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THE MAGAZINE FOR FORWARD THINKING PRINTING NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 Explore more… COVER STORY Cartons from commercial could come from coronavirus. DIGITAL Making moves in nimble markets. ICONS SM102 perfector: both sides of the story. Explore more at printbusiness.co.uk
THE EDITOR’S COMMENT
SEEK THAT SILVER
THE MAN IN THE HAT, GARETH WARD
has been the editor of Print Business BULLET FOR THE
VALUE VAMPIRE
since its second issue in 2005. Five years
later he took control of the magazine in a
management buyout and fully achieved
his vision to create a unique publication
for printers. ONCE THE PANDEMIC IS OVER, there
What Print Business does is take all this is sure to be a huge focus on the success of
certain companies as part of the inquest
information – supplied via press releases,
into Covid, and not just those that seem to
announcements at events, word of mouth
have benefitted from PPE supply contracts.
or good old fashioned journalism – sorts
Already it is clear that Netflix, that Zoom
the puffery from the facts, weaves it and Amazon, DHL and the like, have
together and puts it into context for those enjoyed extraordinary growth, winning
who run print businesses. while their street bound rivals have been
At the heart of everything that Print frozen out and prevented from trading.
Should these businesses pay a windfall tax
Business publishes are the printers. Those
on the unplanned for revenue achieved?
whose businesses are no longer about
Because for these internet giants and
simply feeding paper into a giant lump of
other disruptors like Uber, business-
highly engineered metal and selling the as-not-normal is part of their strategy.
sheet that comes out the other end. Those Professor Michael Wade from the IMD
who face myriad decisions, some of which business school, describes them and their
point in opposite directions, and need to actions as Value Vampires. They enter a
market not only with the aim of disrupting
know more than how fast it prints, what
it, but of sucking every last drop of profit of print is going to soar, based on making
the click charge is or how much it costs.
from that space. Ultimately no other the specifying of print via a web page
They need to know what affects them business can survive and having achieved a easier than ever, on transparent prices and
and how. Just as every print job is bespoke, monopoly position they can begin to earn because people are becoming accustomed
every print company is different. There is the real profits. to buying all manner of products online, a
no one-size-fits-all in this industry. Their proposition is built on efficiency, trend that has accelerated in recent months.
Before Covid, Gareth Ward was out on software, on big data, on servers, not But even Cimpress, by far the largest of
on shops with staff and storerooms out the these businesses, will not invest in enough
and about all the time. He went to print
back, not on cars because those driving for machinery to achieve worldwide market
factories and talked to printers in their
Uber pay for those. Expanding a business domination across the printing industry,
language. He has seen first hand the in these conditions is relatively simple; to suck the market dry. The online world
problems they face, the solutions they find, shrinking it again equally so. has enough head room for even those late
their achievements and their innovation. Fortunately while Amazon can sell and to the party, though it gets more expensive
He has finally been able to safely visit print books, while it can sell and print to achieve brand recognition for the
some factories. stationery items and sell and print T-shirts latecomers.
and other apparel, it cannot become the Richard Pepper, founder of Funky
Before Print Business, Gareth Ward
Value Vampire in the printing industry. It Pigeon, reckons that the greetings card
worked on the leading weekly magazine
would need to invest in heavy machinery, market in the UK is worth £1.6 billion and
Printing World for 22 years and was editor and its business model does not support that currently only 10% of that is bought
for 15. It is this experience, and 360° view this approach. And if Amazon is not online. He also reckons that establishing
of the industry, that gives him his sixth inclined to drain the profit pool in print, a brand that consumers recognise is
sense about printing. His ability to spot nobody else will come into the market in expensive, and Funky Pigeon commits
trends, often years before they become the near future. 17% of revenues to marketing – something
This does not mean there can be no absolutely unheard of in the printing
apparent in the mainstream, is legendary.
Value Vampires in print. Just that there will industry.
This is Print Business, the magazine
be no dominant Count. Online purchasing Online, however, is not the printing …
for forward thinking printing.
www.printbusiness.co.uk November/December 2020 3
COMMENT GARETH WARD’S THOUGHTS ON…
… industry. Those buying the millions of
leaflets, hundreds of thousands of books,
gazillions of business cards from an online
printer, do not think they are buying print
and have little if any interest in the process.
This limited range of products is already
big business, let alone when point of sale,
promotional items, cartons, pouches,
training manuals, calendars, T-shirts and
more are included. These are the products
that individuals and small businesses want
and need and they are going online to find
them. Online print is only at the start of its
journey.
Not everything, not even greetings cards,
can be standardised in this way. There
will be room for commercial printers to
handle the jobs that go beyond the online
templates, that are using more tailored
materials, additional inks and finishing HOW TO SURVIVE A PANDEMIC AS shortage of takers. There was an echo of
processes, provided they understand where A PRINT? At an online round table the anti-heroin advertising campaign of the
Gareth Ward took his hat off to Ricoh
their strengths lie and what they can offer. 1980s where the addict confidently asserts
and some prominent printers and
But if some commercial printers are ‘I can handle it’. Printers were hooked.
found out what has worked and what
immune, for now at least, from the online will change going forward, whatever Now the promise of reducing a client’s
printers, they are not immune to attack forward might mean. page 36 marketing spend means eliminating print
by Value Vampires. In print these are the altogether and convincing the corporate
companies that have extracted profit before it has proved a bargain with the devil and that digital – whether online advertising,
the job reaches the press and without they became hooked on the volumes from website banners or SMS – is better value
delivering any real value to either customer print management, so what was marginal than print. Facebook and social media have
or supplier. The most recognisable of but added to profits was now draining those become the channels of choice and ‘likes’
these, the Christopher Lee of the genre, is profits. the currency that proves the effectiveness
the print management company. The message to brands and corporates of the message. Only it doesn’t. And now
When they first swooped in, the message from the print management companies perhaps, one of the beneficiaries of the
to printers was enticing. Working with us was even starker: We will save you 30% pandemic could be print. All the positive
you can fill that spare machine capacity that of your print spend. In the early days this attributes that we have also known about
you have, and because your costs have been was simple, a matter of consolidating work print – it is tangible, it is always on, it is
covered by your normal work, this can be and directing jobs to the most efficient browsable, it creates emotions, it is largely
taken at marginal cost because margins in producer. Subsequent deals with a similar distraction-free – are being rediscovered by
print are good. It was an enticing offer and promise squeezed the money available to a new generation.
many, many printers agreed. But for many printers even further, but there was still no Only print risks remaining a victim of
PUBLISHING Print Business is published six times a year by Print Business Media Ltd
Haymakers, Swamp Road, Romney Marsh TN29 9SQ | 01580 236456 | general@printbusiness.co.uk
www.printbusiness.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS Printed by Manson Group | Paper supplied by Lumipaper |
www.storaenso.com/lumionline
EDITORIAL Editor/Publisher | Gareth Ward | gareth@printbusiness.co.uk | 01580 236456 | 07866 470124
Press releases should be sent to pressreleases@printbusiness.co.uk
COMMERCIAL Publisher | Debbie Ward | 01580 236500 | debbie@printbusiness.co.uk
ADMIN & SALES SUPPORT Publishing Assistant | Sarah Cross | 01580 236456 | sarah@printbusiness.co.uk
MEDIA INFORMATION The Media Pack is available under the Information tab at PrintBusiness.co.uk
4 November/December 2020 www.printbusiness.co.uk
…HOW PRINT MUST GO #BEYONDA4 COMMENT
this value chain. A corporate marketing is perfectly colour matched to output
department has a budget to launch a new on a litho press. It might be an easy to
product or service and wants to use print. understand and use web to print platform.
It has a choice of three or four marketing Or any number of things that matter to
agencies it works with and trusts. In turn the buyer more than just price. That the
each of these has a number of designers print business is in its fourth generation of
they work with and the designers have family ownership holds little water for a
relationships with a half a dozen printers. 21st century buyer of print.
At each level the intermediary takes its The other action to avoid the Value
profit and slice of the budget so that the Vampire is a move to control more of that
printer, who physically creates something value. Famously St Ives did precisely this,
on expensive machinery instead of an migrating into print management and
equally expensive designer leather chair, is then into research, websites, campaign
left with a few crumbs. management et al for retailers and brands.
Looking out from the 15th floor corner It realised how much, or how little, margin
office, the brand director who instigated there was in its print division. And sold it.
the campaign may see perhaps 50 printers That is an extreme example, but moving
in the distance any of whom may end up upstream into design and marketing, either
printing his job, but from that range none through organic or acquisitive expansion,
of them stands out. Like the peasants will achieve a bigger slice of the margin
around a castle in Transylvania, printers pie. Pureprint’s action in acquiring a
are going to suffer in the face of these photography business is an example and
vampires. there are others. Not everything a printer
What then can printers do to defeat the produces has to be on paper any longer. At
Value Vampire? First printers must make IF THINKING DIFFERENTLY is the one time print was the communications
themselves visible so that they are not order of the day, Iain Bullock takes top business. Today print is part of that much
prize for breaking out of the way Renz larger communications business and there
just another face in the crowd of almost
has ‘always done things’ and moving.
identical businesses. And the lowest price is is no rule that says a print business cannot
Not just location but the mindset to a
not a strategy to do this, even if you are the more efficient way of working. become a communications business,
most efficient. page 46 supplying expertise across a number of
Offering the best quality is not the channels and delivery methods.
answer either: best quality is subjective, venture into extended colour gamuts with Thinking like this immediately puts
most consistent quality is objective. Use additional violets, greens or oranges can the printer in the shoes of his customer,
that. In any case the latest presses from printers achieve a discernible difference. looking at the problem as more of a holistic
Xerox will download settings from the Even the idea that this is extra value print challenge, not a decision to wallop the
cloud for any paper and any job. As a result is possible may help achieve the sought for poor printer yet again. And thinking like
any printers running the same job on these differentiation. this is garlic to the Value Vampires. After
presses will print identically. The same will Or it could be the range of services all, anything might happen if printers
be true for Landa and a growing number of under one roof, say large format printing rediscover the power they have. And who
print technology providers. Only when you where output on the flatbed inkjet machine wants that?
NEWS The Monday morning News ezine is a popular collection of a handful of the week’s news, always going
beyond the press release and often exclusive. GDPR by the letter and spirit. Sign up at printbusiness.co.uk/Register
SUBSCRIPTIONS Print Business is currently free to qualifying UK printers. Subscriptions for those who would
like to contribute to securing the future of Print Business are available under the Information menu at bit.ly/2IlJxSS
EVENTS Print Business is the organiser of Forward Thinking Printing, round tables and more. Gareth Ward is in
demand for hosting, chairing and generally being an accomplished ringmaster. Apply for details on 01580 236456.
CONTENT Content is copyright © Print Business Ltd 2005-2020. All rights reserved.
ARCHIVE Previous issues are available for a modest fee. See the Archive page under
the Information tab at PrintBusiness.co.uk for downloadable and searchable PDFs.
TERMS Apply for terms & conditions to general@printbusiness.co.uk
www.printbusiness.co.uk November/December 2020 5
INFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
CCL backs digital print for
cartons
CCL INDUSTRIES IS poised tion and tracking information
to become the world’s largest directly on the carton without
producer of digitally printed the need for a label.
cartons, following completion As well as labels, CCL
of its acquisition of Graphic produces the patient informa-
West International. tion leaflets that are folded inside
Graphic West International the cartons. CCL is a substantial
has developed and perfected a user of HP Indigo presses for
digital carton production line, label printing and there is no
based initially around Xerox reason why these would not be
iGen print engines, combined Digital printing of cartons, as here at Qualvis, has not taken suited to this application.
with inline die cutting and creas- off as predicted. The CCL Labels deal may change that. The C$36 million deal needed
ing, and folder gluers together and received regulatory approval
with inspection technology and ment from private equity in cal companies are happy with before completion. It has now
software to be able to produce return for a minority stake. the quality, CCL will now be become CCL Speciality Cartons
small batches of pharmaceutical Announcing the deal, CCL rolling out the technology and falls under the remit of
cartons on demand. Industries president and CEO worldwide. “We look forward to Günther Birkner, president of
Jesper Holm, founder of Geoffrey Martin says: “GWI take this exciting new concept CCL Healthcare and Special-
Graphic West International, shares our philosophy of to healthcare customers globally ity (as well as Innovia films and
initially struggled to convince digitising workflows and manu- alongside our highly comple- CCL Food & Beverage). He has
converters and brands that facturing technologies with mentary label products,” endorsed Martin’s sentiments.
digital printing and finishing complete focus on the unique Martin says. “With the help of Jesper Holm,
for small batches of cartons needs of customers in this The driver is both to reduce GWI’s founder, we are eager to
was possible. It has since set up sector.” stockholdings of pharmaceuti- expand this product offering
operations in Denmark, Poland, Holm and the patents that cal packaging through print on globally,” he says.
the US and in 2015 set up a are used to protect the develop- demand, so avoiding the risk of Up to 18 sites have been
greenfield operation inside one ment are now part of CCL. And printed packaging reaching the earmarked as suitable for digital
of the CCL packaging plants in having proved that the concept market; improved control of carton production in the short
Montreal. It attracted invest- works and that pharmaceuti- batches by printing identifica- term.
Dalim reopens market and its potential and fell
in love with the product again.”
and our customers. By placing
a physical presence in the UK,
responsible for completing jobs
on time.
doors in the UK ES works through internet our support is much closer — “They have come as a
DALIM IS RETURNING to protocols “and automates and and faster.” welcome relief and made a
have direct representation in the strengthens the collaboration significant difference. Not a
UK to look after customers of and approval cycles across stake- Iridesse pair subtle difference but a massive
Dalim ES, the asset and project
management successor to Twist
holders and people working
from home” says Price, “which
bring sparkle to difference.
“Last year we had to work
and Drive, a new application requires integration with other Clarkeprint 24 hours around the clock to
suited to high speed inkjet systems.” CLARKEPRINT, Birming- achieve certain deadlines and
printing. Dalim also has an eye to a post ham, has replaced older digital this year we didn’t have to put
Colin Price, one of the UK’s Brexit future and minimising presses with a brace of Xerox on any night shifts, and we
most experienced technology any disruption that this might Iridesse machines to enhance finished two weeks early.”
sales executives, is managing cause. Dalim CEO Carol Werlé the creativity capabilities offered The company has cut the
director of Dalim UK, following says: “We consider the transi- to customers. number of waste sheets due to
on from a period of consulting tion of support from Germany The two Xerox machines poor quality and has opened
for the Franco-German software to a UK entity a very signifi- were delivered at the start of the up the opportunity to print A4
business at the start of this year. cant investment. As new rules lockdown and have been pressed landscape brochures more cost
“I’d sold a lot of Dalim of commerce could affect how into service with measurable effectively and with a faster
systems when working for business is consummated in impact. turnaround.
Turning Point Technologies 20 the future, this will assure that Director Gary Franklin says: The quality means that
years ago,” says Price. “I had to there will be no interruption of “For me productivity is key, as Clarkeprint can take shorter
get up to speed, researched the service to the entire UK market I’m the guy on the shop floor, run work from litho increas- …
6 November/December 2020 www.printbusiness.co.uk
We print
your world
For over 200 years we have combined inks
and substrates enabling creation of a
boundless variety of printed products.
Because printing is our world.
koenig-bauer.com
INFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Muller Martini unveils
digital ready stitching line
MULLER MARTINI IS calling The Prinova has been running
its latest saddle stitcher the in beta test conditions at a trade
Prinova. The 9,000cph machine binder in Switzerland for more
is a replacement for the Presto than six months. It found the
II in the portfolio and is aimed Asir system worked perfectly,
at fast turnaround short run while other features were
litho print, where the need is to Muller Martini appreciated. “Having all of the
handle multiple jobs an hour. has a virtual settings on a centrally located
This is the first Muller Martini showroom at and large touchscreen instead of
stitcher to use servo motors to Printing-Expo.online all over the place is a huge advan-
drive each of the feeders indepen- tage,” says Yannick Bucher, the
dently of the others. Currently managing director of Schär
this technology is being used to Druckverarbeitung.
reduce makeready times. The Set up uses JDF data and a The Prinova also uses tech- The servo motors also point
Prinova can support 14 feeders, touch screen which guides the nology developed for the the way to the introduction of
each with a deep pile feed for long operator through the sequence established Primera range. This full automation at some point in
term running before any need to of adjustments needed to move includes Asir Pro automatic the future, including operating
refill the hopper. from one format to another. signature recognition technol- in harness with a digital press,
Muller Martini reckons that Once the job is set up and ogy. A camera monitors the creating fully variable products
this means the line can be super- the single-copy sample job is page it sees, comparing this to on the fly.
vised by a single operator. This checked, the operator moves the page it expects to see. This Details of the production run
is how the machine is demon- it to production mode and the can be either from an identify- are uploaded to the Connex to
strated on a video that will be line will run the number taken ing bar code or an image of the be examined across a number
part of Muller Martin’s virtual from the JDF job file, stopping page. Any deviation, a different of jobs or as an individual job,
presence on the global Printing- automatically when this figure is language, for example, will result sending further details to the
Expo website. reached. in a rejected copy. company’s MIS.
… ing operational flexibility
by enabling a greater crossover
Print scores out a range that now comprises
three machines in the Panther
resolution of 1200dpi. LED
lamps are used to pin the white
between the two technologies. for Liverpool portfolio. and then the colours ahead of a
The presses were supplied CHOCOLATE manufacturer The new machine is the GEW unit for a final cure before
by Xeretec. The concessionaire Cadbury has shipped 50,000 PX30000, capable of 70m/min re-reeling.
for Xerox talked Clarkeprint chocolate bars to fans to cele- on a 340mm wide web. It comes As befits the target market of
through the options, focusing brate Liverpool FC’s Premier in two configurations: a seven- flexo printers migrating to high
on the quality, consistency, the League trophy in 2020, colour and six-colour version productivity digital, the press
longer sheet capabilities and using personalised packaging offering a high opacity white copes with 1 metre diameter
the ability to print up to eight produced by DFP Solutions, as well as orange and violet for reels at either end. The seven-
colours with the Iridesse. one of Germany’s leading extending the gamut of the colour option covers 92% of
digital flexible packaging press. the PMS range and with violet,
producers and by Danaflex, a The set up includes Xeikon’s includes Reflex Blue.
Xeretec has supplied
two Iridesse machines to leading Russian exponent of Panther Cure UV XT inks
Clarkeprint. digital flexible packaging print. and X800 DFE with function- Brexit will hit
Each bar used Smart Stream
Designer to handle the small
ality for impositioning and
further processing of the labels.
ink costs says
variations to make each unique. Otherwise the mechanics, the BCF
printheads, and web handling PRINTERS MUST BRACE
Xeikon adds are provided by Domino, which for a rise in ink prices unless a
pace with inkjet originally developed the press as
the N630 inkjet press.
comprehensive free trade agree-
ment can be agreed between UK
XEIKON HAS LAUNCHED The press runs at 70m/minute and EU officials.
a top of the range inkjet label in productivity mode, 50m/min According to the British
press, capable of taking volume when running the two white Coatings Federation, tariffs
from flexo printers and rounding colour bars and at its maximum that would be automatically …
8 November/December 2020 www.printbusiness.co.uk
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INFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Charlesworth seeks new
home as landlord sells up
THE LAND AND FACTORY the personalised books that the commencing construction of a
units occupied by Charlesworth company produces and which new business park and indus-
Press in Wakefield have been put led to investment in a dedicated trial estate, whilst further up the
on the market by the company’s case binding line last year. road, Sewtec has recently relo-
landlord, described by the agent Even then the company will cated into a 7,000m2 production
handling the sale as “a private have eight months to make long facility,” says Oliver.
family client”. term arrangements. He says “PLP has also started
The 2.2 acre site includes four Harry Potter diary is one :“We are trying to utilise the construction on two new specu-
factory units amounting to a of the personalised books move or purchase of property to lative warehouse units on the
that Charlesworth has
4,360m2 print factory. The lease specialised in. align with future plans. We are former Silkwood Park at PLP
expires in August next year. looking at acquisitions of other Wakefield, demonstrating there
Charlesworth Press would like the site, needed for presses and printing businesses where prop- is ample appetite in this area for
to stay on the site and has made finishing equipment, adding: erty is involved as well as other quality industrial units.”
an offer to the private landlord, “This property offers a rare property as the business does Whatever the final outcome,
but says that it has received no opportunity to acquire premises not want to rent going forward. Gray is keen to remain local.
feedback to date. On the other suiting production use.” We are not ruling anything out “Wakefield MP Iran Ahmed
hand, Rob Oliver, principal at Mark Gray, chief executive at the moment.” Khan and his staff are working
Avison Young in Leeds which is of Charlesworth Press, says he The location is at the centre of closely with us to try and insure
marketing the asset, says: “We is exploring all options. Nothing further development with, what that the business stays within
are delighted with the interest will be in place before the end the agent says, are high quality the Wakefield Council,” he
received to date.” He points out of the year following what neighbours. “On the adjacent says. “But we have to see what
the enhanced power supply to should be a frenetic period for site, Frank Marshall Estates is happens in the coming months.”
… be applied to imports and businesses harder than those on well as an extensive range of
exports of inks, coatings and the Continent.” web fed and sheetfed offset litho
paints would increase prices equipment.”
immediately. Based on the global B’s backed by The company also operates
tariff system the BCF estimates
that inks imported from the EU
Geoff Neal a ten-colour Speedmaster for
inserts, door drops and other
will be charged an additional GEOFF NEAL GROUP has high volume print and an eight-
£14.2 million. It says that 89% become an official partner to unit narrow web offset press.
of ink imports into the country Brentford FC as the Champi- Some of the litho work can be
come from the EU. onship club moves into a new moved to the iX3200, believes
In the other direction, ink stadium. Under the two-year managing director Simon
producers in this country face deal the Feltham print group DMS has switched from Smode. “I am very excited
tariffs of £11.7 million for the will supply the club’s bespoke Xerox with an order for about what the iX3200 will
two Canon inkjet presses.
52% of exports that end up in printing requirements includ- bring to the business, from its
EU member states. This would ing welcome packs for the inkjet press and a recent installa- exceptional quality to the flex-
make their products uncompeti- 10,000 season ticket holders and tion of a Xerox Baltoro cut sheet ibility of migrating small and
tive compared to most rival EU premium seat tickets. inkjet press. “DMS is partner- medium litho runs.”
producers. ing with Canon for the first time
BCF CEO Tom Bowtrell DMS switches to due to the need for increased Currency
warns: “The UK coatings
sector trades heavily with the
Canon inkjet reliability and to cover a combi-
nation of transactional, direct
extension for
EU. If tariff-free trade is not DATA MAIL SOLUTIONS mail and high quality coated De La Rue
agreed as part of an FTA then has installed two Canon inkjet commercial applications,” says THE BANK OF ENGLAND
the coatings industry across machines, including the first the official announcement. has extended its print contract
Europe will see added costs of iX3200 to be installed in the “Its varied customer base and with De La Rue for a further
£75 million in finished products UK. its wide range of requirements three years. The contract
alone. The added tariff costs The Crawley company has led the team to consolidate involving the Bank of England
to raw materials are also likely until now been an all Xerox production across two new Printing Works at Debden was
to run into the tens of millions company with iGen150 technol- Canon machines, the VarioPrint due to expire in 2025 and will
of pounds, and that will hit UK ogy alongside a reelfed Rialto i300 and VarioPrint iX3200, as now continue to 2028 …
10 November/December 2020 www.printbusiness.co.ukWE ARE THERE
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www.uk.heidelberg.com +44 (0) 844 892 2010INFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Henry Ling leads with
Canon’s flagship inkjet
BOOK PRINTER HENRY HP Indigos.” It will allow the sional who brings a wealth of
Ling has become the first in company to produce a book experience to best serve these
the UK to install Canon’s flag- throughout its lifecycle: short publishers”.
ship ProStream 1000 inkjet run digital to begin with, The company runs a Kolbus
press, enabling it to offer higher switching to litho for the launch KM200, the perfect binder for
quality digital printed colour and peak of sales, dropping to short run production with a
books, including colour trade digital for the long tail of its life Tecnau Libra print on demand
books as well as STM volumes. in print. “And the readers will system, working from reels.
The Dorchester company not notice any difference,” she “We have no need for immedi-
has been using a ColorStream says. ate investment in finishing,” she
from Canon since 2013 and has “Although we have a strong Canon’s first UK Prostream says.
a relationship with the supplier relationship with Canon, we 1000 is now at Henry Ling Nor will the ProStream
that dates back to 2006. When looked very hard at another in Dorchester. completely replace litho. The
Henry Ling wanted to step up manufacturer. We have no ques- company has a five-colour LED
the quality of inkjet printing, tions about the service that operation. The ColorStream Heidelberg Speedmaster and an
Canon was the natural choice. we get from Canon with good remains in place, continuing to eight-unit SM102P. Through-
“It allows us to print higher service levels, so we knew we produce existing work. The new put lockdown the company has
quality and on gloss stocks,” could get any better than canon press will extend “our excel- continued working at double
says managing director Helen for service,” she says. lent service to the trade book shift patterns, with loadings of
Kennett. “We will be able to Now the ProStream 1000, market. We have confirmed our runs with an average of 15,000
take litho work and there will complete with Hunkeler commitment to this new market copies produced on its litho
be work we can take from the unwind and rewind units is in by hiring a new sales profes- presses.
Scodix shakes was based on marks that had to
be printed on the sheet. Now a
of polymers for varnish and
textured effects and for foils.
goodchild in August last year
with a remit to expand the busi-
up portfolio camera system will register to The company has also been ness, says: “While Send DM is
SCODIX HAS ANNOUNCED the image, helping registration working on polymers that would focused on shorter runs than
a line up of six new digital of digital print where the image suit food packaging, but is not Bakergoodchild, they are able to
enhancement presses, each may move slightly. specific about these at this point. offer longer runs as well.
tailored to a specific slice of the The Scodix Ultra 3000 and “Their staff are very expe-
market. Ultra 4000 are intended for Bakergoodchild rienced with strong customer
Two are for web to print
applications, two for commer-
the online market, the 3000 for
online commercial print and the
kicks off relationships. They will
continue as Send DM, will
cial and trade finishers, and two 4000 for the web to pack sector. investments remain on the Walsall site and
for carton printers. As a result Scodix has enjoyed its greatest with Send deal they can build on the range of
the Ultra 101 and Ultra 202 are success in the photo products products and services that we
being phased out though the B1 sector, the market for the Ultra BAKERGOODCHILD offer rather than just selling
E106 remains. 3000. has acquired Send DM, the direct mailing to customers.”
The Ultra 1000 and Ultra The Ultra 4000 is the model first stage in an investment
2000 are for the commercial for carton with the ability to programme that will increase VPK expands
print sector, in-house or trade
finishing. The Ultra 1000 is the
load pallets at either end and
able to accept larger formats.
capacity at its main Birmingham
site in the coming weeks.
corrugated
entry level version with fewer The Ultra 5000 and Ultra The purchase of the smaller footprint
applications on the one platform 6000 are aimed squarely at print and mailing house will VPK has bought
than come with the Ultra 2000. carton converters and include give Bakergoodchild a second three Encase corrugated board
It has the ability to switch poly- feeding and delivery to pallets. location to act as a disaster plants to give it six operations
mers without having to strip They can work with thicker recovery site should that be in the UK, sales of £200 million
down the press. It will therefore substrates, up to 2mm thick. needed. But there is more to and to become the largest corru-
appeal more to trade printers The Ultra 6000 is the larger the deal than ensuring business gated board converter without
says Scodix. format model (760x1060mm), continuity for customers of both its own board making opera-
Scodix has previously strug- but is restricted in the appli- organisations. tions in the country, handling
gled with the trade sector cations it includes while the Managing director Paul 300,000 tonnes of container
because its registration system Ultra 5000 has the full selection Brough, who joined Baker- board a year. …
12 November/December 2020 www.printbusiness.co.ukFINISHINGSTARTSHERE
S T I T C H F A S T E R
B I N D B E T T E R
F O L D S H A R P E R
C U T Q U I C K E R
L A M I N A T E F I N E R
F O I L B R I G H T E R
F I N I S H ST R O N G E R
Intelligent Finishing Systems, Unit C, ATA House,
Boundary Way, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 7SS
T: 020 8991 6624 www.ifsl.uk.comINFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Henosis says print can
make masks safer
A NEW UK COMPANY has support from the government, them with a barge pole,” he says. day, or to a play or concert with
developed a way to print on aided by Close Asset Finance, Now Henosis is capable of the name of that event printed
disposable face masks and is and a host of contacts that producing its own masks in an clearly on it, Bennett explains.
following that with a disposable Bennett had built up over 30 end to to end production process The company can also provide
mask made from a compostable years in print. “I was interested where Bennett has drawn on his a scanner that measures the
material that can be printed. to see if we could print on the years of experience as opera- temperature of the wearer and
Henosis is the Leeds company mask materials. It took a lot tions director of GD Print can scan a barcode on the mask
behind the development and of testing for the normal mask as well as at other web offset to ensure that the correct mask
Mark Bennett, whose CV material and now a sustainable operations around Yorkshire. is being torn for that day. This,
includes Watmoughs, GD material that is compostable.” “Printers are good at getting Bennett believes, will have huge
Print and York Mailing, is its The solution, now in place in machines running,” he says. appeal in the schools and univer-
co founder. The target is not a Leeds factory is using aqueous “These lines are simpler than sity market in creating Covid safe
targeted at the medical profes- inkjet technology to print on the operating a saddle stitcher or ways of allowing students access
sion. Henosis is aiming at the material. “We looked at compa- a Lithoman at speed. We have to buildings and facilities.
mass market of consumers nies from China, the US, UK tried to make production as There are strong prospects for
and brands who want to send a and Italy,” says Bennett. “The ‘printy’ as possible. this kind of solution in the US
message via a face covering. material is really difficult to print “We are talking to supermar- where precautions need to be
“During the first lockdown, on and it’s a difficult process to kets about a branded version greater than in the less litigious
I was wondering what was control, but we are really pleased that they can sell, with a slogan UK and European culture.
needed to start opening up the with the results.” declaring that for each pack sold The next step is to introduce
economy,” says Bennett. And The material for the masks a donation will be made to the the fully compostable version,
led to the idea of a disposable has been sourced from a Scot- NHS, or the supermarket might due for a January launch which
single-use face mask that could tish mill and will be printed on give them away to customers will break down in composting
be branded or marked to show the reel before being converted coming into the store which they conditions in a few weeks.
when it should be used. Dispos- into masks. The original plan would continue wearing for the And if that takes off in
able masks printed with a slogan, had been to outsource this aspect remainder of the day embla- turn, production might need
brand logo, barcode, could be of production, but on investiga- zoned with a logo.” to be stepped up regardless of
part of the solution if produced tion Bennett says that many of Suitably printed masks might whether vaccination is rolled
cheaply enough. the mask producing companies become part of a ticket to sport- out. That will take time, and
For six months Bennett and that had sprung up in the UK ing event, the fixture printed on even then for most of the popu-
co founder and sales director in recent months were entirely a mask to be worn to gain access lation, mask wearing has already
Brian Hammond pulled together unsuitable. “I wouldn’t touch to the ground on that particular become second nature.
Komori plans for the operator, a new respon-
sive dampening system and
It is anticipating ¥71 billion
(£506.9 million) revenue for the
to advance quick feedback loop. year with a ¥2.6 billion (£18.5
Advance The company says that the million) operating loss.
KOMORI WILL EXTEND Advance models are “easy to
the technology for automation operate and boast superior Three unite
that has been rolled out on the
G Advance and GX Advance
Komori plans to introduce its
Advance technology to formats
productivity and higher printing
quality” calling it “a significant
under one
presses that should have been
beyond B1.
improvement in ROI” so that banner
the focus to the company’s pres- information from the cloud the technology “is expected NINE MONTHS AFTER
ence at Drupa. and can switch from job to job to become an integral part of Streamline Press completed the
There are three aspects to automatically. printing business operations in acquisition of Spectrum Print
the automation of this press: During an open house in the future generation”. to join the earlier takeover of
faster set up and accuracy for Japan, the B1 press was demon- These words come with the Baxters, it has completed the
feeding and delivery; stabil- strated with a fully automated publication of interim results integration and the three sepa-
ity at high speed printing and changeover, including selecting for the financial year ending rate companies are now the SBS
minimal tasks for operators. a different type and format of in March 2021. The company Print Group, one of the largest
The press is linked to Komori’s paper and running at 18,000sph. expects the pandemic to in the Leicester area.
Connected Automation concept Job data is used to preset the continue at least until the end of There is one customer
which downloads press and job press, with fewer touch points the financial year. contact, one prepress work- …
14 November/December 2020 www.printbusiness.co.ukINFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Pureprint invests to
broaden offering
PUREPRINT HAS acquired Pureprint to the group. By contributing hour, in EPM. “It is running a
photo and production studio CEO Mark to the creation of assets and lot quicker than we expected,”
Smudge, an operation that deliv- Handford. managing the workflow through he says.
ers images for both print and for our marketing technology plat- As the press has the maximum
e-commerce applications. forms, we can execute consistent throughput of 6,000sph (in
The Wakefield business will campaigns across multiple EPM mode) it will be exceed-
answer to Imprint, Pureprint’s channels.” ingly useful as demand for
large format display graphics Pureprint already has its own photobooks, greetings cards
arm that deals with the same direct to consumer online print and photo products increases
retail focused customer base. business, YouLoveToPrint. in the run up to Christmas. The
The Gateshead arm of Pure- evolving history that ensures co.uk. This offers standard company has added print for
print has also worked previously we still stay relevant in today’s print fare, leaflets, brochures Mixtiles, an Israeli start up that
with Smudge whose clients market.” and posters, for example. combines photo printing with a
include Jaeger, jewellery chain Pureprint has previously “This has grown during backing that sticks to a wall and
Goldsmiths and interiors busi- built websites and presentations the pandemic,” says Hand- can be moved at will.
ness Ponden Home. for clients that do not end up in ford. “Everything that we can The new machine replaces
The deal continues Pure- print or that are related to print, do online has grown. We are what was originally an Indigo
print’s evolution into a Handford says. “And we have also having a lot of conversa- 10000 when installed seven years
marketing services business a big team of developers who tions about this with clients, ago, which had been upgraded
with e-commerce design produce bespoke software not who reckon they have brought to 12000 level. When that first
adding to data management and always for print,” he says. plans forward five years. And arrived it changed the balance
marketing technologies as well “We will look to grow Smudge our business model may have to and breakeven points between
as print. quite quickly. We already have change over the next few years, offset and litho. The new press
CEO Mark Handford says: two opportunities to open up in though I’m confident that ink on promises to do the same.
“As our clients’ needs have London and the south west for paper will remain the backbone “This is a game changer,”
changed, we continue to align our retail client base. of our business.” says Handford. “It pushes the
our investments to ensure we “We have a diverse and broad That backbone has grown changeover point to litho much
always deliver against their range of clients and growing stronger with installation of higher. This offers the right
requirements. The acquisition markets who will benefit from the UK’s first HP Indigo 100K, quality, is consistent and will
of Smudge is another step in our the services that Smudge brings capable of 6,000 B2 sheets an deliver more.”
… flow, one joined up way of to deliver and we believe our will become part of Paragon’s “For us it’s about upskill-
communication, says group new, unified approach places Service Graphics Print & Design ing the workforce to look
managing director Mark us in the best possible position operation and its operation in for opportunities to increase
Lockley. to deliver this and continue to the Farringdon Road becomes productivity through new
There are, however, three grow our business.” a creative services centre of technology, meaning custom-
separate factories with a The reorganisation will make excellence. ers will get a better product,”
retained customer base that can the three companies more effec- says Sarah Poynter, operations
be offered the increased range of tive. Less work will need to Arden Dies manager of the Stockport
services.
“It’s a far more joined up,
leave any part of the business,
and through reduction of the
readies move company.
Arden Dies will be looking
compelling offering. SBS Print duplication of tasks, there will to 3D print for ways it can use 3D printing
Group can confidently support be efficiency gains. ARDEN DIES IS participat- as part of the die manufacturing
businesses with every aspect of ing in a 12-week upskilling process, potentially to replace
their print needs, from state of Paragon programme designed to intro- some of the routing processes
the art technology to innova-
tive solutions that fit even the
returns to duce concepts and advantages
of additive manufacturing
that have been required, she
says.
most challenging timescales and M&A action technologies. The programme “We are not 100% sure yet
budgets,” he says. PARAGON HAS STEPPED organised by Made Smarter where we will be able to use the
“The current climate means back into acquisition mode, North West is run in conjunction technology, but we have some
businesses need to be confident buying creative large format with PrintCity at Manchester ideas. It is something that is
placing their print with a reli- digital printer Tod UK. The Metropolitan University and really important for us at the
able partner who can be trusted central London print business Fabricon Design. moment.” …
16 November/December 2020 www.printbusiness.co.ukFind your new edge with the PFi Blade B3 + Digital cutting table.
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www.duplointernational.com #beyondA4 #automation #unleashcreativityINFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Plates market shake up as
demand plunges
A BIG SHAKE UP IN THE we intend to promote sales of
Global demand
printing plate market is on its processless CTP plates and
for printing plates
way as the three major producers other environmentally friendly
is down sharply
each report declining volumes products,” it says.
and not expected
and margins under pressure. to bounce back Kodak does not report the
Agfa has already announced fully once the impact across all its plates,
the closure of plate production pandemic ends. As confining commentary to the
at Leeds and in France, but the a result producers process free Sonora range.
company warns that this is not are taking action After a precipitous drop in Q2,
enough. In the company’s Q3 to return to volumes of Sonora are down 8%
results, Agfa reports that sales profitabiity. year on year. Annuity revenues
in its offset plates division have for Prosper are down by 10%
fallen 17.3% this year. While “To improve profitability noted that decreased demand for over the year to date with thanks
much of this can be attributed and to address the significant products in its graphic systems to increased sales of print heads,
to the effects of the Covid- decline in market demand, Agfa division, covering plates and revenues are up 3%.
19 pandemic, there is a belief is reviewing its offset business inkjet has been felt in the first The emphasis in the quarter is
that pre-Covid volumes will model, simplifying its organi- half of its financial year, with about strengthening the balance
not return. These actions are sation and streamlining its a drop of 24.8% in revenues in sheet, with another $100 million
intended to align printing plate product offering. The company graphic systems and 20.5% in wiped from the debt total even
production capacity to the evolu- also estimates that the current inkjet compared to an 11.9% with a $63 million decline
tion of the offset industry, it says. pricing levels in the market are decline across the group’s in revenue for the quarter
The company reported sales not sustainable. It is looking into activities. compared to a year earlier.
of €168 million for the quarter, way to adapt the earning model Demand for printing plates This was a little better than in
down from €212 million, so it for certain services it provides to has fallen as a result of Covid the second quarter, though it
remains a substantial business its customers,” it says. says Fujifilm, but looking resulted in a $4 million Ebitda
for Agfa. The nub however, is Agfa though is not alone in forward it is not expecting a loss, a $12 million adverse swing
that it is not a profitable one. making changes. Fujifilm has full recovery. “Henceforth, from Q3 last year.
Prestige The PowerSquare will deliver
up to 224pp on 80gsm papers,
Ricoh spoken of the sustainability
benefits of switching textile
powers up with two stitches and a formed accelerates its printing from wasteful and
finishing squared spine which enables own changes polluting processes that domi-
the product to be opened flat nate today to print on demand
PRESTIGE PRINT HAS taken and achieves a stable stack when THE PANDEMIC IS provok- using inkjet.
delivery of a Xerox mono press piled up. ing Ricoh into accelerating a Digital Services and Digital
and Morgana PowerSquare 224 At the same time the busi- corporate restructure that was Products will focus on products
booklet maker to cope with ness has invested in a Xerox planned for two years time. The for the office and improving
expanding demand and to make PrimeLink B9100 to boost new company structure will be communications and workflows,
the 33-year-old business more capacity for mono pages from in place in April next year, in especially in light of the adop-
efficient. customers in a 25-mile radius time for the new financial year tion of remote working.
Hitesh Dhulashia runs the around Telford covering and two years ahead of the orig- Revenues from commercial
Telford business with his two commercial print, catalogues inal schedule. printing in the first six months
brothers. “The investments will and manuals. This can print From that date the corpo- were down ¥8.7 billion, 22%
help us with production,” he 136ppm rate headquarters will oversee lower than in 2019. “There is
says. “We have never been shy to five autonomous business little customer appetite for invest-
“We needed to invest in invest,” says Dhulashia. “It’s units: Digital Service, Digital ing in hardware,” the company
square back to cope with prod- been about keeping our heads Products, Graphic Communi- says. Nevertheless it points to
ucts that can be up to 200pp. down and working hard. We are cations, Industrial Solutions and good activity around the new
We have two Horizon booklet only 13 or 14 working a single Futures. The latter will focus Pro C5300 and the Pro V70000
makers but these are limited to shift and putting in nine- and on products for ‘solving major continuous feed inkjet press.
80pp and we need to do some ten-hour days when neces- social issues’. Sustainability is Under the new structure,
catalogues and manuals to sary. We have always wanted to already a core part of Ricoh’s Graphic Communications will
260pp.” provide a good service.” culture and it has previously take responsibility for the …
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christmashubINFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Tsunami of redundancies is
building
THE UK ECONOMY grew There is widespread disap-
more than 15% in Q3 according pointment that while there is
to official government statis- help for the hospitality sector
tics, recouping some if not all needed as a result of the latest
of the revenue lost due to the The UK’s round of lockdowns, the help
printers
pandemic in Q2. is not extended to the wider
anticipate being
Likewise the printing forced to make supply chain – including print.
industry staged some kind of redundancies This has dented orders in the
recovery in Q3 according to the in response to run up to Christmas, tradition-
plunging order
latest Printing Outlook report books and in a ally the period when printers can
from the BPIF. However, any bid to balance pocket a profit. Expectations are
momentum that printers were the books. that more will suffer a reduction
building up, has been brought in work than will experience an
to a juddering halt by regional increase in volumes, making Q4
and national lockdowns. the fourth consecutive quarter
Now almost half of those government’s action may have balance of -8, compared to the of reducing volumes.
surveyed say they plan to make shifted the impact by a couple +7 anticipated as the quarter The greatest impact seems
redundancies, that any recov- of months. began, even if it was massive to have been felt by high street
ery is likely to be stuttering Work from home continues leap forward from the -59 printers in the centre of almost
and demand will remain weak, with 48% planning to enable recorded three months ago. silent business districts as office
forcing printers to respond by staff to work from home, where Unsurprisingly the continu- workers remain at home or
cutting staff levels. Some have possible, for at least one day a ing effects of the lockdowns on furlough. Likewise inplant
already done so and the survey, week as the crisis eases. and government action to print rooms have suffered the
taken before the Chancellor According to the BPIF. tackle the pandemic are the top steepest declines in activity.
announced an extension of the Thirty-five percent of print- concern for printers, with Brexit But concern is universal, indi-
job retention scheme into the ers managed to increase output returning to prominence as the cated by the numbers wanting
new year, predicts that there in Q3, some 22% held output second key concern. Aggressive to share their experience, with
could be 5,000 redundancies steady, with 43% experiencing pricing by competitors remains record numbers participating in
by the end of this year. The a further downturn. This left a a continuing concern. the report.
large format printers as well as
production printing systems,
“It prints a lot faster and the
quality is significantly better.
“which gives us more capacity
on the litho press to focus on the
Duplo demos
generally described as “high This has been specified with all luxury books market, where we digital drive
volume, high quality printing the bells and whistles that are can offer rapid make ready when DUPLO INTERNATIONAL
equipment and solutions”. possible including being able to printing multisections once set has worked with Ultimate to build
print white and silver. It means up. a prepress to finishing workflow
Boss shifts to we can experiment and play to “We are now going to start around the power of Ultimate’s
latest Indigo find out what we can do with it,”
says Smith.
doing a promotional campaign
around the impact of print.”
Impostrip Pro workflow.
The collaboration was
BOSS PRINT HAS upgraded to The Acton printer aims at the demonstrated at a virtual open
an HP Indigo 7900 “with all the top end of the market, printing What a picture house where it was argued
bells and whistles”, says manag-
ing director Fenton Smith.
with its own extended gamut
system to increase the impact
for Indigo that the workflow can save a
smaller printer £29,000 a year
The machine replaces a of litho printing and to open up HP HAS LANDED ITS biggest by minimising errors, reducing
12-year-old Indigo 5500 and the luxury books market. It also ever order for Indigo presses mistakes and improving produc-
fulfils a wish formed when keeps a difference between the and as a result will supply tivity through automated set up.
Smith saw the Indigo 7900 when analogue and digital processes. Shutterfly with more than 60 “Our software enables digital
launched at Drupa 2016. “I was Even so, the company is able machines across the 100K for printers to get the most auto-
not in a situation then where I to transfer more mundane work productivity and the 12000HD mation out of their investment,
could invest,” he says. That has from the Speedmaster to the for versatility with the full range to handle short run and print
changed, and despite some hesi- Indigo, where the digital press of value added options. The demand jobs cost effectively and
tation at the start of lockdown, has an efficiency gain when presses will be installed at four quickly,” says product specialist
Boss Print has pressed ahead. using more expensive papers, sites in the US. manager Andy Cuff. n
20 November/December 2020 www.printbusiness.co.ukYou can also read
