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MIMAKI MAGIC Latest Technology Wows Printers at Reprocentre IP July 2015 _CoverMimaki_A3.indd 3
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ENTRIES OPENING SOON 27th November 2015 Crown Plaza Dublin
Celebrating Excellence in the Irish Printing Industry
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JULY 2015 CONTENTS
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News
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Interview
A round up of some of the latest news from the Irish print industry.
Dublin-based Equator Design has been establishing itself as one of Ireland’s foremost packaging design houses since its acquisition by the Equator Group in 2013. Gary Orr updates Irish Printer on developments at the design house and explains how they transitioned a key client from litho to digital print.
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Feature
Printers Must Think Digital First – Andrew Davis challenges Irish printers to consume as much of their customers’ digital content as they can stomach, select the best material, and pitch it to them as a printed product.
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Wide Format
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Digital Print
HP’s Roman Barba talks Dscoop delegates through a selection of sample substrates that illustrate the versatility of latex technology for indoor and outdoor applications.
Cover Story This month Irish Printer talks to Hybrid Services Irish General Manager Dave Rainsford and Reprocentre’s Sales Director Eoin Honan about the response they have been getting to the latest Mimaki solvent and LED UV printers which were showcased at a special open day this month in Reprocentre’s newlyrefitted showroom in Dublin.
Leading Irish packaging technologists and brand managers gathered in The Marker Hotel in Dublin on June 3rd to hear about the benefits that digital print could bring to their businesses.
Packaging ■ ■ ■ ■
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HP’s corrugated press available in August. Xeikon’s Cheetah hits the market in September. Get started in digital with reconditioned Indigos. B2 Motion Cutter and Indigo 3000 – a Perfect Partnership
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EDITOR’S LETTER
elcome to the July edition of Irish Printer magazine. Over 1,200 print industry professionals attended the annual Dscoop Open conference in Convention Centre Dublin in June, making it the largest Dscoop conference in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to date. Delegates from 47 countries congregated for three days of seminars and panel discussions with representatives from major brands and retailers, as well as market-specific seminar looking at wide format, photobooks, labels and packaging. In addition, 53 HP partners demonstrated products and services in the 4,000 square metre Solutions Showcase. Founded in 2005, the Digital Solutions Cooperative (Dscoop) is a worldwide community of graphic arts companies and industry partners who collaborate to drive innovation and business growth through the use of HP digital print technologies. Key themes recurred during the 3-day event – an emerging re-engagement with print in a digital age, using print to drive customers online, the printer as a marketing services provider, and new technologies that add value to the printed product. None of these themes are new and have emerged at other print events around the world in recent years. What made their presentation at Dscoop so compelling was the sheer variety of high quality and creative print work on display that had been produced by HP customers on presses from the HP Indigo range. HP Indigo Division General Manager Alon Bar-Shany cited print companies that are acting as exemplars in the field of innovation, including Imperium Packaging of Marrakesh. The company started out making tea bags on an Indigo and has now become a one-stop-shop for luxury goods. A Coca Cola campaign in Chile to encourage
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customers to recycle their bottles used Indigo technology to personalise and print 520 unique POS posters with images of each store owner. A newspaper publishing and offset customer in Mexico bought the Indigo 10000 to personalise their wrap or newspaper sleeve with special offers for subscribers and also included QR codes. A re-engagement with print is emerging in this digital age and printed materials are now having a more powerful impact than they did before everyone and everything went online. Sensory marketing, which is increasing in popularity, has a huge role to play in the print renaissance. In addition, printing is being embraced by people who wouldn’t have considered employing it in the past. Mohawk Superfine paper was used to print Google’s 2015 publication for its customers to tell them about You Tube so even the digital technology giant is using print to direct potential customers to what they are doing on the web. This tied into one of the keynote presentations at Dscoop (see Page 14) by best selling author Andrew Davis who told the assembled printers that there is now an opportunity for the printer to be a digital consultant to their clients. The printer can position him or herself as the person who won’t just fulfill their print orders but will help them to select good content that they are uploading to their digital platforms and turn it into powerful and engaging print. Leaving aside the exciting technology and diverse applications, that message was the most exciting aspect of the Dscoop event and, I believe, the most important message for printers.
Maev Martin, Editor Email: maeve.martin@ashvillemediagroup.com Tel: (01) 432 2271
THE TEAM Editor: Maev Martin Editorial Manager: Mary Connaughton Creative Director: Jane Matthews Production Manager: Mary Connaughton Production: Claire Kiernan Printed by: Walsh Colour Print on 130gsm Cyclus Print, a 100% recycled matt coated sheet, manufactured by Arjowiggins Graphic and supplied by Antalis. Cover Image: Courtesy of Reprocentre Group Contact: Irish Printer, Ashville Media Group, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, Dublin 7 Tel: (01) 432 2200 Web: www.irishprinter.ie
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 2015. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Irish Printer. The promoter/ advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize. ISSN 0790-2026
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www.reprocentre.ie Dublin: Tel: 01 409 3100 / email: sales@reprocentre.ie Belfast: Tel: 028 9083 9835 / email: info@reprocentreni.co.uk
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TEN TOP STORIES
Colour Boost for Web to Print Sales Minprint in Belfast has secured ISO 12647-2 certification on the Speedmaster XL 75-4+L press it installed earlier this year. Last month the company opened up a new sales tap with the launch of its bespoke web to print site GoGetPrint.com. The latest Minprint press is fitted with automated spectral device Inpress Control. That and the new colour standards will reduce makeready times, improve efficiency and boost output. “Everyone wants keen prices and top quality,” says Minprint Production Director Gary Davidson. “Colour matters and we recognised that ISO 12647 certification would give us a definite advantage with tenders. Heidelberg consultants created the colour curves, did the ink testing and took test sheets every 100 sheets to send to Germany for measurement and testing. It was a rigorous process and took a few days but it is a stamp of approval on the new press and our operators are now able to take and sustain those standards moving forward.” Paul Chamberlain, who heads up Heidelberg UK’s colour team, says that, as part of the installation, every press with a colour device is given standard Print Colour Management (PCM) process optimisation but customers are offered options for an ISO 12647-2 certification scheme or ongoing PCM contract. “More companies are taking up these services and we have also seen a significant rise in retrospective certification for established presses,” he says. “About a dozen companies scheduled ISO colour certification or colour training discussions with the Heidelberg colour team at our Digital Open House in Brentford on June 17th.” The Minprint certification brings the total number of Heidelberg ISO 12647-2 colour certifications since last October to 14 and it will reach 20 by October. Heidelberg’s colour team can audit, advise and implement ISO certification or Print Colour Management programmes in any part of the UK.
Speedmaster XL 75-4+L
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TEN TOP STORIES Bringing Digital Print Expertise to the Book Market Backed by its multi-step business development programme called Digital 1234, Konica Minolta sponsored the 2015 London Digital Printing Forum in London on June 25th. The full-day educational event was organised by market and technology research firm Interquest and focused on key trends in the book market, the evolution of book manufacturing, the supply chain, and the use of digital printing to produce books. Interquest projects that the overall volume of printed books in units produced in Europe will decline by four per cent in a five-year period to 2018. It believes that the volume of printed books produced conventionally will drop by six per cent per year in the same period, while the volume of books printed digitally will increase by 20%. Two years ago, five per cent of the volume of books printed in Europe was printed digitally. A survey of European printers by the consultants put ‘shorter run lengths’ as the top trend (45%), followed by ‘volume decline’ at 33% and growth of digital colour (30%). Other trends include ‘more frequent orders of smaller quantities’ (22%) and ‘better inventory management by publishers’ (19%). “The reality at the moment is that all hardback and most paperback books have covers that are either printed using litho, or digitally using toner-based equipment,” says Mark Hinder, Head of Market Development, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe. “We want the market to appreciate the many outstanding benefits of our technology as the run lengths for books fall and people order from the web. Through the use of Digital 1234 we will help both printers and publishers bring more value into printed books with solutions and technologies such as augmented reality. It is another example of our programmes linking the digital world to the conventional printed books market to build further new business application opportunities in areas such as manuals and education. Konica Minolta systems will enable commercial printers to provide higher quality book production in areas where, up to now, the digital technology has struggled to produce quality systems designed specifically for these applications.”
Datapac Partners with Recovery Solutions Specialists Datapac has become the first Irish company to achieve Elite Partner Status with Datto, a leading global provider of data backup, recovery and business continuity solutions. The Elite Partnership was announced as Datapac forecast that it will double the number of customers using Datto technology in Ireland over the next year. Existing customers include Barretstown, Coillte Panel Products, the Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board, and Respond! Housing Association. “Partnering with Datto gives us additional competitive edge as we look to grow our market share further for data backup and business continuity services,” says Karen O’Connor, General Manager Service Delivery, Datapac. “Irish businesses are choosing Datapac and Datto’s technology to keep their businesses running, knowing that their data is being managed and available to them when needed. The volume of data managed by Datapac using Datto technologies in the Irish market now totals over 33 terabytes (TB), with this number expected to surpass 75TB through new customer acquisition and growth from within the current customer base. To put this in context, 1TB is equal to 8,000 times more data than the human brain retains in a lifetime.” Datto provides data backup, recovery and business continuity solutions to more than five million customers and 8,000 partners worldwide. Elite Partner Status means that Datapac can deliver and support the entire suite of products and services offered by Datto. With its Total Data Protection Platform, business data is protected everywhere it resides, whether in virtualised environments, in the cloud, and softwareas-a-service (SaaS) applications, including Salesforce and Google Apps.
Josh Ayres, Sales Director, EMEA at Datto, with Karen O’Connor, General Manager Service Delivery, Datapac.
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European Award for Agfa, Mimaki & Xeikon Agfa Graphics, Mimaki and Xeikon took home the top awards at the prestigious European Digital Press Association (EDP) awards at Fespa 2015 in Cologne for their respective technology innovations. Agfa Graphics’ Asanti software won the Best Colour Management Solution award while its Anapurna M3200i roll-to-roll wide-format printer won the Best Wide Format Roll-to-Roll Printer up to 3.3 metres award. Asanti is a complete automatic sign & display production hub, including PDF creation and preflighting and features the latest Adobe APPE technology. It integrates with Asanti Storefront web-to-print and connects to cutting and finishing equipment. The Anapurna M3200i RTR UV-curable inkjet printer comes in a six colour version, a four colour version, and a four colour plus white version. It handles a broad scope of flexible media for indoor and outdoor applications. The four colour plus white version - it can print white in different modes to improve the opacity of the printed material as well as increase colour contrast and readability – made its debut at Fespa 2015 in Cologne. Xeikon Cheetah, a five-colour digital label press which runs at up to 30 metres per minute, won the Best Label Printing Solution award. Its print quality is enhanced by the Cheetah toner, specifically developed for high speeds and based on Xeikon’s proven ICE toner technology. It complies with FDA regulations for food contact and offers the ability to print opaque white toner in a single pass. The exceptionally low fusing temperature for this toner means that a wider range of substrates can be digitally printed at very high levels of quality. The availability of custom toners also expands the colour gamut that can be achieved, especially when printing brand colours where a process match is difficult to achieve. “The speed and quality of the Xeikon Cheetah
will help our customers to win business while opening up new markets through improved cost efficiencies and increased productivity,” says Filip Weymans, Director of Segment Marketing, Labels and Packaging at Xeikon. “The new press will also enable traditional label printers to adjust their workflow strategy to both improve competitiveness and expand their offerings. We have already seen these kinds of results at our three pilot sites. We are certain more customers will be able to take advantage of this ground-breaking technology when it is launched commercially later this year.” The Mimaki CJV150 and CJV300 Series printers received the award for Best Print and Cut Solution 2015. The award was accepted by Mike Horsten, General Manager Marketing of Mimaki EMEA. The EDP Awards were established by the EDP Association, which was founded in October 2006 by the publishers of six trade magazines with a primary editorial focus on digital production. They cover 14 European countries and address more than one million professional readers. The Association grants the EDP Awards to the best products of the year introduced in the European market. A technical committee made up of independent consultants, editors, engineers and other related professionals, has been assigned to check the products launched in Europe during the year. The EDP technical committee judges the products on the value of the new technical abilities they offer.
Sign and Digital UK The dates for Sign and & Digital UK 2016 have changed. The show will now run from April 19th to 21st, a week earlier than originally announced. The switch has been made to accommodate what the organisers are calling ‘an exceptional demand for stand space.’
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TEN TOP STORIES Ricoh Raises Funds for Liver Disease Research
The new Xeikon 3030 machine with Stuart McCord, Xeikon Operator, left, and Keith Hamilton, Managing Director, right.
JH Label Solutions Installs First Xeikon Press
Xeikon recently installed its first digital label press in Northern Ireland with a Xeikon 3030 label press now in place at JH Label Solutions, Lurgan. JH Label Solutions (James Hamilton Group) were established almost seven years ago to produce high quality and fast turnaround labels for the food packaging industry, in which it was already involved. “Clear plastic packaging suddenly got very popular in the FMCG sector and that also needed labelling,” says Keith Hamilton, Managing Director of JH Label Solutions. “We relied on outsourcing labels but we eventually realised that there was a need in the market for a competitive, innovative, and flexible label printer. It was decided that we should buy our own UV flexographic press. We ended up with three in a very short time – two eight-colour and one four-colour Nilpeter machine, as demand for our label output grew rapidly and our beverage customers also wanted our high quality and speed-to-market labels. Digital is already beginning to follow a similar path. We recognised the trend in shorter run-lengths, multiple label types, and ever-tighter production deadlines. We had to react to our market and our customers’ market demands so we went to the Xeikon Café Exhibition towards the end of 2014 and they were able to show us the latest in digital printing technology.” The Xeikon 3030 digital label press and offline Xeikon Dcoat finishing unit are now in production at the company’s Lurgan plant and Keith Hamilton is already surprised at the speed with which the project is moving. “The press was only up-and-running at beginning of February and already word is getting around and the machine is very busy,” he says. Xeikon 3030 is the narrow web entry-level press of the Xeikon 3000 Series. It is ideal for label converters looking to make their first move into digital production. In addition to prime label applications, the press is also suitable for producing promotional and transfer applications. Xeikon 3030 has a variable web width ranging from 200mm (7.9 inches) up to 330mm (13 inches). It runs at a top speed of 9.6 m/min (31.5 ft/min) and can handle production volumes of up to 190 square metres/hour (294.5 MSI/hour). Based on customer requirements, the Xeikon 3030 can be field-upgraded to one of the higher speed and/or wider press models of the Xeikon 3000 Series. The Xeikon Dcoat post-press unit was provided for laminating, varnishing, die-cutting, and stripping. The unit is being used in an offline configuration. “As is our style, we wanted to be at the forefront of the digital label business in Northern Ireland,” says Keith. “We did major market research on digital machines around Europe and analysed their advantages and disadvantages and Xeikon stood out as the supplier of choice – they understand our ethos of innovation, technology, quality and speed-to-market solutions. We saw the Xeikon machines installed at some of their current customers and they were very honest with us about the benefits of going digital, all of which helped us with our decision.” Filip Weymans, Director Segment Marketing and Business Development, Labels and Packaging at Xeikon, says it is great to get their first machine into Northern Ireland. “Similar to what happened when they moved into flexographic label printing, I am sure that it will not be long before JH Label Solutions are looking for a second Xeikon to support their digital move!”
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Kildare native and Service Director at Ricoh Ireland Anthony Vaughan is working with the company’s European network to raise €140,000 for the Institute of Liver Studies in London. Anthony has joined the Ricoh imagine change Challenge, a 1,445 kilometre cycle from London to Barcelona organised by Ricoh Europe. The initiative is aiming to raise £100,000 (€140,000) for the Institute of Liver Studies, a recognised European Centre of Excellence in King’s College Hospital, London. Led by Ricoh Europe CEO David Mills, Anthony has joined nearly 40 volunteers from across Ricoh’s European business in the eleven-day challenge, which took place from May 16th to 27th. Also taking part in the challenge were exBarcelona and French international defender Éric Abidal, and ex-Lions and England Rugby International Neil Back. Anthony had already surpassed his personal fundraising target of €2,000. “When I heard about the Ricoh imagine change Challenge, I was eager to get involved,” says Anthony. “It’s a wonderful initiative and one that’s close to my heart as we recently lost a beloved family member to liver cancer. I’ve also been delighted with the support of my Ricoh Ireland colleagues who have fully got behind me since I volunteered to take part in this challenge.” The £100k raised for the Institute of Liver Studies will be used to fund new research into liver cancer, with the end goal of improving the treatment options for people with Ricoh Ireland’s Anthony liver disease. King’s is the leading Vaughan pictured during centre in Europe for the treatment the Ricoh imagine change of liver cancer. Challenge, a 1,445 kilometre cycle from London to Barcelona to raise funds for the Institute of Liver Studies.
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Mayo Printer is Snap Happy with Photo Quality
Digital print company, The Photoshop, who specialise in bespoke photobooks, recently invested in a Konica Minolta bizhub Press C1060 supplied by MJ Flood. Based in Belmullet, Co Mayo, The PhotoShop opened on January 9th of this year and the business has been experiencing strong demand for its photobooks service ever since. Owner Lisa Monaghan has an extensive professional background in graphic design and digital artistry, having designed storybook wedding albums for photographers for many years. “I had been working as a printer and graphic designer for a photographer since 2000 but I stopped working in 2009 to complete my family,” says Lisa. “When I decided to re-join the workforce I wanted to move into the print side of things. I knew that the printing equipment for my new venture would need to produce photographic quality images so I chose the Konica Minolta bizhub Press C1060 because the image quality was far superior to any of the other machines that I had looked at.” Lisa then decided to purchase the Powis PhotoPress System from DBC Group through her contract with MJ Flood in order to combine high quality prints with on-site photobook production. This system turns single-sided photographs or inkjet prints into photo books without using heat. “It combines the best of two worlds - bookstorequality photo books and handmade photo albums - into one powerful product,” says Lisa. “I invested in the Powis and in all of the paraphenalia that goes with that, including a hard cover maker. Images can be emailed to me or just scanned from originals (even negatives). I use the images, along with information from the client, to create a personalised story in each photobook. My clients so far have ranged from fathers getting Mother’s Day presents and parents ordering communion books, to baby’s first day home, wedding packages for hair and make-up, and even photographers showcasing their images. My target audience is anyone who has an occasion to celebrate or a memory to record.” Apart from photobooks, The PhotoShop also produces a lot of standalone photography. “That is because the quality of the Konica Minolta press is so high,” she says. “We can restore prints and photos from peoples’ phones and emails. I’m really happy with the printing press – the text is very crisp and clear. There is no smudging. From the first to the last print, even stopping to change toner in the middle, the quality is consistently high throughout, regardless of the length of the print run. The photo reproduction is amazing. The award-winning photographer that I work with cannot get over the quality that this press can produce compared to his Epson inkjet printer because it is clear, crisp and punchy.” The Photoshop also produces a variety of marketing collateral, including flyers, brochures, and business cards. Projects include the design and print of 1,000 posters and brochures for Erris Beo Festival week for Erris Chamber of Commerce, as well as a significant amount of print work for Erris Tourism Office. The company will be going online in a few weeks under the name goprint.ie and Lisa is planning to invest in a large format printer by the end of the summer.
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SMEs Prefer to Pay Electronically
74% of SMEs say they have moved away from cheques in the past five years in favour of electronic payment methods. This is according to results from the most recent Close Brothers Business Barometer. The quarterly survey gauges the opinion of SME owners and managers from a variety of sectors across the UK and Ireland. The following were the payment methods choice in order of popularity: direct debits 31%; BACS/electronic transfer 26%; cheques 19%; credit or debit card 14%; cash 7%. The survey was conducted in March 2015 and canvassed the opinion of over 700 SME owners and business managers from several industries across the UK and Ireland on a range of issues affecting their businesses. Newly appointed Managing Director of Close Brothers Commercial Finance, Ciaran McAreavey, said that their research echoes statistics from the Irish Payment Services Organisation (IPSO), which revealed continued growth in electronic credit volumes in 2013 and the eighth successive year in which cheque numbers fell. “This seems to be a welcome contrast to the uproar a few years ago when plans to scrap cheques by 2018 were in motion,” he said. “The use of technology is ever increasing and of those that prefer to make electronic payments, 64% said it is because of its ease of use. Eight per cent said it gives them better control of their cash flow and 18% say it guarantees payment on time.” The survey also found that 67% of respondents will use online banking even more in the next five years. “For me, the most important point highlighted above is cash flow,” he said. “If company owners offer a variety of ways for their customers to pay, including electronic payments, it can mitigate reasons for late or non-payment and help avoid bad debt.” Close Brothers Commercial Finance recently added operating lease to its suite of products. “It allows a company the full use of an asset, such as a commercial vehicle/plant and machinery/tractor or trailer, without having to purchase it themselves,” says Adrian Madden, Head of Sales, Asset Finance, with Close Brothers Commercial Finance. “Operating lease is a rental agreement between Close Brothers, the customer, and a preferred third party supplier, and the lease period is for a fraction of the asset’s useful life, typically between one to five years. It therefore means the customer pays Close Brothers directly for the use of the asset over the term agreed and is also responsible for its maintenance and insurance. At the end of the lease term, the asset is returned to, and disposed of by, the third party supplier, who will also recover the residual value the agreement was based upon.” Other products on offer from Close Brothers include hire purchase, refinancing of existing assets and invoice finance.
Friedheim Launches User-Friendly Packaging Site Following on from the re-design and launch of its main website earlier this year (www.friedheim. co.uk), Friedheim International has now completed the same exercise with its packaging site (www. friedheimpackaging.co.uk). The re-appraisal and complete re-design of both sites is intended to aid navigation and make visiting the sites more user-friendly and intuitive. “Both websites reflect Friedheim’s aim of creating a bolder, more dynamic environment for its customers, bringing their finishing processes into line with tomorrow’s technology,” says Managing Director Mark Bristow. “The website takes many key elements from the new Windows 10 user interface as it is one of the best methods of conveying complex tasks in the least cluttered way. The websites are now also much more news and case study-orientated because existing and future customers need to see who Friedheim’s partners are and how significant the company’s role is in the UK print and packaging industries. Gone are the days of selling finishing equipment based on spec sheets. Now is the time for how much value Friedheim-supplied equipment can offer customers, and how many more different combinations of processes and products this range of machines can produce.”
Adrian Madden
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COVER STORY Spectacular print examples feature throughout Reprocentre’s showroom.
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Latest Mimaki Technology Wows Printers at Reprocentre
PLEASERS July’s Open House at Dublin-based Reprocentre saw print businesses flocking to test the latest Mimaki solvent and LED UV printers in the company’s newly-refitted showroom. Visitors benefited from Reprocentre’s expert knowledge and put some of the core products in Mimaki’s portfolio through their paces.
Eoin Honan and Hybrid’s John de la Roche with the new Mimaki CJV150 printer/cutter.
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entre-stage at the event was the JFX200 oversized eight foot by four foot LED UV flatbed printer. “The JFX200 has rapidly become the ‘de facto’ flatbed,” says Reprocentre Sales Director, Eoin Honan. “Its unique combination of price and performance ensures that it delivers what our market requires so it is no surprise that we are experiencing huge interest in this model in the Irish market.” The printer uses the latest LED UV curing technology and flexible UV ink to output at high quality onto rigid substrates at production speeds of up to 25 square metres per hour. Market-leading running costs are ensured by the long lamp life and low energy consumption, which help contribute to the machine’s impressive green credentials. “Companies choose the JFX200 for many reasons but the 75% reduction in electricity costs is a factor that cannot be ignored by any company looking to install a quality flatbed printer,” he says.
Small Format Siblings Alongside the big Mimaki flatbed, Reprocentre also has a selection of its small format siblings – the UJF Series. Featuring many of the facets of the grand format machines, the A3 and A2 flatbeds have a number of tricks up their sleeve. With typically high print quality, they are capable of printing direct to objects up to 150mm thick and, with white and clear ink available, they can produce impressive decorative effects. Equally impressive is the ability to print to clear or coloured substrates. The UJF-3042HG at the event was also sporting Mimaki’s ‘Kebab’ option, which enables the entire circumference of cylindrical items
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COVER STORY such as bottles and cans to be imprinted, making it ideal for packaging proofing or bespoke gifts. “The real strength of the entire UJF Series is the breadth of its capabilities,” says Dave Rainsford, Irish General Manager for Mimaki’s distributor, Hybrid Services. “Whether it is a promotions company looking to deliver personalised pens or desk accessories, or a manufacturing company with a need to bring bespoke marking in-house, the UJF fits into an enormous array of different companies’ workflows.”
FROM TOP: Reprocentre’s Eoin Honan with Hybrid’s Irish General Manager, Dave Rainsford. The Reprocentre HQ in Dublin.
Digital Foiling An interesting feature at Reprocentre’s event was the demonstration of Mimaki’s digital foiling technique which allows foil to be applied to items without the requirement to create die stamps. The Digi-Foil system incorporates Mimaki’s primer which is used as an in-register adhesive in conjunction with production-grade foils to apply it to the item. “Digi-Foil cuts out huge swathes of time and cost in luxury packaging proofing,” confirms Eoin. “It is a unique system that very quickly and inexpensively allows a client to see the final foil effect in place on their mock-up, reducing waste and potential for miscommunication in the approval process.”
Trade Up Cashback on CJV300 Also very popular during the Reprocentre event were Mimaki’s core sign and graphics printers, including the newly-launched CJV300 Series integrated printer/cutter. Currently forming the basis of Mimaki’s #5KGiveaway promotion, the CJV300 represents the pinnacle in integrated sign making machines, with unrivalled print speeds of up to 105.9 square metres per hour and powerful cutting capabilities that include Mimaki’s unique die cut feature. “The CJV300 is the fastest integrated printer/cutter on the market and offers significant productivity gains over alternative systems,” says Dave Rainsford. “Its fully automated print and cut process ensures that it is extremely easy to use and Mimaki’s SS21 ink is vibrant, durable and quick drying.” Reprocentre are offering up to €5,000 cashback to companies trading up to a Mimaki CJV300 from their current printer/cutter. “It is the ideal opportunity for customers to really step up their productivity and deliver volume decals, labels, banners and signage with a state-of-the-art device,” says Eoin. “The CJV300 also includes a two-year Gold warranty, over 3.5 litres of ink, a powered take-up unit, and a fully featured Mimaki software suite, including RIP and cutting package.” Reprocentre’s showroom forms part of its impressive 1,100 square foot Dublin headquarters where it has been based for 17 years. The company employs 20 people and represents Mimaki alongside GMG Color, Agfa, Esko, HP, Mactac, Soyang, Caldera and other premium wide format imaging brands. With a team of experienced technicians and support staff, the company prides itself on creating and maintaining long-term relationships with print companies of all sizes across the country. “Displaying key components in Mimaki’s product line-up in conjunction with our media and software partners was well received by visitors to the
Open House,” says Eoin. “At Reprocentre, we are constantly looking at ways to best serve our customers, including introducing them to the latest technology, ensuring they are aware of new products, and helping them integrate them into their current workflow. The Open House gave us a chance to talk with a large number of local print businesses and help them understand how to keep ahead of their competitors.” Reprocentre can be contacted on 00 353 1 4093100 or by visiting www.reprocentre.ie
BELOW: Mimaki CJV150-75 is the best integrated printer/cutter in its class.
Mimaki CJV150-75 Don’t let its size and price fool you – the Mimaki CJV15075 is the fastest and highest speed integrated printer/ cutter in its class. Capable of taking media over 800mm wide and featuring Mimaki’s vibrant, long lasting SS21 outdoor durable inks (including metallic silver!), it is as clever at producing perfectly shaped stickers as it is pullup banners, vehicle graphics and signage. The CJV150 Series comprises four models, ranging from the 75 right up to the 1.6m wide CJV150-160. All sport powerful software to integrate the design, print and cut process. And, with its uninterrupted ink supply system, as well as powered take-up unit and production-oriented features, long runs of high quality output are easy to achieve.
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INTERVIEW (l-r): Gary Orr, John Quinn, Claire McGrath, Alma Hickey and Michael Crowley.
Previously known as Link Design, Dublin-based Equator Design has been establishing itself as one of Ireland’s foremost packaging design houses since its acquisition by the Equator Group in 2013. Managing Director Gary Orr updates Irish Printer on new developments at the agency and on how they transitioned a key client from litho to digital print.
Meeting at the
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quator is known as a UK agency but we are now trying to emphasise the Irish operation,” he says. “In recent weeks a new Creative Director, Clare McGrath, has come on board. She was previously Creative Director at RRD Creative where she worked with O2 and Nike, to name just a few, so she is very brand-led and we are very excited that she has joined our team. A lot of companies were chasing her but she bought into our total solution approach, which differentiates us from all other design agencies in Ireland. Claire’s new role is to apply the experience that she has gained working in advertising and consumer retail markets to Equator’s FMCG and retail clients.” Equator is one of Ireland’s largest food and drink packaging design agencies and, according to Gary, the company has enjoyed year-on-year growth since the start of 2013 and growth of over 20% in 2014/15. “In Ireland we are offering concept development, design, retouching, artwork management, repro, (including pre-press), as well as print and post-print services. We create a design and we ensure that, from its inception, what finally hits the shelf is what was originally created. We protect what we create and that works for us and for our clients. We don’t just hand over the pretty pictures. We have a strong level of expertise, from account management to artwork, prepress and design, and that is what is allowing us to offer a total solution. The total solution approach is operated by Equator in the UK and globally.” In addition to a new Creative Director, the company has recruited two new Senior Account Managers in recent months - Rochelle Wheeler and Hazel Burke. “We are building a strong senior management team, and we have also increased our staff numbers,” says Gary. “In 2013 we employed seven people and now we have 15 employees.” Equator has also moved to a bespoke and bigger 3,500 square foot design studio located across the road from their old premises in Citywest Business Campus. The company installed €25,000 worth of Epson kit in 2012 but they haven’t invested since then, apart from regular software upgrades. “Most of our investment has gone into our new premises and new staff,” he says. “We have increased our turnover but our staff has doubled and the cost of the premises is greater than it was. We have a three to five year plan for Ireland and all of that was step one in the plan. We are investing a lot to get a
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INTERVIEW good return. The UK gave us the green light to make those investments and it is paying off. We work with some of Ireland’s best known food retailers and brands, including Kerry Foods, Boyne Valley Foods and Dunne Stores, as well as Tesco and Aldi. For example, we got the Aldi contract in December 2013 which came with the Equator acquisition. Equator work for Aldi in every country they operate in, including Ireland. Equator does 50% of Aldi’s packaging design in Ireland, along with NuWorld Design. Apart from Aldi, we have added other new clients since 2013, including a rebrand for the Killeen brand for Boyne Valley Foods and we assist on the Boyne Valley Honey range. Tesco is a big client that we had acquired prior to the acquistion and we have been successful in retaining that contract. It can be a difficult balancing act having two major retail brands but it has worked well so far.” The company has also increased its design output for SMEs. “Since 2013 we have been working with a lot of small and new artisan food producers,” he says. “People see us as dealing only with big players but we are also geared towards providing the same total service to SMEs that have a requirement to redevelop or create their brand. We have a cost effective package that we offer those clients, unlike a lot of other agencies that charge big fees for businesses who are trying to get off the ground. I come from a design, artwork and repro background so I am creative but also technical. I understand what it takes to get from design to shelf and Equator tries to bring every stakeholder on that journey. However, just because we offer a total design solution it doesn’t mean that we are less creative, we are just taking more headaches away from the client.”
We have been working closely with Noel Candon in Esmark Finch and with Lir Chocolates to successfully transition Lir into digital, short run printing for the Baileys chocolate brand which they produce under license with Diageo.
Digital Convert Lir Chocolates is one of the new clients that Equator Design has secured since 2013. “We have been working closely with Noel Candon in Esmark Finch and with Lir Chocolates to successfully transition Lir into digital, short run printing for the Baileys chocolate brand, which they produce under license with Diageo,” he says. “That was an exciting three-month project. They went from litho to digital for short run packaging, which opens up possibilities for other options such as personalisation. That was a design, colour management and print management project – all of those disciplines had to come together to get the required result for the client. Most of our clients print litho or flexo – we have the odd client that we do gravure work for but it is really a dying art unfortunately. Lir Chocolates is our only client printing digitally on a commercial basis at the moment because most of our clients are printing long runs. However, the Lir Chocolates experience shows the potential of digital for short runs and other types of packaging.” Equator Design recently secured its first non-food client, Restored Hearing, a medical device company that has developed a headphones set to reduce tinnitus for workers in the aeronautical, print, and manufacturing industries. “We helped them to produce the packaging design and we provided print support through our office in China,” says Gary. “We assisted them in discussions with our Chinese site where they were able to avail of a form of litho printing that is laminated onto board. In Europe it is laminated onto a flute board so we helped them to source that specialist print requirement. In Ireland, on the print side, we operate an Epson WT7900 high end proofer that can print onto clear and metallic substrates backed by white so it can bring the design to life
BELOW: Some of Equator Design’s work for Lir Chocolates, Restored Hearing, Boyne Valley Foods and Aldi.
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prior to press. This is a big help in our making our process completely certifiable and showing what the printed product will look like, even at the concept stage.” They also operate a Xerox digital press that prints up to SRA3.
World Class Printers Equator Design work with all of the label and packaging printers in Ireland. “James Costello in Label Tech and Martin Boran and his team in Boran Plastic Packaging are among those that stand out in terms of their technical ability and the quality of the finished product,” says Gary. “Label and packaging printers in Ireland undersell themselves. A lot of world class products are being produced on the packaging and label side of the printing industry and the specialist print producers should be shouting about what they are doing and promoting it more to the wider market because without their expertise we wouldn’t be able to achieve our clients’ desired outcomes. A good relationship with printers is crucial and an integral part of the process when you are a custodian of your client’s brand. Also, Equator Design understands the printer’s side of the equation – we aren’t a fluffy design agency that is screaming at them. We appreciate what is involved in getting a job from design to press and the practical challenges that pop up along the way.”
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FEATURE
THINK DIGITAL FIRST
Printers Must
‘The Future of Digital is Print’ was the title of bestselling author Andrew Davis’ keynote presentation on the last day of the Dscoop Open in Dublin last month. When I read this in the pre-event agenda material I assumed he was referring to the growth of digital print technology but he was, in fact, referring to the worldwide web.
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FEATURE
Challenge your clients to leverage good content from the digital world and turn it into powerful print.
he Future of Digital is Print might seem like a strange statement, given that the industry has been
bombarded with negative slogans about its recent or imminent demise, such as ‘Print is Dead’, over the past couple of decades. And, of course, these pronouncements were prompted mainly by the growth of digital content. With no apparent sense of irony, the ‘Print is Dead’ slogan found its way onto t-shirts, limited edition screen printed artwork and even a hardcopy printed book! However, Andrew told a packed auditorium that it was now time for the print industry to go on the offensive because not only is print not dead, it is, in fact, the future of digital content. “We have to help consumers to see that print is simply evolving,” he said. “I believe we are now at a tipping point when we can talk about taking the best online content and elevating it to print, but printers must change their thinking and learn to market print better.” He explained his proposition by illustrating the information overload that now exists globally, thanks to rapid and continued technological developments online. “We live in an information overload world but because more information is available it doesn’t mean that people can consume more information,” he told delegates. “In 1950 there wasn’t a big gap between the information available and the amount of information that people could consume. In the 1990s the gap starts to widen, particularly with the influx of new cable TV stations in the US. Today there is a huge gap and marketing people are chasing that gap. The smart marketers are focusing on quality over quantity. They are trying to create the information that fits into the information that you want to consume and that is where print fits. How can the print service provider create high quality print products that fit into the information that people want to consume? For example, there are 1,500 new posts a minute on Wordpress. As of April 2012, one billion photos were uploaded to Instagram. All of those digital content creators can leverage print to stand out because it is the only thing that differentiates them in a digital world. For example, a friend of mine elevated the best pictures from Instagram and turned them into a printed product on canvas which is decorating her home.”
exclusive product. And the print community needs to steer its clients in this direction and work with them to develop new revenue models. Instead of a magazine creating an app that replicates the printed product, we should select aspects of the product that can only be brought to life online, such as 3D views of a product or videos on how to assemble a product. Technology isn’t killing print, publishers are. Publishers come up with a printed product, followed by a digital and mobile strategy to
distribute that content online, but that approach doesn’t work. We need digital that leads to print and then back to mobile. You can use digital to test content to see what is popular and then expand on that popular content (longer form text and higher quality imagery) to make the printed product differentiated and better than what is available online. Print is fine as it is. We don’t have to add video or audio to the product itself so we have to encourage our clients to stop reinventing the medium.”
OPPOSITE: Visitors to the Dscoop Open got an insight into some of the finishes and special effects that the Scodix range of digital enhancement presses can produce BELOW: Colourful posters produced on the HP Indigo range.
Technology Isn’t Killing Print, Publishers Are Andrew was critical of printed magazines being turned into ezines as publishers try to replicate the print experience online. “We shouldn’t be calling these products ezines because that devalues the print product,” he said. “We have to stop cannabilising the print product online. Publishers need to provide something different in the digital world. That will mean taking what is most popular online and elevating it to print as a higher value
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FEATURE
The Red Bulletin
Consuming Your Clients’ Content Andrew said that some traditional publishers are finding the best digital content and turning it into print, but that print service providers also need to encourage that trend. “All the best companies are using their online channel to determine what consumers want more of and then giving it to them in print,” he said. “There is an opportunity for the printer to be a digital consultant to their clients who have yet to make this leap. Challenge your clients to leverage good content from the digital world and turn it into powerful print. The content creation and consumption process is cyclical, not linear. It starts with digital, the best of digital is then converted into print and the printed product is then connected back to digital, often via mobile. The ‘This is Canada’ website took the best digital imagery from the site and used it for a print advertisement which took people back, via QR codes, to the digital world. Badly designed apps are cannibalising the printed product, as are unnecessary technology add-ons. Everyone is a publisher but not everyone is published and the printer has an opportunity to help them get published. Print is high quality, adds value, and is part of the information that people want to consume.” He referred to marketing guru Myles Bristowe or, as he likes to describe him, ‘the marketing cookie guy’. Myles is the CMO of CommCreative and President of the Boston chapter of the American Marketing Association. Every weekday he posts an article branded as ‘Today’s Marketing Cookie’ on his company’s blog. People from around the world send him photos of fortunes they find in fortune cookies and each day he reflects on a fortune, connecting it with marketing. He also includes a picture and brief biography of the person who submitted the fortune that he is reflecting on. The result – five intelligent blog posts that leverage fortune cookie aphorisms to teach a marketing lesson. “It is an interesting twist on the all-too-familiar inconsistent marketing advice that is available on other corporate blogs because he is leveraging his content brand to elevate his advice above the noise of commodity content,” said Andrew. “Yet, not one printer has approached this guy about turning the content he has been generating for three years into a print product. Print companies should select a customer and consume all of their digital content, as much of it as they can stomach, and then select the best material and pitch it to them as a printed product.” So what are you waiting for?
LEFT: HP showcased the range of applications that are possible with Indigo technology. ABOVE: Scodix promotes its print enhancement technologies.
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All of the ‘Red Bulletin’ magazine’s content begins online and the most popular content is then featured in their print magazine. “The magazine has a circulation of two million, making it one of the largest monthly magazines in the world so the printer that sold them on that idea is a genius,” said Andrew. “On the other side of the equation, Coca Cola have a genius brand and they create a huge amount of great content online. They should be elevating it to print. Someone in the print industry should talk to Coca Cola about elevating the best content that they have online to a print magazine.”
Zappos Online shoe and clothing shop zappos.com is a successful online fashion business with a strong customer service ethos. They print their best consumer stories of the year in a very high quality Zappos ‘Culture Book’, which retails at $19.99 but is available free to customers under certain conditions. They print 20,000 copies every year. “They know that customers who get the book spend an average of $65 a year more than other customers who buy Zappos products,” said Andrew. “They are interested in profit and they can see what an $8 printed book is doing for them. This is a great example of a digital success story that has been turned into a high quality printed product that has garnered more revenue and clients for the brand.”
Lauren Lukes Looks In 2007 Lauren Luke was a taxi cab dispatcher in London. To make extra money she sold surplus make up online but she wasn’t generating any sales so she went onto You Tube and created a celebrity-inspired make up video every week called Lauren Lukes Looks. Millions of women watched it, she clocked up half a million subscribers in six months and more views than other make up brands. But still no sales so she created her own make up brand and the sales started to roll in. She was then approached about creating a book called Lauren Lukes Looks. The content of the book was the best of the videos that she had posted on You Tube. Her business is worth $100m today. “Her brand is digital content that created a book,” said Andrew. “This is another great example of the potential of print to turn digital content into something really special and valued.”
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WIDE FORMAT
LATEX HAS GOT YOU COVERED
Roman Barba, Marketing – Applications Engineer for HP’s Large Format Printing Division, provided Dscoop Open delegates with a selection of sample substrates to illustrate the versatility of latex technology for indoor and outdoor applications.
ll of the material was powered by the HP WallArt 3.0 web to print solution, which integrates into a printer’s existing web to print platforms, and printed using HP Latex 300 series technology. HP has invested significantly in the evolution of its latex press and ink portfolio, with scratch proof and colour saturation being key attributes. While its 3000 series of latex printers is
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geared towards larger industrial applications, there are other smaller options that also use HP’s third generation latex inks and can print on various media. To illustrate the point, Roman’s first sample was a synthetic leather material. The second sample was an Avery Dennison self-adhesive vinyl – Avery MPI-3000 Gloss. Self adhesive vinyls are the most popular material used in latex printing and are used to decorate interiors and to create signage. “Self adhesive vinyl is the most difficult material to print on yet latex performs best on this material,” he claimed. “Why? Because it is scratch-resistant and that is a revolution in itself. This self adhesive vinyl is then mounted on a rigid substrate with a laminator which is a typical application for our customers but in many applications you don’t need to laminate after mounting.” Window decoration is another popular application for latex technology. The third sample on display was a self-
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adhesive vinyl with an adhesive made from dots – Neschen solvoprint easy dot 100 clear. “This is easy to install and remove so HP customers can change window adverts with ease,” he said. The fourth sample from Roman – 3M Envision Print Wrap Film LX480Cv3 – was one of a number of self adhesive vinyls that are available for applications such as car wrapping. “These cast vinyl films or print wrap films are also used for object wrapping where people want to personalise objects with photos,” he said.
Automatic Double-Sided Printing The fifth sample on display was a PVC banner material (HEYTex H5469-0295 Frontlit light B1). “This material is scratch-resistant and the ink is scratch-resistant so the printer doesn’t have to laminate before sending out and it can also print on uncoated paper,” he said. “Solvent inks can’t work with non-coated materials whereas latex works very well with them.” He showed delegates a roll up PVC banner that creates a lot of friction when it is opened and closed. “This material and the latex print technology is ideal for that type of application,” he said. “Latex technology works with many banner materials. Latex can print double-sided banners automatically. The latex press has a digital camera known as an optical media advanced sensor, which assists with the printing of the double sided image. Backlit banners use a lot of ink but they are still scratch-resistant.” He reported that an increasing number of media vendors are offering non-PVC materials that are light and strong and that this trend will continue. “Latex technology is a green technology and it is solvent free,” he said. “A good example of this is the Sihl 3265TexBanner white 135, a green material with a green finish. Frontlit polypropylene films are a great alternative to PVC banners and are widely used for roll banners. They work well with latex because polypropylene is recyclable and a greener material than PVC.”
Printing on Paper Some delegates might not have been aware of latex technology’s capacity to print on paper. “You can print on Bond paper, a typical photocopier paper,” said Roman. “If you print on that with a solvent ink it seeps into the material but with latex it prints on the surface.” He showed delegates an Offset Bond Paper that he said was suitable for printing a poster on reinforced paper for short term (six months) outdoor use. “The durability of latex is five years, ie, printed on vinyl and laminated, but if it is just printed on paper, the latex technology
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has a six month lifespan,” he said. “Latex can also print on art paper and be mounted onto a rigid substrate. You can also add value to the print by applying a texture riser – a transparent gel that can be applied in 30 seconds – and this technique is used a lot in the artwork on display in hotels. PET backlit films allow the ink to show in high saturation – what comes out of the printer is always dry. And this PET backlit film (sample on display – Natura BF600) can be used for a lot of materials and applications, for example, lampshades with backlit material.”
Can Latex Print on Textiles? Yes, but only certain applications work with printed textiles. “We can’t print clothing directly with latex because the ink washes away too quickly but we can print on temporary textiles once it doesn’t have to be washed,” said Roman. “For example, soft signage is the perfect technology for latex. He showed delegates a sample called HEYTex H7303-0502 Digitex decoflex – a polyester fabric with no coating for printing with inkjet presses. “Eco-solvent latex technology yields great results with this material. Latex technology produces great quality on low cost materials that have a good touch and feel.”
Interior Decor Roman pointed out that there many metres of white space in buildings that can be printed on and sold that are currently being ignored by the print industry. “The trend with wallpapering in public buildings is to paint just one wall, a feature wall that has a strong image,” he said (he showed delegates a sample of a HP PVC-free wallpaper). “The photo mural is back in fashion in public buildings but the photo itself and the material that it can be printed on has now improved enormously from what was available a few decades ago when this was first in vogue and HP latex technology is the perfect fit for this market. Also, as latex inks contain water and not solvents they can be used in the decoration of walls and spaces in educational and medical facilities. HP’s WallArt cloud-based software is free with the purchase of a HP printer. There are 5,000 patterns in WallArt’s pattern design folder and they are vector images so you can change the size and colour of the images.” Roman distributed a sample substrate – Ahlstrom EasyLife Spray & Up Digital BR9708SU167D – which featured an image from WallArt’s pattern design folder.
No Inkjet Coating Required Latex technology can work on many materials and surfaces, including those not prepared for digital printing. Canvas, for example, is experiencing 17% growth year-on-year and that is driven by online ordering of canvas, especially in the US. He distributed a sample of a matt canvas material – HP Premium Satin Canvas. “Canvas usually has three layers – the cotton base, a gesso layer, and an inkjet layer. If you try to print on canvas digitally without the inkjet layer it doesn’t work but with the latex inks it works perfectly. The same is also true if you take away the gesso layer. That means that we can now print directly to cotton, providing customers with more natural prints, so latex can print on cheap canvas material without an inkjet coating and the quality is great.”
BELOW: Samples of substrates that illustrate the versatility of HP’s latex technology.
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DIGITAL PRINT
THE
DYNAMICS OF DIGITAL Leading Irish packaging technologists and brand managers gathered in The Marker Hotel in Dublin on June 3rd to hear from HP about the benefits that digital print could bring to their businesses. Matthew Rogerson of GlobalTrade Media reports.
Following an initial presentation by Christian Menegon, Worldwide HP Indigo Business Development Manager, at the ‘Dscoop Open’ in Convention Centre Dublin, where they were shown the latest innovations in digital print, the group gathered to discuss digital dilemmas and victories. Nancy Janes, Worldwide Graphics Business Development Director, provided an overview of HP’s activities in digital printing and packaging. The well executed use of digital print provides solid benefits for brands, with companies like Irn Bru and Coca Cola experiencing growth as high as double digits across campaigns that used digital labels. The challenge is for consumer-facing companies to be aware of all the capabilities of digital and to apply the best fit to projects. Many around the table were not widespread users of digital, whether because of a lack of communication about the most up-to-date techniques from their supply chain, not understanding the benefits from a cost perspective, or for other reasons. The purpose of the first part of the discussion was to provide the group with an insight into what is possible. The first speaker, Silas Amos, Partner at Minerva Studios, said that while consumers might not know or care if a product is printed flexo or digital, they do want unique, engaging,
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personal and relevant packaging and products. “HP Indigo Digital allows you to test, adjust, design and launch in real-time, easily scaling up pilots to national roll outs,” he said. “Packaging is the last interruptive media in an increasingly fragmented consumer market. Agility is key to reaching and engaging with today’s distracted or disinterested consumer and, while they can turn off their phone or tablet, they cannot turn off the packaging in their homes.”
Ferrero & Coca Cola – Early Adopters Christian Menegon highlighted two major brands that have garnered significant brand awareness and commercial benefits from digital print technology. “When it comes to branding and packaging, you need to make sure that your product stands out in a crowded market and there is an element of risk in making such changes,” he said. “However, it is important to consider the risk of, and reward for, changing your printing or packaging to digital. For example, Ferrero had a campaign at the end of last year for Nutella where they digitally pre-printed labels with different names. Consumers bought their Nutella, and paid extra for their name on a label. They put the label on themselves. Nutella incurred minimal additional costs to make these labels, maybe €200 to €300 to purchase the stock, and they could make these 10,000 to 20,000 labels for minimal outlay. What is this cost when compared to a marketing spend for a media spot or advertising? And the result was a phenomenal increase in revenue and profit.” Christian also highlighted another famous example of how digital print can increase brand awareness and sales – the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign for Coca Cola. “This required a number of risks to be taken – who paid for the materials, the addition of new suppliers, and addressing supply chain
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DIGITAL PRINT Maev Martin
Steve Lister
HP Indigo Digital allows you to test, adjust, design and launch in real- time, easily scaling up pilots to national roll outs,” he said. “Packaging is the last interruptive media in an increasingly fragmented consumer market.” Silos Amos, Minerva Studios Christian Menegon
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Silo Amos
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DIGITAL PRINT
management and logistics to account for the extra labels and materials needed,” he said. “At any point this risk could have stopped the progress of the innovation, but there was belief in the project in the company that allowed them to pass all these barriers to deliver a stunningly successful campaign.”
Sustainable Innovations Steve Lister is Innovation Director at Charterhouse, a consultancy that advises over 500 leading brands on sustainable packaging solutions. “We focus on three pillars of innovation – materials, design and technology,” he said. “All three are underpinned by sustainability. Whether it is a bioplastic label for Homebase that can biodegrade, or a Starbucks cup that is made from 10% waste coffee grounds, it is possible to provide a material that not only innovates the product message but is also good for the environment. In paper, there have been a number of sustainable developments that tie the product, planet and innovation together. For example, Favini has been working with paper made from cocoa shell. The board has multiple applications; it can be made from coffee, fruits, olives. Or the lolly sticks for ice cream that has seed ingrained in the board so when you have eaten your ice cream you can drop the stick into the ground and plants will grow. Heineken have even made paper from recycled beer products, and this beer paper can be manufactured for less then conventional paper. In wine, Paperboy has made a 75CL bottle from fibre board. This is 80% less weight then glass. Coca Cola have introduced tertiary packaging that is waterproof cardboard which folds into an ice bucket for 12/24 cans.” What is driving this technological development? “The growing millennial consumer base who purchase completely differently from previous generations, as they are accessing technology such as Near Field Communication, comparing prices online or via social media, or using discount vouchers that are time sensitive for a deal,” he said. “Research even tells us that millennials do not look above head height when shopping. The top shelf does not convey the quality that it would convey to older consumers.”
Benefits, Print Runs, New Technologies Event Moderator Maev Martin asked the speakers about what they regarded as the key benefits of digital print technology in the packaging field. “Packaging can be made more relevant to a location, personal interest, occasion etc,” said Steve. “Digital is a means to an end but it provides a never ending series of means, and it supports brand and quality growth across packaging lines. You can print one and upwards, something that is impractical or even impossible with larger run, conventional print.” Maev asked if the type of packaging is a factor in deciding whether the job is suitable to be printed digitally. Christian Menegon responded by saying that “the best answer is no. In theory there are no limits but some of the technology has not yet been developed. What do you want to do after printing, in terms of decoration? Ink provides a technical window to varnish, emboss, sterilise etc. Flexo or gravure might be slightly ahead today, but not for much longer.” Maev asked the experts if there was an ideal print run for digital. “Right now, if we are talking about a print run of millions, conventional print is better,” said Christian. “However if you want thousands of units in minutes, or short variable data runs, there is no question that digital is better. We do not see digital’s future in big long standardised runs, which is why it is a supporting technology rather than a replacement for conventional print.” Nancy Janes added that, in terms of the economics
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of digital, it can cost more so there is no sense in using digital for a large run of repeating images. “However, if changes are needed or flexibility is required to change inline then digital is far better suited to the job,” she added. Maev also asked about the technologies that can be incorporated into digitally-printed packaging. Steve said that there is a “growing and exciting” ability for digital to address security through digital watermarking. “QR codes are embedded in the image printed on the product and customers can connect through to a separate website or online information without having to use packaging space for a black square code, freeing up more real estate on the package for branding or information,” he said. “As infinite, separate codes can be printed into the watermark, no two codes are the same and now there is an even more secure supply chain capability, brought to us by digital.”
The Marketer’s Perspective Following the Q&A, Nancy Janes opened up the discussion to the participants. “We are continuing to grow in our understanding of the digital print packaging market and its potential and we would love to get your input in terms of what you are seeing happening in digital,” she said. Sally-Anne Tingle of L’Oreal said that the brand doesn’t see packaging as the key component of a marketing or brand awareness campaign. “It is seen as a cost so it isn’t viewed from the perspective of what we can do to enhance it, in the same way that marketing or social media might be.” Michael Nevin of Kerry Foods said that there is a lack of packaging technologists in Ireland. “This makes it difficult to find people who can match the technology and the materials development, or runnability and substrate development. Somewhere along the line, via the design house or repro company, we lose something in package development.” He also said that the homogenisation of packaging lines in Ireland, and specifically with retailers, is a big issue, as there is almost no point of differentiation on the shelf. “This is of more concern then security for those in the private label or food industry as it is far more difficult to make your product stand out,” he said. “I am not sure if digital has a role to play in these conditions, but I would be interested in finding out more about how it might.” Steve Lister said that it was important that brand owners and marketers don’t let their printer tell them what they can do. “Lead times are tumbling for brand owners, and who is better placed to help with zero time print runs then digital printers?” he said. “It might require a change of printer, but it is far better to have the best possible product than to stick with a supplier who is not providing what you need.” Lisa Deveney of PepsiCo said that even though she liked the idea of what digital print can do for brands, she was afraid that if they went through the process and proved that it worked with short runs in retail, the retailer might take the idea in store and cut them out, using the benefits of digital to raise the profile of their own products. “We might succeed with a regional or narrow SKU but the worry is that they would then take it across their whole portfolio far quicker then we can keep up,” she said. “We have experienced a number of instances where a retailer has waited until the last minute to tell us that the POS has to change, and it seems that digital would provide a way of being able to fulfill these changes. However, even though I like the idea, I would question how helpful it would be if it resulted in us spending our time chasing artwork or last minute changes and not being able to concentrate on product development and packaging.” Michael Nevin said that Lisa’s point related to the earlier discussion about the ideal print run for digital. “It is not worth turning on a flexo printer for less then 5,000 or 10,000 cartons but digital is more agile,” he said. “Supermarkets today have too many SKUs with diminishing volumes so it’s a case of finding the best, most cost effective fit to get the product on the shelf on time and at the highest quality. Dave Lewis of Tesco recently announced that they are simplifying their range by about 30% to 40% and the remaining SKUs can be best covered by digital printing. One area which could benefit from better development would be digital in corrugated packaging, especially when it comes to food contact printing and packaging.” The discussion provided an insight into the print market and the challenges that Irish brands are facing when it comes to selecting the optimum technology to fulfill their design and print requirements. The speakers presented digital print’s full range of capabilities in the packaging arena so even those who came to the event with a limited understanding of its benefits were confident that they could see applications for digital print on future projects.
16/07/2015 15:51
PACKAGING
HARDWARE
HIGHLIGHTS HP launches re-conditioned Indigo technology and a robotic stacker works with cartons pre-printed by the Indigo 30000 and pre-cut by a B2 motion cutter at Dscoop. Meanwhile HP’s corrugated press will be available in August and Xeikon’s Cheetah will hit the market in September.
The Xeikon Cheetah technology is in pilot operation at five sites around the world.
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New HP Press Makes Global Debut in Dublin
The HP Indigo 7r digital press made its global debut at the Dscoop Open in Convention Centre Dublin last month. According to HP, the Indigo 7r offers printers who want to enter the digital printing market a cost-effective solution with the production and quality advantages of proven HP Indigo technology. The press is reconditioned from customer HP Indigo 7000 series digital press trade-ins and is capable of producing four million colour pages a month at a top colour speed of 160 pages per minute in Enhanced Productivity Mode (EPM). The press can be enhanced with an inline spectrophotometer and extra capabilities include One Shot Colour printing on synthetics for plastic card and speciality applications, special effects printing on press to make an impact with raised and textured
print, and special inks. The HP Indigo 7r’s up to seven on-press ink stations enable the use of HP Indigo’s wide digital colour gamut, including special effect inks, and the press can deliver four, six or seven process colours for vivid printing and accurate on-press Pantone emulations. “HP Indigo 7r digital presses deliver the benefits of the marketleading HP Indigo 7000 series digital presses at a reduced price,” said Alon Bar-Shany, General Manager, HP Indigo Division. “And they can be upgraded to include features currently available on HP Indigo 7800 digital presses.” HP also showcased enhancements to the HP Indigo 7800, 10000, WS6800, 20000 and 30000 digital presses. New intelligent colour management capabilities make it easy for the Indigo 7800 to reproduce colour job after job and across sites. The Indigo 7800 now supports printing on canvas in addition to synthetic substrates and lenticular applications using One Shot Colour technology and offers added differentiation with the new Fluorescent Pink ElectroInk. The HP Indigo WS6800 digital press for narrow web label and packaging solutions now also offers a Michelman DP680 Primer for added versatility and lowers primer-related costs. The HP Indigo 20000 digital press highlighted a wide application range at the Dscoop Open, producing shrink sleeves and wrap-around lablels. In addition, the HP Indigo 30000 digital press now prints on metalised media. At Dscoop the press demonstrated a single pass double varnishing solution with the Tresu iCoat 30000 Twin.
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PACKAGING
Xeikon Unleashes the Cheetah Xeikon announced the worldwide commercial availability of its Xeikon CX3 digital label press, based on Xeikon Cheetah digital print technology, on June 11th last. The press will be available for order taking as of September 29th, the opening day of Labelexpo Europe 2015. The Xeikon Cheetah technology is in pilot operation at five sites around the world. At the show, Xeikon will unveil the newly-designed press and conduct live demonstrations of what the manufacturer claims is the fastest fivecolour digital label press in its class. Labelexpo Europe takes place in Brussels from September 29th through to October 2nd.
Laser Cutting Live
LaserSharp Spider STP 400 stacker.
The DScoop Open was the venue for the official European debut of the newly-formed LasX Europe. Set up in Hannover on April 1st as a wholly-owned subsidiary of its US parent company, LasX Europe sells and supports the LaserSharp range of laser-based cutting systems, together with robotic and automated materials handling systems, across the EMEA region. Unique to LasX is a twin camera optical system that reads barcodes and alignment marks on the print, calls up the relevant cutting templates from a database, aligns the lasers exactly to the print, and also controls the positioning of the stacking robot. The print systems can be configured for roll or sheet materials, in sizes suited to anything from narrow web labels to large sheet carton packaging up to two metre widths. They can be integrated with other finishing equipment and run inline or nearline with digital or conventional presses. At DScoop HP Indigo users were treated to live demonstrations of the LaserSharp Spider STP-400 robotic stacker, working with cartons that were pre-printed by a HP Indigo 30000 digital carton press and pre-cut by a LasX LaserSharp B2 motion cutter. Videos of the LaserSharp B2 motion system cutting the same cartons at high speed were shown as part of the demonstration. Guided by printed bar codes and alignment marks on the job, the Spider STP-400 can automatically pick up, sort, rotate, stack, shingle and/or collate variable nested parts at high speed. For wider configurations two stackers can be fitted side by side. The LaserSharp B2 motion cutter can be fitted with lasers between 100W and 2,500W power for cutting anything from thin paper to acrylic plastic. A 400W laser can cut, score, perforate or etch lines at up to 12 metres per second on cartonboard. The transport belt runs at up to 60 metres per minute, with a vacuum that ensures that sheets and cut items remain firmly in place throughout the process.
Expanded Corrugated Press Portfolio HP recently grew its digital corrugated offering with the launch of the HP Scitex 17000 corrugated press at Fespa 2015 which is expected to be available worldwide from August 1st. The new press features the recently introduced HP Scitex Corrugated Group and HP HDR230 Scitex inks and prints at speeds of up to 1,000 square metres per hour (10,764 square feet per hour) for high volume production of industrial grade corrugated boards. Prints made with the HP HDR230 Scitex inks on a representative coated media have been independently certified as having good deinkability. HP is also introducing the HP Smart Uptime Kit for HP Scitex presses, a cloud-based inventory management system enabling customers to log parts, track usage and extract reports for increased production uptime and productivity. Also launched at Fespa 2015 were HP’s new 3.2 metre (126-inch) HP Latex 3500 and 3100 printers, which they hope will build on the success of the company’s more than 26,000 HP latex printers installed worldwide. With heavy-duty roll handling up to 300kg (600lbs) and 10 litre ink supplies, the printer enables more unattended operation such as overnight printing. In addition, dual-roll split spindles offer easier, safer handling of oversized rolls, in-line slitters reduce bottlenecks in finishing, and built-in LED lights support on-the-fly proofing. The HP Latex 3100 printer is ideal for large sign and display printers with a diverse service offering. It can print indoor quality at speeds of up to 77 square metres per hour (830 square feet per hour). The 3M MCS warranty duration is expanding for HP latex inks, now offering a sixyear warranty for film lamination. 3M is also introducing a new UV clear coat for third-generation HP Latex inks that features a fiveyear warranty when used with 3M premium solutions. The 3M UV Clear Coat is expected to be available in September.
HP Scitex 17000 corrugated press.
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