Irish Printer

JULY/AUG 2016 || THE VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY || WWW.IRISHPRINTER.IE

ALWAYS MOVING FORWARD Ricoh Races Ahead

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JULY/AUG 2016 CONTENTS

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News

A round up of some of the latest news from the Irish print industry.

In Business Irish Printer reports on a unique partnership between MJ Flood and Premier Paper.

Education & Training

Maev Martin talks to those driving the apprenticeship schemes on both parts of the island.

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The Big Picture Read about

Dublin-based Sign+Digital’s open day and Cover Up’s latest investment.

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Talking Technical

We report on the latest developments in LE-UV and LEDUV technology.

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The Social Network

Were you there? The

Printers of Ireland invitational was a resounding success.

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Awards Preview

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Business Matters

Cover Story As Ricoh moves into poll position for digital colour press sales in Ireland, Maev Martin talks to Paul Keely, Gary Hopwood and Stephen Palmer about Ricoh Ireland’s growing client list and the outlook for commercial print.

In the second in our series of sponsor profiles, we showcase key industry players who have renewed their support for the Irish Print Awards.

Maev Martin looks at how Brexit will impact on Ireland’s commercial print industry.

Drupa Deals

Two of our island’s most successful print companies closed landmark deals at the recent drupa 2016 exhibition in Germany.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

retail sector, 21% of online travel sales are achieved through print advertising, and 10% of total travel online visits are driven by print advertising. The INM data also shows that the print channel continues to be a pivotal element in the marketing mix, delivering a significant return on investment across all key sectors.

But, of course, the future of the commercial print market in Ireland and around the world is predicated on the industry’s ability to recognise and respond to the changes in the way people are printing and using paper.

Most transactional work has already moved to digital and this is declining in favour of online platforms such as online banking. However, other areas, such as books, manuals and direct mail, are moving to a more short-run, personalised and on-demand model, which is ideal for digital platforms. Overall, print volumes are relatively flat, but digital is growing very quickly within that. This means that there are plenty of opportunities for printers to leverage this growth and grow their digital media offerings.

elcome to the July/ August edition of Irish Printer magazine.

Over the past decade most of the concern about the future of print revolved around how the industry was going to cope with the growth of digital forms of communication.

We then moved to a position where we realised that we couldn’t treat digital as the enemy – commercial print companies had to embrace digital media and, ideally, include it in their communications service mix. Now, there has been a definite swing back from electronic media in certain sectors as people often prefer to have a hard copy rather than use email or e-readers. Consumers and corporations are once again seeing the value of print in the marketing communications mix. Not only that, they are often seeing it as the most important part of that mix - and one that still generates value for money.

In this issue we report on a major piece of research carried out by Independent News & Media which shows how consumers and corporations are re-discovering the power of print and the excellent value for money that an investment in print provides. Some interesting findings include the fact that print advertising acts as an influential conduit, driving customers to other channels, it is up to 1.5 times more effective than radio advertising in delivering return on investment in the

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Maev Martin, Editor Email: maev.martin@ashvillemediagroup.com Tel: (01) 432 2271

THE TEAM Editor: Maev Martin Editorial Manager: Mary Connaughton Creative Director: Jane Matthews Layout: Antoinette Sinclair Production Manager: Mary Connaughton Production: Claire Kiernan Printed by: Walsh Colour Print on Novatech Matt 150gsm supplied by Antalis Ireland.

Contact: Irish Printer, Ashville Media Group, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, Dublin 7 Tel: (01) 432 2200 Web: www.irishprinter.ie

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 2016.

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

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TEN TOP STORIES

The Fine Collection is available from gfsmith.com

G.F. Smith Showcases the Power of Paper Paper specialist G.F. Smith and creative studio Made Thought recently released the Fine Collection. John Haslam, Managing Director of G.F. Smith, describes the collection as “a tool for anyone who wants to deliver perfection in print: the designer, photographer or the printer.” The pictures on this page, and the book itself, prove that he isn’t exaggerating.

The collection features eight of G.F. Smith’s finest papers, from the smooth uniformity of Accent to the tactile texture of Zen, each selected for the excellence of the results they deliver when used for lithographic or digital printing. The 128 pages are divided between eight papers, each featuring eight litho and eight digitally-printed pages.

The featured papers are Zen, Munken Design, Mohawk Options, PhoeniXmotions, Accent Smooth, Naturalis, Mohawk Superfine, and Heaven 42.

The Fine Collection should prove to be an invaluable decision-making resource for print designers tasked with paper selection, eliminating the need to sift through the usual ‘studio sprawl’ of

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swatches, sample books and other print references.

But this is no ordinary reference tool. In keeping with G.F. Smith’s role as the paper curator for the creative industries, the company has included specially selected photographs provided by a global network of talented collaborators – professional and amateur. This approach allowed G.F. Smith to accurately reflect the real-world application of each paper when used for photographic print.

More than 10,000 images were submitted for consideration and showcased on gfsmith.com, automatically sequenced by colour. Of these, 66 were chosen for inclusion in the Fine Collection. “The Fine Collection aims to remind people that today, more than ever, paper’s natural beauty, coupled with craft and creativity, can leave a powerful and persuasive impression,” says Ben Parker, Creative Director with Made Thought. “Each paper type features eight images, thus offering a practical demonstration of each paper’s print performance, as well as inspiring photography, making the book a creative artefact in its own right, as well as a design resource.”

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Trimfold Chief is New IPF President Eugene Healy, Managing Director of Trimfold Envelopes, is the new President of the Irish Printing Federation (IPF). Eugene has been with Trimfold Envelopes Ltd for 40 years, having joined the company in 1975. He started his career in Trimfold as an engineer and machine adjuster and was appointed Production Director in 1996 before taking on the MD position in 2009. Trimfold’s plant in Trim, Co Meath, employs over 40 production staff and specialises in the high volume production of stock products and bespoke items. The company also operates a dedicated envelope printing department on site which services the island of Ireland. In 2006, Trimfold Envelopes became part of the Mayer Kuvert network, Europe’s largest independentlyowned envelope manufacturing group with over 40 plants throughout Europe producing over 45 million envelopes per day. Eugene holds a Masters in Professional Practice from DIT and continues to lead the company as one of the most experienced and knowledgeable people within the envelope industry. Eugene joined the IPF council in 2012 and became Vice President in 2014. “It is my intention to carry on the stellar work started by my predecessor Tom Clements of RPD Ltd,” says Eugene. “It is important for the print industry in Ireland to have a voice and I see the IPF as providing that voice. The industry has been through a particularly difficult time in recent years and will again face an uncertain future post Brexit. The IPF is here to help in any way it can and we are asking printers to engage with us. There is a wealth of experience on the IPF council and in the industry and we are more than willing to be of assistance.”

If you are not a member of the IPF it now easier than ever to join. Check out their website at www.irishprintingfederation.ie.

(L-R): John McGee and Dearbhail McDonald at the launch of Ireland’s largest media research study.

(L-R): Robert Pitt, Alan Cox and Mairead Kearns at INM’s launch of its ‘Book of Evidence’ on May 17th in the Marker Hotel.

Print Advertising is Driving Sales 25% of all sales delivered by media are driven by print advertising and every €1 spent in print advertising returns up to €39 for the retail sector. That’s according to research carried out by Independent News & Media, which was launched in the Marker Hotel, Dublin on May 17th. INM’s Customer Research Strategy led to the most comprehensive research project that has been carried out to date in the media industry in Ireland, with over 13,000 face-to-face interviews with newspaper buyers, at the point of purchase, over the past 12 months. Developed in association with Amárach Research, the study provides unique insights into the contemporary newspaper buyer market.

Some of the other key findings of the report include the fact that print advertising acts as an influential conduit, driving customers to other channels. Also, on average, 10% of landing page visits are delivered by print advertising and 20% of pay-per-click sales (PPCS) originate from print advertising. The report shows that print advertising is up to 1.5 times more effective than radio advertising in delivering return on investment (ROI) in the retail sector and, in the automotive sector, print advertising is up to twice as effective as TV advertising in delivering an ROI. In addition, 38% of test drives in the motoring industry are as a direct result of print advertising, 21% of online travel sales are achieved through print advertising, 10% of total travel online visits are driven by print advertising, and print advertising returns up to €35 for every €1 spent in travel.

INM also wanted to establish how important the print channel was in the overall marketing mix, hence the commission of an Econometrics study, which involved over three years of research across 20 million data points.

This study was carried out in association with Ignite research. The data shows that the print channel continues to be a pivotal element in the marketing mix, delivering a significant return on investment across all key sectors.

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TEN TOP STORIES

Ian McGowan with Printsave.ie’s Konica Minolta Press C1070.

Printsave.ie Installs First Konica Minolta Press Printsave.ie installed its first Konica Minolta press - the KM Press C1070 - in May and the Xerox house is already experiencing the benefits of the new technology. “I can duplex 300gsm card which our current Xerox machines can’t do,” says Owner Ian McGowan.

“I know there are more expensive Xerox machines with that capability but the presses that we operate don’t have it so this is a big step up for us in terms of production. The Konica Minolta Press C1070 is also faster than our Xerox machines. Again, I know there are other Xerox presses that are as fast as the Konica Minolta press but not the ones that I am operating. In addition, MJ Flood offers an excellent call out service, good click rates on the press, and favourable payment terms.” MJ Flood’s business relationship with Printsave.ie began when they opened their third premises on Nassau Street in Dublin’s city centre in December 2015. “MJ Flood’s Print Production Manager Phil Schueler was aware of how our business was expanding and he approached me about going with Konica Minolta,” says Ian. “I needed an extra machine and extra capacity and I felt the time was right to bring in a bit of competition. Phil ran the demonstrations on the machine and took me through all of the press’s capabilities.” Phil says that Ian was impressed with a number of the features on the C1070, including its reliability, paper handling and image quality.” The front and back registration was a big plus for Ian,” he says. “The C1070 has automatic swing registration adjustment, which is a great feature, and it also has an envelope fusing unit so Printsave.ie can do envelope production runs. Shortly after the demonstrations, Ian moved forward with the deal.” Printsave.ie’s first shop opened at O’Connell Bridge in Dublin four years ago and they then opened a shop in Cork.

“Printsave.ie offers on demand quick turnaround retail print,” says Ian. “We produce a

variety of marketing collateral from menus, flyers, and business cards to reports, banners, and posters. All of our customers require a same day print service and, as we are based in the city centre, we constantly have high levels of footfall in the premises. And everyone wants everything in two hours time so we aren’t your conventional printer in an industrial estate with a one week turnaround. I have nine Xerox presses across three shops - half of them are big production presses and one or two are colour printers without any finishing capacity.

These were all purchased from IBS so Xerox has had a monopoly on our machines at the three locations. I decided to look at something different and I’m very happy with the impact that the Konica Minolta Press C1070 has had on our operation.” Phil Schueler says that MJ Flood are “excited” about working with Printsave.ie. “They have great staff and it is a terrific company,” he says. “Printsave.ie are an up and coming and a growing digital high street printer with several locations so there is great expansion potential for the business and, we hope, for the further development of our relationship with the company.”

Webprint Merges with Sunday Business Post Cork-based Webprint is to merge with The Sunday Business Post.

Key Capital is the majority owner of both firms. Paul Cooke is to leave his position as Managing Director of The Sunday Business Post and has sold his shareholding in the business to Key Capital. The new executive committee for the merged business will be led by Conor Killeen and Colin Morgan from Key Capital. The board will also include Sunday Business Post Editor Ian Kehoe, its Commercial Director Siobhan Lennon, and Donagh O’Doherty, Managing Director of Webprint. Webprint took the top honours in the Regional Newspaper Printer of the Year category at the Irish Print Awards for the fourth time last year for its printing of The Clare Champion.

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TEN TOP STORIES BELOW (L-R): Gareth Quinn, Founder & Managing Director of Digital DNA, Joanne McPoland from BT Business Northern Ireland presenting the first of twelve awards of the evening to Gary White, and awards host Pete Snodden.

Belfast Printer Wins Best Use of eCommerce Award

Northside Graphics Ltd’s DigitalPrinting.co.uk company won the ‘Best Use of eCommerce’ award at the Digital DNA Awards, which took place in Belfast on June 8th. The prestigious awards ceremony celebrated companies and individuals who continuously push the boundaries of technology to achieve measurable and significant business results. The Digital DNA Awards received more than 150 applicants and the judging panel included representatives from Google and Deloitte. The ‘Best Use of eCommerce’ category was sponsored by BT and judged on business growth, design, functionality, process, and task completion. “DigitalPrinting.co.uk, which is entering its third year in business, is firmly established as the ‘go-to’ online digital print shop with an intuitive ecommerce website that enables customers to easily order jobs online,” says Chief Executive Gary White. “The website operates seamlessly across desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile devices, acting as a one-stop shop for highly customised digitally printed products, including booklets, PUR perfect bound books, banner stands and large-format posters. The website provides an effortless buying process and integrates seamlessly with the pre-press and delivery systems. It is built using the latest technologies and designed with careful consideration of the target audience, customer journey and task completion. Overall, a high volume of customers have ordered a range of print products entirely online with ease and confidence.” The online print company has over 12,500 registered customers. “This award could not have been achieved without the dedication and commitment of the entire team at DigitalPrinting.co.uk,” says Gary. “As an ecommerce business, we strive to provide an efficient online shopping experience which is derived from value for money, reliability, quality and accuracy. Since launching the website in late 2013, we have achieved consistent growth by producing the finest quality print with the fastest turnaround and the best value for money.” The award win comes at the same time as DigitalPrinting.co.uk launches TradeDigitalPrint.co.uk, a new website exclusively for trade customers. “TradeDigitalPrint.co.uk customers will benefit from attractive trade pricing options, pre-press checks, unbranded indigo swatch books, free white label delivery, and instant reward discounts for loyal customers,” says Gary. “TradeDigitalPrint.co.uk is free to join as a trade customer and is set to become the digital print website of choice among agencies, designers, printers, and resellers ordering digital print products on a regular basis. There is a demand for high quality HP Indigo digital work in the UK marketplace and we think we’re in the right position to supply it to the trade.”

DigitalPrinting.co.uk is part of Northside Graphics Ltd. The combined entity has 39 staff and is looking to turn over nearly Stg£4.5m this year.

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TEN TOP STORIES

Modern Printers Choose MBO Folder A decision to replace its existing B2 and SRA1 folders with a “more reliable and productive” folder led Kilkenny-based Modern Printers to install an MBO B26/66 Efficiency model supplied by UK & Ireland agent, Friedheim International.

“With the amount of work that we throughput on a daily basis we needed a folder that we could rely on to keep working and not break down at inopportune moments,” says Managing Director Liam Cody. “The MBO B26 Efficiency buckle folder is just such a reliable workhorse. Installing an MBO A76 mobile delivery unit along with the B26 has made our entire folding operation far more productive and efficient.” Formed in 1962, Modern Printers currently employs 17 full-time members of staff. The company handles all types of general commercial work and readily accepts job runs from 20 to 20,000 items.

“Since installation, the MBO B26 Efficiency folder and A76 have worked really well, as we had expected, and I would recommend both to any company that requires troublefree, consistent quality folding,” says Liam.

Packaging Printer Wins Self Promotion Award Digital packaging printer Esmark Finch recently claimed second place in the self promotion category of the Xerox Best of the Best Awards for its quarterly customer magazine Digital Innovation. Esmark Finch launched the magazine in the first quarter of 2015.

“The magazine is successful on multiple levels, creating awareness of Esmark Finch services and driving revenue,” says Esmark Finch CEO John Mullane. “The goal is to strengthen customer relationships and to lead readers to consider Esmark Finch for additional services. Creating and nurturing relationships with your customers is a critical part of growing a successful business, especially during these times of global markets, increasing automation and innovation.”

The content includes features on Esmark Finch services and products, marketing ideas and tutorials, and client testimonials. “A number of clients have adopted marketing techniques showcased in the magazine, such as Esmark Finch’s scratch cards, pen pots and keyboard calendars,” says John. “We’ve had a great response from our customers and some great lead generations.

In 2015 the magazine brought over €75,000 worth of business to us so we must be doing something right!”

The Digital Innovation magazine team are Sales and Marketing Manager Mary McGillicuddy, Marketing Assistant Gaelle Robert and Graphic Designer Ciaran Byrne. Each issue is printed on a Xerox iGen4 press with Xerox Freeflow Print Server, output onto 170gsm Qdi Silk paper, and finished on a Duplo booklet maker.

The printed magazine is distributed to a targeted list of customers and a PDF is posted for downloading from the company’s website. “This also allows us to track online views and various KPI’s set on our website which we analyse through analytics to ensure that we have a clear return on investment,” says John.

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ABOVE (L-R): Esmark Finch CEO John Mullane, Kevin O’Donnell, Marketing Manager, Graphic Communications at Xerox Europe, and Susan Weiss, Manager, Worldwide Customer Business Development at Xerox Corporation, with the award.

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Susie Celebrates 40 Years of Service Trimfold Envelopes employee Susie Pearle recently marked 40 years of service with the company and the management and staff celebrated Susie’s special landmark in style. Susie began working with Trimfold in 1976 and she currently works with the jet press team. Her son Timmy and sister Rita are also Trimfold employees.

“We would like to thank Susie for her valued contribution to Trimfold throughout her time with us and we hope she enjoyed her celebrations,” says Managing Director Eugene Healy.

ABOVE: Susie Pearle with Managing Director, Eugene Healy.

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ABOVE: Chris Matthews of Heidelberg UK receives the Stationers’ Innovation Award from the Stationers’ Company Master Helen Esmonde.

Heidelberg Wins Innovation Award for 3D Technology Heidelberg has been named Joint Innovator of the Year by the Stationers’ Company for its Omnifire range, which custom prints onto 3D objects. The judges commented that “by bringing together robotics and inkjet technology, Heidelberg has developed a unique piece of machinery which offers the printing industry the opportunity to print not only on small but large items as well.” Chris Matthews, Digital Equipment Business Manager at Heidelberg UK, says the Omnifire 250 takes print into a much wider market. “It has already been adopted by the first customers who are creating added value by personalising objects,” he says. The Omnifire 250 is already a commercially available product and is in use at printers but also at retail and manufacturing sites. It features 4-axis robotics, enabling it to print onto objects from 10mm to 300mm in diameter. The printing system can apply one to four colours, and opaque white and protective coatings are options. It is single pass, drop on demand printing, and it uses both LED and UV drying systems. By the end of this year it will be joined by the Omnifire 1000, which will handle objects with a width of up to 50mm and a length of up to 1,000mm.

The Omnifire XL, for handling much larger objects, is also anticipated and talks with companies with automotive and aeronautical interests will be part of the planning and development. Heidelberg shared the top accolade at this year’s Stationers Innovation and Enterprise Awards with DataLase.

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IN BUSINESS

Phil Schueler (left), Production Print Manager, MJ Flood, with Will Enright, Managing Director, Premier Paper.

A Premier Partnership Irish Printer reports on a unique partnership between leading production print specialists, MJ Flood, and one of Ireland’s leading independent paper merchants, Premier Paper.

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remier Paper has always regarded digital papers as the key part of its product portfolio for its print customers. “We have been at the forefront of innovation when it comes to supplying digital products that allow the printer to maximise the benefit of this versatile technology,” says Premier Paper’s Managing Director Will Enright. “As we celebrate our 21st year in business, we feel that we are coming of age with this technology and with the different media we can offer to this developing industry. International Paper’s excellent Pro-Design range, which offers superb trouble-free digital printing, has been the backbone of our digital offering over the years. In recent times, we have added Moorim’s Pro-Digital Gloss and Silk coated range in a variety of weights and sizes, including SRA3, available in both short and long grain options, SRA3+, and also the coated 1 side Knight. This paper is guillotined on four sides for perfect registration and has recently been certified by Konica Minolta as a recommended substrate for their dry-toner digital presses.”

Premier Paper has also developed a range of specialised digital media, including Perfect digital labels, EnDuro non-tear and translucent papers, PicoFilm synthetics media, and Majestic digital pearlescent papers, which they developed with Favini Italy. One interesting product is MultiLoft, which allows the production of extra thick cards simply by guillotining the printed stock.

650 g/m² business cards are easily produced, as are 920 g/m² or 1,190 g/m²

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IN BUSINESS

show cards, by adding in the optional coloured insert sheets. “This month we have added digitally printable event wristbands to our range, allowing the production of short-run or customised wristbands that are suitable for many applications,” says Will.

So how did the partnership with MJ Flood come about?

“We were looking to upgrade our existing digital press which we use to test print products and create product samples and swatches to market our digital products,” says Will. “We were introduced to MJ Flood through mutual customers and hit it off with Phil and his team straight away. Since then, Premier Paper has been working closely with Phil Schueler and his team to develop and offer a onestop-solution for all digital print requirements, which will in turn create new and exciting opportunities for digital printers. We have installed a superb Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS C1060 from MJ Flood to enable ongoing testing and sampling and we are delighted with the results to-date. As a result of this, we have created a new range of product swatches and SRA3 sample packs which are available from our sales team or directly from MJ Flood. Premier Paper have always been stockists of an extremely wide and versatile range of digital media and our new swatches are the best way of showcasing this range. We are delighted to be chosen as MJ Flood’s preferred paper supplier and we feel that this arrangement will be of great benefit to both companies – we can draw on their print expertise and they can draw on our paper expertise.” Phil Schueler is equally enthusiastic about the business partnership. “We have quite a few of the same customers,” he says. “They are a big paper merchant and we are a big equipment provider so it made sense. They know that we have a large installed base so we ended up doing a deal to install a machine in Premier’s premises - a nicely configured bizhub PRESS C1060 with inline colour correction and envelop fusing unit, among other features - which enables them to print different stocks and materials. We have a great Marketing Manager in Agnes Paliga and our Marketing Assistant Yvonne Meredith worked on the Pro Design paper samples for Premier Paper. We produced a front

LEFT AND BELOW: International Paper’s Pro-Design range is the backbone of Premier Paper’s digital offering.

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Premier Paper has been working closely with Phil Schueler and his team to develop and offer a one-stopsolution for all digital print requirements, which will in turn create new and exciting opportunities for digital printers.

- Will Enright

design for all of the Pro Design paper sample packets that Premier Paper distributes to its customers and the pack states that it is printed on a Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS C1060. Essentially, we helped each other to come up with a design for Premier’s paper samples and, following the success of this initial partnership, we have entered into a firmer agreement which is that we will work together whenever possible in the foreseeable future.”

And, as Premier Paper is the main supplier for Moorim paper, which is a fully approved and recommended paper on all of Konica Minolta’s colour devices, this makes the partnership an even tighter fit. “They happened to be the main supplier for that stock so it is just about making each other more visible as providers and it is a win-win,” says Phil. “I recommend Premier Paper to any of my customers who are looking for a good paper supplier and who ask me about paper types. And this is a regular conversation that I have with clients, so I now have a reliable and quality supplier that I can recommend who is using Konica Minolta technology and making their own sample paper types using our press. They also recommend MJ Flood and the Konica Minolta brand to their clients.

My email signature now has the Premier Paper logo on it and we will be doing cross marketing with our websites, including tagging each other and inserting links. It is a new partnership and I don’t think many paper and equipment suppliers have partnered in this way in the Irish market. A lot of our print company and design company clients also produce our marketing materials, so this further partnership adds value to us as a provider.

We don’t just sell our customers equipment, they fulfil some of our corporate design and print requirements. The partnership with Premier Paper is a positive step forward and part of our overall growth and I think it will be great for both companies.”

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COVER STORY

Ricoh is

for Digital Colour Press Sales Maev Martin talks to Paul Kealy, Gary Hopwood and Stephen Palmer about Ricoh Ireland’s growing client list in Ireland and the outlook for commercial print.

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COVER STORY

R

icoh entered the Irish production print market in 2008. “In the first few years our market share grew steadily but over the past couple of years we’ve experienced 50% year-on-year growth,” says Paul Kealy, Production Print Division, Ricoh Ireland.

“We were also delighted to become the number one provider of digital colour press sales in the Irish market, based on the most recent quarterly results released by InfoSource, the office automation market data specialists. Ricoh achieved a market share of 36.4%, ahead of all of its competitors in Ireland.

Much of this success was built on sales of the Ricoh Pro C9100, as well as the Pro C7100 and Pro C5100 series of light production presses. Our success is also based on the strong direct relationships we have with the Irish print community and our nationwide network of partners who provide us with an even more extensive footprint throughout Ireland.”

Meet the Customers Both directly and through its partner network, Ricoh currently has more than 50 production print devices installed in approximately 40 customer sites across Ireland. Customers include Colorman Ireland, RR Donnelly, Business Print, Graph Print, Kilkenny Print, Menu Print, ETS Printing, Anglo Printers, Woodland Print, C&R Print, RPD Ltd., Ryan Digital, Plus Print, and Colour World. Some of their more recent and significant contract wins include Masterphoto’s installation of Ricoh’s flagship cut-sheet colour press - the Pro C9110 - to add to the Pro C7110X that they are already using at their Ballsbridge site.

And at drupa, Pat Cotter of Impress Printing Works signed a contract with Ricoh Ireland to purchase a Ricoh Pro C9110 to boost output, turnaround times and quality at their Walkinstown premises. The installation took place in July.

One of Ricoh’s most significant deals in Ireland this year is with Fine Print, part of the Perigord Group. “Fine Print has increased its current fleet of Ricoh print engines with the purchase of a new suite of Ricoh production print technology, including one Ricoh Pro 7100, two Ricoh Pro 8100s and one Ricoh Pro 9110 device earlier this year,” says Paul.

“Fine Print provides turnkey print solutions to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, as well as to the IT and corporate sectors in Ireland and within Europe. Central to its success is the ability to deliver the highest levels of quality, efficiency and capacity. New capabilities include the ability to print on lighter and heavier paper stock, longer sheets sizes, and the addition of a five-colour option, all of which were differentiating factors that influenced their decision to purchase Ricoh production print technology. Since the install of the new Ricoh suite of printers, Fine Print has enjoyed growth in new markets, with an increase in business volume, as well as improved print quality, reliability, productivity and customer service.”

(l-r): Stephen Palmer, Managing Director, Ricoh Ireland, Gary Owens, Manager, Ricoh Ireland Print and Document Services, Phil Keoghan, CEO, Ricoh UK & Ireland, and Gary Hopwood, General Manager, Ricoh Ireland.

MAIN IMAGE OPPOSITE: The Ricoh Pro C7100X press.

ABOVE: The Ricoh Pro VC60000.

Competing With iGen and Indigo Ricoh Ireland has now sold and/or installed six Pro C9100 and C9110 devices in the Irish market. “There is also a strong pipeline of new opportunities following drupa, with a number of local commercial printers showing keen interest in its superb print quality, flexibility and faster turnaround performance,” says Paul Kealy. “The affordability of the Pro C9100 series, coupled with its high speed capabilities, is attractive for companies looking to enter and/or grow within the high-speed digital market and offers a durable technology which is essential for high digital print volumes.”

Paul reports that Ricoh is competing successfully with its competitors in this space for a number of reasons. Power usage is high on the list. “Ongoing power consumption on the Pro C9110 is only a third of the running costs of the other options,” he says. “No air conditioning is typically required for extraction on our machine and this can often cost up to €25,000 for competing models. Customers have given us feedback that power saving alone will pay for the machine over a five year period. In addition, the purchase price is typically 20% less than the iGen and 33% less than the Indigo. Labour costs are also better for our technology. iGen and Indigo users typically have to take a 12 week training course and obviously there’s intellectual property tied up in this. Because of the ease of use and accessibility of Ricoh’s technology, clients are able to spread the operator risk or production risk among a greater amount of staff - they can employ at a lower rate or cross train (upskill) more staff to an operator level. Finally, loss of downtime and business continuity is another factor in our favour. Ricoh technology is up and running in less than 48 hours, with competitors models’ taking more time to install and get working.”

Ricoh carried out some blind tests with a number of senior representatives from a leading Irish printer recently to see which image quality they preferred. They used printed examples from the Ricoh Pro C9100, two leading digital print competitors, and some lithographic printers.

“They chose our Pro C9100 as having the best image quality,” he says. “In fact, it helped us to close the deal with them.”

Dynamic Drupa Paul reports that the Ricoh portfolio of digital presses at Drupa commanded a lot of interest from Irish print companies, particularly the Pro C7110x five colour press after they demonstrated printing fluorescent yellow. “We have a fluorescent magenta coming down the line, as well as metallic colours,” he says. “There was also substantial interest in the Pro VC60000 continuous feed inkjet press.

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27/07/2016 17:20

14

COVER STORY

LEFT: The Ricoh Pro C7110.

The VC60000 allows commercial printers to shift from offset to digital with its performance of up to 100,000 A4 images per hour speed. It reduces makeready time and speeds up turnaround, maximises operational efficiency, and allows greater control of costs. It enables commercial production printers, in-house operations and service bureaux to move a growing volume of graphic art applications to high quality digital devices and it is particularly suitable for books, brochures and manuals. While we haven’t secured an Irish customer for a Pro VC60000 just yet, we believe that the first Irish printer to invest in one will enjoy a serious competitive advantage in the market here.”

Ricoh’s TotalFlow Print Server also generated strong interest at Drupa.

TotalFlow offers an integrated process for setting, communicating and reporting print job instructions. “It signals a partnership with Heidelberg, Agfa and Kodak, and ensures that a similarly high level of image quality can be achieved for both offset and digital output,” says Paul. Other services that generated interest included Ricoh’s Clickable Paper which links printed materials to online, rich media resources using image recognition software and mobile apps, and their new t-shirt printing technology which prints direct to garment in eight colours.

Commercial Print Outlook Ricoh is enjoying a period of sustained growth in the Irish market. “Ricoh Ireland is in a process of continued growth and investment in Ireland, focusing on improving the customer experience and bringing a suite of innovative new and improved service lines to the Irish market,” says Gary Hopwood, General Manager, Ricoh Ireland. “We’ve already invested €250,000 this year in a 12,000 square foot Document Services Centre in

IP_AUG_2016_Cover Story.indd 14

Glasnevin which is part of our focus on service innovation, streamlined workflow and faster turnaround times for customers. In addition to the investment in our Document Services Centre, we’re also planning some more significant and exciting investments in the near future, so watch this space!”

Paul Kealy describes the Irish print industry as “quite buoyant”, following the consolidation that has taken place in recent years, particularly through mergers and acquisitions. “There are now fewer printers managing growing levels of print and finishing contracts,” he says.

“This is helping most remaining Irish commercial printers to grow and prosper. They are also investing in modern printing technologies which can really improve the range and quality of services they provide. On top of all of this, there’s better access to capital now to make investments.

Our Ricoh Finance service is particularly successful, with many of our larger deals now being financed in this way.

It’s very easy and seamless for customers to use and about 90% of Irish deals through Ricoh Finance get over the line on the first application. This reflects the improved financial standing that Irish print businesses are enjoying at the moment.”

Stephen Palmer, Managing Director, Ricoh Ireland and Production Print Director, Ricoh UK and Ireland, says the company will continue to invest in its Irish operation, expanding the team, service offering and value proposition.“Our service and product reliability, reputation, image quality, output speeds and cost of ownership are providing Irish printers with compelling reasons to choose Ricoh,” he says. “On top of this, Irish commercial printers are displaying more confidence in the sector than we’ve seen for some time so this is all coming together to create growth for both Ricoh and the overall market. We’re very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.”

BELOW FROM TOP: Paul Kealy, Production Print Division, Ricoh Ireland.

Document Services Centre Ricoh Ireland offers the print trade and the corporate world a range of services at its Document Services Centre in Glasnevin in Dublin, including CD/DVD duplication, digital and lithographic printing, finishing, scanning, direct mail campaigns, kitting and assembly, as well as full archive management scanning. “Our archive management scanning service allows customers to have their documents digitised and archived in a highly secure environment,” says Gary Hopwood. “Our dedication to security and compliance is demonstrated through our ISO 27001 information security management certification.

We can also demonstrate our dedication to quality and the environment with ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications, as well as our Business Working Responsibility Mark from Business in the Community Ireland.” Ricoh Ireland also operates the latest technology in every aspect of the centre’s operations. “We have added to our production print range of presses, including the Ricoh Pro C7100, and we’ve also invested in a unique software replicating and printing area that can handle CDs, DVDs and USBs with offline disc analysis. We have also established a state-of-the-art Customer Experience Centre which immerses customers in the entire Ricoh production experience first-hand.”

27/07/2016 17:20

EDUCATION & TRAINING

It’s that time of the year again when the search begins for new talent to ensure the future sustainability of Irish print. Maev Martin talks to those driving the apprenticeship schemes on both parts of the island.

he deadline for registrations for the national apprenticeship scheme is the end of September so print companies that are thinking of taking on an apprentice or of placing one of their existing staff on the scheme should contact the Irish Printing Federation as soon as possible.

“If print companies have any questions, are interested in taking on an apprentice or in serving on the review committee they should contact Diane Dignam (info@irishprintingfederation.ie),” says outgoing IPF President Tom Clements who is Managing Director of RPD Ltd. “The current syllabus for the apprenticeship programme is under review and the IPF has strong representation on the review committee but we have a vacancy for at least one more person. The review represents an excellent opportunity to help shape the programme to reflect the future needs of the industry. I’d be delighted to see a few more companies engaging with the process, especially some of the larger and more forward looking companies that I see featured in Irish Printer. The apprenticeship scheme is, in my opinion, an essential part of the continued survival of the Irish printing industry. Yet it has nearly been cancelled three times in the last five years due to lack of numbers. It should be noted that if the scheme does not go ahead any year, it will not be restarted. The scheme can’t keep going without the active participation of the industry.

I’m reasonably optimistic that this year (for a change) there won’t be a last minute scramble but the sooner we can get the places filled the better.”

When it comes to attracting potential recruits for training programmes, printers must remember that the print industry has to compete with the ‘sexy’ industries such as fintech and biotech for funding. “For the IPF to make the case for continued investment in and commitment to training on the part of state bodies we need to show that the industry itself is equally committed to that training,” he says. “I have found in recent dealings with training agencies that there is a view that print is a bit of a dying industry and that soon we’ll be joining coopers and draymen in the dictionary of lost trades. Only the industry itself can change this image – commit to training, encourage your employees into further training and education, and ensure that people see working in print as a career rather than just a job.” Tom believes that the British Printing Industry Federation (BPIF) and the German print industry have been particularly successful in this area.

“They map out career paths and they organise school trips to factories so that young people can get to see print as a high tech industry and a vital part of the information flow and business life of a country,” he says.

Ian Cairns of Belfast Metropolitan College’s School of Printing and a member of the Irish Print Awards judging panel says that the college’s print apprenticeship programme has received “tremendous” support from the print industry throughout Northern Ireland. “In fact, this year has been exceptional in terms of support from local print companies. We don’t work to academic terms in printing – we can enroll candidates for print courses at any time

IP_AUG_2016_Education.indd 15

throughout the year. In Northern Ireland we run a Level 2 City and Guilds in Printing apprenticeship. It takes two years to complete and comprises three parts - Essential Skills, which is the attainment of Maths and English at Grade C level, the Technical Certificate, which involves three exams that students have to sit, and then the big part - the City and Guild qualification in their specific area, which can contain between six and eight print units. We cover all the areas in printing – flexo, gravure, lithographic, digital, prepress, finishing and graphic design. The training is on site with print companies, although the Technical Certificate and Essential Skills elements are completed in college.” The college also operates a Level 3 print qualification, which is an 18 month programme. At the moment, the Level 2 City and Guilds in Printing apprenticeship is training 46 print apprentices and enrollment for the next course, which begins on September 1st, is at 12 - and they are expecting a lot more companies to sign up between now and then.

Presenting the Print Media Apprentice of the Year award at the 2015 Irish Print Awards, David Phillips of Alphagrapics and Bottcher Systems encouraged printers to support the apprenticeship systems in the north and south of the island, stressing that these are what will deliver the expertise and resources to sustain the print industry into the future. David attributes the strong industry support for Northern Ireland’s apprenticeship scheme to Ian Cairn’s hard work. “He has worked closely with employers to get them on board,” he says. “And, unlike the Republic of Ireland, the apprenticeship in Northern Ireland is on-the-job which I think has helped to keep employers on board.”

While most employers in Northern Ireland pay their apprentices the national minimum wage - Stg£5.30 for someone who is 18 to 20 years of age and £6.70 for a 21 year old - David says he knows that some print apprentices are only being paid Stg£3.30.

“That isn’t giving people an incentive to work in the industry when they can work at the checkout in Tesco for double the money,” he says. “And the minimum wage agreement only kicks in after a year of being an apprentice so if we are to attract the right people we have to at least pay them the minimum wage.”

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26/07/2016 15:32

16

DRUPA DEALS

Anglo Buys Ireland’s First

B1 Hybrid UV Press

Two of our island’s most successful print companies closed landmark deals at the recent Drupa 2016 exhibition in Germany. We report on the pioneering technology that they are set to introduce to the Irish market.

C

onsistent, strategic investment is the key to our growth and success,” says Padraic Kierans, Managing Director of Anglo Printers. “From our premises and team to our equipment, we are at the cutting edge of printing in Ireland and our latest acquisition is a testament to this.” He was speaking on his return from Drupa where he and his fellow Director Peter Kierans had just closed a seven figure deal with Japanese press technology firm Komori Corporation.

Their acquisition of a Komori Lithrone GL 540+C H-UV is another first for the fast-growing and independent commercial print firm. It will be the first B1 size hybrid UV press in Ireland and Anglo Printers believe that it will give them a distinct and unique market advantage in the Irish commercial print space. The Drogheda-based printer is an industry-leading commercial print firm that has achieved double digit growth over the last two years.

“However, we remain conscious that planned and strategic investment is needed to meet the demand in Europe’s improving economy,” says Padraic. “Anglo prints for Ireland’s leading state, semi-state and private sector organisations, as well as high profile clients across Europe. We have a reputation for delivering excellence, even in the tightest of timeframes.”

Steve Turner, Director of Sheetfed Sales, Komori UK, claims that the new Komori H-UV press is at the leading edge of print technology. “It brings improved quality, faster turnaround

IP_AUG_2016_Drupa.indd 16

times, unique design options, and class leading Eco credentials,” he says. “Investing in the Komori H-UV system allows Anglo Printers to offer its customers a myriad of deluxe and visually impactful finishes that are produced on a variety of unusual substrates. But perhaps the best innovation is that the H-UV system ensures that print jobs (even on difficult to dry substrates) can be cut and folded immediately after printing. This eliminates the need to leave work standing for hours before being

dry enough to process. Komori’s remarkably innovative H-UV system enables jobs to be moved directly from the press delivery to the next process, whether that be straight to the despatch bay, to finishing or, indeed, back to the feeder for reverse side printing.”

BELOW: Steve Turner, Komori UK, Peter and Padraic Kierans, Directors, Anglo Printers, Yoshiharu Komori, Chair and CEO, Komori Corporation, and Ian Murphy and Jason O’Brien of Portman Graphic.

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DRUPA DEALS

There are now over 650 Komori H-UV equipped presses installed worldwide and in Komori UK’s sales territory well over 100 H-UV printing units are in operation. “Komori UK’s sales of Lithrone H-UV presses are accelerating,” says Steve. “It’s a tried and tested production solution that is only offered by Komori.”

Ink Usage The special ‘unique to Komori’ H-UV lamp, in combination with the consumables prescribed by Komori for use in the H-UV process, are tested and certified by the Komori K-Supply division. “We offer total commitment that the H-UV system will deliver what we promise,” says Steve Turner. “Faster makereadies, reduced waste, and quicker printing speeds all ensure a long-term future for the offset process.

But it is utter reliability that sets H-UV apart. Ink usage has been shown to be less on H-UV equipped Lithrones because the required density levels are lower. With conventional inks, to achieve a defined optical density, more ink needs to be applied, especially on absorbent substrates. With H-UV the ink sits on top of the paper and, as a result, you achieve a higher optical density with the same amount of ink or respectively require less ink to achieve the same density when compared to standard inks. So you achieve more with less! The fact that no powder spray device is required adds a host of benefits in its own right - eliminating the need to clean out spray from the delivery is a massive benefit that saves time and money.

Fewer blanket washes and noticeably enhanced appearance and smoothness to the printed surface are just some of the advantages.”

The Komori GL540 – Key Features ■ Anglo Printers’ Komori GL540 and coater takes sheets to 720mm x 1030mm and has a maximum printing speed of 16,500 sph.

■ The press has Komori’s KHS-AI quick start up system which has a self-learning function to enable extremely accurate pre-setting of inking, paper thickness and register for each new job – minimising job changeover times and paper waste.

■ The fully automatic plate changing system changes all plates in around two and a half minutes; and blankets, impression cylinders and ink rollers are cleaned automatically at one touch by the operator.

■ The highly specified Anglo Printers’ Komori also includes Komori’s PDCSX Spectral Print Density Control System. This digitises and automates control of colours and incorporates an automatic register function, enabling simultaneous measurement of both colours and register. The system greatly shortens the time needed for colour matching and further minimises paper waste.

■ Also included is Komori’s KID – the large-monitor Komori Information Display system located above the operator control panel. This graphically displays all major press functions in real time, providing the operator with instant feedback and the opportunity to make quick decisions and adjustments to maintain optimum press productivity.

Energy Saving The energy saving and environmental benefits of the H-UV Lithrones are impressive. When compared to a conventional coater press that has an infra-red dryer, the energy consumption of the H-UV dryer is about 60% less, and H-UV emits no ozone and virtually no heat. In most busy print businesses, floor space is at a premium so the ability to dry without additional drying units and to eliminate the need to accommodate slow drying sheets on the shopfloor are further productivity assets.” The ‘G’ of the Lithrone GL40 stands for ‘Green’. This symbolises Komori and Anglo’s stance on the environment.

The GL40 promotes green printing by reducing consumable and energy usage and lowering the carbon footprint of print.

Print Renaissance Padraic Kierans believes that print is experiencing a renaissance. “With so much noise in digital channels, textured and sensory special finishes

IP_AUG_2016_Drupa.indd 17

ABOVE: Komori GL-540+C

reinforce the added value of print and heighten the nostalgia of the print experience,” he says. Sales Director Peter Kierans outlines the added value services which the press brings to Anglo Printer’s clients. “This press has the ability to achieve very high end special effects all in one pass,” he says. “We will be rolling out ‘TouchSilk’ which is a matt textured finish, ‘TouchGloss’, which is a very high gloss coating, and ‘ImpactGloss’, which is a highlight feature offering a gloss dimensional effect. This is really exciting technology and I am looking forward to showing sample output to our clients.” Padraic points out that run lengths are shorter but that the throughput of orders has increased significantly, while demand for product is now almost instantaneous. “Being able to handle and move finished stock within minutes of printing will give us a huge competitive advantage,” he says.

Ian Murphy of Portman Graphic, Komori’s exclusive Irish distributor, says that with Komori’s “revolutionary”

KHS-AI technology at its core and a maximum printing speed of 16,500 sheets per hour, the Lithrone GL40 is the “ultimate high performance” printing press. “Padraic and his team have always been innovative,” he says. “He is a leader within the print industry. He embraces new technologies, identifies the needs of customers, and invests in equipment which affords Anglo Printers the opportunity to fully satisfy customers’ requirements. Anglo will now be in a position to produce the highest quality print while offering special effects currently unavailable in the B1 printing market in Ireland.”

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18

DRUPA DEALS

Walsh Snaps Up

High Output Folder H

Walsh Colour Print has kept its customer pledge to remain at the technological cutting edge by becoming the first Irish company to purchase the new Stahlfolder TH 82-P, which was launched

by Heidelberg at Drupa.

usband and wife team Tony and Patricia Walsh visited Heidelberg at the exhibition and placed their order on the Heidelberg stand.

“We are a trade printer and handle a lot of book and sections work,” says Managing Director Tony Walsh. “We were very impressed by this new folder which will give us the control and output we need. We know we are getting a robust and reliable folder and we are also confident in the support and back up that Heidelberg provides.”

The Stahlfolder TH82-P is a high output buckle folder with full automation targeted at the most productive industrial printers. Shingled feeding enables more sheets to be processed in less time without increasing the machine speed. It can

BELOW: Walsh Colour Print’s Patricia and Tony Walsh (far right) with Heidelberg’s Declan Martin (left) and Ian Trengrouse.

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handle 16,000 16-page A4 sections an hour with a machine running at a speed of just 139 metres a minute. That means maximum paper control, even with sensitive papers, as well as high output of standard section format work. There is also a combination equivalent - the KH 82-P. Walsh Colour Print will take delivery of the supplementary folder in October. The new machine will run round the clock. The Kerry company already uses Stahlfolder technology and Polar guillotines from Heidelberg.

“We operate three eight hour shifts a day to meet our customers’ needs,” says Tony Walsh. “Our focus is on high productivity, reliable quality and keen pricing. We were impressed by how busy the Drupa exhibition was. It is clear that there is a much more positive vibe in the global print industry and a willingness to invest.”

Walsh itself is certainly willing to invest. Like Anglo Printers in Drogheda, the Kerry trade printers have also embraced Komori H-UV technology. At Drupa they made the decision to invest in no less than three Komori Lithrone presses with H-UV technology. “We did the €6m deal at Drupa and signed the deal on our return,” says Tony. “We bought an eight colour Perfector, a B2 five colour with coater, and a B1 five colour with coater press. They will replace our existing presses – we hope to be totally powder-free when the new presses arrive. Two presses will arrive this year – the eight colour will be installed in two months time while the five colour B1 press will be with us within the next six months. The B2 press will arrive late in 2017.”

So why make such a big investment? “Our presses are eight years old and industry technology has moved on a lot in eight years,” he says.

“With H-UV, the makeready time is slashed. These presses are more automated and computerised - every sheet is controlled so it is makes for better quality and faster turnaround. H-UV technology is the future for litho printing. The days of trying to dry sheets are gone. This can now be done within the press itself. The constant requirement to pump spray powder onto paper is coming to an end so it is about the drying time of the sheet and giving the customer a good product. Until now, if a customer approached us about a job we would be slow to work with a specialised board or paper because of the issues with drying. Now we will be in a better position to use really classy and high end papers for our clients. A builder wouldn’t dream of plastering a stone wall yet the print industry was forced to spoil high quality papers and boards by putting a coating over them to get the required level of drying. With H-UV technology, we don’t have to do that anymore.”

After six tough years Tony believes that the worst is over for the Irish print industry. “The past 18 months has been OK for us and I believe that trading conditions will only improve from here.”

26/07/2016 15:34

5 4 PA R K WE ST � D U B L I N 1 2 � + 3 5 3 ( 0 ) 1 6 2 0 5 5 5 5 SA L E S @ P R E M I E R PA P E R . I E � W W W. P R E M I E R PA P E R . I E

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22/07/2016 14:40 11:15 15/07/2016

20

THE BIG PICTURE

Buoyant

SIGNAGE SECTOR Dublin-based Sign+Digital’s third All-Ireland Vehicle Wrap Championships and open day on May 24th was a resounding success, with over 250 attendees from 147 signage and large format print companies around the country.

IP_AUG_2016_The Big Picture.indd 20

M

arcius Bertulis from Universal Graphics in Co Monaghan claimed the top prize and was named the All-Ireland Vehicle Wrap Champion, beating off stiff competition from 32 contestants representing 24 companies from all over Ireland who entered the competition. He will now represent Ireland at the Fespa Digital World Wrap Masters in Hamburg (May 8th to 12th 2017). Robert Davidson from Spectrum Signs won the second prize while Stefan Byrne of Retink Graphics took the third place position. Fourth place went to Conor O’Neill of Signal Signs. The contestants completed a number of timed challenges with only the best progressing to the next round. They used a variety of digitally printed cast vinyls and the material was applied to Volkswagen Caddy vans. The judging panel decided on the best from each group and each contestant then competed until he or she was eliminated, leaving just one winner who was announced on the day.

26/07/2016 15:38

THE BIG PICTURE The Championships were held at Sign+Digital’s premises in Airton Close, Tallaght in Dublin 24 and were the highlight of the company’s day-long ‘Open House Spectacular’ which featured live demonstrations and hands-on exploration sessions in the company’s creative centre, as well as a range of new print technology and substrates. These included the latest Roland large format printer, as well as window clear transparent PVC digital printing film, illustra glass decoration film, wall-tex self adhesive wall textiles, wrap essentials, textured polymeric overlaminate films, metawrap MD-X, and premium shift effect cast vinyls. “The Roland Truevis VG Series printer cutter boasts new print heads that deliver beautiful print more efficiently, new inks that are more vibrant and cost effective, and new cutting technology that increases accuracy,” says Leo Laher, Managing Director, Sign + Digital Materials Ltd. Vehicle wrap demonstrations took place throughout the day, given by expert vehicle wrap instructor Justin Pate, while leading window tinting trainer Ole Solskin gave window tinting demonstrations.

“We had a large contingent of customers from Northern Ireland and the UK, as well as from the Republic of Ireland,” says Leo. “This is our third major open event and we are already planning our next event to be even bigger, better and with more ideas to help sign makers and large format printers make more money in their businesses.”

The Future of Print & Cut? Roland’s new Truevis range is available in 64 inch (VG-640) and 54-inch (VG-540) width models. According to Roland, the new range features their most advanced print-cut technology to date, including new printheads that deliver prints more efficiently, and a new carriage and blade offering increased downforce and accuracy, allowing printers to work with a wider variety of media. Powered by the new VersaWorks Dual RIP software, which is included with the VG printer/cutter package, advanced contour cutting features include data sorting, perforated cut and higher accuracy multiple cuts. “Everything about the way the Truevis produces images has been perfected,” says Leo Maher. “Four completely new printheads fire precision droplets in three sizes and a wide print pass. Every drop of ink falls exactly where it is intended, delivering beautiful images and uniform colours at production speeds. New Truevis ink is an exciting advance in eco-solvent technology, offering exceptional output, while meeting strict environmental standards.” Available in dual CMYK for maximum productivity or seven colour (CMYKLcLmLk) for fine details and smooth gradations, Truevis ink comes in 500cc pouches with reusable holders and is Greenguard and Greenguard Gold certified.

Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions recently launched new Transparent Coloured Overlaminates for its Conform Chrome series of films. Available in three distinct colours - orange, green and purple - they combine with the five existing Conform Chrome colours for new creative colour possibilities. “We are the first to market a coloured cast overlaminate film designed specifically for vehicle wraps and we are excited to see the installers’ creative colour combinations,” says Oliver Guenther, Marketing Director, Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions Europe. When paired with Conform Chrome, the Transparent Coloured Overlaminates also offer a multi-layer functionality that protects the chrome film from being scratched or damaged. With chrome finishes gaining in popularity, the new product allows installers to offer even more creative solutions. Transparent Coloured Overlaminate, Conform Chrome and Avery Dennison Supreme Wrapping Film come in a range of colours and finishes.

IP_AUG_2016_The Big Picture.indd 21

OPPOSITE PAGE: The winning contestants and runners up at the Sign & Digital open day. BELOW LEFT: Leo Maher with the 2016 winner of the All Ireland Vehicle Wrap Championships Marcius Bertulis. BELOW RIGHT: Robert Davidson of Spectrum Signs receives his second place award.

What The Customers Said: ”Our staff have been blown away by the creativity, live demos and applications.”

- Steve Laing, Fresh Graphics “The creative centre is a must see for everybody in the signage and digital print industry.”

- Anto Tapey, E Tapley Installations “The range of printing and finishing equipment being demonstrated is outstanding. We’ve never seen anything like it in Ireland or the UK.” - Darren Wesby, Finch Signs “It was well worth taking the day out of the business with our staff to see what can be done, get all the creative ideas, and meet other like-minded people in our industry.”

- Brian Barrett, Barrett Group

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26/07/2016 15:39

22

THE BIG PICTURE

Cover Up’s latest technology investment has allowed the company to come up with a new way to produce canvas awnings.

W

hen Dublin-based Cover Up wanted to upgrade its Mimaki CJV30-130 the company went straight back to Mimaki and invested in the latest generation JV300 solvent printer. Now, as well as producing high-end graphics and print jobs, it has been able to get its innovative, experimental hat on and devise a new way of producing canvas awnings.

Cover Up was established around 40 years ago, manufacturing and finishing covers for boats and cars.

In the late 1990s the company expanded its services by providing printing in-house and eventually made the transition to digital print 10 years ago, arming itself with a selection of grand format hardware for flag and fabric printing. However, in order to secure its comprehensive service portfolio, it decided to invest in a Mimaki CJV30130 integrated solvent printer/cutter for the production of high-end window vinyls, pull-up banners and stickers.

The company was so impressed with the machine that it opted for Mimaki once again when it came to updating its hardware. “We have always been impressed by the quality of the print produced using the Mimaki CJV30 and we made the decision to invest in a new Mimaki JV300-

160 solvent printer, along with a matching CG-FXII cutter, in order to retain that high-end, wide-format side of our market,” says Operations Director Anthony Byrne. “The JV300 is extremely fast and the colour we get from the SS21 ink is unrivalled. We needed the extra speed and now that we have a separate cutter we can simultaneously run two different jobs.”

In addition to the more commonplace applications, through experimentation, Cover Up has found a great use for the new Mimaki JV300 - producing print for canvas awnings, the kind popular in al fresco eating areas and trendy cafés. “We produce a lot of work for places requiring branded awnings and windbreakers etc, but it’s impossible to print direct to rolls of acrylic canvas,” says Anthony. “So, we developed a process of printing and cutting onto cast vinyl followed by a heat transfer process onto canvas and it produces a great effect, similar to screen printing. Using solvent inks makes the colour vivid and the overall effect is very striking.”

The investment was made through authorised Mimaki reseller, Reprocentre. “Cover Up has been a Reprocentre customer for some time and we were delighted to supply, install and support a new Mimaki JV300 at Cover Up,” says Sales Director Eoin Honan.

L-R: Anthony Byrne, Operations Director, Cover Up, Eoin Honan, Sales Director, Reprocentre, and Dave Rainsford, General Manager Ireland, Hybrid Services.

IP_AUG_2016_The Big Picture.indd 22

26/07/2016 15:39

H-UV Greenhouse Graphics

Remous Print

“We are now more efficient and more responsive” “Allows us to handle more packaging” Severn

“Helps to further our eco-initiatives” Lithgo Press

Indigo Press

Manor Group

“Driving it through our solar energy” Platinum Print

“Perfects on highest ink coverage jobs” “No dry back, OK sheets without a delay” imageData Group

“No need for sealing or off-press drying” “Great on uncoated with high ink coverage”

Hunts

“A wonderful marketing device for us”

Hertford Offset

White Star Printing

Komori UK

“No ozone, no heat and instant drying”

“Faster turnround with higher quality”

“Over 650 installations worldwide”

Komori and Portman Graphic are delighted that Anglo Printers are joining the ever-increasing list of printers moving ahead with Komori H-UV

For more details, contact: Ian Murphy Managing Director ian@portmangraphic.ie +353-87-2485573 (mobile) Jason O’Brien Sales Director jason@portmangraphic.ie +353-87-1214732 (mobile)

Komori UK Limited,Victoria Road Seacroft, Leeds LS14 2LA

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Portman Graphic Limited M2 Ballymount Industrial Estate Dublin 12 Ireland +353-1- 6233977

22/07/2016 12:58 11:15 22/06/2016

24

TALKING TECHNICAL

The Speedmaster XL 106-8-L LED press.

ENJOY THE COMFORT OF

At Drupa 2012 Heidelberg showed an LED-UV prototype in the Innovation Gallery. By Drupa 2016 the company had LE-UV technology installed on 1,000 printing units (in several different formats) and LED-UV on 250 units.

eidelberg HQ Product Manager Martin Zibold predicts that by Drupa 2020 the UV split will be 50% conventional UV, 25% LE-UV and 25% LED-UV, although technology or ink developments, or even local environmental legislation, could change the picture. Currently UV options in all their guises account for about 20% of sheetfed offset sales globally. Heidelberg’s own DryStar LED system was featured as a sellable product on the “push to stop” Speedmaster XL 106-8-P press in Hall 1. For LE-UV applications, Heidelberg works with partner IST. LED-UV and LE-UV technology first came to the fore in Japan because of a Government push to reduce energy consumption and here 80%

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of sheetfed sales now involve some form of UV drying.

Initially Japan was deemed an ‘island’ technology and only one ink manufacturer, Toyo, engaged. But then there was an awakening, as it was recognised that this technology offered great advantages, not only energy savings and reduced carbon, but dry sheets, the reduction or elimination of spray powder, and vibrant, glossy effects. It is easy to use, to some extent ameliorating the sensitivity of the ink-water balance.

Before this, UV technology had been niche, an ideal solution for packaging, security work and special applications or unusual materials. LEDUV and LE-UV has opened up the technology to a wider commercial market. Japan remains the top market and environmentally-aware and innovationloving Switzerland is currently in second place.

Conventional UV and LE-UV both use mercury vapour lamps but the latter uses an iron doped version which reduces the energy used. The LED model is a semi-

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TALKING TECHNICAL

conductor diode-based system and LEDs are widely used, for instance in household lighting. There is virtually no visible light and no IR radiation, which makes it attractive for running heat-sensitive stocks and foils.

The life expectancy of the Heidelberg DryStar LED array is well in excess of 10,000 illuminated hours, probably double. It can operate at up to 18W at 385nm. It is a system which switches on and off in order to only match the length and width of the sheet. It doesn’t have to be kept at a given temperature to work, further saving energy. All this means that now offset printers can enjoy the benefits of dry sheets. Digital has had that advantage to date, which has allowed work to be further processed with inline or offline finishing. LED-UV and LE-UV also mean a cleaner sprayfree environment and less pallets hanging around with work drying.

Martin Zibold is a zealot for the technology and says that development in this area will continue at Heidelberg’s R&D centre. “Despite all the euphoria for the technology, and possibilities, it is important to have or develop the right business model,“ he says. “It is technology that inspires in all its facets. However, it must be economically justifiable. We would miss the point if we considered classic, LE or LED technologies as a one-for-all solution in the world of printing. Yet, the dry sheet concept provides high potential for sheetfed offset printing - today and even more so in the future.“

Belfast Printer Orders LE-UV Long Perfector

Quinnstheprinters.com joined the growing battery of converts to low energy UV press technology when it ordered a Speedmaster XL 106-8-P LE-UV at Drupa. Quinnstheprinters.com placed an order for a Speedmaster XL 1068-P LE-UV press at the Heidelberg stand. It will be delivered in the new year to a new 26,500 square foot (2,462 square metre) plant in Runcorn.

Initially, 30 staff will be employed there, rising to about 50 within the first six months. Quinnstheprinters.com, a web to print trade business based in Belfast, is investing in dry sheet technology and opening a new factory to respond to customer demand for even faster turnarounds. The company generates most of its business from printers, print management companies

and designers and, by purchasing LE-UV technology which generates dry sheets that can be immediately finished, it can cut a day off the delivery, with a further day cut by having a factory in England. That means it moves from two or three day service levels to same or next day turnaround. It already takes work from online to ganged up and ready-to-print in just ten minutes.

Managing Director Peter Bradley and Production Director Kieron McMurrough finalised the deal at Drupa after a six month investigation that involved talks with many suppliers and printers worldwide. It has reviewed all the UV options. “In Belfast we have Heidelberg, and we have had Komori equipment, and we did also look at KBA, but we would never again buy a press without Inpress Control,” says Kieron McMurrough. Peter Bradley adds that a saving of 100 to 150 sheets per makeready has saved the company Stg£70,000 a year on the two Speedmaster B1 XLs (an eight-and five-colour) already equipped with the inline spectral device. The company holds ISO 12647-2 colour certification and this is a tool which allows it to retain the highest colour quality standards.

It has also specified Autoplate Pro plate changing. “The automation of the Speedmaster XL 106 evens out the skills in the pressroom and is critical to efficiency,” says Peter. “That is also why 99% of work is finished inhouse. It provides control and minimises time wasting.“

Drupa Highlights New UV Technologies

Alongside inkjet and nanography, all things UV were under the spotlight at Drupa. Conventional UV is well established (it has been used in graphic arts since the 1970s) and will remain a popular technology with

LEFT: Quinns the printers. com, front left, Kieron McMurrough and Peter Bradley with Heidelberg’s Gerard Heanue and Declan Martin.

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TALKING TECHNICAL

packaging printers because of the wide choice of inks, including low migration sets for food packaging. Earlier this year, IST announced a retrofit service for printers and the first customer was packaging printer Jaymar, which added a conventional UV system to a Roland 700 six-colour and coating press. The noise at Drupa was around the emergence of the new versions of UV technology. LE stands for low energy (alternative names include HUV, HR-UV and LECUV) and LED light emitting diode (LUV at IST and VariLED at KBA). LE-UV uses low energy ‘doped’ lamps that operate in a window of 290nm to 400nm while LED UV operates with an even lower energy usage; the IST system operates at a wavelength of 385nm, although it can offer other options.

“Dry sheets off the end of the press is the nub of the argument for many commercial printers,” says Chris Schofield, Joint Managing Director of IST (UK). “The ability to process work straight from the press, without fear of marking, decimates the order to delivery time and, for many, that is a critical business advantage.

Companies in the web to print space have been especially quick to switch. In addition to that sector, the new technologies are also attractive to companies wanting to add value by printing onto challenging or unusual substrates, including plastics and metals.”

LE-UV and LED-UV removes the pallet queue of drying sheets and spray powder, making the pressroom clearer and cleaner. There is reduced energy and, with that, a lower carbon footprint (less impact on the ozone layer) which are positive environmental advantages.

“Much has been made of the cost of inks but that has to be balanced by the reduction in inks used which, on uncoated stocks, could be a cut of even 30% to 40% in volume, as well as the lower energy bill,” says Chris.

“UV light reacts with the photo initiator in the ink to give an instant polymerisation, eliminating the ink absorption of conventional oil- and vegetable-based inks. Ink suppliers are seeing the growth in demand and it seems inevitable that, as volumes increase, ink prices will drop and a wider choice of products will evolve. The other advantages are that LE-UV and LED-UV provide high gloss levels and resistance to abrasion, side-lining the need for a dedicated coating or sealing unit.”

At Drupa, IST Metz demonstrated a Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor running UV, but with a switchable cartridge system so that in just seconds the IST LUV (LED-UV) technology could be implemented.

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ABOVE: LE-UV and LED-UV removes the pallet queue of drying sheets and spray powder, making the pressroom clearer and cleaner.

“It means that the right technology is used for the right jobs,” says Chris. “All new IST UV systems can be changed from standard or LEUV to LED, just by swapping the cassettes, with the new ‘Hot Swap’ technology. Supplementing our work with OEM partners with a retrofit service means that IST (UK) can provide printers with a safe, low cost entry into the new UV technologies. LE-UV will be especially attractive to the small and medium sized printer using a high volume of uncoated stock. Typically, LE-UV will be used to produce prospectuses, brochures, flyers, cards, drawings, posters, invitations and forms – all sorts of general commercial print. The IST lamp life on this technology is guaranteed to operate for 2,500 hours, but typically can run for up to 4,000 hours.

In most instances, a straight printing press will require just one LE UV lamp at the end of the line; a perfector would feature a unit at the perfecting unit and another in the delivery. Maintenance is minimal, with just a weekly clean of the lamp, reflector and filter recommended.”

The IST LUV/LED-UV package includes the lamp module, a control cabinet, water chiller and screen software for ease of operation. “It is an ecologically attractive option with its very low energy, low heat output,” says Chris. “It is a top of the range option but involves a higher capital expenditure so it will only be right for some customers. Lamp life for the LED-UV is put at around 20,000 hours plus and the modular build means that groups of LED arrays rather than a whole unit can be replaced. IST (UK) offers a free consultancy service to Irish printers to determine whether either of these technologies is right for the quality and type of work handled and its commercial viability.

The good news is that the cartridge design makes it very easy to switch technologies, which future-proofs the press.” The retrofit for a conventional UV unit would be five to six days but for LE-UV or LED-UV it could be completed in one or two days. All retrofits are provided with a 12-month warranty and printers can extend that with an IST (UK) service agreement.

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THE SOCIAL NETWORK

The inaugural Printers of Ireland invitational, hosted by GPMI, was a resounding success with printers from all over the country supporting the event.

59 printers from 20 companies participated in The Printers of Ireland invitational and Customer Appreciation event, which took place on May 28th at Palmerstown Stud Golf Club in Naas, including Boylan Print Group, Turners, DC Kavanagh, Colour World Print, Westside Press, W&G Baird, and the victors on the day, Printrun. “The first Printers of Ireland Invitational was our way of saying thanks to those sign and print companies that have supported us in recent years,” says GPMI’s Suneel Seetal. “We also extend a big thank you to our suppliers, Stora Enso, and we congratulate Team Captain Tommy Gaskin and the Printrun team for winning the inaugural event, and Gerry Boylan of Boylan Print for kicking the day off in style with a screamer up the middle!” The Long Drive winner was Paul Carey Jr. of DC Kavanagh, while Ken O’Reilly of GPMI won the closest to the pin prize.

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PICTURED 1: (l-r): Suneel Seetal of GPMI and GPMI CEO Enda Brophy (far right) present the winners trophy to Alan Condren, Colin Gaskin, Barry Gaskin and Tommy Gaskin of Printrun. 2: The second place team, Mark and Jamie from Tralee Printing Works, and Paddy and Colm of Graph Print with Enda Brophy and Paddy Brennan (far right). 3: The third place team of Johnny and Fred of Stationary Store with Michael from Dungarvan Printers and Eugene from Colgan Print. 4: (l-r): Alan McIlhenny from W&G Baird with Sonny Vance and Liam Mahon of GPMI. 5: Team Boylan Print.

6: Team Turners. 7: Team Westside Press. 8: Team DC Kavanagh. 9: Team Colour World. 10: (l-r): Dave from Print 4 Now with Freddie Snowe and Suneel Seetal. 11: (l-r): Liam Cody of Modern Printers in Kilkenny, with Shane Martin GPMI, Mark from CSM, and Tony Larkin. 12: Team Print Depot. 13: Team Tom Cassidy.

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AWARDS PREVIEW

Who Will Rise to the

in 2016?

The 39th Irish Print Awards, in association with MJ Flood, will take place on Friday, November 25th in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Northwood, Dublin and Irish Printer is looking forward to yet another successful event in 2016.

ENTER NOW! VISIT IRISHPRINTER.IE

How to Enter: Step 1 Enter through our quick and simple online entry form

Step 2 Submit two physical copies of the print job for adjudication

Step 3 The Irish Print Awards Judging Day!

Dates and Deadlines: 1st August: Entries Open 30th September: Deadline for submissions 14th October: Deadline for receipt of the print work 27th October: Finalists Announced 25th November: Winners Announced at the 39th Irish Print Awards in association with MJ Flood

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@PrintAwards #PrintAwards16

Book Printer of the Year sponsored by Antalis Brochure Printer of the Year sponsored by Swan Paper Commercial Vehicle Wrap of the Year sponsored by GPMI Digital Label Printer of the Year sponsored by Avery Dennison Digital Printer of the Year sponsored by IBS a Xerox Company Events & Corporate Stationery sponsored by Réalt Paper Graphic Design & Print Excellence Award sponsored by Canon Ireland Large Format Digital Printer of the Year sponsored by GPMI LED Sign Printer of the Year sponsored by GPMI Lifetime Achievement sponsored by Close Brothers Luxury Packaging Printer of the Year sponsored by Antalis Magazine Printer of the Year sponsored by Sun Chemical Ltd National Newspaper Printer of the Year sponsored by Manroland Offset & Flexo Label Printer of the Year sponsored by Avery Dennison Print Business Innovation Print Finishing sponsored by Neopost Print Media Apprentice - Northern Ireland sponsored by Alphagraphic Inks Ltd Print Media Apprentice- Republic of Ireland sponsored by Irish Printing Federation Regional Newspaper Printer of the Year sponsored by Agfa Graphics NV Report & Accounts Printer of the Year sponsored by Swan Paper Sheetfed Colour Offset Printer of the Year sponsored by Heidelberg Small Printer of the Year sponsored by Komori Printer of the Year Award sponsored by MJ Flood Ireland Ltd

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AWARDS PREVIEW

Avery Dennison Digital Label Printer of the Year and Offset & Flexo Label Printer of the Year

Sun Chemical Magazine Printer of the Year

Avery Dennison Label & Packaging Materials Ireland is sponsoring this year’s prestigious Irish Print Awards 2016 in association with MJ Flood, in recognition of the excellence and levels of innovation that are being achieved in the Irish label printing sector. Avery Dennison is a global leader in labeling and packaging materials and solutions. The company’s applications and technologies are an integral part of products used in every major market and industry. Located in Dublin, Avery Dennison Label & Packaging Materials Ireland is a slitting operation and distribution centre for the company. “It provides innovative products and solutions, as well as service and support, to Irish label printers, which is why our continued involvement in the Irish Print Awards is so important to us,” says Sandra Tarr, Country Manager Ireland, Avery Dennison.

“Changing print technologies and recent industry innovations will make this year’s awards extremely competitive. We look forward to seeing which entries will be honoured, and we wish our customers who are competing the best of luck.”

Sun Chemical is once again delighted to be supporting the annual Irish Print Awards 2016 in association with MJ Flood, with its sponsorship of the Magazine Printer of the Year Award. This is the third year in succession that Sun Chemical has chosen to sponsor this category, recognising its commitment to magazine production, as well as to the Irish printing industry. As a company that touches so many aspects of the graphic arts sector, Sun Chemical is dedicated to providing the best products and solutions for a wide range of printrelated applications and sectors. Sun Chemical covers a variety of sectors, including screen and digital printing, packaging, metal decoration, laser marking, brand protection, and industrial printing and coatings, and is constantly looking to research and develop new solutions that deliver benefits to printers and their customers. Sun Chemical is a member of the DIC group and is a leading producer of printing inks, coatings and supplies, pigments, polymers, liquid compounds, solid compounds and application materials. With DIC, Sun Chemical has annual sales of more than $7.5bn and over 20,000 employees supporting customers around the world.

Agfa Graphics Regional Newspaper Printer of the Year

Antalis Book Printer of the Year

Agfa Graphics is continuing its tradition of sponsoring the Regional Newspaper Printer of the Year Award. “Newspapers are a very important segment of our business, with over 50% of newspapers globally produced with the aid of Agfa Graphics,” says Peter Doyle, Sales Manager Ireland, Agfa Graphics. “We want to help graphic arts businesses achieve profitability and stay ahead of their competitors, so supporting the Irish Print Awards 2016, in association with MJ Flood, is an important part of our mission in the Irish market.”

Agfa Graphics offers integrated prepress solutions to the commercial printing industry, the newspaper printing and publishing industry, and the sign and display, decoration and industrial inkjet printing industry. These solutions comprise consumables, hardware, software and services for production workflow, project and process management, cloud software and image processing. Agfa Graphics is a worldwide leader with its computer-to-film, computer-to-plate, digital proofing and security solutions for commercial and packaging printers.

For newspaper markets, Agfa Graphics is a leading supplier of automation for printed and mobile publishing workflows. The company has also developed a prominent position in the industrial inkjet segment, offering a wide range of inkjet presses and an assortment of high-quality inks.

Antalis is proud to be a longstanding sponsor of the Irish Print Awards, and to continue this involvement for the Irish Print Awards 2016, in association with MJ Flood. This significant industry event recognises excellence in print and brings together the print community and suppliers for an annual evening of recognition and celebration. As a leading supplier of fine paper, Antalis has enjoyed a long association with the book printing sector, supplying brands such as Edixion, Offset, Novatech, Claro and Olin, so we are delighted to sponsor the Book Printing award category again this year. And this year, for the first time, we have also sponsored the Luxury Packaging award category which aligns itself perfectly with our Antalis and Arjowiggins range of branded products. We wish all of the entrants and finalists well on the evening and we look forward to celebrating with you.

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Komori UK & Portman Graphic Small Printer of the Year Komori and Portman are delighted to continue with their long standing sponsorship of the Small Printer of the Year category,” says Steve Turner, Director of Sheetfed Sales, Komori UK. “This sector forms a major part of the printing industry and the companies that fit into it typify the spirit of print in Ireland. They employ tight knit teams of hard working individuals that roll up their collective sleeves to ensure that their customers are provided with high quality print, great service, and a fair price.

In a small company every employee can play an important role in delivering on those promises, and we feel that by sponsoring this category we are offering support to the companies and individuals that rarely get any recognition or thanks for their work. Komori and Portman enjoy wonderful loyalty and support from all of our many Irish customers.

We want to show our appreciation for that by continuing to sponsor the awards and by spending time with our many friends and associates at the awards ceremony.”

The GPMI Commercial Vehicle Wrap Printer of the Year, LED Sign Printer of the Year & Large Format Printer of the Year Earlier this year GPMI acquired the Reprocentre, making the new organisation the largest Irishowned supplier to the print and signage industry in Ireland. “These are very exciting times for GPMI and for our customers so we are delighted to be continuing our sponsorship of the vehicle wrap category,” says GPMI CEO Enda Brophy.

“This is a sector where there is significant growth and creativity and GPMI has the expertise to provide our customers with the best applications advice. The introduction of an LED signs category was suggested by GPMI two years ago and it has been a very successful addition to the Irish Print Awards. Finally, we are delighted to be continuing our sponsorship of the wide format digital category, which is always hotly contested.

Following our recent launch of the new Agfa range of industrial wide format machines, we are now showcasing the new Mimaki UJV55320 UV LED printer that has taken the industry by storm since its introduction at Fespa. GPMI encourages all who operate in these markets to submit multiple entries to the Irish Print Awards 2016, in association with MJ Flood.”

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BUSINESS MATTERS

Assessing the Island of Ireland Impact

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BUSINESS MATTERS

In the wake of the UK electorate’s momentous decision to leave the European Union, Maev Martin talks to printers in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland to find out how they believe Brexit will impact the commercial print industry on the island.

om Clements, Managing Director, RPD Ltd, and outgoing President of the Irish Printing Federation, believes that Brexit will probably have a negative impact on the print industry in both Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland. “Irish printers may lose an export market and may also face stronger competition from Northern Irish printing companies,” he says. “If the UK does leave the EU, the Northern Irish economy will lose a considerable amount of EU funding and there is no guarantee that a weakened UK economy would be able to make up the difference. Also, the prospect of a hard border between North and South is bad news for everyone on this island.”

Kyle Jardine, Northern Ireland Manager, British Printing Industry Federation (BPIF), says that their pre-EU referendum survey of BPIF members in Northern Ireland indicated that the printing industry was largely in favour of ‘remain’ but that there was still a proportion of smaller companies and non-exporting companies that were firmly in the ‘leave’ camp. “The result has taken many by surprise and there is, of course, added confusion in Northern Ireland (being the only part of the UK sharing a land border with the EU) where the remain share was the majority,” he says. “Once the dust has settled, and the political road ahead becomes more visible, we will be conducting a post-EU referendum to gauge further opinions and impacts from our members.”

Wesley Moody is Managing Director of Belfast-based print consumables company Alphagraphics and was part of the StrongerIn team campaigning for the UK to remain in the EU. “Of course, it was a huge disappointment on a personal level, having put a lot of time and energy into the campaign”, he says. “But also because it felt like such a no-brainer that our prospects for growth, both within the printing industry in Ireland - north and south - and the wider business community are so much greater if we are all part of the same market and able to do business without borders. It works that way – why change it?” However, he says that it was an uphill struggle to get the voice of business in Northern Ireland heard during the course of the campaign. “It was disappointing that Northern Ireland’s unique place as the only trading region within the UK that has a land border with the EU didn’t equate to a louder voice,” he says. “And not nearly enough coverage was given to the potential negative impact of a Brexit vote on the Republic of Ireland’s economy. It is hard to tell how this is all going to pan out, but the business lobby on both sides of the border needs to be at the table from day one to ensure that our unique trading relationship remains intact.”

Patrick Moffett, Managing Director, W&G Baird, says he can’t imagine the return of checkpoints at the border. “Neither country wants that but at the same time I’m not sure how leaving the EU can mean business as usual,” he says. “It seems likely that the EU will not allow the UK to have an easy exit as it may cause other countries to leave the EU and they do not want that to happen. As a company we have many valued customers in the Republic of Ireland, our paper comes from the EU, our machinery comes from the EU, our printing plates and ink come from the EU and some of our workers come from the EU

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as well. At the moment I see plenty of potential negatives and very few, if any, positives from the leave vote for printers in Northern Ireland.”

Padraic Kierans is Managing Director of Anglo Printers who are based in Drogheda, Co Louth. “Northern print firms are already selling down here with great success and very competitively,” he says. “Now they will be more competitive on the currency swing but they will no doubt incur increased costs on imported raw materials. We source most of our raw material from within the EU so there is no fluctuation but price pressure remains a massive factor in our industry, north and south, and with or without Brexit. Currency swings have always been a factor for us in

the border regions, so we are used to that.”

Key Concerns

However, Tom Clements says that “weak sterling, combined with lower wage rates and, in some cases, more favourable VAT rates for some products (e.g. products which are rated at 23% in Ireland that are zero rated in the UK) will leave printers, especially those in border counties, particularly vulnerable to competition from UK and Northern Ireland printers. In addition, weak sterling will have a negative effect on the tourism and retail sectors, which may reduce print spend, and there is a risk that a prolonged period of uncertainty will destabilise many European economies.

There are already signs of a ‘UK

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BUSINESS MATTERS

pensions being affected, that there would be a different result. If enough time is allowed for people to see the damage to the economy, then perhaps this longshot might come to pass. However, it is a longshot.”

What Can We Do?

versus the EU’ mentality emerging and this might make exporting even more challenging. I’ve seen Facebook posts from UK friends and family talking about sticking together and only buying British. I find this a bit worrying as about 28% of my business is in the UK.” The BPIF’s Kyle Jardine says that, while the EU referendum outcome should not form a legal argument for customers to cancel orders, it is possible that some customers could get the jitters and delay orders. “We advise firms to pay particular attention to their cash flow at the moment,” he says.

“Our pre-referendum survey picked up on a number of other potential negative impacts that will need some attention. The top concerns were: attracting inward investment, disruption to supply chains, and accessing EU markets.” Patrick Moffett says that a sustained weakening of sterling will inevitably lead to the price of imported goods going up and cause inflationary pressures in the print industry and the economy as a whole. “Printing companies across Ireland are just starting to recover after the last recession and are not in a good position to weather another economic storm,” he says. “Print is usually one of the first areas to feel the effect of a slowdown, with reductions in advertising spend and peoples’ discretionary spend quickly leading to a reduction in demand for print. In the wider Northern Ireland economy the cornerstone of our economic revival was based on the reduction of corporation tax in order to secure foreign direct investment. The uncertainty caused by Brexit, which will potentially last for the next two years, can only have a negative effect on any potential external investment decisions.”

Padraic Kierans says that the primary concern has to be for SME’s exporting to the UK, who have been massively impacted. “The general negative conversation piece in the media is also likely to have an impact on consumer confidence, which effects everyday buying, and damages the economy,” he says. “This is where strong government leadership comes into play and, unfortunately, we have a minority government, which is also on the edge.

The big question is will the UK actually leave? Who is brave enough to press the button and activate ‘Article 50’? None of the existing leaders were willing to do it and it remains to be seen if Theresa May will be the one. From talking to people on the ground in business in the UK, and in the City of London, they are incredibly shocked with the ‘Leave’ result, and they believe that if the question was posed again in six months, with people’s pockets, stocks and

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Patrick Moffett says that the Irish Print Association and local branch of the BPIF have to lobby on behalf of members to ensure that there are no customs tariffs or duties applied to the movement of printed matter within Ireland. Kyle Jardine says that the BPIF continues to build on its strong involvement with Intergraf - the European representative body for printing industry trade associations. “This is an area which I am involved in as a member of Intergraf’s economic working party,” he says. “However, we would encourage companies to remain calm. We haven’t left the EU overnight - contact and reassure your foreign customers, speak to your employees, dispel any fears among foreign national employees, and ensure that all employees understand the behavioural guidelines they are expected to adhere to. It may be a good time to tighten and emphasise your social media policy and guidelines. Our HR advisers are already helping BPIF members with this.”

Tom Clements advises print companies to undertake a number of measures in an effort to mitigate any negative impacts. “If you are an exporting company, and you haven’t already done so, you need to talk to your financial institutions to get advice on protecting yourself against currency fluctuations,” he says. “If you are an Enterprise Ireland client you should talk to them about what supports are available to explore alternative markets within the Eurozone.

Make sure all the information in your MIS is up to date and that you know where your breakeven points are. If you’ve been doing sterling business on a tight margin you may well be making losses now. Cut costs where you can. Talk to your staff and ensure that they know the difficulties that lie ahead. Talk to your UK and Northern Ireland clients and ensure the relationship is strong enough to carry you through. Talk to your competitors – are there any opportunities to cut costs through joint ventures or resource sharing? And join the IPF the more companies we represent the louder our voice is!”

Ireland’s Opportunity?

When it comes to any positive impacts of the Brexit decision on the Republic of Ireland, Tom Clements says that it may be the case that “England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity. For example, if Londonbased financial services companies lose the ability to passport their services into the EU then they will almost certainly have to relocate some of their operations. In that case, Frankfurt, Paris and Dublin would be likely beneficiaries. This would be a major economic boost and would provide enormous opportunities for printing companies.

Also, weaker sterling may provide buying opportunities for equipment, or maybe even companies.” Kyle Jardine also believes that there is potential for some positive outcomes. “Once exchange rates stabilise it is possible that printed product exports from Northern Ireland may be more competitive than they were in the pre-EU referendum period,” he says. “It is also possible that companies may have a lower regulatory burden and a more direct line to available funding and support from Invest NI. It is also likely that interest rates in the UK will remain lower for longer and this may encourage continued investment in the industry. However, it is too early to tell if all this will come to fruition and whether or not they will offset the potential negative impacts.” Padraic Kierans says that the Irish print industry must reinforce the opportunities for all forms of investment in Ireland for those businesses discommoded in the UK. “The government should step out of ‘monitor’ mode and engage in ‘pursuit’ mode,” he says. “We need to be convincing these organisations that Ireland is the place to be on the basis of corporation tax, ease of doing business, and the fact that we are the last remaining English speaking country in the EU. The government needs to be more concerned about what we can win in this, rather than worrying about ‘offending’ our UK counterparts by pursuing low hanging fruit. We really need to work on the positive messaging and offer a solution to the Brexit conundrum for those stuck in the vacuum.”

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ENTRIES NOW OPEN! VISIT IRISHPRINTER.IE

SAVE THE DATE! 25 NOVEMBER

@PrintAwards #PrintAwards16

IF YOU’RE NOT IN - YOU CAN’T WIN!

Irish Printing Federation

TheSunday Business Post

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There’s no need for that extra coat!

The forecast is looking great, well for printers anyway, as a new era in litho printing will arrive at Walsh Colour Print from mid-September 2016.

We are delighted to introduce you to the latest in H-UV print technology, so let’s revolutionise our businesses together!

WHAT THIS DOES FOR YOU: •

When expensive papers and boards are coated or laminated, the special properties of the substrate are lost. With this new UV (ultraviolet) drying technology, the ink for these special substrates dries instantly.

•

Silk/matt/uncoated sheets dry instantly which give faster turnaround times.

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The job will cost less as sheets don’t need to be sealed.

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There is less need to laminate covers – H-UV ink has excellent scuff-resistant properties.

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Walsh Colour Print can now print on certain plastics and synthetic papers at litho prices – printing up to B1.

Please contact us with any queries!

Freephone: 1800 613 111 Email: sales@walshcolourprint.com

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AS VERSATILE AS THE COLOURS OF LIGHT. Experience the versatility of UPM Fine, the ultra-white uncoated paper. Discover the paper as a perfect basis for your thoughts and ideas. UPM Fine offers enormous versatility in terms of characteristics and applications, from its enticing whiteness and outstanding rigidity to its consistently high quality.

Because UPM Fine is available in a particularly wide range of basis weights from 60–300 g/m2, it really is a universal paper. UPM Fine is an EU Ecolabel awarded paper and produced with both machine finished and supercalendered surfaces. Get to know the versatility of UPM Fine and find out why it is referred to be “AS VERSATILE AS THE COLOURS OF LIGHT”. www.upm.com

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