Dscoop Edge Rockies welcomed an enthusiastic group of print industry members to Denver, CO, USA, after 1,075 days separating Dscoop events. Attendees comprised of current and prospective HP users learned more about the latest and greatest HP Indigo and PageWide technologies while sharing new and innovative ideas with one another from March 6-8, 2022. Plus, Dscoop and HP laid out plans for a prosperous future for labels and packaging, folding cartons, security printing and more.

More than 800 Dscoop members joined 60-plus participating partners for a rousing welcome-back to industry events in 2022. Dscoop Edge Rockies featured educational sessions, informative keynote presentations, extensive networking, and new technology highlights at the Solutions Showcase.

The total attendance figures included more than 350 different companies, about 200 of which were print service providers, from 22 different countries around the world. There were 64 Dscoop partners on-hand, including 40 featuring their products and services in the Solutions Showcase.

“The best way for people to get together after such a long while is in a collaborative forum,” said Cesare Zavalloni, head of global marketing at HP.

Throughout the event, the words, “resilient, optimistic, and connected” were used frequently. HP digital printing users gathered from far and wide to address the company’s newest technological capabilities and how they can be better leveraged with brands.

Dscoop’s Kelvin Gage welcomed the group on Sunday, March 6, 2022, for the opening session. Gage emphasized the constant collaboration and sharing of ideas for making Dscoop a truly “unique event.” Gage also acknowledged the wide range of industry partners for making the event a success.

Meanwhile, Haim Levit, vice president and general manager of HP Indigo, illustrated HP’s plans for the future while also recapping the state of the business. “I’m super, super excited to be here in Denver,” said Levit. “Better together is not a slogan, it’s a way of life for us. It’s been a very long time since we met face-to-face. I really missed the event and the people, the hugging and talking to you.

“At the end of the day, it is all about our customers,” he added. “They are the center of our stage. We are still obsessed with our customers and their experiences, and we’re doing a lot of things to improve the experiences with our presses.”

Levit detailed all the challenges impacting the print and packaging industry, from the global pandemic to supply chain shortages to the war taking place in Ukraine.

“Covid was an opportunity for businesses to reimagine how they work,” explained Levit. “I’ve had people ask me what a normal supply chain will look like? We will probably not begin to see that until the end of 2023.”

Levit noted, however, that despite all the challenges impacting our industry, 88% of North American printers anticipate revenue growth.

From an HP standpoint, Covid-19 helped accelerate trends that were already happening within the company. “E-commerce, automation, sustainability, and personalization are all here to stay,” commented Levit. “We will focus on four pillars, continuing to invest and grow the commercial space while disrupting labels and packaging. We’ll go after new markets with security, folding cartons, and software, all with versatility and sustainability in mind.

“We have continued to invest over $150 million every year in R&D, and we are not planning to stop,” added Levit.

HP’s solutions are designed to use up to 30% less packaging waste, with a 65% lower impact on global warming. All of this is designed to enable circularity and empower brands, too.

HP has seen success over the past 1,075 days, as well. HP has sold 1,300 presses in the last two years, as well as 100 press sales of the HP Indigo 100K since its launch. For labels and packaging, Levit stated that the HP Indigo V12 is going through beta testing this summer.

“The V12 will change the market, as it will feature 6-times more productivity of today’s digital presses, meaning this press will totally disrupt the market.”

Dscoop Edge Rockies also delivered a wealth of educational sessions. For example, StickerGiant’s Jesse Freitas joined cmyk.’s Dustin Steerman, who was ePac’s first co-investor and affiliate operator, to address sustained growth in age of digital label and package printing. Overall, there were 32 education sessions, 19 of which were led by Dscoop community members. Other sessions featured HP and business experts. A host of other education sessions focused on the road to automation, digital finishing, digital embellishments, and the further shift into a digital world.

Not only did the event feature educational insights, it promoted inspiration in the form of keynote sessions. Dscoop presented four keynotes, from Jesse Cole, David Burkus, Verne Harnish and Rorke Denver. The organization’s goal was for attendees to leave with useful strategies and tools to implement in their businesses.

The Solutions Showcase featured many of the possibilities of digital print – alongside a multitude of industry partners. HP’s label and packaging solutions were on display, illustrating how brands can benefit from the technology. Meanwhile, numerous partners, including A B Graphic International, Hybrid Software, Label Traxx, Matik, Wausau Coated Products and a host of others were on-hand to demonstrate how their products can support HP’s digital printing technologies.