The big scoop from Dscoop

13 Jul 2012 | PrintWeek India , Sidhesh Kanade | Comment Now

We caught up with Fred Poonawala, director of Comart and got a pick of his best moments at HP's premier event, Dscoop.

The pre-Drupa month was packed with events which assimilated information about the Mecca of printing. Drupa, which draws its maximum visitors from Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, was however challenged by the 15,000 Indians attending Drupa (the second-most in number at the show after the Germans), a clear indication of the print advancements in India.

Dscoop was one of the pre-Drupa meets which I attended and was an Indian representative at the event. Dscoop, supported by HP among others, is a cooperative of Indigo and Scitex equipment users, who help each other in making their businesses successful. Having its roots in USA, and a membership of more than 7,000 users including 1,000 from Asia alone, there were 119 participants from India.

This was the 3rd Asia conference following Korea and Singapore. Dscoop addresses the needs of Indigo users in three main segments: Photo, commercial print, labels and packaging. It also helped users expand their horizons in the area of large and superwide format printing. The event was all about learning form each other and networking with people from a similar background with the same problems and challenges; plus sharing and discovering new opportunities.

Most Indian members return to Dscoop only because they want to learn and take back ideas to implement back home.

The breakout sessions addressed the attendees to inspire, educate, to be better equipped and to have an understanding of the marketplace. Speakers from various verticals delivered talks with some sessions being delivered by actual users or professionals in the business from all over the world. The audience could select and attend any four of the 16 sessions held on the basis of importance and relevance to their business.

Some of the topics discussed were:how to strategically transform and grow your business, intelligent direct marketing, effective solutions across the packaging supply chain, different paths for success strategies, transition from general commercial printing to digital, brand security in labels, emerging megatrends in retail signage, driving profit by automation, commercial printers going photo, retail by targeted marketing, when innovation meets print.

The Dscoop was encouraging with the attendees craving for some more learning. For me, the keynote speaker was the highpoint of the conference. And the icing on the cake was meeting Edwin Moses, the world's best 400 metre hurdler who has never lost a race in 10 years, was a dream come true.

Fred Poonawala is the director of Comart Lithographers.

Glimpses from Dscoop