Highcon is pleased to welcome Yair Alcobi as its new CEO, marking the beginning of a significant new chapter for the company. With a distinguished background in innovative technologies and global leadership, Yair brings a wealth of experience from his roles at KLA and XJet. In this interview, Yair shares his thoughts on joining Highcon, his vision for the company, and his insights on the future of digital die-cutting.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your professional background?
Yair: My career spans over two decades in the technology and manufacturing sectors, with a strong focus on growth and innovation. Most recently, I was the CEO of XJet, a 3D printing company where I honed my expertise in leading a growth-driven, deep-technology startup. Before that, I served as President of the PCB Division at KLA, a global leader in the semiconductor industry, where I managed a large global division, significantly increasing revenue and doubling operating profits. My experience in East Asia as President of Orbotech East Asia, a subsidiary of KLA, was equally enriching. I managed various business, sales, and marketing roles in the Pacific, giving me a strong grasp of the needs of top-tier manufacturers.
My experience in these roles, particularly in scaling operations and driving process improvements, aligns well with Highcon’s goals for growth. I understand the importance of reliability, efficiency, and scalability in production environments—key aspects that Highcon excels in.
Q: You joined Highcon shortly after attending drupa 2024. What are your key takeaways from the world’s leading trade fair for printing and packaging?
Yair: My visit to drupa 2024 was eye opening. I observed a highly mature industry that recognizes that innovation stems from digitalization. The connectivity of software between manufacturers, extensive use of data, and automation are fundamental elements of digitalization, allowing for more integrated, efficient, and innovative production processes. Packaging and display converters are ready and willing to embrace digitalization, with much less skepticism than before. The conversation has shifted from whether to incorporate digitalization into processes to determining where it will have the most impact.
At the Highcon stand, the enthusiasm from visitors about our systems’ performance and the quality of the jobs produced was clear evidence of the company’s innovation and leadership in digital die-cutting.
Q: What challenges has Highcon overcome and how has the company evolved since 2016?
Yair: Since joining Highcon and reflecting on the company’s journey, it’s clear that Highcon has come a long way since drupa 2016. Initially, there were concerns about the quality and productivity of our laser-cutting technology. However, from what I’ve seen, substantial investment in R&D and close collaboration with our customers have driven significant improvements.
Highcon now offers solutions to the challenges posed by inefficient traditional processes for short runs. While our brand is well-known, it’s evident that initial market expectations were ahead of their time, which posed challenges in the beginning. By drupa 2024, it became clear that these expectations have shifted, with the industry now recognizing that our digital systems complement, not replace, analog ones.
In my short time here, it’s become clear that Highcon has been steadily transitioning from being seen as a prototyping company to becoming a full-scale production company. The evolution has been driven by years of investment and development, and today, with advancements like the Highcon Beam 3 and Highcon Beam Writer, the company is now ready for consistent, repeatable, and high-quality production. Highcon is well-positioned as a leader in digital die-cutting for mainstream production.
Q: How does Highcon’s current position compare to other technological adoptions you’ve witnessed in your career?
Yair: In my previous roles, I’ve seen how technologies that initially had limited adoption can quickly become industry standards once embraced by leading manufacturers. For instance, when manufacturers struggled with registration requirements in one of the early generations of smartphones, the adoption of digital imaging technology made it possible to meet those needs, and from that point on, it became an industry standard. Highcon is at a similar point. We are on the verge of a significant shift, where our digital die-cutting solutions are poised to be widely adopted across the industry. The opportunities before us are immense, and it feels like we are on the brink of crossing a major milestone in market adoption.
Q: How do you see Highcon fitting into the evolving trend of short runs in the packaging and display industries?
Yair: Short runs are becoming essential, not just growing. Highcon is perfectly positioned to meet these demands. Converters are increasingly challenged to maximize plant productivity amid more frequent short runs, versioning, and streamlining operations, while traditional processes excel in the mass production of high-volume jobs.
Brand owners are driving the creation of more SKUs, all within the context of significantly reduced turnaround times. Our systems are designed to handle shorter production runs efficiently, which is crucial as brand owners push for more SKUs and faster turnaround times. There is a clear market need for our solutions, and we believe we have an almost perfect product-market fit. It’s crucial that we stay on course with our product roadmap to continue meeting industry demands.
Q: How do you plan to drive Highcon’s growth and solidify your position in the industry?
Yair: To drive Highcon’s growth and solidify our position in the industry, we are committed to expanding the capabilities and reach of our digital die-cutting solutions. Our goal is to push the boundaries of what’s possible with digital die-cutting, ensuring that Highcon systems seamlessly integrate alongside analog machines in high-volume, complex environments, such as those in the folding carton and corrugated segments.
We plan to achieve this growth by closely collaborating with industry leaders and top-tier customers, scaling digital production within their facilities. By focusing on creating successful case studies that clearly demonstrate the value and efficiency of our technologies, we aim to increase installations and secure repeat orders. As the market continues to develop, I believe Highcon is on the brink of a significant milestone in the widespread adoption of digital die-cutting. Our approach is straightforward: Seeing is believing. Highcon is delivering tangible results, and those results will drive our growth and solidify our industry position.
Q: How do you plan to engage with Highcon’s employees, customers, and partners in the coming months?
Yair: Building strong relationships is a top priority. In my initial weeks, I’ve focused on meeting with management and employees to understand our operations and culture. I’ve also started visiting customers and partners, including a recent visit to THIMM in the Czech Republic, and participating in training sessions with partners at our headquarters and in Europe.
Over the coming weeks, I plan to continue this approach with additional visits to Europe and the USA. These interactions are invaluable in understanding the needs and expectations of our stakeholders and ensuring that Highcon continues to deliver innovative solutions that drive customer success.
As Yair Alcobi settles into his new role, Highcon is confident that his leadership and vision will guide the company toward continued success. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting journey together.