Screen Europe appoints center manager

Screen Europe has appointed Deon Wepener as manager of its European Inkjet Innovation Center (IIC), the company's headquarters, showroom and collaboration hub in the EMEA market.

Originally from South Africa, Wepener has been part of the printing sector since 1991, holding roles spanning equipment and software development, technical support and country management across the EMEA region. He returns to the European market with a particular enthusiasm for the new opportunities that advancements in digital inkjet technology are now creating.

Wepener’s approach to the role is shaped by a conviction that the full value of printing technology is only possible when the development behind it is driven by the practical and commercial realities of daily production.

'The focus has to stay on what customers really need and want, not on what we the printing press manufacturer believes they want,' he said.

That outlook drew Wepener to Screen. He has been interested in Screen's products for many years and has frequently collaborated with Screen to develop new software and technology integrations across the printing workflow. He points to Equios – Screen's internally developed workflow management software that offers an extensive list of cross-partner pre- and post-press integrations, as well as a user base across the EMEA region – as evidence of a team deeply engaged with real production environments.

He was also drawn to the Japanese commitment to quality, seeing Screen as an avenue to explore advances in digital printing among Japanese suppliers, and an organization whose work he wanted to be a part of.

Wepener takes over a team of inkjet press operators and experts whom he has found to already be highly experienced, diverse and driven by a real desire to innovate and succeed in printing. His first priority is to create a wider awareness of the IIC team's work, as well as the opportunities that they are opening for printing houses, from enabling new products on existing equipment, to optimizing the quality and cost-per-print of partners' individual applications.

He is also looking to deepen the center’s technology integration and relationships with partners, improving existing pre- and post-press integrations and collaborating on the development of new ones. This commitment to Screen's inkjet users' success extends to existing partners as well, with plans already in place to strengthen initial inkjet operator training. Screen is also developing a new refresher program for experienced Screen press operators to educate them on the latest innovations while gathering their feedback to guide the development of Screen technology.

'My goal is to provide business owners looking to invest in inkjet a one-stop shop for everything they need to know regarding pre-press, printing and finishing, in order to make either their very first step into digital printing or expand with new inkjet workflows,' Wepener said. 'When they arrive at the IIC, we'll have their samples printed and fully client-ready with all the data needed to have a complete picture of the long-term ROI of partnering with us. They should leave just as confident as I am that Screen is, and will continue to be, an innovative force for the commercial, label and packaging printing sectors.'