned to support the expected growth in digital printing, not only providing final AQ inks and fluids into Fujifilm systems, but also supplying critical technology and services to other key players in the market from high quality colorants, primers, AQ inks and fluids to large scale high quality toll manufacturing of industrial inks.”

As for the coming year, Pas observed that inkjet will continue to be the focus for ink developments over the next 12 months, with a focus on offering the most cost effective and innovative products in the market.

“There will be a drive towards developing inks to open up new markets that are currently inaccessible to inkjet today. We have ambitious short and long-term growth targets for inkjet which we believe we can achieve by our ability to developing core technologies,” Pas said.

“Additionally, Fujifilm believes the analog markets are at the tipping point where LED will begin to replace a significant amount of traditional UV arc and water-based printing. The outlook for LED growth is very high and Fujifilm is poised to serve this market across most graphic print markets,” Pas concluded.

Major Products: Major Products: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division manufactures and distributes offset printing plates; offset, screen, flexo and inkjet inks; digital print and wide format print equipment; workflow, color management and proofing solutions; pressroom supplies; technical services and consulting services. FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC) develops and supplies novel, high performance inkjet colorants – including dyes and pigment dispersions – and inkjet inks for the digital print market. FFIC also offers contract/toll manufacturing of aqueous inkjet inks.

Number of Employees: 600 (Ink World estimate)

Comments: FUJIFILM has built a major presence in the digital printing field, with FUJIFILM and Inca digital presses and inks. The company also has a sizable presence in the screen and flexo ink fields.

FUJIFILM has two divisions that design and produce inks: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division and FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC).

“Fujifilm Graphic Systems Division experienced growth in its digital ink business in 2016, and fared well with market share growth in traditional analog/screen/flexo businesses, and grew new business in emerging technologies and markets,” Brent Moncrief, VP marketing and brand management – the Americas for FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division, said. “Ink volumes increased significantly over the past 12 months in production inkjet, wide format inkjet, package printing and industrial printing.”

Dr. Hamid M. Shirazi, global technical promotions manager, FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants, Inc., noted that FFIC is focused on the aqueous digital market, where it is enjoying success.

“Especially noteworthy was the launch of FUJIFILM Inkjet Technology (FIT) at drupa 2016,” added Dr. Shirazi. “It was very well received by our customers and partners, as it provided for a uniquely convenient ‘one stop shop’ offering individual components ranging from high performance colorants, inks, printheads and image optimization software, to print engines and final print systems. This is unique to Fujifilm, as no other company has such a wide range and comprehensive offering.”

As for highlights from the Fujifilm Graphic Systems Division, Moncrief pointed to new products such as the Inca Onset X Series of high productivity wide format flatbed presses, including the X3 with robotic handling and Uvijet OL inks for corrugated applications; the expansion of the Acuity line up of flatbed printers, and continued development of the Uvijet KN ink, offering a broad color gamut and increased adhesion performance to difficult substrates; and Fujifilm’s Series 300 flexo inks, offering the ability to cure either under traditional UV or LED lights with the same ink.

“Ink developments include Series 300 flexo inks that cure using UV or UV LED lights with the same ink, and new high efficiency LED lamps for retrofitting, to flexo presses to low odor digital inks,” Moncrief added.

In terms of invention, Dr. Shirazi noted that FFIC has access to three centers of excellence of R&D, and was at the forefront of innovation.

“Through our parent company, Fujifilm Graphics, we worked closely with the Advanced Marking Research Laboratories (AMRL) in Japan, who developed some of the latest cutting edge technologies in digital printing: water-based metallic inks for decorative printing, water-based print solutions for flexible packaging, and digital primers, just to mention a few,” Dr. Shirazi noted.

At FFIC’s Inkjet Colorant Technology Center in Grangemouth, Scotland, UK, FUJIFILM’s scientists and engineers developed and launched a series of RxDTM (Reactive Dispersant) pigment dispersion colorants for textile, packaging and laminates and flooring applications. At FFIC’s Inkjet Ink Technology Center in New Castle, DE, ink formulators and engineers developed a range of ink formulations and fluids and successfully launched them into a number of key markets.

Moncrief said that the printing industry is consolidating, and digital printing is making gains as companies look for opportunities.

“The adoption of new print technologies such as inkjet is the bright spot fueling the outlook for print,” Moncrief concluded. “As print buyer demands for short run, versioning and variable data increase, so will the value of print and for those who invest in the technologies to produce them. Digital print production clearly isn’t a new development, although there are several sectors where the adoption of toner-based and inkjet output is in its early stages – sheetfed commercial and packaging most notably. The ability to customize, regionalize and even personalize almost any conceivable surface is the future of our industry – it’s our opportunity to keep print relevant and valuable in an increasingly digital world.”

Major Products: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division manufactures offset printing plates; offset, screen, flexo and inkjet inks; digital print and wide format print equipment; workflow, color management and proofing solutions; pressroom supplies; technical services and consulting services. FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC) develops and supplies novel, high performance inkjet colorants – including dyes and pigment dispersions – and inkjet inks for the digital print market. FFIC also offers contract/toll manufacturing of aqueous inkjet inks.

Number of Employees: 600 (Ink World estimate)

Comments: FUJIFILM offers a complete digital solution to its customers, from presses to workflow solutions and ink consumables.

FUJIFILM has two divisions that manufacture inks: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division and FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC). Paul Ewing, director, new business and technology, Fujifilm FFIC, said that 2015 was a major year for Fujifilm, as the company continued to branch out into new markets.

“We addressed the opportunities for inkjet printing both on the desktop and beyond the desktop,” Ewing noted. “We announced our entry into the textile printing market at the ITMA trade show, offering dye- and pigment-based inks. We also made good progress in several OEM programs on the back of our Reactive Dispersant (RxDTM) technology and novel aqueous ink formulations.”

Numerous printing segments are clearly moving in the direction of inkjet, and FUJIFILM is positioned to make gains in these fields.

“The end markets for inkjet printing are expanding from Consumer, Office and Wide Format graphics to industrial markets, including Commercial Print, Textiles, Décor and Packaging,” Ewing reported. “This is driven by a need for more agile print technology capable of cost effective short run print and personalization.

“Inkjet technology is now in a position to offer scalable and robust solutions for many of these markets,” Ewing added. “However, innovation is still required to drive growth. This is where Fujifilm has a major role to play. At Fujifilm, we have the full breadth of inkjet technologies – from novel materials development, ink formulation, printhead technologies and system integration capability – so we are one of the few companies capable of delivering wide ranging solutions to meet the evolving needs of these new markets.”

For example, FFIC is strong in aqueous inkjet inks, which is leading to new opportunities.

“Within FFIC, we have a particular focus on aqueous inkjet ink technology, and we see great opportunity for aqueous inks as innovations in materials and ink formulation deliver highly performance aqueous inks,” Ewing said. “This improved functionality combined with a favorable environmental and safety profile, means that aqueous inks will continue to be a preferred ink class as new applications develop.

“In addition to technology, we see great opportunities to build new partnerships to accelerate business growth in some of these new markets,” he added.

There is a steady increase in regulatory efforts in areas such as packaging, and Fujifilm is working to help their customers navigate these issues.

“Fujifilm takes regulatory compliance seriously, and we have dedicated regulatory affairs experts who work collaboratively with our customers to ensure that regulatory issues are treated in an appropriate way to meet the requirements of customer applications,” Ewing noted.

Fujifilm sees excellent potential ahead for the aqueous inkjet field.

“In the aqueous inkjet market, we see two major trends: continued strong growth in the Office, Commercial Print, Textile and other industrial inkjet markets, and declining demand in the Consumer space,” Ewing concluded. “With all the technologies we have within Fujifilm, there is no shortage of opportunity: the challenge is in selecting the best growth opportunities and then delivering on these.”

Major Products: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division manufactures offset printing plates; offset, screen, flexo and inkjet inks; digital print and wide format print equipment; workflow, color management and proofing solutions; pressroom supplies; technical services and consulting services. FUJIFILM IMAGING Colorants (FFIC) develops and supplies novel, high performance dye-based and pigment dispersion colorants and inkjet inks for the digital market. FFIC also offers contract/toll manufacturing of aqueous inkjet inks.

Number of Employees: 600 (Ink World estimate)

Comments: With a wide-ranging portfolio including presses, workflow solutions and ink consumables, FUJIFILM offers a complete digital solution to its customers. For inks, FUJIFILM has two divisions: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division and FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC).

The Graphics Systems Division is constantly developing new presses and inks. At Labelexpo 2014, the company showcased its new Graphium UV digital inkjet press for labels, packaging, and specialty print, which incorporates inkjet, flexo printing and finishing. Graphium also uses Fujifilm UV flexo and water-based flexo inks.

At FESPA Digital 2014, Fujifilm introduced four new Uvijet UV inkjet inks. The new inks will give end users more options for filling their printers with work, ultimately delivering a faster payback. For Onset printed, Uvijet OH was designed for use with polyethylene and polypropylene materials, while Uvijet OL is a low odor corrugated ink. Uvijet KV is a thermoforming UV-cured inkjet ink for the Acuity Advance Select printers. Uvijet QN inks are formulated for the Uvistar Pro8 super-wide format press.

Debuting on the show floor at SGIA Expo 2014 was the Acuity F, an all-new dedicated UV flatbed designed specifically for the display and signage market. As the newest flatbed press to join the Acuity platform, show attendees experienced the Acuity F producing exceptional print quality at speeds over 1,668 ft2 per hour. The Acuity F, typically configured with six colors + white, maintains all the advantages of the Acuity line-up, including near-photographic image quality, versatility and ease of use; but also has been optimized for the efficient and high speed production of rigid media applications.

Fujifilm Graphic Systems Division, in collaboration with Inca Digital, showcased the all-new Inca Onset R40i, with the Hostert full automation system, on the show floor at SGIA Expo 2014 in Las Vegas. The Onset R40i is the latest addition to the Onset family of high performance, UV flatbed presses.

Utilizing FUJIFILM Dimatix printheads, the R40i delivers a 14-picoliter drop size over a genuine 4,300 ft2/hr. This translates to 80 full bed sheets (5’ x 10’) of high quality output. Based on the Onset Scaleable Architecture platform, the new Onset is available with a variety of configurations (CMYK, Lm, Lc and white), with customers being able to configure their press as a 4, 6, or 8 channel press at time of order or upgrade in the field as their needs change over time.

FUJIFILM has put an emphasis on building technology centers, which allow customers to get a close look at the company’s products. In 2013, FFIC opened its new Ink Technology Center (ITC) in Delaware, which is developing aqueous pigmented ink formulations for industrial applications. In the fall of 2014, the Graphic Systems Division re-opened its newly renovated and expanded Chicago Technology Center in Hanover Park, IL, and held a Wide Format Technology Summit at the Center in December 2014.

The expanded Technology Center showcases Fujifilm Brillia HD plates and platesetter solutions, the complete range of award winning J Press sheetfed and roll-fed inkjet solutions,

and Xerox toner-based production presses. Also featured are entry to mid-range roll to roll, flatbed and hybrid wide format presses, including the Inca Onset series of UV flatbed presses, the versatile Uvistar and the Acuity Advance Select, the Acuity LED, and the all-new Acuity F. The Graphium UV inkjet web press for labels, packaging and specialty print, plus the new Flenex flexo print for packaging are also on display. Fujifilm XMF workflow solutions including ColorPath color management software are available as well.

“A key success factor in our future growth is to showcase and demonstrate all of our innovative solutions at a centrally located Technology Center,” said Todd Zimmerman, SVP and GM, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division. “The new world-class Technology Center has become an industry destination, and our Chicagoland location is convenient for customers to visit. This substantial renovation reinforces our dedication and commitment to inkjet leadership and innovations in print technology.  We look forward to hosting many more events in Hanover Park, including our highly successful Technology Summits.”

Major Products: FFIC is a global leader in the development and supply of novel, high performance dye-based and pigment dispersion colorants and inkjet inks for the digital market. It also manufactures a range of infrared absorbers for a growing range of applications including security markings. FFIC also offers contract/toll manufacturing of aqueous inkjet inks with an emphasis on large scale production and economy of scale.

Comments: FUJIFILM has made major inroads in the digital field, from developing state-of-the-art presses and workflow solutions to ink consumables. The company has two divisions, FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC) and FUJIFILM North America, Graphics Systems Division, that provide a complete digital solution to its customers, and the company continues to enjoy growth in all aspects of the inkjet market.

“Overall 2013 was a strong year for FFIC, and while we experienced some slow down in our more mature businesses, the demand from new market segments continued to gather pace,” said Brian Meldrum, president, FFIC. “We also realigned the organization’s activities across Europe and North America to become even more responsive to customer needs and changing market trends.”

Meldrum noted that Fujifilm Imaging Colorants found particularly strong success in the industrial segment.

“Aqueous pigmented inkjet ink has exhibited the highest growth across the various industrial segments,” Meldrum said. “These newly expanding applications are driven by regional economic trends and the success of the industries as a whole. FFIC continues to explore new markets, and with our own in-house developed novel pigment dispersion technology (RxD), we are able to satisfy the not insignificant technical challenges of these opportunities.”

On the ink side, Meldrum said that the overall trend in ink sales for new markets continued to be upwards, though many of FFIC’s customers’ own businesses had a mixture of performance throughout the year.

“We saw recovery in Japan and the U.S., continued weakness in Europe, slower growth in emerging markets, and economic structural reform in China continues to offer exciting opportunities for this region,” he added.

Fujifilm Imaging Colorants is investing in R&D, adding its new Ink Technology Center in 2013.

“Last summer, FFIC unveiled a new Ink Technology Center (ITC) in Delaware,” Meldrum said. “Located alongside our ink production facility, one of the largest digital ink manufacturing sites in the world, the ITC is focused on developing ink formulations to support the rapid growth of new industrial applications utilizing digital print. Coupled with our Colorant Technology Center (CTC) in Scotland, we are uniquely positioned to serve these expanding global opportunities both with colorants and final ink formulations.”

While raw materials cost and availability have stabilized, consolidation of suppliers remains a concern. Meldrum noted that FFIC has set up contingency plans to ensure supply to maintain production.

“Overall, our raw material supply has been relatively stable though there has been some consolidation of production amongst existing suppliers,” Meldrum said. “Such consolidation is not unusual in today’s ever-changing chemical industry. and the main priority for our company is to plan ahead and ensure necessary security of supply across all our key raw materials. As many traditional analog markets continue to shift to digital printing, there will be inevitable pricing pressure on inks, which in turn will demand ever more pressure on costs of raw materials.”

Meldrum anticipates further growth for Fujifilm in the digital ink market in 2014 and beyond.

“With an expected improvement in the economies of key regions, FFIC is confident ink sales will continue to see excellent growth in the coming years,” Meldrum concluded. “This is particularly true in industrial applications as brand owners, OEMs, integrators and print houses discover and develop new ways to incorporate digital printing into their operations, gaining productivity and flexibility while offering greater product choices to consumers. FFIC will continue to invest significantly in both the technology and manufacturing capabilities to keep pace with these rapidly developing markets.”

Major Products: Offset printing plates; offset, screen, flexo and inkjet inks; digital print and wide format print equipment including the FUJIFILM Inkjet J Press 720, Inca Onset and Acuity UV flatbed printers; workflow, color management and proofing solutions; pressroom supplies; technical services and consulting services.

Number of Employees: 600

Operating Facilities: 19

Comments: Digital printing continues to make major inroads into traditional printing segments, and companies that are offering their customers full service from equipment through ink and consumables and even workflow solutions can have an advantage over their competitors. FUJIFILM North America, Graphics Systems Division offers its customers a complete line of digital solutions, and as a result, the company continues to enjoy growth.

“Having introduced several new products to the market in 2012, Fujifilm strengthened its market-leading position in the area of commercial offset printing plates, inkjet equipment and inks for a broad range of print technologies,” said Todd Zimmerman,vice presidentand general manager forFUJIFILM North America Corporation,Graphic Systems Division.“Market share growth and penetration of new markets enabled Fujifilm to achieve solid results in 2012.”

In an effort to meet the growing demand for expanding application and business needs, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division released a series of UV inkjet printers built on its highly successful and popular Acuity Advance platform.

The Acuity Advance Select series represents the latest in next-generation UV flatbed printers, featuring exceptional quality, improved productivity and greater versatility, allowing them to be used for a much wider range of applications. The company’s portfolio of wide format inkjet printers was also expanded with the launch of the Inca Onset S40i, the Uvistar Pro 8 and the Acuity LED, as well as its J Press 720.

“Fujifilm is proud to be recognized for innovating productivity and received the InterTech Technology Award from Printing Industries of America for the FUJIFILM J Press 720, the first half-size, sheetfed inkjet press capable of producing offset quality,” Mr. Zimmerman noted.

Mr. Zimmerman noted said that FUJIFILM is putting much emphasis on developing the high-performance inks these new presses require.

“The performance of the ink within these new inkjet equipment systems is becoming one of the key differentiating factors in the production of wide format and digital print,” Mr. Zimmerman said. “Fujifilm launched next generation Uvijet UV inks for wide format, offering market leading performance in terms of color vibrancy, image quality, adhesion flexibility and finishing capability performance. The company also introduced VIVIDIA inks for its J Press inkjet presses and water-based flexo inks for paper and film substrates.

“Fujifilm’s water-based flexo inks are a revolutionary new solution for flexographic printing, providing printers with consistent high quality results while reducing labor and variability factors inherent with current water-based flexo inks,” Mr. Zimmerman added.

Wide format continues to be a key growth area for FUJIFILM North America, Graphics Systems Division.

“The company continues to see major growth in wide format display graphic inkjet inks as the market shifts from traditional offset and screen printing to digital inkjet printing,” Mr. Zimmerman said. “Fujifilm is also seeing increased interest from commercial printers to add wide format capabilities to existing operations.

“Wide format print is growing at a rate of 7%-8% annually and is projected to continue growing at this pace for the next several years. In contrast, commercial print demand has softened, so wide format offers significant opportunity for commercial printers to diversify and grow their businesses,” Mr. Zimmerman added. “Offering more services helps printers foster current customer relationships and add value for print buyer customers.”

Fujifilm has also added wide format media to its product portfolio, and has launched several new innovative media for production of wide format graphic displays and signage.

Another area of growth is in packaging applications. Fujifilm has a broad portfolio of flexo inks – both UV and water-based – for all types of packaging and label applications. In addition, the company has previewed the Acuity LED and the J Press F (provisional name) inkjet solutions for the packaging market.

There have been several improvements and innovations in printing equipment and inks at Fujifilm in the past year. Equipment innovations include the award-winning J Press 720 and the recently introduced J Press 540 W (provisional name) web press and the J Press F (provisional name) for folding carton. The range of wide format equipment was also expanded with new models that produce higher quality output at higher production speeds.

New inkjet digital inks have been added to the portfolio to expand the range of materials and applications for inkjet printing. The new inks – Uvijet brand for wide format inkjet and Vividia brand for digital inkjet – are the result of years of R&D investment in new ink technologies for the fast growing digital inkjet market.

Mr. Zimmerman reported that raw material costs are still volatile, but are more stable than in recent years. There is still worldwide consolidation and rationalization in certain raw material supplies, and this has created supply challenges.

“That said, Fujifilm has strong global purchasing power and multiple manufacturing facilities that enable it to maximize production efficiencies and control costs,” he noted. “The company also recently opened a new ink manufacturing facility in Broadstairs, UK. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to optimize production efficiencies and effectively manage worldwide production and supply chain costs. In addition, investments were made in the Kansas City, MO manufacturing facility to expand production capabilities and effectively mange production costs.”

Mr. Zimmerman said that Fujifilm views 2013 as a pivotal year in the industry, with a more rapid pace of change from traditional analog print methods to digital print production. As a result, the company will keep innovating to continue delivering best-in-class products and services that enable customers to be highly efficient and productive and help them meet the demands of print buyers.

“Fujifilm also expects consolidation in the industry, and a broader adoption of multiple print technologies within each shop,” he added. “Cross media campaign marketing will become more common and printers will need to adapt to a more digitally driven and mobile consumer.

“The company anticipates more focus on sustainability, shrinking carbon and water footprints, using natural resources and packaging materials more efficiently and minimizing waste to become more efficient,” Mr. Zimmerman added. “In fact, Fujifilm is a Gold Sponsor of the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership, a non-profit organization providing sustainability certification in the graphic communications industry.

“It is an exciting time in print with all the changes in the industry,” Mr. Zimmerman concluded. “Fujifilm looks forward to the challenges and working closely with its customers to help them evolve with these market changes and adopt new innovations to ensure their future success.”

Major Products: UV screen, UV flexo, UV digital (piezo inkjet), solvent-based digital and solvent-based screen inks; screen pre-press; Inca Onset Digital Printers and Fujifilm UV wide format inkjet printers, Fujifilm Digital Inkjet J Press 720.

Number of Employees: 650

Operating Facilities: 157

Comments: As the world of digital printing continues to expand, Fujifilm is enjoying growth. As a result, FUJIFILM North America, Graphic Systems Division, which manufactures inks for both inkjet and screen printing, is also enjoying strong growth.

“As a global corporation, Fujifilm increased revenues over 2010,” said Todd Zimmerman, VP, sales and marketing for Fujifilm. “This increase reflected the release of new products and successful efforts to promote sales in response to growth in emerging markets. The continuing acceptance and growth of inkjet technology in the graphic arts market, and Fujifilm’s leadership role in inkjet, contributed greatly to our success.”

Fujifilm had a number of notable highlights during the past year, beginning with the introduction of the Inca Onset S40 wide-format UV flatbed inkjet printer. The company held its technology preview of the new FUJIFILM Acuity LED 1600 wide-format UV inkjet printer, featuring environmentally-friendly LED ink-curing innovation; the introduction of the Uvistar 2 super wide format UV inkjet printer and the continuation of its legacy as a world-class production printer; the first North American installation of the revolutionary J Press 720, and the opening of the new state-of-the-art CTP manufacturing plant in Tilburg, Netherlands, incorporating cutting-edge manufacturing and energy saving technologies while adding considerable capacity and capability.

The investment in the new CTP manufacturing line in Tilburg adds considerable capacity and capability to Fujifilm, allowing the company to meet the growing demands of customers in Europe, the Middle East and a host of other countries.

Mr. Zimmerman noted that print buyers and printers alike are reaping the benefits of digital technologies.

“The rapid growth and acceptance of digital and inkjet technologies have led to great quality, productivity and efficiency increases in the printing industry,” Zimmerman said. “Print buyers have seen tremendous improvements in quality, turnaround times and cost reduction. Fujifilm’s strength in bringing new inkjet applications to both screen and offset printing has helped to fuel this improvement, allowing many printers to take advantage of new inkjet technologies and expand their business offerings. Screen and offset printers have seen shrinking print runs and increasing ‘regionalization’ and variable data jobs lead to new business opportunities and growth thanks to their investments in new technologies. Fujifilm has worked hard to provide the products and services the evolving printing industry needs to stay competitive and strong.”

Fujifilm has implemented worldwide approaches in order to cope with raw material costs and supply issues.

“Material costs and supply issues present a challenge to the entire industry,” Mr. Zimmerman reported. “Fujifilm expects to see a recovery in the very near future, and has implemented global initiatives designed to create a strong and robust company positioned to provide our business partners with the innovative products and services they need when they need them.”

Mr. Zimmerman said that a major component of Fujifilm’s growth strategy entails bolstering activities in priority business fields that allow it to differentiate its products using proprietary technologies, “ Major growth initiatives include screen and offset printing technologies, wide format, digital inkjet and CTP,” Mr. Zimmerman said. “Fujifilm plans to expand its role as the leading plate supplier to the graphic arts industry to the world of flexography. Packaging presents an ideal opportunity for Fujifilm to expand its technological innovation in ink technology, especially LED-curing inks.

“You can expect to see exciting new developments at the drupa trade fair this year that will increase quality, enhance productivity and expand efficiencies. Fujifilm is committed to strengthening our lineup of high-quality products that boast superior cost performance, anticipate and accommodate changing market needs, and reinforce our long-term commitment to our customers.”

Mr. Zimmerman said that Fujifilm will continue to use leading edge, proprietary technologies to add innovation and utility to its products, including the J Press 720 inkjet printing press, wide format, super wide format and roll-fed inkjet printers, media and its line of inks and toner-based inks.

“Fujifilm fully intends to grow its market-leading position worldwide by introducing innovative, productivity-enhancing products and services,” Mr. Zimmerman concluded. “By harnessing the strengths of our technological prowess, we plan to release a constant stream of high value-added products in fields that can be expected to experience significant growth.

“Fujifilm’s corporate philosophy is to use leading edge, proprietary technologies to provide top-quality products and services that contribute to the advancement of culture, science, technology and industry, as well as improved health and environmental protection in society,” Mr. Zimmerman added. “Our overarching aim is to help enhance the quality of life of people worldwide.”

Major Products: UV screen, UV flexo, UV digital (piezo inkjet), solvent-based digital and solvent-based screen inks; screen pre-press; Inca Digital Printers and Fujifilm Digital Printers.

Number of Employees: 165

Operating Facilities: 7

Comments: In April 2010, Fujifilm Sericol became part of the Graphics Systems Division of Fujifilm North America Corporation. The integration combines the screen, wide format inkjet and flexographic business of Sericol along with the strong market position of Fujifilm Graphics in the commercial offset business.

“The integration brings even more products and services to print providers,” said Mitch Bode, general manager of the Sericol Unit business in the U.S. and Mexico. “Fujifilm now provides products and services for offset, screen and digital inkjet printing. The combined organization reduces our cost and improves our service to customers. This will enable us to expand our customer base and grow our business.”

The Sericol Unit of Fujifilm Graphics Systems Division experienced revenue growth in 2010 as the improving economy led to higher ink demand in the point-of-purchase and graphic display markets.

“We saw most of our markets return to levels of business we had prior to the economic downturn,” commented Mr. Bode. “Our traditional screen business has been steady throughout 2010 and our wide format inkjet business has seen significant growth for both equipment and ink.”

Wide format digital inkjet printing remains a key growth area for the company. Print buyer demands for shorter print runs, multiple versions, and faster turnaround times are driving growth, and UV equipment and inks are leading the growth due to the speed, quality and environmental benefits of UV curable inkjet compared to solvent inkjet.

“We are keenly focused on bringing new and innovative UV digital solutions to the market and expect continued growth of this business in the years ahead,” Mr. Bode said.

Fujifilm continued its long term partnership with Inca Digital and renewed its exclusive distribution agreement to market Inca’s UV flatbed printers. A key driver of Fujifilm’s growth in 2010 was the Inca Onset S20 high speed UV digital flatbed. The Onset S20 offers exceptional quality and choice of finish from low glare satin to high impact gloss making it ideal for point-of-purchase display graphic printing.

“The print speed and output of the Onset S20 is a very good fit for in-line screen printers primarily focused on the graphic display market,” said Chris Lomas, vice president of sales for the Sericol Unit.

Although digital inkjet is growing at a fast pace, traditional screen printing inks rebounded and grew modestly in 2010.

“Screen printing is still competitive and well suited for longer print runs,” Mr. Lomas said. “However, the demand for shorter print run lengths, faster turnaround and multiple versions will continue to favor digital inkjet over screen printing. As a result, we expect digital inkjet to grow even faster in 2011.”

While the Onset series presses are the fastest and most productive UV flatbeds, they are just one of many digital solutions offered by the company. Fujifilm also introduced the photo-realistic quality Acuity Advance HS, the latest addition to the Acuity series that offers faster speeds and higher productivity. The Uvistar UV roll press rounds out the UV printer portfolio and the series includes both a 3.5 meter and 5.0 meter printer.

“The Uvistar is ideal for printing billboards, building wraps and grand format display graphics on a wide range of flexible substrates,” said Terry Mitchell, director of marketing. “The Uvistar also prints at faster speeds and higher productivity when compared to solvent printing, and offers the advantage of lower environmental impact.”

Raw material availability was a challenge during 2010 as some materials were rationalized during the economic downturn or simply in short supply when the economy started to improve. Pigments were especially difficult to procure, however formulation expertise helped offset some of these supply shortages. More recently, raw material prices have escalated; however productivity improvements in manufacturing helped hold the line on prices in the market.

“We feel it is absolutely critical to reduce supply chain costs to keep our customers competitive,” said Mr. Mitchell.

A computerized managed inventory program was also expanded to provide improved service and lower freight cost. “Our managed inventory program monitors supply stocks at customer locations and replenishes on a schedule that reduces shipment frequency,” said Scott Holub, vice president operations. “Our customers see tremendous advantage in our program because products are readily available to respond to customer orders.”

Fujifilm has a positive outlook for 2011 with digital printers and inks remaining an important driver to Fujifilm’s future growth.

“Our investments in digital solutions have resulted in new sales opportunities within our traditional customer base of screen printers. The broadening of our portfolio of digital presses, and the expansion of our product portfolio, will continue to fuel our sales growth,” Mr. Bode concluded.