2011 - 03 for web

Print Pack Publish Covering the Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia.

MICA (P) 046/11/2010 - KDN PPS 1529/8/2010

March 2011 US$8.50

Go with Xingraphics,

Move your business forward...

If you are looking for an alternative thermal CtP plate solution, you need to find a product that is stable, high quality, consistent and delivers exceptional printing results.

Make sure it Fits your business needs.

Positive Thermal CtP Plate To learn more, visit us at: www.xingraphics.com or contact your regional Xingraphics Distributors for a product demonstration.

High quality thermal CtP plate manufacturer Chengdu Xingraphics Co., Ltd. JinJiang Industrial Park, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610063, P.R.China Tel +86 28 8592 5222 Fax +86 28 8592 5225 Email info@xingraphics.com / www.xingraphics.com

"The bizhub PRO C7000 offers a lot more than high-speed colour printing. Reaping the benefits of superior quality in combination with absolute reliability, print providers simply won't go wrong when choosing Konica Minolta's dependable digital colour presses."

http://www.bizhubpress.com Konica Minolta Business Solutions (S) Pte Ltd Tel (65) 6895 8511 Fax (65) 6561 9879 10 Teban Gardens Crescent, Singapore 608923 Website: http://konicaminolta.sg Email: bizhubPro@konicaminolta.sg Contact Adrian Ho (Hp: 9777 7275 DID: 6795 8580)

Asian PrintAwards 2011 th

Gold

Silver

March 2011

Bronze

Contents Page 2 4 6

10

12

14 16 18 20

24

26 28 30 32 34 36 38 42 44 46 50

52 54 56 64 58 64

Xingraphics takes on 2011 Serving ASEAN’s dynamic printing and packaging industries Sometimes Success has Three Fathers: Quality, Reliability and On-time Delivery Canon and Océ aim to change landscape of printing industry in Korea Heidelberg helps all print shops towards an integrated Print shop workflow Hong Kong’s CTPS switches to digital for books Over twenty years of experience in the graphics arts industry Xerox iGen4 EXP Turns Jobs in Hours, Instead of Days Japanese print equipment suppliers avoid brunt of quake damage Disaster Countermeasures for the Tohoku-Chiho Taiheiyo-Oki Earthquake Paperboard supplies uncertain in wake of earthquake Zanders trusts in manroland anew Academy Provides Unique Learning Experiences Print industry failing to grow Active green printing, according to Survey Coming full circle What Does Lean Really Mean?

Ongoing enhancement through innovation Newspapers always in tune with the times Sustainable packaging: eco-friendly and unbreakable Unleashing the Potential of Digital Printing with High-Performance Finishing Systems Global Packaging, Storage, and Distribution Service Why the outdoor industry needs to get smart Value of Industrial UV Inkjet Printing Some funny items collected over the last month Industry news from all over the world Some funny items collected over the last month

116 Lavender Street #03-02 Pek Chuan Building Singapore 338730 tel+65 6733 5342 fax +65 6733 3586 Publisher

Paul Callaghan paulftw@tm.net.my

Managing Director

Elizabeth Liew eliew@cpublish.com.sg Editor

Ann Callahan calmor@ihug.co.nz Journalist

Christel Lee editorasia@cpublish.com.sg Advertising Sales

Matthew Callahan matt@cpublish.com.sg Accounts Manager

Radika Balani accounts@cpublish.com.sg Accounts

Meynard Gloria accounts@cpublish.com.sg

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

2

PrePress

Xingraphics takes on 2011 2010 has been a challenging year for the industry.

Clearly, the companies that pressed on emerge stronger, and ready to take on 2011. Xingraphics is also going all out to cast its net. Cathy Hu, regional sales manager of Xingraphics APAC, talks to Christel Lee of PPPA, what’s in store.

The industry has seen the waves coming at Xingraphics, occasionally threatening not only its credibility, possibly existence as well. Not only did the company emerged victorious, it has certainly become stronger with partnerships. The one most-notable would be its collaboration with manroland.

differentiate us from other players, not only through high-quality products, but also the built-in flexibility in business and service from our team of professionals. As one of the ‘Most favourite CtP brands in China’, Xingraphics moved a big step forward to its target as the leading global CtP plate suppliers,” Hu notes.

Today, with the company’s reliable products and optimum quality, Xingraphics’ has certainly commanded the attention of global players with its wide-network of distributors in Asia.

Dainippon Screen in Singapore and Nationwide in Thailand are some of the known long-standing partnerships to date.

This year, the upcoming Print China 2011 one of Xingraphics’ platforms is taking on the market. As a sister event of Beijing International Printing Technology Exhibition (China Print), Print China debuted in 2007 and will be held once every four years. Exhibitors from domestic and abroad will take this opportunity to showcase their latest concepts and products.

“Our vision is to provide an alternative solution, which is reliable, consistent and competitive in all international markets. Our performance in China (alone) for 2010 is a perfect reflection of this vision. With that, our next step is to further strengthen our global position through various international trade events such as Print China, to be held in April 2011.

“Having been customers are

in the business, savvy. They can

When quizzed on Xingraphics’ expectations for this exhibition, Hu is confident of the company’s performance. She replies, “As China’s economy grows rapidly, more and more technologies are widely used and forecast shows there will be a fast development over the next few years for CtP technology in the republic. Xingraphics expects to share its values, vision as well as its latest alternative solutions together with its

understanding on domestic market in the exhibition with all friends and visitors.”

Hu adds, “Xingraphics will demonstrate its pre-press thermal solution in Print China, the Fit-eCo. It is our latest technology, which eliminates the need for chemistry and or additional equipment removing further energy requirements whilst maintaining optimum printing results to our valued customers worldwide and protecting the environment. This reflects our commitment to care for the environment.

“Additionally, we are also showcasing our pre-press hardware and software, the Dotfine for colour management, which is also widely-promoted now.”

China is known republic, and has gained a strong reputation after being named as the second economy, dethroning Japan. The industry is also witnessing fierce global investments pouring into the country. When asked if there is any anticipation of threats, she remains confident.

“It is widely-known that Heidelberg, Dainippon Screen, FUJIFILM, AGFA and Kodak have been shipping the products manufactured in their factories in China since some three years ago. Forecasts show that domestic competition will be fiercer, thanks to the fast-growing market in China and also pouring foreign investment.

“This will certainly exert more pressure on all manufacturers. Simultaneously, we think it will also help build a healthier competition to benefit the whole printing industry; as the market always require reliable, consistent and competitive solutions, which FIT is most certainly fits,” she highlights. Our stand in China Print is V007 in Hall 3 and we look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.” •

Delighting You Always

High Precision Printing

High Quality

Higher Color Accuracy

Consistent Color Reproduction

Enhanced Productivity

The new 12-color Canon imagePROGRAF printers are perfectly optimized for GMG ColorProof, GMG DotProof XG and GMG FlexoProof XG high quality halftone and contone proofing applications.

To ensure the highest production reliability and finest quality proofing results, the printer has been optimized for GMG’s superior inkjet proofing substrates.

This joint solution is the result of extensive technological collaboration between GMG and Canon, bringing to market an integrated software and hardware package for high-end contract proofing applications that meet both GMG and Canon quality standards.

GMG’s ColorProof contone proofing software and the FlexoProof XG and DotProof XG halftone proofing modules enable the GMG/Canon proofing system to achieve maximum color accuracy and consistency.

iPF6300/iPF6350

iPF8300

Certified Industry Color Standard

Canon Singapore Pte Ltd 1 HarbourFront Ave #04-01 Keppel Bay Tower Singapore 098632 Tel: (65) 6799 8888 www.canon-asia.com

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

4

Management/General

Serving ASEAN’s dynamic printing and packaging industries For those with a stake in the print and packaging industries, there is no better platform than PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL in 2011. Taking place at an opportune time when the global economy is back on its track for positive growth, and with Asia taking the lead in this recovery – PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL is the only event in Southeast Asia that takes a closer look at technologies that drive printing and packaging innovations.

Southeast Asia’s growth potentials and rising living standards will continue to create an ever expanding class of demanding consumers who will settle for none less than the highest quality in products and services. These factors are combining to generate a solid demand for print and packaging products.

PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2011 is a must-attend event for all industry players with an interest in playing a significant part in growth

in the region. This is all the more so given the synergies between printing and packaging. Well positioned to meet the needs of Southeast Asia’s printing and packaging sectors, PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2011 will bring together a multitude of new and innovative technologies, solutions, products and services including new machinery launched for the very first time in this region.

Thailand • Home to 5,000 printing companies employing 120,000 personnel, and consuming more than 2 million tonnes of paper annually. Thailand’s Sinsakhon Printing City is transforming into a hotbed of global standard printing activity, already being home to numerous regional and global players, with more investment set to flow in.

• Food processing for export markets remains a major activity in Thailand, exporting an estimated US$22 billionworth of processed food products in 2009. Thailand’s National Food Institute forecasts exports to hit $24 billion in 2010 and continue on their growth trend. These exports demand high quality packaging solutions.

Singapore • Fast transforming into a leading technology hub for printing and imaging equipment, Singapore is looking to partner printer manufacturers keen to explore future technologies and

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Management/General

5

applications in plastic and printed electronics.

• Numerous global packaging giants have located ASEAN and Asian regional operations in Singapore, while local companies coordinate their regional operations from the city state. Singaporean companies typically invest in leading edge technologies in order to remain competitive with regional competitors.

Malaysia • The printing industry has been identified as a sector with good potential for further exports and investment.

The Government encourages the establishment of printing projects that use modern technology and machinery and cater to the export market.

• A major exporter of packaging materials such as stretch and shrink film, shopping bags and heavy-duty sacks. The halal food industry in Malaysia also provides immense opportunities for Malaysia’s packaging suppliers.

Vietnam • There are now around 1,500 printing enterprises in Vietnam. Although magazine, book and newspaper printing has traditionally accounted for a major proportion of printing output, labeling and packaging are expected to be the main growth drivers in the future.

• Vietnam still has insufficient local capacity to serve end user industry needs for high end products such as flexible plastic packaging and carton packaging. More investment in world class equipment will be required.

Home made economic miracle. in MAY 2011.

Solutions ahead! www.interpack.com

Indonesia • The Indonesian food processing industry serving a population of 245 million offers significant market potential for packaging and printing services. The industry is valued at around $42 billion, Frozen processed food, meal replacements products, and baby food is forecasted for double-digit growth in coming years.

About PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL Jointly organized by the Thai Printing Association, Thai Packaging Association and Messe Düsseldorf Asia, PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2011 will be THE point of convergence for key industry players to update themselves on the latest industry news, innovations and developments on printing and packaging. The 4-day exhibition will bring together more than 200 leading international manufacturers and suppliers from over 20 countries. Noteworthy is that some 30,000 visitors have visited PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL since its debut in the year 2007. These visitors have benefitted from the wide array of cutting-edge machineries, global technologies and processing solutions on display.

More information on PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2011 is available at www.pack-print.de •

Messe Düsseldorf Asia Pte Ltd 3 HarbourFront Place #09-02 HarbourFront Tower Two Singapore 099254 Tel: +65 6332 9643 (DID) / +65 6332 9620 (Gen) Fax: +65 6332 9655 / +65 6337 4633 E-mail: mdrep@mda.com.sg

SGP_ipc11_Wirtschaftswunder_90x260_Print Pack Publish Asia PPPA_4c.indd 1

21.02.2011 · interpack 2011 · SGP / Motiv: Wirtschaftswunder · 90 x 260 mm · 4c · Print Pack Publish Asia PPPA

düsseldorf, Germany 12 – 18 may 2011

13.01.11 15:01

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

6

PrePress

Sometimes Success has Three Fathers: Quality, Reliability and On-time Delivery Digitaldruck Pirrot GmbH, Saarbrucken, was one of the first digital printing companies in Germany. For color-accurate print results the company relies on ORIS Press Matcher.

When you enter the company's facility located in Saarbrucken, close to the French border, not much resembles a traditional printing operation. No wonder, as Pirrot has over twenty years of experience and is a pioneer in digital printing. They always remained true to their philosophy to print entirely digitally. Instead of investing in offset presses, they rather continuously expanded their services over the years from the early black-and-white printing.

Today, they are a competent fullservice provider with state-of-theart machinery. Thanks to a positive order situation, more often than not the company is working to two-shift capacity. The majority of the customers are located in the States of Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, some even in France. Until now, the company has no sales department; new customers

“Thanks to ORIS we deliver digital printing with proofing quality� Christian Weirich, technical supervisor quickly gotten around about quality, reliability and quick delivery.

are solely acquired by word-of-mouth recommendation. Since the company was established in 1992, word has

Today, the company is the single point of contact in the region, when it comes to digital print production.

The machinery is constantly updated to cover a wide production range. At Pirrot, machines are used a maximum of five years until they are replaced.

The production focus is on four-color printing, but the business is also a publishing house, lettershop, textile finisher and large format printer.

Thanks to comprehensive finishing capacities, even the most complex jobs can be entirely produced in-house.

Moreover, there is a substantial paper storage.

The client structure is as diverse as the products and services, ranging from individuals to local associations, to large industrial enterprises. The company has adapted to the changed clientele: "Until a few years ago, print data was prepared by prepress companies. Nowadays the majority of our customers do it themselves, and quite often, the data does not meet the requirements. That is why a comprehensive data check

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Management/General

7

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

8

PrePress “Thanks to ORIS we deliver digital printing with proofing quality” Christian Weirich, technical supervisor necks, we use ORIS Press Matcher solely for that. Even separations from RGB to CMYK are mostly done with ORIS, since we have noticed that colors look distinctively more natural then.

and client consultation is an inherent part of our extensive services, which come at no cost for the customer. For example, we advise the customer how to create a bleed or which substrate is the most suitable for his job. Thanks to our digital printing technology, we are able to produce a single advance copy, even if it is a voluminous job like an illustrated book.

printing today has to measure up to an offset-like quality. Thanks to ORIS, we can now fulfill even the highest requirements regarding color accuracy, quality and repeatability on our main production machine, a Xerox iGen3.

Not only that, we were even able to significantly improve the color stability and output quality of our smaller machines from HP, Canon and Xerox.

That way, the customer gets an identical sample, even before the actual print run is produced", explains Bjoern Frey, CEO of the company, which uses an iGen3, a DC 7000 and a DC 260 for four-color printing. For black-andwhite, a high-capacity Xerox Nuvera is available. Recently, the firm has invested substantially in a large format printing department, which was moved to an extension of the building.

Today, we can even supply our customers with a contract quality proof, which has been printed in advance on the particular press. Since we work with the ORIS software, we almost exclusively produce within the ISOcoated offset standard. We have also installed ORIS Certified Proof, to certify the prints and label them accordingly", explains Weirich.

"Although we use the ORIS software only since a few months, it has quickly become the central hub for all color management processes. To avoid bottle

Christian Weirich, head of technology, first became aware of the ORIS Press Matcher from CGS, when he visited the Postprint exhibition in Berlin. Just a few days later they spontaneously ordered the software by phone. "ORIS Press Matcher completely met our expectations right from the beginning.

It was our goal to supply our customers with perfect results, based on offset standards accepted in the market.

Because if you like it or not, digital

Our machines are mostly equipped with high-quality CREO Rips.

However, in the past we time and again had problems with processing orders and unnecessary delays, as we had to make essential color corrections by very awkwardly altering gradation curves."

The further steps at Digitaldruck Pirrot are already planned: " Particularly the new possibility to create DeviceLink profiles in ORIS Press Matcher // Web, which in turn can be used directly in the CREO workflow of the iGen3, is extremely interesting for us, as we increasingly process customer mailings. For our customers, ranging from small associations to a big energy provider, we handle the entire direct mailing including personalization.

Simultaneously we update things like pricing, for which we are using Printshop Mail, outputting via the CREO VPS data stream. With ORIS DeviceLink profiles, we can then use the superior color profile quality even for highly personalized variable data printing.

Another step will be to connect our large format printers to the ORIS system as well, so we can guarantee a consistent color quality irrespective of the output device. It will even mean another improvement for us, since we can control all color management processes with one single application then. If you look at the market in the recent past, two trends become apparent. Print products are only ordered when they are actually needed, which leads to drastically shorter print runs. At the same time, universal consistent quality and color is expected.

Even an author, who publishes and prints 50 copies with us, expects the same quality comparable to offset with every copy. Thanks to ORIS color management, we can now meet these demands, so to speak, at the touch of a button", concludes Weirich. •

At the 9th 2011 Asian Print Awards, you could win

$9000

Collect your BEST work and get ready to enter.

Details in the next issue of this magazine

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

10

Digital Technology

Canon and Océ aim to change landscape of printing industry in Korea Canon and Océ have announced their intention to enter the Korean commercial printing market. Canon Korea can complement its existing prominent office product portfolio and sales network with the comprehensive Océ range of commercial printers. construction renderings as well as the photograph printing segment. Canon Korea Business Solutions aims to boost revenue to USD 1 billion by 2015 and double Océ revenue in Korea in years to come. The company also intends to build a new factory in the country by 2013, for which an investment of USD 100 million is required.

This will now enable clients such as direct marketing companies, architects and industrial designers to build their business as well. Canon Korea Business Solutions announced the news at a press conference marking the opening of an industry trade fair in the Korean capital Seoul.

Broader product portfolio Canon, a world leader in imaging solutions, completed its offer for Océ in March 2010 and currently holds an approximately 90% share in the international leader in digital document management.

The compelling combination of the two companies is set to change the landscape of the Korean printing industry, by providing printers for use at home, office equipment, larger digital presses and now an array of commercial printers.

Revenues of USD 1 bln anticipated by 2015 Currently, the domestic market for digital printing in Korea is estimated at USD 800 million. The market scope targets audiences including the publishing industry, outdoor advertising, signage, displays, engineering output and

“Considerable potential growth opportunities” “We anticipate an increase in personalised printing in Korea, with more varieties of small quantity printing and high quality printing, rather than large print volumes,” said Michael Sak, Managing Director Océ Direct Export Asia. “We are delighted to work together with Canon Korea Business Solutions in this significant domestic market with considerable potential growth opportunities.” Kim Chun-joo, CEO Canon Korea Business Solutions, added: “Together with our nationwide sales and service network, we intend to change the landscape of the printing market in Korea.” •

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

12

PrePress

Heidelberg helps all print shops towards an integrated Print shop workflow • Prinect-S paves the way for lean print production • All necessary functions of an integrated Print shop workflow solution • Can be upgraded to a comprehensive integration solution at any time Fierce competition in the market is leading many small and mediumsized print shops to look more and more at saving time and money, not only in the pressroom but also in prepress. Outdated workflow or RIP systems should be replaced with highly automated systems utilizing the latest technologies and processes. Prinect S delivers these goals.

Prinect S not only delivers integration between prepress and the pressroom but it is also possible to accept job data from MIS systems, which gives the potential for boosting transparency, productivity and reducing costs.

Importantly, job data is entered once and used by all applications and operators in a Prinect integrated workflow environment. Not only does this save time but also minimizes errors – everyone sees the same job data right through the production process.

Prinect-S offers automated prepress with PDF processing, layout

creation, and proof/plate output plus management of the printing of a job, including ink presetting. As with other Prinect solutions, the system uniquely works in the way you work – a jobspecific approach – not in the oldfashioned sheet or flat-based ways.

What’s more, a Prinect Cockpit enables users to check the status of all print jobs in prepress and the pressroom at any time.

To output data as a proof or on a printing plate, Prinect-S uses another new product which was unveiled at IPEX 2010 – the Prinect Renderer.

This innovation supports all the screening processes familiar from Prinect MetaDimension as well as all the unique Prinect features like Plate on Demand, ink savings and calibrated multi-color separations.

All Prinect-S functions can be installed and operated on a single computer or from multiple computers for larger Printshops. Like other Prinect

solutions, the system is operated using a common interface – the Prinect Cockpit. And the Prinect-S installation and training requirements are simple and cost effective – its reduced complexity adds to savings achieved from the very beginning.

“Prinect-S is a response to the wish expressed by many small and mediumsized print shops for a cost-effective and straightforward gateway to integrated print production. The compact system offers users all necessary functions, enabling them to process print jobs efficiently and transparently,” explains Marcel Kiessling, Member of the Heidelberg Management Board Heidelberg offers customers with Prinect Prepress Interface an attractive migration package to Prinect-S – making sure all customers can take advantage of the latest technology and innovations.

If desired in the future, Prinect-S can be easily upgraded with a full range of highly advanced Prinect functions like Printshop reporting (Prinect Analyze Point), or Print buyer integration (Prinect Remote Access), to name a few among many options available in Prinect.

Prinect-S helps small and mediumsized print shops reap the benefits of an integrated Print shop workflow. •

Prinect S

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Digital Technology

13

Get smart.

At long last, all print shops regardless of size, can now optimise their production workflows. Prinect S from Heidelberg integrates, controls, and accelerates prepress and pressroom processes. Discover Prinect S for yourself – and ensure you have a job-based workflow geared to your future needs. This solution delivers lasting cost savings while also boosting productivity. Get smart with Prinect S today and make sure you enjoy all the benefits print shop integration has to offer.

Heidelberg Asia Pte Ltd www.heidelberg.com/PrinectS

Prinect S_Ad_A4_en_220311_HAP.indd 1

23/03/2011 9:10:21

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

14

Digital Technology

Hong Kong’s CTPS switches to digital for books CTPS, a major book-manufacturing exporter based in Hong Kong, has purchased an HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press for high-volume book production work currently done on offset presses.

C

M

Y

The T300 – one of several recent regional HP Inkjet Web Press sales – will be the first HP Inkjet Web Press in Asia when installation is completed later this year at CTPS’s book manufacturing plant in Dongguan, China. CTPS also is installing an HP Indigo 7500 Digital Press, HP’s top-of-the-line Indigo commercial sheet-fed press.

CTPS will use the HP Indigo press to produce covers for HP T300-printed books.

Peter Tse, CEO, of CTPS says, “We are confident with our choice of the HP T300, moving our printing capabilities to a new milestone, a new century.

We chose HP because its successful installations in other parts of the world have built our confidence in the purchase.”

CM

MY

CY

CMY

solutions, including our HP T300 and the recently launched HP T200 and T350 Color Inkjet Web presses, and the HP Indigo 7500 and W7200 digital presses, are ready to take on the growth that the China publishing market is experiencing.”

With the upcoming installation, CTPS is poised to solidify its position as a market leader in the region.

CTPS has a focus on providing high-quality printing for publishers worldwide. Since its establishment in 1964, the company has earned a reputation as one of the most progressive and reliable printing firms in China. It specialises in printing on lightweight paper stocks, and is a leading innovator in book cover printing using polyurethane and semipolyurethane substrates.

HP says its digital presses can enable CTPS to streamline business operations and lower production costs by reducing waste and inventory expenses associated with print overruns. Gido van Praag, vice president, Graphic Solutions Business – Asia Pacific and Japan, HP, says, “HP’s portfolio of

“At CTPS, we take great pride in our history and transcendence into a comprehensive one-stop provider of book printing solutions. We are dedicated to continually improving our business and providing the highest value to publishers worldwide,” said Tse. “The flexibility HP digital printing

K

adds to our mid- and micro-run book production capabilities and also enables us to branch into new areas of printing, beyond the traditional publishing market.”

The HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press prints a 762-mm wide roll at resolutions up to 1,200 x 600 addressable dots per inch. The four-colour press operates at its maximum resolution in speeds up to 122m per minute, providing high productivity, as well as print quality that HP says meets or exceeds book trade standards.

The majority of HP Inkjet Web Presses currently in operation are in book manufacturing environments, HP says book printing firms are using the presses to improve productivity, reduce waste and increase the number of titles publishers can profitably sell. The multi-billion dollar market for digital book printing is one of HP’s fastestgrowing graphic arts industry segments.

mr_ad_PRINTVALUE_4c_A4_E.pdf 2010-7-14 15:04:36

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

PrePress

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

15

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

16

Digital Technology

Over twenty years of experience in the graphics arts industry Jeff Jacobson has over twenty years of experience in the graphics arts industry he took over the helm of Presstek in May 2007. Prior to joining Presstek, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Eastman Kodak Company's Graphic Communications Group. He also served as CEO of Kodak Polychrome Graphics for five years.

In this interview Mr. Jacobson explains why the recession has helped put Presstek DI presses back into the spotlight as an affordable way to produce litho quality print for runs between 500 and 20,000.

How do you see the current market climate for print?

Obviously, if you look at the statistics print is down over the past couple of years and certainly versus 2007.

Printers that are succeeding and that will succeed are the ones that are

incorporating print into the overall media mix. They are using print to promote other media and vice versa.

A simple example would be a direct mail postcard driving a consumer to a website or visiting a website to request a sample kit.

I believe that there is a significant overcapacity of both conventional offset and toner printing in the market, while at the same time there is also a growing need for cost-effective high quality short run color printing.

These dynamics fit into Presstek’s DI strategy, and we believe that there will be an increased level of investment in Presstek DI presses, by both small and large firms.

What are the over-riding trends in the DI market at the moment?

The beauty of Presstek DI is there is not another press capable of providing such a high level of quality at such a low cost per piece. For printers trying to increase profitability a DI press provides an excellent opportunity to

take hold in a market that is moving to versioning and short run colour.

The market at the same time is coming to DI. Print buyers want shorter runs, better quality, more colour and to be able to use a wider range of stock while being environmentally conscious.

Presstek DI was ahead of the market but now the market is coming to DI. I believe that toner has missed its window of opportunity to make that technology affordable for runs in the 500 to 20,000 range. Presstek DI is the bridge between the very long runs of conventional offset and variable data and ultra short runs that are suited for toner. There is such a tremendous opportunity for us right now. It is a short run and versioning world.

How do you perceive the potential for growth?

I think that the industry has hit a relatively low point and it will rebound whether it reaches the level of 2007 it is hard to say. We have been through these cycles before but we have to stay strong and come out of it. These are the times that test the heart of a business and its leaders. How you supplement yourself and re-invent yourself is crucial to your success.

What are the latest innovations in Presstek DI presses that make a solid case for printers adopting the technology?

Certainly the most prevalent is the new Presstek 75DI that we introduced at Ipex and are showing at Graph Expo.

It is a B2 format multi-tower design that features a six-minute job-to-job changeover, the six minutes includes simultaneously imaging all plates on press in perfect register, and it is all done in an environmentally responsible fashion. It is revolutionary and I believe it will become the default device in a print shop.

The convincing benefits of today’s DI presses include new and improved imaging technology that is three times faster, offers a smaller spot size (16 micron vs. 35 micron), higher screen ruling (120 l/cm and FM screening) and superior image resolution (100 dots/ mm). Significant press enhancements have also been made including more automation which results in easier

operation; a larger inking system provides superior ink lay-down, more effective plate cleaners, less wear and tear components, and an overall more robust press design. Presstek branded DI presses have evolved to become faster, better, easier to use, and more reliable and durable than OEM models of 10 years ago.

How do you think the market will re-shape itself following the recession?

I think the consolidation will continue for both customers and suppliers as evidenced by QuadGraphics’ acquisition of Quebecor World. It will take excess capacity out of the market place to create greater efficiencies and improved competitiveness.

What does the future hold for Presstek developmentally and growth-wise?

We are focussing on ways to significantly increase the operation from today’s $135m turnover by building on the multi-growth opportunities presented by our DI presses, computer-to-plate systems and digital plates. The market is moving toward Presstek and our ability to offer high quality short run printing.

We are very excited and feel there is a significant growth opportunity for our company.

What has been the most pivotal point in your career and why?

There have been a couple of defining moments. I started my career in human resources at Polychrome and went to law school in evening because I was thinking of becoming a full time lawyer. Ed Barr chairman of Polychrome parent company Sun Chemical convinced me take up a career in operations and that set me on the path to where I am today.

The next one was when I took over as CEO of Kodak Polychrome Graphics.

The company was going through some tremendously difficult financial times and I helped to turn it into one of the most successful in the industry.

And now I am head of a $135m company and I want to transform it into one of the market leaders.

What are your future goals and how do you hope to achieve them?

My goals have always been pretty much been the same. To run a great company, service customers effectively, provide a great working environment, get customers believing in you and in your people and have a growing profitable company.

•

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

18

Digital Technology

Xerox iGen4 EXP Turns Jobs in Hours, Instead of Days Press generates 50% more impressions per page with increased sheet size

The full-service print shop in Minnesota used to outsource six-page brochures to larger printing companies and get them back two to four days later. “Now, with the iGen4 EXP press we can produce them ourselves within hours,” said Joel Johnson, president and Chief Operating Officer, Bryant Graphics. “The press drastically cuts turnaround time and our customers are noticing.”

ALLPRO Direct Marketing, a fullservice marketing firm, became the first in Florida to acquire the iGen4 EXP press. They rely on the press to produce direct-mail marketing campaigns, personalized invitations, postcards and other 1:1 marketing solutions – many of which are processed using uDirect® Classic variable data software from XMPie®, A Xerox Company.

“The majority of our work is variable data, short runs. With the iGen4 EXP press we can print quicker and less expensively compared to presses that only print smaller sheet sizes,” said Tom McLaren, president and CEO, ALLPRO Direct Marketing. “Since we can offer our customers much

more in terms of digital printing and personalization, we’re thinking about installing an additional iGen4 EXP press.”

The iGen4 EXP press is a key component in the multi-channel campaigns Georgia-based basiQa produces for its corporate marketing clients. The software solutions provider needed a device to accommodate a variety of media, a digital front end that could easily integrate with the company’s custom software and larger sheet capacity – and the iGen4 EXP press delivers.

“Our typical print run is between 5,000 and 500,000 custom pieces – and with the iGen4 EXP press we don’t need to waste our clients’ time and money on pre-printed offset shells. We’re delivering full-color, personalized capabilities at the same price, or even less,” said Joel Rowland, president and founder of the document technology company.

Rowland said the iGen4 EXP press’s increased sheet size allows the company to produce marketing campaigns at a

lower cost, giving them a significant competitive advantage and opening them up to new markets.

EarthDigital, a division of EarthColor, a national print provider, relies on two iGen4 EXP presses to handle demand for unique direct-mail pieces that include die cutting and oversized pages. The enhanced finishing options and larger sheet size add significant capabilities to the five iGen4 presses already in its shop.

By using FreeFlow® Process Manager® and Output Manager® software, EarthDigital automates each step of the print operation process, allowing increased productivity from start to finish.

“The iGen4 EXP press strengthens our digital offerings and with the larger sheet size we’re maximizing paper usage and getting more out of each run,” said Nicholas Brusco, president, EarthDigital. “The environmental impact is always a concern, so printing more multi-up jobs and getting more usable output on each sheet while using less paper is critical.”•

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Management/General 19

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

20

Management/General

Japanese print equipment suppliers avoid brunt of quake damage Initial reports indicate that the major Japanese print equipment manufacturers have avoided the brunt of the devastation caused by the 8.9-magnitude earthquake and the subsequent tsunami, which struck the north of the country on 11 March 2011, however several manufacturers have suspended production.

Kodak G

Digital Technology

21

© Kodak, 2010. Kodak and Prosper are trademarks.

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Kodak Prosper 1000 Press

IT’S TIME TO UNITE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF OFFSET THE AGILITY OF DIGITAL. Based on innovative Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology, the Kodak Prosper 1000 Press delivers digital without compromise, capable of print quality that rivals offset output on uncoated, coated, and glossy papers. This robust and high performance inkjet web press solution is field upgradable to colour and enables you to drive new business by leveraging the flexibility of digital print, variable data, and shorter run lengths.

It’s time for you AND Kodak Contact Kodak at: Indonesia 001-803-657-008 Malaysia 1800-806-480 Philippines 1800-1651-0685 Singapore 1800-856-3251 Thailand 001-800-658-055 Vietnam 120-65-131 Email ap-gcg-marketing@kodak.com

Kodak GCG Prosper 1000 Adv A4 SEA.indd 1

10/8/10 11:36 AM

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

22

Management/General

production operations may be suspended for a month or more, Canon will consider making use of alternate sites that were not damaged by the earthquake as a means of continuing production.

Canon continues working to ascertain damages and determine when operations can resume.”

The major press manufacturers appear to have suffered minor damage so far. A spokesman says that the Ryobi factory in Hiroshima was not affected so everything seems to be okay for Ryobi in terms of operations. The Ryobi head office in Tokyo is also still open however it is running on a skeleton staff as many of its staff can’t to get to the office due to the lack of transport.

Komori avoided major interruptions, although its Yamagata facility received minor damage from the quake. Komori has stated that its staff will be assisting the Japanese industry and community in coming days.” Sakurai reports that its plants haven’t suffered any damage and it appears that the workers and families are safe. The Horizon and Shinohara companies aren’t close to the affected area.

Digital production print suppliers have suffered slightly more damage.

Ricoh has already donated ¥300m to the immediate relief that will involve Red Cross. The company has a number of plants with some affected by the earthquake.

Canon reported a number of injuries as well as power outages, damage to buildings and stoppages in production equipment at several sites. The company reported 15 injuries at its Utsunomiya Office in northern Honshu, however none of these, were life-threatening. The earthquake also had a slight impact on Canon offices, plants and Group companies in the western half of Honshu, however there was no significant damage to buildings or equipment.

Canon appears to have contingency plans for ongoing production if damage proves serious, a company statement says, “In the event that

Epson appears to be one of the hardest hit with the company suffering damage to its Sakata Plant and also to Group companies in the Tohoku areas, however no casualties have been reported at this stage. An Epson facility in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture was subjected to a tsunami of approximately one metre with operations being suspended.

The company’s operations in the Akita and Yamagata prefectures have also been suspended due to power cuts caused by the earthquake.

Epson’s Fukushima Plant also sustained earthquake damage, with the company temporarily terminating operations as the plant is approximately 16 km from the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power station, and therefore within the evacuation area.

Konica Minolta Japan employees were forced to stay overnight at the company’s offices on Friday night due to the temporary stop of the subway. There was no damage to Konica Minolta’s factory locations and Fujifilm’s Tokyo liaison reported that none of its offices have been damaged at this time. A statement from Fujifilm outlines, “Production has not experienced any notable impact, apart from one or two minor interruptions due to transport and road infrastructure damage. But the majority of Fujifilm's workforce is able to get to the office at this point.”

Screen’s nine facilities south of Tokyo also avoided damage with the company reporting its operations are continuing. The company will be sending a service team north within the next few days to assist its affected customers.

O d

O c d o

F m y O a

Fu Au Te

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Digital Technology

23

Automated Workflow Enhances Productivity

FreeFlow

®

Digital Workflow Collection

Optimise your print shop workflow to drive revenue, delight customers and much more.

One of the key areas for untapped revenue in every business lies in its workflow. Your company’s ability to move an optimum number of jobs through your shop floor from order to delivery will not only boost your bottom lines, it will also empower your people with greater opportunities to improve the quality of your service to your customers.

Fuji Xerox FreeFlow™, offers a complete suite of automated productivity tools designed to meet your specific business needs. Easily integrated into your existing system, FreeFlow™ helps you identify and eliminate bottlenecks and foster better connections with your customers.

On top of resource and time savings, FreeFlow™ helps you add value to your services with new applications and service offerings that give you the edge over the competition.

prepress

manage

The FreeFlow™ Workflow One streamlined solution

Fuji Xerox Regional Offices: Australia Tel: 13 14 12 / 61 2 9856 5000 • New Zealand Tel: 0800 4 XEROX / 64 9 377 3834 • Singapore Tel: 65 6761 6646 • Malaysia Tel: 1300 88 5880 • Indonesia Tel: 62 21 2355 7888 • Philippines Tel: 63 2 878 5200 • Thailand Tel: 66 2 660 8000 x 8812 • Hong Kong Tel: 852 2513 2513 • China Tel: 800 820 5146 / 86 21 5036 6146 • Korea Tel: 82 2 310 6114 • Taiwan Tel: 886 2 2713 1399

www.fxap.com.sg

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

24

Management/General

Disaster Countermeasures for the Tohoku-Chiho Taiheiyo-Oki Earthquake The current conditions of and disaster countermeasures taken by Komori after the greatest earthquake on record in Japan, the center of which was in the Pacific Ocean close to the Tohoku area at 14:46 on March 11, 2011. the above, service teams from other areas have gathered in Tokyo and are working on service similar to that noted above.

Komori Corporation conducted quick reconstruction assistance for our customers in disasters of extreme severity such, as the Miyagi-ken-oki earthquake (1978), the Hanshin Awaji earthquake (1995) and the Niigataken Chuetsu earthquake. We, Komori Corporation, would like to work in full cooperation to assist our customers who have suffered damage in this earthquake.

The energy level of the earthquake (magnitude of 9.0) was the greatest on record in Japan and also the 4th biggest in the world. As time goes on, the number of victims and missing persons is increasing. Also, the extent of the damage is becoming more apparent.

They are beyond our imagination and our hearts are seriously torn.

We, at Komori Corporation, are strengthening our support for servicing presses and equipment used by our customers in the afflicted areas.

Condition Report 1.

Established the Disaster Countermeasures Office Just after the earthquake on March 11, Komori established the Disaster Countermeasures Office (headed by Mr. Yoshiharu Komori, CEO) to inspect the conditions of our customers, partner companies and Komori employees.

2.Condition of our production facilities The damages to plant facilities’ functions and safety have been checked at both the

Tsukuba Plant and Komori Machinery.

The damage on March 11 seems to have been minimal and will not affect our provisional production. However, in the case of our partner companies mainly in the Tohoku area, most of them had serious damage and can neither produce nor supply parts constantly for us. We need to stop our production temporarily at both factories until March 18 to learn details of partners’ conditions as they relate to the constant supply of parts. We will continue our efforts to communicate with them and implement necessary measures.

3. Responses of service activities The district hit by the earthquakes is very wide including the Tohoku, Kanto and Kohshin-etsu areas. For the Tohoku area, the Tohoku service team has started to work on reconstruction assistance.

In the Kanto and Kohshin-etsu areas, the Tokyo, Saitama and Sagami service teams are working on checking conditions and reconstruction assistance. In addition to

Report for disaster countermeasures from March 11 through 15, 2011 The following is a list of our disaster countermeasures.

Over 100 members of the disaster countermeasures team and the disaster information and administration team are working now.

Confirmed number of damaged customers and presses as of March 15, 2011: Tohoku area, Kanto area and other areas: Total 172 customers / 445 presses Conditions of damaged presses at customers Between March 11 and 15, our team checked the displacement and leveling of press, electrical conditions and so forth by phone and on site. Over 10 presses were displaced by up to 30cm by the earthquake. That number is the maximum in our current inspection.

Displacement between units, water leaks, broken motors and so forth were also reported. The Komori team is working to reconstruct damaged presses and equipment one by one. •

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Sheetfed Offset 25

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

26

Management/General

Paperboard supplies uncertain in wake of earthquake Packaging paperboard supplies may be in short supply throughout the region with the Japanese earthquake and tsunami causing serious damage to pulp and paper mills and infrastructure.

Nippon Paper (NPI) who supplies around 100,000 tonnes a year to Australian alone was one of the hardest hit.

Nippon has ceased production at four of its seven mills due to a collapsed ceiling, an influx of sand and sediment as well as damage to stock and equipment. A statement from the company outlines that almost all the stock at its Ishinomaki mill seems to be damaged as well as half the stock at its Iwanuma facility.

Nippon says, “There is a concern that some problems regarding material procurement and product transportation will happen in some mills. From now on we will do our best to confirm all our employee’s safety and damage of equipment.”

Wayne Stanistreet, general manager of sales and marketing at Australian Paper – which is owned by Nippon – said it was still early days to realise the affect on the local market, however with NPI exporting around 100,000 tonnes per year to the Australia market, the impact is likely to be significant.

AIRDOT Ä      

B-600 G-900 G-955 CS-700 WB-800 UV-200

He says, “NPI has published a list of all mills that have been affected, including those where production has stopped for the time being.

volumes recover in the very near future, but it’s still early days and it would not be wise to make any predictions in relation to timelines at this stage.

“With the damage to infrastructure the logistics will also be difficult so I think we can say we are not going to see

“We have been in constant contact with all of our customers, who I must say have been extremely supportive.” •

NEW Printing blanket production 2010

blue, alround blanket, for high speed presses green, fine print best image reproduction green, no-pack 2.10 to 2.56mm gauge newspaper cold set web commercial web & sheet presses UV-blanket fine dot quality image blanket

CNI - XINYUA N Rubber Products Comp. Co., Ltd A IRD O T Ä PRINTING BLANKETS

New pr o CNI-XIN duction plan t YUAN RUBBE R

CNI GRAPHICS Companies Hong Kong / Shanghai - Tampa USA - Swiss-Germany w w w .airdo t.ne t s ales@ airdot.net

Perfect fit for Graphic Arts

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Sheetfed Offset 27

Comprehensive printing solutions • Widest Graphic Arts portfolio in the industry • Sheet-fed and web-fed, toner and inkjet, monochrome, highlight color and full color • Professional pre- and post-processing solutions • Seamless end-to-end Océ PRISMA workflow solutions www.oce.com/www.homeofcolor.oce.com

Océ (Singapore) Pte Ltd

21 Ubi Road 1 #05-01 Singapore 408 724

Tel: +65 6470 1500

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

28

Sheetfed Offset

Zanders trusts in manroland anew Multiply decorated Malaysian printer buys second ROLAND 700 Professionals don’t leave anything to chance: at 11:11 a.m. on 11 January 2011, Zanders, one of Malaysia’s top printers, purchased an eight-color ROLAND 700 HiPrint perfecting press.

The date with its many ones is said to be a good sign meaning to be number one in everything you do.

Obviously Zanders has always chosen the right numbers: as the top independent printing specialist in Malaysia the company won a number of industry awards for excellence in print: In 2010 Zanders is again winner at the Sappi Print Awards Asia Region and Gold Winner of Sheetfed Magazines Category 5th Asian Print Awards, to mention just a few.

Quality partnership, chapter two Now new equipment was needed to meet all future customer demands and achieve excellent printing results to expand the competitive edge. The eightcolor ROLAND 700 HiPrint perfector is the tailor-made instrument to ensure all this. It is not the first manroland press at Zanders: in 2001 the company bought a four-color ROLAND 700. Thanks to the good partnership between the two companies as well as manroland’s premium printing equipment, high-quality technical support, and professional consulting services they now decided in favor of manroland again.

After moving to its current printing plant in 2008 with an area of 8,000 square meters in Bandar Kinrara, Malaysia, Zanders keeps developing steadily and quickly. They mainly print high-quality products like magazines, catalogs, coffee-table books, and direct mails. Zanders provides their premium printing service for all of Malaysia and Singapore.

A promising start after a good year “2010 was a fruitful year for us,” says Leong Poh Wah, General Manager Sales & Service manroland Malaysia.

“We could sell a number of ROLAND 700 HiPrint presses to the country’s prestigious printers. The success with

Zanders now gives us an excellent start into 2011.” •

•

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Print Pack Pub Ad FA Pth.pdf

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

1

2/24/11

2:47 PM

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

30

Sheetfed Offset

Academy Provides Unique Learning Experiences Globalization is delivering many new opportunities for printing companies, but to stay at the leading edge of the industry and seize these opportunities, company executives as well as printers need to continually invest in their own skills.

Training is required at all levels of an organisation. Managers need to keep up-to-date with the latest thinking in commercial and business practices that will deliver tangible results to the bottom line. And for those on the shop floor a thorough knowledge of the changing processes and practical workings of Prepress, Press and Postpress are essential if businesses are to run efficiently and profitably.

To meet these needs, Heidelberg’s Print Media Academy (PMA) has devised a number of training courses and seminars designed to cater for executives and business owners as well as operational people.

The PMA originally started in Germany in 2000 where its state-of-the-art facility is today recognised as a world-class training and education centre. Over the past decade the PMA concept has spread throughout the world to 18 cen-

tres with PMA facilities in USA, South America, Europe (Prague, Moscow and Brussels), China, Japan, India, Malaysia and Australia.

The success of the PMA is centered on Heidelberg’s commitment to provide each region with tailored courses that are designed to meet the specific needs of the individual markets in which Hei-

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Sheetfed Offset 31 delberg operates. But its global network also means that those participating in courses can be assured of world’s best practice.

The courses at the PMA focus on a number of disciplines from equipment and specialist training to management seminars. Heidelberg experts run courses in conjunction with external consultants and participants are trained on state-of-the-art equipment. Topical lectures with guest speakers are also held. The PMA provides training for customers as well as Heidelberg employees ensuring Heidelberg’s experts are at the forefront of their fields.

Heidelberg’s first South East Asia PMA opened in 2000 in Kuala Lumpur. Last year this facility underwent an extensive refurbishment in order to cater for a growing number of trainees and an expanded program of courses. The KL facility covers some 1,750 sqm with 3 classrooms and a dedicated pre press workflow lab’. It also incorporates 1,065 sqm of floor space dedicated to installations of the latest equipment spanning the entire print process from Prepress to Postpress including ecological solutions reflecting the industry’s focus on eco-printing.

Each year a HEI Lights event is held in the PMA to showcase the latest offerings from Heidelberg. The timing generally follows a major international exhibition ensuring the latest product releases are demonstrated soon after their international debut. Smaller events are held in between with a particular emphasis on a industry segment or application.

the importance of further education and training. We understand that for the industry to be sustainable, both financially and ecologically, we need to invest in people and to provide a stateof-the-art facility in which to learn”.

“We are the only supplier that is certified at this level for training,” said Mr. Pecher. This certification also means that Malaysian companies can gain concessions for training if they are a HRDF member.

As a training facility, the PMA in Kuala Lumpur is certified by the Malaysian Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF). This is a great achievement signifying the PMA’s high standard of facilities and learning and enables the PMA to train Government as well as University students in addition to industry professionals.

In addition to the programs run at the PMA, Heidelberg also conducts onsite training for customers who are unable to attend the PMA. “We are very flexible in our offering and work with our customers to deliver training in the most convenient form for them,” he said.

For more information www.print-media-academy.com •

Mr. Uwe Pecher, Manager, PMA in Kuala Lumpur said the company was committed to providing the highest level of training for both its customers and its staff. “Heidelberg recognizes

Gala Dinner 22nd November (Tuesday) Bangkok Thailand. We hope you win and look forward to seeing you on stage

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

32

Sheetfed Offset

Print industry failing to grow Pre-tax profits in the Aust print industry leapt by 33.9% in 2010 when compared with 2009, on sales which slipped by a modest 0.7%, however those profits were gained in the first half of the year, with the December 2010 quarter profit figures down by 25% over the 2009 October to December figure.

Overall economic conditions in the printing industry continue to remain sluggish with growth contracting for the fourth consecutive quarter, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), although for the year 2010 that contraction only totalled 0.3%. However that was in contrast to the economy as a whole, which recorded positive numbers for the quarter to December as the year 2010 with the Australian economy growing by a healthy 2.7%.

Capex was particularly badly hit, with a 36% drop in printing equipment investment for the year compared to 2009, with printers spending a total of only $311m in 2010. However 2009 saw the government's capex incentives run all year, and they stopped in December 2009.

The ABS data shows that growth in the printing industry contracted for the fourth consecutive quarter declining by 0.3% during the December 2010 quarter compared to the September quarter outcome, and by 2.7% when compared to the December 2009 quarter outcome.

During the year to December 2010 the

printing industry growth rate fell by 0.3% compared to the previous year.

By comparison the Australian economy grew in trend terms by a modest 0.5% during the December quarter and by 2.7% during the year to December.

Printing industry sales declined by a modest 0.4% during the December quarter compared to the September quarter, and by 2.6% when compared to the December quarter a year earlier.

During the year to December printing industry sales stood at $8.6bn, a deterioration of 0.7% compared to the previous period's outcome.

According to the ABS data, pre-tax profits in the printing industry improved by 17.7% during the December quarter compared to the September quarter.

But when compared to the December quarter of 2009 there has been a significant deterioration, in the order of 25%. During the year to December 2010 the reported printing industry pre-tax profit of $379m represents an improvement of 33.9% on the 2009 year outcome.

Other major printing industry data released over the past week shows new capital expenditure was reported to have increased by 3.7% during the December quarter compared to the previous quarter, but when compared to the same period a year earlier, there is a massive deterioration in the order of 61.4%.

During the year to December some $311m worth of new investments took place in the printing industry representing a deterioration of 35.9% compared to the same period a year earlier.

Printing Industries National Manager for Policy and Government Affairs, Hagop Tchamkertenian, said economic conditions remain very weak. He says, "The printing industry experienced a modest decline in both growth and sales during the December quarter compared to the previous quarter. But if we compare the latest December quarter with the previous December quarter, than the decline in reported economic activity and sales is even steeper."

Tchamkertenian said the sluggish trading environment may be further undermined by the Federal Government's announcement of a carbon tax to apply from 1 July 2012. He says, "Our industry is now faced with uncertainty.

While the Government has announced the Carbon Price Framework, the details are yet to be released which can only create uncertainty amongst printing businesses. There is not even certainty whether the Carbon Price Framework will actually become law.

"Printing Industries will be taking the issue up with the Government to ensure that the commercial interests of participants in the printing industry are taken into account.� •

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Management/General 33

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

34

Management/General

Active green printing, according to Survey International print environmental lobby group Verdigris has released the results of its global (western) survey, which shows some printers are making progress with their own sustainable business plans, often driven by their customers, but reaping financial rewards for doing so.

The survey was conducted over the course of 2010, and drew respondents from a number of print businesses in western countries. The majority around 60% were printers with less than 50 employees, around 20% had between 50 and 100 employees, and companies with between 100 and 500 and more than 500 employees formed a respondents’ group of around 10% in each case.

the case of the smaller printers, and in the case of the larger ones because they considered it a business imperative – their blue chip clients were increasingly demanding it.

The results have to be taken with the understanding that they are certain to be skewed to a greater or lesser extent, as printers with no interest in the environment would less likely to respond than those that are trying to implement an environmental policy, why would they bother with a survey they had no interest in. nevertheless they do show important trends emerging.

According to the survey more than 50% of printers said that having an environmental policy is important for their business, with a further 34% having instituted a policy due to customer pressure. A further 34% say they plan to set up an environmental policy in the immediate future.

However this makes 68%, or two thirds of printers either having or about to have an environmental policy, and we all know this is far from the case, Australia for instance would have a far lower number of printers than that with an environmental focus, which highlights the skewed nature of the survey.

Most of the respondents were either sheetfed or digital print businesses, with the environmental strategy set in place by the owner of the businesses in

Of those printers that did have an environmental policy, 63% manage it internally, appointing someone form within the company to oversee it, while

27% had external consultants managing it for them.

Verdigris says that the survey shows a correlation between environmental interests and revenues for more than half, 53%, of respondents, with 31% saying that the environmental interests of their biggest revenue providers influenced their business strategy. A full 29% of printers are already measuring their carbon footprint, with a further 28% set to do so in the near future. Of the 29% already active in this area some 60% are taking everything into account for the measurement including energy, transport, raw materials and waste, with 57% measuring waste to landfill (likely driven by levies imposed to dump waste).

Some 17% of respondents measure the carbon footprints of the products they print in response to customer pressure. Verdigris says it is clear that most printers don’t measure the carbon footprint of what they produce.

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Management/General 35 This isn’t to say that the environment isn’t important to printers, because 90% of respondents have an active recyliing programme. Employees can recycle glass, paper, cans and plastic s on site.

Waste is a key area, and one that needs no environmental driver, as the handling and disposing of waste can be costly, and minimising waste in the production cycle will mean jobs cost less to produce. A handful of companies surveyed recycled all their waste, but 30% recycle between 75 and 99% of it, and a further 27% recycling between 50 – 74%. And everyone who took part in the survey recycled at least some of their waste.

Having a policy to encourage and support recycling and improved waste management is a first step towards becoming completely carbon neutral. Verdigris was surprised that 16% of respondents are already buying carbon offsets to bring their businesses close to carbon neutrality.

As print buyers become more environmentally aware, and in some cases environmentally driven, printers are coming under pressure, with two thirds of customers, according to the survey interested in the various certifications that the printers and its products have accrued, with almost half reporting that their customers are also asking about recycling.

Global competence.

Local excellence.

Customers pushing printers to gain compliance to recognised standards is not overly high, around a quarter of printers in the survey said half of their customers were going down this track, and more, 30%, said less than 10% of their customers were interested in this.

The importance of green policies for the larger customers with their blue chip clients is clear, but among the smaller printers a green policy is just as important, with some 75% having a green policy, but mainly because the owner cares about the environment. For 48% of respondents a green policy also creates opportunities for new revenue opportunities.

However more than 58% of their customers were interested in green printing – as long as it didn’t cost more. Only three per cent of printers have customers that only buy green and were prepared to pay a premium. But for two thirds of printers customer interest in green printing is rising.

Of the respondents some 18% allow their green policy to influence major capital investments, and the majority, 55%, consider it for all their business planning, including capital investment.

april 7– 9, 2011

aug 31 – sept 3, 2011

may 3 – 16, 2012

düsseldorf, germany

bangkok, thailand

düsseldorf, germany

www.digimedia.de

www.pack-print.de

www.drupa.com

may 3–6, 2011

nov 14 – 17, 2011

brno, czech republic

shanghai, china

www.bvv.cz/printexpo-gb

www.allinprint.com

The environment is one of the key issues facing print. The Australian story seems to be that those companies that implement an environmental strategy win more customers, increase their bottom lines, and invest in more equipment than those who don’t. However these companies are in the minority in this country representing a small minority of the overall numbers. Their environmental strategy has been driven by their owners, but with customers increasingly asking printers for their environmental credentials, this strategy clearly seems to be a winner in a business sense, as well as of course in the environmental one. • dru1202_90x260_4c_GB_Sing.indd 1

Messe Düsseldorf Asia Pte Ltd 3 HarbourFront Place #09-02 HarbourFront Tower Two Singapore 099254 Tel: +65 6332 9620 / 6332 9643 Fax: +65 6337 4633 / 6332 9655 E-mail: mdrep@mda.com.sg Internet: www.messe-duesseldorf.de/MDA

07.09.2010 11:28:36 Uhr

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

36

Sheetfed Offset

Coming full circle It’s been more than two years since N Saha of BS Print shared with us his strategy for remaining competitive – being ahead in quality and speed. Today, he remains steadfast and aims higher. Christel Lee reports.

“One of the key reasons for my success is providing quality jobs to my customers. Providing a quality job needs a quality pressroom and mine is definitely of the highest quality with Heidelberg systems,” N Saha of BS Print made this comment two years ago and he is ready to back it up with facts.

“In Malaysia, commercial offset printing is indeed a saturated market. Take any print material you see, for example books or magazines. It is something any printer in Malaysia can do. However, to be able to deliver quality goods within tight deadlines is something not many can achieve. Today, customers can come to me with a job that is needed in 48 hours, and I am ready,” Saha declares.

BS Print (M) Sdn Bhd is the first printer in Malaysia to obtain Heidelberg’s ISO 12647-2 International Standard Certification. It has also successfully achieved 400lpi (lines per inch) printed sheets with Heidelberg’s Hybrid screening, Suprasetter A105 and CD102-4.

A believer in quality equipment, BS Print made a bold investment in 2010.

Between November 2010 and February

2011, a brand new CD 102-4, a CtP system and a recondition SM 74-4 joined the stable. Saha admits he has come full circle to be a quality-equipment convert after trying other presses.

“I have tried other brands of equipment and one actually made me spend more time anticipating the next break down and the pain of stopping the press. If any customer tells you service is extremely important, I am ready to vouch for that,” he exclaims.

Saha recalls an incident where a press broke down after office hours. The pressroom was also in the middle of rushing out a job that was due a couple of days. Saha’s attempts to get hold of an engineer were fruitless and he eventually resorted to sourcing help through his other contacts to get the press back running.

“As a printer, you expect service support to be available although press breakdowns are the last things you want. It also says a lot about the investment made. However, when that occurs, the pressing issue is to get the press fixed and rush the job through.

It was not a pleasant experience having

to get ‘external’ engineers frequently to fix a press and having to pay a premium for this service,” he laments.

Having learnt the hard way, he is prudent with the range of products fighting for his investment dollar. “Other brands of presses may carry enticing prices but many fail to consider the risks involved and I was one of them.

The price difference may involve sixdigits, however there are always disadvantages that can be detrimental to to your business,” Saha adds. •

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN SIX MINUTES?

Presstek 75DI DI is a registered trademark of Presstek, Inc.

©2011 Presstek, Inc.

For more information, visit www.presstek.com

■ Benefits for both your business and the environment

■ 6-page, 760mm print format; 4- to 10-colour models

■ No click charges; per page cost less than 1 cent

■ Highly profitable run lengths of 500–20,000

■ Fast job changeover; easily print short runs and rush jobs

■ Higher throughput than similarly priced digital presses

Today’s market demands high efficiency. With on-press plate imaging, rapid makeready, and automated printing features, the Presstek 75DI enables you to print more jobs every hour, every day, and every month.

CAN YOU DO THIS? Go from Digital File to Saleable Colour in Six Minutes.

Digital File Direct to Offset Colour

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

38

Sheetfed Offset

What Does Lean Really Mean?

There has been a lot of chatter within the printing industry about Lean Manufacturing. But what does the term really mean? And why has it taken so long to take hold in the printing industry when other manufacturing sectors have been benefiting from lean for years?

According to Wikipedia, “Lean manufacturing or lean production, often simply, ‘Lean,’ is a production practice that considers the expenditure of resources for any goal other than the creation of value for the end customer to be wasteful, and thus a target for elimination.

Working from the perspective of the customer who consumes a product or service, “value” is defined as any action or process that a customer would be willing to pay for. Basically, lean is centered on preserving value with less work.” Thus, Lean is focused on getting the right things to the right place at the right time in the right quantity to achieve perfect work flow, while minimizing waste and being flexible and able to change. And that’s a mouthful.

Let’s face it, the principles of Lean Manufacturing are mostly common sense. So why has it taken so long for printing to see the Lean light? One reason is that we have always considered ourselves as custom job shops—every job that comes in the door is different, so there was no perceived way to make the process more efficient except to buy bigger, faster presses to get the work out the door more quickly, or add more workers to bindery to speed up the many manual processes in that department.

That approach no longer works in today’s highly technical, fast-paced world.

Sure, you can improve throughput with a faster press, but if the processes that get the job to the press or through bindery and out the door are broken

or inefficient, you are simply moving the bottleneck to another part of the operation.

Besides, are we really custom job shops? Isn’t that concept a thing of the past? After all, a brochure is a brochure is a brochure. Certainly, the content is different from brochure to brochure, but what is so different about the production process. Savvy print service providers have taken steps to productize their offerings and standardize processes wherever they can. Look at Vistaprint. Producing more than 54,000 jobs per day could certainly qualify them as a “custom job shop,” but in reality, Vistaprint has productized its offerings and removed every scrap of waste from A to Z. It is hard to imagine anything happening in the Vistaprint plant that does not represent

value a customer will pay for. And they do pay for it—67% of Vistaprint’s customers are repeat customers!

For the printing industry, Lean Manufacturing means stepping back and taking a critical look at your operation from end to end. How does work come in the door? What happens to it

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Sheetfed Offset 39 for today’s shorter run lengths. Think of the steps and costs that are eliminated by making that one simple change.

How does work enter your plant? Do you have a web-to-print solution, an online storefront? Not only does this reduce the administrative costs of bringing work in to the plant, it can also reduce errors and provide a platform for automating a wide range of activities, from quoting and estimating, to imposition and scheduling. This is a value that customers will pay for. They love the convenience of 24/7 access.

They love the ease of reprints, or the ability to make minor adjustments to standard templates to create customized documents. If implemented correctly, it reduces cost and cycle time for you and for them. Of course, they are still going to want to talk to you, so you need to make that part easy as well. But you will be amazed at how much time and aggravation is saved by simply adding a web-to-print front end.

throughout every step, from estimating and production planning, through prepress, production, bindery, shipping, and finally, invoicing and collection?

Who touches it at each step? Where do they travel during the process? How many steps are retraced? How much wait time is there while the job moves from department to department or sits idle while materials are pulled from inventory? How much time do employees spend conveying critical information to each other or tracking each other down to gain that critical information? Most companies who have taken the time to do this analysis have been shocked at what they found. They have been shocked at the waste of time, resources, effort and even materials that went into producing each and every project, and they have taken steps to eliminate that waste.

Remember that the key to Lean is to preserve value—value defined by what the customer will pay for—with less work. This means more dollars in your pocket and less overall waste in your plant. Take the time to do this analysis

for yourself and see what the impact will be on your plant. You will never regret this investment and you will never look back.

Speaking of impact, let’s take a look at the whole concept of chemistry. Conventional printing operations use a lot of noxious chemicals. Perhaps that is our dirty little secret. Do these chemicals represent value that customers will pay for? In some cases, yes, because there is no other way to produce, for example, a million copies of Time Magazine. But in most cases, in a world where short runs and fast turns are the name of the game, there are options to remove most, if not all, of these expensive, dangerous and non-value-added chemicals from the printing operation.

An increasing number of companies are doing just that. Chemistry-free platemaking has been an option for more than two decades since Presstek first brought it to market, and for the majority of offset print projects, chemistry-free plates meet or exceed quality requirements, optimize makeready on the press, and have sufficient durability

What type of workflow do you have in place once the job is in the plant? How close to “lights out” operation does it allow you to get? Can you afford all the touches involved in these smaller, more frequent jobs? One shop calculated that it was saving $40 per job that came in via the web. Okay, if you are doing a $50,000 annual report, maybe $40 is nothing. But if you are printing 1,000 sell sheets, it could be the make or break difference on job profitability.

You may be surprised at the array of affordable solutions available in the marketplace that can revolutionize the way you work. And what about an MIS system? Can you determine on a real-time basis how much a job is costing you, or how profitable a given customer is?

Does your staff have instant access to all the information about a job from any terminal in the plant? This is easily doable today. There is no more need to have a paper job ticket waltzing its way inefficiently through the plant. Enter data once and have it instantly available to anyone in the plant that needs access to it to do their job. This is the world today, and it is not that difficult to achieve.

What about your offset presses? How much makeready waste do they generate? How long does it take you for job changeover? Some of today’s digi-

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

40

Packaging Technology that walk-through, and take off those rose-colored glasses before you do so.

Be critical. Be observant. Talk to the folks who are redoing work or spending a great deal of time doing repetitive, redundant work. Look for the low hanging fruit and start picking away at it. Pick some metrics and measure before and after you make changes. Simple changes in work process can make a big difference, but you should also be seeking out technology investments that will enable you to optimize job flow through the shop and automate everything that can possibly be automated. tal offset presses, such as the Presstek 75DI, offer job changeover as fast as six minutes, including on-press chemistry-free platemaking. Do the math.

What’s your average makeready today and how much more throughput could you achieve by reducing it to six minutes or less? This is value a customer will pay for. What a customer will not pay knowingly pay for is all that paper waste when you have to run 250 to 300 sheets of paper through the press just to get up to color. When is the last time a customer told you, “Oh, just take your time? Whenever you can get that job done, it’s fine with me. No worries.”

Bindery may be the scariest part of

this analysis. While it is possible to automate many bindery operations, many are still heavily manual. And the bindery is where it all comes together.

If any other part of the process has a problem, bindery will pay the price. On the flip side, if there is excessive spoilage in bindery, you may have to start the job all over again, at great expense.

And that is not value the customer will pay for.

We started out by talking about the fact that Lean is mostly common sense. Yes, you can get very technical and very process oriented with Lean. But it doesn’t have to be that complicated to make a big difference in your operation. Take

Do some reading: Google lean manufacturing and see what you come up with. Ask your peers how they are learning about Lean. Check out publications offered by the Printing Industries of America on the subject. Visit IPA.org and check out its extremely affordable eLean online training. Take the training yourself or designate key people in your organization to do so.

Once you take that initial walk-through, you will realize there is much that can be done to make your operation more efficient, profitable, and of more value to your customers. Then get to work. •

•

Enter the 2011 Asian Print Awards and win

$9000 dollars!

Look for details coming soon or go to www.asianprintawards.com.sg

“what can you do with $9000...answer...LOTS!

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

42

Sheetfed Offset

Ongoing enhancement through innovation Since being launched on the market at Drupa 2008 KBA’s high-tech Rapida 106 has undergone a process of continual improvement with the aim of boosting its performance, flexibility and cost efficiency still further.

Additional software packages, design enhancements at the infeed and delivery plus a broad spectrum of cross-platform systems have made the Rapida 106 the world champion in makeready and the most productive press in its class.

DriveTronic SIS no-sidelay infeed Although it is no longer brand new, the DriveTronic SIS (Sensoric Infeed System) is still unique on the market.

Totally makeready-free, it knows no setting or sidelay errors, nor does it mark sensitive substrates. Its mode of operation is ingeniously simple: a sensor determines the lateral position of the sheet on the feeder board, and as the sheet approaches the transfer point to the first printing unit the gripper on the transfer drum aligns the sheet with the side position specified at the console.

The sidelay pull is ±5mm (0.2in). Sheet transport to the infeed line is supported by vacuum-controlled thrust elements, which ensure that the sheets are guided gently to the front lays. This investment in disruption-free production is well worthwhile.

DriveTronic SPC dedicated drives With DriveTronic SPC (Simultaneous Plate Change), each plate cylinder has a dedicated drive, with no clutches

automation modules

or auxiliary drives. The absence of a mechanical connection between the plate cylinder and the Rapida’s gear train means that almost all makeready processes can run simultaneously. This saves time. Because sequences run simultaneously, the time required for plate changes no longer features in the calculation: to all intents and purposes it is zero seconds, irrespective of the number of printing units. In tandem with the CleanTronic Synchro highspeed washing system DriveTronic SPC enables the benefits of dedicated drive technology to be exploited to the full.

Simultaneous washing with CleanTronic Synchro CleanTronic Synchro is a two-bar washing system. The bar for the blanket is located above the impression cylinder and is easily accessible. The second bar is below the impression cylinder and can be removed from the press quickly and easily via rails. The washing programs for each printing unit can be preselected individually. With CleanTronic Synchro,

the washing and plate-changing processes can run simultaneously.

The diagram below illustrates a typical makeready process and reveals the potential savings that can be made in conjunction with DriveTronic SPC dedicated drives. The two-minute time gain for each job change translates into a saving of 33 hours after 1,000 job changes.

Preregistration and more with DriveTronic Plate-Ident KBA DriveTronic Plate-Ident – another feature unique to the makeready world champion – is an automation component with multiple functions.

1st function: register-pin plate recognition Very often, if the plate does not sit on the register pins properly due to punching errors or flaws in the rubber coating, it can disrupt the plate-changing sequence.

The Rapida 106 is the only litho press on the market with optical register-pin plate recognition. Two cameras at each

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Sheetfed Offset 43

no-sidelay infeed plate shaft recognise the position of the plate relative to the register pin via register marks. This system will stop the plate-changing sequence if the tolerance limit is exceeded, but allows more play than existing systems.

2nd function: pre-registration DriveTronic Plate-Ident is an optical system that measures plate position via the register marks, so the values measured can be used for preregistration. The register shift is completed even before the first proof is pulled, and for many jobs no further adjustments are necessary, saving time and waste.

3rd function: plausibility check A mix-up in plate allocation easily happens, and with the Rapida 106 running at such high speeds, it cannot be totally eliminated. DriveTronic PlateIdent checks the stored job data against the data in the console by scanning a data matrix code exposed with the plate.

The system instantly recognises whether the plate is in the correct position within the printing unit, and whether it is in the right language. This, too, helps to avoid needless delays and waste. automation modules

coating-forme changes Time gain from automated coatingforme changes The very concept of automation is that it should be all-encompassing. And in makeready, a system is only as fast as the slowest sequence. On many litho presses the coater is the bottleneck.

Very often four or five minutes must be allowed for changes of coating formes, and this all adds to the total makeready time. KBA has therefore progressively automated and optimised the changing sequence for coating formes, and our system now represents the benchmark in sheetfed offset. Semi-automatic changes of coating formes on the Rapida 106 currently take just under two minutes.

This represents a time saving of 33.3 per cent compared to other presses.

Higher speeds with AirTronic delivery KBA’s AirTronic delivery is a new development supporting high-speed production on diverse substrates. New, aerodynamic gripper bars optimise the air flow, preventing air turbulence and reducing the amount of powder required. The distribution and shape of the nozzles on the sheet-guidance system were optimised in accordance with the latest data on flow measurement, and ensure that the sheets float at a uniform height. The dynamic sheet brake slows even the most lightweight of sheets efficiently to create a perfect pile at the delivery.

Automatic suction-ring positioning eliminates the need for manual inter vention.

A new venturi system generates a uniform flow of

air that gently deposits the sheets on the delivery pile. By dramatically reducing the volume of air required KBA has also reduced the volume of air trapped in the pile. Basically, all digitally controlled functions can be preset and stored. The operator can preset the air feed for the AirTronic delivery in a minimum of time by accessing a substrate database.

Stable quality with QualiTronic colour control In order to exploit the full potential of the Rapida 106 KBA recommends its QualiTronic colour-control system, which measures solid densities on each sheet at maximum production speed – and on both sides of the sheet (before and after the sheet-turning unit) in perfector presses. The values measured on ten consecutive sheets are taken as a reference for automatic ink-key control.

With QualiTronic colour control, timeconsuming manual comparisons take a back seat, and start-up waste drops accordingly.

ErgoTronic console The press operator at the ErgoTronic console has every function in his field of vision. The individual useroriented menus support easy, intuitive navigation. The automatic job-changing program handles and co-ordinates the entire makeready process – at the touch of a button. The remote maintenance capability gives the operator the feeling that his press is receiving the best of care directly in KBA’s Radebeul factory.

The Rapida 106 is available in a wide range of configurations up to a maximum of 16 printing, coating and drying units, and with a choice of automation levels. •

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

44

Web Offset Technology

Newspapers always in tune with the times A team of experienced manroland German-based engineers worked tirelessly over a two-year period to complete a thorough upgrade and overhaul of Thairath Daily’s six GEOMAN presses under the largest service contract up to now which was signed during drupa 2008. Thairath Daily is the largest newspaper in Thailand.

The complex task was to replace and retrofit the complete press controls including the MEGTEC reelstand controls. All presses including reelstands are now equipped with the same new and powerful PECOM controls. So production safety and press reliability are fixed for the future. In addition, more efficiency for production has been realized.

Besides a mechanical upgrade, a register guidance system MultiCam from QuadTech has been installed. The additional benefits include the reduction in makeready times, waste rates, as well as the production and maintenance costs. All of these upgrades have been done with minimal interruption to the production operation of Thairath Daily, the Bangkok-based newspaper, so that they could meet a circulation of more than one million copies daily even during the upgrade period.

The GEOMAN advanced upgrade follows Thairath’s transition to digitalized technology in 2007 in the prepress area with the help of ppi Media, a manroland subsidiary, and as part of the manroland printnet workflow solutions. The latest technology and modern backup systems make a pressline more reliable, which safeguards the production. Spare parts are readily available for ten years and more and production processes can be diagnosed better and evaluated faster.

TeleSupport and local support from manroland can reach all automation and control areas in case of necessity and all is out-of-one-hand. After the upgrade the presslines are operated with the latest standard in press control equipment, such as Ethernet technology-based communication and the ClosedLoop features, such as register and cut-off controls, as well as the advanced diagnostic system among others. Strictly adhering to the agreed project schedule, the whole project has been skillfully managed and successfully completed by a competent responsible project team from Thairath and manroland. For the long-term perspective of Thairath, manroland upgraded not only the print ing hardware capacit ies of Thairath but also the printing knowledge of their staff.• The completion of the largestever service contract for six GEOMAN presses (f. l.): Tirapong Ratchtawongpipat of manroland Thailand; Voranart Dueyraksa, Deputy Manager Production Department of Thairath Daily; Job van Hasselt, CEO manroland South East Asia.

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

46

Packaging Technology

Sustainable packaging: eco-friendly and unbreakable Sustainability is steadily gaining in importance for consumers. They want ethically and ecologically impeccable products, packaged in a resource-conserving manner that nevertheless ensures their perfect condition when purchased.

This is a major challenge to packaging producers, as the industry wants to save on materials without compromising the stability of the packaging in any way.

The Anglo-Dutch consumer goods group Unilever, owner of international brands such as Domestos household cleaner and Dove soap, is pursuing an ambitious strategy. It plans to double its worldwide sales from the current €40bn by 2020, and simultaneously to halve its carbon dioxide emissions by improving efficiency in packaging and production.

Moreover, Unilever is assuming greater social responsibility. By 2020, for instance, it aims to have integrated half a million small farmers and traders in developing countries into its supply chain.

Paul Polman, CEO Unilever says, “We intend to be a sustainable company in every sense of the word.”

Unilever’s primary motivation is not the conservation of nature, however, but economic success. For many consumers, sustainability has become an important purchasing criterion. Buyers

who formerly seldom inquired about origin, type of production and packaging now put a high priority on ecologically and morally ‘clean’ goods.

US market analyst Pike Research estimates that global sales with sustainable packaging will almost double between 2009 and 2014, from US$88bn to US$170bn. Clint Wheelock, president Pike Research, says “The environmental awareness of consumers has significantly increased as a consequence of the climate debate.”

Lifestyles are becoming greener Alongside climate protection, social aspects play an increasing role. Modern consumers want to lead a more healthy life, and therefore value natural food products that are absolutely safely packaged and have an unadulterated taste. For this client group, it is a mat-

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Packaging Technology ter of growing importance that product manufacturers demonstrate social engagement and offer fair trade goods.

“We are seeing a trend towards ethical consumerism,” says analyst Jens Lönneker of the Cologne market research company Rheingold. He has observed that fair trade is firmly established among LOHAS (consumers who aspire to a Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability).

For the industry, the sustainability trend is both a curse and a blessing.

On the one hand it has to develop new products and campaigns, incurring high costs. On the other hand, the increasing demand for sustainable products promises economic growth. This is why the financially strongest big companies such as Coca Cola, Kraft Foods and Unilever pursue comprehensive sustainability strategies.

They support environmental, nature and aid organisations or provide development aid themselves. They also invest in more efficient production lines and packaging. “We will cut our materials consumption by a third by 2020,” promises Unilever CEO Polman.

The packaging manufacturers help the industry to reduce their ecological footprint. They design new packagings and develop the associated production processes. This is no easy task. Raw material consumption needs to be reduced by using thinner and smaller amounts of resource-intensive materials, but this must not compromise the integrity and stability of the packaging.

Stefan Glimm, managing director of the German aluminium industry association GDA (Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie), says “The top priority is protection of the packaging contents.” There is a good reason for this. According to the European Organisation for Packaging and the Environment (Europen), the value of the resources input into and held in food products is much higher than the value of the packaging that protects these products.

Product losses resulting from inadequate packaging therefore account for more carbon dioxide emissions than are saved by eliminating surplus pack-

aging. In developing countries, food losses are a big problem: According to Europen, 40 per cent of the goods in the supply chain are lost. Better protection of products in these countries could therefore considerably ease the burden on the environment.

At interpack, from May 12-18, food protection will also be one of the key themes. The special exhibition Save Food, organised together with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of Color Control and Web Inspection the United Nations, shows how the in- System with AccuCam™ dividual elements in the value chain can make a contribution, in terms of packaging, logistics and transport, to cutting worldwide food waste.

Safety is the top priority The packaging manufacturers have come up with many innovations to demonstrate that safety and ecology need not be mutually exclusive. The US company Sonoco, for example, will exhibit efficient packaging solutions in the form of its new True Blue Line at interpack 2011.

According to company spokesman Jeff Schuetz, they are just as stable as their predecessors but contain less material or can be more easily recycled.

The German food conglomerate Kraft Foods recently started to use Sonocodesigned containers made of recyclable cardboard instead of tins for its coffee brands Maxwell House, Nabob and Yuban.

Another example is Unilever, which has redesigned the plastic bottles for its Suave brand haircare products with the help of Sonoco: the new containers require 16 per cent less material, but thanks to their new curved form they are more stable than their predecessors.

The German plastics packaging industry association Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen (IK) views such innovations as a confirmation of its own position that plastic is eminently suitable for sustainable packaging.

“It is very versatile,” declares Isabell Schmidt, IK expert on the environment and sustainable development.

Plastic provides protection, is transparent, and thanks to the low weight of the packaging, it enables savings to be achieved in transport costs and carbon dioxide emissions. The sector intends to increase its sustainability perfor-

mance still further. “Its aims include even lighter packaging and even more recycling,” says Schmidt.

Besides plastic, which is the most frequently used packaging material in the world, conventional materials such as paper, cardboard, glass and metal, are also candidates for a sustainable packaging strategy, as each of them offers its own individual advantages.

A study by the Dutch research institute DE Delft shows that paper and cardboard, for example, have a smaller carbon footprint than most other packagings, due to factors such as efficient production and lower transport emissions. The carbon dioxide equivalent of paper and related materials is 676 kilograms carbon dioxide per metric ton of material, whereas that of other conventional packaging materials is at least 1,000 kilograms.

Glass, on the other hand, cannot boast a low weight, but is returnable, recyclable and absolutely safe. “Glass is inert, so that practically no interaction can occur between contents and packaging,” explains Johann Overath,

47

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

48

Packaging Technology the managing director of the Federal Association of the German Glass Industry. In addition, it is made almost totally from raw materials that occur in sufficient quantities in nature. This appeals to consumers who value pure taste and want to consume products from a “healthy“ packaging. According to a survey by the European Container Glass Federation, 75% of Europeans prefer glass as a packaging material, as it contributes to a healthy lifestyle.

Tinplate and aluminium also protect food products and can be easily recycled. The recycling rate of aluminium is 82.3% and that of aluminium cans is an impressive 96%. “This rate will be boosted still further by closing the gaps in recycling loops,” says Glimm. The sector also wants to cut the consumption of materials. According to Glimm, “The aim is to protect more products with less aluminium.”

Bioplastics are gaining ground Manufacturers of established packaging materials must, however, expect increasing competition from bioplastics.

These may not be as versatile as conventional oil-based plastics, but they make up for this with ever improving properties.

The British company Innovia Films recently launched a biodegradable plastic film for food products: known as Natureflex, it is 100% compostable. According to head of marketing Andy Sweetman, this multilayer biofilm forms an excellent barrier against moisture and gases, so that packaged products such as biscuits retain their crispness over a long time.

The German bioplastics producer FKuR Kunststoff also focuses on excellent barrier properties. The company’s products include multilayer biofilms that also prevent leakage from eco-nappies. A new development from FKuR is biopackaging suitable for very low temperatures, which is used for frozen food. The rapid advance of bioplastic packaging is also reflected at interpack. Whereas only a special display of 250sqm was devoted to this theme in 2005, in 2011 there will be about 2,000sqm of regular exhibition area.

Sustainability even in production Manufacturers of packaging machinery can also contribute to further rapid cuts in the cost of packaging. The Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association of the German Engineer-

Enter the 2011 Asian Print Awards and win

$9000 dollars!

Look for details coming soon or go to www.asianprintawards.com.sg

“what can you do with $9000...answer...LOTS!

ing Federation (VDMA) sees opportunities for achieving savings not just in packaging materials. A major contribution to sustainable production can be made through reducing the consumption of energy and operating materials by packaging machinery through the use of modern technology.

For instance, decentral servo technology, which functions more dynamically and efficiently than large drives, could be used. Although the purchase costs for these machines are high, VDMA claims that the expenditure can easily be recouped during the life cycle of a modern system through its lower energy consumption. Product manufacturers who put their faith in sustainability therefore profit first of all at the production stage, even before their products reach the point of sale. •

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

50

Finishing Technology

Unleashing the Potential of Digital Printing with High-Performance Finishing Systems Featuring the slogan “Grow with Digital Solutions,” Muller Martini is set to unveil high-performance finishing solutions for digital printing (both softcover and hardcover production, as well as saddle stitching) at the digi:media trade fair in Düsseldorf When Steve Ellithorpe, Operation Manager at O’Neill Data Driven in Los Angeles, attended the Hunkeler innovationdays event two months ago in Lucerne (Switzerland) and took a closer look at the various digital production solutions on offer, he learned something very important: “Digital printing and finishing are moving increasingly closer to becoming a single process. The two production processes have become more closely integrated than ever before.” Similarly, Roger Schenk, Head of the Printing House at Stämpfli Publikationen AG in Berne (Switzerland), was amazed to discover the extent to which digital printing is linked to finishing. “The barriers between manufacturers of printing presses and finishing systems have definitely fallen.”

New Growth Opportunities for the Graphic Arts Industry In effect, the more powerful digital printing systems become, the more challenging the finishing process will be. This is because new digital printing technology is not just more expansive and more colorful, it is also considerably faster, making it even more attractive. As the leading specialist in the field of inline finishing, Muller Martini develops

innovative digital printing solutions that yield new growth opportunities for the graphic arts industry – for perfect binding as well as hardcover production and saddle stitching.

Muller Martini is expanding on the possibilities offered by traditional finishing to ensure that the industry can take full advantage of everything digital printing has to offer. Roger Schenk sees this as the key to success: “Fully integrated In order to integrate more efficient perfect binders, such as the Pantera and Acoro, into the complete digital system, Muller Martini is employing innovative engineering techniques.

solutions increasingly enable graphic design companies to offer customers a complete service and keep the entire value-added chain in-house.”

New Softcover Business Models: Pantera and Acoro Muller Martini’s decades of experience

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Finishing Technology The Primera saddle stitching system from Muller Martini is ideally suited for digital solutions, as it offers the highest possible levels of automation and process reliability and features a modular design.

New Hardcover Business Models: Diamant MC Digital Customized content from hardcover books, particularly the popular photo books, is in high demand. This poses no problems for digital printing, but can be particularly challenging for bookbinders because book block thickness is constantly changing.

In addition, each book block has a different case, making reliable allocation an absolute must. Until now, short runs have entailed lengthy set-up times and associated costs, although the automation of bookbinding systems reduces these factors considerably.

and considerable expertise in the areas of web offset printing and finishing really come into their own in the development and implementation of fully integrated solutions. The complex processes involved in traditional finishing are adapted to suit digital printing – from web-handling through to cutting, folding, gathering and, finally, finishing.

In order to integrate more efficient perfect binders, such as the Pantera and Acoro, into the complete SigmaLine system, innovative engineering techniques are put to use. For instance: A new, modular buffer system (SigmaBuffer) intelligently separates the printing, folding and gathering process from the binding process but ensures that all the processes still remain connected to each other in line.

The Diamant MC Digital from Muller Martini is able to efficiently produce high-quality, customized hardcover books on an industrial scale. Based on long-standing bookline experience, the Diamant MC Digital is perfectly adapted to the specific requirements of hardcover production. In the future, hardcover books will be efficiently bound even in single-copy runs thanks to the Diamant MC Digital batch production system.

With its high level of automation and the ability to provide outstanding book quality, the Diamant MC digital is the ideal machine for keeping pace with the huge and constantly growing demand for photo books. In a single production run, the headband and crepe paper are added to the book blocks (the thickness of which can vary) and are then efficiently combined with their specific book cases.

New Saddle Stitching Business Models: Primera Digital Run sizes for saddle stitched periodicals, magazines and brochures are currently falling, but at the same time, product variety is on the increase.

Processing times are also getting shorter and shorter. According to Steve Ellithorpe: “Reducing the time slot required for the production process is of great importance to us, as this would result in lower costs.” In addition, personalization of stitched products will increase dramatically in the future, as personalized products allow publishers (and advertisers!) to reach their target groups more successfully.

These are all requirements that digital printing can fulfill perfectly.

The Primera saddle stitching system from Muller Martini is ideally suited for digital solutions, as it offers the highest possible levels of automation and process reliability and features the modular system that is already familiar from conventional production methods. The modular design also supports flexible extension options and guarantees good investment security for customers, allowing them to fulfill digital printing requirements both now and in the future.

• The Diamant MC Digital from Muller Martini is able to efficiently produce high-quality, customized hardcover books on an industrial scale.

51

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

52

Packaging Technology

Global Packaging, Storage, and Distribution Service Hay-on-Wye’s Brecon Pharmaceuticals and Rockford, Illinois’ Anderson Packaging have joined forces to provide clinical trials customers with a global packaging, storage and distribution service. The sister companies – which are both part of the AmerisourceBergen Corporation - are now partnering up to provide solutions under the services name of AndersonBrecon Clinical Services.

AndersonBrecon Clinical Services supplies customers throughout the world with pharmaceutical solutions, right through from Phase I trials to commercial product launches and post-approval studies. So successful has the service been since its inception that the Rockford, Illinois site has recently been expanded in order to provide customers on either side of the Atlantic with harmonised, tailored solutions. The result of the expansion is a transatlantic service that enables US customers speedy and efficient access for their clinical trials materials into the EU, and vice versa.

The Rockford site’s facilities now incorporate class 100M / ISO 8 level clean rooms, placebo capsule manufacturing facilities and equipment which can package solid oral doses and powders in pouches, bottles and blisters. There are also secondary packaging facilities that can be interconnected for scalable and multistage operations, and capabilities include child-resistant blister carding

and secondary labelling. The new equipment joins the facility’s on-site packaging, storage and distribution services that cater for investigational products including cold chain support for refrigerated and frozen products, as well as laboratory services for analytical development and testing.

2011 Asian Print Awards GET READY

“The relationship between Brecon Pharmaceuticals and Anderson Packaging has enabled us to provide customers with top-quality clinical trials services,” comments Sue Miles, head of clinical trials services at Brecon. “In this increasingly globalised world, it is imperative that we are able to offer our clients fast, tailored and trustworthy solutions to their product markets. AndersonBrecon means we can efficiently connect our customers in North American and Europe to their sites wherever they may be. And now, with the development of a dedicated clinical trials facility in Rockford, we can offer them even more top-level solutions.” •

Y

Division ContiTech of Continental AG

Laid-back efficiency.

Global-warming-neutral CLIMATE Xtra BLANKETS printing blankets let you lean back and relax. That’s because they enable you to up your efficiency while at the same time effortlessly satisfying your customers' sustainability wishes. More at www.pxp.de

Your Needs First.

www.pxp.de

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

54

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

Why the outdoor industry needs to get smart CBS Outdoor’s recent Europe-wide study into how people interact with, engage with and view outdoor advertising produces some interesting insight into the impact that smartphones and mobile internet are likely to have on advertising strategies in the future.

While it is great to see CBS leading the way in bringing this technology to the attention of the marketing world through this type of survey, the assertion that brand managers need to review their advertising strategies to reflect increased mobile web connectivity, doesn’t tell the whole story. It should be down to the outdoor media owners themselves to prove this. It is a new media opportunity and they need to help brands understand it before it is likely to see wholesale adoption.

While it is certainly true that smartphones have altered, indeed enhanced, the potential value of outdoor advertising because consumers are increasingly likely to act upon commercial messages while outdoors, the reality is that with so many more media channels and owners being brought into the fray, marketers are struggling to keep up with developments, and equally the media owners themselves are struggling to get

their message across to those marketers effectively.

The problem for media owners is that there is only so much time for them to communicate their ideas. They are faced with having to balance the need to explain new developments and initiatives against ensuring their “bread and butter”, which in the case of outdoor is still six sheets and buses.

This means when discussing new developments such as this they have to present to clients in a succinct and dejargonised way.

On top of this, media owners need to be able to demonstrate the credibility of their proposition, through clear measurability (within the constraints of their media) and with great case studies.

Also, any channel needs to deliver value for brands, and brand marketers are always in search of accountability.

They need to be able to take the results back to their bosses and say, “we could deliver X”. This doesn’t necessarily

have to be sales uplift; it just has to deliver measurability in line with brand objectives and it’s here that online is setting the pace with numerous ways to demonstrate measurability: from clickthroughs to transactions. This new combination of outdoor and mobile technology needs to have more of this.

Although it may be fair to say that brand managers should be taking this into account, for me, the real issue is to try and understand why it isn’t on their radar as much as desired. In this case, I believe CBS Outdoor and others should be looking into how they educate marketers. The reality is that it’s hard for brand managers to drive creativity in any media area unless they have a sense of what they are trying to achieve with that creativity.

Outdoor specialists and media owners need to get together with technology companies to showcase as much good work as they can in this area, in order to clearly demonstrate to clients how effective the combination can be.

Without doubt the onus has to be on the media owner to demonstrate its claims with case studies, audience surveys and brand/agency training.

Brand managers cannot be expected to be able to make this work without being shown how.

As an ex-marketer I have always been a huge fan of outdoor media, and to me the opportunity of having an immediate interactive response from this channel means it can now deliver the measured accountability it has always strived for versus other media.

With the advent of digital posters and smartphone interaction, outdoor has a massive opportunity to steal budget from the likes of TV. Exciting times for outdoor! •

THINKING OF GOING DIGITAL?

A Jetrion

PAYS FOR ITSELF with just

5 JOBS PER DAY.

*

Based on typical monthly payments of a four-year lease, payback can be achieved in as few as 5 jobs/day.

Your own actual savings depend on job-specific factors and may vary.

*

Introducing the Jetrion 4830.

The digital answer to more versions, shorter runs and greater profits.

Affordable Jetrion® UV Digital Label Systems from EFI™ increase profits and productivity, as they can pay for themselves in as few as five jobs a day. Move just a handful of jobs you’re inefficiently printing on your flexo press to an all-digital Jetrion system.

Expand your bottom line by reducing substrate waste, lowering labor costs and eliminating plate costs.

Call +65 6100 1689 or visit www.efi.com/tenquestions3 for a copy of “Top 10 Questions To Ask When Selecting A Digital Label Press.”

Learn how EFI products and support can give you an unfair advantage. ©2010 EFI. All rights reserved.

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

56

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

Value of Industrial UV Inkjet Printing More than 40 executives that joined the Packaging and Converting Executives Forum (PACE), visited Agfa Graphics' Digital Packaging and POP Innovation Centre in Gent (Belgium) to learn the benefits of digital printing and the various high-quality packaging applications of Agfa Graphics' Dotrix industrial UV inkjet digital press .

Jan de Vooght, Sales and Marketing Manager for Dotrix at Agfa Graphics.

"Now is the time to print what will be sold, hence reducing stock and waste."

For the executives at the event, the presentation by Agfa and Pira was an opportunity for them to share perspectives on the practical applications of digital printing in a brand-centric world.

The real time demo-proof on the vast advantages of this technology was enlightening and makes you think on several applications for our business", said Chris Gevers, Executive Manager, Global Packaging Development at EstĂŠe Lauder Companies.

As consumers' product choices increase and the fight for consumer attention becomes fiercer, brand owners are looking for ways to have their products stand out, while keeping costs under control.

Neil Falconer, Print Strategy Consultant with Pira, told the brand managers who attended the event at Agfa Graphics, that digital packaging is growing at an annual rate of 18-27% across various industry segments, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food & beverage packaging. Among the different packaging media, including corrugated, flexo and folding cartons, Falconer said there is expected to be double-digit growth in the next five years.

Of all the print sectors, conventional printing will only show minimal growth in packaging, because the packaging market as a whole is the only print sector with any long term growth prospects.

"There are a number of benefits to digital packaging. It helps avoid high set-up

costs of Flexo/Offset and Gravure and creates a reduction in capital equipment costs. Digital packaging systems help reduce cost, waste & inventory in the supply chain, offer popular digital security features & coding, and open up new niche markets", Falconer said.

"The packaging market as a whole is growing steadily. When looking at digital solutions, I expect to see growth in toner based solutions but the major growth will be in inkjet based systems as inkjet becomes the dominant process during the next decade."

"Having the capability to offer mass customized packaging, with text and images, gives brand managers a powerful tool for attracting new customers with their packaging. Agfa's :Dotrix Modular digital printing press offers many other advantages over traditional flexo printing techniques.

Most notably, it is faster, offers greater colour reproduction, and gives brand owners the ability to be more flexible (variable and even personalized printing) with their promotions and adapt to changes more quickly," said

"We don't buy from Agfa. We buy from their customers. But this visit is so educational to us. It allows us brand print buyers to make the connection between what we want and what they - our print suppliers - can deliver. We could see how technology can offer real answers to the pressure on cost, on inventory and on sustainability. I see in digital printing a real strategic fit for personalization and our short run demands", said Phil Spruce, Global SSD, Category Packaging Buyer at Danone.

The unique printing width of 25.6 inches (650 mm) on the highly versatile Dotrix can print on the widest variety of substrates, ranging from flexible foils such as HDPE, PET, PVC selfadhesives, board up to 24 point, banner stock and more. Its modular construction allows companies to add traditional flexo stations to the roll-to-roll configuration, serving as coating and varnishing alleys without compromising on speed. Inline slitting, die cutting and sheeting modules can also be integrated to fit the needs of any operation. •

Will print buyers get a can of worms!

Without the Asian Print Awards, how will print buyers know what their getting, we can all say we are the best, but being a winner in the Asian Print Awards gives you the ammunition to prove you are what you say, a quality driven, customer focused print company.

Promoting print excellence across Asia, the Asian Print Awards

Look out for the 2011 Asian Print Awards

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

58

News Heidelberg service solution been an innovation driver and advisor receives IT Innovation Award for this key sector. This year's triumph 2011 from Initiative Mittelstand at Initiative Mittelstand's IT Innovation Heidelberg has been awarded the special Baden-Württemberg prize at the IT Innovation Award 2011 organized by Initiative Mittelstand (“SME initiative”).

It received the accolade for its software-based service solution Prinect Performance Benchmarking.

Award 2011 underlines our commitment to boosting customer competitiveness by delivering innovative services,” says a delighted Marcel Kiessling, member of the Heidelberg Management Board responsible for the “Heidelberg Services” division.

With CeBIT drawing to a close in Hannover, several hundred guests from politics, business and the ICT industry gathered to honor the year's best IT innovations for SMEs. The winners saw off competition from around 2,000 nominees. The 100-strong panel of professors, scientists, industry and IT experts, and journalists rated all the submitted products based on their level of innovation and their suitability for SMEs. They placed particular focus on increased efficiency, implementation and maintenance costs, and user-friendliness.

Asia pacific taking the lead in luxury packaging

Using anonymous data pools that are updated daily, Prinect Performance Benchmarking enables print shops to compare their performance and efficiency against other print shops around the world that have a similar business model, order spectrum, and machine configurations. Heidelberg unveiled the module at IPEX 2010 in Birmingham.

“Many Heidelberg customers are SMEs, therefore Heidelberg has traditionally

The luxury goods packaging market by value in Asia Pacific is expected to grow 7.1 per cent in the period to 2015 according to new research from Pira International, a global authority on the packaging supply chain.

The figure outstrips the 4.9% projected for the global luxury packaging market as a whole and 3% for the global consumer packaging market. Led by strong growth in Chinese luxury goods sales, the region is now the clear leader in luxury packaging, accounting for 35% of world sales value in 2010.

According to Pira’s study, the global luxury goods packaging market represented 3% of global consumer packaging sales in 2010. Valued at almost $12bn in 2010, consumption reached just over 7.6 million tonnes.

In 2009 luxury goods and luxury packaging sales declined as the recession deepened. In 2010 there were clear signs that luxury goods and luxury packaging sales are once again growing, according to Pira.

Pira expects that Asia Pacific will increase its share of luxury packaging sales over the period 2010-15 as economic growth in the region continues to outstrip the more mature western Europe and North American regions.

The Prinect Performance Benchmarking “software-as-a-service” solution from Heidelberg received the special Baden-Württemberg prize at the IT Innovation Award 2011 organized by Initiative Mittelstand.

The US will remain the largest national market for luxury packaging, but China will continue to close the gap. South America (led by growing prosperity in Brazil), eastern Europe (led by Russia), and the Middle East and Africa are also forecast to grow their market share of luxury packaging sales over the period 2010-15.

Healthcare, cosmetics and fragrances

are the largest end-use sectors for luxury packaging, accounting for around 46% of the market value in 2010, while premium alcoholic drinks and gourmet food and drink rank second and third.

Also according to Pira’s research, the key market trend in luxury packaging is undoubtedly the growing interest that brand owners are showing in sustainable packaging.

2010 CIPPI Award for Best Process Automation Implementation

Singapore printer Times Printers Pte Ltd, who won the prestigious 2010 CIPPI Award for Best Process Automation Implementation - Asia Pacific in November last year, has reported increases in productivity across the company since the implementation of its Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) integration project in 2010.

The company undertook the ERP integration project in conjunction with Heidelberg’s Business Consulting Services. This extensive project involved analysis of the whole production workflow as well as MIS systems and the integration of Heidelberg’s Prinect workflow, which automates the entire printing process by connecting management, prepress, press and postpress.

Mr. Rene Schieber Regional Business Manager Heidelberg Asia Pacific said the success of the Prinect integration project at Times Printers was testament to the expertise of Heidelberg’s business consultants who worked closely with the

fujifilmR

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

Web Offset Technology

59

POWER TO SuCCEED The total solution that only FujiFilm

Client

can deliver, including offset,

st Tru

POD and wide format inkjet, all with

Printing Company

Provides clients with valuable communication and marketing services.

consistent colour Su

ion

at

er

Provides expert knowledge on a variety of solutions, hardware and software.

op

management.

Co

rt

o pp

Creative Agency

Wide Format inkjet

CTP

Conceptualise based on consumer’s behaviour in today’s challenging market.

Client services Offset Press

Digital Press FujiFilm’s integrated colour & quality management technology enables multi-output with consistent quality FujiFilm (Singapore) Pte ltd (65)6383 9933 • FujiFilm (Thailand) ltd (66)2270 6000 FujiFilm (malaysia) Sdn Bhd (603)5569 8388 http://www.fujifilm.com

fujifilmROP.indd 1

5/31/10 1:14 PM

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

60

News company throughout the project, and the commitment of Times Printers to make the necessary changes.

“The management and staff of Times Printers were prepared to implement new ways of working. This attitude was critical to the success of the project and as a result they have been able to put into action a number of new processes that have literally transformed the company’s operations and delivered a new level of productivity,” he said.

Times Printers began operations in 1968. Today it is a leading printing company, employing 350 people across the business. The company produces a large volume of print news, magazines and textbooks with a suite of web and sheetfed presses.

The main objective of implementing the Heidelberg Prinect system was to integrate all business and production processes and data so the company would have a comprehensive enterprise-wide resource planning system. But Times Printers also wanted to be able to work with a non-proprietary JDF workflow to give it the freedom to integrate new machinery from various suppliers. And it wanted to have the option for future integration of web-based services.

“Heidelberg was able to deliver on all these objectives, which made the decision to engage Heidelberg straightforward,” said Manager of Times Printers, Mr. Ming Ruey Phan.

He continued. “Every department in Times Printers, with the exception of the Human Resource Department, now uses the ERP system for its daily transactions and data gathering processes. This integration has made an enormous difference to our productivity levels and to our profitability. The implementation of the Heidelberg Prinect/Prinance Management Information System (MIS) has provided a level of integration and streamlining of processes and workflows which has provided good support for the fast paced and demanding manufacturing environment in Times Printers”.

Mr. Schieber explained that the main focus for the consulting project was to decrease non-productive time throughout all areas of the business so that production capacity could be

optimized. “This optimization has increased throughput for Times Printers without the company having to increase staff or machinery. By integrating sales forecasting, production control and inventory control so that real time enterprise-wide resource planning can be carried out effectively, we have achieved the main goals of our customer”.

Heidelberg’s Business Consulting Service has three major competencies – Business Development, Process Optimization, and Investment Consulting. In this instance Times Printers invested in all three services working with Heidelberg’s consultants to develop a detailed project plan that defined the project management goals and tasks. A Steering Committee was formed comprising senior management and chaired by the CEO of the Times Publishing Group.

The working project team reported to the Steering Committee and was led by two project managers, one each from Times Printers and Heidelberg. Daily meetings were held to review progress, to address issues and to plan the next steps.

The Steering Committee met monthly to review overall progress and to make key decisions on critical issues.

The implementation of the Heidelberg Prinect/Prinance ERP system was carried out in four main phases – information flow analysis; customization; training; and rollout.

Information Flow Analysis – this involved the analysis of Times Printers’ business processes and transactions across all production departments and also administration. The analysis enabled the project team to gain a comprehensive understanding of the system requirements and identify potential areas for improvements including processes that could be reduced or eliminated.

Customization - adjustments and customization of layouts and workflows

were made to suit the majority of the company’s production requirements.

Processes were also developed to enable the integration of information from Times Printers existing financial system into the Heidelberg Prinance system.

Training – Heidelberg provided extensive on-site training with experts from Germany, Singapore and Australia working with the Times Printers team. From there the Times Printers team conducted training across all departments including the production floor where operators were trained in the use of the data terminals as well as all back-office staff; a total of more than 250 people were trained.

Rollout – in this final phase a ‘brick building’ approach was adopted and implemented enabling users to adapt to the new system. The new system was introduced one department at a time, starting from the basic information and building until full use of the system was achieved.

Mr. Schieber said, “What Times Printers has done shows that regardless of the size of the company, changes can be made and significant improvements realized”.

Heidelberg’s Business Consulting Services can be tailored to any sized business as can the company’s Prinect workflow system, which is modular in design enabling companies to implement the system on a step-by-step basis, or as in Times Printers case, across the entire workflow.

It is estimated that within five years Times Printers will generate an additional €1.2 million in profits just from this system alone. “This is a conservative figure based on efficiency savings and on projected growth and utilization of existing equipment to increase capacity. That’s a significant return on investment,” concluded Mr. Schieber.

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

News Prinect offers solutions for the following topics • Print Shop Management • Online Customer Connection • Prepress Workflow • Digital Print Workflow • Make-ready Optimization • Color and Quality • Machine Operation • Services

Bourg's 50th Anniversary Signals Return To The Finishing Spotlight

C.P Bourg S.A. (Bourg) will mark its 50th anniversary in 2011 by opening a new chapter in the company’s history as the leading supplier of in-line, off-line and near-line finishing solutions for the global graphic arts industry.

Launching Bourg’s celebrations of five decades at the forefront of finishing, managing director Daniel Vande Poel describes the anniversary as, “a wonderful opportunity to thank our employees, customers and partners for their support over the years. But it is also our chance to remind the industry as a whole of Bourg’s remarkable achievements since 1961—in particular the innovations that have helped finishing technology match the increasing performance and sophistication of printing presses, both offset and digital.”

2011 will also see significant extra investment in the Bourg brand, beginning with the appointment of Dominic Quennell as Sales Director. Mr Quennell brings to Bourg over 30 years’ experience working in the print finishing sector, including several years in a senior marketing and business development role with Duplo Corporation in Japan.

At Bourg he will work closely with Mr Vande Poel and his senior management team to develop the company’s sales and marketing strategy with the aim of increasing market penetration of Bourg finishing solutions for both digital and offset applications.

“Finishing’s best-kept secret” Commenting on the appointment of Mr Quennell, Mr Vande Poel says: “A major customer recently described us as the ‘best-kept secret in the finishing sector’.

This is a natural result of our strategy to date—especially in digital finishing—

of developing solutions in partnership with industry leaders such as Xerox, HP Indigo and Océ. However, it means that while thousands of print providers depend on highly automated, reliable and easy-to-use Bourg solutions, our brand is not as visible as it deserves to be. We are confident that Dominic’s extensive international experience in the finishing sector will increase industry awareness of Bourg’s pedigree as a significant force for innovation.”

Mr Quennell describes his new role as “a great chance to work with a leading name in print finishing.” He continues, “During my time in the industry I have observed developments at Bourg with increasing respect, watching as the company has quietly developed the most complete portfolio of finishing solutions for digital and offset. Bourg was early to recognise the potential for digital printing, and by combining advanced engineering with automation and ease of use has done much to assist digital’s adoption in the mainstream. Bourg’s work with major digital suppliers has given it an unrivalled understanding of digital engine technology, which will continue to inspire exciting products.

Several such products will be launched during this anniversary year, and I look forward to helping bring these developments to the attention of more customers.”

Bourg was founded in 1961 by Christian-Pierre Bourg and initially produced a range of collators based on his patented collating technology. The company subsequently added integrated stitch/fold/trim features to provide bookletmaking capabilities. In 1986 Bourg acquired fellow Belgian collator company Ordibel, gaining production capacity, an expanded worldwide distribution network and subsidiaries in France and Japan. Three years later Bourg added high-tech electronics company APE, which became C.P. Bourg Electronics and played a key role in developing the intuitive, easy-to-use

operator interfaces that are a hallmark of Bourg solutions.

First to finish In 1989, Bourg becoming the first finishing systems supplier to enter the emerging digital printing market when it partnered with Xerox to develop an in-line booklet making solution for what became Xerox’s DocuTech Production Publisher digital printing system. This marked the beginning of a close cooperation between the two companies (Bourg has won Xerox’s Finishing Partner of the Year Award for the last six years) and a stream of innovative finishing developments over the last two decades. Notable products include the Bourg BBF 2005, the world’s first inline perfect binder to work with the DocuTech, which debuted in 1995 and won Bourg a prestigious InterTech Technology Award in 1996.

The most recent result of the partnership, the iGen4 EXP Web-to-Finish System incorporating Bourg’s large-format BCMx Bleed Crease Module and BMEx Booklet Maker, was unveiled at 2010’s Graph Expo exhibition and provides touchless workflow from on-line order to finished product with no manual set-up or intervention—the first time that Job Definition Format ( JDF) has been implemented in a totally touchless integrated solution.

Bourg also works closely with other leading digital printing suppliers, including a Platinum level partnership with HP Indigo, and with Kodak and Océ, to ensure that Bourg’s industryleading solutions integrate with the widest range of digital engines. The new Bourg Box, also launched at Graph Expo, exemplifies this strategy by allowing Bourg products to communicate with virtually any type of digital printer or finishing equipment through job tickets, including JDF and Job Messaging Format ( JMF).

61

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

62

News Sericol screen inks, Fujifilm digital printers, and colour experience and knowledge.

“FESPA Digital is set to be a very exciting show for us,” comments Keith Harley, head of marketing, wide format, FUJIFILM Europe. “We have a number of new products on our stand that we will launch at the show, all backed up by the most recent developments in our Uvijet inks.” He continues, “We are challenging printers to come and see our offering and will demonstrate how they can increase profit by taking advantage of the very latest opportunities available to them in large format equipment.”

FUJIFILM challenges printers at FESPA Digital 2011

Fujifilm announces that visitors to its stand at FESPA Digital 2011 (Hall 4, Stand B10), will learn how the latest range of products on show will help them increase profit. The stand is dominated by a number of new and enhanced products making use of the latest Fujifilm technology to provide better productivity and enhanced quality.

The impressive line-up of devices, which are all fuelled by Fujifilm’s awardwinning Uvijet inks, together with the company’s comprehensive and versatile euromedia range and class-leading ProFile colour control system, demonstrate its commitment to providing world class inkjet systems, and make the stand one not to be missed. i) Inca Onset The Inca Onset series of flat-bed printers has been a key development for wide format printing in recent years, changing the face of the industry. At FESPA, visitors will be able to see Onset printing in both manual and automatic modes, demonstrating flexibility when it comes to producing high quality, cost effective, images for the graphic display segment. ii) Uvistar Alongside Onset, a new member of Fujifilm’s highly successful Uvistar super-wide format roll-to-roll family will be on show. The new addition is intended to provide even better quality images than before, at high speed. The improvements in material handling, including rigid media, make

it particularly suited to producing print for display POP applications without any loss in production. This new hybrid technology, together with the vibrancy of Fujifilm Uvijet QK inks, provides printers with a winning combination. iii) Acuity Advance HS Fujifilm will also be showcasing its latest Uvijet ink formulation in combination with the Acuity Advance HS platform.

Developed to deliver even higher levels of flexibility and adhesion for both the graphics and industrial markets, whilst maintaining the colour vibrancy that is only available from this printer series, this latest package is one not to miss. iv) euromedia In order for visitors to fully understand how different media can work on various surfaces, a ‘test-drive’ wall of Fujifilm’s euromedia brand, which provides a dedicated offering for wide format printing, will feature samples of indoor and outdoor surfaces commonly used for posters and signage, including brick, plaster, plastic, glass and even a car door.

Visitors will be able to apply the various media to see first-hand the results that can be achieved with the hundreds of products within the range. v) Pro-File Finally, following the successful launch last year of its Pro-File system to standardise colour on screen and inkjet production to ISO12647-2, Fujifilm will also be demonstrating further improvements and enhancements to the system that have been developed in the last 12 months. Pro-File combines three best-in-class components – Fujifilm

The Digital Convergence Continues at FESPA Digital 2011

HP today announced that it will be showing a wider than ever range of digital solutions for print service providers (PSPs) to expand their services at FESPA Digital 2011, 24 – 27 May 2011, at Hamburg Messe and Conference Centre, Germany.

Sign and display PSPs will have the opportunity to see HP's industry-leading line of wide and super-wide format printing solutions comprising roll-toroll, hybrid and flatbed printers for low- or high-volume printing, as well as UV-curable, aqueous or HP Latex Inks and an extensive media selection. These combine to give PSPs the means to extend their service offering and increase revenues. Showcasing key elements from the industry’s broadest portfolio on its stand, Hall A4, Stand C40/C41, HP Scitex and HP Designjet printers will demonstrate the benefits of production that make them attractive replacements for solvent inks as well as meeting the requirements of international brand managers, agencies and print buyers.

HP’s solutions line-up will include an expanded range of HP Latex technologies which build upon the performance benefits delivered by the popular HP Scitex LX800 Printer, as well as the highly-productive HP Scitex FB7500 and HP Scitex TJ8600 Printers; the versatile HP Scitex FB700 Printer, and the established HP Scitex 5m UV Printer.

Also part of the HP showcase, will be the HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer and the full portfolio of aftermarket

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

News solutions that support HP customers in their growth. In addition, visitors will have the chance to see live Print Care demonstrations, HP MediaFinder, Mediawide and many other HP solutions to help wide format PSPs. For the first time at FESPA Digital, an HP Indigo press, an HP Indigo 7500 Digital Press, will be on show. Normally associated with high-quality commercial work, the press will also be printing applications reflecting a synergy with the agencies and brands that are sign and display PSPs customers.

“The migration of conventional jobs to digital is happening across all sectors of the graphic arts and the ability to use digital data across the application range is blurring the boundaries,” said Ronen Zioni, marketing director, Graphic Solutions Business, EMEA, HP. “FESPA Digital presents a outstanding opportunity for screen and display PSPs and their customers to see what is possible today and get a glimpse of what may be possible in the near future. HP is proud to continue its corporate sponsorship of FESPA Digital in recognition of its contribution to the European wide format community.”

Engines of Growth Products printed on flexible and rigid materials by HP Scitex and Designjet printers will be presented in a simulated environment in the ”Board Café,” a coffee shop/retail outlet, where a wide variety of digitally printed displays and furnishings will be featured. This

environment will demonstrate the range of applications that PSPs can produce to become one-stop shops offering indoor and outdoor applications. It also illustrates the “More and Wider” theme that fosters the expansion of services made possible with HP solutions.

During the show, visitors will be able to discover how to take advantage of the power of these technologies and leverage the benefits for their own business growth. Expert staff will be available to demonstrate how HP technologies and solutions can help achieve profitable growth by fulfilling the current and future application demands of customers.

HP is also running a Vespa contest where contesters can win a latex printed wrapped Vespa scooter.

growth, however, was the increase in demand for filmic roll label materials (PE, PP, others), which amounted to 15.3% over the previous year. Filmic materials thus resumed their rise in the share of European self-adhesive materials demand and this from just over 15% at the beginning of the decade to over 22.5% in 2010.

Self-adhesive Label Sector Back to Pre-Crisis Volumes in 2010

Geographically, growth in demand was driven by Eastern and Southern Europe (including Turkey). Both regions recorded healthy double digit growth figures of 20.6% and 13% respectively. Within these regions, Turkey, Russia, Bulgaria and Romania stood out with annualized growth (well) in excess of 20%, a sign of strong economic development in this emerging region. In the more matured regions, growth of self-adhesive label demand was more modest at around 4.5 - 8.5%, although double digit growth figures recorded for Germany, The Netherlands, Italy and Spain ranked above the top end of this range.

Underlying this growth was the strong, 9.5% recovery of the demand for rolls of paper based label materials, representing some 70% of total demand for selfadhesive label materials. Exceeding this

Over the past three to four months, the pressure on raw materials has aggravated.

Between January 2010 and January 2011, the benchmark pulp prices increased between 20-25%, while resins for LDPE, PP and PET, crucial to filmic label materials, increased between 25-35%.

Polymers necessary for the production of adhesives, even increased by 65-75%.

Also ink suppliers are being faced with the impact of tight raw materials' markets and have announced price increases ranging up to 30%. The rise of crude oil, driven by the uncertainties in the Arab world, is further intensifying the pressure, not in the least because of the increase of related transportation costs.

FINAT, the European association for the self-adhesive label industry reports that demand for self-adhesive label materials in Europe has continued its strong recovery in 2010. From the all time lows recorded at the peak of the global financial crisis in mid 2009, demand returned to pre-crisis levels in the course of 2010. Last year, an overall volume of around 5.7 bln. square meters was recorded, an increase of 11.4% compared to 2009 and 3.5% above the level recorded in 2007, the year before the collapse of global financial markets.

The highly productive HP Scitex FB7500 Printer will form part of HP’s extensive solutions line up at FESPA Digital 2011

According to FINAT Managing Director Jules Lejeune, “capacity limitations cause a gap in supply versus double digit growth in demand. A gap that is only closing slowly. Our members are confronted with quarterly price adjustments or even ‘spot’ prices on materials not yet delivered.

Under such market conditions and because of the time lapse, contractual raw materials clauses only offer limited shelter.

Ultimately this could affect the financial stability of label businesses.”

63

Print Pack Publish Asia • 3/2011

64

News