Irish Printer Issue 3 2020

O C T O B E R 2 0 2 0 | | 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

BALLYPRINT TAKING ITS BUSINESS BEYOND CMYK

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Expertise in.

Quality out.

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

Precision, quality and productivity with every print.

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

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OCTOBER 2020

06 News

A look at what’s happening in the print industry

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Sanilope hits the market

Trimfold Envelopes has developed a new Covidfriendly product that lets diners eat out with peace of mind

15 Lessons in how to adapt

12 Locked up in Lockdown

The latest exhibition at the National Print Museum explores art and design

18 Quadient graphically

Make connections that matter with marketleading products from Quadient Graphics

The right equipment and a determined outlook is putting Ballyprint ahead of the game

20 Raising their game

Entering new markets and building on its quality control standards are the priorities at Priory Press

22 A game changer for commercial printers

MJ Flood has announced the release of the new AccurioPress C14000 Series from Konica Minolta

25 Making money with your workflow

How can you tell if your work is no longer flowing, but moving through a series of hoops and hurdles? Pat McGrew investigates

28 Further expansion for EBB in Ireland

Following the acquisition of Uniboard, Elliott Baxter (EBB) is continuing to invest in both sales and logistics

IRISH PRINTER

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Now with

Orange Ink

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IRELAND'S LEADING PROVIDER OF WIDE FORMAT PRINTING EQUIPMENT

Quadient Graphics (Formerly Neopost) Quadient Graphics are a leading supplier of wide-format printing equipment.

Offering competitve rates with nance available, we guarantee reliable support on the best equipment in the market.

To nd out about our fantastic range and service contact Quadient Graphics today.

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

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Welcome to the October 2020 issue of Irish Printer.

In this issue of Irish Printer, we caught up with Ballyprint’s Aaron Klewchuk to hear about the renovations taking place at the company’s premises in Ballymena. Demand for its large format services has increased since the pandemic hit, so much so that a 1000 sq ft extension of production space has been added to its factory. Aaron also talked about the opportunities that have opened up since taking delivery of a new Iridesse press from Xerox 18 months ago. The machine has increased capacity and improved efficiencies across the board but it has also allowed the firm to quickly respond to clients’ changing requirements due to Covid-19. Turn to page 15 for more on what Ballyprint has been up to over the past few months.

For this issue, we also spoke with Mark McConville at Priory Press about the firm’s recent investment in a Komori GL 629 + C earlier this year. Established over 47 years ago, Priory Press has been operating exclusively as a packaging house for the past 13 years. A fully automated six-colour machine, with the capability to run at high speeds, was required to ensure the firm met the requirements of its food sector clients, in particular. For more on Priory’s investment and the quality control standards that have been implemented over the past couple of years at the print firm, turn to page 20.

How can you tell if your workflow isn’t operating the way it should?

On page 25, Pat McGrew explains how cost savings can be made through an efficient, clever workflow solution. We also take a look at ‘Locked up in Lockdown’, a recent exhibition at the National Print Museum that raised funds for several worthwhile charities.

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

All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate.

The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions.

Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2020. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Irish Printer. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize.

ISSN 0790-2026

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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THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 SPONSORS

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

Irish Printing Federation

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NEWS FLEXO BRANDS STREAM AHEAD AT EFIA AWARDS 2020

Held virtually due to Covid-19, the best and brightest in the flexographic industry were recognised recently at the 2020 European Flexographic Industry Association (EFIA) Print Awards. Companies that picked up gold awards at this year’s event included DS Smith Packaging, FFP Packaging Solutions, Roberts Mart, Interflex Group, Encore Group, Saica and Coveris. Leading the winners was Smurfit Kappa, taking home a haul of 17 accolades. Other gold winners on the night included Reflex Mansfield, East Riding Snacks, Emirates Printing, Uniflex CJSC, BOBST UK & Ireland, JFM Plates, The Label Makers and Z Due snc.

FFP Packaging Solutions was the overall winner of the event, winning Best in Show for its Juicy Meat Company Large Beef Easy Cook Pouch; Interflex claimed second place in the category, with Saica Flex Buxton finishing third. Another big winner on the night was Roberts Mart & Co Ltd, picking up eight accolades including a Gold Award for its work in flexo printing, taking the company’s total to 11 golds in the last five years.

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CANON

LAUNCHES NEW ARIZONA 2300 SERIES Canon has launched the new Arizona 2300 series for the large format graphics market, helping customers to speed up production, improve operational efficiencies and fuel growth opportunities through new applications. The new series features varying ink channel options (40, 60 and 80) to support a range of applications which includes three compact GTF models (Arizona 2340 GTF, 2360 GTF, 2380 GTF) with a flatbed area of 1.25m x 2.5m and three large XTF models (Arizona 2340 XTF, 2360 XTF, 2380 XTF) with a flatbed area of 2.5m x 3.08m.

Canon says the new printer series is built around Arizona FLOW technology, an airflow suction technique that combines a zoneless, multi-origin table layout with easy-to-use pneumatic registration pins to better secure the substrate in place on the table. This allows for greater productivity, up by more than 20% compared with previous generations of Arizona printers, as no operator time is required for masking the table or taping the media down, enabling faster changeover between jobs, shorter set-up times and hassle-free job switching. The FLOW technology also makes printing on unusual and more challenging media such as cardboard, wood and glass, or even printing large images tiled over multiple large boards, easier than ever before.

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NEWS GPMA CALLS ON UK GOVERNMENT FOR PRINT-FOCUSED DISASTER RELIEF FUND The Graphics and Print Media Alliance (GPMA) in the UK has written to Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Alok Sharma, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, calling for a means-tested disaster relief grant fund for the UK print industry. The GPMA, a body of trade associations supporting commercial print, warned ministers that more than 3,000 businesses will go into insolvency by

DURST

Christmas if the sector does not receive a

Insitu Group has become the UK and Ireland’s first user of Durst’s P5 350 all-in-one hybrid solution for flexible roll and board printing.

Benefits of the P5 include unattended overnight production, five-layer printing options and multi-roll track systems, meaning more than one customer job can be run at the same time at different speeds.

Installed just before lockdown, Damian Loach, Insitu Group’s Managing Director, said: “The P5 is amazing and provides the highest single output of any machine by far. It has trebled capacity. Previously we were losing out on jobs because operational times are now so demanding. You have to be extremely reactive. Often it’s a next-day delivery requirement. That’s one of the reasons why unattended printing is so useful. We can produce 600 sq m overnight. Another really important feature is the multi-track roll function where orders from more than one customer job can be printed at the same time in varying volumes.”

Charles Jarrold, PICON CEO Bettine Pellant

P5 350 TREBLES CAPACITY AT INSITU

specific support package, with a further 3,000 under threat in the next six months.

IPIA Chairman Graeme Smith, BPIF CEO and BAPC Chairman Brendan Perring, said in a joint statement: “The UK graphics and print media industry is facing its greatest challenge. In particular, the commercial and retail print sectors are facing a breakdown of supply chain integrity and the loss of thousands of businesses if they do not receive targeted assistance. We are supportive of and grateful for all the work HM Treasury and BEIS have done over the last six months to protect livelihoods and jobs in our industry. Our focus now is to secure a means-tested disaster relief fund for the sector, so all that good work is not undone.”

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING FROM XAAR

Xaar has introduced new packaging across its printhead portfolio, reducing its plastic consumption by 1.2 tonnes per year. All of the company’s printheads will be shipped in fully recyclable and biodegradable cardboard packs by the end of the year. Furthermore, different printhead variants will be despatched to customers in one shipment package, helping to reduce the amount of packaging used and reduce the carbon footprint of transportation. The new improved packaging is lightweight and provides a stable cushion which can be custom fit to suit all Xaar’s printheads.

The new corrugated cardboard packaging is itself made largely from recycled materials. Product details, essential for identification purposes, are printed using only black, single colour, water-based ink – making the printhead packaging fully recyclable. Inside each box, the Xaar printhead is secured within a small anti-static bag to avoid contamination and protect it from any potential damage by electrical charges.

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NEWS ‘FINISHING PROCESS EQUALLY IMPORTANT’ As the market for commodity print comes under increasing pressure, being able to demonstrate an ability to add real value has never been more important.

To demonstrate how every stage of the print production process has a part to play, Fujifilm and its partners recently held an online event, tracking the creation of a bespoke, folding-carton package as it was printed on a Jet Press 750S in Brussels. The package was coated by Harris & Bruno Europe in Germany and digitally cut and creased by Highcon in Israel.

Mark Stephenson, Product Manager, Digital Printing and Press Systems, Fujifilm Graphic Systems Europe, who hosted the event, said: “The ongoing situation with the Covid-19 pandemic has made product demonstrations a huge challenge for our customers in recent months. We’re used to welcoming hundreds of prospective customers to our Advanced Print Technology Centre in Brussels each year and of course demonstrating our technology at industry exhibitions and events. In light of the current situation, we decided to work with trusted partners to demonstrate how value can be added at each stage of the print production process, through a live, multi-location online event. We’re immensely proud of the quality produced by our Jet Press 750S but the finishing process has an equally important role

CONSUMERS MAKING FASHION STATEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO SUSTAINABILITY A new survey carried out by Smurfit Kappa has revealed that consumers are making a statement by demanding more sustainable packaging from brands before making online fashion purchases. The survey, which was conducted with consumers across four European countries, found 41% of online fashion shoppers have become more eco-conscious when buying the latest fashion online since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The research, which surveyed consumers in Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands and the UK, found that nearly half of consumers purchase fashion items online once a month or more, reflecting its increasing popularity among both female (44%) and male (43%) shoppers.

THE RESEARCH FOUND: • 25% of fashion consumers have researched a brand online to assess its level of sustainability • 35% of fashion consumers stated they would not make an online purchase from a fashion company if they discovered its packaging wasn’t eco-friendly • 23% of those surveyed have re-purchased from a fashion brand based on its sustainability credentials

to play.”

However, online fashion shoppers are facing hurdles when it comes to making the sustainable choice. The survey found a lack of accessible information (34%), lack of sustainable options (32%) and cost (30%) as the main barriers for consumers to act in a more sustainable way while shopping online. Over half of respondents (57%) said they would like to hear more about online fashion retailers’ efforts to be sustainable in packaging.

This highlights the level of influence sustainability has on consumers’ purchasing behaviour and how brands’ efforts can either broaden or erode their customer base. Consumers are thinking more broadly about the sustainability of their purchases, including the packaging. Brands must rethink the sustainability of their packaging if they are to meet these changing consumer expectations.

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NEWS

LITTLE MUSEUM OF DUBLIN USING VISORLITE VisorLite, the disposable cardboard face shield produced by Print Media Services, is being used by staff at the Little Museum of Dublin. The shield can be worn with a face mask and allows for glasses underneath. According to Paddy Gallagher, Sales Director at Print Media Services, the shield is ideal for marketing purposes. “This is really a story of repurposing during a crisis and of producing something new and innovative until the pandemic is over,” he said.

EFI IS LATEST TO WITHDRAW FROM DRUPA 2021

Electronics For Imaging, Inc (EFI) is the latest major exhibitor to withdraw from the drupa 2021 tradeshow, taking place in Dusseldorf next April. The wide-format inkjet kit manufacturer said the decision is “an unfortunate albeit prudent decision”, adding “all of us at EFI look forward to future drupa events beyond 2021 – and to other industry tradeshows – once the world has clearly moved past the current pandemic.” Kodak and HP have also issued statements saying they will not be attending the event next year, citing Covid-19 and the health and safety of employees and customers the reasons for their withdrawal.

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1,500 FOOTBALL PITCHES EVERY DAY!

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

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

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

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

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NEWS Sanilope HITS the market Trimfold Envelopes has developed a new Covid-friendly product that lets diners eat out with peace of mind The Sanilope, a new sanitised cutlery envelope designed to keep cutlery safe and hygienic in all hospitality and catering settings, has just been launched by Trimfold Envelopes. With the onset of Covid-19 and with its customers around the country shutting up shop, Trimfold Envelopes faced the same downturn in business experienced throughout the economy. The idea behind the Sanilope was to utilise the company’s expertise in envelope manufacture to come up with a product that provided a defence against Covid-19 for the hospitality and catering industry, while developing new business for the company.

Eugene Healy, Trimfold Envelopes MD, said: “As hospitality businesses began to gradually open up, I myself still felt a bit uncomfortable going back into restaurants and seeing cutlery sitting on the table. As a consumer, wouldn’t it be good to feel assured that your cutlery is safely sealed in a sanitised envelope?”

Trimfold Envelopes worked on several prototypes and trialled different sizes before arriving at the final product. The paper used to manufacture the Sanilope is treated with a sanitising solution during the Sanilope manufacturing process and the final products are packed into cartons which are also sanitised by an operative wearing full PPE to ensure the integrity of the product is maintained. All manufacturing takes place in the Trimfold Envelopes plant in Trim, Co Meath.

The Sanilope is manufactured from white 120 gram sustainable PEFC-certified paper and is large enough to hold knives, forks, spoons, condiment sachets and paper napkins. The sanitised coating also means that whilst enjoying their meal, diners can safely store their masks inside the Sanilope instead of leaving them on a table, which is good for patrons and hospitality workers alike.

Suitable for use in every catering environment from restaurants, cafes and hotels to hospitals, nursing homes, schools and colleges, the Sanilope sanitised cutlery envelope is available both off the shelf or as a bespoke item, when it can be printed with client branding.

Established in 1971 and located in Trim, Co Meath, Trimfold Envelopes is Ireland’s largest envelope manufacturer, producing envelopes for businesses in both the private and public sector.

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News

LOCKED UP in lockdown The latest exhibition at the National Print Museum explores art and design ‘locked up’ and printed during lockdown in Ireland

Featuring work by Maser, Annie Atkins, Damn Fine Print, One Strong Arm and Richard Seabrooke and collaborators, the ‘Locked up in Lockdown’ exhibition at the National Print Museum has not only brought joy during the pandemic but has also raised much-needed funds for worthwhile charities.

ANNIE ATKINS AND DAMN FINE PRINT Designed during the first weeks of the pandemic, the exhibition’s faux-public-service posters were a collaborative effort between Annie Atkins, Damn Fine Print and their followers on Instagram, as people sent in their best tips for getting through a pandemic in good spirits. Prints were limited to a run of 100 of each edition and

DAVE DARCY, ONE STRONG ARM

‘Under Strange Circumstances’ is a series of letterpress prints created during the global lockdown in 2020. The series explores the themes that came up as a direct result of the pandemic, while the prints are intended to spread a little joy during trying times and raise some much needed support for frontline services. The prints were free, with a suggested donation, and 100% of the proceeds going to a selection of charities.

One Strong Arm is a letterpress print studio run by artist Dave Darcy, established in 2014. OSA creates contemporary typography-led work using traditional methods. The studio output usually takes the form of typographic responses, reactions and interpretations of culture and societal observations.

were entirely sold out within a fortnight. All proceeds were divided between the Irish charity Alone, who supports older people at home and St David’s Hospice in North Wales, who caredfor Annie’s mother, Mary, when she died in March.

Annie Atkins is a graphic designer for the film industry, creating artwork for movie productions such as Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies and Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel. Her work can also be seen in the 2019 JOKER movie and in Spielberg’s upcoming West Side Story remake.

Damn Fine Print is an open access screen printing studio offering courses, events and artist residencies in the heart of Dublin. Since 2011, its range of services has grown from screen printing and risograph production at its studio in Stoneybatter to include pop-up events, courses and collaborations with clients all over Europe.

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News NOTIONS CREATIVE

The last part of the project is the sculpture to the front of the building.

The sculpture, produced by Notions Creative, was placed in front of the Lord Mayor’s home on Dawson Street one afternoon during lockdown - a surreal experience to drop such a beautiful piece, which would likely have become social fodder on any normal day, onto an abandoned city centre street as a reminder to people to stay home to protect themselves and others too.

Notions Creative is a young Dublin-based fabrication company, founded by Jamie Maguire, that focuses on a user-centric approach to design/fabrication. It specialises in event builds, festival builds, bespoke designs, fitouts and installations. The business pivoted overnight from festival and bespoke builds to mastering work from home flatpack furniture.

TENTH MAN, DAMN FINE PRINT, HENS TEETH, THE LOCALS, MACK SIGN PAINTING AND SIGNAL TYPE FOUNDRY Following the announcement of the pandemic and government advice to stay home, Richard Seabrooke began exploring the word HOME in the style of Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE and HOPE artworks. Irish people have a particular love of their houses and abodes but this guidance was a test of our relationship with our homes, given we were locked down, not allowed to venture beyond 2km from our residences.

The last six months have proven the need for us all to have safe refuge and homes more than ever. This special screen printed edition of HOME was a collaboration between Tenth Man, Damn Fine Print, Hens Teeth, The Locals, Mack Sign Painting and Signal Type Foundry; a joint effort to raise funds for Pieta House and the Dublin Simon Community.

Richard Seabrooke of Tenth Man is Creative Director, curator, collaborator and connector with over 25 years’ experience working with the most iconic Irish and international brands and organisations.

MASER For many, home has recently become a destination for work, education, creativity and communication in equal balance. It is not just a place to share moments with family or friends, it is now a place that keeps us safe. 50% of profits from Homebird went directly to the Mater Foundation to support frontline staff and patient care in the fight against Covid-19. In addition, the original Homebird painting was raffled with the whole project raising €30,000 for the Mater Foundation.

Over the last 25 years, Maser has earned much respect professionally and has generated a large and dedicated following both in Ireland and internationally. Maser boasts an impressive list of exhibitions and has created work for Lazarides (UK), National Gallery of Ireland, National Library of Ireland, Tandem Press (USA) and Graphic Print Studio. He even collaborated with the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins on a series of bespoke limited edition prints.

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Are words worth more in silver?

Go beyond colour. Bring print to life with glittering golds, stunning silvers, vibrant fluorescents and versatile layers of white and clear. xerox.ie/beyondcmyk Š2019-2020 Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved. XeroxŽ is a trademark of Xerox Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

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Cover Story

Lessons

in how to adapt The right equipment and a determined outlook is putting Ballyprint ahead of the game

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ight now, Ballyprint is flat out. Flat out producing Covid-related products for the hospitality sector and carrying out renovations to its Ballymena-based office. As if that weren’t enough, the company has also taken over the customer base of Fresh Graphics, a printing firm that decided not to reopen its doors following the Covid lockdown. To say there’s a lot going on at Ballyprint would be an understatement but it’s a position that MD Aaron Klewchuk is happy to be in. “After lockdown and as soon as we were back in business, we hit the ground running. We were quick to send out sample packs from our Iridesse press to new and existing customers to demonstrate our capabilities and to show exactly what can be achieved on the Iridesse. Once we reopened, we saw a very definite upsurge in business,” he said. It’s been just over 18 months since Ballyprint took delivery of the new 6-colour Xerox Iridesse Production Press and it’s thanks to that investment that the firm has been able to respond so quickly to the new requirements created by the pandemic.

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“Our clients include high end hotel chains so we came up with a few new products targeted at the hospitality sector including plastics and self-adhesives to be used as hygiene products, substrates that we can print on easily thanks to the Iridesse.” Ballyprint has seen a massive uptake in Covidrelated products over the past few months. “We’ve been able to meet that high demand in a way that would have been impossible before investing in the Iridesse. Quite a lot of our hotel clients use gold, silver and metallics and previously, we would have printed short-run litho. We’ve now transferred all that to short-run digital and we’ve been able to incorporate CMYK Plus onto those new products and maintain consistency for our clients.”

“At Xerox, we believe CMYK+ to be a driving force in the marketplace that can help print businesses get noticed and grow faster. Xerox Digital technologies open up new opportunities for rich layering and eye-catching embellishments, all whilst maintaining digital print’s advantages - short runs, quick turnarounds and high-impact personalisation. CMYK+ technologies from Xerox allows the user to print CMYK and up to two of four CMYK+ toners – gold, white, silver and clear – all in a single pass.

Each of the metallic inks contain reflective metallic pigments that work to amplify designs. these can either be used as a spot colour or combined with CMYK to produce iridescent tones and hues. White toner allows users to print onto dark stocks and can be used as a base for packaging boards or on translucent films for Point of Sale window display,” said Kevin O’Donnell, Head of Marketing for Graphic Communications and Production Systems at Xerox. For Ballyprint, CMYK+ has allowed the company to go above and beyond the requirements of its customers. “Due to constantly changing government requirements in the hospitality sector in particular, the Covid products that we produce are changing all the time but we’re able to keep up with those changes and with our clients’ demands, thanks to CMYK+,” said Aaron.

Recent work at Ballyprint includes both the Northern Ireland Open and the Irish Open, urgent jobs that demonstrated the company’s ability to turn work around quickly and efficiently. “That kept us very busy for a few weeks. With the Irish Open, we were brought in to facilitate the jobs that were needed urgently. We had about 10 days to turn around hoarding boards, graphics, media boards, desks, on-course signage etc.” Fast reaction times has led to repeat business for the print firm. “We’re known for producing short-run, quick turnaround work on demand and we do it very well.” That ability to react sets the company apart, said Kevin. “It’s about building agility into what you do but it’s also about having the CMYK+ capability and going beyond short runs and fast turnarounds. Being successful in the print industry today is about providing a broader service base, for instance Ballyprint offers wide format and a variety of finishing options like for example

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the laser cutter, which might seem like a small thing but it’s those small things that help differentiate a print firm.”

Matching and indeed exceeding customer requirements wouldn’t be possible without the Iridesse, said Aaron. “We wouldn’t be able to produce work that’s high-end enough for our clients and it certainly wouldn’t be cost-effective.

Two years ago, we were doing all our Pantone Gold through a litho machine and doing runs of about 200 sheets. That’s just not economically viable. Being able to transfer that across to the Iridesse has definitely impacted our bottom line. In addition, our large format division has seen its best ever sales this year.”

To cater for that growing demand for large format work, Ballyprint has extended its premises by 1000 sq ft and invested in even more new equipment. “We’ve used Tarkett Homogeneous poly floor covering throughout the entire production floor; essentially we’ve created a cleanroom which mightn’t impact our customers too much but it’ll ensure that all of our print and production processes remain flawless.” While some print firms may shy away from investing in their premises right now, Aaron had no such qualms. “I’m a firm believer in thinking ahead and constantly trying to improve. Opportunities don’t just land at your feet, they have to be created. I think the renovation shows how dedicated we are to producing the very best work for our customers.”

That work is produced by an in-house team of designers that are pushing the Iridesse to its creative limits. “Before

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Cover Story

lockdown, one of our biggest markets was the wedding industry. The stuff we were printing for that market was mind-blowing. The Iridesse is always surprising us; we’re constantly learning and producing on different substrates and products and experimenting with different mixtures of metallics. Our designers are really pushing the boundaries of what can be produced. We expect to be very busy next year once the wedding market kicks off again,” said Aaron.

Xerox hasn’t been resting on its laurels this year either, from organising webinars highlighting growth opportunities and making sure clients are maximising their investments through remote training and skills up sessions. Norman McNellis, the National Sales Manager for Xerox Production Systems, said: “The team have been working hard to ensure our customers don’t feel alone in this period of uncertainty, so we’re very much committed to helping our customers in a very real and pragmatic way.”

Demonstrating the power of CMYK+ is, says Kevin, another way of helping customers, whether that’s diversifying into new markets or simply improving the work they’re creating for existing customers. “We estimate that our CMYK+ applications will outpace standard CMYK by about 25% in the next couple of years. That part of the market is growing rapidly and in my opinion, standard CMYK is flat or even in decline. This is the place to be and we’re telling our customers to stand up and get noticed.

When a client expects CMYK and you deliver CMYK+, it differentiates a company like Ballyprint. Today, customers can go online and order print from faceless print corporations but as soon as you go outside the limits of what they can produce, they can’t deliver. It’s important to develop close relationships with customers and Aaron and his team are a great example of that.”

With newly renovated premises and ambitions to be the best in the business, the future looks bright for Aaron and the team at Ballyprint. “We’re really delighted with the Iridesse and with the relationship we have with Xerox.

Things might seem uncertain in general right now but I think there are plenty of opportunities to be had in the print sector. It’s just about going after them.”

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Products

Cube Limerick

Quadient GRAPHICALLY

MAKE CONNECTIONS THAT MATTER WITH MARKET-LEADING PRODUCTS FROM QUADIENT GRAPHICS

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Q

uadient Graphics, formerly Neopost Graphics, is part of Quadient Ireland and has been serving the Irish print industry with top-of-the-range consumables, commercial print, finishing and wide-format equipment for a number of years along with first-class service and flexible finance options.

The company is passionate about print in Ireland and providing the best globally sourced, quality products to the Irish market. Quadient Graphics is heavily involved in the Irish print industry, having been category sponsors at the Irish Print Awards and featuring in the pages of Irish Printer magazine over the years.

Through Quadient Graphics, Irish printers can avail of an impressive range of machines, inks, papers and supplies catering for all sizes of company from small to enormous. Customers can also be safe in the knowledge that they’re supported by an established global organisation in Quadient Ireland. Dedicated account managers come with years of experience and expertise, while a dedicated service team is only a phone call away.

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The JETRIX LXRi 320 Roll-to-Roll second

Products

Pierre Pheiffer and Fergus Byrne Impro Belfast

The Quadient Graphics catalogue of machinery displays some of the best, most reliable equipment in the industry. The offering includes the full range of Roland wide-format printing equipment, desktop and promotional printers, cutters and plotters, CWT flatbed applicators, printers and Comagrav cutters and routers.

Print-finishing equipment includes Duplo International’s range of bookletmakers, binders, folders, collators, duplicators, cutter-creasers and multi-finishers like the DC-616. The DC-616 multi-finisher is a particularly impressive machine – performing six slits, 25 cuts, 20 creases and two perforations in a single pass and is ideal for greeting cards, single perforation tickets and more. That’s not all; Quadient also supplies equipment from the likes of Multigraf, Komfi and Mohr.

Quadient Ireland is one of Ireland’s leading communication solution providers and has been supporting businesses in Ireland since 1979. With customer account managers and service engineers located throughout the country, the company offers the very best in service and support. Quadient prides itself on a local presence, with the organisation’s entire sales, service, finance and marketing departments operating from offices in Dublin. Whether your needs are related to mailroom solutions, software or commercial printing equipment, Quadient can help your business make connections that matter. Quadient and Quadient Graphics help more than 5,000 customers across Ireland, with over 50 full-time professionals on hand to support your requirements and if a machine goes down, a Quadient engineer is never too far away.

If you’re interested in any of the products available through Quadient Graphics or would like more information, feel free to get in touch via info.ie@quadient.com or by calling +353 (0) 1 625 0900 and you’ll be put directly in touch with an account manager

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their game Entering new markets and building on its quality control standards are the priorities at Priory Press Co Down-based Priory Press, a family business that’s been operating in the print sector for over 47 years, made the decision to invest in a Komori GL 629 + C back in March.

With Covid making its presence felt across every industry in the country, install has been delayed and is expected early December. Although some investment support has come from Invest NI, Priory Press is footing the majority of the bill for the new machine itself. “Before going with the new Komori press, we had started to investigate options for new technology. Our current levels of business mean we need a press that would be much faster than the machines we’re

currently using and would offer more in terms of 21st century technology. Improving on current press efficiencies was the goal,” said Mark McConville, Managing Director at Priory Press.

For the past 13 years, Priory Press has been operating exclusively as a packaging house. “We supply printed carton packaging for manufacturers across several sectors including food and beauty. Within the consumer food sector, most of the multiples require a six-colour plus coat printer and whilst we have a six colour press at the moment, it’s starting to show its age in terms of productivity.” Priory Press needed a fully automated six-colour machine, with the capability to run at high speeds. Mark investigated machines from various manufacturers. “The Komori GL 629 + C turned out to be the more sophisticated machine when compared to similar presses. It fulfilled all our requirements; we wanted online, fully automated colour management, colour reporting data and we wanted a built-in PDF comparison system. We felt that because we operate in the consumer food space, a system that was actively comparing the sign off PDF proofs would be very attractive to customers in that sector.” The Komori machine also features a 4K camera system that continually monitors the quality of the job. “It’s also able to issue quality reporting, not just in relation to waste but also when it comes to colour consistency. The speed of the machine really impressed us. It’ll allow us to start having conversations across other sectors, like for example the growing biopharma sector in Ireland.”

A constant programme of enhancements and improvements around quality control and standards and sustainability is also putting Priory Press ahead of its competitors. The company secured one of the highest grades of BRCGS High Hygiene (AA) in 2018 and also achieved FSC and PEFC certifications in 2019. “The BRCGS certification is a global food product safety standard and a legislative requirement.

It allows us to print packaging which is suitable for direct food contact. We very much adopted it full-time as a business standard and used it as a management tool. We’re continually carrying out internal inspections and audits and we pride

NI Economy Minister Diane Dodds with Mark McConville, MD at Priory Press Packaging

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ourselves that we’ve achieved the ‘High Hygiene’, AA standard for the fourth year in a row.” The environmental impact of its packaging is something that the company is very much focused on. “We’re fortunate that the sector we’re in is cardboard-based as opposed to single use plastic. PreCovid, the emphasis from most of the multiples was on reducing packaging and making it more environmentally friendly and indeed whilst the spotlight has been taken off that right now, it’s an issue that will undoubtedly come into focus once the pandemic ends.” A Carbon Trust loan has allowed Mark to install low voltage lighting throughout the factory and in admin areas. “As an organisation, we’re really focused on our environmental footprint. Our ambition is to have zero landfill and be carbon neutral so we’re recycling almost all of our waste and we’ve signed up to a company that’s supplying us exclusively with renewable electricity.” Two plug-in hybrid cars and a charging point at the factory further add to the company’s green credentials.

“We also wanted to achieve our chain of custody for both FSC and PEFC standards; these are programmes that are dedicated to promoting and practicing sustainable forest management. We achieved them in November 2019.”

Covid has, says Mark, presented the company with challenges across every aspect of the business. “In the initial period of lockdown, people were stockpiling particular food items. That placed demands and pressures on our customers which in turn challenged us.” With its quality assurance standards already in place, along with its BRC obligations, the company was in a good place when it came to new health and safety requirements. “Our factory already had handwashing stations and staff were using sanitising gels before we were instructed to do so. Social distancing was already being practiced due to the placement of machines in the factories. It meant we didn’t have too much catch up to do.”

Mark and the team are looking forward to taking delivery of the Komori GL 629 + C. “We purchased the machine from Komori UK, going through Jason O’Brien in Portman Graphics. Once it’s up and running, I’m very hopeful that we’ll be in a position to fill the gap in the pharmaceutical market caused by the pandemic. By investing in the new Komori machine, we’ll be able to break into this new sector and grow our business in international markets, beginning with the Republic of Ireland.”

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Technology

A GAME CHANGER

MJ Flood has announced the release of the new AccurioPress C14000 series from Konica Minolta

for commercial printers

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ewly available from MJ Flood and set to change the game for commercial printers, the AccurioPress C14000 Series high-volume production presses offer a higher standard of total productivity and efficiency. Sales have already started for Konica Minolta’s new range, its first foray into the high-volume toner printing segment. The AccurioPress C14000 prints at 80 pages per minute (ppm) in SRA3/A3 and is 40% faster than any other toner-based device from Konica Minolta. A second model in the series, the AccurioPress C12000, provides the same print quality and a similarly fast speed of 69 ppm.

The 80 ppm AccurioPress C14000, along with the 69 ppm AccurioPress C12000, were designed from the ground up to be digital print factories. According to MJ Flood, these presses demonstrate Konica Minolta’s mission to support the transformation of its clients, with a number of advanced automation features and accessories that will help printers expand and streamline their operations to deliver increased, highquality output with less waste.

The AccurioPress C14000 Series offers the new versatile trimmer unit for advanced operational efficiency. The TU-510 is a truly unique inline, fouredge trimmer and creaser that allows full bleed finishing support for banners, booklets, direct mail and a dedicated business card cutting option. In addition, the AccurioPress C14000 series is equipped with the Intelligent Quality Optimiser as standard, which can also improve labour efficiency by as much as 30%.

Unveiled across the world, this new flagship cutsheet product will maximise customer value based on opportunities for business expansion, accelerated

operational efficiency and improved total cost of ownership (TCO) with faster investment return.

The AccurioPress C14000 Series is also part of Konica Minolta’s mission to support the transformation of its clients’ companies by sector and industry, predicting potential challenges and creating solutions together. The presses will help customers that want to expand and streamline their businesses through advanced automation, fewer human touchpoints and higher productivity with tangible effects leading to increased, high-quality output with less waste.

The AccurioPress C6100s series for mid production print (MPP), on the other hand, is designed to support a highly responsive print room environment. The AccurioPress C14000 is in the high production print (HPP) segment, offering a higher print volume and longer duty cycle to reach new commercial print customers within the HPP segment, requiring high productivity, efficiency of operations and quality for direct mail, brochures and catalogues.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS EXPANSION

The unique features of the AccurioPress C14000 series make them ideal for customers looking to increase productivity through efficiencies and speed to grow their business. With resolution equivalent to 3600 x 2400 dpi and enhanced media capability up to 450 gsm, they offer breathtaking speeds with outstanding image quality and unparalleled media flexibility.

A new duplex banner printing up to 900mm and simplex banner length capability of 1300mm combined with envelope and embossed media capability gives customers the opportunity to offer

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KONICA MINOLTA ACCURIOPRESS SERIES – THE DETAILS

new types of work, such as four-panel gatefold brochures and book covers for finishing offline. To further improve efficiency and output, envelope printing can be accomplished using the standard fuser. Finally, new technology used in the print engine improves image quality on textured paper stocks.

OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

Paired with Konica Minolta’s enhanced Intelligent Quality Optimiser, the new presses automatically and continuously measure and manage colour to ensure the first print in a run matches the last. Two-dimensional registration correction has also been improved through the higher output resolution.

The automatic media detection sensor comes standard on these models, detecting the stock and assigning the appropriate tray, eliminating time consuming paper settings and operator error, reducing waste and increasing productivity.

The large stacker supports higher speed, permits banner bypass and offers operators the advantage of offloading while the machine is still running, another new benefit added to Konica Minolta’s AccurioPress expanded line.

Convenient colour management and job management utilities are available with Konica Minolta’s proprietary controller. A customisable operation screen makes the products extremely easy to operate. Other third-party controller options include the latest Fiery and Creo models.

STABILITY, HIGH DURABILITY AND REDUCED DOWNTIME IMPROVE TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP Konica Minolta’s Intelligent Quality Optimiser enhanced auto inspection options offer expanded inspection performance,

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• The unique features of the AccurioPress C14000 Series make these products ideal for customers looking to increase productivity through efficiencies and speed to grow their business • Output speeds of 80 and 69 ppm (SRA3/ A3), plus the high-resolution equivalent to 3600 x 2400 dpi and enhanced media capability up to 450 gsm, combines impressive speeds with outstanding image quality and unparalleled media flexibility • New duplex banner printing up to 900mm, simplex banner length capability of 1300mm, envelope and embossed media printability gives customers the opportunity to print new types of work, such as fourpanel gatefold brochures and book covers for finishing offline • To further improve efficiency and output, envelope printing can be accomplished using the standard fuser • Finally, new technology used in the print engine dramatically improves image quality on textured paper stocks.

verifying print quality and now detecting streaks and spots as well as blemishes. The high-quality prints mean maximum stability even during long-run jobs, while better registration and quality increases total usable print volume. The new presses offer a highly reliable duty cycle of 2.5 million, up from 1.8 million with the AccurioPress C6100, with double the toner capacity of earlier models.

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ENTRIES NOW OPEN

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

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

Irish Printing Federation

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Technology

Making money WITH YOUR WORKFLOW

T

he most expensive things you do in your printing plant every day involve talking to clients and physically touching their work. You talk to clients to better understand the work they want you to do and you touch the work, in prepress or at other points in the process, to ensure that the client’s intent is rendered on to the substrate. But every conversation and every touch has a financial impact. While you rely on workflow tools to aid the process, in most companies there are also spreadsheets, whiteboards and sticky notes used to gather and communicate information about the jobs-in-progress. It’s only natural!

However, the more you talk and touch, the less money you make on the job.

Workflow should be the infrastructure that allows you to do the most work at the least cost, but over time the solutions put in place to meet a specific set of needs, job types and clients begin to wear and rub. Well-meaning team members

How can you tell if your work is no longer flowing, but moving through a series of hoops and hurdles?

Pat McGrew investigates

add additional steps, circumvent steps, create spreadsheets to track things that the workflow software isn’t tracking and before you realise what has happened, your workflow is a series of disconnected steps that is undocumented and inefficient.

How can you tell if your work is no longer flowing, but moving through a series of hoops and hurdles? Start by taking a quick look at what you have and then begin looking at the emerging solutions that can help you become more efficient.

ASSESSING WHERE YOU ARE TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Workflow has never been the big talk track in printing. Some look at workflow software as a necessary evil. The complaints range from difficulties in installation and set-up to complicated user interfaces that take too much time to understand. The complaints have some basis in the reality of dealing with software that was often created to meet the needs of a specific

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print shop configuration before being marketed to the print industry at large. Then add changes in print production over the last decade and the odds that the workflow installed is perfectly suited to the work being done today are not good.

Some of the common symptoms of a workflow that is out of sync with the current print work mix are: • Trouble getting a larger number of short run/small batch jobs onboarded, into production and out the door so they can be invoiced • A growing number of overtime shifts impacting job profit margins • Automation solutions that require manual touchpoints – islands of automation • Installed software that no one is using • Multiple processes for the same function – sometimes the result of mergers and acquisitions.

Any of these conditions will cost you time and money but as they add up, they can seriously impact your ability to run profitably. Sadly, these situations do not fix themselves over time and trying to add more software on top of a challenged workflow often only adds more cost without repairing the underlying problems.

Before you write that check for a new workflow solution, do a self-assessment that starts with a walk through your workflow. This is a best practice recommended by most workflow experts as the starting point for the move to operational excellence. Begin your workflow walk with a whiteboard. Identify the types of work you do at the highest level. List your equipment and your software. If you have asset lists, start with them but be prepared to edit! The next stop is the point where you begin to work with a print job.

Some organisations have embraced web-to-print solutions, bought or built, while others still work by taking orders over the phone or exclusively through a salesperson or print broker.

You may have all these onboarding points. You may discover that you have several web-to-print solutions as well as different onboarding methods depending on the salesperson

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or broker you work with. Make some notes on the ways work comes to you because this is the area cited in industry surveys as being the most disruptive. This is especially true for companies who have transitioned with their customers from long runs of static work that was on the same cadence year in and year out to shorter runs with more variations.

Once you look at how jobs come on board into the print shop, walk with the different types of jobs through the shop.

Listen for how many phone calls back to customers are needed to confirm specifications, decide on substrates, adjust expectations on delivery. As the jobs move into prepress and pre-flight, how many jobs are rejected for missing elements?

Is everyone using the installed workflow solutions or are private spreadsheets and notebooks the true measure of job progress? Review the job scheduling and watch for the number of reworks. Is there printed work that’s waiting on finishing?

If you have production dashboards, how close are their indicators to what you found on your walk? Record everything you see. Now go back to your asset lists and look for the software that is installed and compare it to what is being used. Do you have unused software packages for which you still pay maintenance? Here is a place to capture some savings.

Look at every software tool that is installed and identify where it is used and how it moves the workflow process forward. Once you have this refreshed view of your print production workflow, it’s time to consider the trends and emerging technologies that can help you eliminate the inefficiencies and make money with your workflow!

BUILD YOUR WORKFLOW PLATFORM

From the data-centric solutions that are informed by Industry 4.0 to the platform and framework orientations of an emerging set of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) workflow options, the opportunity to remake your production workflow is in your grasp. Since drupa 2016, the industry has seen established workflow solutions retool to take advantage of cloud-based computing, subscription models for both delivery and payment

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with different capabilities and delivery locations that can expand the footprint of any printer, anywhere. If you aren’t quite ready for a platform, look for tools and suites that can be integrated into your current environment that can capture data on jobs at every touchpoint and relay that information to production dashboards that inform not only the production floor but management. In the modern print shop, it is essential to be able to identify every cost associated with every job to ensure margins are met.

MAKING MONEY WITH WORKFLOW

and compatibility with an emerging set of platforms designed to allow a workflow architect to create a bespoke flow by plugging tools into platforms and frameworks.

Platforms as a method to allow disparate software tools to work together in a workflow provide distinct advantages.

Consider a platform like Enfocus Switch, with more than 70 apps available for integration into the Switch platform. From CloudPrinter to handwriting generators, PDF tools and metadata handling applications, the Switch platform allows a workflow architect to assemble tools to optimise large segments of the production workflow. HP offers a similar approach with its PrintOS platform and continues to expand with new solutions added to the PrintOS marketplace regularly. The defining characteristic of these platforms is that applications use well-defined application programming interfaces (APIs) to integrate into the platform, making it easier to try a tool before committing to it. Expect to see more platforms introduced by the key workflow vendors and announcements of well-recognised tools available as plugins to existing platforms.

Ryan McAbee, Director of Production Workflow for Keypoint Intelligence, said this about platforms: “The need for workflow platforms will only intensify as the industry converges and analogue-heavy segments like packaging undergo further digital transformation. All types of applications, regardless of the eventual printing method, require well-defined workflow steps from preflighting to colour management. As a result, print workflow platforms are well-suited to support the changing industry needs by leveraging best-in-class components that create a universal workflow for processing and routing orders intelligently in one system.”

Production printers should also take note of the emerging world of print customisation platforms that connect print buyers with print producers. Companies like Cimpress, Cloudprinter, Gelato and InkRouter have developed global network platforms that make it easier to access print providers

The promise of a well-designed workflow is that it includes only the needed software tools and captures and provides usable data to production and business dashboards. It provides the infrastructure that eliminates unnecessary costs, touchpoints and handling.

In the 2019 InfoTrends European Software Investment Outlook, workflow was identified as the most overlooked 1.4 million euro cost centre. The goal should be to turn that into a profit centre by proactively managing prepress activities, how jobs are sold and files are received. Your workflow assessment should help you identify the real costs of job onboarding, which is the single biggest point of cost in the workflow process. Other surveys support the identification of job onboarding – getting the job from the point of sale to the point of print – as a key element to investigate when looking for places to streamline. If you have multiple webto-print and file capture portals, this is a good time to consolidate on one. It should be scalable and secure. If jobs are arriving in email or through FTP it is difficult to automate.

The best solutions make it easy for customers to upload files and provide options to automatically check the files for assets, pre-flight and ensure that all job specifications are complete for the job. That alone can save hours of time.

Remember that any of these solutions will require a keen understanding of your work processes and time to set up and implement. Once done, however, the cost savings will follow.

And that is how you make money with your workflow – you take costs out that shouldn’t be there.

Pat McGrew is MD at print consulting firm, McGrewGroup

Your workflow assessment should help you identify the real costs of job onboarding, which is the single biggest point of cost in the workflow process

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Expansion

Further expansion for EBB in Ireland Following the acquisition of Uniboard, Elliott Baxter (EBB) has continued to invest in both sales and logistics In July 2019, EBB announced it had acquired UniBoard, a leading carton board merchant based near Dublin. In December 2019, UniBoard moved to new purposedesigned premises in Rathcoole, increasing storage capacity to 12,000 pallets and in April 2020, the carton board merchant launched a full stock range of paper products aimed at the commercial print sector, including many of Europe’s leading grades such as Sappi GalerieArt, Horizon, Soporset and Navigator. In its latest move, EBB has opened a local sales office in Belfast to look after Northern Ireland commercial print customers.

The team, lead by Sonny Vance, moved into the new branch in July 2020, with specific responsibility around supporting existing customers whilst launching the newly available paper ranges. “Our initial plan of acquiring UniBoard and relocating to a new premises to increase capacity went well.

We have now been able to add a satellite branch in Belfast to further improve service to customers across Ireland,” said Chris Sandwell, Group Sales Director. Further investment in Ireland is planned with in-house logistics capability planned for 2021.

Sonny Vance

Myles Fitzpatrick

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