Irish Printer Issue 3 2018

I S S U E 3 2 0 1 8 | | T H E V O I C E O F T H E I N D U S T R Y | | W W W. I R I S H P R I N T E R . I E

IN CONVERSATION WITH… DEREK BELL

LABELLING GETS SMART(ER)

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PACKAGING SECTOR 000 IP_2018_iss3_Cover.indd 1

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Whatever ambitions you have for your business, get there with the imagePRESS C850 Series

To find out more contact us at info@canon.ie, call us on 01 2052411 or visit canon.ie/unleashprint

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ISSUE 3 2018

CONTENTS 20 Packaging still on top

The latest drupa global trends report paints a predominantly upbeat picture of the industry but warns that challenges still remain for certain sectors

04 News

A look at some of the latest news from the printing industry

07 ESMA

How best to share technical know-how was the hot topic at ESMA’s General Assembly, held recently in Dublin

09 Aungier Print News

Digital print firm Hacketts has acquired the business of Aungier Print Ltd, formerly of Sackville Place in Dublin

11

Business Print

The first Speedmaster CX75 in Ireland, a five-colour and coater machine, will be delivered to Business Print in Dublin next month

12 MJ Flood

Exclusively distributed in Ireland by MJ Flood, the new and improved Accuriopress C3080 series from Konica Minolta allows printers to expand their print services

23 Equipment

Printers from around the world paid a visit to McGowans Print to hear from EFI and take a look at the impressive Nozomi C18000

24 Q&A

Derek Bell, GPS Colour Graphics, was recognised for his contribution to the industry at the 2017 Irish Print Awards. The Lifetime Achievement recipient tells Irish Printer how it all began

27 The Internet of Labels

Smart labels, efficient make-ready times and the principles of workflow automation were just some of the topics up for discussion at this year’s FINAT Technical seminar

28 What’s new in Print

● 3D printed sports accessories in Italy ● A new era for wallpaper ● Mimaki releases new software update

16 Packaging Trends

As packaging continues to grab more of the market share, we take a look at some of the trends likely to impact on the sector in 2018 and beyond

18 Smart Labels

Advances in intelligent labelling represents a major growth opportunity for converters

19 Sustainable packaging

It has never been a better time for printers to advocate the use of sustainable options

23 IRISH PRINTER

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WELCOME Welcome to Issue 3 of Irish Printer for 2018.

Its been a busy few weeks here at Printer HQ. We’ve been gearing up to open entries for the 2018 Irish Print Awards and by the time you’re reading this, they’ll be up and running. Last year, we were delighted with the number of diverse, innovative entries we received, across all categories. Going on feedback received after last year’s event, we expect to see even more entries this year so don’t delay; get your entry in nice and early and then relax until the 30th of November when the winners will be announced in the Crowne Plaza Northwood.

The Irish Print Awards have become an integral part of the print industry. In terms of category range and inclusiveness, nothing else in the Irish print sector can compare. But as the saying goes, if you’re not in you can’t win. Contact event manager Jacinta O’Rourke (jacinta. orourke@ashvillemediagroup.com) for more information on entry requirements and deadlines.

This month’s issue of Irish Printer is focused on packaging, a sector that continues to grab a large proportion of the market share.

Both Antalis and Avery Dennison have given us their expert take on where the market is headed and how printers can capitalise on the opportunities that exist in the packaging world. Our packaging trends article examines some of the factors that are likely to impact on the sector while the latest drupa global trends report confirms that packaging is still the most buoyant market within the print industry.

This month, myself and sales manager Trish visited McGowans Print to take a look at the EFI Nozomi C18000, a 40m-long press that’s capable of printing up to 246 linear feet per minute and producing up to 77,758 square feet per hour. Representatives from EFI were also on hand to chat with attendees who had travelled from Europe and further afield to see for themselves what the C18000 is capable of. Turn to page 23 to read more about it.

Following his win at the Irish Print Awards last year, we also caught up with Derek Bell from GPS Colour Graphics. Derek was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of a career spanning six decades. He chatted to us about the technological changes he’s seen over the years and the days when paper was delivered by horse and cart. To read more about Derek’s amazing career, turn to page 24.

As always, we look forward to receiving your opinions on this issue or on anything else that’s going on in the industry. Enjoy!

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

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 2018. 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 The Print Show on track for record year According to organisers, additional floorspace has now been made available for this year’s Print Show, set to be held at the NEC in Birmingham from September 18th to 20th. A host of brands have signed up to appear at the show this year including HP, EFI, Hybrid Services (Mimaki), Morgana Systems, Duplo, Friedheim International, Two Sides/Print Power, Denmaur Independent Papers and Amaya. Due to restricted space, the Sign Show which had originally been planned to run alongside the Print Show, has been postponed until 2019.

4

Mimaki

to showcase 3D and sign graphics products at Fespa

Mimaki will be showcasing its full line of products at FESPA 2018, to be held from 15 - 18 May in Berlin. The company will also participate in several of FESPA’s special exhibits, such as the World Wrap Masters competition, Printeriors and the new textile feature Print Make Wear.

In the area of sign graphics, Mimaki’s solvent and UV LED roll-to-roll machines will be on display along with the UCJV300 series. First introduced in September last year, the UCJV300-160 is a printer/cutter featuring ultra-low running costs and instantly dry ink.

Three new smaller models were also recently announced – UCJV300-75, UCJV300-107 and UCJV300-130, with print widths of up to 80cm, 109cm, and 136cm respectively. For industrial markets, the full range of UV LED flatbed printers will be on display, from the A3and A2-format machines all the way up to the grand format JFX200-2531.

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NEWS Mark Andy runs Digital One workshops Over the past couple of months, Mark Andy has held a series of workshops at its showroom and demonstration facility in Warsaw on its toner-based entry level digital press, Digital One. The firm describes the press as a simple and compact solution that relieves the pressure of short runs on flexo presses. Mark Andy Sales Manager Lukasz Chruslinski said: “Digital One improves efficiency on short run work with its short make-ready time and variable information capability. It is designed for companies that do not have the need for an industrial solution in digital print, but who still demand high quality and a variety of added-value options.” Digital One has a 330mm web width and in addition to its CMYK dry toner print engine, has a flexo unit for an additional colour, varnish, cold foil or laminating, followed by a die cutting station and rewind.

High fashion on show at FESPA At FESPA 2018, Epson will demonstrate the Monna Lisa industrial textile press along with the SureColor SC-F9300 dye sublimation printer, the SureColor SC-F2100 Direct To Garment printer and the popular SureColor SC-F6200. The Epson stand will highlight an haute couture womenswear collection

by Richard Quinn, who recently won the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design and was presented with the award at London Fashion Week. All the items in this collection were printed on SureColor

Speakers confirmed for Dublin label event The speaker line-up for the FINAT European Label Forum 2018, to be held on the 6 - 8 June in Citywest Hotel, Dublin has been announced. Speakers will include Alastair Campbell who will discuss Brexit and its implications for relations between the EU and the UK. Gavin Killeen, Managing Director of Nuprint Technologies Ltd will give attendees a comprehensive overview of the Irish market while Andy Thomas, Strategic Director at Tarsus Labels & Packaging Group will explain how the scope of the labels and packaging world has been evolving over time. Other speakers include Professor Noreena Hertz and Keran Turakhia, author of “if packaging could

SC-F Series printers. Richard Barrow, Senior Product Manager – Production LFP said: “There is a thirst from PSPs for diversification, a willingness to find ways of giving customers even more products that will communicate the brand or the corporate message. Broadening the range is a way of adding value to the services they provide to customers and cementing the partnership, leaving no hole for an alternative supplier to fill.”

talk”, Director of Hive IP ltd and founder of iPackaging Expertise Ltd who will talk about the true value in digital packaging. For more information on the event, visit www.europeanlabelforum.com

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NEWS

Shell

chooses Ricoh as managed print services provider

Drytac polar printable self-adhesive films available from Antalis Drytac, a manufacturer of self-adhesive materials for the print, label and industrial markets, has announced that its exclusive UK and Ireland distributor Antalis is now stocking the entire range of Drytac Polar films. The range of vinyls is available in both matte and gloss finishes with both permanent and removable adhesive versions. According to the company, the products are suitable for numerous medium and long-term indoor and outdoor graphics applications.

Ricoh has been chosen as the single source managed print services provider for the Shell Group. As part of the agreement, Ricoh will support Shell’s managed print operations in 98 global locations which will include deployment of several thousand Ricoh multifunction printers and Ricoh’s Streamline NX, Device Manager NX and mobile printing software. Ricoh will administrate and manage the software from within the Shell private cloud infrastructure and will have 20 Ricoh engineers onsite at Shell offices to provide on the ground support. In other news, Ricoh Ireland recently announced that it’s to double its sales team as part of a commercial expansion programme.

The company is looking to recruit additional sales professionals in account management and business development roles. This follows Ricoh’s announcement last year of 110 new jobs as part of a €6.5 million investment in its new Irish headquarters based in Swords, Dublin.

Sappi launches paperbased packaging with sealing functionality Sappi has made improvements to the packaging solution it launched in

‘Unleash Print’ at Pure Digital 2018

2016 by introducing Sappi Seal to the

At Pure Digital 2018, held on the 17th of April in Amsterdam,

market, a flexible packaging solution

Canon Europe explored the role played by digital print in

with improved sealing properties,

bringing design to life and helping creative professionals fulfil

which is also recyclable. The product is

the potential of their work. Mathew Faulkner, Canon Europe’s

designed to replace hot seal laminates

Senior Manager for Applications Development in Graphics

made from plastic with materials

and Communications, joined UK-based professional

containing a high proportion of

photographer Clive Booth and Norwegian interior architect

renewable raw materials. Sappi Seal is

Maria Horgen to share their individual perspectives on how

single side coated and has been finished

digital print enhances their creativity. Commenting on the event,

with a dispersion coating on the reverse

Mathew said: “At Canon, we believe passionately that print has

side, which achieves good results with

unique potential to unleash the full impact of creative ideas.

hot sealing. It is ideal for use as flexible

That can mean bringing striking photographic images

standard packaging in the food and

or fine art to life in a physical form, realising powerful marketing

non-food sectors where hot sealing

campaign concepts across multiple channels from home

properties are required. This includes

to outdoor to store, creating personalised packaging that

primary packaging, such as sachets, but

delivers a memorable unboxing experience, or transforming

also secondary packaging, such as flow-

interior spaces with customised digitally printed wall coverings,

wraps for sweets, toys or DIY goods.

flooring, window graphics and surface décor.”

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NEWS

ESMA

New ideas at ESMA Dublin event Screen and digital printing supplier companies came together on the 9th of March in Dublin for this year’s General Assembly of ESMA, European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association. Debbie Thorp from Global Inkjet Systems was appointed the association’s new Chair during the Assembly.

Commenting on her new position, she said: “I am taking over as Chair at a time when ESMA is stronger and more successful than ever before – the challenge now is to sustain this momentum and continue to provide maximum benefits to our members.” Discussions held during the Assembly focused on how best to share knowledge among members, with attendees deciding the focus should be on educational activities at which technical knowledge transfer is accompanied by commercial information exchange and networking opportunities. 2018 looks to be an extremely busy year for the organisation, with several conferences, industry shows and theory and practice trainings planned.

“ESMA already runs a growing number of events, but we aim to increase the Return on Membership for as many members of the association as possible over the next few years. We hope this RoM concept will help retain membership and also attract new members,” said Debbie Thorp. The next ESMA General Assembly will take place in mid-March 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

How best to share technical know-how was the hot topic at ESMA’s General Assembly, held recently in Dublin

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NOW OPEN FOR ENTRY! ENTER NOW AT: www.irishprinter.ie/awards

For details on the Irish Print Awards, please contact Jacinta O'Rourke at JACINTA.OROURKE@ASHVILLE.COM ph 01 4322201

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Digital print firm Hacketts has acquired the business of Aungier Print Ltd, formerly of Sackville Place in Dublin. Headquartered in Baggot Street, Hacketts currently has four print production locations, in Dublin city centre, Dun Laoghaire, Cork and Limerick. The addition of Aungier Print will extend the company’s presence on the Northside of the city while offering additional services to Aungier Print’s customer base.

Commenting on the acquisition Joe Hackett, Managing Director of Hacketts, said: “We are very happy with this deal – acquisition is an important element of our growth strategy over the next five years.

Aungier Print extends our geographical reach and adds some new services, such as perfect binding. They have built a very successful business and we look forward to working with Grahame Spencer and Rob Salmon to continue its development.” Aungier Print has operated in the Dublin area for more than 20 years. Talking about the acquisition, Grahame Spencer, Director of Aungier Print Ltd, said that he and the team are enthusiastic about joining Hacketts.

“We had to move out of our Sackville Street premises in January which was a real challenge to the business, so we were very happy to meet Hacketts which is a very similar style of business to ours in terms of friendly personal service. The transition has gone very well and we have settled into the new location quite easily. I’m very optimistic about the future of the business.”

rm td

Hacketts extends Dublin presence with new acquisition

i ital print un ier rint

Hacke s

ac etts has ac uired the business rmerl ac ille lace in ublin

NEWS

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26/04/2018 25/04/2018 10:31 09:02

NEWS Business Print Investing in the future

According to Heidelberg, the newly launched midrange B2 press will open up new opportunities in different markets for the company which is already well established as a customer focused supplier of design, print, direct mail and fulfilment services.

Kieran Finegan, one of the four company directors, visited the Heidelberg Open House in Brentford and said: “This is the right press for us because it will handle substrates from 80gsm to 0.6mm board with minimum changeover and that flexibility is critical. Its rolling power, combined with the EasyControl spectral device, will ensure we can easily and efficiently produce top quality, consistent colour at speed and access the data to prove it.”

Paul O’Rourke (who with father Larry and brother John completes the director line up) also said: “This press replaces a Sakurai SRA2 and a Ryobi B3 press and it was chosen only after a lengthy and extensive review of what was available. The fifth unit will allow us to run special colours for brands and it is a press that allows us to do a two for one swap out. It was the right priceperformance choice.”

he

rst peedmaster in reland a e c l ur and c ater machine will be deli ered t usiness rint in ublin ne t m nth

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Commercial Profile

Quality matched with performance Exclusively distributed in Ireland

by MJ Flood, the new and improved AccurioPress C3080 series from Konica Minolta allows printers to expand their print services Available from MJ Flood, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe recently introduced a new line of production printing systems with the launch of the AccurioPress C3080 series. As a successor of the AccurioPress C2070 series, the AccurioPress C3080 digital series combines the outstanding quality and performance of the previous models with additional features and options to adapt to individual customer requirements. It also helps increase customer profitability by creating smooth and streamlined workflows to expand print services.

According to MJ Flood, the AccurioPrint C3070/C3080 systems are perfect for print providers in a demanding production environment. Both devices provide an easy transition into digital printing, with entry-level finishing features and an optional modular concept for maximum colour consistency. C3070L is an entry level whereas C3070/C3080 series will bring customers from entry level up to mid-range or high volume needs.

Commenting on the machine, Phil Schueler, MJ Flood Production Print Manager said: “The 3080 series is ahead of the competition in several key ways. It has the ability to duplex 762mm even on our entry level C3070L while it can also run up to 1300mm on the entry level. This places the series above and beyond its nearest competitors.�

With these machines, customers benefit from superb image quality and optimal media flexibility. For commercial printers and CRDs with high volume demands, Konica Minolta

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Commercial Profile

FROM TOP: Belfast from the left: Mr. Pat Rice, MJ Flood Belfast branch Managing Director, Ms. Jane Dixon, MJ Flood Sales Executive, Mr. Danny McFaul, MJ Flood Account Manager; Dublin from the left: Mr. Phil Schueler, MJ Flood Production Print Manager, Mr. Mark Lynam, MJ Flood Production Print Consultant

offers the AccurioPress C3070/C3080/P. These devices are particularly well suited for the creation of digital printing materials thanks to their professional modular finishing, outstanding colour and registration stability and excellent print quality.

With a print speed of 81ppm in colour and monochrome, the AccurioPress C3080 series enables print providers to create more business opportunities by handling a high media flexibility and wide range of essential digital printing applications. The series, distributed exclusively in Ireland by MJ Flood, comes with improved thick paper support for various media types, such as coated and embossed paper up to 350 gsm. In addition, a large capacity unit for banners up to 762 mm in size ensures efficient banner printing. Auto duplex printing and paper capacity of up to 15,390 sheets maximises uptime.

The IQ-501 (intelligent quality optimizer), an integrated colour care unit, delivers automatic and real-time colour and registration adjustment and the creation of printer profiles with skill-less operation.

This helps eliminate input time and reduces errors. Commenting on the AccurioPress C3080 series, Phil Schueler said: “As there is no longer the need for measurement or numerical input, high quality print products are constantly available with fewer manual settings and less human errors. In addition, thanks to real-time monitoring and automation during printing, high quality is ensured, contributing to cost reduction through less waste but also improving customer trust.”

The new colour dual scanner is capable of running at a speed of up to 240 ipm and is equipped with a double-feed detection kit to avoid scanning two sheets at once. Envelope production has increased in speed, too, resulting in a more cost-effective process.

OpenAPI provides a seamless interface between Konica Minolta production printing devices and third-party solutions for accounting, authentication or scan routing such as YSoft Safe Q and Nuance eCopy Sharescan. Furthermore, IWS (Internal Web Server) enables the user interface to be customised based on operator requirements, which makes every day work more efficient.

“The enhanced productivity and improved job flexibility for banner printing, as well as the IQ-501 feature, has proven extremely advantageous for the print sector. The consistently high image quality of the AccurioPress C3080 series has been well received in the commercial printing industry and that’s why the range is perfectly positioned to contribute to customers’ business expansion,” said Phil Schueler, MJ Flood Production Print Manager.

In other news from the company, MJ Flood recently held a Print & Finishing event in the Stormont Hotel Belfast where Konica Minolta’s AccurioPress C3070L was on display for attendees to inspect. The extremely well-attended event was hailed a huge success, with attendees seeing for themselves the efficiency, functionality and high performance of the equipment.

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We are pleased to announce the opening of our first Irish Sales Office. Peak are a long established family run business with over 44 years’ worth of experience in producing and supplying an extensive product range with flexible production capabilities. We are widely recognised as the UK’s no.1 supplier of envelopes and associated postal packaging solutions. We hope to extend our excellent service to the Irish Market. We are proud to produce on site and have a dedicated team to ensure that your product is made to the highest quality whilst meeting your delivery requirements. Our team in Kilkenny are on hand to ensure an efficient service to the Irish Market and to assist with all aspects of the customer’s requirements.

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Any size: tiny bankers of 60x80mm to huge C2 wallets. We can make envelopes to enclose just about any item.

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The rise of packaging The packaging sector is showing no signs of slowing down. Irish Printer takes a look at some of the trends shaping the packaging world and examines where the opportunities lie for printers

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Packaging

The future of packaging… is here, or almost here. As packaging continues to grab more of the market share, we take a look at some of the trends likely to impact on the sector in 2018 and beyond

Innovation The prevailing attitude that packaging is often unnecessary will evolve as innovations in packaging continue to make headlines.

Clever packaging can extend the freshness of food and can provide efficient and safe access to essential products in developing countries.

Hybrid technology Printers are increasingly looking to combine the benefits of web offset with the advantages that digital, flexo and gravure can offer. Investment in modular in-line platforms is set to increase and will play a big role in how printers adapt to the industry’s changing requirements.

Label design Drop the graphics – minimalism and

Market growth The next few years will see growth in six packaging formats – flexible, corrugated, labels, metal, folding carton and rigid plastics.

New press designs featuring more automation options and integrated inkjet solutions will take advantage of this growth and provide printers with improved reliability.

simple colour palettes are showing signs

Tech

of becoming major trends. In contrast,

As more printers opt for automated defect detection, the requirement for

industries like craft beer and beverage are

human defect review is decreasing. Software and inspection equipment have

opting for more striking print patterns.

become more precise and will continue to improve as demand increases.

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Packaging Clever investment

Shorter print run lengths

Investing in the likes of

currently more expensive than other

food safe ink systems,

options, the latest presses allow for

LED curing on flexo

greater production capacity, flexible data

presses, in-house plate

management, multiple substrate capability

processing/platemaking

etc. For digital packaging film printing

and business and

equipment, improving technology also means

manufacturing

plates and pre-processes can be eliminated.

automation now will

Unit costs might still be higher than flexo

help differentiate

printing for large scale print runs, but digital

packaging printers in

equipment is more affordable for short-runs.

Although digital printing equipment is

the future.

The year of the flexo printer improvements in technology will see the flexo printer utilise the screen, anilox and plate to deliver high quality print across all jobs, allowing them to compete with the digital and gravure sectors.

E-packaging

An increase in online shopping means more importance is being placed on e-commerce packaging. The ‘experience’ of shopping with a particular brand must be reflected by both the packaging that’s viewed online and transit packaging that’s opened by the consumer upon delivery.

Automation, automation, automation Simplified automated workflows are reducing or eliminating manual intervention while increasing print quality. Automated solutions are being described by some as a way of countering the lack of skilled professionals in the industry. Technology solutions that facilitate the sharing of data before, during and after print production will also help to reduce waste and increase print quality.

Cleaner oceans Brands are being called on to keep marine conservation at the forefront of packaging development and to anchor the circular economy for future generations. Preventing more packaging from becoming waste is key for consumers but also for brands.

Intelligent labelling and sustainability The demand for sustainable packaging and labels is increasing all the time. Sustainability across the supply chain of the self-adhesive industry is also improving with the use of biopolymers and green chemistry.

Enticing young consumers Nowadays, millennials are less likely to purchase from the mass-produced or processed aisles in a supermarket. Research shows they’re buying fresh food or niche items. Contemporary packaging is increasingly being used to refresh a brand’s image and communicate a product’s healthy attributes.

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Packaging

Labelling gets smart(er) Advances in intelligent labelling represent a major growth opportunity for converters Rapid changes have been taking place in the packaging sector. Some developments are becoming familiar, such as the drive towards more sustainable materials and the use of individually serialised digital print. However, there are still untapped opportunities for converters who are able to exploit state-of-the-art intelligent labelling technologies.

Most label converters understand barcodes and QR codes, including item-level customisation. Digitally printed labels like these are set to grow further as brand owners and retailers seek direct and more relevant communication with consumers via quick changeovers and variable information printing. For converters looking for new business, there is also huge untapped potential for more sophisticated technologies like near-field communication (NFC) and RFID. Smart packaging can be about far more than shelf impact – it can improve logistics, enhance consumer engagement and digitalise products, opening up the world of the Internet of Things (IoT). Intelligent labels are enabling the connection between the physical and the digital worlds, offering businesses access to data that was previous impossible to collect. Avery Dennison has long been a pioneer in RFID technology, with over 800 patents and applications worldwide. RFID is often applied at the item level to shine a light on inventory from manufacture to point of sale and beyond.

Benefits range from improved inventory visibility to increased product availability – driving efficiency in the product supply chain.

Growth areas

Smart labelling applications usually fall into four main categories. Content communication is the first – both for consumers, who can gain additional value and for businesses who want to ensure a more effective logistics process. Replenishment comes next, where intelligent labelling can inform either consumers or retailers from an empty bottle in the fridge to an empty warehouse shelf.

Product safety and product authenticity are two more focus areas for smart labelling solutions. Product expiration dates can be monitored far more easily, with commercial benefits that include first-in-first-out stock management.

Intelligent labels can also safeguard highly perishable food and pharmaceutical products. TT Sensor Plus 2 is a label around one-third the size of a credit card which logs and stores temperature data for uploading to a smartphone using NFC at any point in the supply chain. It replaces bulky and expensive conventional data loggers.

When it comes to intelligent labelling, one thing is certain – consumers will continue to expect supply chain improvements and businesses will look for ways to surface information.

Intelligent labels provide the means, with the added benefit that the consumer experience is personalised to the product itself, triggered by each unique digital identity.

*Data source: IDTechEx 2017

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Packaging

Taking stock of sustainable packaging Right now, it has never been a better time for printers to advocate the use of sustainable options. Ian Cunningham, Packaging Sector Manager at Antalis Ireland, explains how taking stock of ecopackaging options could pay dividends

The EU’s commitment to recycling 55% of plastic waste by 2030, as part of a wider plan to tackle the 25 million tonnes of plastic waste generated each year in Europe, has brought Ireland’s plastic packaging issue into focus.

At the same time, awareness around eco-packaging has reached a tipping point, with consumers increasingly calling for packaging to be both recyclable and made from recycled material.

The result is that it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to embrace eco-packaging options to build a brand identity as an ethical and responsible trader. For the printer, this offers a great diversification opportunity when it comes to consulting customers on how to build their green packaging credentials without driving up costs.

Of course, this may require upskilling and new learning. As a good starting point, it may sound obvious but printers should ensure customers are only using the amount of packaging needed to do the job. After all, the less there is, the less waste there will be and minimal packaging sends a clear message that a business only uses what’s necessary. Simply choosing the correct size and strength boxes, for example, can reduce the amount of protective cushioning or void fill that would be required to protect the goods, alleviating waste and keeping costs down.

Going for the cheapest option is often a false economy.

By putting price first, your customer may be using packaging which isn’t fit for purpose, resulting in unnecessary damage, returns and in turn, extra waste. It’s always worth advocating a solution from a reputable brand where quality is assured.

The choice of material is equally important. A key complaint about

modern packaging is the mix of materials, leading to customer confusion regarding what can and can’t be recycled. Therefore businesses should choose products made from similar materials that can be recycled together, such as paper and corrugate.

Simple switches to smarter solutions can also make a big difference. For instance, printers would be well placed to recommend the use of Geami, an eco-friendly alternative to bubble wrap which negates the need for tape.

As businesses increasingly come under the spotlight when it comes to their choice of packaging and packaging waste, the recommendation for printers who aren’t already doing so is to evolve their role to become more of a packaging advisor.

Not only will it provide a way to create stand out and boost profit potential, but it will help customers to keep one step ahead of the green curve.

IRISH PRINTER

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drupa

Packaging still on top The latest drupa global trends report paints a predominantly upbeat picture of the industry but warns that challenges still remain for certain sectors According to the report, which tracked performance patterns over the past few years, printers and suppliers from most market sectors are reporting growing confidence in their companies’ economic performance. Packaging remains the most buoyant market while there has also been a steady improvement in confidence over five years amongst commercial printers.

Functional printers were following a similar positive story but there was a puzzling increase in uncertainty this year for both printers and suppliers to this market. Publishing printers probably face the most challenging strategic changes and there is a decline in assurance this year, despite the reducing threat from E-books.

Commenting on the report’s findings, Sabine Geldermann, Director drupa, Messe Duesseldorf said: “The report indicates that print can be optimistic about the future. After the double blow of the 2008 global recession and the consumer shift to digital communications, printers and suppliers are taking full advantage of the slow but clear global economic revival and finding new ways to exploit emerging technologies so as to place print as a central tool for consumers.”

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drupa Over 700 printers and almost 250 suppliers participated in the survey run by UKbased firm Printfuture and Swiss company Wissler & Partner. Richard Gray, Operations Director at Printfuture, said: “Both printers and suppliers clearly understand the strategic challenges that print faces. However there is increasing confidence in a strong future for printers in most markets and regions, as long as they analyse their target markets carefully and make suitable innovations to meet the future needs of their clients’ customers.”

Challenges for some regions but strong growth in suppliers’ core sales In regional terms, the report states the picture is positive in general but with clear exceptions. North America has been consistently the strongest region over time, although Europe has shown steadily increasing confidence. Africa and the Middle East have shown a decline in confidence over the past few years.

Globally, this is the fourth year of increasing confidence reported by suppliers.

According to drupa, what’s striking this year is the surge in sales of core equipment/ software/materials (+29% net balance).

Indeed, all supplier revenue streams showed their best ever net positive balance.

Globally, printers are reporting that the squeeze on prices and margins is continuing and is coped with best by ever increasing utilisation and revenues, whilst holding costs as steady as possible. There is evidence that over time, this squeeze is lessening globally.

However, the regional picture is far more patchy.

Digital print grows but conventional print still dominates

The transition to digital print is continuing albeit slowly, with functional printers largely dependent on digital print but few packaging printers reporting significant digital sales (60% of functional printers are reporting that more that 50% of turnover is digital, whilst just 12% of packaging printers are reporting that more than 25% of turnover is digital). It is striking that only 27% of all printer participants operate a Web to Print/Storefront installation, up just 2% from 2014.

Globally, printers are more willing to invest. 42% reported an increase in capital expenditure compared to the previous year while 9% reported a decline – a positive net balance of 33%. Not surprisingly, packaging printers reported the biggest positive net balance at +45%, functional at +42%, commercial at +30% and publishing at +20%. Finishing is the most popular focus for investment for the second year running, followed by print technology and then prepress/ workflow/MIS. The report also states that plans for print investment in 2018 depends on the market sector, with flexo the most popular choice in packaging, followed by sheetfed offset.

In commercial, digital toner cutsheet colour is in the lead followed closely by sheetfed offset and digital inkjet wideformat. In publishing, it’s sheetfed offset that leads with digital toner cutsheet colour in second. Lastly, in functional, digital toner cutsheet colour is out front and digital inkjet wide-format takes second place.

Packaging remains the most buoyant market, with a steady improvement in c n dence am n st commercial printers

IRISH PRINTER

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26/04/2018 24/04/2018 10:33 15:56

EFI comes to town Printers from around the world paid a visit to McGowans to take a look at the impressive Nozomi C18000

In 2017, McGowans Print installed the EFI Nozomi C18000 at its facility in Ballymun, Dublin. Ideal for short-run corrugated packaging and display production, the 1.8m-wide press can print up to 246 linear feet per minute, producing up to 77,758 square feet per hour. It can also print on materials from 14-point card stock to triple-wall board including traditional Kemi, model, bleach and kraft materials, at full press-rated speeds.

To showcase the capabilities of the press, McGowans recently held an event at its Ballymun premises which saw speakers including Mal McGowan and EFI Nozomi Directors Frank Janssen and Javier Quesada talk about the technology behind the machine and the trends that are shaping the future of the corrugated packaging and display industry. Attendees also got the chance to see the C18000 in action and the impressive image quality it can produce.

You won’t find the LED inkjet corrugated board press anywhere else in Ireland and even for a print company as large as McGowans, a facility large enough to house the 40m-long press had to be sourced by the firm. “We researched all the single-pass technology available for large-format printing and the EFI Nozomi press was the best in class by far for our applications,” said Mal McGowan. “The press checks all the boxes for point-of-sale applications and it has also allowed us to quickly enter the packaging market.”

“The press checks all the boxes for point-ofsale applications. It has also allowed us to quickly enter the packaging market.”

Equipment

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Q&A

How did you get involved in the industry?

I left school at 15 and my father got me a job as a cutter and line ruler in the Educational Company. After a year or so working there, my father secured me a job in a commercial print firm as an apprentice. I served my six years there and learned my trade.

Talking to‌

DEREK BELL

Why the interest in the print sector specifically?

My father was a printer and his father was a compositor so you could say it was in the blood. I had been in and out of William Finlay Print as a child so even at that stage, I was familiar with the trade. I learned a great deal from my father, it was just the two of us working in The Commercial Printing Company. After about two and a half years he unfortunately had a heart attack and passed away. I ended up running the department for a few weeks until they got another experienced printer which was good experience for an 18 year old. I finished my time there and moved to Finlay Packaging where I worked for a couple of years.

Derek Bell, GPS Colour Graphics, was recognised for his contribution to the industry at the 2017 Irish Print Awards. The Lifetime Achievement recipient tells Irish Printer how it all began

Derek receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from Award’s judge Freddie Snowe

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Q&A

Was it always your intention to start up on your own?

It was. Before I attempted to start my own company, I got some more experience in newspapers and I also went back to Finlay’s for a couple of years. In 1970 I set up my own company. That particular venture was somewhat short-lived as the building was burned down during one of the bombings in Belfast. On the 1st of July 1973 I started up again on University Street with an A4 machine which gradually led to the purchase of an A3 machine. It went from there.

Derek and the GPS team at the Irish Print Awards

How did the business progress?

We moved to a larger house on the Ormeau Road and stayed there for about five years. In 1983, I acquired a company called Mayne & Boyd Ltd and so moved into that new 10,000 sq ft premises. It was so big I thought we’d never be able to fill it but we did. In 1994, we amalgamated with Nelson & Knox and once again moved to their 25,000 sq ft premises. That seemed like a huge space but we managed to fill it again! Today we’re in a 125,000 sq ft premises.

How involved are you in the business today?

These days I go in to see how things are running. My son, my two daughters and my son-in-law are involved so it’s still very much a family business. As I always say, the staff at GPS love me to go on holiday and hate to see me coming back!

You’ve seen a lot of changes in the industry over the years

I’m 74 now so yes, I’ve seen the industry change dramatically. As I said in my speech at the Irish Print Awards, when I started in the Educational Company, paper was delivered by horse and cart and every ream was carried off and stacked by hand. The machinery is like Star Wars now compared to what it was like years ago. As a litho printer things were a little different back then; to get an image for litho, it had to be a previous letterpress printed job. You took a photograph of it and a plate was then made for a litho machine. Nowadays the customer supplies made up pages.

Do you think those advances in technology have led to less staff being employed in the industry?

People have different skills sets now. Back when I entered the industry, it would have taken a couple of hundred people to make 100 B1 plates. Now, the same job can be done in an hour with just two people ready to take the finished plates to the press. Today, skills lie elsewhere. We currently have about 80 people in the company.

During periods of economic uncertainty, were you worried about the business?

I’ve always worried about the business closing down so I’ve always tried to do things more efficiently. I never felt the need to downscale the business and actually, during the most recent recession, I actually upscaled. The recession was good for us business-wise. We found that some of the less competitive printers closed their doors and their customers ended up coming to us. Thanks to the quality of our service, they ended up staying with us.

What do you attribute your success to?

Luck! As well as that, I have a competitive instinct.

Even when I was an apprentice working at a commercial printer, I didn’t wait until the normal start time to switch on the machine. I was always eager to get going as soon as possible. If I can do the job faster or more efficiently than someone else, that’s what I’ll do and that’s what I’ve tried to instil in the people I have working at GPS.

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I S S U E 2 2 0 1 8 | | T H E V O I C E O F T H E I N D U S T R Y | | W W W. I R I S H P R I N T E R . I E

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Celebrating four decades of Irish print

THE MERITS OF MIS

PLUS PRINT - AT THE TOP OF ITS GAME 05/04/2018 11:44

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 || THE VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY || WWW.IRISHPRINTER.IE

Print Powers Ahead

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ADVERTISE

To advertise in IRISH PRINTER contact Trish Murphy, Sales and Sponsorship Director 01 432 2231 or email trish.murphy@ashvillemediagroup.com FC advert IP_1C_JM_IP_V5.indd template.indd 1 Advertise 1

26/04/2018 11:51 11:05

Labels

The internet of labels

Attendees at the FINAT Technical Seminar

Smart labels, efficient make-ready times and the principles of workflow automation were just some of the topics up for discussion at this year’s FINAT Technical seminar, held in Barcelona in March Speakers included Günther Dieroff of Swedish label printers Beneli, who discussed the sheer scope of the customer engagement market, which is ‘everywhere from childhood to retirement’, particularly in partnership with mobile devices. He talked about the NFC digital corridors that can deliver successful business results for brands and retailers and said that on-pack promotions and invitations to connect with a product are creating increased consumer engagement. However, he said, QR codes are not the route to follow. “Only 155 of smart device users know how to scan properly,” he said, adding that “they are ugly.” Delegates also heard from the seminar’s keynote speaker, Andy Hobsbawm, co-founder and CMO of leading Internet of Things smart products platform EVRYTHNG. He discussed the ways in which the Internet of Things and data have enabled smart products to transform brand relationships, customer interactions, product authentication and brand security, business management and service experiences – an arena where labels on packaging can play a number of key roles.

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Packaging

What’s New in Print A new era for wallpaper UK-based Industrial Inkjet Ltd showcased a core part of its machine at the inaugural Pure Digital show at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam. Attendees were updated on IIJ’s development of a full speed industrial wallpaper-production capability using digital technology, developed in collaboration with partner Konica Minolta. The solution competes with conventional printing methods on productivity, print width, speed, ink performance and cost-per-roll.

Massivit Worlds of large format 3D printing and winter sports merge A pair of oversized goggles, a helmet, a full-size snowboard and a gigantic ski boot was recently produced on Massivit 1800 3D Printers for a week-long ski festival in Sella Ronda, Italy. The organisers of the event enlisted the help of two European large format print providers – Italian advertising agency SismaItalia and French-based METROPOLE, in partnership with Marie 3D – to produce the range of largerthan-life 3D printed winter sport accessories. Measuring 2.2m-long and 2.3m-high, the ski boot comprised two pieces and was produced in just 38 hours.

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Mimaki

Mimaki releases free FineCut update for Adobe Illustrator CC2018

Mimaki’s UK and Irish distributor, Hybrid Services has announced a free update for the company’s FineCut plugin software that supports Adobe’s recently released Illustrator CC2018 application on both Mac and PC platforms. The FineCut plugin is supplied free of charge with all Mimaki’s pinch roll and flatbed cutting plotters and streamlines the production process, enabling users to work in industry standard software yet with hardware specific options to hand. Existing Mimaki FineCut users can update their software for free via a link to a download on Mimaki’s global website by visiting www.hybridservices.co.uk/fc8

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SAVE THE DATE WHEN: 30th NOVEMBER 2018 WHERE: CROWNE PLAZA NORTHWOOD, DUBLIN 9

For details on the Irish Print Awards, please contact Jacinta O'Rourke at JACINTA.OROURKE@ASHVILLE.COM ph 01 4322201

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26/04/2018 23/03/2018 11:49 15:20

Your Trade Print Partner Our new Nozomi C18000 is a quantum leap in the evolution of print.

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26/04/2018 25/04/2018 11:52 16:20