Domtar is a thINK founding partner and Platinum sponsor of thINK 2016. We talked with Jay Abraham, Technical Sales Manager, to hear why Domtar is such an enthusiastic supporter of thINK. 

Why did you decide to sponsor thINK 2016?
We’re always working on building our relationship with Canon and take any opportunity to partner with them. Sometimes that’s testing or co-developing papers. Sometimes it’s working side by side with Canon sales reps to assist customers who are considering inkjet. Other times, it’s education in the inkjet community. The user community thINK is something we wanted to support financially because it’s not only good for our company and for Canon, it’s good for inkjet users in general.

What was your experience at the inaugural thINK conference?
thINK 2015 was such a professionally run show and truly exceeded our expectations, especially as a first-year event. Victor Bohnert and the thINK Board did an outstanding job of organizing it. And just the level of engagement was far and away better than you see at typical print related show.

What is different about thINK compared to other conferences?
The main difference is the format. thINK is an event put together for users and is content driven. Users are there because they want to come want to learn, and they’re much more engaged. At thINK 2015, people had gone to educational events and learned about paper and new equipment. When they stopped by our booth, they had questions ready for us.

How important is the inkjet market for Domtar?
It’s very important. The market has been growing dramatically for a number of years on the roll side of the business. We have seen a steady transition of print providers moving from offset to inkjet, as well as toner-based continuous feed to inkjet. As those customers transition to inkjet papers, it becomes a big market, and we wanted to be available during that transition period to service that market.

What about Sheet-fed inkjet?
For early adopters of the Océ VarioPrint i300, one of the requirements was to have paper that was boxed and ready for shipment. We realized early on that that was going to be a requirement, and we put together a program to send papers for testing through Canon’s media verification process (MVP). We continue to test papers and today, you can find an extensive range of Domtar papers on the approved MVP list.

What questions do you hear most from inkjet customers?
Current users often ask for our advice with heavier coverage applications. More and more customers are transitioning applications with heavier coverage. In the transactional world, it’s integrating four-color inserts into the statement itself. Customers ask about color management and which papers to use based on their application. Those starting out in inkjet often ask about the design process. I direct them to the Designer’s Guide to Inkjet and often send them a copy.

What is your best advice for production printers contemplating the transition to inkjet?
Lean on Canon for advice and education related to this emerging technology. Start thinking about paper consideration early on, and lean on Domtar to assist you in the transition.

Domtar is a founding sponsor of thINK and a Platinum sponsor of thINK 2016. Domtar’s Enterprise Group serves as a sales and distribution arm for Domtar's Pulp and Paper Business, focusing on independent office supply companies, in-plant printers, end users and managed services. Its product offering includes digital papers, converting rolls, office paper, continuous forms, and wide format.