newsonline24

Two new members provide active support

With immediate effect, the IOP will be strengthened by two new member companies – both renowned players in the B2B online print environment who have been unanimously accepted into the network and bring a breath of fresh air and additional expertise:
 
Ludwigsburg-based rissc solutions GmbH has been supporting companies and brands in implementing internal and external cloud-based print and publishing services for over 20 years. As a web-to-publish specialist and with its comprehensive editor tool printformer, rissc solutions efficiently combines mass customization and automation. The company was represented on site by founder and Managing Director Alexander Sperrfechter and CTO Sebastian Buck.

Moss GmbH is a globally active company with currently four locations in the USA, Germany, Poland and the UK. A further location is to be added in Spain in 2025. As a proven textile specialist with more than 40 years of experience, Moss GmbH is a reliable and valued partner for all textile solutions in the areas of trade fairs, events, retail and web-to-print. Mathias Klinger, Operations Director Europe, represented Moss at the IOP Spring Conference.

Expert input on artificial intelligence: status quo, requirements and application

The topic of artificial intelligence was discussed in depth from three perspectives: an analysis of the current situation, the legal aspects of the AI regulation and the practical application of artificial intelligence in everyday business.

For the first focus, Christoph Wenk-Fischer, Managing Director of bevh, drew a comprehensive picture of the upcoming challenges in e-commerce. He addressed growth trends and the development of consumer demand. He also named the political necessities for stable economic activity in online retail. Timon Schlottmann, AI Data Scientist at ECC Cologne, added data and facts regarding the use of AI in e-commerce and outlined how its increasing use is changing retail.

Dr. Martin Schirmbacher, specialist lawyer for IT law at Härting Rechtsanwälte Berlin, informed the members about the exact content of the AI Regulation, the resulting obligations and the requirements for their implementation for a company’s compliance.

Leon Mehlau, independent consultant from Zurich (Levanty), gave insights into the practical application of AI automation tools in small and medium-sized companies in his presentation. He demonstrated how no-code applications, for example, can be used quickly and efficiently to automate repetitive tasks.

The focus on the practical application of AI was complemented by a presentation by Arndt Eschenlohr, consultant and owner of ESCON Consulting. He explained the impact that the use of Google’s Performance Max strategy has on the visibility of online printing companies and how companies can respond to this.

The importance of artificial intelligence for IOP

Bernd Zipper, Chairman of the Board and responsible for the Artificial Intelligence working group within the IOP, emphasizes the importance of AI for the IOP: “Artificial intelligence has the potential to take our industry to the next level of development. AI is the next big disruption in the industry after the emergence of digital printing. And it will also have a lasting impact on the industry. It is our goal to show our members the opportunities of AI and to be a pioneer in this technological revolution. AI is creating new markets, new areas of demand, but also new job fields. It has what it takes to massively accelerate the evolution of the online print industry.”

Get together: Sustainability meets innovation

The IOP thrives on its diversity. An integral part of the IOP annual conferences is therefore always getting to know each other personally and exchanging ideas. This brings together online printers, software manufacturers, companies from the supplier industry, industry giants and smaller companies. This time, the host Horizon GmbH invited the participants to the Gutsküche Wulksfelde. An ecologically sustainable and delicious dinner provided a convivial setting for the exchange with the host, who specializes in print finishing and the use of robotics and AI in this area.