Irish Printer - Issue 1 2023

FORWARD MOMENTUM

BALLYPRINT'S AARON KLEWCHUK ON ACQUIRING IMPRO PRINTERS

The future’s looking bright for GPMI following its acquisition by Premier

40 Anglo Turns

STAFF PAST AND PRESENT GATHER TO CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF BUSINESS AT ANGLO

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT

Why investment in print is being hampered by an inadequate supply

Niall

ED’S LETTER

Welcome to issue 1 of Irish Printer for 2023.

At the beginning of 2023, news broke of Premier’s acquisition of Dublin paper merchant GPMI. All staff are to be retained in the deal and the trusted GPMI company name will continue to be used. For GPMI, being part of Premier and the wider global OVOL Japan Pulp and Paper Group will open up a host of new opportunities for the firm and will, says Managing Director Enda Brophy, help develop the merchant’s service offering and product choice. In turn, GPMI’s expertise in hardware, consumables and technical services will benefit Premier as it expands further into other sectors. For more on GPMI and Premier’s plans going forward, turn to page 15.

Employees past and present gathered recently to celebrate Anglo Printer’s fortieth year in business and remember the late John H Kierans who founded Elite Print/Anglo Printers in 1983. Guest of honour at the celebrations was John’s wife Carmel who is also mum to Managing Director Padraic and Sales Director Peter Kierans. The brothers thanked all current and past employees for the part they have played in the success of the business and stated they’re looking forward to many more years of printing and packaging excellence. To read more about Anglo’s fortieth anniversary, turn to page 11. With its purchase of Impro Printing, NI based Ballyprint is the latest print firm to announce an acquisition. Ballyprint owner Aaron Klewchuk has purchased Impro’s payroll, trading name and assets, which include a Komori Lithrone S29 H-UV press installed in 2016. With Impro’s excellent reputation and service offering, the foundation is there for a really good business, says Aaron. For more on Ballyprint’s acquisition, turn to page 18.

Editor: Denise Maguire

Email: editor@irishprinter.ie

Creative Director: Jane Matthews

Designer: Lenny Rooney

Production: Nicole Ennis

Contact: Irish Printer, Ashville Media Group, Unit 55, Park West Road, Park West, Dublin 12, D12 X9F

Tel: (01) 432 2200

Web: www.irishprinter.ie

Printed by: McGowans Print

Printed on: HP Indigo 10000 using Novatech paper supplied by Antalis.

As always, we’d love to hear from you. If you have any thoughts on this issue, please drop us a line at editor@irishprinter.ie. Enjoy!

All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2023. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Irish Printer. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize. ISSN 0790-2026

@REALTDESIGN

"STAY INSPIRED. NEVER STOP CREATING."

LOVING PAPER SINCE 1980

AGFA

NEWS

Agfa showcased the fastest version of its high-end multi-pass Jeti Tauro H3300 inkjet printer family with varnish printing at C!Print 2023 in France recently. According to Agfa, the new machine is the perfect solution for larger print service providers, offering 24/7 productivity and quality at the lowest ink consumption on a wide range of rigid and flexible materials up to 3.3 m. The UHS (ultra-high speed) model achieves a throughput of 905 m²/h. Following the earlier introduction of varnish on the HS model, the UHS model now also comes with varnish printing at a speed of up to 150 m²/h, offering producers of corrugated cardboard displays the possibility to embellish prints by adding a layer of high-gloss or satin varnish, either applied to the entire surface (flood varnish) or selectively (spot varnish). All models can also use white ink, or white and primer. The inks on the Jeti printers are GREENGUARD Gold certified.

Launched in 2019 by GirlsWhoPrint.net, the fifth annual ‘Women’s Print HERstory Month’ will run in March and this year, coincides with Women’s History Month to align storytelling that empowers and inspires the fierce, fabulous females of print. This year, Girls Who Print is calling on the women of print to join in and share how they help their customers and partners succeed through Q&A posts accessible on girlswhoprint.net and through social media using the hashtags #PrintHERstoryMonth and #GirlsWhoPrint. The organisation is also encouraging students looking for internships or work to participate and share how they can contribute to the success of

a print or marketing business.

Deborah Corn, Girl #1 at Girls Who Print, said: ”A big part of our 2023 mission is to provide visibility and promotion of our global members. Many women have changed companies and positions over the last three years or are looking for work. Students are looking for internships and to start their careers. Throughout March we will let everyone know where participants are, what they do, how they foster client, partner success and business success, and how to connect with them. Even if women haven’t changed jobs, it’s a great opportunity to remind everyone they are still here and making a di erence. All posted content will

be shared across Girls Who Print and Print Media Centre channels.”

Girls Who Print also o ers a free mentoring program and has a SWAG store with plenty of items available to get geared up for March.

Christine Alexander, Owner of Creative Squirrel Studio, designed the Women’s Print HERstory logo and the merchandise. To get involved, get a mentor or mentee and get empowered, visit girlswhoprint.net

Agfa debuts Jeti Tauro H3300

Women’s Print HERstory month returns

CCE INTERNATIONAL PACK

Strong exhibitor line-up at CCE International & InPrint Munich 2023

From 14-16 March 2023 the corrugated and folding carton industry, as well as the printing community, will gather for CCE International at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany. The event will cover a wide array of topics ranging from efficiency, productivity and automation in the corrugated and folding carton sector, all the way to topics revolving around printing technology. A range of expert speakers will discuss various topics at the event’s Open Seminars programme, including Highcon Systems who will be diving into real case studies demonstrating how Highcon’s digital cutting and creasing solutions can take paperboard packaging and display to the next level. EFI will look at how well-branded corrugated ecommerce packaging can unlock new possibilities and help elevate perception.

Sponsored by Xaar, the InPrint Munich Conference will also cover many topics ranging from digital and analogue technologies to environmental and legal aspects. Keynote speakers include Stefan Steinle, Sales and Business Development Manager at Fujifilm and Fernando Rodriguez, Vice President of Technology at Meteor Inkjet Ltd. For more information, go to www.cce-international.com

Analysing potential trends in 2023

New sustainable packaging paper for toys

When it comes to toys, more and more emphasis is being placed on the sustainability of the products. Toy suppliers are increasingly realising that this should also apply to the packaging. With its PACK packaging paper, Mitsubishi HiTec Paper has introduced a new product to its range specifically for the sustainable packaging of toys and other small parts. The 75g paper, which is based on virgin fibres, o ers good heat-sealability and is particularly suitable for pouch packaging. PACK has been successfully tested on packaging machines from leading manufacturers and is available both FSC and PEFCTM certified. Mitsubishi HiTec Paper says this makes PACK the ideal alternative to previous plastic packaging made from films and film composites.

In October 2022, Ricoh UK announced the launch of its second series of ‘Anything in Print’ podcasts which highlight and celebrate organisations championing the print industry. The latest episode in the series features an in-depth discussion with Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA) General Manager Brendan Perring about the major trends that will drive growth in the industry during 2023. Available to download for free from the ‘Anything in Print’ section of the Ricoh website, episode four of series two considers what it will take for the average print service provider to succeed over the next 12 months and how they can ensure business growth. The episode also looks at what’s driving some of the most important current trends and what print companies can do to take full advantage of demand for certain products and services and grow their business as a result.

All ‘Anything in Print’ episodes are available to listen at https://tools. ricoh.co.uk/aip-podcasts-ondemand, where listeners can also subscribe and receive notifications of future content. The podcasts are accessible via all major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

FUJIFILM

Sustainability at the heart of Fujifilm House

In October 2022, Fujifilm officially opened ‘Fujifilm House’, its new UK headquarters which boasts more than 30,000 sq ft of working space, built with sustainability in mind. In designing the new building, Fujifilm worked with the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, one of its corporate charity partners, to keep the environment around its UK HQ site as habitable as possible for plants, wildlife and animals. Additionally, by installing permeable slabs in the Fujifilm House car park, Fujifilm is able to nurture worms residing in the ground, prevent flooding and help maintain the water table. The company is also in the process of adding bird feeders and bat boxes around the outside of the site, as well as installing bee hotels around the car park, which will provide a nesting space and shelter to bees and mini beasts. The site’s 80 rooftop solar panels are able to generate up to 63,000 kW of electricity each year, saving 29 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. Meanwhile, the site’s interior is fitted out with intelligent LED lights, which are triggered by motion sensors, turning on when they detect movement and remaining off when rooms are empty.

Bringing a wealth of printed packaging production knowledge and experience to the HYBRID team, Chris Spooner has joined the company as sales account manager for the UK and Ireland. In his new role, Chris will focus on the digital and analogue printed label market for HYBRID for the UK and Ireland, utilising his label business and market knowledge. Paul Bates, HYBRID manager for UK & Ireland, said: “Having Chris on board is a fantastic addition to our team and he will enable HYBRID to continue our phenomenal success in the printed labels and packaging markets.”

Chris Spooner joins HYBRID Software

The site’s 80 rooftop solar panels are able to generate up to 63,000 kW of electricity each year, saving 29 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually

From the escalating problem of e-waste to the increasing carbon footprint of data centres, what impact is digital transformation having on the planet?

THE HIDDEN COSTS OF

It’s estimated that 45% of homes have between two and five electronic devices lying unused in drawers and boxes, with most people having no plans to recycle.

While these gadgets may not have much monetary value, they have huge value for the environment as they contain a large number of precious metals that have to be mined to create new devices, mining that has a huge impact on the environment.

Dark Data

The vast amount of e-waste is just one aspect of the environmental challenges associated with digital media. Another is the increase in ‘dark data’, stored in data centres around the world, never to be seen or used again. According to a report, the carbon footprint of our gadgets, the internet and the systems supporting them account for almost 4% of global greenhouse emissions, with these emissions predicted to double by the year 2025.

In 2022, the world is expected to generate 97 zettabytes (97 trillion gigabytes) of data. It’s difficult to imagine such numbers, so consider the size of a building used to hold such large amounts of data. Located in Langfang China, Range International Information Group is the world’s largest data centre, spread across 6.3 million square feet, which is equivalent to 110 football fields.

The New Plastic

Whether you are responsible for an entire company’s digital footprint or just your own, there are a number of things you can do. As an organisation, the first step is understanding how much data the company processes and stores. Then think about how your company uses knowledge and consider how you can save key information without employees constantly having to look it up. On a personal level, spend some time going through any images and videos stored on iCloud or Google Images and delete any you don’t want.

DIGITAL

Then, gather every old phone and device in the house and take it to your local recycling centre, making sure you back up any stored information, images or videos before restoring to factory settings.

mckay

Asset Valuers & Auctioneers

Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, Ireland

Email: office@mckay.ie • Sales +353 1 253 1253

On the Instructions of the Directors who are retiring. Re KPS Kwikprintplus Ltd, Paradigm House, Dundrum, Dublin D14TOX8

Online Auction: Digital Printing Equipment

• Xerox 700 & 700i Digital Colour Presses

• Epson SCO-P8000 BO Colour Poster Printer & Trimmer

• Gestetner Afico MP5500 Digital Copier

• Bardolet Wire Stitcher (3 phase)

• Ideal 4850-95 EP Programmable & Manual SRA3 Guillotines

• Challenge SRA3 Folder

• Supax PF-120 & GPM 135 Folder

• Astrojet 300PE Addressograph

• Presco Thermal T Shirt Printer

• EMP Excelamii 355Q Roll Laminators

• SPC Filepecker Paper Drill

• Renz Wire & Spiral Binders, GBC Electric Punch

Viewing: Monday 13th March 2023 10:30 - 15:30 or by special appointment

Online Auction: Closing Tuesday 14th March 2023 from 12:00 Noon

WWW.MCKAY.IE PSRA Licence No 001064

Take a fresh look at Fujifilm

People often tell us that we’re the print industry’s best kept secret. While we’re happy with the accolade, it’s time to share our story.

We have a commitment to print, and the technologies that bring it to life, that is second to none. And with a portfolio of industry-leading analogue and digital solutions, we are uniquely positioned to help you transform your business in a rapidly changing world.

Up your game in 2023 with programmes at DPP Skillnet

NEW YEAR NEW SKILLS

Raising A Brand: Six-Week Brand Development Programme

February 21 2023, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm

€499 when booked with DPP Skillnet - RRP €1150

‘Raising A Brand’ is aimed at business owners and business development directors in SMEs. It provides learners with a practical, hands-on experience of researching, developing and applying a strategic brand framework.

Tuesday mornings from 10am - 12.30pm from 21st of February to 28th of March, 2023

» Six weekly working sessions (21st Feb & 28th Mar – in-person, 28th Feb, 7th, 14th & 21st Mar – online)

» 1 one-to-one strategic planning session with Programme Director Gerard Tannam

» Programme materials (including 13 bespoke brand-building tools)

Normal fee for this programme is €1,150, with DPP Skillnet

€499

Biophilic Design March 2023

Thursday mornings – 2nd, 9th and 16th March 2023, 9.30am - 11.30am

Three sessions €95

Biophilic design is an essential addition to an interior designer’s tool kit, transforming spaces to provide clients with opportunities to live and work in healthier environments. Research shows biophilic design can reduce stress, improve cognitive function, enhance creativity while improving our health and wellbeing. As the world population continues to urbanise, these qualities are ever more important.

In this introductory course explore the world of biophilic design and learn practical solutions to enhance your projects and create healthier, more stimulating interiors for your clients.

TikTok for Business

March 29 2023, 9:30 am - 1:00 pm, €39

This workshop will cover:

» What is TikTok and how do you use it for business?

» Why has TikTok become so popular?

» Who is on TikTok and TikTok stats?

» How to create a TikTok account for your business

» Pros and cons of personal and business accounts

» TikTok best practice

This three and a half hour workshop introduces how to start using TikTok for your business. It will cover what TikTok is, why it has become popular, TikTok features and how to start to use it to grow your business, brand and customers.

Excel Basic Level

March 7th, 9:30am - 4:00pm, €20

Who should attend: New or existing users of Microsoft Excel, who want to create c graphs and formulas.

Assumed knowledge: A working knowledge of PCs plus Windows is assumed, gained from the workplace or by prior attendance on an IT course.

Objectives: Delegates will be able to produce wellstructured worksheets, input and edit data, create formulas, save, retrieve and print. Also use commands to sort and filter data and prepare charts.

For more information and to book a course at DPP Skillnet go to https://dppskillnet.ie/

In February, current and former employees at Anglo Printers gathered to celebrate 40 years since the late John H Kierans founded Elite Print/Anglo Printers Ltd. back in January 1983.

Guest of honour at the celebration was John’s wife Carmel and mum to Managing Director Padraic and Sales Director Peter Kierans. The group recalled with great fondness all those who were pivotal in the success of the business but have since passed on.

Up from Co Clare for the day were Linda Kerr and her great friend Bernadette Davis, two of JHK’s initial employees in Elite Print and his right hand women from the get go, sorting all the admin and finance. Damian Callan (Dundalk), former Finishing Supervisor along with Mai Sarsfield, stood by JHK through thick and thin and were known as print finishing dynamos who never failed to deliver. Tony Cassidy worked alongside Johnny in Independent Newspapers before joining him to operate the Linotronics in Anglo Printers in the late eighties and nineties. Photos were exchanged and passed around of early workdays displaying some fabulous fashion and hairstyles!

Current long serving employees were represented with Deirdre Bidwell, Donnach Callan and Andy Byrne sharing pictures

Below: Deirdre Bidwell (Accounts) pictured with Linda Considine and her great friend Bernadette Davis, two initial employees in Elite Print/Anglo Printers at the recent 40th anniversary for Anglo Printers

Below

Employees past and present gathered recently to celebrate Anglo Printer’s 40th year in business

Anglo celebrates

and recounting stories of their time spent witnessing the huge technology changes across the decades since starting in the business.

The Directors and management of Anglo Printers Ltd would like to thank all current and past employees for the successful part they have played in the success of the business. “Without all of you, it would

never have happened or lasted. We would also like to thank our amazing customers and our suppliers for their unwavering support over the last 40 years. To our many friends in the print trade, we salute you and look forward to many more years of printing and packaging excellence.”

Past and present workers gathered for lunch to celebrate 40 years since the late John H Kierans founded Elite Print/Anglo Printers Ltd back in January 1983

Left: Former Production Manager Damien Callen pictured with his son Donnach, the present Production Manager and Andy Byrne, the PrePress Manager at the recent celebrations for Anglo Printers

left: Padraic Kierans (MD) and Peter Kierans (SD) pictured with their mother Carmel Kierans at the 40th anniversary celebration lunch

IS UV THE CURE? CAR WRAPPING

Car wrapping has become more creative and experimental than ever before. Today’s current trends see vivid new textures, bright colours and bold patterns adorning vehicles all over the world.

However, the business of car wrapping is not new. On the contrary, it has been around since the 1920s. For many years tailor-made paint jobs, while cost prohibitive for most, ruled the market for vehicle customisation. People were able to give their vehicles a full makeover with designs of their own choosing and subtle and notso-subtle effects or colours. These were often unobtainable from the original dealer, meaning that the customised vehicle was truly one of a kind. Think back to John Lennon’s famous 1969 Rolls Royce Phantom, painted with a flower power design, which was categorically refused by Rolls Royce when initially requested by the Beatles star. Vehicle customisation has hit new heights of popularity and personalising your vehicle is deemed a status symbol by many.

Newer forms of customisation are now dominating the scene and gone are the days of just traditional custom paint jobs in favour of newer, simpler, more affordable and ultimately more efficient car wrapping.

The Technology

The car wrapping industry’s estimated value surpassed a whopping $4.7 billion USD at the end of 2021 and is forecast only to increase over the coming years. The various inroads that have led to this come from advancements in the technology and materials used, from the film, ink, adhesives to the printer itself.

Traditionally, eco-solvent and latex inks were the staple for wrappers, renowned for their durability. However, as these eco-solvent wraps fall short due to the time needed to dry the inks before the lamination process can take place, more companies are starting to look for alternatives.

Is UV the cure?

It was always widely thought that UV-curable inks would not work for automotive wraps. Mimaki made it their goal to be the first to make these UV curable inks applicable to wrapping.

Thanks to Mimaki’s LUS-170 and LUS-190 inks, Mimaki is demonstrating not only that these UV inks are more than suitable for car wrapping, but that the results far exceed those of the conventional methods. When combined with one of Mimaki’s UV roll-to-roll printers, they found that the end-to-end process was significantly faster when compared with conventional methods.

Different finishes can also be realised with LUS inks such as glossy and matte and even embossed effects. Another feature of these inks is their resistance to external factors, such as weathering, washing, stones, etc. Despite this, the removal of the wrapping made with Mimaki’s UV inks is easy to perform and leaves the machine’s bodywork completely intact.

The popularity of car wrapping will lead to further exciting possibilities, enticing more companies and end-users in. As the capabilities continue to grow, innovative creatives are starting to look beyond wrapping just vehicles.

With advancements in digital printing, Mimaki’s

latest UV curable inks offer car wrappers a

revolutionary new way to upgrade your ride

OFFSET PRINTER WE’RE HIRING:

Location: Mervue, Galway City

As part of our ongoing development, we are seeking experienced Offset Printers with a view to printing to security standards. This is an exciting high-impact role with a focus on building a strong printing department during dynamic growth joining a team of experienced Security Printers already in place. The role is based in Galway city, Ireland. This is a great opportunity to be involved in the development and launch of our new Centre of Excellence in Galway city.

The Role:

· The independent operation of the Heidelberg 5 Colour, waterless Offset Printline

· Optimizing the product quality in collaboration with the Printing Manager or Operations production management

· Assessment of machine and tool condition

· Reporting of defects wear and tear and developing preventative actions

· Execution of quality control of raw material before start of production

· Contribute to developing Continuous Improvement Program

· Ensure operation of in-line quality control.

Why apply?

· Empowerment: You’ll work as part of a global team in a fantastic work environment, learning and enhancing your expertise

· Innovation: You embrace challenges and want to drive ambitious change

· Integrity: You are results-orientated, reliable, and straightforward and value being treated accordingly

Who are we?

HID Global powers the trusted identities of the world’s people, places and things, allowing people to transact safely, work productively and travel freely. We are a high-tech software company headquartered in Austin, TX, with over 4,000 worldwide employees.

Your Experience:

· Professional education or appropriate experience as offset printer

· Understanding of safety and quality requirements

· Good understanding of colour measurement

· Understanding of quality Inspection process

· Experience of running an Independent Offset Printing line

· Basic computer literacy required

Desirable Experience:

· Experience of UV drying process

· Experience of printing on plastic

Personal Characteristics:

· Excellent teamwork skills with a “Can Do” attitude

· Excellent communication both verbally and written in English

· Desire to find solutions when any problems that arises

Work Requirements:

· Must be legally eligible to work in the country in which you are hired

· Travel may be required. Therefore, an employee must possess, or be able to acquire a valid passport

The future’s looking bright for GPMI following its acquisition by Premier

There’s great equity in the brand so it’s important to retain that continuity. In addition, all sta will be retained as part of the acquisition. People are one of the main assets of any company and the GPMI team is no exception

At the beginning of 2023, it was announced that Dublin-based paper merchant GPMI had been acquired by Premier Paper Group, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of paper and materials.

Headed up by Enda Brophy, GPMI enjoys a strong and established position in the Irish market, supplying both the commercial print and sign & display sectors. With warehouses and offices in Dublin and Belfast, the company has a turnover of approximately €28 million and employs 50 staff.

GPMI’s acquisition by Premier is the UK company’s third such purchase in recent months; towards the end of 2022 the company acquired luxury packaging and retail display company WBC and in July 2022, Premier purchased packaging and lamination films supplier Zulu. The GPMI acquisition will, says David Jones, Group Marketing Director at Premier Paper Group, open up an entirely new geographical market for the business. “Economic growth in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland remains steady and is benefiting from inward foreign investment. This is likely to fuel demand for paper, graphical materials and production equipment. GPMI, as part of the Premier Paper Group, will be ideally placed to make the most of any opportunities.”

In 2021, The Premier Paper Group had a turnover of GBP £187 million. A leading supplier of paper, packaging and materials to the UK market, Premier is part of OVOL Japan Pulp & Paper Group, a global company that operates in 22 countries. Being part of the Premier Paper Group will, says David Jones, open up many opportunities for GPMI. “It will allow the company to further develop its service offering and give a greater product choice to customers. Both customers and suppliers can be reassured of GPMI’s commitment to the future of the print and graphical communications market as part of the Premier organisation.” With a strong and established presence within the Irish market, the GPMI name will continue to be used. “There’s great equity in the brand so it’s important to retain that continuity. In addition, all staff will be retained as part of the acquisition. People

are one of the main assets of any company and the GPMI team is no exception. It is well established with extensive industry knowledge and has excellent customer relationships at all levels. The objective is to retain and then expand the GPMI team as the business develops and grows.”

The acquisition isn’t just good news for GPMI. It’s a deal that will greatly enhance the service offering of Premier Paper and increase its knowledge base around specific sectors. “Together with paper wholesaling and the supply of media to the sign and display market, GPMI has extensive sales in hardware, consumables and technical services. This knowledge and experience will also benefit Premier as it continues its growth into complementary sectors.” GPMI is an exciting addition to the Group, says David, and one that opens up a host of new opportunities for the two companies. The acquisition is consistent with Premier’s strategy of

achieving good organic growth, based on traditional paper merchanting foundations, together with selected acquisitions in new but complementary markets.

Commenting on the acquisition, GPMI Managing Director Enda Brophy said: “Being part of Premier and the wider global OVOL Japan Pulp and Paper Group will open up many opportunities for GPMI and will allow us to further develop our service offer and product choice to our customers.

“It will also give our customers and suppliers confidence and reassurance of our commitment to the future of the print and graphical communications market. I am looking forward to starting the next phase of our development during 2023 as part of the Premier organisation.”

Being part of Premier and the wider global OVOL Japan Pulp and Paper Group will open up many opportunities for GPMI and will allow us to further develop our service offer and product choice to our customers

Ballyprint owner Aaron Klewchuk talks to Irish Printer about his acquisition of Impro Printing in Belfast

MOMENTUM FORWARD

How did the acquisition come about?

Over its 40 years in operation, Impro has built a strong reputation for high quality B2 print. Ballyprint had a good existing relationship with the company, it often took on trade work for us and it’s only 30 minutes down the road. During Covid, Impro struggled; in 2017, revenue was around £2.5 million and has fallen to £1 million today. Late last year, I bought Impro’s assets, payroll and trading name and plan on building turnover to £3 million over the next year and a half.

For Ballyprint, what are the advantages of the deal?

I think the two companies complement each other. Impro can send large format work to Ballyprint and Ballyprint will equally be able to send work to Impro. There’s a synergy there that will work well. Impro’s assets also include a Komori Lithrone S29 H-UV press which was installed in 2016. That’s obviously a huge draw for us. The quicker turnarounds will work to our advantage, as will the greater flexibility. Impro was actually the first company in Northern Ireland to install a Komori S29 H-UV and we were the first to install a

Xerox Iridesse and a PrintIQ MIS in the region. Being one step ahead when it comes to technology will benefits both houses going forward.

Have all staff at Impro been retained?

Yes, they have. Fourteen employees have transferred in the purchase. Gavin Leitch has moved over from W&G Baird to take up the role of Sales Director at Impro and we’re currently on a recruitment drive to take on a further five employees before the end of next quarter. Longstanding Impro employee Kirk Dominy has also been appointed Operations Director. I would also like to take on more production staff; we’re in the process of investing in some perfect binding equipment and other folding equipment and with that machinery coming in, we will need more skilled labour.

Are you planning on expanding into new sectors?

Yes, we’ll be doing more book work in general. It’s an element that we were planning on introducing anyway, but the acquisition expedited the whole process. Over the next few weeks, we’re planning on installing new machinery specifically for that purpose. A lot of B2

Being one step ahead when it comes to technology benefits both houses going forward

We’ve got ambitious plans for growth over the next 12 to 18 months. With Impro, the foundation is there to grow a great business. We’re really excited for the future

printers in NI are putting work out to the trade. We think there’s a great opportunity to bring that in house.

How’s business at Ballyprint?

We had a very quiet January. In saying that, we’re small and we’re nimble and if we have a couple of bad months, it doesn’t affect us in a major way. We’re at 10 staff in Ballyprint at the moment. As a digital house, it’s a very successful, agile business.

Are you considering any more acquisitions going forward?

It’s on the radar but I’m not going to say much about it. Watch this space!

What’s the plan for the rest of 2023?

To get sales up at Impro and ensure we have a good sales team on board. I’m aiming to get sales back to pre-Covid levels. With a different approach, I think we’ll achieve that. Changing the way that the guys at Impro have done things for the past 15 years is a challenge in itself, but we’re getting there. We also have plans to become more automated and that’s something we’ll achieve in 2023. We’ve got ambitious plans for growth over the next 12 to 18 months. With Impro, the foundation is there to grow a great business. We’re really excited for the future.

PRINT MEDIA

PRINT We need to talk about

POST HASTE

When a piece of print lands in someone’s hand it can be an absolutely magical, transformative moment to get a message or to get imagery across. Print isn’t the issue. There are great printers, there’s great paper, there are scores of exceptional publishers who do outstanding work. It’s the journey from printing press to coffee table, to letter box, to desk – the delivery issue is the part that is broken. Why is it that you can get heavy, cumbersome, fragile, perishable goods delivered no problem, but somehow there’s a block around newspapers and so many other elements of print. If we have any complaints from our readers, from our distributors, from our advertisers – it’s always about distribution. So I think the big challenge going forward is that we need to have conversations with the retailers, the logistics companies, the postal companies – everybody has to be involved and committed.

PRINT’S PRESENCE

It’s not just delivery that’s a challenge. When it comes to the availability of magazines in retail outlets and kiosks, I would say the situation is probably at crisis point. There’s ever more space for M&Ms and KitKats and branded water and ever less space for magazines and books. This is because a lot of decisions are being made by people reading industry reports that say the world is only going to be digital. Getting rid of print makes a kiosk a less interesting place to go. It becomes a world of junk food and items that I’m not convinced everyone wants to purchase.

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

I think it’s essential we have a resilient, buzzy, engaged and entertaining newsstand. Because if I think about the big brands that we work with and about the most important cities for us, there is something to be said for being top of mind and being present. If I’m a media planner for a major luxury goods group based in Geneva and I don’t see my core titles displayed at Geneva airport and train station, then I have to wonder if they’re reaching the readers in other corners of the world when they’re not present in the main city where I’m functioning.

SHOW & TELL

Of course, when a publisher has diminishing margins, it becomes very difficult to be present in as many places as possible. I believe that the retailer and the publisher need to be in lockstep and are able to think things through. Like, what does that wall look like, what do those risers for display look like and how are they merchandising? We brought out the Monocle Companion last year which is pocketbook size. It’s a very thick, meaty volume of essays, but it hasn’t been designed to be displayed in a traditional, vertical wall system. You can imagine the complexity of having conversations with the

Media brands want to invest in print but an inadequate print supply along with unrealistic print prices are hampering their efforts, writes Monocle’s TYLER BRÛLÉ

distributor, the wholesale partners and the retailers about a special approach to display. Nevertheless, the product has been hugely successful, because we’ve been able to sell it through our own channels, on ecommerce or through our own stores.

AT A PREMIUM

Some of the momentum that we have in 2023, is a desire for ever more formats and this is where I think there is a positivity around doing things in print. In the last five or six years and probably because of paper prices and distribution costs, paper has become more of a luxury item. When brands want to do something which is premium, many are choosing print. I’m just back from meetings

with a big luxury group and a global US bank in New York. Neither of them considered digital at all. Even though in many ways they’re digital-first brands, they do things in print. I would say they probably spend more in the digital space than they do on paper, but they were mostly interested in a format that was even beyond Monocle’s traditional trim size and traditional paper choice. They wanted to know what else we could do for them. With print, you’re able to get a certain level of cut through and you’re able to be in a world of something which is collectible and tangible.

CREATIVE LICENSE

It’s this creativity that resonates with advertisers. With digital format, you’re quite constrained in terms of the actual format. You are boxed in by a frame, whereas we know that it’s quite endless in terms of what you can create on a page in a magazine or in newspaper format. When it comes to the relationships we have with companies and brands, I would say that in 2022, it was this innovation in print that really helped to drive our profitability. It’s print’s creativity that allowed us to deliver new formats that were able to push the margin for us. We can already see that in 2023, this is exactly what brands are looking for.

PRINT’S POTENTIAL

Media brands understand this and that’s why you see an investment in print. 2022 was the most successful year for us in print ever. The money we made on paper far outstripped podcasts and other things we’ve done digitally. It’s very much our forecast that it should do the same this year and we can only achieve that by going back to what I was saying earlier. That we need an able print supply, we need realistic print prices and we need to be able to successfully and efficiently deliver our product to the customer.

It’s the journey from printing press to coffee table, to letter box, to desk – the delivery issue is the part that is broken

FINANCE

Michael Neary, Corporate Finance Partner at Grant Thornton, outlines how to get the best deal when selling your business

The level of economic growth over the last decade and the lower interest rate environment has increased the number of opportunities for owner managers to realise their years of hard work. However, there are many aspects to selling a business including getting the maximum price possible, negotiating with buyers, keeping discussions confidential and keeping business disturbance to a minimum. If you are considering selling your business but don’t know how much it is worth, the simple answer is that the business is worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

There are four stages to selling a business:

» Preparing for sale

» Identifying the best purchaser

» Negotiating

» Closing the deal.

In each stage, there are a number of ways to ensure that value is added to your company. Set out below are 10 simple steps to help maximise the value of your business.

PREPARING FOR SALE

1Forward planning

If you want to get the best price, forward planning is essential and two years in advance is not too early to begin the prospect of grooming your business for sale. Think about why someone would want to buy it and then focus your energy on this. For instance, if likely buyers want an Irish customer base then channel your efforts into developing this rather than export customers.

2Maximising profitability

If you believe your business can generate higher profits by reducing unnecessary costs or restructuring, make the tough decisions. A potential purchaser will not wish to pay for what you say can be achieved.

3Golden handcuffs

If there are employees who are vital to running the business, tie them in. If they are free to walk away, this will make a perspective purchaser nervous.

4Deal with the problems

You should aim to get any contentious or disturbing issues resolved before a sale. Buyers feel very uncomfortable with outstanding legal actions or uncertain ownership of assets. They will always take a worst case scenario and discount their offer accordingly.

IDENTIFY THE BEST PURCHASERS

5Research potential buyers

You may be in the fortunate position of being able to identify a buyer for your business immediately, but it would be in your best interest to commission skilled researchers to identify additional potential buyers. You may fi nd that they value your business more and will pay a higher price (for example, we recently found an overseas buyer who paid a very high price due to the strategic fit the business we were selling had with the existing operations).

HOW TO SELL YOUR

BUSINESS

6

Maintain confidentiality

If customers, suppliers or employees fi nd out your business is for sale, it would create uncertainty and potentially reduce the value. Selling the business should be on a need-to-know basis and you should use advisors to maintain this confidentiality.

NEGOTIATING

7Never name your price!

You should set yourself a top target and lowest walk-away price. Never name your price to a potential buyer. Demand that they give you their best offer. A wise negotiator will decide before entering a meeting how far he is prepared to go and where he will draw the line and stop negotiations.

It is very helpful to have two people involved in the negotiation. While one must be the key negotiator with ultimate responsibility, the second can act as a sounding board and help in maintaining the momentum of the deal. A competent negotiator will involve relevant advisors such as fi nancial and tax experts and lawyers. They should be brought in from the start and continually consulted.

8Understand potential buyers

As any business will have a different value to different people, understanding the value of your business to a buyer requires you to recognise its strategic value. If there is a potential for extra profits from joining two businesses, your business is worth more to the buyer who can achieve this. The more that can be learned about the buyer’s real objectives and their worries, the easier it will be to gain a successful outcome to the negotiations.

CLOSING THE DEAL

9The business comes first

Keep your eye on the ball as too often a vendor’s attention to their business wanes as they become embroiled in the sale, giving buyers the opportunity early for a reduction in price at a later stage. Keep your focus!

10

Get good advice

As most owner-managers will only sell their business once in their life, your business may represent a lifetime of effort and achievement; make sure you do not sell yourself short. High quality professional advice from experienced fi nancial and taxation specialists who understand owner-managed businesses are vital to ensure you get the best possible deal. Whether a business has been inherited or grown from a start-up, let’s not forget that making the decision to sell is a very emotive one for both the principle shareholders and their families. It is very natural for business owners to become emotionally attached to their business, after years of hard work and personal achievement. It is not an easy decision to make to sell. In our experience, dealing with and understanding this is crucial to the success of the deal.

www.grantthornton.ie

A wise negotiator will decide before entering a meeting how far he is prepared to go and where he will draw the line and stop negotiations

THE LAST WORD

Label LabelART

Late last year, the National Print Museum released details of an exhibition of label art from the 1890s to the 1990s. Curated by design historian Niall McCormack, the exhibition is now open and features over 600 vibrant and colourful examples of Irish label art such as labels for minerals, beers, whiskies, hotels, linens, groceries, pharmacies, matches, charities and political causes. The exhibition follows on from Niall’s book ‘Grand Stuff, Label Art from Ireland’, which went on sale last year.

With the exhibition, McCormack aims to get people thinking about design in Ireland in the early 20th century and how it was more vibrant, diverse and sophisticated than many might imagine.

“In Ireland, sometimes the visual is taken for granted, it is not held in the same esteem as our literary or musical culture, or crafts, all of which we are world-class at,” he says. “It is very hard to compete with that sort of reputation. The visual arts in Ireland, there is some amazing stuff out there and there always has been.”

Niall McCormack’s label art exhibition has opened at the National Print Museum

In Ireland, sometimes the visual is taken for granted, it is not held in the same esteem as our literary or musical culture or crafts, all of which we are world-class at