Precision Proco has installed two Canon varioPRINT iX3200 sheetfed inkjet presses, marking its first partnership with Canon.

The UK print provider is moving into sheetfed inkjet to increase capacity and efficiency across its operations. The presses were installed at its production facilities after the company identified a need for more output while maintaining print quality in line with customer expectations.

Formed through the merger of Precision Printing, ProCo and Prime, Precision Proco has grown into a business with annual revenue of £76 million. It supplies commercial print, personalised print and single-copy book production, serving large corporate customers as well as smaller buyers through an online upload-and-print service and account-managed work.

The two presses also fill a gap in B2-format production, allowing more jobs to flow into the company’s existing finishing lines. Precision Proco operates across nearly 250,000 square feet of production and warehouse space, with finishing capacity already in place, so getting printed sheets onto the floor more quickly can speed up the wider manufacturing process.

The company points to rising demand for faster turnaround times across print and marketing work. Designed for short-run, high-volume production, the varioPRINT iX3200 can produce up to 320 A4 images a minute, giving Precision Proco a way to move jobs through its workflow more quickly.

Waste reduction

The investment is also linked to changing customer requirements around inventory and waste. Sheetfed inkjet can support print-on-demand models, allowing printers to produce shorter runs with less setup time and reducing the need to hold surplus stock.

Precision Proco expects this to help minimise waste by printing only what customers need, when they need it. In sectors where marketing materials, personalised documents and short-run books can become outdated quickly, reducing overproduction has become a stronger selling point for print suppliers.

Canon’s technical and service teams worked with Precision Proco during the installation to integrate the new presses into the wider production workflow. This included fitting the machines into existing processes so jobs could move from print to finishing without disruption.

The shift is notable because Precision Proco had monitored the development of sheetfed inkjet for several years before deciding to invest. The purchase represents a step change in its production mix rather than an incremental addition to its existing conventional print assets.

“Moving to sheetfed inkjet was a calculated step for us. We had been watching the technology develop for several years, and when we saw the quality and speed Canon had achieved with the varioPRINT iX3200, it was a clear investment for us. The device gives us the additional capacity we need while maintaining the quality our customers expect. The support from Canon’s team throughout the installation process has been exceptional, with their engineers working closely with us to ensure the presses were integrated smoothly into our wider production environment,” said Andy Skarpellis, Chief Operating Officer at Precision Proco.

Market shift

The investment reflects a broader shift in commercial print, as providers weigh how to handle shorter runs, more personalised output and tighter delivery schedules without increasing waste or idle stock. Sheetfed inkjet has become one option for businesses looking to bridge the gap between traditional offset work and digital production.

For Canon, the deal adds a new UK commercial print customer in a market where suppliers are under pressure to show that new systems can fit into existing production environments rather than require a complete overhaul. Precision Proco’s scale and range of work make the installation a visible reference point for that approach.

Stuart Rising, Head of Graphic Arts at Canon UK & Ireland, described Precision Proco as an established operator in the sector and said the two companies would continue working together following the installation.

“Precision Proco is a highly respected print provider with a strong reputation for innovation and production excellence. We’re proud to support their move into sheetfed inkjet with the varioPRINT iX3200 and look forward to continuing our partnership as they look to expand their capabilities,” said Rising.

European researchers have launched the HiCONNECTS project to develop photonics-based computing and networking systems, bringing together 64 partners across 15 countries.

The initiative aims to replace some conventional electronic data processing with systems that use light to transmit and compute data. Its backers argue this could cut electricity use in data centres, mobile networks and other digital infrastructure as demand from artificial intelligence, streaming and cloud services grows.

Concern over the energy use of digital infrastructure has increased as AI workloads expand and more services rely on constant data transfers between users, devices and remote computing facilities. Figures cited by the project show data centres already account for about 1.5% of global electricity consumption, and demand could more than double by 2030.

System strain

Researchers say part of the problem lies in the limits of electrical signals. As systems run faster and carry more data, those signals generate more heat and lose more energy, increasing pressure on power supplies and cooling systems.

Photonics offers an alternative because light can carry information with lower energy loss than electricity across many types of connection. The HiCONNECTS consortium plans to combine photonics with advanced electronics to reduce heat, lower power use and increase data speeds.

Another part of the project focuses on shifting where data is processed. Instead of sending all information to distant data centres, the researchers are examining ways to handle more computing locally, including on devices, within urban networks and across nearby systems.

That model, described by the organisers as a more localised internet, is intended to shorten the distance data must travel. The expected result is lower latency, lower energy use and less pressure on centralised facilities.

The applications under discussion range from AI services and telecoms networks to healthcare diagnostics and smart city systems. In each case, the goal is to support higher data volumes without a matching rise in power consumption.

European focus

The scale of the consortium reflects the strategic importance Europe places on photonics and semiconductors. HiCONNECTS includes semiconductor companies, equipment manufacturers, universities and research institutes, and is positioned as part of a broader effort to strengthen Europe in technologies linked to computing and communications.

Photonics21, which represents the European photonics community, has framed the initiative as a response to growing strain on digital infrastructure. The group warns that current systems may struggle to keep pace if data volumes continue to rise and energy use increases with them.

Europe already has a significant industrial base in photonics. According to Photonics21, the region’s photonics industry grew from EUR €103 billion in 2019 to EUR €124.6 billion in 2022 and employs more than 430,000 people directly. It also puts the global photonics market at USD $864.6 billion in 2022.

The organisation represents more than 4,300 individual members from industry, research organisations and universities. It describes photonics as one of the critical technologies in which Europe retains a strong position in both research and business.

Infrastructure challenge

For network operators and technology companies, the broader challenge is how to scale digital services without a matching increase in electricity demand. Every AI query, streamed video or location request triggers data movement across networks and processing in computing facilities, often far from the user.

That architecture has worked for years, but the rise of AI and connected devices has sharpened concerns about whether existing approaches can remain efficient. HiCONNECTS is trying to address that challenge at the hardware level by redesigning how information is moved and processed.

The project’s organisers argue the sector’s challenge is no longer only to improve speed, but to ensure future computing infrastructure can expand without overwhelming energy systems.

By bringing together major industrial and academic participants from across Europe, HiCONNECTS will test whether light-based processing and communications can reduce the energy cost of the internet’s next phase.

Businesses are seeing limited returns from artificial intelligence investments because workforce skills are lagging behind adoption, according to QA. The training company cited research showing that formal AI training remains uneven across organisations.

The study found that 32% of employees had received no formal AI training, while only 15% said they had ongoing or advanced support. Advanced use also remained limited, with about 9% of workers describing themselves as advanced or expert users.

Most employees were operating at a basic level. Around 24% said they used AI only for simple tasks such as drafting emails, summarising documents, producing meeting notes or rephrasing text.

That pattern appears to be limiting returns on spending. UK businesses are investing an average of £235,000 per company in AI and emerging technology, yet only 16% of employees reported significant productivity gains.

A further one in 10 employees said they could achieve more with AI but lacked the training or support to do so. The findings suggest a gap between deploying AI tools and enabling staff to use them in ways that have a broader effect on operations.

Uneven adoption

AI use also varied sharply by role. Technical staff in IT led in advanced usage, while employees in administration, operations, customer service and sales were more likely to use AI only for basic tasks or not at all.

QA attributed that divide partly to lower confidence and limited access to training. As a result, gains in productivity and efficiency are concentrated in a small group rather than spread across the workforce.

Dr Vicky Crockett, Portfolio Director for AI at QA, outlined what organisations need to do before expecting broader returns from AI programmes. “Before diving into a full AI transformation, organisations need to build basic AI and data literacy so everyone feels confident using these tools. It’s also essential to provide role-specific training, because AI affects different jobs in different ways and a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work.

“By tailoring upskilling to individual roles, businesses can maximise the value AI brings to everyday tasks. Finally, developing internal AI champions helps create momentum, as early adopters can share insights and support colleagues as they adapt to new ways of working,” Crockett said.

Skills focus

QA’s findings add to a wider debate over whether corporate AI spending is moving ahead faster than workforce preparation. Businesses across sectors have introduced generative AI tools into daily work, but many are still working out how to train staff beyond introductory use.

QA’s research highlighted a clear distinction between access and impact. AI tools may now be common in organisations, but for a sizeable share of employees, use remains concentrated on low-impact activities.

That matters for companies seeking measurable returns on investment, particularly when spending has already reached substantial levels. If only a small minority of workers can use AI in more sophisticated ways, the business case for broader deployment may remain difficult to prove.

Jo Bishenden, Chief Learning Officer at QA, said companies should treat AI as a workforce issue, not just a technology rollout. “AI is being adopted at pace, but too many organisations are still treating it as a technology rollout rather than a shift in people capability.”

“There’s a growing gap between what AI is capable of and how it’s actually being used at work. As AI evolves towards more agentic models, value no longer comes from basic use or high-level guidance, but from equipping people with the skills, confidence and judgement to work effectively alongside these systems.”

“The organisations seeing the greatest productivity gains are those investing in capability building at scale, embedding AI skills into everyday roles and enabling their people to apply AI in ways that genuinely improve how work gets done,” Bishenden said.