Irish Printer issue 4 2019

I S S U E 4 2 0 1 9 | | 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

RISING TO THE OCCASION

ANGLO PRINTERS’ MD PADRAIC KIERANS ON FACING BREXIT IN A BORDER COUNTY

EVEN BETTER THAN THE REAL(T) THING Diversification is keeping Realt Paper at the top of its game

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS THE NATIONAL PRINT MUSEUM IS ON THE HUNT FOR A NEW HOME GERARD WHELAN ON WHY YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE

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ISSUE 4 2019

04 News

A look at what’s happening in the print industry

07 Cutting upgrade at NI mailing house Tricord is set to install a new Polar D56 Eco Guillotine at its Lisburn branch

08 New ideas, new solutions

Due to be held from 24 – 27 September in Brussels, this year’s Labelexpo Europe is packed with the most advanced collection of label and package printing technologies in the world

18 Keeping it Real(t)

Realt Paper is adapting to a more creative industry with new and more innovative ranges

15 Revenues up at Walsh Graphics

Walsh Graphics has invested in an innovative cloud-based system that’s set to boost revenues by 15%

16 Driven by ambition

National Business Machines’ partnership with Xerox has taken a leap forward, with the company now covering all of Munster and South Leinster

22 Rising to the occasion

11 Minprint has the Edge

Belfast firm Minprint has

invested in a new Iridesse from Xeretec

Anglo Printers’ MD Padraic Kierans talks about facing Brexit in a border county and why we need to shout a bit louder about our talents

28 Talking to...

Rob Nagle, Account Manager at Neopost, chats about his 32 years working in the everchanging print industry

IRISH PRINTER

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Welcome to Issue 4 of Irish Printer for 2019.

For this issue of Irish Printer, we sat down for a chat with Ger Barron, Managing Director at Realt Paper. The company, which has been running for the past 35 years, is considered a steadfast force in the industry and a one-stop-shop for any requirement a printer may have, be it litho, laser, inkjet or digital. By investing in new ranges and redirecting its focus onto more environmentally conscious products, Realt Paper is adapting to an increasingly creative industry. To read more about the company’s plans for the future, turn to page 18.

We also spoke with Padraic Kierans, MD at Anglo Printers, who talked about the importance of fairer procurement policies in Ireland.

Procurement, he says, remains a major issue for the printing industry and is something the Irish Printing Federation continues to lobby government on. Padraic also described what it’s like being in a border county with Brexit looming and why putting the customer front and centre has allowed the company to thrive over the past few years.

As always, we have the usual industry and investment news, including Minprint’s recent investment in a new Xerox Iridesse from Xeretec and Walsh Graphic’s decision to implement a new cloudbased system that’s set to boost revenues by 15%. Finally, on page 26, the Design, Print and Packaging Skillnet explains what firms should be doing to keep their staff from job hunting.

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: Claire Kiernan Contact: Irish Printer, Ashville Media Group, Unit 55, Park West Road, Park West, Dublin 12, D12 X9F Tel: (01) 432 2200 Web: www.irishprinter.ie 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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23/08/2019 22/08/2019 10:55 21/02/2019 14:30 13:53

NEWS ED SHEERAN AND HEINZ ‘SING’ PRINT’S PRAISES

Ed Sheeran is embracing the ‘perfect’ power of print thanks to a special short-run labels campaign with Heinz Ketchup. Only 150 Ed Sheeran X Heinz bottles have been created, made up with a sleeve that incorporates a number of the singer’s own tattoos, one of which is the original iconic Heinz label.

Three of the bottles have been auctioned at Christie’s to raise funds for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices and Rise Against Hunger, two charities chosen by Sheeran. Of the remaining bottles, 104 will be given away in online sweepstakes and the rest will be gifted to superfans or appear in select museums around the world.

The project came together when Sheeran, ‘drunk’ on his love for the brand, contacted Heinz via Instagram to pitch the idea.

FRIEDMANS’ MIMAKI-PRINTED PYJAMAS STAR IN KILLING EVE When Jodie Comer’s character, Villanelle, strode through suburbia wearing pyjamas in episode one of the second season of the BBC’s Killing Eve, viewers took to social media in their droves to try to locate the design. It was quickly tracked down to Greater Manchester design studio and fabric printers Friedmans and their design manager, Nick Thomas, was excited about its starring role in the TV hit. “It was as much a surprise to us that our design ended up in the limelight. The fabric was ordered through our web-to-print portal and it only really came to our attention when we saw the interest on social media after the first episode had aired,” he said. Friedmans operates a wide-ranging print production facility from its Altrincham offices and the initial order came from Killing Eve’s production company, Sid Gentle Films, via a retail web enquiry on the company’s Funkifabrics website. Recent expansion into larger premises and investment in a suite of nine Mimaki textile printers has afforded the company the capacity and the flexibility to deliver high quality textile print with a fast turnaround. “We can upscale and downscale our print capacity to match demand,” he continues.

“Whether it’s printing hundreds of short runs or delivering substantial single jobs across multiple machines, we’re able to accurately match colour from computer monitor through to production.” The Killing Eve pyjamas were produced on one of Friedmans’ Mimaki TS300 dye sublimation printers. The print was then transferred using a rotary heat press onto a polyester-lycra blend fabric from Italian manufacturer, Carvico, for whom Friedmans are the UK distributor, before being sent to the client where it was cut and sewn into the one-off garments. Multiple colourways were provided to enable the similarly styled pairs to be produced for the two cast members.

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IRISH PRINTER

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NEWS

Ricoh

IRELAND’S DOCUMENT PRODUCTION CENTRE SUPPORTS LAURALYNN Ricoh Ireland has announced that its Document Production Centre, located in Glasnevin in Dublin, is supporting LauraLynn’s fundraising activities by providing a dedicated print service and producing a wide range of print materials for the charity. The partnership means that the hospice can dedicate more resources to providing care for children with life-limiting conditions and a range of practical, emotional and therapeutic supports to their families. Gary Owens, Manager, Document Production Centre, Ricoh Ireland, said: “LauraLynn is an incredibly special organisation and we are honoured that we can support them in this way. Our solutions and services are perfectly fitted to provide the collateral they need to run their events

SPEAKERS CONFIRMED FOR PRINT SHOW

and spread awareness. We take great pride in producing and delivering these materials because of the impact it has and the value it adds for

The full list of speakers for this year’s seminar programme at The Print Show have been revealed, with highlights including Q&A sessions with Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Chris Eubank and Gregg Wallace.

All sessions on the programme will be focused around the key talking points in the print market, covering issues such as the development of digital print and the importance of operating a suitable business, as well as the opportunities for growth in the 3D print market. Sessions will be split between the Business Seminar Theatre, a key feature of the show for the past five years and a dedicated celebrity area where the three famous faces will also meet with visitors for photographs and a free book signing session. Other speakers include Frazer Chesterman, co-founder of the FM Future Consultancy and a former director at FESPA, who will look at the future of digital print. Maryam Qureshi of HP will look at the opportunities in the 3D print market and how print service providers can access it while Nick Devine, aka The Print Coach, will look at selling print in the age of the internet and how to increase sales and margins in just 90 days.

the charity.”

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IRISH PRINTER

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NEWS CMYUK TO DISTRIBUTE GERBER’S MCT LASER CUTTERS

CMYUK has been appointed the UK and Ireland distributor for Gerber’s MCT Laser Cutters.

According to Nick Reed, CMYUK’s digital cutting specialist and ESKO Business Manager, laser cutting is perfect for anyone who wants to get into soft signage, textiles and flags. “The ability to eliminate the need for sewing is such a compelling advantage and one which is set to be such a strong focus for the near to medium term. We are witnessing huge demand for soft furnishing, interior décor and personalisation within the digitally printed textile market. These need to be cut with a laser, which not only handles irregular shapes with ease, but also seals raw edges. Further down the line, prototyping, fast fashion and highly customisable short-runs will be screaming out for this type of finishing,” he said. The Gerber MCT Cutter is equipped with a high-powered laser that delivers heat-sealed, non-fraying edges and cuts accurately every time. By implementing a singular Gerber MCT Cutter, a company can offer a wider range of jobs without the need for multiple machines.

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NAUTILUS RECYCLED FROM

Antalis

Antalis has introduced NAUTILUS Uncoated to its portfolio of environmental papers. The new product is available in two grades – SuperWhite and Classic – in a wide range of paper and board weights and cut and folio sheet sizes. NAUTILUS SuperWhite is a premium ecological paper containing 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

It has a high environmental profile with FSC recycled, EU Ecolabel certification and a CO2 neutral option.

NAUTILUS Classic combines the authentic recycled paper shade with the stringent Blue Angel environmental profile. This 100% recycled paper is optimised for trouble free printing and copying. The new range is part of Antalis’ carbon programme with a carbon balanced option available for a small, additional cost, enabling users to offset the unavoidable carbon emission of their paper use.

Carbon balance is achieved through the preservation of ecologically important standing forests under threat of clearance, locking in carbon that would otherwise be released. By purchasing carbon balanced papers customers are helping to support the work of the World Land Trust, an international conservation charity that protects the world’s most biologically significant habitats.

IRISH PRINTER

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News

Cutting upgrade at NI mailing house Tricord is set to install a new Polar D56 Eco guillotine at its Lisburn branch Operating since 1997, Tricord is a supplier of direct mail and fulfilment services to businesses throughout Ireland, the UK and overseas. For the past 10 years, the Lisburn-based company has been using a second-hand, 25-year-old guillotine but that’s set to change with the installation of a Polar D56 ECO guillotine.

“The old Polar has done fantastically well but we did look at other supplier options. We needed a cutting machine to handle A4 and A3 work, much of it digital and often two up or four up work. Our analysis showed that Polar was the best; it met the mark,” said David Wright, General Manager.

He gave four reasons for his choice. He liked the laser beam safety features, the ease of use (some other models were ‘clunky’), the Polar mark of quality and performance and the service levels offered by Heidelberg, which compare favourably with the many suppliers the company uses.

The Polar D56 ECO features a monochrome display and has 198 programme capacity for repeat formats. It has a cutting width and depth of 560mm. The knife changing is very easy and maintenance minimal.

Tricord handles direct mail and multichannel fulfilment for several different sectors including retailers, financial institutions, government, leisure, education and charities.

According to the company, the guillotine will improve Tricord’s productivity and quality, helping to ensure work is produced to a high standard and work can be distributed fast and efficiently.

Polar D56 ECO - Technical Details Cutting width

560 mm 22.05 in

Feeding depth

560 mm 22.05 in

Feeding height max

80 mm 3.15 in

Clamp pressure min

200 daN 441 lbs

Clamp pressure max

1,200 daN 2,646 lbs

Backgauge speed on return way (0 - ...)

70 mm/sec 2.76 in/sec

Smallest cut, automatically without false plate

15 mm 0.59 in

Smallest cut, automatically with false plate

50 mm 1.97 in

Dimensions (w × d × h)

1,150 × 1,670 × 1,500 mm 45.28 × 65.75 × 59.06 in

IRISH PRINTER

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News

New Ideas, New Solutions Due to be held from 24-27 September in Brussels, this year’s Labelexpo Europe is packed with the most advanced collection of label and package printing technologies in the world.

Here’s just a small preview of what you can expect to see over the four-day event

XEIKON Xeikon is set to showcase four live production solutions at Labelexpo Europe 2019. The company will also introduce its latest advisory tool called ‘TRANSFORM’. Over the four day event, Xeikon will exhibit on the Flint Group stand with a wide portfolio of digital label printing solutions, including entry level as well as high productivity production lines from start to finish. There will be demonstrations on the latest innovative power of Xeikon’s X-800 workflow tools driving a number of digital presses using both inkjet and toner technologies and demonstrating food safety for flexible packaging and stand up pouches.

With TRANSFORM as a must-see, Xeikon will be operating a selection of popular configurations throughout the show including: •

Label Discovery Package: an entry-level

MARTIN AUTOMATIC

A supplier of unwind/splice and rewind technology to the narrow web market, Martin Automatic will be exhibiting two machines from its range at the trade fair in Brussels.

The MBSF (‘F’ for film) automatic unwind butt splicer on show is designed for a production environment where headroom is limited – a situation easily accommodated by Martin’s vertical accumulator (festoon) design. The splicer is capable of handling a variety of materials, including label stock and unsupported lightweight films. The LRD is a two-spindle non-stop automatic transfer rewinder that complements the capabilities of the MBS perfectly. It is one of a range that Martin offers to automatically transfer the running web from a full roll to an empty core without stopping or slowing the line and can automatically unload finished rolls. The popular splice-sample closet will also feature on the stand in Brussels, as will the renowned Martin hot dogs!

solution addressing 90% of all end-user label applications •

Xeikon CX500: addressing high-end food and wine label printing

•

Xeikon PX3000: the ideal solution for health and beauty markets and highperformance durable label printing

•

Xeikon aXelerate: helping printers and converters to go the extra mile

PULSE ROLL LABEL PRODUCTS LTD Narrow web ink specialist, Pulse Roll Label Products Ltd, will showcase the next evolution of its PureBright UV flexo metallic inks at Labelexpo Europe 2019. The new metallic inks have been formulated to comply with the latest reclassification of raw materials, adhering to EuPIA’s Exclusion Policy. The new silver and golds are available as standard or as a food packaging compliant (FPC) version, suitable for non-direct food contact packaging applications, as well as general label printing. The company has seen a surge in demand for high quality metallic inks over the past few years as brand owners seek to make their labels stand out on the shelf by adding enhancements that provide a premium finish.

The new silver and gold inks are available directly from the UK or via the company’s international partnership network for customers around the world.

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News MIMAKI

Under the theme ‘Reimagine the Future of Labelling and Packaging’, Mimaki Europe will focus on greater sustainability at Labelexpo Europe 2019. The manufacturer of inkjet printers and cutting systems will demonstrate how businesses can use Mimaki’s wide range of solutions to make more sustainable choices when designing and manufacturing labels and packaging. Mimaki will exhibit an array of applications from die-cut labels, metallic stickers and rigid decals, to folding cartons, corrugated boxes and 360-degree-printed-packaging. All samples will be produced with improved sustainability in mind. A technology highlight on the Mimaki stand will be the UJF-7151plus direct-toobject UV flatbed printer. Printing short-run packaging applications live at the event, visitors will see the flawless print quality achievable for rigid decals, packaging mock-ups and stickers.

VETAPHONE

FLEXO WASH

Vetaphone, the Danish

Flexo Wash will be exhibiting a range of cleaning technology from its

pioneer

Corona

comprehensive portfolio at Labelexpo, including a generation of Anilox

surface treatment, will

Cleaners with the focus on easier handling, improved technology and

be

four

sustainable solutions. According to the company, the NXT generation

machines at Labelexpo.

and LASER units will lead Flexo Wash’s innovation into the 2020’s,

For those looking for narrow web surface treatment,

where the company will focus increasingly on easy handling and

the company will be showing two Corona stations;

sustainability, with the primary goal of reducing environmental footprint

the VE1A-A (C4) features four ceramic electrodes

and creating the most effective automatic

and is designed for single-sided treatment, while

cleaning solutions for the printing industry.

the newly launched VE1A-M (C8) is designed for

Machines on display at the Brussels expo

complex substrates and applications where high

include Anilox Cleaning, Plate Cleaning,

Corona power is required from a single unit. Both

Parts Cleaning, Screen Cleaning,

models are both CE and UL approved and like all

Sedimentation tank and the company’s

Vetaphone Corona units, they are developed for

range of environmental solutions.

of

exhibiting

non-stop production and easy maintenance.

MITSUBISHI HITEC PAPER Mitsubishi HiTec Paper is set to present a wide range of coated specialty papers for the label and packaging market at Labelexpo. New products include jetscript METAL VPG 1018, a metallic-silver gloss inkjet paper for the water-based inkjet printing of self-adhesive labels and barricote BAG WGOM, a fully recyclable barrier paper for flexible food packaging with multi-barrier against water vapour, grease and oil, oxygen and aroma as well as mineral oil migration.

Jetscript METAL VPG 1018 (110 g) is purely fibre-based with a silver metallic glossy finish and a transparent, microporous inkjet coating for excellent printing performance. The inkjet paper features high print density, fast drying, compatibility with latex inks and optimum performance in the self-adhesive production process. With the new barricote BAG WGOM (89 g), Mitsubishi says it has launched a particularly sustainable barrier paper for flexible food packaging. BAG WGOM can also be heat-sealed and is approved for direct food contact.

IRISH PRINTER

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Investment

Minprint has The Edge Belfast firm Minprint has invested in a new Xerox Iridesse from Xeretec fter assessing the various options on the market, Minprint decided to go with a new Xerox Iridesse with the latest Fiery EX-P 6 Print Server earlier this year. “This Xerox production press strikes the right balance between productivity and quality, with a few nice bells and whistles to give us an edge. Features like the Fiery front end being able to seamlessly integrate into our Pace MIS will make a big difference going forward,” said Jamie McMinnis, Managing Director at the firm.

Operating for over 40 years, Minprint is a commercial printing firm based on the Castlereagh Road in Belfast. The company recently launched MAD Creative, an offshoot of Minprint that works with businesses on all aspects of design, branding, marketing, exhibition spaces and innovative retail solutions.

For both the commercial side of the business and its new creative agency,

the new Xerox Iridesse has opened up a host of new possibilities.

According to Jamie, the new Xerox production press boasts similar quality levels to litho but with the advantages of digital. “For us, the big win with the new printer is the long sheet feed which allows us to migrate more short run litho work. In addition, the quality and capability on heavier stocks means we can finally move almost all of our business card orders to digital print.”

In the long term, the printer’s additional ink configurations mean Minprint can now offer a range of speciality finishes on media that previously wasn’t an option. “We’ve just finished a pack to demonstrate this and Xeretec was so impressed with what we did that they want to take it to the Print Show at the NEC!” The support that Minprint receives from Xeretec is a big plus. “As existing CP1000 users, we find the local support team first class. Initially, when we were all but sold on a HP Indigo, the Xeretec team came in and impressed us with

We are proud to partner with such an innovative print and design business.

It’s been rewarding to see how Minprint’s creative print culture coupled with the Xerox Iridesse’s outstanding print technology has led to the creation of unique printed output that will certainly make Minprint stand out from its competitors Tom Cleare, General Manager, Xeretec Ireland

demos as well as some additional training with a specialist, which was really useful after install to really push the boundaries of what the machine can do. They followed up with us on every angle and nothing seems like too much trouble. I really would recommend them highly.”

The new Xerox Iridesse allows for faster turnaround and more up time.

“Xeretec has given us engineer level training to fix our own issues and with a hyper rip that literally eats data, we’re now in a great place to take on those jobs that others might shy away from.”

IRISH PRINTER

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ADVERTISE WITH US IN

Contact our Sales and Sponsorship Director, Trish Murphy on 01 432 2231 or email trish.murphy@ashvillemediagroup.com

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News

A New Chapter The National Print Museum is on the hunt for a new home Since the early 90’s, the National Print Museum has been located at the old Garrison Chapel in Beggars Bush Barracks on Haddington Road. The Museum, which is housed in an OPW building and leased free of charge, was officially opened by then-President Mary Robinson in 1996. Now, a redevelopment of a number of OPW buildings within the Barracks is on the cards and that means the National Print Museum must find a new home.

“The OPW want the premises back by November 2021.

Initially, the news came as a huge shock to us. With the support of the industry, we had redeveloped this building and had thought we’d be here forever. All good things must come to an end however and so we’ll be moving on,” said Carla Marrinan Funder, Chief Executive Officer at the Museum. Since learning of the OPW’s plans for redevelopment, the Museum has been in talks with various government agencies and the outlook is positive.

“There has been quite a bit of encouragement and we’re

hopeful that we might be able to find a better, more fit-forpurpose home. In some ways we have outgrown the space here. We’re currently renting a big storage facility as we just don’t have enough space and programming has also been restricted as we don’t have space to do more or indeed to display more. This could be an opportunity to find somewhere bigger and better.”

The National Print 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.” The Museum also has plans to start a fundraising campaign to fit out the new premises. “We hope the industry continues to support us and we’ll be releasing details of the campaign over the next while.”

If you have any ideas as to where the National Print Museum could relocate, email info@nationalprintmuseum.ie

IRISH PRINTER

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Ireland’s Experia Stockists Laser Printing Coated Paper HP Indigo approved 90gm2 - 400gm2

+ 353 1 832 3099 | sales@realt-paper.com

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PAPER EVOLUTION

28/08/2019 12:31 12:21

Tech Investment

Revenues Up At Walsh Graphics Walsh Graphics has invested in an innovative cloud-based system that’s set to boost revenues by 15%

SSM Cloud Solutions has implemented the Oracle NetSuite ERP system at Walsh Graphics, a solution that integrates all sales orders, stock management and accounts data into one cloud-based system.

The new solution provides both the office-based administration and the remote sales teams with real-time sales and stock information.

The deal, valued at €85,000, is set to simplify Walsh Graphics’ sales, stock, accounts and ecommerce processes.

Previously, these processes were negatively impacting staff productivity and efficiency levels. For example, the sales teams’ lack of visibility of sales history and stock information created a significant volume of unnecessary and time-consuming phone and email communications with the office-based admin staff. With the opening of Walsh Graphic’s Dublin office, the requirement for a system that serves two locations and enables a growing sales team to work remotely became vital.

Since the solution was implemented, the time the sales team spends on admin and liaising with the office-based team has been reduced by 50%. As a result of the streamlined sales process and freedom of the office-based team to focus on growing the business, there has been a 15% increase in sales. Walsh Graphics forecasts a 7% increase in gross profit in the next financial quarter.

Now, the new solution will allow for future growth, with plans in place to grow the business by 20% year on year over the coming three years. In addition, it’s expected to boost revenues by 15% in the first year.

Michael Walsh, founder and Managing Director, said: “OSSM Cloud’s solution is providing our sales team with

real-time access to customer orders, stock levels and a platform to manage their pipeline, allowing them to be proactive instead of reactive. These capabilities are enabling us to focus on scaling the business and achieving our growth plans.

“We are continuing to work with the OSSM Cloud team to mould the solution to our needs and to eke out further operating efficiencies. Our website is hugely important to our overall sales and the capability to include customer relationship management and marketing elements was a key factor in our decision to choose the NetSuite solution.

It is reassuring for the whole team to know we have an easy-to-use system in place that can scale to our needs and futureproof our business.”

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Expansion

Driven by Ambition National Business Machines’ partnership with Xerox has taken a leap forward, with the company now covering all of Munster and South Leinster

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Expansion

We’re investing in extra people and additional back office resources to support the expansion. It’s a huge milestone for the company and a move that’s bringing us onto another level

ational Business Machines (NBM), a leading provider of workplace solutions, software and managed print services, recently announced major expansion plans for its business. The move, which will position the company as one of Xerox’s largest Irish channel partners, will see NBM expand its business to cover all of Munster and South Leinster including Cork, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly and Wexford. Between now and 2020, the company will invest €750,000 into infrastructure and personnel to facilitate the growth.

For over three decades, NBM has been a trusted partner of Xerox. This expansion is set to further strengthen both Xerox and NBM’s ability to offer a locally accessible model to support clients and grow both of the businesses. “We have been the primary route to market in the area since 1985 but this move makes us the sole route to market. We’ll be taking over the management of all existing accounts in the area. It’s a big step for us and one we’re really excited about,” said Michael Galvin, Managing Director at NBM. This territory expansion will result in the creation of five new jobs and expected revenue growth of 40% by 2020 for NBM. “We’re investing in extra people and additional back office resources to support the expansion. It’s a huge milestone for the company and a move that’s bringing us onto another level. It’s also allowing us to invest in more expertise. Our headquarters is in Cork and we have offices in Waterford and Limerick but we’re also planning on opening another office in Portlaoise and we’ll move forward with that this year.”

Michael said that he’s excited to welcome new members to the NBM family over the next 12 months.

“We’ll continue to provide our customers with solutions that meet all their business requirements, from cost effectiveness and reliability to environmental efficiency and sustainability.” In 1985 Michael, who began his career with Xerox, established National Business Machines with two previous Xerox employees. “We’ve always had an excellent relationship with Xerox. In the same way that Xerox has continually invested in research and development and new technologies, we’ve aligned with that to ensure our customers receive the best possible service.

We’ve also adapted with the industry; when it comes to the technology that we’re selling, what we were doing in the 80’s an 90’s is totally different to what we’re doing today.” A more technology-driven industry has also changed the skills requirements needed in employees. “We need people with skills around the solutions side of things. The machines themselves aren’t as important as they used to be.

Now, it’s more about what the machines can do in relation to workflows and what software solutions can go with them etc. We need to invest more in people with IT expertise.”

An expansion of this size isn’t without its challenges.

“We expect the new deal to result in significant growth over the next few years but there are always challenges when you’re increasing overheads and taking on more investment. We’ll need to get a return on that and ensure that we keep the business momentum going. There’s also the market elements that we can’t control, the unknowns like, will we have another recession and what’s going to happen with Brexit? So while we’re taking on more responsibility, we would hope that no unforeseen market forces have a detrimental effect on us. In saying that, we’re delighted with the move; its challenges like this that keep the industry interesting.”

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Paper

Keeping it Real(t) Realt Paper is adapting to a more creative industry with new and more innovative ranges

er Barron has been running one of Ireland’s most successful paper merchants for almost 35 years. Today, Realt Paper is considered a steadfast force in the industry and a one-stopshop for any requirement a printer may have, be it litho, laser, inket or digital.

Over the past few years, Ger and the team at Realt have managed to carve out a niche for themselves by diversifying into new markets, anticipating what the trends may be and responding to those trends with innovative products. A focus on creativity led the firm to make a significant investment earlier this year. “We have invested in a couple of creative paper ranges, the main one being the Colorplan range for which we have sole distribution in Ireland. It consists of a range of 52 colours and it’s available in 20 different embossings. It also has a very wide weight range, going from 100 gsm up to 700 gsm,” said Ger. A designer-led range, Colorplan is used by high street names like Mulberry and Selfridges. “We launched it at Offset Dublin 2019 so it’s

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brand new for us. It’s taking us in a slightly different direction in that this is a range that’s mainly discussed with designers.”

With this investment, Realt is looking to the future and assessing the direction paper usage is moving in. “There seems to be more creative work around. We have a seriously impressive design community in Ireland who are producing excellent work. We want to ensure that they have their choice of paper and that it’s stocked on the island. Up until now this range hasn’t been stocked here; it was bought in overnight from the UK and that meant delays and an extra charge for carriage. We have it and not just that, we service

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Paper

nationwide the next day.” So far so good with Colorplan, which is going well for the company. “Initally we were quite cautious but it has exceeded our expectations and is performing far better than we had predicted.”

Realt Paper has also introduced a new digital range to its portfolio called Experia Digi. “This is a woodfree coated paper and board, designed specifically for digital laser printing. We only launched it three months ago but it’s going extremely well. Customers are opting for it as it’s a dependable, well-established, hassle free sheet that doesn’t let you down.”

Over the next few months, Realt is set to roll-out a series of new, environmentally conscious products. “We’ve always made a conscious effort to stock sustainable products but we’re beginning to focus more on that side of things and we’ll be launching new products this year and into 2020 with very strong environmental credentials.” The company is also set to launch a brand new range of GC1 and GC2 solid bleached sulphite board, products that have not been sold in the Irish marketplace up until now. “It’ll add another string to our bow on the packaging side and we also expect it to bring in business from both new and existing customers.”

With no new pulp production coming on board until the end of 2021, pulp is at an all-time high, says Ger. “There is a very strong feeling that supply and demand is going to remain constant until that time, so we could end up going into a sustained period of high pulp prices in the next year and a half to two years. That hasn’t happened in a long while.” The normal up and down cycle of pulp prices could be suspended for a significant period. “That’s something I’m very conscious of. We constantly have customers asking us

what the situation is with price. With no new pulp coming on line, we feel that it’s going to remain relatively stable up until the end of 2021. I think the onus is on us and other merchants to ensure we give the most accurate information that we possibly can to printers. For printers looking at large contracts, it’s important that they can predict pricing as best they can. Any information, be it that prices might take a hike or come down, that’s not backed up by some kind of concrete fact, is quite dangerous speculation.” With so many other industries pulling on pulp other than paper right now, it’s not following its traditional routes. “It’s just another example of how the industry is changing.”

Changes are also afoot in the coated paper market. New mills are being established and that will, says Ger, add to the over-capacity in the market. “There’s an imbalance between supply and demand which I think will continue to the end of 2020.”

This year, Realt Paper is sponsoring the ‘Printer of the Year’ category at the 2019 Irish Print Awards. “We’re delighted to be bringing the name of our partner to the event this year. With two mills in Portugal, the Navigator Company is a leading force in the international pulp and paper market.

They’re a significant force in coated paper in Europe so we’re proud to have them on board with us for the Awards. The Printer of the Year category is an important one for us; we’re becoming increasingly important within the print supply market in Ireland so we’re happy to have a presence at the event.”

The next 12 months will see further new and innovative products from Realt Paper. A commitment to offering Irish printers and designers a range of creative and diverse options will be coupled with a drive to be more environmentally conscious. “We’ve got plenty of changes coming down the road so watch this space!”

IRISH PRINTER

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ENTER TODAY Be sure to enter before entries close on Sunday, 15th of September 2019.

Head over to www.irishprinter.ie/awards/ to enter

For All Enquiries Contact: Niamh McDermott, Event Manager Email: niamh@ashville.com • Phone: 01 432 2232

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

Réalt Paper in association with The Navigator Company

PAPER EVOLUTION

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03/09/2019 09:53 09:51

Analysing the business of labels

Labels

The 2019 Finat European Label Forum, held in Copenhagen earlier this summer, was very much focused on business strategies for a successful future The conference was introduced by association President Chris Ellison, of OPM Labels & Packaging (UK), who highlighted the key challenges today – economic uncertainty in Europe and in the face of an ageing population and changing skillsets, the need for initiatives to reach out to and engage the next generation of talented business leaders, engineers and designers for the label industry. He outlined the relevant pathways FINAT is working on to help members on a positive journey to solving these issues.

FINAT Managing Director Jules Lejeune reported on European market statistics, trends and developments.

In terms of label substrates, non-paper rolls have increased their market share to 27% of total demand in 2018, while sheet label consumption has declined again by over 2%. He said that the top five label market countries in Europe – Germany, UK, France, Italy and Spain – account for almost 60% of the total, with Russia and Poland now ‘knocking on the door’. Only two countries in the broader European market – the UK and Turkey – evidenced any market decline in 2018 over the prior year.

The industry profile exhibited a shift in end-use markets over 2017, with only pharmaceuticals, personal care and household chemicals exceeding growth rates of the prior year. While 2017 was the year of ‘non-prime’ (variable information) growth, 2018 showed stronger performance of the ‘prime’ labelling sectors.

Interestingly, converters surveyed in FINAT’s research projected that their purchases of conventional analogue presses would outnumber those of digital presses in 2019 and 2020.

In the sustainability arena, recycling of all spent release liner is now actioned by around a fifth of label converters surveyed, with a further 11% recycling some and a further 33% engaged in planning a system set-up in the next year. With short-run digital print and the current focus on innovative decoration aspects, the label market’s prospects are, said Jules Lejeune, still promising.

Corey Reardon, President and CEO of Alexander Watson Associates (NL/USA), looked at the broader global labelling and product decoration market. Self-adhesive labels still enjoy the majority share, at 40%, with glue-applied labels in second place at 35% and the sleeve labelling technologies in third place at 19%. While self-adhesive labels continued to grow by over 5% in 2018, thanks to their flexibility, variety and efficiency, sleeve labelling grew faster. In-mould labelling also grew at above 4%. Industrial/variable information print label applications still represent the majority end-use shareholding at 45%, but primary product labels are now just 1% behind them in terms of global volumes. Asia is the largest regional market and also the fastest-growing for all labelling formats, but the label market enjoyed growth globally in 2018 at over 4%. Corey Reardon’s analysis spanned digital packaging and label print, direct-tocontainer print, merger and acquisition activity and industry consolidation and, of course, the industry’s recyclability issues.

Commenting, he said that these are ‘not just a problem for pressure-sensitive technology’ in terms of release liner and matrix waste, but also for shrink films in sleeving applications.

For more on the event, go to www.europeanlabelforum.com

IRISH PRINTER

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Interview

Rising to the occasion Anglo Printers’ Md Padraic Kierans talks to Irish Printer about facing Brexit in a border county and why the print industry needs to shout a bit louder about its talents

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rint, says Anglo Printers’ Managing Director Padraic Kierans, has always been a good indicator of what’s going on in the overall economy. If the print market is suffering, then chances are the economy isn’t going so great either. Since November 2018, print firms have been experiencing a stagnancy in the sector, a trend that has continued into 2019. “The constant negative conversation around Brexit is making it difficult for people to make decisions around investing in their business, product or service,” said Padraic. A reluctance to invest in printing means firms must shout that bit louder about their capabilities. “There are challenges ahead but on the flipside, there are opportunities. It’s about being positive in your outlook and making sure that people buying print outside of the Republic are aware of the many great printers in this country that can offer an excellent service. There’s no need to go to another country or across any border. I think as an industry, we need to be more outspoken.”

Contraction within the market over the past few years has radically altered the industry and forced print firms to adapt to a new reality or die. Padraic doesn’t expect this contraction to continue. “Maybe we’ll see some mergers but I think anyone who’s left at this stage of the game is pretty well established and has managed to survive the most difficult of times. At Anglo Printers, we would have experienced growth in the market over the past four or five years, but I know that hasn’t been the same for everyone.” He attributes that growth to ensuring the customer is front and central. “We’ve tried to make the customer the most important part of the equation. We’ve also invested; we never stopped spending money on technology and machinery.” A new Komori H-UV press, installed just over two years ago, has delivered efficiencies in terms of quality, the environment and finishes. “The technology from Komori has been a revelation. It instantly cures sheets – you can cut them, fold them and move them within minutes. We’re seeing people ordering less volumes but more often and they need to move them faster. We took a bit of a risk with the H-UV technology but it has allowed us to service this market and has opened up new channels for us with new partners and customers.”

The company also installed a Ricoh Pro C9110 a couple of years back. “We already have over 10 million impressions. We’ve seen huge growth in digital in the past while; we’re currently running two shifts which wouldn’t have been the case 24 months ago. We’ve stayed hungry, we’re always looking for work and investigating new products that we can add to improve our client offering.”

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Interview

Fairer procurement policies would create more demand in the Republic, says Padraic. “A significant amount of spend is going to Northern Ireland. That’s a big challenge for everyone and certainly for us in a border county. This year, we saw University Press in Cork announce on RTE News that they received 79 palettes from a print company in Italy that produced ‘Atlas of the Irish Revolution’ for them. I think the revolutionaries would be up in arms if they thought they had created a Republic where people were celebrating the fact that they were sending work out of the country! There are plenty of people in Ireland and indeed in Cork that could have handled that job.” Procurement remains a major issue for the printing industry and it’s something the Irish Printing Federation continues to lobby government on. “The challenges we face are that labour costs in the Republic are much higher than in the North and the main factor that drives labour cost is housing. With staff saying they can’t get a mortgage or their rent has gone up, the pressure on employers to deliver a better wage structure is enormous. It’s all very well saying it’s a market and you

have to innovate but I think everyone in the print industry at this stage has embraced technology and innovation.” Unlike the NI print market, firms in the Republic can’t avail of any capital grants for machinery. “That’s the reality that people don’t take into account. We have to make it known that the RoI print sector is delivering value for money, top quality products, is innovative at all times and is embracing technology but there are certain things that are not within our control. We can’t control the price of labour or housing and we’re at a disadvantage when faced with a market that receives government funding. The public procurement sector in particular needs to take these issues into account and be aware that the positive decisions they make will ultimately ensure we still have an industry in 10 years’ time.”

Anglo Printers is very much a family affair. Padraic and his brother Peter, a Sales Director at the company, took over the business from their father, Johnny Kierans. “I have an excellent team around me, with Peter as Sales Director and also with Production Manager Donagh Callan, who’s a top man at moving stuff. We all have a passion for print and we all share the same vision for the company, which is creating lasting relationships.

We’re looking forward to the next chapter at Anglo.”

IRISH PRINTER

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29/08/2019 11:54

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23/08/2019 09/07/2019 14:35 10:09

Talking point

You can never have enough customer service Print firms that go the extra mile to keep their customers happy are worth their weight in gold, writes Gerard Whelan For us, customer service is extremely important. Over the years we have worked with lots of printers and in general, we have almost always had a good experience. In fact, for some reason, the print industry seems to be a very customer service focused industry. In Denmark, I had the same experience.

One print firm in particular, Nofo Print, had exceptional customer service. I remember on one occasion, my contact turned up unannounced and said, “Gary (he always called me Gary for some reason), I just wanted to show you this job we are printing for you.” I said, “OK thanks Tom, that looks good”, to which he responded, “No we are not happy with them, so we’re binning the lot, I just wanted to show you and apologise.” Talk about 24 carat, gold-plated customer service! As I’m sure you can imagine, he got a lot of repeat business after that. We have found the same with printers here in Ireland. Someone will spot a typo on press (Impress Printing Works) and call to let us know, then fix it...nice one!

Or we’ll find printers bending over backwards to ensure we are happy with how a certain pantone colour reproduces on press (Print Fusion). On other occasions, we have had printers sticking their neck out to persuade us to use digital press and ultimately delivering much better results (Eddie, Label Tech). However there are occasions when we have been stung, when we get work delivered late or badly produced.

I remember on one occasion getting a job delivered riddled with print errors and even though the printer admitted it was their fault, they refused to reprint the job. On another occasion, we got a simple stationary job delivered with three separate shades of yellow (one for the CD cover, one for the business cards and another for the four page brochure).

When the printer finally agreed to reprint the job, they still got it wrong on two consecutive reprints.

When it comes to customer service, here’s what’s important to us:

Mistakes Everyone makes mistakes and that’s understandable but: a. Keep it to an absolute minimum b. When you get it wrong, you do everything you can to fix it.

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Advice You guys are the experts so advise us. There’s nothing worse than a printer who says things like, “I just print what you send me.”

2

Expectations We need to know exactly what we are getting for the price. Let’s say the client wants an additional change that requires another digital proof – is this included?

3

Delivery Never deliver later than the time you promise. You’re better off adding in a contingency day rather than delivering late.

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Gerard Whelan is Managing Director at Brandcentral

IRISH PRINTER

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29/08/2019 11:57

r e E v V I e G N YOU

Employee Retention

p u A N N

O G

loyee. p m E tters ma rint n o i t P retenDesign, ging The d Packa bes an descri r et you Skillnto keep yees how t emplo for bes hunting ob j from a new

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e’ve just come through a major recession, where employee mobility was low and employers could pick and choose from a huge talent pool when – and if – any positions opened up within their firms. Employees were ‘stuck’ in many ways; stuck in the same role with no promotion or advancement opportunities as most companies were in survival mode, stuck at the same salary or stuck at the same experience and training level.

26

Now, the labour market has shifted dramatically. It has become a tough market out there for recruitment, as all those employees who once felt stuck are now free to explore a whole range of creative, competitive and dynamic places to work. Small and medium enterprises have to compete with much bigger multinationals who have huge teams and big budgets for high-impact employee retention programmes. But SMEs can take cues from their playbooks and create their own great places to work.

Staff perception of ‘a good place to work’ has changed. It used to be largely determined by the initial salary and benefits package but now, research among

IRISH PRINTER

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Employee Retention A recent Forbes article showed 43% of workers choose flexible working arrangements over a pay increase

In particular, women bear the brunt of inflexibility in the workplace when they have children and are forced to work part time or to give up work altogether. So if you are seeking more gender balance in the workplace, introducing a level of flexibility can be a great starting point.

Independence and Leadership

millennials in particular shows that far more than money, they are motivated by three key things – purpose, flexibility and independence.

Purpose

Your staff need to feel they are working together towards a shared goal and have a sense of where the business is going in the future. Not only should your team feel included in the company’s vision, but they also need to feel they are doing good in the world.

Consider a company volunteering day, fundraisers or CSR initiative, led by your employees. Pick a charity and donate a print run or redesign their logo for them.

A company’s culture means a lot to people when choosing where they want to work and creating an environment where people work to shared goals and values helps shape a sense of belonging, worth and value.

Flexibility

A recent Forbes article showed 43% of workers choose flexible working arrangements over a pay increase. If possible, a clear working from home policy should be implemented. Consider small perks such as flexitime which give your team more control over their working hours and their day. Given the fact that most employees will stay late or work through their lunchbreak in order to meet a deadline, it’s important to recognise this by being flexible yourself.

Presenteeism is a cultural norm we need to change.

Just because someone is sitting at their desk, doesn’t mean they are being productive or even working at all.

This is often not because they are purposely slacking off, but people work differently at different times of the day. Allowing people to have some control over when they work results in people feeling like they can ‘clock out’ if they have lost focus and come back fresh, perhaps a little earlier in the morning, to start again the next day. In the print, packing and design world, we often work to tight deadlines, so management can often be reluctant to introduce these kinds of arrangements for fear of people downing tools just at a critical moment.

But policies can be written in order to allow room for flexibility while ensuring clients’ needs are met on time.

Allowing your team the freedom to make decisions and work relatively independently is key to high staff performance and employee retention. Giving your teams more responsibility and leadership roles, with support for them to be able to rise to the challenge, is key to boosting morale. Ensuring they have all the tools they need to complete a project or giving ownership to a more junior member of staff can often deliver surprising results and indeed, will give that employee the sense that they are valued and trusted.

People like to have ownership over their work. They also like to have clear pathways for progression and in small companies, this can be hard. So think of other ways you can let them know they are doing a great job, perhaps by giving them more freedom and independence over their work, as well as letting them know where they are aiming for.

Importantly, have a close look at your team configuration.

Have you high turnover in a particular section? Do you have a manager who tends to control and micromanage details? If so, consider management training for this person. They could be doing untold damage to employee morale.

Investing in your Staff: Training and Development

Investing in your staff promotes ‘reciprocity’, a key behavioural science social norm whereby if someone does something for you, you then feel obligated to return the favour. Have a think about your staff’s training needs. Consider a bursary to send a staff member through a further education programme. Send your staff to conferences and events in the industry and ask them to report back on their findings. Invest in your staff and show them that you care about their development through in-house and formal training initiatives like DPPSkillnet and other industry channels.

Finally, if you are worried about your company culture, increased turnover or staff retention, find a way to ask staff how they are doing. Consider an anonymous ‘gripes’ report, where staff can vent about anything that bothers them in the workplace, including people. Consider a staff survey, asking people, again anonymously, to tell you about what could be improved for staff and teams. Rather than second guessing, speaking directly to your teams sends a strong message that your employees matter. And ultimately, creating a workplace where your staff count will ensure they stick around for the long haul.

For information on courses at The Design, Print and Packaging Skillnet, go to www.dppskillnet.ie

IRISH PRINTER

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28/08/2019 12:13

TALKING TO

Talking to...

How long are you in the print industry and how long in your current role?

I’m 32 years working in the print industry and just over one year in current role.

Favourite film?

How did you get into it?

Favourite band/ musician?

A friend of my parents was a production manager in a die cutting and finishing company and he gave me a job from school.

What do you love/ hate about the industry?

Talking to…

ROB NAGLE

Rob Nagle, Account Manager at Neopost, chats about his 32 years working in the everchanging print industry

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IRISH PRINTER

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I love the people. They’re all a bit mad. There isn’t much I hate about it. It’s what I know best and if I hated it, I would have got out a long time ago.

How has the industry changed since you started in it?

It has changed massively in terms of speed and dynamics. It’s not ‘one man one job’ anymore.

Digital has changed the landscape so you have to be able to do the whole lot now. Today, the trade is all about speed and demand.

Worst job?

Loved them all!

Dream job?

Somewhere tropical working in the sun all day or in pro golf.

A good thriller, Star Wars or the original Inspector Clouseau.

Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Van Morrison, anything blues and rock.

What do you see as your biggest success in life?

My family.

Are you a glass half empty or half full person?

Sorry, but a bit of both.

Try to keep positive and keep the chin up as much as possible, but in this weather it’s hard.

Who or what makes you laugh?

Silly slapstick childish comedy.

What superpower would you most like to have?

All of them!

How would you like to be remembered?

A bit of fun, honest and trustworthy.

Life is….?

Hard, but brilliant.

We only get one chance.

Enjoy it to the fullest.

Laugh as much as you can.

28/08/2019 12:15

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