Irish Printer July/August 2020

UVGEL WALLPAPER FACTORY Powered by Canon Colorado 1650 and UVgel technology

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ENTRIES NOW OPEN

The 2020 Irish Print Awards are now Open for Entries 2020 marks the 43rd year of the Annual Irish Print Awards which will be held at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Northwood, Dublin on Friday, 27th November To view the full list of categories ad to enter the awards visit www.irishprinter.ie/awards/

For All Enquiries Contact: Michael O’Donoghue, Event Manager Email: michael.odonoghue@ashvillemediagroup.com • Phone: 01 432 2224

Irish Printing Federation

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AUGUST 2020

06 Remembering Billy ‘MacGyver’ Ryan

The Irish print industry has paid tribute to the late Billy Ryan, former owner of Millbrook Press and printer of the 2016 Proclamation

08 News

A look at what’s happening in the print industry

11 Solid foundations

Over the past eight years, Avery Dennison has developed and nurtured a relationship with the Watershed Group, an international print packaging manufacturer headquartered in Dublin

14 Me and my Jetrix - Xtreme Signs and Graphics

No longer are super wide printers only for those with significant budgets to spend on new kit.

Instead, this newcomer is shaking up the market

19 The next level of wallcoverings

The Colorado 1650 from Canon is empowering interior designers to creatively respond to the growing demand for tailor-made services

16 Unlocking the National Print Museum

Carla Marrinan Funder, CEO at the National Print Museum, describes the new exhibitions set to open over the next few weeks and why education is central to the Museum’s public programming

22 Mitigating against disaster

Irish Printer caught up with Barry Noonan, Production Manager at Webprint, to find out why the company has invested in Agfa’s new Printsphere disaster recovery module

26 We need to talk about… recycling Laurel Brunner, MD at Digital Dots, discusses the importance of sustainable printing and the need for printers to choose their substrates meticulously

IRISH PRINTER

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NEW

Green & Orange Ink

TAKE YOUR COLOUR OFF-THE-CHART 249295_1C_Neopost_JM_IP JulAug.indd 1

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Roland’s richest and most vivid TrueVIS colour

The VF2-640 large format printer has been

output yet that allows you to perfectly target

developed for unprecedented gamut

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expansion, exceptional close-up detail, and

Inks feature new Green and Orange ink

the unique ability to achieve both vividness

choices to target previously unreachable or

and natural colour reproduction.

difficult-to-match colours A smooth, seamless print operation with enhanced design, job

The VF2-640 answers the exact colour

sequences, software functions, operation

requirements of your clients and rises above

panel and “two-mode” take-up unit.

the quality standards of your competitors.

FOR MORE INFORMATION T 1850 33 44 55 | +353 (0) 1 6250900 | E info.ie@quadient.com

graphics.quadient.ie/VF2

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Welcome to the August 2020 issue of Irish Printer.

The print industry needs government supports if it’s to survive the Covid-19 pandemic. With some firms operating at just 30% of their previous workload and others still on furlough, Diarmuid Dawson says it’s likely that some firms will be unable to open their doors again. In this issue of Irish Printer, the President of the Irish Printing Federation spoke to us about the impact that lockdown has had on the majority of print firms and why the VAT issue needs to be tackled once and for all. He also spoke about the positive contribution that print firms have made throughout the crisis, reinforcing the point that print has a key role to play in modern Ireland. For more on Diarmuid’s thoughts on the pandemic, turn to page 25.

Elsewhere in this issue, we take a look at Canon’s new Colorado 1650, a wide format printer powered by UVgel technology. According to Canon’s Donnan Cullen, the digitally printed wall décor market has been rising steadily over the past few years and it looks like that trend is about to be replicated in Ireland. Now could be the time for large format printers to consider this growing market.

Also in this issue, we remember Billy Ryan who passed away earlier this year. On page 6, friend and colleague Freddie Snowe describes Billy as the “best letterpress printer I have ever come across”. Along with Freddie and the late Alf McCormack, Billy was instrumental in the printing of the 2016 Proclamation. He will be remembered for his dedication to making Milbrook Press in Naas a success and for his ability to repair any and all printing machines.

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

Editor: Denise Maguire Email: editor@irishprinter.ie Creative Director: Jane Matthews Designer: Anna Wesolowska Production: Nicole Ennis Contact: Irish Printer, Ashville Media Group, Unit 55, Park West Road, Park West, Dublin 12, D12 X9F Tel: (01) 432 2200 Web: www.irishprinter.ie McGowans Print Printed by: Printed on: HP Indigo 10000 using Novatech paper supplied by Antalis.

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 2020. 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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News

REMEMBERING BILLY ‘MACGYVER’ RYAN The Irish print industry has paid tribute to the late Billy Ryan, former owner of Millbrook Press and printer of the 2016 Proclamation

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News

B

illy Ryan, former owner of the Millbrook Press printing firm in Naas, passed away in June this year.

Described by his friend and printing colleague Freddie Snowe as the “best letterpress printer I have ever come across”, Billy was also known for his involvement in the printing of a centenary edition of the 1916 Proclamation. He set up Millbrook Press in Naas in 1984 before retiring in 2010 and handing over the reins to his sons Bill and Dave and daughter Mary. A statement from the company said: “Our dad fought a hard battle and passed away peacefully and with dignity.”

“I first met Billy in 1975 when I sold him printing ink. As well as being an excellent printer, Billy was

L to r: Printers Freddie Snowe, Billy Ryan, Alf McCormack and engineer Eddie Gahan in 2016

also one of the most gentle, lovely people you could ever meet,” said Freddie. Billy got involved in the printing of the Proclamation after Freddie asked him for help. “Billy happened to be at the National Print Museum one day. At this stage, myself and the late Alf McCormack had decided to refurbish the Wharfedale and try and get the replica Proclamation up and running but there was something we were stumped by. So I asked Billy for his help and from that day on, the three of us became a team and great, great friends.” Billy, or ‘MacGyver’ as he was affectionately known, was renowned for his ability to fix any and all print machines. “His knowledge around settings and the things that could go wrong with these machines was absolutely amazing. Quite often, we’d be stuck for a very specific tool, stuff you can’t just pick up on eBay or DoneDeal. Billy would pop out to his Land Rover and come back with exactly the tool we needed. That car was an Aladdin’s Cave of stuff that got us out of trouble so many times.”

In the printing world, Billy will be remembered for his expertise as a letterpress printer, for his tireless work in making Millbrook Press a success and for his involvement in the printing of the 2016 Proclamation. “He was a perfectionist and the best letterpress printer that I have ever met, without a shadow of a doubt. He will be sorely missed by his friends and family. I’m very fortunate to have such wonderful memories of a very special time with a very special man.”

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NEWS GET AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION WITH A DIPLOMA IN PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY The Design, Print & Packaging Skillnet recently announced that its Diploma in Packaging Technology for 2020/2021 is now open for bookings. The nationally and internationally recognised qualification is recommended for people working with packaging in manufacturing or filling on a day to day

AGFA

specifying packaging or working in a

LAUNCHES NEW PRINTSPHERE DISASTER RECOVERY FOR NEWSPAPER PRINTERS

role as a packaging technician. It’s also

Agfa has launched PrintSphere Disaster Recovery, a new

basis or for persons responsible for

suited to those buying or selling packaging or those using/packing/ filling in the food, drink and pharmaceutical sectors. The qualification is broad and provides an opportunity to study the principals and fundamentals of packaging, the manufacturing process of various substrates, the conversion techniques and the main print and packaging processes. Participants will work towards the goal of the level 7 CPD Diploma accredited by TU Dublin. It runs over 35 weeks, commencing with a three-day session, with all subsequent sessions running for two days. The format allows for focused training in a supportive environment and encourages networking with fellow participants and industry experts. Some classes may be delivered on-line. For more information, go to www. dppskillnet.ie

module that provides newspaper printers with a secure backup that guarantees their newspapers will get printed in any event.

PrintSphere is a cloud-based, SaaS solution for standardised and efficient data exchange and workflow automation. Hosted

by Agfa’s private and secure cloud, it makes it easy for printers to store data online and swiftly exchange files with any stakeholder. Using the PrintSphere Disaster Recovery module, Arkitex workflow software users store all incoming publishing files in Agfa’s secure cloud in an automated way. In case of an emergency, a print partner or backup print site can get easy and fast access to the stored data and resume printing. Agfa says this gives newspaper printers a guarantee that their daily newspaper will get printed, even if the press or the entire production site is down. PrintSphere Disaster Recovery also resolves potential issues with FTP transfer including transfer speed and provides a more secure and reliable platform.

WebPrint, Ireland’s largest independent newspaper printer, recently exchanged its traditional FTP servers for Agfa’s PrintSphere. “Thanks to PrintSphere, we now have a simple, effective, secure and fully automated file receipt system in place.

Thanks to the Disaster Recovery option, we now also have a backup at any time and can print them at another site if needed,” says Barry Noonan, Production Manager. “We don’t need to do any maintenance on the system; it just runs fully automated in the background.”

For more on WebPrint’s PrintSphere installation, turn to page 22

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NEWS THE PRINT SHOW POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER 2021

Organisers of The Print Show have confirmed that the event will be postponed until 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus situation in the UK. Along with new sister event The Sign Show, The Print Show had been due to run from September 27th to 29th at the NEC in Birmingham, with a number of leading brands having already committed to the show. The two events will now run from September 28th to 30th next year at the NEC. Event director Chris Davies said that while every effort had been made to go ahead with the event, it had become clear in recent weeks that restrictions caused by Covid-19 meant hosting the show this year would not be possible. “Before anything else, the health and safety of our exhibitors and guests is our number one concern and while it was a difficult decision, we believe this is the right course of action,” he said. “While we hope the situation with Covid-19 will have improved by September, there is no guarantee that the event would be permitted to go ahead due to current government restrictions. The government is yet to make any announcements as to when large gatherings or events can take place again and we have to be realistic. Planning to host a large-scale event like The Print Show this year is just not feasible, given the level of uncertainty as to what situation the UK will be in come September.”

Davies also said that The Print Show has reached an agreement with many of the companies that had already signed up to attend in 2020 to instead exhibit at the rearranged event next year.

CANON LAUNCHES NEW PROSTREAM 1800

The newest model in the ProStream 1000 series, the ProStream 1800 is the ideal solution for commercial printers who want ultimate performance, says Canon. With increased speeds of up to 133m/min, the new printer boasts the highest resolution and print quality of any digital printing press at that speed.

Canon says commercial printers can now expand their offering by migrating higher volume jobs from offset to digital inkjet. They can also boost production levels, slash turnaround times and increase profit margins across a wide range of applications including premium and high volume direct mail, books, catalogues and magazines.

With the higher web speed of 133m/ min (66% faster than the ProStream 1000), the ProStream 1800 produces up to 107,500 A4 images or 11,300 B2 sheets 4/4 per hour while maintaining print quality. The new machine can also achieve a very high level of print quality across a huge range of media, including standard offset coated, uncoated and inkjet optimised papers from 40gsm to 300gsm. According to Canon, printers can now eliminate the need to stop production to switch between different format lengths to ensure a seamless changeover, providing additional flexibility and ease-of-use for operators.

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Expertise in.

Quality out.

With the right input, you can produce a result that’s so precise it’s almost lifelike. That’s why Epson’s extensive experience goes into every detail of the SC-S large format printer series. We develop and manufacture each component, so you can always rely on an accurate, high quality result.

Precision, quality and productivity with every print.

To find out more visit www.epson.ie/signbyepson

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NEWS Solid Foundations Over the past eight years, Avery Dennison has developed and nurtured a relationship with the Watershed Group, an international print packaging manufacturer headquartered in Dublin As the largest family-owned company in Ireland, the Watershed Group provides a range of packaging substrates to companies in the food, drink and pharma industries.

It’s an ambitious company with plans to become not just successful, but significant in its field. With such a diverse client list in Ireland and across Europe the Watershed Group’s paper needs are, naturally enough, just as diverse.

“We buy a huge amount of different paper from Avery Dennison. Everything from semi-gloss thermal paper right through to high end premium paper for the drinks industry.

We’ve also conducted some trials with Avery Dennison on recycled and compostable content which are currently out in the market. We’ve found that over the years we’ve given more and more business to Avery Dennison,” said Liz Waters, Managing Director at the Watershed Group.

So why has the Watershed Group opted to go with Avery Dennison over other paper providers? It all comes down to relationships, said Liz. “We’ve built up a very good relationship with Avery Dennison over the years. It’s a relationship that we can depend on. What’s wonderful about Avery Dennison is their reaction time; they have a depot in Ireland which is critical for us. Packaging is one of those very dynamic industries where you need everything in five minutes. Avery Dennison is in a position to supply us very quickly.” The Watershed Group deals with Avery Dennison as a group and so has forged an excellent relationship with both the Irish and international team. “They have a good understanding of our requirements and they’re very much aware that we’re pushing a sustainable agenda.” Three years ago, Liz and the team decided to take a serious look at the Irish gin and whiskey market. “Avery Dennison really helped us on that. They advised us on substrates and critically, they made trials available to us. That type of support is invaluable.”

Avery Dennison’s excellent product quality and consistency of supply chain are more reasons why the Watershed Group is happy to do business with the

manufacturer. “They’re constantly looking at ways to improve their product offering as is everybody in the market, but I think they’re ahead of the posse in that they’re very proactive in getting their message about new, innovative products out there.”

Liz believes that companies like the Watershed Group and Avery Dennison play a key role in communicating to both customers and the end user that sustainability is worth talking about. “It’s also about convincing customers that there’s market value in purchasing sustainable products. The difficulty with consumers and customers is that they baulk a bit at increased price so it’s about investigating how we can convince them it’s worth doing. But as it becomes more popular, prices will come down which will help.”

Avery Dennison’s extensive range includes papers from recycled content. “I think that particular range will be adopted by a lot of the multiples across Europe and Ireland. The messaging on that is great in that no trees are cut down. It may have a slightly different look and feel so it’s a question of convincing brand owners that the more organic, not as matte or smooth appearance and texture will appeal to a huge sector of the market that’s looking for more sustainable options across every part of the food chain. For several years now, brands have been under pressure from the discounters whose packaging is superb. One of the ways you can differentiate your brand is to use a sustainable material and have a shout out on the back of the product.” The Watershed Group’s relationship with Avery Dennison looks set to continue. “We’re very happy with the service we receive. The relationship has allowed us to position ourselves in front of our customers as an innovator and that’s an excellent position to be in.”

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NEWS BE PREPARED! WITH PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT UNDER PRESSURE TO MEET THE HIGHER DEMAND FOR PRINTED PACKAGING CAUSED BY COVID-19, IT MUST BE KEPT IN TOP CONDITION TO ENSURE MAXIMUM OUTPUT, SAYS VETAPHONE’S STEEN CLAUSEN

RICOH

DELIVERS GREATER PRODUCTION FLEXIBILITY WITH PRO C5300 SERIES Print Service Providers can harness greater production flexibility, higher print quality and broader service offering with the Ricoh Pro C5300 series sheetfed colour press. Building on the success of the Pro C5200, Ricoh says the Pro C5300 is ideal for small to medium size PSPs, print on demand environments, corporate reprographics departments and print shops.

Key benefits of the Ricoh Pro C5300 • High image quality with Ricoh 2400 x 4800dpi VCSEL technology and new gloss control to address different image output demands • Greater productivity with a speed of up to 80ppm and an increased monthly duty cycle of 450,000 • Vacuum feed large capacity tray supporting a wide range of substrates

Corona treaters work best if they are correctly and regularly maintained, but it’s not quite as simple as that. The level, type and frequency of maintenance can vary significantly from one customer to another depending on a variety of factors, including the substrate being treated, the degree of usage and the production environment. We believe there are five main points that all Corona users need to factor into their production maintenance schedules: 1. Regular inspection at intervals of no more than two weeks – this will head-off potential problems down the line and save the time and money wasted on unexpected stoppages and downtime. If the plant is running 24/7, you may need to increase the frequency of these inspections.

2. Take care of the electrodes – they need cleaning on a regular basis to continue to perform at maximum output so any deposit build-up should be carefully removed. In addition, check that they are all working and if there is a failure, you must replace the faulty electrode with a new one so that the system can operate at full power, as it’s designed to do. Don’t be tempted to continue running with a failed electrode.

3. Check the inside of the unit for carbon build-up – this is a fire risk that can be easily prevented. Look for burn or scorch marks on the side plates and clean off the deposit before it becomes a hazard.

4. Check the air gap between the electrodes and the substrate – this will have been set at installation to achieve an even spread of power for optimal performance, but the gap can begin to open or close through usage and the result will be inconsistent performance and poor quality treatment that can cause issues downstream leading to a costly reprint.

5. Make sure the ozone exhaust system is operating as it should – assuming it was specified and installed correctly, you need to ensure that it is kept free from any blockage. If you are experiencing problems with back pressure and are using 100mm diameter ducting, then consider upgrading to 200mm tubes. The improvement in performance is exponential and the benefits substantial.

• Improved front to back registration due to a new paper pass control system • Broad media handling of substrates up to 360gsm, non-carbon paper, textured media and envelopes • A wider variety of post press capabilities enabling responsive service delivery supported by peripherals, including an enhanced booklet finisher capable of 30-sheet booklet production at 80gsm.

Versatile end to end production is further aided by its high capacity stacker and efficient fore-edge trimmer.

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1,500 FOOTBALL PITCHES EVERY DAY!

and ich provide wood for making paper wh s, est for an ope Eur t tha w kno Did you day? by over 1,500 football pitches every g win gro n bee e hav , als teri ma g packagin

Love Paper? You’ll love it even more knowing that it’s made from renewable and sustainable wood fibres, which ensures healthy, growing forests.

Source: United Nations FAO, 2005-2015 Two Sides is a global campaign promoting the unique renewable and sustainable qualities of print and paper.

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Discover more great reasons to #LovePaper at www.twosides.info

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Commercial Profile

ME AND MY

JETRIX

– Xtreme Signs and Graphics No longer are super wide printers only for those with significant budgets.

The JETRIX LXRi320 is shaking things up on the market

arge format JETRIX printers are manufactured by InkTec and sold in Ireland through Quadient. Xtreme Signs and Graphics has acquired the JETRIX LXRi320 Roll-to-Roll LED-UV printer and has already seen the benefits for its business.

You don’t have to talk about the JETRIX LXRi320 for long to understand the huge benefits it brings to wide format printers in the market. A 2.5m x 3.2m full colour print can be completed in around 20 minutes in photorealistic quality.

This is because the LED ink is placed on top of the media and doesn’t sink into it, giving the print an added vibrancy and preventing cracks.

Pierre Phieffer is the owner and Director of Xtreme Signs and Graphics based in Dublin 12. Until recently Xtreme Signs and Graphics was using a Chinese manufactured ecosolvent, low end, entry level machine for 3.2m prints. The machine was slow, causing a bottleneck in production and change was sorely needed if the company was to continue meeting the strict and demanding deadlines asked of it.

Pierre contacted Fergus Byrne, a trusted supplier for Quadient Ireland, who recommended the JETRIX range.

Together they travelled to the FESPA Global Print Expo in Germany and while there, spent time at the JETRIX stand.

Pierre was interested in their latest roll-to-roll machine which was still in testing at InkTec’s global base in South Korea and together they travelled to South Korea for a demonstration.

Pierre said: “Within five minutes we knew it was perfect.

It was exactly what we were looking for.” He had brought sample media to South Korea, tested them on the machine and brought them back to Ireland to make sure there was no stretching or ink cracking which can be a problem. Happily, everything worked fine and the order was placed almost immediately through Quadient. When the machine arrived, Pierre said: “The installation was seamless and flawless. We were extremely satisfied. The support from JETRIX and Quadient was outstanding and since then it’s been printing away no problem.” Previously, a 3.2m wide print would take several hours to complete, clogging that machine up for the entire time period. “Now we’re realising a 400% increase in

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Commercial Profile

productivity”, said Pierre. Xtreme Signs and Graphics’ bottleneck has been moved from the printer – significantly improving the speed at which they can produce print jobs and fulfil orders. “Our capacity and the opportunities we can now offer have increased substantially from what we were previously doing,” said Pierre.

More frequently customers want speedy, next day or in some cases same day turnaround and will shop around until they find somewhere that makes that possible.

Meeting those standards are possible with the JETRIX LXRi320. It also comes with a profile package provided

by Quadient that profiles the media, ensuring the colours come out as they should, eradicating the requirement for expensive reprints. Xtreme Signs and Graphics recently sent 100 panels to a show and none came back incorrect.

The use of LED ink also makes the print quality from the JETRIX LXiR320 far superior. Previously, ink would not

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have always adhered well to the media which can cause it to crack. Therefore, the texture of the media would have had a bearing on the colour, potentially dampening the whole print.

The JETRIX LXRi320 is available throughout Ireland from Quadient Graphics. It is ideal for wide format print companies who want to speed up their printing service while not compromising on quality.

For more information on the JETRIX LXRi 320 or any of our print and finishing range, contact Quadient graphics on +353 1 625 0900 or info.ie@quadient.com

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News

Portrait of printer Freddie Snowe

by Kate Swift

Photo of Alf McCormack RIP and Freddie Snowe printing the 1916 Proclamation by Mark Henderson

UNLOCKING the National Print Museum CARLA MARRINAN FUNDER, CEO AT THE NATIONAL PRINT MUSEUM, DESCRIBES THE NEW EXHIBITIONS SET TO OPEN OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND WHY EDUCATION IS CENTRAL TO THE MUSEUM’S PUBLIC PROGRAMMING

S

et to open on the 21st of July, great efforts have been made at the National Print Museum to comply with Covid-19 health and safety requirements. We’re happy to announce that we will not lose the “hands-on” nature of the collection that visitors enjoy so much and although cut back, all visits will still include a live print demo and letterpress souvenir!

The Museum is set to reopen with a new exhibition entitled “A photographic celebration of the Chapel”. The Chapel is a collective term for members of a print union and here it refers specifically to those printers and compositors dedicated to sharing the nation’s printing heritage. In 2019, the Museum successfully campaigned for letterpress printing to be included in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This exhibition, sponsored by Spera Brand Management and Canon UK and Ireland, features work of photographers Kate Swift, Mark Henderson and Ruth Carden.

Another exhibition, curated by myself, will open on Culture Night and will explore art and design “locked up” and printed during lockdown in Ireland. This hugely relevant exhibition will feature work by Maser, Annie Atkins, One Strong Arm, Richard Seabrooke and Damn Fine

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News

Skills Transfer Participant Christine learning the Shaw Pen Ruling Machine

by Ruth Carden

Portrait of compositor Harry Havelin

by Kate Swift

Print. These works have brought joy during the global pandemic and raised funds for worthwhile causes. The National Print Museum is currently seeking sponsorship for this exhibition.

Education is at the core of the Museum’s public programming. The Museum recognises that education is an integral part of its function within society and will do all within its power to promote its educational role to both its formal and informal audiences. The Education Department of the Museum preserves, protects and increases

awareness of the unique collection. Whilst some of the education events and programming have been cut back, many have been moved online. Pre and post visit, there are plenty of online opportunities including a virtual tour, online exhibitions, short films of the collection in operation and a selection of activity videos for all ages. A new online tour experience for schools is set to be launched soon, bringing the Museum into the classroom with an audio visual, a live session and a tour guide. This initiative has been made possible with the support of the Aviva Stadium Community Fund.

During lockdown, improvements were made to the Museum and the way we do things. We’re not going back to normal, we’re going back to better! Much has been done by way of meeting the Covid health and safety requirements and we are happy to announce that we have signed up to the Fáilte Ireland Safety Charter. Lockdown has, without a doubt, been an extremely challenging time for the museum sector and the National Print Museum is no exception. We have experienced a full loss of income and we’re going to have to work hard to secure a sustainable future financially.

Unlocking the Museum has been made possible with the sponsorship-in-kind from Marson Safety, The Irish Print Federation, Doggett Print, Westside Press, Smurfit Kappa and Wheelan & O’Keefe. Individual giving is welcomed via donations online or via the new membership programmes – Printers’ Devils and Little Printers’ Devils.

Join us in unlocking your National Print Museum! We will be open Tuesday to Sunday with a choice of self-guided or guided tours. We are facilitating a special hour for vulnerable persons from 10am to 11am Tuesday to Friday.

Guided tours our undoubtedly the best way to experience the collection. Places on our tours are limited to five persons, so advanced booking is advised.

For opening hours, tour times and admission fees see www.nationalprintmuseum.ie/visit-us/

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Cover Story

THE NEXT LEVEL

of wallcoverings The Colorado 1650 from Canon is empowering interior designers to creatively respond to the growing demand for tailor-made services

I

t looks like the wallcoverings market across Europe is having a moment. While the analogue wallcoverings industry has been stagnating or even declining in some regions over the past decade, digitally printed wall décor has been rising steadily. “This year, the market is estimated to stand at 125 million sq m of wallcoverings digitally. The experts reckon that’s going to grow to about 200 million sq m by 2023. That’s a fair jump and one that represents a golden opportunity for print service providers,” said Donnan Cullen, Key Account Manager for High Speed Inkjet Printing at Canon.

Wallcoverings and interior décor in general is being utilised by brands to create an experience for the customer.

It all comes down to competition; consumer loyalty is key

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Cover Story

and by continually refreshing a retail space, brands are keeping their customers interested. Retail trends are now a major driver behind the increasing demand for printed signage.

In hospitality, the brand is everywhere. Although we may not notice it straight away, every detail – from the decorative table coverings and restaurant menus, to the wall coverings and parasols – is used collectively to tell the brand story.

Where visual prompts help create an immersive experience for consumers, large format printers with the right technology give PSPs the ability to bring a creative vision to life.

When it comes to consumers, the focus is on making their homes more attractive and above all, personalised and unique. Consumers want a space that represents them, whether that’s through a unique wallcovering, their own designed canvas or a bespoke kitchen backsplash.

Traditional wallcovering décors and images have always been limited by the so-called ‘bounding box’ of analogue equipment. The bounding box is the reason the pattern on the wallcovering needs to be repetitive. Digital wallcoverings allow interior designers to literally think “outside the box”.

It’s a market that’s on the rise in Europe and one that’s set to take off in Ireland. In early 2020, Canon launched the Colorado 1650, the latest machine to join the Colorado series of 64” roll-to-roll printers powered by UVgel technology. “Initially we developed the Colorado 1640, a machine that produces a gloss finish. Then earlier this year, we launched the 1650 which can produce both gloss and matte finishes. That option of being able to specify either a gloss or a matte finish is invaluable to brand owners,” said Donnan. A shiny finish doesn’t always give the desired effect.

“When you’re in a shop or at an event and you’re looking

at a backdrop or wallcovering, you don’t want the light reflecting back into your eyes. So the 1650 has been of huge interest to brands that don’t want coverings that give off that shine. Our traditional outdoor market is now showing interest in our indoor work thanks to the new machine.”

In order to retain customer loyalty, brand owners need to be adaptable and flexible and that also goes for their interior décor. “The days of wallpapering or decorating your store in a particular way and leaving it for a couple of years seem to be over. Brands are going to their PSP and instead of having a long-term plan for their wallcoverings and the décor of their shops, restaurants or hotels, they’re trying to give their customers what they want. The Colorado 1650 came along at just the right time, when companies began to want something that could portray their brand effectively.

People were really pushing for something quicker and faster than the normal wallcoverings; the Colorado 1650 fulfils that need.”

Through conversations with PSP’s across the country, Donnan says interest is certainly growing in the type of flexible service that the Colorado 1650 can provide. “In the print industry nowadays, everything has to be personalised or localised. The days of just producing everything in vanilla in any sort of print are gone. It goes without saying that an

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Cover Story

THE UVGEL WALLPAPER FACTORY

Canon has partnered with Fotoba, a company that produces cutting devices, to create the UVgel Wallpaper Factory, a fully automated production facility for digitally printed wallpaper.

The UVgel Wallpaper Factory is a fully modular workflow, consisting of:

area like wallcoverings and interior décor was never going to stay generic. Messages must be more targeted and the only way to do that is to print wallcoverings digitally.”

The Colorado 1650 has no effect on the media that it’s printing on. Some previous technologies relied on heat to dry ink on the rolls which ended up distorting the media.

The 1650 has no effect on the roll; the process involves firing dots of UVgel ink with no heat involved. “It doesn’t affect it in any way so the accuracy and registration between sheets is always correct. Also, because UVgel is so hardwearing, the actual print itself is washable.” With UVgel, there’s no gassing off so once the wallcovering comes out of the printer, it’s ready to go. “It can be installed the second it comes off and that’s not the case with a lot of eco-solvents. When it comes to turnaround, that’s very important. The market has gone from brands buying rolls of wallpaper that have been lying around in a store somewhere to coming up with a design and wanting it within a couple of hours.

The Colorado 1650 lends itself to that. In addition, our UVgel is Greenguard certified so it’s safe to use in shops, hospitals etc.”

It looks like PSP’s could be onto a sure thing if they’re looking at the digital wallcoverings market but are there challenges to this growth? “PSP’s will need to take a look at the mix of equipment they’re using. Are they set up to work quickly and efficiently? Can they develop a business model that allows them to supply at a high speed and quick turnaround? I think some print firms will have to invest in a machine that’s purely for digital wallcoverings as opposed to trying to mix it in with their general print. One thing is certain; this is an area that’s bound for growth and one that could prove lucrative for PSP’s around the country.”

• A motorised Fotoba Jumbo Roll JRU 170 media feeder • The Colorado 1650 Large Format roll-to-roll printer • A Fotoba Cutter XLD 170WP, cutting the output to the desired specifications in both the x and y direction • A Fotoba Rewinder REW 162 with embedded taping unit to rewind the printed and cut wallpaper, ready for immediate delivery and application The high-volume media feeder, in combination with the Colorado printer, delivers outstanding production throughput. The Colorado open interface enables the UVgel Wallpaper Factory to also be integrated into existing workflows, giving the option to choose input and output solutions from different suppliers. The UVgel Wallpaper Factory runs fully automated and unattended, from the bulk-sized media input straight through to the finished rolled output.

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Technology

Mitigating against disaster Irish Printer caught up with Barry Noonan, Production Manager at Webprint, to find out why the company has invested in Agfa’s new PrintSphere Disaster Recovery module IS IT EASY TO USE?

HEN DID YOU INSTALL THE PRINTSPHERE DISASTER RECOVERY MODULE? WHAT WERE THE REASONS BEHIND THE INVESTMENT?

We installed PrintSphere in June 2019. Initially it was set up in the background purely as a disaster recovery option. However, as we tested it we saw the opportunity to use it in a more integrated way with our Arkitex production system. Shortly after this we began tests to use PrintSphere as an alternative method of receiving files from our customers on a regular basis. The move to actually using it as a “live” transfer option was prompted by issues that a limited number of our customers experienced with file transfer failures after we switched one of our Internet service providers.

Moving those customers to PrintSphere solved the issue immediately and we have not had any issues with customer file transfers since.

Once Agfa installed the system, they provided online and telephone training to get us up and running. Initially we ran it in a manual configuration but once we were happy with its performance and the customers were happy, we automated the file transfer process. Our CTP operators do not have to make any additional plans or set up additional transfers. Once the production is set up in Arkitex Production, the system automatically transfers our customer’s files to the correct plan so we can output plates. Setting up new customers on the system is very easy and fast. When we add a new customer/user to PrintSphere, they receive an email with a few simple instructions to follow.

Once they have completed these, they are ready to start transferring files to us. In fact, we have set customers up and received files from them in just 10 minutes.

DID YOU HAVE A PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH AGFA?

We have a long relationship with Agfa. They have been our main plate supplier as well as providing our CTP equipment and software since Webprint began production in 2006.

DO YOU FEEL THAT TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED SYSTEMS LIKE THESE ARE THE FUTURE FOR THE PRINT INDUSTRY?

Any technology that makes the job of integrating new and existing customers into our production

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Technology

When we add a new customer/ user to PrintSphere, they receive an email with a few simple instructions to follow. Once they have completed these, they are ready to start transferring files to us. In fact, we have set customers up and received files from them in 10 minutes

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR AND BEYOND?

systems in a reliable and simple manner is always a welcome addition. Moving services such as file transfer and other pre-press infrastructure to the cloud means reduced IT costs for us. We also need to have the same high level of in-house technical expertise required to maintain the infrastructure as the service provider takes over that function.

A lot of this technology is already in use in the print industry and it will continue to grow as long as it can help reduce costs while maintaining or improving both the quality of the final product and the customer experience.

WHAT IMPACT IS COVID-19 HAVING ON THE BUSINESS?

As with all businesses, we were impacted by Covid-19 and the shutdown and restrictions that followed. However, we have a broad customer base which includes many of Ireland’s most respected national and regional titles that continued to produce newspapers throughout the shutdown. In times of crisis and uncertainty like these, people turn to reliable and unbiased sources for their news and in fact the role of newspapers, as a trusted source of information both locally and nationally during the current pandemic, has been reinforced.

We are confident that we will see a strong last quarter of 2020 for newspapers in Ireland. The majority of our customers are confident that there will be a strong recovery and we are watching September in particular as a good indicator of the rest of the year.

WHAT OTHER ISSUES DO YOU FEEL ARE IMPACTING THE PRINT INDUSTRY?

As a newspaper printer, the decline in newspaper sales is one of the main issues we face. Over the last number of years, we have worked hard to win new print contracts that have allowed us to maintain Webprint’s position as Ireland’s largest independent newspaper printer. However, while there has been some contraction in the market, it’s widely expected there will be more over the next few years. As this contraction occurs, it is vital that we maintain our ability to source raw materials and services at a competitive price. Logistics also play a key role as our customers are reducing both their environmental impact and lead times to market. Overall we still see a bright future for print in Ireland, provided we maintain the quality of product and service our customers require, at a competitive price.

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THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 SPONSORS

For Sponsorship Enquiries Contact: Trish Murphy, Sponsorship & Sales Director Email: trish.murphy@ashvillemediagroup.com • Phone: 086 837 9246

Irish Printing Federation

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Interview

‘Government supports

BADLY NEEDED’

Diarmuid Dawson chats to Denise Maguire about the effects lockdown have had on the industry Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, some print firms fared better than others. “We’ve actually been quite busy. We do a lot of security work for the HSE so that kept us going when the pandemic was at its height. We may be in better shape than some other firms but there’s no doubt that the print sector needs help from the government,” said Diarmuid Dawson, MD at Innovative Print Solutions and President of the Irish Printing Federation.

Compared to pre-Covid times, some print firms are currently operating at just 30%. “That’s a situation that cannot last. There have been a couple of success stories with companies producing Covid signage and screens but that’s limited to a small sector of the market.

Commercial print is on its knees.” For an industry that was already under pressure, how can firms emerge from the pandemic and resume operating? “I think that some print firms may not reopen their doors. Before Covid-19 hit, the print industry was already suffering. For print firms to survive, the government needs to step in and look at some kind of VAT holiday or reduction. Longterm government loans or EU grants should also be considered. We’ve been talking about VAT for years but nothing has been done about it. Work is also still leaving the country to be printed elsewhere. That’s certainly not helping.” Our nearest neighbour’s VAT rate on most print items is zero compared to rates of 13.5% and 23% here. “Our industry is shrinking by about 10% a year and that figure could be exacerbated by the pandemic. It’s not a level playing field.” The lack of an apprenticeship scheme also remains an issue.

“Sadly we have not heard back from Solas with regards to the reopening of the print media apprenticeships, despite the need and commitment from industry.”

A recent marketing campaign by An Post which offered €1000 worth of print and direct mail to 1000 small firms for advertising purposes (a total of €1 million), sparked debate amongst IPF members. “We received complaints from some of our members about the campaign. Who’s paying for it? The government is

literally taking jobs away from print firms. You can’t compete with free.”

Throughout lockdown the Design, Print & Packaging Skillnet successfully ran a huge number of online training courses. “Numbers were through the roof. Some were heavily subsidised or free.

Courses specifically relating to the print industry and looking at ways to help businesses return to work were very successful.” The Irish Printing Federation also gave a much-needed helping hand to Age Action during the lockdown. “Age Action ran a programme called ‘Getting Started’ aimed at older people who may not be tech savvy when it comes to mobile phones and the Internet. They put together an A4 booklet and the IPF picked up the tab for its printing and mailing. We also organised sponsorship for the postage.” The IPF also got involved with another worthwhile cause earlier this year. “When there was a shortage of PPE in the country and some companies were hand-cutting visors rather than using machines, we put those companies in touch with firms that could provide cutting machines. Essentially, we helped to deliver volumes as opposed to smaller quantities.” The above examples prove that print clearly has a significant role to play in modern Ireland. Is Diarmuid optimistic for the future of the sector? “I’d say passionate but possibly not optimistic.

We have a huge fight on our hands over the next two years. If the government provides the supports we need, we’ll be in a better position. We’ll continue to lobby for those supports and we’d ask the industry to join us in our campaign by becoming a member of the IPF. It’s only with numbers that we can push for change.”

If you’re involved in print production or a related industry, contact the IPF by emailing info@ irishprintingfederation.ie or calling 0862027588, www.irishprintingfederation.ie. Training is also available via the DPPS – email brian@dppskillnet.ie IRISH PRINTER

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Sustainability

RECYCLING Laurel Brunner, MD at Digital Dots, discusses the importance of sustainable printing and the need for printers to choose their substrates meticulously in order to lower their impact on the environment

Given current anxieties about climate change, it’s safe to say that recycling is on everybody’s mind. But like wide format digital printing, recycling is a business, an industry. It benefits from a massive and complex infrastructure, one that’s gradually been put in place over many years to turn waste into raw materials suitable for secondary products. So far, so simple. But the range of materials recycled and the products into which waste can be turned, plus the complexities of collection, sorting and processing, make this an extremely convoluted and not always environmentally friendly business.

PRINT THE SUSTAINABLE CHOICE

For players in the graphics industry and especially for print buyers, including considerations for how products can be recycled as part of their investment choice can be tough. It seems obvious to choose paper because

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Sustainability as graphics professionals we know that it’s based on a sustainable resource – harvestable trees. We would like to think therefore that paper is the most widely recycled form of waste. However this is not even close to the truth, so maybe we can be a little more expansive in our substrate choices to include certain types of plastic. Plastics are the most recycled materials after asphalt, concrete and steel, mostly because the supply chains are in place to support most plastics recycling and reuse. Although printed paper products score high on the list of recycling volumes, the various sorts are processed differently so they tend to be treated as different categories. For instance cardboard has its own category, as do graphic papers and newsprint. The good news is that technology is helping to improve the efficiency of all types of recycling, plastics included.

SORTED

Optical sorting technology uses sensors and cameras to separate complex waste streams. It uses image analysis data to determine what should happen to a given material, so that it’s sorted into the right reprocessing line. Objects in a conveyor belt can be inspected from above and below and classified according to accept/reject thresholds the operator can set. The use of optical sorting has great promise for paper recycling, which is becoming more urgent as the use of new digital printing techniques and ink recipes spread.

LIGHT FANTASTIC

Nippon Paper in Japan has patented a means of sorting printed matter using light. The technique measures reflected light in order to identify printed paper waste that will be hard to recycle. Printed materials are identified by irradiating the surface of the printed materials and measuring the reflected light. Those that are likely to require multistage deinking or other processes can be removed from the waste stream. They can be routed for deinking and recycling using dedicated processes, or reprocessed into lower grade substrates such as packaging or board.

ABOUT THE DATA

Data analytics is another area where great strides are being made for recycling. Software developers are coming up with platforms that local authorities can use to encourage people to recycle responsibly and to trace those who are not doing so. At their most simple, such platforms provide tools that districts and people can then use for comparison, either with other areas or their neighbouring streets. Digital platforms provide the basis for data collection, community engagement, waste management and recycling performance over time. This ought to lead to changed behaviours so that recycling becomes second nature and poor waste management is recognised as antisocial.

Changing behaviours is fundamental to progress and fortunately the problem isn’t one of innovation. It is rather one of consistency and providing incentives to develop new approaches to recycling that people can support. This is as much about our habits and convenience as it is about

technology, as we all know. Sorting for kerbside collection or taking separated waste to a drop-off point is easy, as long as the infrastructure is in place for it. If the infrastructure isn’t there or if it is complicated, we are less inclined to do the right recycling thing.

GOING WILD

These are all considerations when planning a wide format digital print project and they have to factor into the planning from the start. The easiest answer for creators and designers is to specify substrates that can be recycled, to include instructions to use such materials as part of the design brief and to make sure that sustainable choices are made wherever possible. Many magazine publishers for instance, such as the Economist Group, use bioplastic sleeves when sending titles to subscribers along with instructions to compost the waste plastic, rather than treat it as waste.

COULD DO BETTER

We must all face the fact that our current recycling models need improving. The question is how to make them better and more efficient. Technology and changing behaviour play their parts, but we need to think much more creatively to solve the problem. For instance perhaps the burden of reuse should be shifted onto the producers of the materials, say the substrate manufacturers or distributors, or the printers. We are already seeing small signs of how this model can work in the graphics industry. Agfa Graphics sells the coatings on its printing plates, rather than the plates. The company has in place a system for collecting and recycling used plates, so its customers only pay for the coatings and essentially rent the aluminium that carries it for a few weeks.

Such a model puts the onus on the manufacturer or distributor to take responsibility for the recycling, so it might not work in all sectors of print. But in the wide format digital printing sector, such a model could work for substrates that are particularly hard to recycle. Maybe there is someone somewhere who could work out a viable business model, if the local raw material collection was sorted or delivered to a processing plant.

IT STARTS WITH YOU

It’s clear that like consumption, recycling has to function at a grass roots level. Ideally it should function within national and international frameworks. At the very least we should be following common principles and expectations and we should be able to tell people about what happens to print media waste.

Encouraging common best practice depends on what is considered to be best practice. Is sending paper and board waste to another country best practice? If it supports jobs within the supply chain, perhaps it is. For recycling to be a joined up business, we must accept that commercial imperatives and even legislation have to be considered.

Change needs government support, internationally, nationally and locally, so that the responsibility to recycle sits squarely at the heart of society and economies.

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Innovation

Getting Ireland moving again For the times we now live in, Print Media Services has produced a die-cut, one piece, self-assembling, disposable cardboard face shield Called ‘VisorLite’, the shield provides a protective screen that helps create a barrier covering the eyes, nose and mouth. It can be worn with a medical-type face mask and glasses underneath. VisorLite’s frame is made of cardboard, sourced from sustainably managed forests and is gloss-laminated on the outside for extra protection. The screen is manufactured from anti-mist, shatterproof, transparent plastic. It’s designed to give the user maximum visibility and manoeuvrability, unlike other face shields which impede neck articulation below the chin. “VisorLite is ideal for marketing purposes and will come into its own as events start up again. It’s an excellent marketing tool; companies can put their branding on the shield and give them out free of charge at events.

Value for the brand kicks in when wearers post pictures of themselves wearing the shield across social media. This is really a story of repurposing during a crisis and of producing something new and innovative until the pandemic is over,” said Paddy Gallagher, Sales Director at Print Media Services.

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