Beat Lauber from digital print pioneer Walliser Bote and printed newspapers evangelist Hermann Petz are among speakers at the World Printers Forum conference in Hamburg.
Also set to be of interest is an address by HT Media supply chain manufacturing excellence vice president Krishnendu Bose on the Indian publisher's UV project.
The WAN-Ifra event on October 7 is being held alongside the World Publishing Expo, which takes place from October 5-7.
Lauber is VR delegate for strategy and communication at Swiss publisher and printer Mengis Druck - which is producing Europe's first fully inkjet-printed daily newspaper - and will present a case study.
Conference keynoter Petz, chief executive of Austria's Tiroler Tageszeitung, is on a mission to end to today's endless bashing of newspapers. 'The newspaper is dead? Long live the newspaper!' is the not-so subtle title of his recently published book, written on the occasion of the newspaper's 70th anniversary.
The conference will also present new research projects, alongside innovations, product development and technology. It is one of three strategy conferences taking place during WPE.
Other confirmed speakers include:
Thomas Drensek of Axel Springer Print Management talking about the German publisher's new printing company;
Styria Print Group managing director Kurt Kribitz on boosting productivity with integrated production management;
Matthias Tietz from Dusseldorf-based Rheinisch-Bergische Druckerei, looking at moves to standardise newspaper formats to DIN A, seen as "an essential requirement for future economy";
Quebec forests ministry's aboriginal affairs director Hugo Jacqmain paper procurement decisions and sustainable forest management;
Nigel Wells, who is currently joint managing director and editor of the Print Process Champions best practice group, will present results of a cooperative project on optimised paper handling and logistics.
Results of a survey on alternative business models for newspaper printers initiated by Austria's 4c Magazin with the global online support of GXpress will be presented by 4c editor-in-chief Martin Schwarz. With WAN-Ifra deputy chief executive Manfred Werfel, he will discuss new and emerging business models for newspaper printing companies, on which WAN-Ifra has a new report.
A panel will discuss whether print is "part of the past or part of the future", with debate on the future of the printed newspaper with priorities and action plans.