TAGA NextGen: Innovate, Apply, Inspire
March 25–28, 2025 • Boulder, Colorado
The TAGA conference took place in the heart of Boulder, CO, with multiple sessions held from March 25 to 27, concluding with a tour on the morning of March 28. The sessions featured a mix of the latest research papers, as well as presentations covering broad technology perspectives—from best practices to recent innovations—offering valuable insights and solutions for current challenges and helping companies plan for the future.
A key component of the event was student participation. The different chapters showcased their competition entries and presented them on the main stage. Attendees had the opportunity to meet some of the brightest minds who are poised to become future industry leaders. There were also chances to connect with potential future employees.
The papers covered a full range of topics impacting the industry. The emphasis for 2025 was on sustainability, packaging, printed electronics, automation, and best practices. Additional topics included ink, substrates, color, visualization, displays, materials, curing, process control, data management, workflow, security, lean manufacturing, 3D printing, novel applications, fundamental science, and software and computer developments related to all types of printing processes. See Sessions
Sessions
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How to Build a Sustainable & Repeatable Print Business (Across Multiple Locations) Cory Sawatski, Vice President of Purchasing and Operations, Alphagraphics As a leader in operations and purchasing for a printing major franchise with over 250 locations Cory Sawatski knows what it takes to build a repeatable and sustainable business across multiple locations. In this session, he will discuss sourcing, via sales & sustainability, availability, and the systems required to make it all work. |
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Technology and its impact on ePac's Exponential Growth Jeff Jacobs, Vice President, Marketing, ePac Flexible Packaging Jeff will discuss how cutting-edge technology has been the driving force behind ePac Flexible Packaging’s remarkable growth over the past seven years. He will explore how ePac leveraged digital printing, automation, and a data-driven supply chain to revolutionize flexible packaging for small and medium-sized brands. He will highlight the role of the ePacOne platform in scaling production, meeting market demands with agility, and enabling brands to seize new opportunities faster than ever. Gain insight into the technological innovations that have positioned ePac as an industry leader and what the future holds for digital transformation in packaging. |
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What is AI and How Can it Help my Business Nick Benkovich, Chief Product Officer - Print ePS, eProductivity Software This session will address what Artificial Intelligence (AI) is and how it encompasses various technologies like machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing. There are many benefits that can be achieved by companies now including automation of routine tasks, predictive maintenance, enhanced print quality, personalization and design, improved customer engagement and cost savings. Learn how implementing AI in your print business can streamline operations, enhance creativity, and provide a competitive edge in the market. |
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How to Effectively Visualize Color Steve Upton, President, CHROMiX, Inc. The color world's been progressing and updating your methods for visualizing color is necessary. Turning even advanced ideas into images makes them approachable and understandable for people at all technical levels. Join Steve to see new ways to analyze and understand color differencing, alternate color spaces, image color data, gamut comparisons including a-b math, expanded color gamut, rendered gamut and implementation of ISO and Gamut Comparison Index (GCI), SCCA and more. No presentation was used as this was a demonstration of visualizing color in different manners. |
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Exploring Augmented Reality for Capital Equipment Sales, Marketing, and Technical Support Ben Lubin, Solutions Development Analyst | ColorPath SYNC Solutions & Don Schroeder, Senior Director, Professional Services and Technical Solutions, FUJIFILM North America Corporation This session explores the ever-expanding frontier of augmented (and virtual) reality, specifically in the context of capital equipment in print. Like the rise of virtual meetings and remote work, augmented reality shows promising results in reducing travel and shipping costs. It can be used to enhance and expedite sales and marketing strategies. The same can be done in technical environments to train resources or even open up more do-it-yourself maintenance for owner/operators. |
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2025 Sustainability and Consumer Perception: Paper, Packaging & Print - Trends & Truths Jules Van Sant, Executive Director, Two Sides North America Discover the comprehensive insights of new data compiled from the 2025 Two Sides North America Trend Tracker Report before it is released to the general public. This report has been conducted bi-annually and includes insights on the current and evolving attitudes around paper and sustainability, shedding light on how consumer perception has or has not changed. Results offer insights into what influences individuals to drive their buying and engagement decisions and how they might form these opinions. Rooted in historical research, the Trend Tracker report examines the correlation between consumer attitudes, the impact marketing and Greenwashing have on their buying decisions, and how the whole industry, local and regional stakeholders, and individuals within the greater production cycle can factually address the narrative. To respond to these data points, Two Sides North America also gathers and will present additional relevant outside research and data from trusted sources to the mix. Explore key findings, including energy use digital applications, water usage, impact and disposal, and forestry facts that contribute to the greater sustainability narrative of paper, paper-based packaging, direct mail, and printing. Attendees will leave with updated data and facts to pay forward to their communities and language to incorporate into their marketing and conversations. |
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Spectral Versus Trichromatic Color Management – Application and Benefits Radovan Slavuj, Color Scientist & Elie Khoury: Founder Alwan Color Expertise, Alwan Color Expertise In this session, you will learn how spectral encoding and spectral processing can optimize color management and printing processes. Based on state-of-the-art spectral and color prediction models to all major printing technologies in CMYK and multi-color modes, spectral data processing is demonstrated to be superior to (ie conventional CIELAB or CIEXYZ) color management, by reducing metamerism, with significantly higher prediction power with the same amount of training data. It will also be shown that spectral prediction can electively enable the automation of color management without a need for dedicated printing sessions as printing conditions change |
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Beyond CMYK: Unexpected and Ingenious Applications of Print Birgit Plautz, GMG Americas Printing isn’t just about ink on paper—it’s a powerful, evolving technology that continues to surprise and inspire. In this session, we’ll explore the unexpected, unconventional, and downright ingenious ways print is being used today. From conductive inks that power electronics to printed sensors, packaging that interacts with consumers, and even applications in biotech, we’ll push the boundaries of what print can do. Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned pro looking for fresh inspiration, this session will open your eyes to the hidden potential of print and its role in shaping the future. Get ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about printing! |
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Sappi North America’s Project Elevate David Niles, Sr. Print & Convert Scientist, Sappi North America, Inc. Project elevate is the $418 million project to rebuild Sappi’s #2 paper machine, located in Skowhegan Maine. The project is the next step in the transformation of Sappi North America from a mostly graphic paper producer to a producer of a mixture of graphics and packaging products. An overview of the construction for the rebuild and some of the strategy behind the project will be presented. |
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Improving Cost Estimating Opportunities Within Cutting Table Technology Celeste M. Calkins, Assistant Professor, Illinois State University In communicating with companies across the U.S., one asset/cost center that is often hard to estimate is cutting tables. This is due to a variety of reasons but includes: the speed differences across cutting and scoring tools, the material being cut (e.g., paperboard, corrugate, wood, metal), the intricacy of the designs, the shape of the designs, and the sizing of the designs. In this session, Celeste Calkins reports on research exploring how the size, shape, and intricacy/complexity of a design plays into the time necessary to complete the cut(s)through the testing of different designs and substrates. |
| How Color Inkjet Web Can Match Offset Lithography at Production Runs Henry Freedman, Partner, Image Test Labs; Peter Crean, Partner, Image Test Labs; Peter Dundas, Partner, Image Test Labs; Eric Zeise, Research Scientist This presentation focuses on the methods used to make the world's first critical color production press run that matches the output from an inkjet web press with that from an analog offset sheetfed press on plain coated offset paper. The authors will share the methods, color measurements, and statistical process analysis used in the press run, demonstrating that the consistency and stability of the inkjet digital substitute process exceeded the consistency of the offset press. Attendees will receive printed samples and a white paper containing the technical details. |
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Understanding Fluorescence – Measurement, Simulation and Correction Max Derhak, Principal Scientist, Onyx Graphics Optical brighteners are often used to make yellowish paper or media appear whiter and brighter, resulting in a product that is much more appealing. The operative aspect of optical brighteners is that they use fluorescence to convert ultraviolet light (invisible to human vision) to blue (visible) light. This poses problems for establishing color management profiles using a spectrophotometer to measure spectral reflectance to derive colorimetry of printed colors under arbitrary light sources on media in that the derived colorimetry doesn’t match the actual color appearance, resulting in undesirable color casts in the final printed output using color management. This session looks at measuring spectral reflectance versus measuring spectral fluorescence and demonstrates that colorants derived from special reflectance of surfaces that have fluorescence can be invalid. A method of simulating spectral fluorescent measurements will be shown, based on an extension of Substrate Correction used in SCCA by first applying the approach to spectral reflectance and then spectral fluorescence. |
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The Impact of Commercial Laundering on Brand Color Durability on Printed Textiles Erica Walker PhD, Associate Professor & Amanda Bridges, Assistant Professor, Clemson University This session shows the results of a study that examines the impact of the commercial laundering process on durability across the three printing processes and three textile types. This will mimic how athletic apparel, such as team uniforms, are laundered which tends to use harsh chemicals and a wider range of temperatures for washing and drying which can negatively impact the print and the fabric. This study aims to determine the accuracy and durability of the tested brand colors when applied to various textiles using all three printing processes to guide brand license holders and manufacturers ensuring the production of repeatable brand-accurate prints for team uniforms. |
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Expanded Color Gamut in Printing: Applications, Challenges, and Overcoming Obstacles Dr. Krzysztof Krystosiak 1, Dr. Martin Habekost 1; Dr. Kai Lankinen 2, Toronto Metropolitan University 2 Tampere University of Applied Sciences Expanded Color Gamut (ECG) in printing is a technique that extends the range of colors beyond the traditional CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) process by adding additional inks, such as Orange, Green, and Violet (OGV). ECG is a step towards a more sustainable future for the printing industry. By allowing printers to omit spot color inks, ECG eliminates the need for a large ink inventory of pre-mixed spot colors and since it is fixed color palette printing, standard primary colors can be kept in the printing units, leading to less frequent print unit wash-ups and allows even the co-printing of jobs, resulting in less use of resources e.g. organic solvents, and lower substrate consumption. The primary objective of the comprehensive study on which this session reports is to gain a deep understanding of the current state of ECG adoption. This thorough diagnosis will guide the development of strategic recommendations for advancing ECG integration. |
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The Relationship of 2D Barcode Size and its Ability to Decode Dina Vees, Associate Professor, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo 2D barcodes, such as QR codes and data matrix codes are widely used by brand owners for encoding information in an easy-to-use machine-readable format. These barcodes allow more data storage than traditional 1D barcodes and the global supply chain is moving that way. GS1, the barcode standards development organization, worked with the global industry to set the end of 2027 to transition from 1D to 2D barcode at point-of-sale (POS) or point-of-care (POC). The move from 1D to 2D barcodes affects digital, offset, and packaging printing companies. All retail products will soon have a 2D barcode that contains a great deal of information. This study addresses issues related to the amount of data encoded, its resulting physical dimensions, and the smallest size that can be printed to allow consumers to decode the barcode. |
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The Potential Role of AI in Transforming Digital Prepress Workflows for Print Production Carl Blue, Department of Graphic Communications, Clemson University Artificial intelligence is refining ideation processes and digital prepress workflows with the potential to boost creativity and efficiency within digital operations. Learn how AI's automation capabilities can streamline project workflows, leading to more effective responses to digital design challenges and problem-solving scenarios. The presentation covers practical AI applications that can be seamlessly incorporated into existing practices to enhance the quality of outputs and shorten the time-to-market. Further, this discussion will provide attendees with implementable AI strategies for their digital media and design teaching frameworks. |
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A Study of Advanced Smart Packaging Technologies in Plastic Waste Sorting and Recycling Yu Ju (Mandy) Wu, Associate Professor, Appalachian State University The life cycle of plastics, from production to disposal, illustrates a linear economic model – produce, use, and dispose – which is unsustainable given current production and consumption rates. This session will explore innovative sorting technologies - enhanced optical sorting, digital watermarks, and AI-based waste management - highlighting their potential to transform plastic waste management and contribute to a more sustainable future. |
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Development of Bio-Based Adhesives Utilizing Alginates for Leaf Edge Bonding in Bookbinding Applications Lukas Jenner, Doctoral Student, Hochschule der Medien, Stuttgart, Germany In the production of bookbindings, the use of petrochemical-based adhesives is common. However, these adhesives have been linked to reduced product quality, difficulties in the flotation of the recycling process, and significant environmental contamination. Biopolymers represent a promising alternative to address these issues, one being the biopolymer alginate, derived from brown algae. This session investigates the suitability of this natural material as an alternative adhesive for book bindings. |
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Evaluation of Printability of Screen- and Pad Printing Inks via High-Viscosity Piezo Inkjet technology Antonia Götz PhD student & Stefan Güttler, Professor, Hochschule der Medien, Stuttgart, Germany & Jan Christoph Janhsen, Group Manager Additive Manufacturing for Photopolymer, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, Stuttgart, Germany Screen and pad printing remain well-established in industrial applications of labeling and product embellishment, despite the high degree of manual labor required, thanks largely to the wide range of inks, often with high viscosity, available for these processes. Now a novel inkjet printhead technology has been developed which can jet fluids with a viscosity of up to 250 mPa∙s. This opens the possibility to a whole new range of fluids that can be processed via inkjet. This session covers a study to evaluate the feasibility of piezo inkjet printing with screen- and pad printing inks. |
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Evaluating Product Variation in Color Gamut Volume Estimation across Measurement Devices for Improved Analysis Bilge Altay, Ph.D. Paper and Printing Science, Printed Electronics, Packaging & Bruce Myers, Associate Professor, RIT Automated spectrophotometers have made color management strategies practical in many prepress and proofing applications. This session examines the accuracy and variability of color gamut volume estimation using multiple spectrophotometers across standardized color charts. By evaluating discrepancies between devices, it identifies their impact on substrate analysis in printing, packaging, and coatings. Results offer insights into device precision, aiding print and packaging organizations in quality control and material evaluation where accurate color representation is essential. |
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A New Light Source for Photostability Testing Shows Promising Results Sean Fowler, Senior Technical Director; Andy Francis, Marketing Director, Bill Tobin, Technical Marketing Specialist and David Duecker, Technical Marketing Specialist at Q-Lab Corporation Photostability testing is critical for understanding image permanence in printing. Traditional xenon arc chambers simulate sunlight but involve high costs and operational complexity due to their broad spectral output and thermal effects. This study evaluates a novel fluorescent UV lamp (TUV-421) alongside standard methods, demonstrating its ability to produce realistic ink fading at reduced cost and complexity, offering a promising alternative for the graphic arts industry |
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Quantitative Visual Analytics for Optimizing Brand Identity in Packaging Design Asaya Shimojo, Data Science and Development, Konica Minolta Brand identity (BI) serves as the embodiment of a company's values and characteristics. The study discussed in this session develops a machine-learning framework to quantify the effects of visual design elements on brand identity (BI) in packaging. Using VGG16 and Grad-CAM, the research analyzes key features like logos, shapes, and contrast, providing objective metrics for brand recognition. The findings highlight how machine learning can assist in maintaining BI consistency while adapting to market trends, offering brand managers data-driven tools to optimize packaging design for improved consumer perceptions and loyalty. |
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Effects of Paper Properties on Color Gamut of Dry-Toner Electrophotography Renmei Xu, Associate Professor, Ball State University How do paper properties impact color gamut in toner-based digital printing? Hear what a team at Ball State University learned in their study, using a Konica Minolta AccurioPress C2070 with an inline IQ-501 Intelligent Quality Optimizer. EFI Fiery™ Color Profiler Suite was used to create color profiles for eight paper substrates, five coated and three uncoated. The G7 method was used for calibration and 1,617 patches (CGATS IT8.7/4) were printed and measured inline. Profiles of these substrates were then evaluated and compared in CHROMiX ColorThink™ Pro to find out how paper properties such as surface smoothness, porosity, formation, brightness, etc. affected color gamut. |
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Use of Water Contact Angle for the Assessment of Substrate Surface Giles Dillingham, Brighton Science and David Biro, Sun Chemical Corporation This will evaluate new ways to measure water contact angle - a technique used for decades to understand surfaces, providing an objective measurement that can be correlated with adhesion performance. Cleaning, treating, and other surface preparation processes can be improved and controlled using water contact angle to achieve predictable performance. Real-life examples demonstrating water contact angle as a process improvement and monitoring tool across multiple facilities will be discussed. |
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The changing outlook of color management Mark Bohan, Konica Minolta Business Solutions The color management world is in a state of flux now with different options including G7, G7+ and Near Neutral. Understand why we are in this position. What are some of the differences between systems and what makes sense for users to implement. Learn how this is also affecting the standards that we use and what the future holds for standards going forward. |
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Driving Efficiency through an Automation Hierarchy Ivan Portilla, Senior Technical Staff Member, Ricoh North America Customer Experience Centers Today's graphic enterprise operational floor is a mixture of un-codified dashboards, multiple and bespoke programming languages, human knowledge, generational values, and a rolled-up sleeves approach. Explore a real-world example of an automation hierarchy that leads to harnessing the promises of AI while delivering higher efficiency in a production environment. Spend a few minutes applying simplicity to an industry that touches the fabric of our nation each and every day. |
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Student Chapter Presentations The TAGA (Technical Association of the Graphic Arts) Student Chapter presentations are a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their work and achievements. These cover everything from production to packaging and design. They will also discuss what they learned and the challenges they faced, with time for questions from the audience. These projects are also displayed at their tables during the conference, allowing attendees to explore the projects up close. This gives student chapters the chance to:
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Conference Sponsors
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the sponsors who made the 2025 TAGA NextGen Conference possible. Their support played a vital role in bringing together students, professionals, and researchers to share ideas, explore innovations, and shape the future of our industry. We truly appreciate their commitment to advancing graphic communications and helping make this year’s event a success.
