FuturePrint Podcast

Send us a textIn this episode we dive into one of the most significant – yet often misunderstood – transformations underway in global retail and packaging: the shift from traditional barcodes to next-generation QR codes powered by GS1. Our guest, Camilla Young, leads this programme for GS1 UK and has rapidly become one of the most compelling voices in the space.With a commercial background spanning major CPG brands such as Pernod Ricard, BIC, Hasbro and Johnson & Johnson, Camilla brings a rare blend of brand insight, consumer understanding, and technical clarity to a topic that is reshaping how products are made, sold, tracked, understood, and recycled.We explore:What GS1 actually does and why global standards underpin the entire retail and supply chain ecosystem.The forces driving change: consumer expectations, sustainability pressure, EU regulations, digital shopping, and AI.The difference between ordinary QR codes and GS1 Digital Link QR codes – and why next-generation barcodes can now scan at POS.The vast potential for connected packaging, from traceability and recalls to accessibility, authentication, and first-party consumer engagement.Why printers, converters, and packaging suppliers have a critical role in ensuring print quality, verification, and correct implementation.How this shift will enable digital product passports, carbon transparency, circularity, and smarter supply chains.Camilla shares clear, practical explanations that demystify what is coming – and why the print and packaging sector should be fully informed and preparing now.For more information: GS1 UK – gs1uk.org Global GS1 – gs1.orgFollow Camilla on LinkedIn for updates, case studies, and live examples of next-generation barcodes being deployed around the world.Listen on:Apple PodcastGoogle PodcastSpotifyWhat is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:FuturePrint TECH: Industrial Print: 21-22 January '26, Munich, Germany

Send us a textIn this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Frazer Chesterman speaks with Jim Raymont, Director of Sales at EIT 2.0, and PK Swain, Chief Operating Officer, to explore the critical role UV measurement plays in modern industrial inkjet manufacturing. As EIT 2.0 prepares to exhibit at FuturePrint Industrial Print Munich, the conversation goes deep into the practical realities of curing, process control and efficiency on the production floor.Jim explains how EIT 2.0, formed in 2022 as a specialist offshoot of the original EIT, builds on nearly four decades of UV measurement expertise. PK brings additional perspective from senior leadership roles at major UV source manufacturers, offering insight into both the technology and business impact of getting curing right - or wrong.Together, they highlight a recurring challenge across the industry: when curing problems arise, finger-pointing often replaces diagnostics. EIT’s instruments act as a neutral communication tool, helping source suppliers, formulators and end users establish clear process windows and quickly identify issues before scrap, downtime and cost escalate.The discussion also tackles common misconceptions around UV LED curing. While LEDs are stable and energy efficient, they still degrade over time and are vulnerable to real-world production variables - contamination, speed changes and incorrect settings. Measuring UV output is the only way to maintain control.The episode closes with a look at sustainability, LED adoption and why UV measurement should start at process development - not when problems occur. A must-listen for anyone serious about industrial print performance.Listen on:Apple PodcastGoogle PodcastSpotifyWhat is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:FuturePrint TECH: Industrial Print: 21-22 January '26, Munich, Germany

Send us a textIn this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Ed sits down with Anna Tobler, CEO of Ergosoft, ahead of her participation at the FuturePrint AI for Industrial Print Conference in Munich this January. Anna shares her journey from a career in IT and financial services to leading one of the print industry’s most respected software companies, known globally for its RIP technology across textile, décor, large format and industrial printing.Anna outlines the shifting dynamics shaping today’s print environment – from shorter runs and rising quality expectations to increasing workflow complexity and the pressure on operators to “know everything.” With hardware becoming faster, more stable and more capable, she argues that workflow, automation and software intelligence are now the real differentiators. The conversation highlights how smart job preparation, bottleneck elimination and AI-enhanced decision-making can significantly boost productivity and reduce errors.A major focus of the episode is Ergosoft’s development of Casey, the company’s AI agent designed to deliver instant, 24/7 multilingual support. Anna explains how Casey was trained on Ergosoft’s expert knowledge base and continuously evolves with every update, giving customers immediate access to guidance, troubleshooting and best practices. She also shares some of the surprising and amusing lessons learned while fine-tuning Casey’s behaviour – including the need to stop it from offering cooking recipes or praising competitors a little too enthusiastically.Looking ahead, Anna discusses the accelerating pace of technological change, the growing importance of intuitive front-end experiences powered by complex back-end logic, and the challenge of using AI to empower rather than overwhelm users. It’s an insightful conversation full of practical perspective on the future of workflow, software and AI in print.Listen on:Apple PodcastGoogle PodcastSpotifyWhat is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:FuturePrint TECH: Industrial Print: 21-22 January '26, Munich, Germany

Send us a textIn this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Marcus Timson is joined by Dr Peter Brown, Chief Commercial Officer, and Jamie Jeffs, Director of Industrial Instrumentation at 42 Technology – a UK Cambridge-based consultancy that bridges bleeding edge technology and real-world manufacturing.Together, they demystify what AI really means for industrial print and packaging, with a particular focus on edge AI: running intelligent models directly on or near machines rather than in distant data centres. Jamie explains how advances in edge silicon and neural processing units now allow complex tasks such as machine vision, anomaly detection and even small language models to run locally – delivering faster response, improved cyber security and more control over sensitive production data.Peter brings a physicist’s pragmatism to the AI hype cycle. He argues that every project should start with a simple question – “What problem are we trying to solve?” – and a hard look at the underlying data. In many factories, institutional knowledge, paper records and patchy logging still dominate. Before any AI can add value, sensing, data capture and basic analytics must be put on a solid footing.The discussion ranges from practical use cases – predictive maintenance, stabilising complex print processes, smarter vision systems – to the strategic threat of global competition. Both guests stress that AI is unlikely to remove humans from the loop; instead, it will augment operators, capture expertise and help mid-sized businesses compete with better-resourced rivals.If you’re curious about how to start an AI journey in print without being overwhelmed by the hype, this episode offers a clear, sober and encouraging guide.Listen on:Apple PodcastGoogle PodcastSpotifyWhat is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:FuturePrint TECH: Industrial Print: 21-22 January '26, Munich, Germany

Send us a textIn this FuturePrint Podcast episode, host Marcus Timson reconnects with long-time partner and industry voice Marc Graindourze of Agfa to explore where industrial inkjet really is in late 2025 – and what comes next.Graindourze starts by defining industrial print in simple, concrete terms: print that becomes part of the product, not just a label or message. Using décor laminates as a benchmark, he explains how inkjet has successfully replaced gravure by slotting into existing impregnation and pressing lines without forcing manufacturers to re-engineer their plants.The conversation ranges across Agfa’s core focus areas – décor, packaging and direct-to-product printing – and highlights how the economics of digital have quietly improved. Lower ink consumption, faster changeovers and better process understanding mean that, on a total cost-per-square-metre basis, inkjet can now undercut analogue in many decorative applications. Examples include high-speed preprint corrugated with unique QR codes for e-commerce and edge banding for furniture.Timson and Graindourze also preview the new FuturePrint Industrial Print event at Motorworld Munich (21–22 January 2026). Designed as a focused, hybrid alternative to traditional trade shows, the event aims to connect the specialist inkjet ecosystem – inks, printheads, integrators, software and automation suppliers – with decision-makers in automotive, med-tech, consumer electronics and other manufacturing sectors. A dedicated day on AI for industrial print will sit alongside exhibits, talks and live application “workshop” spaces.Throughout, Graindourze stresses that success in industrial inkjet depends on collaboration and clarity. General-purpose UV and water-based ink sets can often be adapted for new applications, but only when industrial partners are explicit about their requirements and prepared to rethink workflows to exploit digital’s strengths.For anyone interested in how inkjet is reshaping advanced manufacturing – and why Munich could mark an important inflection point – this is an episode not to miss.Listen on:Apple PodcastGoogle PodcastSpotifyWhat is FuturePrint? FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:FuturePrint TECH: Industrial Print: 21-22 January '26, Munich, Germany