K2 Market Intelligence: Before You Buy the Press, Ask What Happens Next | B2+ Digital Presses
As you may have noticed, several of our recent blog posts have focused on the selection of a new press, whether offset/CTP or digital. But selecting a press is about much more than feet or sheets per minute, the number of colors, resolution, or any of the other specifications found on a manufacturer’s data sheet.
An equally important question is:
How will this new press fit into your existing production ecosystem?
To help Print Service Providers (PSPs) think through that question, we have published the first book in our K2 Market Intelligence series.
Rather than attempting to cover every press format in a single publication, the first book focuses on B2+ digital presses. Additional books covering other press formats will follow.
Each K2 Market Intelligence book looks beyond basic press specifications. We provide information about the presses and links to relevant manufacturer resources, but we also identify the broader questions a PSP should consider before making an investment.
Consider, for example, a PSP that already operates offset presses and Computer-to-Plate (CTP) equipment and is considering adding a B2+ digital press.
Our 32-page K2 Market Intelligence book examines B2+ digital press technologies including toner, liquid electrophotography (liquid toner), inkjet, and nanographic printing. It looks at their relative capabilities and provides links to relevant information from the press manufacturers.
However, perhaps more importantly, the publication suggests questions that PSPs should ask themselves, their teams, and prospective press suppliers.
For example:
Will I end up with a separate workflow for each press?
What are the implications for training and cross-training staff?
How will this new press integrate with my existing production systems?
What is the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)?
What additional software, infrastructure, or services will be required?
These are not simply questions about the press itself. They involve workflow, staffing, operations, technology, and finance.
That means the press selection process should not necessarily be limited to the production department. The questions may also be relevant to the PSP’s CEO, CFO, operations management, IT organization, and human resources team.
K2 Market Intelligence has therefore been designed to help different members of the PSP management team evaluate a press investment from their own perspective while understanding how their decisions affect the production ecosystem as a whole.
You can download the publication free of charge here:
We hope you find the publication useful, and we welcome your comments and suggestions at jherold@xitron.com.
As the market evolves, we will continue to expand the K2 Market Intelligence series with additional press formats and publish updates when significant changes make them necessary.
Please note that the presses, specifications, and links included in this edition were verified as of September 1, 2026. Press manufacturers continue to develop their products, so specifications and available models may change.
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