The HP Industrial VIP Event Showcased the Power of Technology, Innovation and Demand Creation; Vimal Parmar Shares the Key Takeaways
04 August 2026: The printing industry has always evolved through innovation. From letterpress to offset, from analogue to digital, every technological leap has expanded the possibilities of what can be printed. Today, digital printing has reached an extraordinary level of maturity, delivering exceptional print quality, automation, productivity and application versatility.
The challenge before the industry, however, is no longer technology alone. It is how effectively we leverage that technology to create new business opportunities.
This was the underlying theme that emerged from the HP Industrial VIP Event, organised by Redington Limited in Chennai on 13-14 July 2026. Bringing together HP Indigo users, print service providers and industry professionals from across India, the two-day event explored not only the latest developments in digital printing technology but also the changing dynamics of customer expectations and market opportunities.
Technology Continues to Drive Transformation
The event opened with an engaging keynote by Noel D’Cunha, Managing Editor of PrintWeek, who presented a fascinating overview of the evolution of printing in India from the country’s first printing press established in Goa in 1556 to today’s highly automated digital production environments.
His presentation highlighted how technological advancements have continuously reshaped the printing industry. Yet, according to D’Cunha, the most significant transformation taking place today is behavioural rather than technological. Customers increasingly expect shorter print runs, faster turnaround, greater personalisation and application-specific solutions that conventional production methods often struggle to deliver economically.
Summing up this changing landscape, D’Cunha remarked: “Printers no longer compete on who owns the best press. They compete on who adapts the fastest.”
The statement resonated throughout the event and provided an ideal foundation for many of the sessions that followed.
Looking Beyond Technology
Building on that theme, my keynote explored how technology and market creation must work together if the industry is to sustain long-term growth.
There is little doubt that investment in world-class printing technology remains essential. HP Indigo digital presses have redefined quality, colour consistency, productivity and application flexibility across numerous print segments.
However, owning better technology alone does not automatically create new business.
The real opportunity lies in identifying fresh applications, educating customers and creating new reasons for people to print.
This is particularly relevant for the photo imaging industry, where wedding albums continue to dominate the market. While weddings remain an important business segment, photographers and print service providers have a far greater opportunity before them.
From a baby’s first year and family history to travel adventures, school memories, graduations, pet photobooks, recipe collections, coffee table books, personal zines and corporate storytelling, every story deserves to be printed.
These are not merely print products. They preserve memories, strengthen brands, celebrate milestones and create lasting legacies.
Creating awareness around such applications requires photographers and print providers to think beyond production and embrace marketing with equal enthusiasm. Rather than waiting for customers to request photobooks, the industry must inspire them to create one.
As I concluded during the keynote: “The future belongs to printers who create demand, not just supply.” And perhaps the simplest way to remember the philosophy is: “If it’s worth photographing, it’s worth printing.”
Learning Through Technology
One of the strongest aspects of the HP Industrial VIP Event was that it combined strategic thinking with practical demonstrations.
Throughout the two-day programme, experts from HP Indigo and Redington delivered presentations covering the latest developments in HP Indigo digital printing technology, workflow automation, emerging applications and sustainability initiatives. The sessions demonstrated how digital printing is rapidly expanding into diverse market segments while helping print businesses become more agile, productive and environmentally responsible.
Particularly noteworthy were the discussions around application diversification. Rather than viewing digital printing as a replacement for conventional technologies, the presentations illustrated how HP Indigo presses are enabling print service providers to profitably address markets requiring short runs, versioning, mass customisation and premium-quality personalised printing.
For print entrepreneurs looking to differentiate themselves, the sessions offered valuable insights into identifying niche opportunities and building profitable business models around value-added applications.
Centre of Excellence Demonstrates What’s Possible
A major highlight of the event was a visit to the Redington Centre of Excellence, where delegates experienced live demonstrations of HP Indigo digital presses across multiple market segments, including commercial printing, labels, folding cartons, flexible packaging and photo applications.
The Centre of Excellence serves as an important resource for the Indian print industry by allowing visitors to experience technologies firsthand, evaluate substrates and applications, understand workflow integration and appreciate the production capabilities of HP Indigo presses under real-world conditions.
For many delegates, the demonstrations reinforced the remarkable versatility of HP Indigo digital press technology. Whether producing premium commercial print, personalised photo products, short-run packaging or high-value labels, the same technology platform demonstrated the ability to address diverse market requirements with outstanding quality and consistency.
More importantly, the demonstrations reinforced an equally significant message: technology alone does not create growth. Growth comes from developing new applications, entering new markets and helping customers discover new reasons to print.
Looking Ahead
The HP Industrial VIP Event successfully combined technology, education and business strategy into a comprehensive programme for today’s print professionals.
For commercial printers, label converters, packaging specialists, photo labs and print entrepreneurs alike, the event offered a valuable reminder that investment in advanced digital printing technology remains essential. Equally important, however, is the willingness to innovate, diversify applications and educate customers about the possibilities that modern print can deliver.
As digital printing continues to reshape the industry, success will increasingly belong to organisations that combine technological excellence with creativity, market development and customer engagement.
The presses may continue to become faster and smarter. But ultimately, the businesses that thrive will be those that create the best reasons for customers to print.
About the Author ….
Vimal Parmar is an independent marketing consultant and digital print evangelist with over 40 years of experience in the photo imaging and print industry. He is widely regarded as a thought leader, educator, and communicator who has consistently championed the relevance and value of printed photographs in an increasingly digital-first world.
