Benny Landa keynotes 1st Dscoop Asia in Seoul

Digital printing pioneer and inventor of HP Indigo press reaffirms his original tenet that kicked off the digital printing revolution, 'everything that can go digital will go digital.'

He repeated the well-known observation to 1000 HP Indigo printers at the inaugural Dscoop Asia conference, the largest graphic arts event in Asia Pacific. The two-day gathering in the Korean capitol is the inaugural event of the Asia Pacific chapter of the users group.

At the opening session, Landa shared the platform with the steering committee of the new organisation, which includes David Minnett of Group Momentum, North Sydney. The formation of an Australian New Zealand chapter of the HP Indigo users group is underway with a local committee already in place.

Dscoop Asia 2010 is taking place at the same time as the Korean printing industry trade show, where HP is showing its high-speed W7200 for the first time in Asia Pacific. The two days of Dscoop will consist of presentations by digital printers from around the world sharing their understanding of how the industry is developing. Delegates will also visit HP Indigo sites and attend the presentation of the HP Digital Awards. A number of the Australian and New Zealand steering committee are in attendance.

In a discursive autobiographical keynote speech, Landa, now the eminence grise of the digital printing industry, predicted that within 20 years all printing will be digital. He also claimed that HP would be the largest printing industry manufacturer within 3-4 years.

Wearing the role of industry seer like an Old Testament prophet, (out of Zion shall come the gospel of digital print), Landa illuminated his presentation with a history of the development of Indigo. He reminded the attentive audience of printers that when Indigo began 30 years ago it was in a non-digital world.

“Now digital is happening so fast it makes my head spin,” he said.

Returning to a favourite theme, he extolled the value of the original series of Indigo patents. Mainly in the field of enabling high-speed paper handling, these patents protected the fledgling private company for 16 years by assuring its cash flow in the years it was developing “electric ink.”

“Ultimately virtually every copier manufacturer in the world became an Indigo licensee. In fact, if you have a copier in your office it is likely that something in that copier was made under license from Indigo.”

He said his enthusiasm for invention continues to be a driving force, revealing that he is working in his private research company on a new venture; nano-technology for alternative energy.

Finally, Landa said that the fact every HP Indigo press shipped bears the label ‘Made in Israel’ is his dream come true.