Kohei Kobayashi’s perspective is shaped by a career that has spanned continents and technologies, giving him a front-row seat to the industry’s transformation.
Over the past decade, Kobayashi says he has been privileged to contribute to Mimaki's innovation journey – a journey that has taken him from the engineering roots of Nagano, Japan, to the dynamic sign and graphics markets across Europe.
Engaged in various roles, from product planning and global marketing to technical sales, he’s also had the rare opportunity to witness the evolution of the printing industry from multiple vantage points.
“I’ve been directly involved in the planning and global launch of game-changing platforms like the Mimaki UCJV series, the world’s first entry-level roll-to-roll UV-LED inkjet printer, and the cost-effective SWJ-320EA, which brought wide-format printing within reach for many more businesses,” he tells Print21.
“These were not just product releases, but markers of a deeper shift, moments when technology pushed the boundaries of what printers could do, enabling more creativity, accessibility and efficiency. Today, we’re at the edge of another such moment.”
According to Kobayashi, for years now, direct-to-film (DTF) printing has been traditionally a solution for fast textile transfers, but Mimaki’s latest UV DTF technology breaks free from those limitations.
The UV-DTF advantage
UV curable direct-to-film (UV-DTF) is a decoration method in which a design printed on a special film is transferred to the target material. It can easily decorate materials with uneven or curved surfaces, which has been difficult with conventional UV printing.
UV-DTF's proprietary film consists of two parts: a glued film and a transfer sheet.
UV-DTF eliminates the need for weeding (removal of margins) manually and allows confirmation of printed content before transfer, which significantly improves production efficiency and waste rates.
“By using UV-curable inks printed directly onto coated PET film instantly cured with ultraviolet light, it opens the door to a vast new world of surfaces – ceramics, plastics, metals, wood, leather – even complex, curved forms like bottles, mugs, helmets, and industrial components,” Kobayashi explains.
“These are durable, vivid, scratch-resistant designs that can be applied cleanly, consistently, and quickly, whether you're producing one item or one thousand.
“But beyond the technical advantage, this shift represents something deeper – print providers are no longer confined by material, and creators are no longer boxed in by medium. UV-DTF embodies flexibility in imagination and production.”
DTF evolves
The UJV300 DTF-75 is Mimaki's first purpose-built UV-DTF printer, which the company says is designed to easily produce vibrant, durable transfers including curved or uneven surfaces using a dedicated film system.
For Kobayashi, what truly sets the UJV300 DTF-75 apart is its versatility.
“It can print high-resolution transfers that wrap around complex, irregular shapes – with clean adhesion and vibrant detail. It’s purpose-built for roll-to-roll UV DTF printing, and every element has been engineered for seamless operation in a commercial setting,” he says.
“In a world of hyper-personalisation, where consumers want one-of-a-kind products and brands strive to connect meaningfully at every touchpoint, customisation is no longer optional – it’s essential. And in this fast-paced landscape, speed becomes competitive advantage.
“Mimaki’s UV DTF workflow is digitally driven, clean, and quick. No drying times, no complex pre-treatment. Just immediate, repeatable output even across surfaces previously thought too difficult to customise.
Kobayashi believes the UV-DTF is more than a passing trend or niche capability – it’s a philosophical and strategic shift, and a big part of the future of customisation.
This article was first published in the September-October 2025 edition of Print21, page 26.