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The 21st FESPA Slovensko BILL Seminar marked a key milestone for the regional printing community, celebrated alongside the host association’s adoption of the official name FESPA Slovensko. Graeme Richardson-Locke, Head of Associations and Technical Lead at FESPA, used the event to share insights on critical industry advancements, including EU sustainability compliance and CSRD supply chain demands, practical AI shop-floor applications such as Gemini Notebooks, extended colour gamuts with Fujifilm, automated finishing and strategic business growth partnerships.
Opening the event, former FESPA President György Kovács used a structural metaphor to describe the industry’s progression, noting that constructing a long-lasting building requires a solid foundation rather than the roof. He emphasised that technological adoption must not forget the traditions of creative craftsmanship and the foundational work of industry pioneers. FESPA was founded more than six decades ago precisely to exchange know-how and build networks that remain influential today.
Recalling the post-socialist transition in Hungary and Slovakia in the early 1990s, Kovács observed how local print shops initially operated in isolation to guard technical processes. Joining FESPA fostered regional collaboration across Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, shifting perspectives toward shared knowledge. He noted that the primary value of the Slovak BILL seminar lies in its informal discussions, where practical shop-floor experience and intergenerational mentorship are freely exchanged.
A central theme was navigating EU sustainability frameworks. Richardson-Locke addressed maturing management practice and reporting expectations as a core business strategy balancing economic performance, workforce management and environmental impact. He reviewed incoming European frameworks, including the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, the European Deforestation Regulation, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, Digital Product Passports and the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs.
Although small and medium-sized print shops are exempt from direct CSRD reporting, larger corporate clients are legally required to audit their supply chains. As a result, print service providers capable of supplying audited environmental data gain a practical competitive advantage. Under anti-greenwashing rules, generic claims such as “sustainable” must be supported by verified scientific proof. To help, FESPA has launched six full guides and three Quick Guides for members, with translation into 100 languages planned.
On the technology front, Ľudovít Karpinský of TYPOSET demonstrated how automated systems are reshaping operations, noting that a large majority of incoming request-for-quotation documents now involve AI assistance. He outlined multi-agent workflows where dedicated software agents handle price calculations, raw material orders, capacity scheduling, courier arrangements and invoice reconciliation.
Karpinský also showcased grounded AI knowledge bases using Gemini Notebook, a tool that provides reliable troubleshooting support strictly limited to uploaded source documents such as digital press manuals. Operators can receive voice-guided diagnostic support over speakers without leaving the machine. Complementing this, Martin Bartoš and Járek from Reklama Bartoš explained how training internal AI tools on press error logs lets operators resolve equipment errors without waiting for offsite technicians.
Addressing digital risk, Evžen Šanc of Sanc.AI reported that roughly 80% of cyberattacks rely on social engineering rather than pure malware, and warned against “Shadow AI”, where employees upload confidential client files to public models. In colour and finishing sessions, Zoltán Kanovits and Karpinský presented Fujifilm’s six-colour Super Colour system, integrating fluorescent pink and green with CMYK to lift Pantone matching accuracy from 63% to 93% in a single pass.
The seminar underlined that the future of regional printing depends on blending craft tradition with pragmatic adoption of AI, sustainability compliance and extended-gamut technology, supported by the kind of peer exchange that BILL has championed for two decades.
Source: FESPA Slovensko BILL Seminars via fespa.com
