Author: Brendan Perring, IPIA. May 22nd, 2024.
In the rapidly-evolving industry landscape, Duplo International stands out as a pioneer committed to pushing boundaries and redefining industry standards. With the Drupa international trade show soon to be upon us, Marine Kerivel-Brown, Marketing Director and Bruno Piquet, Chairman and CEO of Duplo International, provided insight into its ethos, approach to technology development and the transformative impact of its solutions.
At the heart of Duplo's philosophy lies a relentless pursuit of automation and ease of use, with the goal of empowering end-users with tools that streamline operations and foster growth.
“Whether it's a print run of one or thousands, Duplo's automation capabilities ensure that the heavy lifting is handled seamlessly, allowing operators to focus on higher-value tasks without the burden of manual intervention. We are also passionate about inspiring creativity and adaptability within our customer’s businesses so they can thrive – that is the meridian that will run throughout our presence at Drupa,” emphasises Marine.
The hallmark of Duplo's systems is their versatility and usability. Designed with the end-user in mind, Duplo solutions boast a "load it and leave" approach, where operators can simply input the necessary parameters and let the machine take care of the rest. This user-centric design not only enhances efficiency, but also addresses growing market challenges such as staff shortages and varying skill levels among operators.
Indeed, this approach has long been a hallmark of Duplo, which saw significant acceleration in the late 1990s – as it was among the very first print technology developers to introduce full PC control and complete machine connectivity. As the trends that shape today’s print industry were beginning to take shape, Duplo’s leadership team had a fundamental understanding of the requirement to seamlessly link together pre-press, press and post-press operations.
Engage and deliver
“The name of our headquarters is Automated Precision House, and this encapsulates our belief that green button technology is the only way forward,” emphasises Bruno, who continues: “If you cannot provide this level of automation and integration between hardware and software, if you do not have a total focus on the need for the printer to save time, become more efficient and ultimately produce more – but with fewer resources – then you are no longer relevant and cannot create opportunities for your customers.”
Bruno believes passionately that it is no longer the case that finishing technology needs to become ever-faster – it is actually far more important that every minute is more productive. As the level of expert knowledge in the sector continues to decline, it is ever-more critical that technology developers such as Duplo develop solutions that can fill that skills gap and produce exceptional levels of quality and consistency.
Indeed, as the print industry also undergoes a paradigm shift towards sustainability and customisation, Duplo remains at the forefront, pioneering solutions that cater to these emerging trends. From digital packaging applications to embellishments and multi-finishers, Duplo's innovative offerings enable print organisations to diversify their service offerings and meet the evolving needs of their clients – while packing more productivity into every inch of floor space.
Marine highlights that it is not just about the technology however, but what Duplo has built around it: “Drupa not only serves as a platform for Duplo to showcase our latest innovations, but to engage with industry professionals from around the world one-on-one. By fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and challenging conventional wisdom, we aim to empower print businesses to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.
“The more issues a printer shares with us, the better understanding we have, and the more effective we are in supporting them. It's more than just that one point of contact, and it's more than just a commercial relationship.”
Money in your pocket
Bruno goes further, articulating Duplo’s wider mission at Drupa: “Our vision is clearly expressed – we believe we need to add value to the printed communication for the end-user through automation and innovation.
“The new technology that will be displayed at Drupa is a perfect example of a focus on helping the end-user to adapt to market challenges and thrive. We will be demonstrating not just how to achieve peak efficiency for slitting, cutting, creasing, perforating, folding and embellishment, but at the end of the conveyor as well – so users can have automation in stacking, packing, and enclosing as well.”
Furthermore, Duplo's commitment to modularity enables businesses to adapt to evolving needs without significant reinvestment. By offering a range of modular solutions that can be tailored to specific requirements, Duplo empowers printers to scale their operations efficiently and stay ahead of market demands.
“The efficiency of our multi-finishers is amazing, they are so reliable, cost-effective and perfectly designed for their purpose that business owners know – when they hear them calmly ticking away on their production floor – that it is money in their pocket,” enthuses Bruno.
Duplo’s development pathway has also led to the reality today that one production room staff member can use three or four Duplo machines at the same time – whereas before they would have spent the whole day just focussed on one operation.
The consequential benefit is that this creates the immense potential for print business managers to free up team members and better deploy their productivity to grow their business and increase its profitability – whether that is design, creative consultancy and sales, faster turnarounds, highly complex short-runs, bespoke higher margin work, and even diversifying into new market areas such as short-run digital packaging.
“We see in so many of our customers businesses, that the predictability, reliability, productivity and the quality of our technology’s output reduces the stress levels of operators and production managers,” highlights Marine, who adds: “They can plan and manage their work volumes knowing that they can setup a machine, load the job and walk away – safe in the knowledge it will just work and deliver the required output quality. This then improves job satisfaction and enjoyment, which can lead to increased levels of motivation, productivity and creativity when developing new solutions to strengthen the performance of the business.”
Packaging up potential
With the research and development for Duplo’s new suite of technology beginning as far back as 2011, one of the pieces of technology Bruno mark’s out that he is “the most excited about showcasing at Drupa” is the DSM-1000 B2+ Die Cutter. This is a crucial corner stone for the portfolio of technology that Duplo is building for ‘the printer of the future’, and at Drupa it will be a key part of its vision for the ‘digital packaging factory’.
“We believe that many more commercial printers in the decades ahead will evolve to become a full 360-degree service provider, which will service their city or region with all their print production needs – whether that is a simple folded brochure, or beautifully embellished packaging for a challenger retail brand,” says Bruno.
He continues: “There will always be the dominant national and international brands where convertors are dealing with hundreds of thousands of units – but there has been an explosion of clever entrepreneurs that have developed products with creative branding that are aimed at a specific demographic of customer.
“Their market differentiator is being able to utilise packaging to create a rich story behind their product and evoke emotion and loyalty in their customers – offering them something they feel fits with their style, culture, or personal taste. So, they will continuously come up with new short-runs of specialised variations on their product every quarter now – also to coincide with seasonal celebrations – that require print and packaging to excite new interest and strengthen that engagement and connection. Technology such as the DSM-1000 B2+ Die Cutter, together with our embellishment systems, is perfectly suited to capitalising on this demand efficiently and profitably.”
A knowledge bridge
In essence, Duplo's approach to technology development is rooted in a deep understanding of customer needs, a relentless pursuit of innovation, and a commitment to partnership and collaboration – something its team are very passionate about demonstrating at the global print Olympics that is Drupa.
“Intrinsic to our approach will be demonstrating that Duplo is a ‘knowledge bridge’,” says Marine, who expands: “We are in continuous conversation with our customers around the world about how to work more efficiently, reduce waste, increase their productivity, and maximise technology utilisation to create new high-value creative products. We can then share that knowledge and best practice – so Drupa is not just about showcasing solutions – it is about passing on that knowledge to every individual that comes to our stand. That is simply fantastic.”
As the print industry continues to evolve, Duplo remains poised to lead the way, shaping the future of print finishing technology one innovation at a time. You can begin your conversation with its team about how its technology and support can add value to your business at Drupa in Hall 6 on stand A31.
To find out more about the complete technology and solutions portfolio that will be showcased by Duplo at Drupa, visit: duplointernational.com.
One of the key benefits of the Duplo DSM-1000 B2 Die Cutter is its ability to open new revenue streams for commercial printers by widening their offering and allowing them to access the booming digital packaging market.
The Duplo DSM-1000 B2 Die Cutter can handle a wide range of substrates and perform an array of finishing functions – including matrix creasing, perforating, kiss cutting and more.
The iSaddle SENSHI builds upon Duplo's renowned iSaddle 5.0 technology, enhancing automation and productivity while providing the quality of a saddle stitcher with the convenience of flat sheet production.
Designed to handle growing demand for complex short-runs, critical attributes of the iSaddle SENSHI is that it comprises a seamless transition from flat to finished book, while offering robust stitching and notably diminished makeready times.
The Duplo DBM-700 enables printers to increase their productivity from a single system, with three-knife trimming and square spine options, it delivers the premium finish of a square spine with the automation of a stitched book.
The DC-F100 automates your workflow from start to finish, eliminating setup, offering automatic adjustments, and catering to common folds, freeing up time and resources. This allows printers to focus on more profitable activities for business growth.
