The Future of Print Automation Comes to Life at Boektopia 2025 

Boektopia 2025 (Belgium’s biggest book fair) is known as a celebration of stories, imagination, and creativity. But this year, something extraordinary is happening in Kortrijk: visitors are not just reading stories, they’re becoming part of them. 
 
For the first time ever, visitors can go home with their very own personalised 'Suske en Wiske' comic book — starring themselves as one of the iconic characters of the legendary Flemish comic series published by Standaard Uitgeverij. 
 
What sounds like a fantasy has become reality, thanks to a fully automated workflow powered by Enfocus Switch and a team of innovative partners who brought technology, design, and AI together in perfect harmony. 

From Idea to Reality: A Unique Experience for Every Visitor 

The concept was simple yet ambitious: create a live, automated experience at Boektopia that shows what’s possible when AI, automation, and print work together. Visitors could scan a QR code, open an online form, and upload their photo. 
 
From there, everything is handled by Enfocus Switch — from the moment the form is submitted until the comic book is automatically printed on the Canon imagePRESS V700. The entire process takes place behind the scenes, fully automated and completely hands-off: 
 
1. The photo is processed by AI Connect Pro, a solution developed by Bluewest, which uses artificial intelligence to transform each visitor into an authentic Suske en Wiske-style character illustration. 
2. The generated artwork is sent to XMPie Personalia, which automatically personalises the comic’s layout and story elements with the visitor’s name and image. 
3. The personalised file is then passed to Enfocus Phoenix, which handles the imposition and layout automation, preparing a perfectly optimised, print-ready production file. 
4. Enfocus Switch orchestrates the entire workflow — connecting all systems, managing data exchanges, and ensuring each stage happens in the right order without human intervention. 
5. Finally, Canon PRISMAsync automatically sends every job to the Canon imagePRESS V700, where production starts instantly, bringing each unique comic book to life. 
 
Within minutes, the visitor holds a professionally printed, one-of-a-kind comic book in their hands — a perfect example of how smart automation, AI, and imposition technology work together to make large-scale personalisation effortless. 

Hands-Off Automation in Action

The entire process runs on a hands-off automation model. Once a visitor clicks “submit,” Enfocus Switch takes over: triggering a sequence of actions that connect web data, AI image generation, layout personalisation, imposition, and print production. 
 
No manual file handling, no operator setup, no delays. Just pure automation and creativity, seamlessly combined. 
 
It’s a living demonstration of how Enfocus Switch can connect best-in-class tools (regardless of platform or vendor) to create smooth, intelligent workflows that scale effortlessly. 

“This project is a perfect illustration of what we mean by ‘Works with Enfocus Switch.’ Each partner brings their expertise (AI, personalisation, print) and Switch ties it all together into one automated ecosystem. The result speaks for itself: thousands of unique, high-quality comics produced without a single manual touchpoint.” 

Davy Verstaen, Appstore Manager at Enfocus

5,500 Comics in Five Days: Proof of Mass Customisation at Scale

The results have been remarkable. In just five days, the team produced over 5,500 fully personalised comic books, each one unique. 
 
That means 5,500 different layouts, names, and illustrations, all processed and printed without any human interference. 
 
It’s not just a showcase, it’s living proof that mass customisation is achievable today. With automation, data-driven workflows, and the right technology partnerships, high-volume personalisation can be done efficiently, consistently, and profitably. 
 
This isn’t the future of print. It’s happening now. 

Collaboration That Drives Innovation

Such a project doesn’t come to life alone. The Boektopia automation experience was made possible through collaboration between Enfocus and several key Works with Enfocus Switch partners: 
 
- Canon: whose PRISMAsync and imagePRESS V700 hardware provided the production power behind the experience 
- Bluewest: with their AI Connect Pro app transforming every visitor into a true Suske en Wiske character 
- XMPie: delivering personalisation and layout automation through Personalia 
- Phoenix: handling imposition and print layout optimisation 
- Dataline: ensuring smooth production planning and management integration 
- Igepa: supporting the print media and logistics 
- Indrukmakers: the creative minds behind the concept, bringing the project to life and coordinating the on-site production during Boektopia. 
 
Each of these companies brought unique expertise to the table, showing what’s possible when technology providers collaborate around open automation.

Open Platform, Endless Integration Possibilities 

What makes a project like this truly possible isn’t just great technology, it’s the open platform and integration capabilities of Enfocus Switch. 
 
Switch connects effortlessly with partner solutions like Canon PRISMAsync, XMPie Personalia, Bluewest AI Connect Pro, Phoenix, and many others, all through ready-to-use apps available on the Enfocus Appstore. 
 
In the past, achieving this level of automation required custom development work, scripting, and extensive integration projects. Today, that’s no longer necessary. Thanks to the Enfocus Appstore, these integrations are already built and ready to use. 
 
Simply download the app to your Switch environment, define a few key properties, and you’re up and running in minutes, not days, weeks, or months. 
 
It’s a game-changing approach that turns what once required complex custom coding into a plug-and-play automation ecosystem, empowering printers and solution providers to innovate faster than ever before. 

When AI Meets Print: A New Era of Possibilities 

The Boektopia project highlights more than just automation, it showcases how AI and print can complement one another.

Artificial intelligence can add creativity and personal flair, while print brings tangibility and emotional connection. Together, they make storytelling deeply personal again.

For the print industry, this represents a major shift. No longer limited to one-size-fits-all production, printers can now deliver unique, data-driven products that customers truly connect with — whether it’s a comic book, a brochure, or a piece of packaging.

Why It Matters

In an industry facing constant change, the Boektopia project serves as a real-world proof point:

- Automation eliminates repetitive tasks and reduces errors

- AI enhances creativity and customer engagement

- Integration between partners enables scalability and flexibility

For Enfocus, this initiative reinforces its core mission: empowering print professionals to work smarter, not harder. By connecting systems and people through automation, Switch turns complex production workflows into simple, repeatable processes that deliver measurable value.

Experience It at Boektopia

Boektopia 2025 runs until Sunday in Kortrijk, Belgium, and the project continues to draw crowds eager to see technology and creativity come together.

If you’re attending, stop by to experience the workflow in action, and maybe even take home your own Suske en Wiske adventure.

What started as a playful concept has become a landmark example of mass customisation, hands-off automation, and AI-driven print innovation.

And for Enfocus and its partners, it’s just the beginning.

Partners involved:

Canon, Bluewest, XMPie, Enfocus Phoenix, Dataline, Igepa, Indrukmakers, and Standaard Uitgeverij

Powered by:

Enfocus Switch: connecting creativity, data, and automation.