Irish Printer Issue 1 2020

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skills shortages are obstructing growth in the print industry. So why hasn’t the apprenticeship scheme been re-established? The Irish Printing Federation wants answers

THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL IMPRESS PRINTING WORKS ON ITS DOUBLE WIN AT THE 2019 IRISH PRINT AWARDs INVESTING IN THE FUTURE CUBE PUTS CUSTOMERS FIRST WITH TWO NEW HEIDELBERG MACHINES 000 IP_2020_issue1_Coverv3.indd 1

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ISSUE 1 2020

04 News

A look at what’s happening in the print industry

09 Set for growth

Investment in a new HP Stitch means Pixalili can now add decoration to polyester fabrics on demand, while giving existing customers more choice

16 11 Better business with Ricoh

Ricoh Ireland boosts business growth for Definition Print in €500,000 partnership

20 Expect the unexpected When it comes to understanding the latest innovations in the print industry and how they’ll reshape your future, drupa is even more important than you think, writes Isidore Leiser

Enough is enough

Diarmuid Dawson and Dermot Downer talk about the challenges facing the industry in the year ahead

22 Are you seeing the bigger picture?

13 S atisfaction guaranteed at Frankfurt Trade Fairs

Over 3,051 exhibitors from 74 countries attended this year’s Christmasworld, Paperworld and Creativeworld consumer goods fairs

Irish Print Awards judge John Charnock offers some thoughts to get you thinking about the direction your company might be headed in

26 Can we expect a forward leap in automation?

Graeme Richardson-Locke talks about recognising the opportunities in automation and what visitors to this year’s Fespa should expect

IRISH PRINTER

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Welcome to Issue 1 of Irish Printer for 2020.

For the first issue of 2020, Irish Printer spoke to Diarmuid Dawson and Dermot Downer about the issues they feel are set to shape the industry over the next 12 months. Both feel that Irish print firms are being short changed when it comes to work continually being sent abroad for printing. It’s an issue that’s been to the forefront of the industry for several years and one that the Irish Printing Federation has been lobbying government on for just as long. However, the main challenge that Dermot and Diarmuid wanted to talk about is the apprenticeship scheme and the lack of support they feel they have received from the parties involved. With the industry suffering the effects of a very serious skills shortage, there’s never been a greater requirement for a fit for purpose scheme that provides young people with the training they need to excel in this industry. The IPF has decided to place the apprenticeship issue squarely in the hands of the government with the hope being that a positive decision will be made sooner rather than later. For more on this, turn to page 19.

We also caught up with Fintan O’Callaghan from Impress Printing Works for this issue of Irish Printer. He chatted to us about the company’s double win at the Irish Print Awards and the reasons why he feels Impress took home the coveted Printer of the Year award.

Elsewhere in this issue, we take a look at Pixalili’s investment in a new HP Stitch, how Ricoh Ireland is helping Definition Print offer its customers an improved service and why Cube is expecting great things from its two new Heidelberg 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!

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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 2019. 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

IRISH PRINTER

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NEWS RICOH LAUNCHES A4 COLOUR INTELLIGENT DEVICES Ricoh has announced the launch of a new series of A4 colour intelligent devices to meet the ever-evolving needs of digital workplaces. The range is part of Ricoh’s Dynamic Workplace Intelligence approach and features Ricoh’s Always Current Technology, a platform that empowers people to work smarter via technologies that deliver scalability, security, sustainability and

UPCOMING COURSES AT DPPS

simplicity. Users can download and

The Design, Print, & Packaging Skillnet has released details of its courses

install new applications, features and

for the year. All courses are heavily subsidised, with some costing 50%

upgrades directly to their device as

less when booked with the training network. They can be booked online

they become available. The four new

at dppskillnet.ie or email Maureen@dppskillnet.ie to book and request an

A4 colour intelligent MFPs available in

invoice.

Europe include the RICOH IM C300, IM C300F, IM C400F and IM C400SRF.

3 March Finance for Non-Financial Managers: €350

These devices print at speeds of 30-43

10 March Abode Illustrator Level 1: €140

pages per minute (ppm). Each model

11 March Presentation Skills: €195

has printing, scanning and copying

12 March Effective Customer Care as a Winning Strategy: €199

functionality, while the IM C400SRF also

12 March Emerging Managers Programme: €595

offers finishing capability.

19 March Lunch & Learn - Making of a Sales person - Insights into the Hunter Sales Programme: €25 19 March Abode Illustrator Level 2: €140 20 March Excel Level 2 Training: €140 26 March Print For Packaging: €349 27 March BIM Using Revit: €375 9 April Sharepoint: €140 29 April Hunter Sales Programme: €595 September 2020 Diploma In Packaging Technology: €2500 November 2020 Masters in Professional Practice: €4500

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NEWS AGFA

INTRODUCES OBERON RTR3300 Agfa has announced a new addition to its large-format inkjet printer assortment. According to the company, the Oberon RTR3300 is a 3.3m high-end, roll-to-roll machine that combines extreme productivity and quality with an extensive media scope and ease of use. The new printer comes in a four colour plus white and a six colour version, depending on user needs and preferences. In ‘express mode’, the Oberon RTR3300 hits 150m²/h while in ‘production mode’, it reaches a consistent 85m² per hour. The dual-roll option is capable of handling two rolls each up to 1.6m wide, doubling the total output. In addition to its air-cooled LED curing lamps, the Oberon RTR3300 features a water-cooled table that keeps the printing zone at room temperature. Therefore, print service providers can smoothly process any kind of heat-sensitive roll material, including lower cost media. Agfa says the new printer was designed with a view to offering convenience, lean operations and peace of mind.

‘SONIC THE HEDGEHOG’ COMES TO LIFE Kinetic, a specialist in Out of Home (OOH) communications for brands, has joined forces with Paramount Pictures and media agency Wavemaker to bring ‘Sonic The Hedgehog’ to life through a Snapcode. Passers-by simply open their Snapchat App and scan the Snapcode to reveal an augmented reality (AR) activation where Sonic comes to life and jumps out of the screen. Sean Foran, Account Executive at Kinetic, said: “Out of Home (OOH) is the perfect medium for

WOMEN’S PRINT HERSTORY MONTH RETURNS IN MARCH Organised to inspire and empower women in print and to encourage women and students considering print as a career, Women’s Print HERstory Month is returning in March.

The movement, which was launched last year by GirlsWhoPrint. net, is calling on women in the industry to share their career and success stories through social media using the hashtag #PrintHERstoryMonth. Deborah Corn, Girl #1 at Girls Who Print, said: “Women’s Print HERstory Month is about women in print refusing to be drowned out by the male voices that dominate the narrative of our industry and taking power for themselves by standing up and shouting, ‘This is what I do!’ Everyone can show their support by following the hashtag stream and engaging with the content. A ‘like’ or a reshare or a retweet is an acknowledgement that the achievements of women in print matter.”

driving action online. Research tells us that 88% of audiences would consider using their mobile to interact with an advertisement that interests them.

This is what we needed to tap into the Snapcode execution with Paramount Pictures. At Kinetic, we are always looking at how OOH and social media can work together and the Snapcode is the perfect amplification of this.”

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NEWS MIMAKI’S HYBRID TEXTILE PRINTER TO FEATURE AT FESPA 2020 Mimaki Europe has announced that its new hybrid digital textile printer, the Tx300P-1800 MkII, will headline its product line-up at FESPA 2020, taking place in Madrid from 24-27 March. The company says the new printer enables both direct-to-textile and transfer printing, with interchangeable platens and three different ink combinations.

It also allows for sublimation transfer printing, opening up a host of possible new materials and applications. The capability to fulfil diverse applications from fashion textiles to interior fabrics and wallpaper within one system makes the printer an ideal entry-level solution,

CARTOON TIME Colourful, floor-to-ceiling graphics printed on Drytac ReTac Smooth 150 media are featured at the new Cartoon Network Hotel in Pennsylvania. A 6 mil (150μ) white polymeric printable PVC film, ReTac Smooth 150 features Drytac’s ReTac adhesive technology that maintains its adhesive strength over time. This allows graphics to be repositioned and removed without damaging or leaving residue on the surface underneath.

says Mimaki.

Drytac Spoton

USED ON EMMERDALE BUS AT LEEDS PRIDE The Leeds Pride parade featured an open-top double-decker bus wrapped for the occasion by the team behind Emmerdale’s on-screen graphics using Drytac easily removable graphics materials. The Scenic Design Department within the Yorkshire-based soap installed a new Roland TrueVIS VG2 printer/cutter in summer 2019. The device was bought from Sabur Inks, who also supplied a quantity of Drytac SpotOn for use with the new system. This 4 mil (100µ) ink receptive printable vinyl is enhanced with Drytac’s ‘dot pattern’ adhesive that enables simple, bubble-free application and crucially, easy and clean removal.

These features are ideally suited to the work done by the Emmerdale in-house graphics team who design and produce all printed work that’s seen on-screen - including sets, retail signage, advertising posters, vehicle graphics, menus and paperwork handled by the actors and beer pumps in The Woolpack pub.

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NEWS ALPHAGRAPHICS LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE DUAL-MARKETING CATALOGUE A new dual-marketing pack from Alphagraphics is bringing customer service to a whole new level. The catalogue, which was launched at the start of January, is available in two different versions; an Alphagraphics version and an unbranded, carbon copy with no pricing, less technical information but with more visuals to help the end user’s understanding of the company’s wide-reaching market.

“With the new marketing pack, both the printer and end user can follow the same path to find the solution to their printing needs,” said Patrick Sherry, Sales Manager, Signage and Digital Division. “The branded Alphagraphics version offers up detailed specifications on a wide-ranging product list, from vehicle graphics and wall coverings to innovative solutions. All the information is at hand to provide the end user with a rough guide on pricing, specification and lead times whilst protecting their source and price point.” It’s a unique concept and not one that’s been seen in the print industry until now. According to David Henshaw, Sales & Marketing Executive at Alphagraphics, the new pack is all about protecting customers’ interests while promoting the extensive range of materials available. “We wanted to help our customers create a seamless sales process. So far, it’s been a hit!

The catalogues have been designed to complement each other. Now, our customers can highlight what is possible without compromising any sensitive information.” Alphagraphics’ signage and digital division continues to grow with the recent addition of the Decal range to its already impressive portfolio of digital printing media. Products within the range include Hexis, Neschen and Alphagraphics’ own-brand, Alphadigital.

For more on the new catalogue, go to www.aginks.com

NEW MD AT DELTA IRELAND The Delta Group has announced the appointment of Conor Callinan as the new Managing Director of Delta Ireland.

Conor has joined Delta Ireland from The Print Image where he was Managing Director for five years. With over 18 years of print, design, logistics and promotion merchandise experience, Conor brings with him a strong skill-set and an excellent reputation for relationship building and team leadership. Jason Hammond, CEO of the Delta Group, said: “We are delighted that Conor has joined Delta Ireland as Managing Director. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this important role that will be vital in helping carry out the Group’s growth strategy across Ireland and Europe.” Conor said: “I am thrilled to have joined the Delta Group and am excited to lead such a strong, passionate team in Ireland.

The 30,000 sq foot production and warehouse facility in Swords, Co Dublin is excellent and I cannot wait to help accelerate Delta Ireland’s growth into the new decade!”

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CELEBRATING THE BEST IN THE IRISH PRINT INDUSTRY, IN ASSOCIATION WITH IRISH PRINTER MAGAZINE

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS Irish Printing Federation

Réalt Paper in association with The Navigator Company

PAPER EVOLUTION

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NEWS Set For Growth Investment in a new HP Stitch means Pixalili can now add decoration to polyester fabrics on demand, while giving existing customers more choice Pixalili, a textile printing and design studio located on the Wild Atlantic Way, typically produces short runs or one-offs of lampshades, deckchairs, table linen and cushion covers, with its own designs also available on items such as upholstery. Formerly, Pixalili was only able to offer designs printed on natural fabrics such as linen, cotton and bamboo. With growing demand for products such as velvet cushions, chiffon scarves and stretch jersey for baby clothes, the business decided to look at dye-sublimation, a compatible technology for these polyester materials. After seeing a demonstration of the HP Stitch S300 at The Print Show in September 2019, the company decided to go for it.

The HP Stitch delivers fast and predictable colour matching either via transfer or direct-to-fabric methods from one single device, with a range of compatible applications including sportswear, fashion, interior decor and soft signage.

Commenting on the new purchase, James Harding, Pixalili’s R&D Director said: “We are really in love with the Stitch. We sent samples to valued customers to show

them what we can now offer and the response has been fantastic. We can see the Stitch being very, very busy.” Pixalili has customers from across the world and James says each country has its own trends and requirements. For example, customers in Iceland are looking for ethically made and eco-friendly products, while the USA and Ireland have a preference for linen and in Spain, polyester fabrics for swimwear are popular. “Thanks to the HP Stitch, we can become a one-stop-shop for existing customers and respond to demands from new buyers and markets. This is our first time using dye-sub and it opens up new avenues for us,” James added.

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NEWS CANON

TO SHOWCASE LARGE FORMAT GRAPHIC APPLICATIONS AT FESPA 2020

SALE OF FIRST SERIAL DRUPA SPECIFICATION XL 106-5+L IN THE WORLD

Canon is all set to ignite visitors’ imaginations at FESPA 2020 with its range of large format graphics applications, including indoor pointof-sale and point-of-purchase, display and packaging, interior décor including wall coverings, outdoor promotion such as banners, soft signage (backlit textile) and vehicle graphics (self-adhesive). With over 1,200 installations of the Colorado family, both the Colorado 1640 and 1650 models will be on show. Canon says that visitors will see first-hand how UVgel technology can help them handle larger production volumes with ease and give them the confidence to enter new markets such as soft signage, interior décor and vehicle graphics.

For customers looking to print double-sided applications with ease, the Colorado 1640 will be in a live automated, end-to-end, print and cut workflow with the Fotoba inline cutting solution. Visitors will see in real-time how large format roll-to-roll graphics such as wallpaper can be automatically fed from the Colorado onto the Fotoba inline finishing solution, with no need for an operator to turn the media manually. The Arizona 1360 GT flatbed printer will also be in live production featuring a roll media option (RMO). It will showcase a range of interior décor output such as wood and glass, wall coverings and acoustic panels.

UK company Elle Media Group has concluded the purchase of the very first serial 2020 DRUPA specification XL106-5+L in the world from Heidelberg UK. This will replace a three-year-old machine which has produced 210 million impressions since its installation in March 2017. “We had been evaluating this investment for over 12 months as we knew that with the output levels we were producing and the fixed operating costs in place, our investment cycle would need to be decreased to ensure we sustained our operating cost per sheet. This was the primary driver for the investment, combined with the increase in capacity for the same overhead due to Intellistart 3. This ensured one minute improvement on current performance which will give us another 320 hours of available press time to ensure we maximise the opportunities being presented to us,” said James Cuthbert, Managing Director at Elle Media Group.

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Better Business with Ricoh Ricoh Ireland recently announced that it has enabled business growth for print management company Definition in a five-year partnership deal worth €500,000. Definition, which produces promotional items and corporate gifts for a variety of organisations in Ireland, utilises Ricoh Ireland’s Document Production Centre, located in Glasnevin in Dublin, to produce its complete print product range.

The Centre offers Definition a full portfolio of print services including large format (pop-up banners, large posters and boards), finishing (booklet-making, mounting, lamination and binding) and personalisation (certificates, brochures and corporate gifts). Ricoh Ireland also arranges for the goods to be delivered to locations throughout Ireland. According to Ricoh Ireland, it has also enabled the print management company to deliver better quality print materials and bring customised designs to life for its customers. The partnership has also helped the small Definition team to be more efficient and productive by giving them the capacity to complete a higher

Pictured at Ricoh’s Document Production Centre in Glasnevin, Dublin, are (l-r) Gary Owens, Manager, Ricoh Ireland Print and Document Services and John Kelly, Managing Director, Definition

News

Ricoh Ireland boosts business growth for Definition Print in €500,000 partnership volume of projects and fulfil larger print runs. In turn, this is enabling the organisation to take on more customers and grow the business.

John Kelly, Managing Director at Definition, said: “To continue delivering on-demand print services of the highest quality, we needed to outsource our printing and finishing to a trusted provider. As ours is an industry that has changed significantly and continues to, we also had to find a way of diversifying and innovating to stay competitive.

“Ricoh Ireland has not only improved our printing capabilities within the office but has enhanced our capacity and boosted our offering. The team makes us look good through the quality and variety they offer.

Without that, Definition wouldn’t be supplying the goods it is, or working with the clients it does. We’ve grown with them and we’ve grown because of them – there’s no doubt about it.”

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News

CUBE PUSHES INTO PACKAGING Limerick-based Cube has invested in an Easymatrix 106 CS and a Diana Go 85 to expand the business into the packaging sector

C

UBE celebrated the arrival of an Easymatrix 106 CS (cutting and stripping) die-cutter along with a Diana GO 85 folder-gluer to its premises recently. The company is hoping that this most recent partnership with Heidelberg and the company’s first investment into post press packaging equipment will help it grow this side of the business further in the years to come.

“We wanted to partner with a company with a proven track record over a period of many years, who would be able to provide us with state-of-the-art technology and had the infrastructure and backup here on the ground in Ireland. We wanted someone who would support us as our business continues to grow,” says James Maloney, Operations and Finance Manager at CUBE. “Our staff are very positive on this and the other investments made by the shareholders, as it’s a tangible sign of their commitment to the company’s growth, to developing long term strategic partnerships and providing job security.”

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The Easymatrix 106 CS, a die-cutter with cutting and stripping station, is intended to ease the entry of the company into the production of folding cartons.

It converts a huge range of materials into cartons, enabling packaging and commercial applications. The machine has a maximum cutting speed of 7,700 SPH, processing materials from as thin as 90g/m2 to board up to 2,000g/ m2 and in formats up to a maximum size of 760 x 1,060mm The Diana GO 85 is a folder-gluer, suitable for materials such as 200-600g/m2 solid board, E flute corrugated and some paper stocks. It can run a wide range of carton styles including straightline and lockbottom, as well as document wallets, envelopes, CD sleeves and some special applications, depending on the size of the product and the number of folds.

Limerick-based CUBE has been operating for 23 years and is owned by Brendan Ring and TJ Ryan. The company employs 32 members of staff and specialises in the printing of Instructions for Use booklets and Product Information Leaflets for the medical device, pharmaceutical and technology markets.

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Trade Events

Satisfaction

Guaranteed AT FRANKFURT TRADE FAIRS Over 3,051 exhibitors from 74 countries attended this year’s Christmasworld, Paperworld and Creativeworld Consumer Goods Fairs Exhibitors were on hand at each of the events to showcase their new products for decoration, festive décor, paper, office supplies and stationery, as well as hobby, crafts and artists’ requisites to the national and international trade. Around 84,000 visitors attended the three international trade fairs which was, according to Messe Frankfurt, a slight decline on the previous event, reflecting the ongoing consolidation tendencies on the retail side and an overlap with Chinese New Year.

Themes across all three fairs focused on urbanisation, New Work and individualisation. According to a survey conducted by the Institute for Retail Research (IFH), customers nowadays are increasingly seeking information online and buying offline. They want competent consulting, emotional experiences and additional service. This is, says the research, only available in the retail sector. Christmasworld, Paperworld and Creativeworld show what futureoriented models can look like in the concept areas “Retail BLVD”, “Future Office” and “Future Learning”, along with “Urban Art Lab: Education”.

Exhibitors at the fairs commented on the good mood among retailers and the high level of internationality and visitor quality, positives that have made them optimistic for the new business year. Messe Frankfurt says that 76% of visitors to the three trade fairs were

from top management. The fact that the trade views Christmasworld, Paperworld and Creativeworld as its main contact and order platform was also confirmed by the visitor survey conducted by Messe Frankfurt.

The satisfaction levels remain at a high level and are currently at 96%.

The desire for greater sustainability also played a major role across all three fairs. Natural materials, recycled products or a reference to resource-saving production was to be found across all exhibition halls.

At the same time, end users want high-quality materials with a high-quality finish. In combination with dark shades of blue and green as well as enhancements with gold accents, this trend lends an elegant touch to products and displays. Messe Frankfurt says another growing trend is personal appreciation, expressed through gifts that have been designed individually. “Generally, the themes of giving and celebrating in connection with family sociability play a major role. Enjoying together, celebrating parties and sharing special moments are becoming increasingly important as a counterbalance to the digital world.”

The consumer goods fairs will take place once again in 2021: CHRISTMASWORLD: 29 January - 2 February 2021 PAPERWORLD AND CREATIVEWORLD: 30 January - 2 February 2021

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Irish Print Awards

A winning

formula At last year’s Irish Print Awards, Impress Printing Works took home The Book Printer Of The Year award along with The Overall Printer Of The Year accolade. We caught up with Fintan O’Callaghan at Impress to talk about the two wins and how the print firm is keeping abreast of industry changes

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Irish Print Awards

Pat Cotter, Managing Director, Impress Printing Works

To what do you attribute your two wins at the 2019 Print Awards?

Basically the quality of our workmanship. We work closely with designers who have put a lot of time into creating quality design and expect that same level of commitment in the print and finishing of their design work.

We invest the time and the attention to detail into their creations that they deserve.

What kind of work do you specialise in?

High end brochure and book work. We do most of the finishing in-house, from laminating and foiling to perfect binding. One of our strengths is the combined knowledge and experience of our staff along with our equipment, which allows us to confidently print and finish some of the most unique print jobs.

How important is customer service?

Extremely important. Response times have to be immediate, honest and accurate. We survive only through good customer service and our customers know that their jobs are always in safe hands.

Do you have much repeat business?

Yes. We don’t have reps so we rely on repeat business. We build strong

relationships with our customers and some of them have been with us since we opened our doors 30 years ago.

How have you diversified to adapt to a changing industry?

We have invested heavily in the latest digital presses and associated finishing equipment, along with keeping our litho presses up to date with a recent purchase of a Komori 5 colour litho press.

Are there sectors you would like to get into?

Over the last number of years, we’ve seen our pharmaceutical printing business grow. We would like to continue this growth by expanding our pharmaceutical range of services and we have invested in the latest equipment to allow us to do this.

How has the industry changed over the past few years?

The press runs have shortened but the volume of individual jobs has increased and there has been a noticeable shift from litho to digital because of that. We expect the industry to further contract; the commercial side of printing is decreasing year on year.

Do you take on apprentices?

What’s your opinion on the cancellation of the apprenticeship scheme?

No, we haven’t taken on apprentices for a long time, since 2002 I believe.

I think the cancellation of the scheme was inevitable, especially since the 2008 downturn. Having an apprentice is an expense that most small companies cannot afford. The apprentices that came through Impress have left the industry altogether.

We would be more inclined to train new staff in-house as we have very experienced and skilled senior members who are only too willing to pass on their skills.

Is the industry in danger of losing its core skills?

Yes, we have had first-hand experience of seeing staff leave the print sector for more stable industries. With the onset of digital presses and ease of operation, less print skills are required.

How difficult is it to attract and retain staff?

As a consequence of the contraction in the industry, the number of people entering the sector is shrinking.

We are lucky in that many of our staff have been with us for over 20 years.

What are your ambitions for the company?

To continue to stand out from the crowd for the next 30 years and beyond!

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Denise Maguire caught up with Diarmuid Dawson and Dermot Downer to talk about the challenges facing the industry in the year ahead

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Interview

i

n an industry coming under pressure from price increases, skills shortages and increasingly rising postal charges, it’s crucial to get the message out there that not only is print not wasteful, it’s also a practical and sustainable communications medium. Diarmuid Dawson, Irish Printing Federation (IPF) President and MD at Innovative Print Solutions Ltd and Dermot Downer, Vice President of the IPF and MD at Westside Press Ltd, say the message isn’t getting through.

“The lion’s share of the materials produced by the print industry are recyclable, with the industry’s main raw materials coming from European managed forestry schemes grown and replenished at a rate of two to one for pulp production. Print as a form of communication has quite a low carbon footprint if it is produced locally for a local audience. A large number of Irish print suppliers are now working in conjunction with their suppliers and the World Land Trust to carbon balance the paper used in their plants,” said Diarmuid.

It’s crucial that the industry steps up its efforts when it comes to promoting print’s green credentials, particularly as the younger audience are so very environmentally conscious. “No-one seems to be talking about the carbon footprint that’s associated with the IT industry and the back-up stations across Europe.”

Last year, I spoke with Dermot about work leaving the State to be printed elsewhere. It’s an ongoing concern for the IPF and a bugbear for the industry as a whole. “We understand that in some cases there may be justifiable reasons such as specialised machinery and technology which might be required for a certain project. In other cases, we’ve been told by clients that the low or non-existent VAT rates being charged abroad can be very attractive, particularly for not for profits, charities, colleges and other government/ publicly funded bodies as they can’t reclaim VAT. Our nearest neighbour’s VAT rate on most print items is zero compared with our 13.5% and 23% so you can see how this might seem attractive to an organisation that can’t reclaim or offset their VAT,” said Dermot. The Federation is trying to get support from the government on this, said Diarmuid, as it’s just not a level playing field. “Our industry is going down by about 10% a year and sometimes it feels like the government is simply waiting it out until we’re extinct. We need help from the government and we need it now.”

For the past five years, the Irish Printing Federation has been in talks with Solas and TU Dublin about how best to restore the apprenticeship scheme. “The Federation feels extremely let down by the government, by Solas and by TU Dublin. A few years back, we were asked to get a commitment from the industry, confirming how many apprentices they would commit to. We did this and after umpteen meetings with Solas and TU Dublin, we were told

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Interview they could handle 8-10 apprentices a year. A year later, we reported to them that we had 28 apprentices committed to the scheme and last year, we said we had 32 apprentices and about 24 companies committed. Right now, we have over 40 apprentices ready and waiting and about 30 firms but we’re still getting led down the garden path by Solas,” said Diarmuid. Despite the very serious skills shortage within the industry, no decision has been taken on the scheme. “It may be the case that TU Dublin doesn’t want to reinstate the apprenticeship scheme and if this is the case, we need to know so we can adjust our plans. The industry has a huge requirement for skilled staff and we have the apprentices ready to go but the appetite just isn’t there within Solas or TU Dublin so we’re saying to Solas, get someone else to do it and we’ll help,” said Dermot.

A lack of accountability within Solas isn’t helping the situation, says Diarmuid. “There’s no-one within that organisation that’s willing to step up and take charge. The situation is completely untenable and it’s also a total embarrassment. The Irish Defence Forces have gotten so frustrated with the whole thing that they’ve decided to train their printing apprentices in Northern Ireland.

We’ve met with the company that’s going to do that training but they can’t take on any more apprentice as they’re at their max of 80 apprentices!”

In 10 years, no new print apprentice has entered the industry, says Dermot. “That’s a big gap. I’ve had people approach me to say we need young people coming into the industry but we just feel completely powerless. If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I wouldn’t have believed what Diarmuid and the Federation have gone through over the past few years, trying to get the scheme up and running again. There are people involved in this that are not taking responsibility for a role they’re being paid to do. We’re doing this on a voluntary basis and trying to run our own business as well, but that just shows how important we feel the scheme is.”

If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I wouldn’t have believed what Diarmuid and the Federation have gone through over the past few years, trying to get the scheme up and running again.

There are people involved in this that are not taking responsibility for a role they’re being paid to do

The Design Print and Packaging Skillsnet (DPPS) is a valuable resource that’s training workers in various facets of the industry, but it’s not delivering apprentices.

One solution that has been put forward to Solas is around offering additional, more technologically advanced elements of the scheme through DPPS. “The apprenticeship scheme as it was isn’t actually fit for purpose. It needs to be completely reimagined and one way to facilitate that quickly is to get DPPS involved. We also have members of the IPF who are more than willing to train people individually on their machines. The excuses that we’ve been given, that they don’t have the people or the equipment, are just not good enough anymore. We can deliver the equipment but all we’re getting is red tape,” said Diarmuid. Two people recently left Innovative Print Solutions Ltd because they couldn’t get an apprenticeship, while Dermot has had three people leave his firm. “The last guy who left now has an apprenticeship as an electrician. His father, his mother and his grandfather were all in the printing sector. The industry is screaming out for skilled workers and yet we have a significant number of people who actually want to take on a print apprenticeship,” said Diarmuid.

Diarmuid and Dermot have told Solas that there’s little point in meeting with them again. “This is the responsibility of Solas and the government but they’re just not taking it seriously. We don’t know who to trust or who to go to anymore and that’s why we’re trying to put this in front of politicians. We’ve been banging our heads against a brick wall on this for years. A bit of attention and respect is all we’re looking for,” said Dermot.

The IPF would like to encourage new members to join in its campaign as it’s only with numbers that the Federation can push for change. If you are involved in print production or a related industry, please contact the IPF by emailing info@irishprintingfederation.ie or calling 0862027588, www.irishprintingfederation.ie

IRISH PRINTER

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Opinion

EXPECT WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERSTANDING THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN THE PRINT INDUSTRY AND HOW THEY’LL RESHAPE YOUR FUTURE, DRUPA IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK, WRITES ISIDORE LEISER

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W

hen I think about drupa, I think about it as the World Cup of Printing. Like drupa, the World Cup happens every four years but contrary to the print event, my own country is usually not a qualifier there. When I first joined the printing industry, people said “don’t go there, it’s too big, you’ll get lost”, or “don’t go there, it’s not focused enough on your business.” Since my first drupa visit, I can’t wait to visit again and I certainly won’t miss it in 2020.

Yes, it’s true that drupa is huge and I did get lost more than once. Yes, it’s not just focused on label printing, but to attend the biggest print show in the world gives me an overview of the complete printing market, the latest innovations and the trends that we can expect in future years.

The different printing sectors within the industry are related and some trends that occur now in one category will also evolve in another. For example, inkjet technology was first introduced for wide-format applications but is now playing a major role in label printing. To gain knowledge about competing printing processes at drupa gives me more insight and adds new perspectives to my own business.

So, what can we expect from drupa 2020? First and foremost, innovation!

Printing, including packaging, is under intense pressure to transform itself. Brand owners are upping the pace and have new, different requirements. The industry is more competitive than ever and innovation is what our clients - brand owners - are looking for.

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Opinion

One very important aspect is sustainability.

Printing and especially packaging, is under huge pressure to improve its carbon footprint and to limit waste. Today’s younger generation participates in regular demonstrations to put pressure on governments and brand owners. They don’t know why packaging is important but many think it’s something inherently evil. Most don’t understand the benefits of packaging and look only at the waste generated. Even if today some more sustainable solutions are available, a lot of them are not implemented, simply because they are not yet economically viable. Yes, everyone wants a better, cleaner planet but nobody is prepared to pay for it!

Packaging customers are out to cut cost, whatever it takes. Our group has, for example, developed many new solutions and brought them to market.

We are certified PEFC and FSC but today our green turnover is still very small. Maybe we are not good enough at promoting or selling our solutions, but the resistance to change is still very strong, too strong in my view. I really hope to see more sustainable packaging materials coming through and more environmentally friendly inks, with machines able to print and process substrates in a more environmentally friendly manner.

At the World Cup of Print, the biggest contest is the confrontation between printing techniques – flexo, offset, helio and the new digital rising star.

In the context of increased demand for more sustainability, quality, shorter delivery times and reduced costs, all printing technologies are improving and innovation can move applications from one printing technology to another. But like at a World Cup, watch out for the hooligans, those

who only believe in one printing technology (their own) and don’t appreciate or understand the advantages of others.

Nowhere else can you be as close to the evolution of printing technologies as at drupa. Here, an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages is essential in order to better serve your customers’ needs. I expect major changes for all printing processes as they need to improve efficiency, waste management, quality and also significantly reduce their environmental impact. Something to have in mind is that traditional print techniques are becoming more and more digital, removing time consuming tasks from the operators. For example, digital set-up tools enable printers and converters to be more efficient; cameras and sensors can reduce the set-up time and significantly increase productivity, all without replacing your current operators.

The digitalisation of our world and our lives is everywhere and is rapidly entering into the print and packaging industry.

Digital may be a competitor but it can also be part of the solution to allow printers and converters be more efficient, to calculate in a more precise way their real costs and to integrate physical products into the digital world using, for example, augmented reality. RF-ID and printed electronics are also opportunities for the print industry to connect with the digital world. Digital in general, incorporating pre-press, printing and converting in one system, is on the rise thanks to the automation of the entire print workflow, thereby helping to optimise the entire production floor, not just the printing part.

And what about my expectations for drupa 2020? Well, I don’t usually have specific expectations. Most of the time I get surprised by visiting a booth I didn’t intend to visit, which then informs or even inspires me about something unexpected. In the end, you will get a different view on your investments or on the market trends and dynamics. So “expect the unexpected” and be open-minded! As mentioned, drupa is the best place to understand that the printing world is made up of numerous applications and that with all the innovation and new technologies being made available, the changes that are happening are in fact opportunities for printers and converters to reshape their future.

Finally, think beyond the printing press. It will take more than a new press to be successful. At drupa, you need to look at the entire production chain for print and packaging. Substrate innovations are going to be critical in the coming years. The digitalisation and the automation of the entire workflow will change your organisation. New technologies will require the hiring of new staff and development of new skills. The way you engage with your clients will change significantly as soon, they will all be digital natives. So rather than resist the changes, be ready to embrace them.

Like the World Cup, drupa is an event you really shouldn’t miss. It’s the biggest meeting place for the world’s leaders in printing and packaging, a place where all the latest innovations will be put under the spotlight. So, see you at drupa 2020!

Isidore Leiser is CEO of Stratus Packaging, a European label converters company

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Opinion

Are You Seeing THE

Bigger Picture?

Irish Print Awards judge and business consultant John Charnock offers some thoughts to get you thinking about the direction your company might be headed in PRICE OR SERVICE – CHOOSE YOUR POISON

Whether you like it or not, the customers you serve either value the services that you provide or they don’t. Many businesses pretend that they are a value service provider but in truth, they are not. If your customers have a champagne lifestyle but a beer budget, then you better start serving beer.

Too many businesses try to be all things to all men/or women.

Price – In order to run a focused, price sensitive business you need to get tough, really tough. Ditch the overheads, nice lounges, receptions and marketing and focus everything on the reduction of price. Commodity printers allocate all resources to the most efficient equipment, the minimum work mix and minimum resources. General printers, the ones that do a bit of everything, should not confuse themselves with commodity; they will never be as efficient as a truly focused commodity organisation. Alternatively, don’t focus on price.

Service – If you genuinely do offer exceptional value then your customers should pay a premium, but every sinew of the business should be focused on the customer, their needs and personal service. The business should be unique, special and different and have few competitors. It’s like comparing a Savile Row tailor with a sweatshop. As I said above, choose your poison. The ones in the middle will have a tough time.

GET REALLY FECKING GOOD AT A FEW THINGS – SIMPLIFY

Many businesses are overly complex. They make 80% of the profit on 20% of the products. 2020 is the year to get tough.

As above, if getting really efficient and selling on price is your thing, then get really good at it. Be the best at whatever you choose to do.

This could be process efficiency, market sector specialty, product specialty like special effects, customer understanding, new markets, technology and software development.

Whatever you choose and this year you must choose, get bloody good at a few things.

Note: This doesn’t mean that you can’t do lots of things, perhaps inefficiently, but you must be focused on the 80%.

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I have sometimes advised businesses to split into two, one focused on something specific and the other more generalised.

PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS

Simplification is the key here. Consider portfolio analysis.

Take a look at this simple Boston Box to understand where your products sit in the matrix. Cash Cow, Star, Problem Child or Dog. Which ones need investment and which ones need culling or outsourcing?

By analysing and simplifying your product mix, you are beginning to prioritise the organisation.

Star High market growth High market share Cash neutral Hold

Problem Child High market growth Low market share Cash absorbing Build

Cash cow Low market growth High market share Cash generating Harvest or milk

Dog Low market growth Low market share Cash neutral Divest

GET UNDER THE SKIN OF YOUR CUSTOMER

All printers need to understand their customers’ plans. All too often we are kept at arm’s length and treated as a service provider rather than a partner. It is your job, as their supplier, to try and understand their business needs as well or better than they do themselves. It astounds me that many businesses still do not have a CRM system for tracking and managing their customer behaviour and interactions. CRM is not just a database of names and contacts, it is the place where all interactions, good and bad are recorded, used and analysed so that the business is better at making customer centric business decisions.

Most printers can tell me the makeready, utilisation and efficiency in seconds, but not what the customer ordered this time last year.

UNDERSTAND THE NEW BATTLEGROUND INSIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE

Many print managers, printers and service providers offer their customers insight services and yet many do not use

IRISH PRINTER

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Opinion

them for their own business. Understanding your market place, your competitors and your customers’ plans is critical these days. There are many business analysis tools that you can use to understand the environment you are competing or acting in. Porter’s 5 forces us to look at the competitive landscape, especially at the threat of substitute products and services – screens in store, mobile, video and social media are all fighting for our attention and perhaps some time and effort to better understand things that you don’t currently know about may be a worthy investment, even a new product or service. Once you have built your own insight, use it for commercial advantage.

communication, training, empowerment, mentoring and support infrastructure to support the right cultural environment. Once this is achieved, anything is possible.

TRAINING AND MENTORING

Building a knowledge base and encouraging training and mentoring will help individuals within a business thrive.

Recently, I have built Learning Management Systems for all sorts of training needs, from health and safety and induction to customer training. Basically anything that can be put into a PowerPoint can be converted into a LMS with quizzes, certificates and user progress reporting. Encouraging your super skilled staff to train and mentor others starts with confidence in the business. No operator will teach someone else to do their job if they are not secure in the belief that they have their own security in the first instance. Building security and then sharing skills will help the entire business develop.

STOP GETTING BOGGED DOWN WITH TRIVIA

Too many business owners get bogged down with trivia.

I call it “working in the business rather than on the business”.

As a business owner or manager, how many hours a day do you spend dealing with trivia? How could your time be better spent? Investment in executive support or simple delegation will make your hours much more productive.

Sometimes delegation can be so difficult. Mistakes will happen but you have to let them happen in order to empower others and give yourself time to plan the business forward.

MARKETING IS SIMPLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Many businesses believe that their route to growth and success is by employing professional marketeers to promote the business. In some cases this is absolutely correct. But before you go out and employ a marketing director, understand what marketing really does. Marketing gives you an opportunity to show prospects how good your product or service is and this is the important bit - if your product or service is RUBBISH you will just show more prospects how terrible your customer experience or your products are. Get focused on the appropriate products and services for your customers before you invest in marketing.

CULTURE EATS STRATEGY FOR BREAKFAST

I am a big fan of strategy, strategic analysis and business analysis but establishing the right business culture within your organisation is way more important than strategic planning. You can plan all you want but if the culture and attitude of the organisation is wrong, no amount of strategy will help. Culture starts at the top.

Changing the culture of a business does not happen overnight. The leadership team needs to plan and execute

USE EXPERTS

I am bound to say this as a consultant but having just invested in training for Prince 2 Project Management and Business Analysis qualifications, I’ve realised how much other experts out there could have helped me in the past. Academics are probably awful at running a business but hell do they know some really useful stuff. By using experts, you will fast track your business, make less mistakes and learn something in the process.

There are all sorts of experts – colour and quality, health and safety, standards and certification, project management, business analysis or general leadership. Using people with a unique perspective helps you as a business owner to see a bigger picture.

Anyone who thinks they know it all is a fool. Life is about learning and the learning never stops. Bring in an expert when appropriate to advise and question your thoughts and plans. It may save you a fortune.

John Charnock is owner and director of Print Research International (PR-INT), john.charnock@pr-int.net or www.pr-int.net

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03/03/2020 11:51

Interview What’s the biggest issue facing the industry today?

A lack of training is having a massive impact on the industry. I know of a number of firms looking for staff at the moment who just can’t get them.

I think we’re headed into a skills shortage and that’s throughout all the trades in printing. That will have a knock-on effect for the next five to 10 years.

Can it be resolved?

Talking to…

ANDREW HORAN

Andrew Horan at TU Dublin talks to Irish Printer about being proud of his heritage and why the industry needs to wake up to the very real problem of skills shortages

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I hope so. I think training has to be at the forefront for everyone.

There’s no way the industry can grow if we don’t have the staff to facilitate that growth. It’s a real shame that the print media apprenticeship hasn’t run for the past few years but even before that, the industry didn’t support the scheme. We were only getting two, three or four apprentices a year. TU Dublin is still in the dark over what’s actually happening. Putting it back on the Solas curriculum seems to be an issue. The full ins and outs aren’t clear but I think the biggest problem at the moment is that the parties involved aren’t sitting around the table. Everyone needs to sit down and try and negotiate this.

I know there are a lot of people in TU Dublin that would like to see the scheme back up and running.

A new curriculum is also needed, the old one was outdated. If we can get the scheme back up and running, there will be a budget there to update machinery.

What does the scheme mean to you?

Apprenticeship is where I started and trained. I’ve always believed that running an apprenticeship scheme is the way forward for the industry.

We also have a print management degree running in TU Dublin at

the moment, but that hasn’t been supported by the industry either.

Why is that, do you think?

I believe that for the past 10 years, the industry has probably had its eyes shut. During the recession, I think they all closed ranks and protected what they had.

Unfortunately, people retire and we’re losing those skills. For the last three years of the apprenticeship scheme, we only had 14 apprentices.

In contrast, when we started the apprenticeship scheme in 2007, we had 28 students so we had huge support back then. I think the recession had a massive impact.

I also think that printers believe they can train new entrants just as well as the colleges. The problem there is that if a student has only ever been trained in-house, they’ve never been given that facility to evolve. They have no qualification behind them to move on. These days, owners and managers of print companies don’t want people to move on. It was always a fact of the print industry that after people were trained, they moved onto different companies.

That has been lost.

Are you positive about the future of the scheme?

Yes, if the parties involved can sit down and sort something out.

I honestly believe that I’m honoured to have come where I come from and to have started my career through a print apprenticeship. I’m very proud of my heritage; my grandad was a bookbinder, as was my dad who was also a lecturer in Bolton Street for 30 years. I believe that if people who are interested in this industry can come in and get trained, they can have the same kind of rewarding career.

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28/02/2020 11:10

Automation

CAN WE EXPECT A FORWARD LEAP IN AUTOMATION?

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GRAEME RICHARDSONLOCKE, TECHNICAL SUPPORT MANAGER AT FESPA, TALKS ABOUT RECOGNISING THE OPPORTUNITIES IN AUTOMATION AND WHAT VISITORS TO THIS YEAR’S SHOW SHOULD EXPECT

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Automation tanding on the brink of a new decade, a predictable host of articles are flooding the business media, assessing the tech trends likely to reshape our ways of working. One topic that surfaces wherever I look is automation. Research company Gartner even goes as far as putting “hyperautomation” in first place in its Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2020 analysis, saying that “hyperautomation refers not only to the breadth of the pallet of tools, but also to all the steps of automation itself (discover, analyse, design, automate, measure, monitor and reassess).”

Automation isn’t new. The print sector has been harnessing process automation enthusiastically over the last 20 years, with clear benefits for productivity and reduced time-tomarket. But speciality printers served by FESPA have arguably been slower to embrace the potential.

Maybe that’s because our roots are often in more craftbased techniques like screen printing and it’s only with the rise of digital wide format printing that we’ve become a more tech-driven industry. Perhaps it’s linked to the diversity of print stock we handle, which makes standardisation more challenging than printing on paper alone. Is it down to the typical size of the businesses in our sector and their propensity to invest? Or are we just affected by a tendency to focus on product quality and client service at the expense of manufacturing efficiency?

FOLLOW THE AUTOMATION PIONEERS

Whatever has challenged progress so far, the truth is inescapable. For most speciality print businesses, buying patterns are changing, run volumes continue to reduce and we need to manage increasing quantities of small and individualised orders, together with escalating customer expectations of lightning-fast 24-hour turnaround. That means challenging every received wisdom about how we work and building new processes for the economics of an evolving work mix.

There are many inspiring speciality printers who have recognised the opportunity in automation and used it to turn their business model on its head, for example with streamlined online ordering enabled by web-to-print solutions. I blogged about three remarkable UK examples earlier in 2019. Where these automation pioneers have led, I believe that our sector as a whole will quickly follow, or suffer the commercial consequences. It is worth bearing in mind that your business may be in a position to match the pricing of a web-to-print competitor by reducing margin.

However, getting fast processing of online proofing and ordering without the laborious tasks of going through estimating, prepress and booking in of suppliers can present a great benefit only achievable with automation. Looking ahead to FESPA Global Print Expo 2020 and beyond, it wouldn’t be out of place to suggest we’re on the cusp of a forward leap in automation.

From my perspective there are two strands to this – production automation using hardware and software

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automation to link the ‘islands’ in a production workflow, either using individual software tools or with an end-to-end production ecosystem from a single vendor.

The “pallet of tools” described by Gartner certainly exists for speciality printers today, from planning and estimating, through pre-flighting, file preparation and colour management, to load balancing and job nesting and so on. The solutions are available now to automate and streamline virtually every stage of production from ordering to dispatch and I see more evidence of this at every successive FESPA exhibition.

MODEST CHANGES, MEASURABLE BENEFITS

While hardware upgrades are often front of mind for printers when visiting a major technology exhibition like FESPA Global Print Expo, visitors to Madrid should keep a close eye on the innovations happening in software and carve out time to seek these out.

It’s often a neglected area in a printer’s overall investment planning, but a good rule of thumb would be to think in terms of allocating 10% on top of your capital expenditure budget to achieve production efficiencies through a more streamlined overall workflow.

It may seem daunting if you’ve yet to explore the automation potential for your business, but you can make modest changes and still see measurable benefits on the road to more comprehensive process automation. If a task is repetitive and a logic can be identified, it can be automated, so your starting point is to look for those opportunities.

A word of caution, though. Making a success of automation is not all about the products. While many of the tools are pretty intuitive to use, integrating them does require a mindset shift. And for printers steeped in the craft of print, new levels of process automation can feel a bit overwhelming.

It can certainly feel like a whole load of “new”.

But there’s plenty of guidance available from vendors too and from organisations like FESPA and our national associations. At FESPA 2020, the Trend Theatre will run regular free seminar sessions on automation hosted by independent experts from Keypoint Intelligence and if your focus is on boosting your colour management practices, book your free guided tour of Colour L*A*B*. For garment printers, Print Make Wear is the place to explore the latest in automated workflow and manufacturing.

My advice is – don’t be intimidated by automation, embrace it. The printers that have done so are already counting the commercial gains that come from faster production, better use of capacity and staff resource, reduction of errors and waste and improved overall consistency. Isn’t it time for you to join them and unlock your full potential?

For free entry to FESPA Global Print Expo 2020, use code FESM210 when registering your attendance at www.fespaglobalprintexpo.com

26/02/2020 16:05

Last Word

Bond Over Le erpress!

To celebrate letterpress being added to the National Inventory for Intangible Cultural Heritage, the National Print Musuem is running a series of team-building, letterpress workshops The National Print Museum’s collection is largely made up of letterpress printing equipment and stands as an example of a working collection organised like a traditional 1960’s printshop. According to the Museum, the past few years have seen an international revival in letterpress as a craft form, with a growing appreciation for tactile involvement in design and craft.

To recognise and celebrate letterpress being added to the National Inventory for Intangible Cultural Heritage, the museum has organised a series of team-building workshops where participants can collaborate with letterpress designers to produce posters for their office space and/or gift to their families, friends or clients.

The Museum has created three letterpress workshop options to suit either half-day or full day workshops for smaller or larger teams. The P22 Blox Workshop is a halfday event for six participants who will work together to design and typeset abstract letterpress posters using P22 Blox and the Museum’s flatbed proofing press. P22 Blox are modular letterpress printing blocks which can be assembled in a number of ways to create letters and beautiful geometric patterns. The Woodtype Workshop is another full-day workshop for six participants, focusing on the Museum’s rare collection of large wooden type as well as the flatbed proofing press. Beautiful results can

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be achieved by playing with the layout, ink effects and the texture of the wood type. All stages, including the inking, will be done by hand. Finally, the Introduction to Letterpress Workshop is a full-day workshop designed to cater for larger teams of 10-12 participants. The team will set their type, pull their prints using the printing presses and experiment with wooden type printing techniques. This workshop also includes an interactive tour of the Museum. All workshops will cover the fundamentals of letterpress printing techniques, as well as the history and background of this traditional craft.

With plans in place for the National Print Museum to move on from its current location at the old Garrison Chapel in Beggars Bush Barracks, Haddington Road by November 2021, the Museum is calling on the industry to keep an eye out for a suitable premises. “We’re looking for buildings at the moment and would be particularly interested in derelict premises that may have once been a printing house or a newspaper. We think it would be really nice to be in a building with a rich printing industry,” said Carla Marrinan Funder, CEO at the National Print Museum.

For more on the letterpress workshops or to suggest a new home for the Museum, contact Carla at carlamarrinan@nationalprintmuseum.ie or call +353(0)1 6603770

IRISH PRINTER

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26/02/2020 16:06

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