Coordinated Production Of Traditional And Digital Printing

Recently, the 22nd 'Digital Printing in China' Technology Development Forum 2026 was successfully held in Shanghai. The event featured a special 'High-End Dialogue' session, where guests discussed the theme 'Traditional Printing and Digital Printing: How to Achieve Coordinated Production?' They explored how to leverage the strengths of both traditional and digital printing to build a collaborative production model. Here are some highlights to share with everyone.

Shanghai Xinhua Printing Co., Ltd. launched its digital printing business in the second half of 2022. After nearly four years of development and accumulation, the company is now equipped with three inkjet rotary printing machines, a perfect binding production line, a book edge aesthetic printing machine, and various digital post-press enhancement devices and post-press equipment.

The book edge aesthetic printing machine effectively enables mutual added value between traditional printing and digital printing. Take our online series novels as an example-at the beginning of last year, we only started handling this business. After introducing the technology, the order volume quickly grew from 30,000–40,000 copies at the start to 150,000–160,000 copies by the end of the year. This series maintains a bi-monthly release schedule, with strong demand for set collections and author-signed customizations. The maximum customized book edge printing can reach 35,000 sets, creating entirely new added value for our traditional printing business. After introducing the book edge aesthetic printing machine for book edge applications, relevant process orders accounted for 10% of the total print volume-meaning that out of every 100,000 copies printed, 10,000 used the book edge printing process.

In terms of digital post-press enhancement, we introduced the Konica Minolta AccurioShine 3600 digital post-press enhancement machine. Initially, this equipment was mainly used for UV stamping on books with spine flaps. But after implementation, we found that, aside from cost considerations, the process did not achieve the expected effect in book cover printing. The main reason is that publishers still prefer traditional stamping processes, and acceptance of digital post-press enhancement is still in progress. However, we saw an unexpected outcome: foreign clients with small to medium batch orders (1,000–5,000 copies) specifically requested to use this machine for covers.

Since traditional book cover printing did not meet expectations, we sought to maximize equipment usage by combining the Konica Minolta digital post-press enhancement machine with the Fujifilm commercial innovation Turing equipment, expanding into new cultural and creative product categories, such as badges, colored paper, cards, playing cards, and sports cards. With full-channel online and offline sales, these products generate annual sales of around 1.5 million yuan. The core value here is not just additional revenue but also fully utilizing equipment capacity, using this as a starting point to continuously attract new customers and develop new business channels.

Through measures like expanding digital printing processes, activating post-press equipment capacity, and exploring new cultural and creative tracks, the company's digital printing business has gradually formed a mature operating model. The business scale and client structure are steadily optimizing, showing a clear development trend in overall revenue and order systems.

Looking at the company's overall business structure, publishing accounts for 65%–70%, with nearly half being university press business. The remaining roughly 30% focuses on cultural and creative products and commercial printing. Considering the company's total capacity and internal business coordination within the park, annual processing revenue ranges from 14 million to 18 million yuan, with specific revenue fluctuating based on business cycles and requirements.

The company receives 4,000–6,000 orders annually. Currently, 65% of orders have an average value below 1,000 yuan, with 40% of these being small batch or proofing orders in double digits; the remaining 35% average above 1,000 yuan. Over the past two years, total order volume has continued to grow, but individual order amounts and average prices have shown a downward trend.

During the process of putting this into practice, I've gained a lot of insights, and I'd like to share some personal experiences here.

First, the digital printing production system is completely different from traditional printing. Digital printing is a flexible, on-demand production model. Currently, we determine whether to use traditional or digital printing based on five core factors: order quantity, delivery cycle, production cost, personalization requirements, and product specifications. Only through a multi-dimensional evaluation can we dynamically determine the optimal production route for each product. For large batches, stable versions, and products with relatively relaxed delivery times, we use traditional printing equipment to fully leverage the economies of scale of traditional printing. For small batches, frequently changing versions, and products with tight deadlines, we use digital printing equipment. In actual operations, we have shifted from the original "equipment-based production" model to an "order-centered, equipment-based, quality-and-timeline-oriented" dynamic approach to determine the production method.

Second, there's a coordination issue in the integration of digital and traditional printing. The two printing methods aren't in competition; they complement each other. We use a centralized, coordinated production mechanism where orders enter the company's production system and aren't immediately split. Instead, the production department evaluates the overall situation, including order quantity, delivery deadlines, and downstream processes, then collaboratively assigns the production method. Specifically, our coordination works on three levels. First is order-level coordination. For orders from the same customer, a combined production approach can be used, such as traditional printing for covers and digital printing for inside pages, to flexibly meet customer needs. Second is capacity-level coordination. The production planning department assesses the real-time capacity of all printing equipment to ensure reasonable scheduling. Third is process-level coordination. Digital printing has developed rapidly in Anhui over the past two years, especially with remarkable growth this year, thanks to upstream publishing clients gradually recognizing the quality of digital printing. Publishing departments are very satisfied with the quality of our products. From the client's perspective, what matters is not whether traditional or digital printing is used, but whether the product meets quality standards. Since digital printing is an emerging production method, some process challenges remain. We continue to explore ways to gradually align quality standards between traditional and digital printing. This coordinated process system is key for the ongoing development of digital printing.

Currently, our company has five inkjet rotary digital printers, including one 400mm wide color inkjet printer, one 880mm wide black-and-white inkjet printer, two 660mm wide color inkjet printers, and a newly added 890mm wide color inkjet printer that officially started production on August 25. Regarding equipment allocation, the 880mm black-and-white printer mainly replaces the traditional offset printing process and has gradually phased out older offset equipment. The two 660mm color printers and the new 890mm color printer are mainly used for textbook proofing, aligning with our core textbook production tasks.

At the start of the digital printing project, we established a clear development positioning. I visited most of the domestic digital printing enterprises and discovered a real situation: book-related digital printing enterprises generally have low overall profit margins and high investment requirements. Beyond acquiring digital printing equipment, a complete post-press and binding system is necessary, leading to significant capital input. Our digital printing workshop's total investment is nearly 60 million yuan. As a state-owned enterprise, ensuring the return on such a large investment is a major issue we cannot avoid. Based on this, we positioned the project development core on wide-format, high-speed, and high-efficiency. We know very well that only by relying on high-speed and efficient production capacity can we achieve large-scale production and effectively spread fixed production costs.

The history of Guangxi Ethnic Printing and Packaging Group Co., Ltd. can be traced back to the founding of Shanghai Dadong Bookstore in 1916. In 1956, to support the development of ethnic minority cultural undertakings in border regions, Shanghai Dadong Bookstore was relocated as a whole to Nanning, which is now the predecessor of Minyin Group. Over these seventy years, we have taken root in Bagui and made positive contributions to the development of Guangxi's ethnic cultural undertakings.



First, let me share some industry data: In 2024, Guangxi's digital printing industry reached a total output value of 146 million yuan, accounting for only 1.03% of the total printing industry output. From the data, it is clear that Guangxi digital printing is still in its early stages, indicating huge development potential and space. In June this year, we launched a brand-new digital printing division and officially established Guangxi Xinhua Digital Intelligent Printing Co., Ltd., beginning to lay out the digital printing track, mainly based on the following three considerations.



First, the need for industrial upgrading. From a policy perspective, the country has been vigorously promoting the development of digital printing in recent years. In June 2025, the National Press and Publication Administration released the "Three-Year Action Plan for Printing Industry Digitalization (2025–2027)," which clearly proposes vigorously promoting the development of the on-demand printing industry. At the same time, our research found that many publishers in Beijing have long been reducing inventory through digital printing production methods and have achieved excellent results. Therefore, with policies being promoted and competitors running, as a developing region, we must keep up.



Second, strategic layout considerations. Starting from July 2025, Minyin Group will invest 176 million yuan in intelligent upgrades and transformations, carried out across three levels. The first level is infrastructure, where we carry out intelligent upgrades and renovations in the existing old factories, which are quite challenging. However, we insist on dual production and renovation processes, advancing while ensuring normal production of textbooks and supplementary materials for two seasons throughout the year; The second level is equipment upgrades, introducing some advanced new equipment and deploying some intelligent devices, such as automatic feeding, automatic packaging, online inspection, and automatic registration production lines. Currently, all our textbook printing equipment is equipped with online inspection systems, ranking among the top Xinhua Group enterprises nationwide in this area. The third level is business sector upgrades. We have established a company specializing in digital printing-Guangxi Xinhua Digital Intelligent Printing Co., Ltd.-to keep pace with the industry's digital printing development trends.



Third, market demand drives. Many orders now are personalized, small batches, and fast delivery, and customers have this need. Looking at the publishers within our Guangxi Publishing Media Group system, some books they co-publish, especially textbook and supplementary orders, have limited quantities and tight deadlines when reprinting, making it difficult for traditional printing models to adapt efficiently; From the perspective of external demand, the total output value of digital printing nationwide in 2025 will exceed 240 billion yuan, an increase of 23.4% over 2024. Therefore, from the development trend of the national digital printing market, market demand is also very strong.



Based on these three major aspects, we officially laid out our layout in the digital printing field. Many people wonder why we chose to establish a new company instead of adding a digital printing workshop to the existing factory area. In fact, after thorough research and weighing pros and cons in the early stages, we ultimately decided to set up an independent company for operation, based on the following three considerations. First, optimize the system and mechanisms. Unlike traditional printing production methods, digital printing is a new production method that requires faster and more efficient operations. Establishing a new company can establish a more flexible and efficient operational mechanism; otherwise, following traditional printing processes would take a long time. Second, based on independent accounting. We must keep the accounts clear; with so much investment, whether we make money or lose money needs to be made clear. The new company can achieve independent accounting for specialized businesses, clearly presenting the revenue, costs, and profit and loss of the digital printing segment, making business results clear at a glance. Third, strengthening brand recognition. When connecting with clients, mentioning Minyin Group shows clients are doing traditional printing; mentioning Guangxi Xinhua Digital Printing shows they are doing digital printing, which can enhance brand recognition.



Selecting digital printing production line equipment is a key link in our digital printing business layout. According to Guangxi Publishing & Media Group's requirements to build a relatively first-class, international digital printing production line in South China, we have built a full-chain digital printing production line from four major dimensions.



First, focus on product quality and capacity stability. We prioritize ensuring print quality meets the publisher's high standards, while also adapting to the production needs of textbook printing peaks, selecting printing equipment that can operate continuously and stably 24 hours a day to guarantee stable production capacity and controllable quality. Second, build a full-chain supporting production line. Relying on the specialized operational positioning of an independent company, we are equipped with full-process supporting equipment for prepress, printing, and postpress, building a complete digital printing production line. Among these, Fujifilm commercial innovation Turing equipment for cover printing, screen equipment for color printing, Hunkeler equipment for cutting equipment (acquired by Martini), adhesive binding equipment for good utilization, and Zhiyi Technology's book edge aesthetic printing machine, comprehensively improving the equipment system and effectively driving business volume growth. Third, balancing flexibility and intelligent interfaces. Laying a solid hardware foundation for the company's long-term digital printing construction. Fourth, adhering to green and environmentally friendly development. Practicing the industry's green development philosophy, achieving dual empowerment of capacity upgrades and

green development.

Pinghu Yinghou was established in 1976, and this year marks the 50th anniversary of the factory's founding. Over the past decades of development, we have long cultivated the traditional post-press binding field, focusing on high-speed binding lines suitable for Xinhua factories and large periodical printing scenarios. In recent years, we have invested 70%~80% of our R&D in digital postpress solutions, recognizing the rapid development trend of inkjet printing, aiming to provide domestic and international digital printing companies with cost-effective, comprehensive digital postpress solutions that can replace high-end imported equipment.



From the perspective of postpress equipment manufacturers, the boundary between traditional and digital printing is not very clear. For example, in recent years, the binding equipment we export to Europe, Oceania, and other regions is a digital postpress device, with no digital printing at the front end but paired with Heidelberg eight-color traditional presses to handle small batch orders. Therefore, from a postpress perspective, the integration of traditional and digital printing is innate.



Having been deeply involved in the industry for many years, we have a deep understanding of customer needs in various digital printing market segments. Xinhua Group companies are our core customer group, and we mainly provide digital binding and digital thread locking services. During our service, we not only complete basic digital post-press binding but also help clients revitalize existing production capacity and undertake tasks such as book binding competitions. Many Xinhua Group companies have reported that after equipping our digital binding equipment, their peak production season capacity can increase by several hundred thousand or even one million copies. The core logic behind this is simple: during the peak season for textbook production, traditional binding lines must fully meet rigid textbook orders, while our digital postpress equipment can handle non-textbook orders from the main production line, freeing up production time for traditional high-speed production lines and unleashing about 200,000 volumes of capacity per day. This has allowed us to clearly see the multidimensional service value of digital postpress services while serving Xinhua Group enterprises.



We serve not only Xinhua-affiliated enterprises but also major publishers, commercial printing, the quick printing industry, and overseas markets, with significant differences in demand across sectors. Publishers continuously raise their requirements for book binding quality and pay close attention to technical challenges such as exposed glue roots and tight-lipped book processing. With decades of technical accumulation in traditional binding technology, we can provide mature and comprehensive customized solutions; In the commercial printing field, Guangzhou Tianyi Youfu is equipped with four Pinghu Yinghou digital binding three-sided cutting and digital thread sewing machines, giving us rich practical experience in coated paper binding and flexible binding with digital thread locking; In the fast printing field, we place greater emphasis on ease of operation, operational stability, and high cost-effectiveness of binding equipment. At the same time, there are significant differences in demand between domestic and overseas markets; domestic customers mostly purchase standard models, while overseas customers have stronger customization and personalization needs. Therefore, based on the differentiated needs of various market segments, we continuously iterate our equipment and optimize products, launching multiple cost-effective models to comprehensively cover different market needs. While solidifying and strengthening our digital binding and digital three-sided knife positions, we are steadily advancing a diversified business layout.



In fact, 2~3 years ago, we expanded based on digital binding and digital three-sided knives. Until last year, we officially introduced the slogan "One book for printing, every book can be changed," extending the binding process to supporting the fine binding process. At this year's Full Printing Exhibition, we will not only launch a brand-new digital fully automatic book shell machine but also introduce an industrial digital mounting binding production solution, further improving the digital post-press product system.



When discussing the integration of traditional and digital printing, our product development fully considers equipment and process integration, enabling both pure digital printing needs and production methods combined with traditional offset printing. For example, our GALAXY MAX digital printing intelligent glue machine can connect with inkjet rotary printers and the front sheet marker for traditional folded book production. We will also launch digital pedal binding equipment supporting both sheet sheet and roll raw material bonding processing, and can be used with traditional single-page machines to achieve integrated production of traditional offset printing and digital printing.



I believe that as digital printing develops toward higher quality and higher volume, the demand for integrated development will grow stronger. Nowadays, many printing companies are actively investing in the digital printing sector, continuously iterating digital printing equipment, but there are common misconceptions when configuring digital postpress equipment.



First, the budget investment for digital postpress equipment is too low. In the early stages of the digital printing market, most printing companies transitioning from quick printing to digital printing may be more willing to invest heavily in digital printing machines. Digital post-press equipment may only be upgraded from a basic fixing machine costing tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of yuan, with a low proportion of investment in the entire digital printing production line. Initial low-cost investment often leads to additional losses from repeated investments and iterative upgrades later, making overall investment not cost-effective. Therefore, in recent years, awareness has shifted, and more printing companies recognize the importance of digital postpress, continuously increasing their budget investments.



Second, the dilemma between fully connected or offline production methods. There is no absolute right or wrong here. Fully connected equipment may cost more and be more efficient, but the core of enterprise selection depends on its own production model, customer structure, and business model. Whether to favor multi-variety, small batch high value-added orders or large-batch orders is the key to determining the production method.



Third, neglecting the investment value of software systems. Most printing companies invest generously in hardware equipment but underestimate software system construction, believing that order management can be handled with minimal investment. However, as order volumes continue to increase, production management software systems become crucial. We are among the earliest companies in the industry to build digital twin systems, having been deployed in digital printing scenarios three years ago. At last year's Beijing Printing Exhibition, we launched a full-ecosystem digital postpress solution covering robotic arms, AGVs, and digital twin systems. Although this solution has not yet become widespread in factories, I believe this is an inevitable trend for future industry development, so companies must pay attention to software investment and upgrades in digital printing production.