Toners 2014 Conference Wraps Up 31st Seminar In Santa Barbara Calif

Toners 2014 Conference Wraps Up 31st Seminar In Santa Barbara Calif

Kodak’s Disclosure of Near 100% Color Biotoner Dominates Event

Ventura, California, June 9, 2014—The Tiara Group, in conjunction with the Graphic Communication Institute at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (GrCI) hosted its 31st annual Toner Conference at Fess Parker's elegant seaside resort in Santa Barbara, California.The three-day event began with two Tutorials—Toners 101 and Inkjet Inks 101—on Monday, June 2, followed by a Cocktail Reception in the Reagan Room. The next two days were dedicated to talks and panel discussions focused on the battle between inkjet and toner technology for office desktop printing applications as well as the introduction of an important area of digital print – production printing.

Robert C. Ross Jr., CEO and Founder of Xanté (also representing Memjet), delivered a stirring Keynote Address regarding the impact on desktop business printing of page wide, stationary nozzle arrays.Renowned imaging Consultant, Dr. Ray A. Work III, reinforced the inkjet printing advances with an update stressing the latest devices from HP (Officejet Pro X) and Brother’s newest printer, the amazing 100 page per minute HLS7000dn.

What was unique about this year’s event is the partnership that organizer and Tiara Group’s Managing Director, Terry Gorka, negotiated with GrCI which brought in Speakers and Delegates from the commercial printing and publishing sector. Those digital print applications comprise the lion’s share of the toner and inkjet business. Indeed, it was revealed that narrow format, monochrome, desktop office printing represents a mere 3 to 5% of the total revenue generated by the overall print market
(office and home color printing is an estimated 15%).

Kodak’s Dr. Tomas McHugh stunned delegates when he revealed that Kodak had achieved practically 100% biocontent in a chemical color toner that is planned to be in semi-works production this August and full-scale production by June 2015. McHugh explained that actual levels of sustainable ingredients are somewhat north of 95% biocontent. He also indicated that Kodak has entered into an agreement with Static Control (Sanford, NC) for the worldwide marketing, sale and distribution of this new line of Kodak biotoners.

In an unexpected presentation on Tuesday, June 3rd, Dr. Harvey R. Levenson, Professor Emeritus and Head of GrCI, announced that an Endowment Fund had been established at the university in the name of Art Diamond & The Tiara Group. The Fund will support research, education and training in toner, photoreceptor and inkjet technology as well as offering one or more scholarships, depending on the income generated.

Art Diamond was presented with a plaque honoring his efforts in expanding imaging technology and toner manufacturing worldwide, whereupon Speakers and Delegates gave him a standing ovation.

Another feature of this year’s conference was the increased emphasis on panel discussions. Called “open mike” sessions, they ranged from the growth of service as an income stream that now surpasses consumables, to the main factors impacting office printing.

Attendees also heard talks on specialty toners, biotoners, pigments and colorants, toner resins and waxes, toner additives, nano-pigment dispersions, industry litigation and the protection of intellectual property.

Imaging consultant Graham Galliford, now Asia Pacific Regional Manager for the TROY Group, discussed worldwide toner production with his estimates of tonnage produced in each geographic region.

The three-day event was blessed by clear skies and bright sunshine, a fine backdrop for the outdoor lunches that encouraged open discussions and networking. This last feature has become a hallmark of the Tiara Group’s carefully planned toner conferences.