Print Innovation Asia

Print INNOVATION

Asia

Magazine

Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia Pacific since 1985 Issue 12 2020

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PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS: 2020

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Large format and industrial print markets recovering Cadbury captivates football fans with Mondelez and

HP Packaging Innovation Pantone announced 2021 Color of The Year Significant productivity and print quality improvements New dedicated business for digital ondemand production 18 Helping packaging printers thrive in the 'new normal' Reinvention is reaching a tipping popint 22 24 The state-of-the-art Technology of the Speedmaster

CX 75 meets new Trends in the Japanese Print Market 26 Food packaging enhancement more accessible than ever before 28 Propelling new business with the highest operating

rate of 49.4% 30 Canon Launches Online Large Format Graphics Community 32 Heidelberg sets up production joint venture with Masterwork 34 Key trends driving the growth of packaging to 2028 36 Ikea is killing off its catalog after 70 years 38 Moving forward with Purpose, Intent and Determinatione 40 Testing of a four-day work week 42 Exceptional label design implemented economically 46 Why working with spectral color data is so beneficial 52 Chinese packaging company invests in Bobst for ‘smart’ factory 54 Premium ink system contributes to better quality recyclate 56 Without you even realising - food labels can make you healthier, so get your labels ready 58 News from around Asia and the world

Issue 12 2020

Print INNOVATION

Asia Magazine

Published by Asian Print Awards Management Pte Ltd 65 Chulia Street #46-23 OCBC Centre Singapore 049513 Print Innovation Asia Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia Asian Print Awards Packageing Excellence Awards Label and Packaging Conferences Publisher

Paul Callaghan paul@printinnovationasia.com

Editorial

Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com Editor Sha Jumari sha@printinnovationasia.com Packaging Sales

Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com

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Large format and in markets recovering New data from are revealing the worldwide large format and industrial print markets grew in the third quarter, showing rebound from the COVID-19 crisis.

Latest results from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Industrial Printer Tracker show that all segments of the industrial printer market began to recover from the COVID-19 crisis in the third quarter of 2020.

The report highlighted that shipments in the Asia Pacific region excluding Japan, has continued the recovery that began in Q2 with a quarter-over-quarter growth of 24%. Japan itself grew 28% in total industrial printer shipments in Q3 from Q2.

The IDC tracker covers large format printers, labels and packaging printers, direct to garment (DTG) printers, direct to shape (DTS) printers and industrial textile printers.

Worldwide, large format printer shipments showed the biggest growth; up 53% compared to the last quarter.

Label & packaging printer shipments grew more than 34% quarter over quarter in Q3. Meanwhile, new DTS printer shipments increased more than 44% compared to Q2, while shipments in the DTG segment increased 22%.

Industrial textile printer shipments grew 13% in Q3.

"After consecutive quarters of steep declines due to the economic impact from the pandemic, we saw important signs of recovery in the third quarter," said Tim Greene, research director, Hardcopy Solutions at IDC. "The digital printing products included in the Industrial Printer Tracker are playing a role in combatting the

pandemic and in creating products that will help global economies get back on track. This includes products that enable on-demand garment production, highspeed inkjet equipment that accelerates time to market for consumer packaged goods, and the creation of social distancing markers for safer retail shopping experiences. These products will be more in demand as companies re-evaluate their supply chains to respond to market demands faster," Greene continued.

IDC added that its expectations for the remainder of 2020 include continued uncertainty about the strength of the market's recovery until a vaccine is widely available and key business areas return to some level of normalcy.

However, many industrial printer equipment manufacturers have recently released technology that, under normal circumstances, would excite new printer shipments. IDC still expects higher levels of investment in 2021 and beyond as the future of key segments of the market come into focus.

• Large format printer shipments grew 53% in Q3 compared to the previous quarter The EFI VUTEk HS125 Pro is a 3.2-meter wide, high-volume UVinkjet device hybrid roll/flatbed inkjet press for high-volume graphic

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ndustrial print g The market for in-mould labels is enjoying annual growth rates of around four to six per cent, and handling particularly thin materials is the key challenge during production.

The IML Performance Package for the Speedmaster 106 is now also used in the new CutStar Gen. 4 for foils as thin as 50µ. The fourth-generation sheeter is fully integrated into the Prinect workflow and also the Intellistart system on the press for production based on the Push to Stop principle.

• Shipments in the direct-togarment segment increased 22% in Q3 compared to Q2.

The Ricoh Ri 2000 DTG flagship printer is designed to make professional, high-quality printing faster and easier for personalised garments and other fabrics. It is capable of producing producers. With true production-level throughput for expanded capacity, the VUTEk HS125 Pro with UltraFX Technology is a super high-speed UVflatbed printer for high-volume graphic producers looking to accelerate their digital business. It has the lowest TCO and high throughput.

• Label & Packaging printer shipments grew more than 34% quarter over quarter in Q3 Heidelberg’s new Speedmaster XL 106D is equipped with just one die-cutting unit, a new Push to Stop Cut Star for in-mould labels, and a new Foil Star Cure for metallic finishes. The solution is designed to create a digitised end-toend solution aimed at the production of wet-glue labels, cut-and-stack labels, and also in-mould labels.

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can be used to print a variety of items, including upholstery and bedspreads.

The solution eliminates the need for pre and post treatment of fabric and allows for high-quality printing on an extraordinarily broad variety of fabric types and applications. The Kornit Presto does not consume water in the printing process, making it the most environmentally friendly solution available for direct-to-fabric textile printing today.

Implemented into the Kornit NeoPigment process is the NeoPigment Robusto, which provides above industry standard wash and rub results and exceptional colour fastness across a wide fabric and application range.

high quality output in all formats and designs including light and dark garments without limitations on half tones, detailed designs and also photographs. The system supports the local production of promotional and personalized textile goods.

• Direct-to-shape printer shipments increased more than 44% in Q3 compared to Q2.

Memjet announces that OPM Europa BV in Tilburg, Netherlands, has combined robotics and Memjet’s VersaPass technology to create a directto-shape printer called LabelSaver.

OPM Europa BV’s LabelSaver prints high-quality colour directly on a variety of objects, including jerry cans, metal paint cans and plastic containers. The

LabelSaver can print at a rate of 500 jerry cans per hour in full colour, 360 degrees.

The LabelSaver combined OPM’s robotics system with Memjet’s VersaPass technology. The solution is also capable of printing on Memjetreceptive coatings for flexible packaging and films. The solution uses the Memjet-powered Trojan Label print engine to create label-less production that would improve the speed, cost and environmental impact of label printing.

• Industrial Textile printer shipments grew 13% in Q3 compared to the previous quarter.

The Kornit Presto is an industrial single-step direct-to-fabric printer that

The Kornit Presto solution suits a wide range of business and application needs in a variety of industry segments, including fast growing segments within the on-demand fashion and home décor markets. It is a highly productive solution, available in multiple configurations and able to print 450 square meters per hour.

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Cadbury captivates foo Mondelez and HP Pac HP and Mondelez International, owner of Cadbury, have launched a new initiative to transform confectionery packaging into customizable experiences for football fans. packaging job was printed digitally on the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press.

“This is a truly innovative way to elevate our brand and build stronger consumer connections with engaging collaborations and relevant experiences.

It’s been a fantastic collaboration between our internal experts, partners and HP to bring this to life in such an iconic and impactful way,” said Bryony McComb, Associate Director, Mondelez International.

Cadbury teamed up with Liverpool FC to send limited-edition Champions Bars to 50,000 fans as a thank you for their unwavering support throughout the 2019/20 season.

The football club is Cadbury’s Official Global Chocolate Partner.

Using HP digital printing technologies, each bar was created with a unique design – for a total of 60,000 one-ofa-kind Champions bars. This flexible

The imagery of the campaign has very deep meaning for LFC fans, allowing Cadbury to drive buzz, excitement and relevance. HP Indigo technology was the chosen solution for the campaign.

HP SmartStream Designer variable data software was used to design a tailored flexible packaging canvas of iconic Liverpool symbols, phrases and images set in the background of the Liverpool Crest or behind player’s shirts, with all players being represented.

“In today’s age of experience, personalization is driving consumers’ purchase decisions and strengthening

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 12 2020

otball fans with ckaging Innovation

brand loyalty. HP Indigo’s unique personalization and customization solutions are enabling brands to engage consumers and create new experiences during times when so many social and business interactions have gone virtual,” said Haim Levit, general manager, HP Indigo, HP Inc. Creating a story through HP Graphics personalization software Thanks to HP SmartStream Designer and HP PrintOS Composer variable design and variable data printing software, each Cadbury Champions Bar wrapper design is truly unique, created from collective elements that help define the club and create a visual

story for the consumer. HP Brands Innovation EMEA tailored the project especially for Mondelez.

This result was achieved as follows: • Designs: A design pattern correlating to club chants, players, moments in history and other unique LFC details with a total of more than 2000 design elements.

• Texture: Each element has several textures that are applied to add depth the design.

• Colour: Using digital printing allows for a greater colour combinations and patterns.

A code was created to take into account all the elements, apply the rules and tell HP SmartStream Designer where to put each element, to ensure each pack is unique and the same design element would never appear twice on the same pack.

HP SmartStream Designer has a host of creative tools such as HP Mosaic, HP Collage and HP Frames and is an open VDP software that allows user to tailor their own solutions, making any design project possible. For this specific project a code was created to allow for all the elements

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Pantone announced 2021 Color of The Year Two colours were announced: Ultimate Gray + Illuminating Pantone has released its 2021 ‘Color of the Year’ – or perhaps, colours.

The colour institution unveiled two shades: PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating.

According to Pantone, the two shades is a “marriage of colour conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting. It is a story of colour that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly.”

PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray is “emblematic of solid and dependable elements which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation” and “quietly assures, encouraging feelings of composure, steadiness and resilience.” Meanwhile, PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is a “bright and cheerful yellow sparkling with vivacity, a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power.”

The two colours, a basic gray and a bright yellow, are seemingly unrelated but said to be supportive of each other.

Pantone might have chosen the dull gray to signify a shadow of a bleak past – the year 2020, also known as the year of COVID-19. The bright yellow

highlights optimism for the upcoming year. As we start to see more news of successful vaccines becoming available, hope for a better year is not farfetched.

This marks the second time Pantone unveiled two colours for the year.

The first time was in 2016, with Rose Quartz and Serenity Blue.

Ultimate Gray and Illuminating in Packaging This colour pair trend is expected to trickle into packaging too. The contrast between the bright yellow against the neutral, cool gray is an attractive visual.

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Significant produc quality improveme A German non-profit organisation has no regrets over its swtich from offset to digital print as their new Jet Press 750s impresses customers and has increased business opportunities Based in the town of Reutlingen in Baden-Württemberg, south-west Germany, BruderhausDiakonie has a long and proud history. In the mid-19th century, theologian Gustav Werner and his wife created one of Germany’s first Christian charities, the Gustav Werner Foundation. On the banks of the river Echaz they formed numerous rescue facilities, schools and factories.

Now, almost 200 years later, the Gustav Werner Foundation has merged with the Haus am Berg Foundation to become BruderhausDiakonie, a nonprofit Christian diaconal organisation that offers a wide network of jobs and workshops for the disabled and those with mental health challenges in BadenWürttemberg. As part of its wide offering, the organisation has a graphics workshop which delivers a huge range

of digitally printed products, which are produced on a toner system and now on Fujifilm’s Jet Press 750S. “BruderhausDiakonie is a social organisation with tradition,” says Andreas Bauer, head of the social affairs at BruderhausDiakonie. “Our late founder Gustav Werner’s motto was: ‘what does not become an act has no value’, and that holds true with us today – we work hard to ensure our facilities are appealing, family-friendly environments, and we provide our employees with extensive training. We have around 5,000 staff across various sites in Baden-Württemberg, all with the aim of helping people to participate in work and education.”

The company’s graphics workshop produces a wide range of fully serviced

printed products, including brochures, magazines, posters, greeting cards and calendars. “Our graphic workshop offers the highest quality in printing,” continues Bauer. “With the digital printing solutions we have on site,

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 12 2020

ctivity and print ents “We first encountered the Jet Press itself at drupa 2016, when the Jet Press 720S was in operation. We were already remarkably impressed by the quality and productivity of the machine and by the time we had decided to invest in it, the newer Jet Press 750S was available. Seeing its production stability, coupled with superior productivity and extremely high print quality, it ticked all the right boxes for us.”

Bauer is clear on the benefits the Jet Press 750S has provided the graphics workshop of BruderhausDiakonie: “For small and medium run work, it is excellent. Our clients want the best, high-quality products – for years they got that via our offset solutions – but now they’re seeing even better print results and they have acknowledged the improvements in the proofs we have sent to them. we can provide our customers with brilliantly detailed products. Combining our modern printing techniques with a professional service has been essential to our success within various industries, organisations, authorities and church communities for over 30 years.”

BruderhausDiakonie’s graphics workshop had been using offset printing for many of its products over its three-decade existence, but that all changed when the company installed Fujifilm’s Jet Press 750S. “We had been using offset for many years, but we knew a shift to digital was going to be required if we were going to stay competitive,” says Bauer.

“We could see a decline in volume of existing jobs and an increase in demand for short-run, highly personalised printed products. We then spoke to other printers in the area about their experiences with digital printing and the name that kept coming up was the Jet Press.

Quite simply, the quality of the products we provide has increased, the production time has significantly reduced, and our product portfolio has expanded thanks to the capabilities of the Jet Press – we can now offer our customers products we couldn’t before.

The very high colour stability, especially on uncoated substates, has allowed us to win new business too.

“What’s more, the Jet Press has allowed us to considerably reduce our make-ready times and wastage, and its highly automated operated has freed up personnel capacity for other work.

Production has become so much more flexible – our investment in the Jet Press has made just-in-time jobs possible when they were previously unthinkable.”

The environmental aspects of the Jet Press 750S have also impressed the business: “The aim here at BruderhausDiakonie is for our production to become CO2 neutral

by 2021. Sustainability and resource conservation are integral to our philosophy as a business and we’re delighted that the Jet Press fits in effortlessly with this – its water based ink makes the recycling of products easy for our customers and with low chemical emissions it is a safe machine for all of our workers to be around.

We’re hoping to get people who have disabilities using the Jet Press 750S very soon too – its ease of use should make this a seamless operation.”

Bauer also has high praise for Fujifilm’s sales and technical teams: “From the very beginning, they have been transparent and trustworthy. We visited their Advanced Print Technology Centre in Brussels in advance of investing in the Jet Press 750S – we had a very good feeling then and following that the installation and operator training was excellent. Service and maintenance teams have always been on hand to help us if required – we are more than satisfied with the service provided by Fujifilm.

“We see great potential in inkjet technology and investing in the Jet Press 750S is without doubt one of the best decisions the graphic arts workshop has ever made. We look forward to seeing Fujifilm’s next innovation.”

Peter Schopen, Product & Marketing Manager for Digital Press Solutions at Fujifilm Graphic Systems says: “BruderhausDiakonie prides itself on its brilliant history of being a socially supportive business.

The remarkable work they’ve done over the years has created unexpected opportunities for so many people and we at Fujifilm are delighted to be partnering with the team at BruderhausDiakonie, and we are very pleased with the success they have with the Jet Press 750S.”

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New dedicated business for digital on-demand production Kornit Digital announced the appointment of Guy Avidan as President of its newly formed business line focused on accelerating the digital transformation of the textile industry to on-demand sustainable production.

The company also announced the appointment of Alon Rozner as its next Chief Financial Officer, effective December 1, 2020. Rozner succeeds Avidan in his new role.

The inflection point in the textile industry and the massive shift to e-commerce continues to accelerate the need to digitally transform the supply chain and adopt on-demand sustainable textile production. The newly formed business line will focus on enabling brands, retailers, and marketplaces to realize the benefits of digitization by connecting to the most suitable on-demand production and logistics operations, while ensuring consistency, quality and brand integrity.

“Interest in adopting our cloud workflow platform and network for on-demand sustainable production is extremely strong. We believe there is a huge opportunity here for Kornit to build a significant incremental business and leverage the success of the Custom Gateway acquisition, which serves as the foundation for this strategic

initiative,” said Ronen Samuel, Kornit Digital’s CEO. “I am confident that Guy will lead this strategic initiative to great success and would like to thank him for his contribution to Kornit’s success in his years of service as our CFO.” “Kornit is on an amazing journey and I am honoured to have had the privilege of taking the company public as CFO and am now excited to take on this next opportunity to lead the continued

execution of Kornit’s vision. This new business line will play an integral part in Kornit’s evolution as the leader in digital transformation of the textile industry,” said Avidan.

Prior to CFO at Kornit, Rozner served as the CFO of Orbotech, a global supplier of yield-enhancing and process-enabling solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Orbotech was traded on NASDAQ until its acquisition by KLA in February 2019. During his 13-year tenure at Orbotech he served in a broad range of senior finance, business and operational positions, including executive management positions in the Company’s operations in Asia Pacific.

“I am excited to join Kornit as it continues to transform the textile industry and scale profitably,” said Rozner. “Kornit is extremely well positioned to capture the massive opportunity and I look forward to working with the team to achieve our goals and create value for all our stakeholders.”

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Helping packaging printers thrive in the 'new normal' Manroland and Zhejiang Card Game Technology Co., Ltd. successfully hold 'Breaking the waves with ease - Manroland supports printers in development' seminar in Kaihua, Zhejiang Province.

Due to the double whammy of the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenging foreign trade environment, stakeholders in the packaging printing industry have been under tremendous pressure this year. How to survive and flourish under such immense pressure has become perhaps the most important issue for packaging printers.

Against this background, the 'Breaking the waves with ease - Manroland supports printers in development' seminar attracted more than 180 packaging printers and experts from Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Anhui and the surrounding areas. In addition to the site visit to Card Game, where guests saw and experienced first hand the ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION's innovation and high productivity, the seminar provided a forum to explore development strategies under the “new normal.”

Welcome Speeches The seminar began with online welcome speeches by Dr. Peter Conrady (Head of Sales of Manroland Sheetfed GmbH, from Germany) and Ms. Fanny Chan (Managing Director of Manroland Greater China, from Hong Kong), as they could not be physically present due to travel restrictions brought about by the pandemic.

Both extended their gratitude to Zhejiang Card Game for their strong support to the event.

In his speech, Dr. Conrady said that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the global economy, including the packaging printing industry, in unexpected ways. However, it is encouraging to see that the Chinese market has taken the lead in the

road to recovery, he added. This has further strengthened Manroland's determination to regard China as a core market and continuously strengthen local support.

Ms. Fanny Chan pointed out that new challenges also meant new opportunities. In the current market situation, Manroland will help printers to develop their own strategies of innovation, competitiveness and profitability with a full range of products including automated printing technologies, proactive preventive maintenance services, green printing materials and print networks.

Mr. Li Qibin, Zhejiang Card Game Managing Director, encouraged industry peers to share their experiences and explore successful business models together.

Zhejiang Card Game is an online and offline animation company specializing in animation brand management, derivative product development, design, production and integrated marketing.

In 2019, the company invested in four Manroland flagship presses: two ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION Ultima 9 – color press with UV system and two ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION 6 - color press with UV system. These presses are equipped with automated functions including InlineFoiler, InlineColorPilot, InlineRegister, LED curing system and automated plate change (APL™).

During the pandemic at the first half of this year, Card Game and Manroland team worked together in tackling various difficulties as they installed the

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 12 2020

20 Manroland's high-performance green Printing supplies were discussed by Mr. Waley Zhang, Regional Sales Manager of Printing Supplies, Manroland.

In recent years, with the continuous increase of corporate cost and the more demanding requirements of domestic environmental protection, Manroland's concepts of "preventive maintenance" services and "green is benefit" printing supplies are being recognized more widely.

machines as scheduled. With the new equipment put into operation, Card Game will build a super modern, fully automatic printing production cluster with 10 Manroland printing presses in two major production bases.

The event was strongly supported

by Zhejiang Printing Association, Quzhou Printing Association, Ningbo Packaging Technology Association, and Ningbo Printing Association.

In welcoming the guests, Mr. Chen Liqun, Vice President of Zhejiang Printing Association, spoke highly of the cooperation between Manroland and Card Game. He also explained the development prospects of Zhejiang packaging printing industry.

Discussion on Technology There was a session devoted to the discussion on technology. Manroland's professional technical team explained in detail how the company can help packaging printers achieve technological innovation under the "new normal" through market development, process innovation, service support and green printing.

Mr. Roy Guo, Head of Operation, Greater China Manroland Sheetfed, talked about the latest analysis of market development trends. Based on the data, he pointed out that as the competition continues to intensify, the packaging printing market was showing a widening gap with "the stronger getting stronger". This means that strengthening process development and service capabilities is the only way for the printing companies to achieve growth.

Ms. Jerry Liu, General Manager of Central China region, Manroland Sheetfed, then introduced Manroland’s value added printing solutions. She stressed that just like Card Game -- faced with the increasing market demand for high-end printing technology -- more and more printers are embracing Manroland’s top-class printing technologies, particularly ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION Ultima and InlineFoiler. Their aim is to enhance their “core competitiveness” to speed up growth.

The new-generation ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION can integrate several industry-leading automation technologies according to the customers’ requirements. These include InlineColorPilot, InlineRegister, InlineInspector, AutoPrint, AUPASYS. The ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION focuses on increasing productivity, effective machine time and product values, and reduction of operating costs, waste and make-ready time.

It improves production, facilities and technological processes, thus strengthening sustainable profitability.

Preventive maintenance services were introduced by Mr. Henry Cheng, Sales Manager, Sheetfed Service & Spare Parts Division of Manroland.

Through ProServ 360° comprehensive performance management and its systematic service products, Manroland is helping more companies to reduce costs, increase output and improve equipment performance and overall operating efficiency.

In addition to premium printing technology and high quality services, Manroland spares no effort to improve the supply of printing materials. It is strongly committed to providing customers with comprehensive printing solutions that will drive up production and efficiency.

Printcom® and magicpix®, as the leading brands in the series of printing supplies, are quality choices that the customers can trust. The development of Manroland printing materials is based on a deep understanding of the printing process. Its product development, production and optimization are up to high standards.

So companies can reduce production costs and continuously improve quality and efficiency.

Adhering to the service principle of "customer first," Manroland Sheetfed will continue to provide first-class printing equipment, comprehensive services and diversified solutions for the printers to enhance innovation and enjoy sustainable profitability.

FAST. FLEXIBLE. WATER-RESISTANT LABELS.

VP650 DESKTOP COLOR LABEL PRINTER

Combines performance and reliability for chilled food & beverages and most moisture exposed product labels.

Powered by Memjet

www.memjet.com/partners/vip-color

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 12 2020

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failure right now is higher than it has ever been.

Reinvention is reaching a tipping popint It is widely accepted that the world we live in now is experiencing rapid change. Much of this is way beyond our control. It can be stressful, and confusing.

But there are signs of normalisation, and there are certain things that remain the same. Innovation still drives progress – and according to our COVID-19 and the Future of Print Survey, 52% of respondents are innovating even more right now – and this is a key ingredient for successful reinvention.

Why is reinvention so important now?

Because we have travelled through a time warp in the past few months. As Jonas Ridderstrale, in the opening talk for the FuturePrint Virtual Summit stated, “COVID-19 has put us all into a time machine. We went to bed in 2020, and we woke up in 2030.”

Consequently, to succeed in the recovery, we must reinvent ourselves.

We must move forward. This will require us to take stock of our skillset and then try to develop something new that solves a key problem. This may feel uncomfortable at first but moving outside our comfort zone is required.

But we do not have to do this entirely alone. I believe the best way to succeed is with partners. Humans have evolved successfully through collaboration. But to do so, you need the right partners,

people who align with your values and have ideas and technology that can unlock new potential while solving important problems.

At the recent FuturePrint Virtual Summit, Memjet, Colordyne and Kao Collins presented “The Tipping Point for Inkjet.” The outcome of their collaboration has been super successful.

To achieve this, they each worked with their strengths to deliver a solution that has compelling value. . It is an inspiring story that may spark some ideas!

Of course, taking a risk is an inevitable fact of reinvention. We need to be making mistakes, learning and adapting.

Never before has there been a better time to try new things. Toleration of

According to the same survey, short runs are increasing in demand and so is the interest in digital solutions to add flexibility and responsiveness. The previous barriers to change have been deconstructed by COVID. This is the silver lining. By exploiting the amazing tech and expertise of products such as those created by Memjet, I believe will best position your business for the recovery. While some markets have suffered badly over the past few months, some, such as packaging and labels have been resilient and are expected to bounce back quickly. So, might there be a problem you could solve in this sector?

The great news is that inkjet technology is still at an early market phase, but its quality and affordability are aligning.

So, these amazing tools of innovation are ready and waiting primed by leading innovators such as Memjet.

I think we need to abandon our old plans and our old thinking. We need to experiment and fail. We need to accept that the new paradigm is uncertainty.

But as sure as night follows day, failure to do nothing at all will most likely lead to nothing at all. Of this, we can be certain!

So right now, is the tipping point for reinvention. And my advice would be to explore the opportunity in adversity and take a measured risk. It could be the defining factor for your positive future.

By: Marcus Timson, Director of FM Future Ltd.

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DIGITAL PRINTING TECHNOLOGY THAT POWERS THE WAY WE PRINT TODAY. https://www.memjet.com/partners/shield/

Powered with DuraLink® Technology The M680c digital inkjet printing system for commercial & book publishing features high-quality 1600 dpi and print speeds up to 203 m/min.

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The state-of-the-art Technolo CX 75 meets new Trends in t • Processing 2-3 jobs per hour - one-man operation on CX 75 at Higuchi Printing Works.

• The double-diameter impression cylinder concept was the key factor for investment.

• The durability and stability of Heidelberg machines influenced the decision.

• The increasing amount of highly demanding jobs on cardboard and special paper can be easily handled by their new CX 75 four color model.

Specializing in subcontract printing with professional skills to meet the high-quality demand of the market Higuchi Printing Works Inc, located in Osaka, is a trade printer since its establishment in 1970. Initially, the company developed its business mainly in general commercial printing with flyers and pamphlets being the major products. They run five Heidelberg presses, all with the user-friendly format size 50x70.

After having successfully produced commercial print work for 50 years, the company faced a significant challenge. The demand for flyers and brochures had dramatically dropped but the number of packaging jobs such as folding cartons and labels as well as very special jobs increased rapidly. Higuchi Printing Works often

handles special substrates such as Yupo synthetic paper, nonwoven fabric, foil and cardboard.

President and CEO Hiroki Higuchi

Technical Manager, Kazumi Nakatani First Speedmaster CX 75 in Japan Two Heidelberg SM 74 four color machines originally drove Higuchi’s growth in the earlier years. Now one of them was due to be replaced and the company decided to install the first CX 75 model in the Japanese market.

President Higuchi states: "Because of the limited space in the factory, we decided to install a compact, space saving Speedmaster CX 75 with double-diameter impression cylinders for handling substrate up to 0.8 mm thickness.”

Technical manager Kazumi Nakatani, who established a zero defects philosophy in their print production, adds: “The CX 75 is a very costeffective printing machine with intuitive and easy-to operate functions.”

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ogy of the Speedmaster the Japanese Print Market

Process 2-3 jobs per hour with strict one-man operation Mr. Nakatani furthermore states: “The new CX75 dramatically improves productivity because you don't have to worry about feeding and sheet travel as you sometimes have to with coated paper.

Doing one-man operation that includes everything from paper loading to inking, our operator can handle two to three jobs per hour, and the average amount of work per day has increased from 16 to 20 jobs with 1,000 or fewer sheets. Overtime hours have been reduced by an average of two hours per day.”

The operator on the CX 75 emphasizes that he is now able to concentrate on further increasing the print output rather than being concerned about hickeys or sheet travel. Furthermore,

the new Speedmaster’s ease-of-use and automation dramatically shortens makeready times.

Heidelberg’s state-of-the-art technology supports craftmanship in professional printing A Heidelberg Suprasetter produces 30% of the required plate volume but most plate sets are coming readily burnt directly from the client of this trade printer. In many cases the client also provides the substrates which results in the use of an extremely wide range of stocks. Nevertheless, Mr. Higuchi points out that printing operators "must achieve print quality that entirely satisfies our customers" while there is a strict limit for paper waste”.

Furthermore he adds: "We print a variety of jobs every day for more than 160 customers in the Osaka area. Print

operators are always facing different papers, plates, and job layouts, while performing speedily and accurately to match color, which is a challenging task. Our goal is to create the same color as the color reference presented to us, so the CX75 is a great partner because you don't have to worry about press settings and make-ready times”.

The change in print job structure at Higuchi Printing was a challenge for this company but the CX 75 helps to safeguard the profitability of the business. With the formerly large volume of general commercial print jobs dramatically declining the revenue decreased. But the higher margin of the demanding carton and specialty jobs now handled with the new CX 75 gives this SME-type company a sound basis for further development.

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Food packaging enhancement more accessible than ever before Scodix today announces the release of PolySense™ 550, a new polymer for digital enhancement developed for the food packaging industry. Compatible with the entire Scodix Ultra portfolio, the polymer is already being used by Italian Folding Carton producer, Packly, to great effect.

Guy Alon, VP of R&D at Scodix, states, “Scodix enhancements create great visual impact for the brands who use them, and food packaging is no exception. The new Scodix PolySense 550 polymer broadens the Scodix portfolio while presenting customers with the ability to further differentiate themselves from the competition – which is crucial on the packed supermarket shelves.

The value of adding digital enhancements to food packaging with the assurance that the printing procedure is safe for consumers according to food packaging standards is a big step forward for Scodix Ultra users.”

Scodix PolySense 550 food packaging compliance refers to indirect contact for low migration. Scodix capitalized

on its four years’ experience in manufacturing low migration Scodix PolySense™ for the Scodix E106 press – which works daily in the packaging industry. This development was validated by the world renowned SQTS Labs in Zurich Switzerland and was tested and approved according to Swiss Ordinance.

Giuseppe Prioriello, CEO and founder of Packly, states, “Scodix PolySense 550 augments existing Scodix applications with the ability to apply it to foodgrade packaging. It is a Packly company priority to guarantee 100 percent safe packaging in the food sector, as well as the other sectors we operate in.

We strongly believe that producers must be ahead of the game and provide safe packaging for short runs without waiting for the customer to request the

service. This is the reason why we are using this food compliant polymer.”

Prioriello adds, “We are already experiencing an increase in business as brands are personalizing their packaging while taking advantage of the shorter runs and faster lead times.

With no set-up, no waste and the fast time-to-market, food packaging digital enhancement has just broadened the possibilities for the industry dramatically.”

Scodix applications that can use Scodix PolySense™ 550 include Scodix Sense™, Scodix Foil™, Scodix VDE™, Scodix Cast&Cure™ and Scodix Glitter™. Types of substrates applicable include offset, HP Indigo ElectroInk and Lamination.

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ColorWave 3800

PlotWave 3000 Series

PlotWave 5000 Series

PlotWave 7500

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Propelling new bus highest operating r Uematsu Co., Ltd is pursuing a business model as a printing company foundry (dedicated outsourcing manufacturing company) specializing in the manufacturing sector and with this new model the company continues to grow.

Smart Graphics, strategically positioned in the Uematsu Group to tackle new business. The Lithrone G37P with a LED UV system was introduced as the main press for this new business model. The press was installed at their new plant that began full operation in October 2019.

Selected themes for the printing press: "Conserving Materials" and "Saving Time" President Fukuda says that the new plant will achieve their goal of a "smart factory".Four printing presses were installed in the new plant. Of those, three are new presses.

"While we have always been chasing greater productivity, there are barriers that we cannot overcome. How quickly we can perform color matching on the proof is essential to increasing productivity. Up until now, we have attempted to always maintain a unified sheet concentration using color management and a colorimeter, and match with digital proofs, which have increased in amount. In the new business we are printing efficiently without a proof and we now have achieved consistent quality with Japan Color standards. The key to small-lot printing is to produce a greater number of jobs that can be printed at the same level of quality and stable color without spending much time on color matching. Furthermore, we decided to adopt the LED UV system in order to reduce the amount of time spent on post-processes."

Thus, they chose the Lithrone G37P with a LED UV. "There were two selection themes. One was conserving materials and the other was saving time. In terms of conserving materials, the large plate size of the Lithrone G37P is an extremely efficient plate size that is capable of printing sheets up to A1 in size, and can also conserve blankets and other materials.

Regarding the time saving, we were drawn to Komori's "Parallel Makeready" which speeds up the makeready time so we can spend more time printing.

Parallel Makeready performs three tasks simultaneously: blanket washing, plate changing, and pre-inking."

Visualization with KP-Connect: Highest operating rate of 49.4% in a single day It has been six months since the Lithrone G37P started operations.

President Fukuda states, "We have

achieved a productivity of four times that of conventional printing presses."

As a result of focusing most on return on investment (ROI) when we considered a printing press, we decided to introduce the Lithrone G37P, and the benefit of KP-Connect together which resulted in our high operating rate. Director Fukuda says the following about the use of KP-Connect.

"With the introduction of KPConnect, the three things we focus on are the operating rate, start-up time, and the number of test sheets. As we are specialized for manufacturing products for the printing industry, we cannot control unit costs. In order to increase gross profit, we need to reduce start-up time and waste. Normally, start-up takes about 10 minutes, but we have reached times as fast as six minutes. This is a quarter of the time taken in the past.

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siness with the rate of 49.4%

If we can improve operator proficiency, we can achieve a time of six minutes consistently. The number of test prints and makeready time are both decreasing." He continued by saying that they are seeing outstanding figures for operating rate. "The operating rate is as high as 49.4% on a single day. Of course this varies depending on the size of the lot, but the average figure is very high compared to other presses."

Director Kaneko, who oversees production management, said, "The Lithrone G37P presses are all fully automated. All the operator has to do is perform maintenance and run the press at full speed, and compared to our existing machines, it has greater

visualization due to the KP-Connect data with job status information."

Striving for integration including automation of in-plant transport and post-process In regard to Parallel Makeready, Director Shimizu said, "The press is ready for final printing in a flash. In order to launch the new business, the reduction in preparation time and stability was most important. As the register and color matching is almost perfect, we can do a final printing after two test runs."

But the pursuit of greater productivity at the new plant isn't completed.

President Fukuda says, "We are aiming

for an operating rate of over 50% and we are planning on purchasing another press. In the future, we will also aim to create a comprehensive "smart factory" by automating transportation in the plant and connecting the guillotine and folder as one system."

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Canon Launches Online Large Format Graphics Community Canon is proud to announce the launch of its new online community, graphiPLAZA, for large format graphics experts. The platform is free to access for customers, partners and employees. graphiPLAZA offers a global network of expertise to improve their business practices. graphiPLAZA enables users to be informed about the latest market trends, to be inspired by best practices around the world and to discover new, exciting applications. It offers an extensive manufacturer-independent media profile database compatible with the Canon Arizona flatbed and Colorado roll-to-roll printer families with advanced search capabilities.

User and technical documentation, as well as the latest firmware and software updates, are available within a few mouse-clicks. graphiPLAZA offers an interactive forum to facilitate discussions with peers, categorised into various topics.

The platform, which is fully GDPR compliant and meets Canon’s strict security regulations, is moderated by

a team of employees from Canon Production Printing headquarters, supported by the regional sales organisations. “graphiPLAZA is one of the key strategic projects that emphasises our ‘industry experts talking to experts’ philosophy here at Canon. By launching the platform, we are facilitating the exchange of relevant information between us, as a large format solutions provider, and our industry peers, in the most user-friendly and collaborative way. We are confident that the content on graphiPLAZA will inspire our customers to push the boundaries of print, help our partners to maximise their business opportunities, and offer our employees a platform to learn more about best practice printing in collaboration with our customers

worldwide,” says Steve Ford, Managing Director, Production Printing Asia, Canon.

About Canon Singapore Pte. Ltd. Canon is a global leader in photographic and digital imaging solutions. Canon Singapore Pte. Ltd. is the headquarters for South & Southeast Asia driving sales, marketing and service strategies.

Besides handling the domestic market, the company covers 22 other countries and regions including subsidiaries in India, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

The parent company Canon Inc. has a global network of more than 300 companies and employs close to 200,000 people worldwide. Canon is guided by its kyosei philosophy that focuses on living and working together for the common good.

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Koenig & Bauer (SEA) Sdn Bhd +603 7885 8860 digitalsalescenter@koenig-bauer.com

koenig-bauer.com

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Heidelberg sets up production joint venture with Masterwork To strengthen its position in China, Heidelberg has set up a production joint venture with long-standing partner and shareholder, Masterwork.

Heidelberg is expected to benefit in the value-added chain, particularly at its production site near Shanghai. The two companies also expect the expansion of their cooperation through joint parts production by the joint venture at Masterwork's site in Tianjin, to open opportunities for boosting efficiency.

"The manufacturing joint venture with Masterwork is a further milestone in the successful cooperation between the two companies and opens up additional opportunities for Heidelberg in China," said Rainer Hundsdörfer, CEO of Heidelberg.

"With a sales volume of around 300 million Euro, China is Heidelberg's most important single market in the graphic arts industry. We have increasingly strengthened our leading market position by expanding our range of products at our production site near Shanghai. The increasing purchase of locally manufactured parts will significantly increase our competitiveness in this growth market.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the venture will take over some of the machine parts previously manufactured

by Heidelberg. The main customers are Heidelberg Graphics Equipment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., as the local Group company in China, and Masterwork and its affiliated companies. Production is scheduled to start at Masterwork's new and innovative site in Tianjin at the beginning of 2021.

advanced level will also be put into use in the joint venture to ensure the best performance and maintain the same high-quality standards as Heidelberg.

We firmly believe that the joint venture will live up to the expectations, especially the quality requirements. Finally, we are very happy with this cooperation. By learning from Heidelberg, Masterwork will surely upgrade to a new and higher level of manufacturing and production skills worldwide.”

“The joint venture between MK and Heidelberg is a very important step in the strategic development of both sides.

Our common goal is to provide highquality, cost-effective and intelligent products for the market to better meet and service customer needs,” said Masterwork President Li Li.

A total of around 900 Heidelberg employees work in China, around 450 of them in sales and service. Two branches in Beijing and Hong Kong and three offices in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen ensure comprehensive customer support on site.

“Through this cooperation, the joint venture will introduce the most advanced management, production and manufacturing technologies, all of which are based on Industry 4.0. In addition, various processing centers representing the world's most

Masterwork is China's largest manufacturer of die cutters and hot foil embossing presses. With the partnership, Heidelberg also aims to significantly expand its market position in the growing packaging printing sector.

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Meet the New Building Blocks of Flexibility With the new Versant® 3100i Press and Versant® 180i Press Offer more than ever before and grow your business with added flexibility and new possibilities. The new Versant® 3100i Press and Versant® 180i Press are designed to handle a wide variety of media types and finishing options, all at full productivity and efficiency.

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Key trends driving the gro A new forecast by Smithers has pointed out four key trends that indicate how the packaging industry is set to evolve. According to the research: ‘The Future of Packaging: Long-Term Strategic Forecast to 2028’, between 2018 and 2028 the global packaging market is set to expand by almost 3% per annum, reaching over $1.2 trillion.

The trends that will influence the growth of the global packaging industry are: 1. Economic and demographic growth The report highlights general expansion in the global economy over the next decade, boosted by growth in emerging consumer markets.

China and India are key emerging markets that are expected to expand as the rate of urbanisation continue to grow.

Rising life expectancy will lead to the growth of an aging population, especially in Japan. This will lead to an increase in demand for healthcare and pharmaceutical products.

Simultaneously there is a need for easy opening solutions and packaging adapted to the needs of elders.

A rise in the number of single-person households is pushing demand for goods packaged in smaller portion sizes, as well as more convenience like resealability or microwavable packaging.

2. Sustainability There has been a revived interest in sustainability, focused specifically on packaging. This can be seen in governmental regulations, consumer attitudes and brand owner values communicated via packaging.

The EU has pioneered this area with its drive towards circular economy principles. There is a particular focus on plastic waste, and as a high-volume, single-use item plastic packaging has come under particular scrutiny. A number of strategies are advancing to address this, including substituting to alternative materials, investing in the development of bio-based plastics, designing packs to make them easier to process in recycling, and improving recycling and processing of plastic waste.

As sustainability has become a key motivator for consumers, brands

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 12 2020

owth of packaging to 2028 This will continue to increase through to 2028 and will see an elevated demand for packaging solutions, especially corrugated board formats, that can safely ship goods through the more complex distribution channels.

More people are consuming products such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals on-the-go. This is increasing demand for packaging solutions that are convenient and portable, with the flexible plastics sector one main beneficiary.

are increasingly keen for packaging materials and designs that demonstrably show their commitment to the environment.

With up to 40% of food produced worldwide not eaten, minimising food waste is another key goal for policy makers. It is an area where modern packaging technology can have a major impact.

For example, modern flexible formats like high-barrier pouches add extra shelf-life to foods, and can be especially beneficial in less developed markets where a refrigerated retail infrastructure is missing. Much R&D is going into improving packaging barrier technology, including the integration of nano-engineered materials.

Minimising food losses also supports the wider use of intelligent packaging to cut waste within distribution chains and reassure consumers and retailers on the safety of packaged foods.

3. Consumer trends The global market for online retailing continues to grow rapidly, driven by IoT and smartphones. Consumers are increasingly buying more goods online.

Convenience store retailing is expected to grow, as more consumers, especially younger age groups, are inclined to shop for groceries more frequency, in smaller quantities. This has also boosted demand for more convenient, smaller size formats.

Consumers are taking a greater interest in their own health matters, leading to healthier lifestyles. Therefore this is boosting demand for packaged goods, such as healthy foods and beverages (e.g. gluten-free, organic/natural, portion controlled) alongside nonprescription medicines and nutritional supplements.

4. Brand owner trends The internationalisation of many brands within the fast-moving consumer goods industry continues to

rise, as companies seek out new highgrowth sectors and markets. Increased exposure to westernised lifestyles will accelerate this process in key growth economies through to 2028.

E-commerce and the globalisation of international trade is also stimulating a demand among brand owners for components like RFID labels and smart tags, to protect against counterfeit goods, and enable better monitoring of their distribution.

Industry consolidation in merger and acquisition activity in end-use sectors such as food, beverages, cosmetics, is expected to continue. As more brands come under the control of one owner, their packaging strategies are likely to become consolidated.

The 21st Century consumer is less brand loyal. This is simulating an interest in customised or versioned packaging and packaging solutions that can create an impact with them.

Digital (inkjet and toner) printing is enabling this, with higher throughput printers dedicated for packaging substrates now seeing their first installations. This further aligns with the desire for integrated marketing, with packaging providing a gateway to link into social media.

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Ikea is killing off its catalog after 70 years The Swedish retailer cited the increasing shift to online browsing and shopping for the end of its catalog.

Ikea said in a statement it has "taken the emotional but rational decision to respectfully end the successful career" of the print and digital versions of the catalog.

"Turning the page with our beloved catalog is in fact a natural process since media consumption and customer behaviors have changed," said Konrad GrĂźss, an Ikea executive, in a statement.

"In order to reach and interact with the many people, we will keep inspiring with our home furnishing solutions in new ways."

The first Ikea catalog was released in Swedish in 1951. The first dual-version (online and in print) was released in 2000 and, at its peak in 2016, Ikea printed 200 million copies in 32 languages in 50 markets.

Ikea has increasingly shifted its focus to digital sales and marketing. Its online sales got a big boost during the pandemic as millions of people turned their homes into makeshift schools and offices, with sales surging 45% over the

12 months to August, driven by 4 billion visits to Still, its warehouse-sized stores and beloved cafes remain an integral part of the company's growth plan.

Inter Ikea Group CEO Jon Abrahamsson Ring said that customers still want to "touch and try" its products.

The company said it will continue to employ a "total market approach," offering smaller showrooms in city centers, traditional suburban Ikea stores and online fulfillment centers. ​ he 2021 catalog, released T in October, will be the final version. Next year, Ikea will release a smaller book that will be "filled with great home furnishing inspiration and knowledge" and celebrates the catalog's history.

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Moving forward wit Intent and Determin As we approach the close of each year (and what a year this 2020 has been for us all), we reflect and get ready for the year ahead – and we are ALL ready for its arrival.

But with a high degree of uncertainty still dominating the global environment, is 2021 really going to be any different?

Is there a clear path forward? Where do we go from here? It’s time to ponder the possible answers to these questions for sure.

This year the pandemic has challenged our entire existence and forced us to physically isolate from colleagues, customers, friends and even family often making it difficult to see purpose – that connection to something larger.

We don’t yet have a complete picture with ongoing uncertainties and difficult questions still looming, but I am convinced that a way to bridge this gap is to embed our reflection, discovery, out-of-the-box discussions, and action into the purpose of our lives, our businesses and the organizations we support.

I believe we can learn from this experience invaluable lessons, to recalibrate and make not only better decisions, but also the most authentic ones based on limited imperfect information, uncertainty, and urgency to enable a positive impact for everyone. Purpose is a key component of this recalibration process.

As it turns out, companies or brands having a well understood “Purpose” perpetuate a strong business benefit – in that consumers are four to six times more likely to buy from, trust, champion, and defend companies with a strong purpose, according to a recent global study by the award-winning integrated communications agency Zeno Group.

In this new normal where consumers are isolated at home, a brand’s purpose, and its physical connection with the

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th Purpose, nation consumer is more important than ever.

This means that their brand must go beyond the traditional written corporate statements and be put into action. For example, what the brand stands for must be clearly incorporated within their marketing collateral – including the packages of their products as the brand’s package has become a huge vehicle to highlight purpose, which is now a significant driver of connection and purchases.

As a result of these ongoing global adjustments, inkjet printing technology is primed to enable brands and print providers to have better control over their marketing messages and where, when, and how many packages they have, avoiding wasted materials, which is good for the environment.

Positioned to Meet Challenges Memjet has used its’ patents, R&D and engineering experience to create top-notch digital printing technologies like DuraLink® and DuraFlex® for OEM partners to integrate within their printing solutions to enable connection to purpose and efficiencies throughout the entire value chain.

Memjet continues to focus on addressing the critical industry and market challenges to enable longterm growth and prosperity for all stakeholders including our investors, employees, OEM partners and their own clients.

In fact, by assuring additional Powered

by Memjet printing solutions for multiple applications including labels, corrugated, folding carton, flexible

packaging, publishing, and more Memjet is ready to deliver on its’ own purpose by providing technology with the speed, ease of use, overall productivity, total-cost-of-ownership, and beautiful precision needed during the pandemic – and whatever comes next.

In 2021, I encourage everyone to remain authentic and purposeful. Aim to be unrelenting in elevating and stimulating debates about uncomfortable truths and tensions as we clearly live in an uncertain time that calls for a new genuine way of expressing the symbiotic relationship between personal purpose, corporate purpose as well as personal and corporate performance.

By: Oscar Ibarra, Senior Director of Product Marketing & Marketing Communications

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Testing of a four-day work week

Unilever (UL) has become the latest major company to hop on the four-day work week bandwagon, lending credence to the idea that flexible working is here to stay.

On Tuesday, the distributor of Lipton's tea, Dove soap and Ben & Jerry's ice cream announced it would test shorter working hours for all its employees in New Zealand, letting them decide which four days they'd prefer to work each week.

The trial starts this month, and runs for a year. The consumer giant has 81 staff members in the country, who will be allowed to work compressed schedules with full pay as the University of Technology Sydney in Australia helps track their progress.

Unilever said that if all goes well, the company will consider whether to shake up its workflow on a wider scale.

"We hope the trial will result in Unilever being the first global company to embrace ways of working that provide tangible benefits for staff and for business," Nick Bangs, managing director of Unilever New Zealand, said in a statement.

"This is an exciting moment for our team and a validation of the catalytic role Covid-19 has played in shaking up standard working practices."

Unilever isn't the first firm to adopt the practice in New Zealand. In 2018, local company Perpetual Guardian, which helps customers manage their wills and estates, also held a widely cited twomonth trial of the concept. The firm said it was so successful, it later decided to make it permanent.

Bangs said that his team was inspired by the findings from that case study, and had started to "believe the old ways of working are outdated."

Even New Zealand's leader, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, has raised the idea as one that might help the economy recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

In May, Ardern shared the suggestion while discussing ways to revive domestic tourism in her country. She said that while businesses had their own discretion to make such decisions, the idea had merit in that it might give domestic travelers "flexibility in terms of their travel and their leave."

Big companies elsewhere are also starting to join the trend. Last year, Microsoft (MSFT)'s team in Japan experimented by shutting down its offices every Friday in August, and giving all employees an extra day off each week.

The results were promising: While the amount of time spent at work was cut dramatically, productivity — measured by sales per employee — went up by almost 40% compared to the same period the previous year, the company said.

As a result, Microsoft announced that it would follow up with another experiment in Japan, and also asked other companies to join the initiative.

Four-day work weeks have been touted as a way to improve work-life balance.

Some businesses recently started trying it out to help fight burnout caused by the challenges of working during the pandemic.

Other companies are leaning into remote working for similar reasons. On Tuesday, Japanese firm Nomura Holdings said that it was considering introducing a new arrangement, which would allow workers to spend up to 60% of their time away from the office each month.

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Exceptional label design implemented economically Exceptional label design functions like a Trojan horse. Amazing and attractive to look at, it is uncompromisingly designed for conquest. label-look” or “clear-on-clear” labels that print service providers can only achieve with a high proportion of screen-printing.

Brands are increasingly focusing on screen printing for labels, as it offers a wide range of options for attracting customers with its extraordinary, exclusive design effects. A visit to Gallus in the screen printing division in Herisau (Switzerland) demonstrates everything that is possible with screen printing.

What makes screen printing effects so attractive is clearly demonstrated by the human sensation of stimulus.

When shopping, visual perception is, at 58% the most important aspect of our perception of stimulus. If a product comes within reach, the sensory experience can be increased by a further 25% through the sense of touch.

Because both senses provide decisive buying impulses at the point of sale, the label and packaging design of highend market segments rely on so-called premium effects, which specifically address these senses. Rotary screen printing offers the widest range of options for implementing these in terms of printing technology. This explains the constant growth of screen printing, often in new areas of application.

EXCEPTIONAL LABEL DESIGNS For example, the “no label look” label LIFEWTR is printed in 12 colours. Due to the extraordinary opacity of white screen printing, consumers can also read the brand logo through the back of the transparent bottle. The colourful allure of the graphics also radiate from this perspective, especially in combination MARKET SEGMENTS Typical market segments in which rotary screen printing is used are, above all, labels in the “Personal Care” and “Beverage” application segments, in this case mainly in Wines & Spirits and Premium Water. But other segments such as “Household” and “Food” also have impressive examples. Clearon-clear applications, especially with drinks, are experiencing a strong upsurge. They allow label design to play with opacity and transparency, combined with coloured stimuli and tactile elements. The examples given in this section show impressive “no-

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 12 2020

44 Metal relief effect through “Metallic Doming”. and offset printing, in some cases also book and gravure printing. This means that the required screen printing units in the printing sequence of narrow web machines must be able to be used where they are necessary for the implementation of the design.

This varies from job to job. A decisive factor for the economical use of screen printing is therefore the rapid change of printing processes during the execution of an order. In label printing, machine systems in which the screen printing units are located on the same process level as the printing units of other printing methods have proven particularly useful.

with transparent elements. Tactile elements on the surface also lend the bottle exceptional tactile appeal. An absolutely extraordinary label designed for a transparent plastic water bottle.

The vodka label “El Drago Rojo” also thrives on its haptic elements, which are produced via a transparent varnish on the Clear-on-Clear label. The nontransparent motif components are backed with white screen printing, the rich red and gold applied by screen printing.

The metal relief effect on the Infusion Care tube laminate is created by the so-called “metallic doming”. For this purpose, an adhesive layer is applied by rotary screen printing, over which a hot foil is laminated with a rubber roller.

Print images can thus be produced even on plastic films with a permanent metallic relief.

THE RIGHT SCREEN PRINTING UNIT Screen printing, with its wide range of embellishing options, complements other printing processes in label printing. As a rule, these are flexographic

This has the advantage of extremely short process change times and web paths. Gallus for example develops an appropriate screen printing unit for each machine type as an integrative solution that uses the printing function of the basic machine. The development team has adapted them to the drive system of the various machines by means of different stencil rings on which the printing plates as welded screen tubes are bonded.

If screen printing is used, two screen printing units are usually integrated in a label printing machine. There are applications in which up to six, in exceptional cases even up to ten screen printing units are used. In all cases, the focus is always on fast set-up times, low start-up waste and achieving a high printing speed.

Screen printing plates For decades, Gallus Ferd. Rüesch AG has been supporting label convertors

around the world in the implementation of unusual label designs. The different effects in screen printing require a comprehensive plate portfolio. Gallus already has the third generation of Screeny screen plates on the market, which continues to evolve in terms of reusability and service life.

One feature of plate selection is its rigidity, which significantly influences shelf life. Once this has been defined, the plate types differ in plate thickness, which is decisive for the transferred ink layer as well as the resolution. At the same time, the mesh size controls the possible fineness of the motif. Thus, halftone printing and delicate lines, combinations of line and solids, coarse solid motifs or even relief printing with tactile elements can be implemented.

Premium is also conquering mass products Much of what makes up extraordinary label design is similar to the approach in Troy. At the marketplace, today called the “Point of Sales”, it is important for the labelled product to attract the attention, to offer the consumer something visually impressive. If this is successful, the surprise effect follows. Extraordinary label designs in the second step provide the premium effect, through tactile elements or special design effects. The incentive to buy is already there.

The fact that well-known or developing brands rely on this is not surprising. It is even more ingenious when used in segments where you do not expect it.

Recently, a large Swiss retailer gave their bread packaging a premium screenprinted touch. An indication that screen printing can also conquer mass products when it comes to standing out from the crowd.

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Why working with spectral The future of managing color is “spectral”. This article will demonstrate why, summarizes the key benefits of working with CxF data & explains how you can easily use spectral CxF data throughout your entire production process – from design to print.

Initially, for many in the graphics industry, it may seem cumbersome when you explain their daily business will be greatly simplified by the implementation of spectral data as a cornerstone to their color workflow environment. At first glance, the concept may seem complex. Until now the CxF open standard has been in early stages of true adoption and we still find some reservations related to change. The fear of change is a natural one, but it can also enable companies to be more profitable when they embrace new technology advancements.

To communicate color effectively it is not enough to describe the solid tone value as it is done in most cases today. You need to have all the aspects of a color included, e.g. the halftones and even the overprinting behavior.

Ultimately this is crucial information, spot color gradients are a requirement to be accurately reproduced if color will be printed on transparent substrates for instance. This is of great importance for packaging printers (-> we will focus on this particular point later in more depth). With spectral data and suitable tools, you can do this easily.

The “Color Exchange Format” (CxF) which is the basis for spectral color data is discussed in many industry expert forums related to color management.

This is for very good reason and is already referred to as “The silver bullet to communicate and manage color.”

Working with CxF data is very simple Many reservations still remain in the market around the adoption of CxF data. In our experience, this is often related to the uncertainty of how to manage CxF data, the benefits, and the onset of how to go about implementing a CxF based workflow. Many times, people are under the impression they will need a lot of time to create the initial CxF data which is necessary to begin working with it. In some cases, they are corre

Let’s explain why and introduce you to some newly developed features which make working with spectral data simple and help your business’ overall efficiency.

The tremendous advantage & great potential of spectral data A huge advantage of capturing CxF color data is that all characteristics of the color are included and easily communicated. This sounds “so simple”, right? But, if you take a good look at the daily business of many companies out there, you will see, that many members of the graphic arts industry are struggling with challenges based on a lack of complete or insufficient color data – which they usually receive from their clients or which they may provide to their suppliers.

ct: In the conventional way commonly used it is indeed time-consuming because you need to create, print, and measure CxF tint ramps for all the individual colors you will need to work with.

We have great news though: There have been great advancements and new tools available in the market today that make it possible to avoid the time-consuming work in doing so. New functionality

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color data is so beneficial

in our CXF TOOLBOX makes this a very simple task. The software has been intelligently developed to create, organize, and edit spectral data. Most importantly it easily communicates CxF data reliably, with our new “prediction feature”.

This new cutting-edge functionality enables users to calculate spectral values of a printed spot color in an entire gradation automatically as opposed

to only understanding the color characteristics of a solid drawdown.

a large database that is continuously growing.

In addition to the solid tone value you only need to understand the target substrate – the rest is expertly managed

by CXF TOOLBOX. Accurately predict single colors, but also entire color libraries! This new capability was developed together with SCREEN Graphic Solutions Co., Ltd. and is available in our latest software version recently launched. Completely based on a very precise color algorithm and

Just predict the missing values and colour behavior The prediction feature is incredibly beneficial because it is extremely fast, very efficient and greatly minimizes user errors which have sometimes occurred in the past. Access to the spectral world of color is possible, it is easy and there is no need for an experienced color expert. The software is very simple to learn and makes

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everyone a color expert with only a few clicks of the mouse button.

All CxF data – whether it has been created with conventional print processes or with our prediction feature – will be stored, organized, edited, and shared with CXF TOOLS. It is also possible to extract CxF data that may already exist – e.g. when they are implemented in a PDF file. The CXF TOOLBOX easily extracts that information, too.

Store and share your spectral data locally or in the cloud You have the ability to save your data locally or use the CXF TOOLS to share the data with anyone you like – or with any system, you may need to. This is a very important point, you can use your spectral data for designing, proofing, and in the production print process.

The CXF TOOLBOX and its COLOR CLOUD are directly connected to all of the other applications in our CGS ORIS COLOR SUITE. You can use the data seamlessly, in applications like FLEX PACK to print contract packaging proofs and to produce the most design complex mock-ups with stunning finishing effects.

CxF data is also very beneficial for use in X GAMUT, our award-winning

color management software for multicolor printing (-> get more information about extended gamut printing) as you can use it directly within the workflow and easily produce the most coloraccurate print production runs.

For instance, as a label printer you can take full advantage of all our software tools: It begins by creating and predicting spectral data of the spot colors integrated in your customer’s job, using them when producing contract-proofs and mock-ups and lastly within your print production run.

You can even use them to separate spot colors (described in spectral values) easily and accurately to an extended fixed ink palette of process colors like CMYK+OGV in multi-color printing machines.

In addition, CxF data is also perfect for use in conventional production. Your in house ink room or ink supplier can use the data within ink formulation software when preparing ink recipes.

“It is very important – and a basic requirement – to ensure optimal color communication between brand owners, designers, agencies, ink manufacturers and printing companies. Completely eliminating any potential misunderstanding of color requirements – no matter where a supply chain partner may be located”,

Bernd Rueckert, CEO at CGS ORIS, summarizes.

“With this new feature CxF data can be implemented very quickly and without any need for a high level of color expertise. This new algorithm is able to calculate all necessary color information and most importantly the color’s behavior based on a large archive of color values from all different types of production environments which is continuously growing – this really simplifies and speeds up the process of creating and working with CxF data”, he continues.

Spectral overprinting This has really been an amazing breakthrough. With the latest versions of our CGS ORIS applications, a very challenging aspect of color management has been greatly improved: The ability to accurately overprint spot colors. Thanks to the development and implementation of spectral data technology 4.0 the overprinting is smooth and even more accurate than ever before. There are now different modes available to offer the best possible results you may require.

As you can see, working with CxF data is of prime importance for brand owners as well as the entire packaging

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SPEED UP YOUR PROCESSES with optical systems for UV curing and drying

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industry. When spot colors are used in all aspects of their design and production, the unique advantages of CxF data are becoming obvious and everybody who needs to work with them should definitely consider the huge potential and advantages of CxF data.

enable simple color management without a requirement for color expertise. Finally delivering the key to really digitize and globally communicate color. There is no need to use expensive couriers who deliver printed drawdowns and cards from A to B and vice versa”, Rueckert concludes.

Succesful pioneers and their experience A global leader in the spirits and beverage alcohol industry has shared their experience, organizing and communicating more than 200 brand colors with our CXF TOOLS: “It is incredibly easy to gain secure access to our brand colors – which are our crown jewels – this creates confidence in the supplier, and makes it easy to reach the aim to be one team with one color scheme.“ This opens up even more benefits and advantages of working with CxF.

“Of course, many people like to see and experience their color printed in a particular context before they make a final decision – and this can easily be provided with just one click – but at this point in time with our powerful technology, CGS ORIS removes the need for visual color checks. Making it possible to completely automate and digitize the color production workflow.

“For each company in the graphic industry, it creates a huge added value to work with CxF data. It facilitates tremendous time and cost savings.

This is why our CXF TOOLS is a core component within our entire software suite and why we are continually advancing the technology every day.

The COLOR CLOUD is an instrumental product, the organization and communication of color is a central part of the processes in our industry. CxF and the implementation of a completely accurate color database

Summary Working with CxF data and with the newly developed prediction feature finally makes it easy to enter the beneficial world of spectral data. It creates much greater accuracy (an exchange color space is no longer needed), security (as colors are captured with all their properties and behavior) and production work is becoming simpler and much faster.

The experience of a large brandcustomer has shown that one month of time each year has be saved in the product innovation cycle in comparison to before. This leads, of course, to huge cost reductions.

Spectral data reduces many errors (during the production process and between project partners), all color data is always up-to-date and a timeless/ durable, reliable benchmark (which does not shift over time like color cards/chips), several challenges can be met and it helps to dissociate processes from individual color experts within a company.

It also ensures a high level of flexibility – because CxF is an open standard and can be applied to each printing process and varying substrates – an enormous simplification of the entire color workflow.

Greater productivity and efficiency are the results with positive effects for everyone involved in the production process. From design all the way through to end print production.

Therefore, working with spectral data and the suitable tools easily guarantees consistent color all over the world, wherever and whenever color is printed."

Benefits at a glance - Simple & fast entrance to the beneficial world of CxF - Accurate, safe & fast color processes/ production - Cost-reduction - Error-reduction - Up-to-date, timeless/durable color data/benchmark for entire supply chain - Dissociation of knowledge from individual color experts, simplification of processes - Flexibility (open standard) - Simplification of the entire workflow - Greater productivity & efficiency - Consistent color all over the world

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OWN THE FUTURE.

EFITM VUTEk® h5

Next-generation technology for the next generation of leaders. The EFI VUTEk h Series — an entirely new hybrid LED superwide platform invented to not only lead today’s market, but everything to come. There’s just nothing else like it. You’ll deliver higher quality,

with a Fiery® proServer, make it part of the EFI workflow and productivity ecosystem, and let the new h Series help launch your business forward — and beyond.

To find out more, contact us at go.efi.com/contactus-media

LET US BE THE FUEL

Nothing herein should be construed as a warranty in addition to the express warranty statement provided with EFI products and services. EFI, FabriVU, Fiery, the Fiery logo, and VUTEk are trademarks of Electronics For Imaging, Inc. and/or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or certain other countries. ©2020 Electronics For Imaging, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Chinese packaging com Bobst for ‘smart’ factory Zhejiang Dashengda invests in three Bobst machines to serve multinational clients with high-end packaging.

One of China’s biggest manufacturers of corrugated and paperboard packaging, Zhejiang Dashengda Packaging Co Ltd is based in the Xiaoshan Economic and Technological Development Zone in Hangzhou. The company has over 700 employees and daily production capacity exceeds 1.2 million square meters, with products supplied to customers in a wide range of sectors, from drinks and tobacco to home appliances and logistics.

The company is based in the Xiaoshan Economic and Technological Development Zone in Hangzhou. The company has over 700 employees and daily production capacity exceeds 1.2 million square meters, with products supplied to customers in a wide range of sectors, from drinks and tobacco to home appliances and logistics.

Dashengda is continuously adopting new technologies that allow them to increase automation in production, resulting in higher efficiencies and the establishment of a fully digitalized

‘Smart’ factory. As part of its ambitious Intelligent Manufacturing strategy, the company has made a significant investment in more BOBST equipment for its large converting department.

In addition to primary and secondary paper packaging products, Dashengda also provides customers with full design support, guidance on recycling and online platforms for the life cycle of packaging solutions. The customer base includes big multinationals such as Panasonic, Samsung, China Tobacco, Huarun Beer, Wahaha Group, Supor, SF Express, and Zhejiang Haikang Group, amongst many others.

Production planning driven by data With a range of BOBST hot stamping and die-cutting machines already part of the production setup, Dashengda has now added the Bobst FFG 8.20 DISCOVERY Flexo Folder Gluer along with the two e-Line Die-Cutters.

The FFG 8.20 DISCOVERY a userfriendly, high-productivity box-making solution, which can process up to

18,000 corrugated boxes each hour. The flexo folder gluer is a robust machine combining automation, accuracy and quality is one package to offer low total cost of ownership (TCO).

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mpany invests in y

company Eterna (Shanghai Eternal Machinery Co., Ltd). Designed to improve efficiency and eliminate manual handling of the sheets, the e-LINE model is a fully automated solution that offers all functions from loading to palletizing in one integrated production line.

Processing single and double-walled corrugated board of 1.2 to 8 mm (0.04 to 0.3 inches) in thickness, the DISCOVERY prints and converts sheets in sizes up to 830 x 2,180 mm (32.6 x 85.8 inches). It also boasts ultra-quick setting up times, or order changeover during the run, of just two minutes with Rapid-Set, while the Posilock® system allows for fast mounting of die-cutting tools.

With the BOBST Maintenance Management & Productivity Control (MMPC) system, the DISCOVERY gives Dashengda full control over the process and access to vital production data. The packaging manufacturer sees data-driven innovation as core to its ‘Smart’ manufacturing system, which has been developed to remain competitive in the global corrugated packaging market, where growth of more than 4% annually is forecast.

“We offer a leading manufacturing service guarantee and are constantly striving to optimize and improve our offering through investment in advanced technology, process capability and technical strength,” said Mr. Sun Jun-Jun, vice president of Dashengda, “Our lean management system gives us a competitive advantage and we only invest in machines that we know can match or exceed our very high expectations.”

BOBST Technology brings solution After a comprehensive analysis of the market, the three BOBST machines were chosen by the business group leaders, who found that they had many competitive features and were the perfect fit for the company’s intelligent manufacturing planning and design.

The two new die-cutters were manufactured and supplied to Dashengda by the Bobst Group

“With BOBST automation in our factory, boxes and cartons can be produced and delivered to our intelligent warehouse literally without ‘touching the ground’,” explained Mr. Sun. “In addition, we have found that the unique design of scoring profiles for different types of flutes offered by BOBST is not available from other manufacturers.

This is an important feature as it avoids issues with corrugated sheets bursting.

Moreover, BOBST’s folding method is the best in the industry and it really solves the biggest pain point!”

“When a leading company like Dashengda chooses BOBST , it once again validates our strategy and position in the market, and we are very honored to be their partner,” said Olivier Robin, Sales Director of Bobst Lyon. “Our customers understand that automation, connectivity and data are core to future growth, and together we pioneer the most innovative technologies that is taking packaging production to the next level.”

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Premium ink system contributes to better quality recyclate The cross-sector project “Recyclate Initiative”, organised by leading companies from the plastic, ink and recycling industries, including hubergroup, has reached an important milestone.

Extensive testing to improve the recyclate quality of polyolefin foils has confirmed that the recycling properties of BOPP/BOPP laminates can be significantly improved by using the appropriate ink systems. The result is a high-quality granulate with material properties comparable to virgin materials. This granulate can then be processed, e.g. using injection moulding technology, for use in the automotive industry, for example. Packaging is therefore given a new lease of life in high-quality applications.

Ink is a major factor for high-quality recyclate Ink has a demonstrably significant impact on the quality of recyclate.

Previous use of a standard NC ink system did not deliver the desired results.

Decomposition products discolour the regranulate and significantly deteriorate the mechanical and sensory properties.

Dr Christian Schirrmacher, technical representative for hubergroup Print Solutions in this project, reports on the development process: “Our first challenge was to understand the recycling process on a chemical

Laminate reels cut in halves along their axis

Blue printed film

Blue recylate as a result

and physical level. Subsequently, in the second phase of the project we developed laboratory methods in order to find raw materials that meet the complex requirements of this process.

From this information, we were able to determine suitable ink formulations.”

By switching to a polyurethanebased ink system (Gecko Platinum Flexo), the Kirchheim printing ink manufacturer made a major contribution to the success of the project. The Gecko Platinum ink series from hubergroup, which was specially developed for demanding applications in the sterilisable packaging sector, can withstand the high temperatures used during the regranulation of polypropylene foil due to the PU technology.

Thanks to the ink stability, the regranulate retains its high-quality material properties, which are comparable to those of virgin material.

“We are proud to be part of this initiative and to be able to celebrate these initial successes today. This

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55 achievement was only possible due to cooperation throughout the supply chain and by combining the knowledge and expertise of every individual,” Schirrmacher praises the positive and constructive cooperation of the project partners.

What is the “recyclate” initiative?

The recyclate initiative is a collaboration between several companies from the ink, plastic and recycling industries.

The companies involved include Maag (packaging), Taghleef Industries (foils), Henkel (laminating adhesives), and hubergroup Print Solutions (printing inks), amongst others.

The driving force behind this collaborative initiative is the increasing demand for recyclable plastic packaging. Another factor is the EU’s environmental objective to achieve a circular economy for single-use plastic packaging by 2030.

Shredded and re-extruded film

In order to achieve this aim, hubergroup is also extremely active in other industry projects as well as in different collaborations such as CEFLEX.

SPECTRAL BRAND COLOR MANAGEMENT & COMMUNICATION - EASY & EFFECTIVE

Store and edit brand colors easily with all their spectral characteristics and communicate them with all your project partners and suppliers – in a simple and secure manner. www.cgs-oris.com

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Without you even realisin make you healthier, so g Health star ratings on food packaging don’t just help consumers make better choices, they've also now been proven to encourage manufacturers to switch to healthier ingredients to bump up their score, prompting calls for the system to be mandatory.

A new study, published on Saturday in PLOS Medicine, found that compared to Australian products that don't display a health star rating, those that do are 6.5 per cent more likely to have their nutrition improved and increase their score by 0.5 stars. t may appear small, but this figure would be higher if unhealthy packaged products were all forced to display a rating, says the study's lead author and a University research fellow.

Less than 15 per cent of unhealthy products chose to display the health star label in 2019, compared to more than 35 per cent of healthy products.

To observe how product formulation changed, researchers from Australia and New Zealand tracked the nutrition information of almost 59,000 products in major supermarkets since 2014 – the year the voluntary health star rating

system, which gives packaged foods a score out of five stars, was introduced nationally as a way to help busy shoppers make quick but healthier choices.

The team used the official health star calculator to score products that didn't display a rating.

Unhealthy products that showed a rating had the most ingredient reformulation. On average, a product that scored 0.5-1.5 stars had its kilojoules decreased by 1.3 per cent, with similar patterns across nutrients including salt and sugar.

It means that even if you don't look at food labels, the health star rating system could make the food you buy – and by proxy, you – healthier.

Examples include a popular flavoured cracker which now has six per cent less fat and 10 per cent less sodium per 100

grams, moving its rating from 1.5 to two stars. Several instant soups also cut sodium and kilojoules to boost their score.

Even though it's really small on a product level, on a population level the changes are huge and that to be effective, the system must be made mandatory across all countries.

Because unhealthy products aren't really participating in the program, it drives overall reformulation down, Products are not putting it on because they want to hide the fact they're unhealthy.

An estimated two in three Australian adults are overweight or obese, and enforcing the health star rating is a way to help address this.

A public health lawyer from the George Institute, agrees, saying that this would

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ng - food labels can get your labels ready An accredited practising dietitian says consumers need to be aware that health star ratings are designed to be used only for comparing foods within the same category.

"So if you're looking at breakfast cereals, it's designed to compare one breakfast cereal to another, not to canned fruit.Don't cut out all foods that don't hit 4-5 stars. It just means you might eat less quantity of those."

She says the system should be compulsory to provide shoppers a quick, overall assessment of foods. She also recommends consumers, where possible, continue to compare the nutrition panels of products and read ingredient lists, keeping in mind they go from largest to smallest quantity.

make the system work for consumers and not just for food companies.

For health star ratings to work best [consumers] need to see them on everything on the shelf ... to compare similar items. Front-of-pack labelling is even more important in a time of COVID-19 when many people don't want to pick up a lot of packages at the supermarket to compare nutrition information.

The health star system has drawn criticism because some products, such as some breakfast cereals, could score well by having high levels of good nutrients, such as protein and fibre, despite being high in sugar or salt. It's also calculated on an "as prepared" basis, which led to Milo withdrawing in 2018 after controversy surrounded its 4.5 stars, derived from the assumption that Australians add three teaspoons to 200ml of skim milk.

After a recent review of the system by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, recommendations will be rolled out over the next two years to make ratings more accurate. Measures include more strongly penalising high levels of sodium and sugar, and allowing fruit and vegetables to automatically receive five stars.

She stresses that the majority of your shopping basket should be whole foods with single ingredients, not ultraprocessed packaged products which sport the health star rating.

The George Institute has an app that allows shoppers to scan product barcodes to find out its health star rating even if it doesn't have one displayed.

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58 Heidelberg 2nd quarter recovery led by China Successful implementation of transformation strengthens Heidelberg in times of COVID-19 Heidelberg announced its transformation program launched in March has successfully “strengthened” its position in the first half of the 2020/2021 financial year (1 April to 30 September 2020).

Heidelberg achieved a positive EBITDA excluding restructuring result in the second quarter of the current financial year, recording € 97 million in the first six months. This is a significant increase from the previous year, which recorded € 69 million.

In terms of sales and incoming orders, the gap compared to the previous year shrank in the second quarter of the current financial year. While sales after the first quarter were at –34 percent, this figure was only down 24% in the period from July to September; incoming orders, meanwhile, improved from –44% to –20%.

In the second quarter, demand in important sales regions for Heidelberg, which had slumped over the previous months due to COVID-19, began to show initial signs of recovery. There was a positive development in demand in a number of markets, above all in the key single market China.

Incoming orders from China grew.

According to Heidelberg, in some cases orders are once again being generated that are close to pre-crisis levels. The level of orders grew from around –50 percent in the first quarter to around –8 percent in the second.

At € 805 million, net sales in the first half of 2020/2021 were still approximately 28% below the level recorded for the same period in the previous year (€1,124 million).

“Our transformation is proving successful. We are delivering on our promise. By the end of the half-year, we had drastically reduced our debt and made significant improvements regarding our liquidity and results– despite the huge challenges our

organization has faced owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides enhancing our financial stability, we are strategically positioning ourselves to meet our customers’ needs with an innovative, needs-based product and service portfolio, with our aim being to further boost incoming orders and sales. We will continue to benefit from this when the markets recover, as demonstrated by China,” said Rainer Hundsdörfer, CEO of Heidelberg.

also well above the previous year (€ 22 million). Expenses for transformation measures led to a restructuring result of € –30 million (previous year: € –5 million).

First half of the 2020/2021 year – the financial figures in detail Incoming orders dropped by 32 percent to € 864 million (previous year: € 1,263 million). The decline recorded in the second quarter was just under 20 percent, following a drop of 44 percent in the first quarter. On September 30, the order backlog was € 627 million and thus still down on the previous year, but up by € 22 million on the figure recorded at the end of the previous quarter (€ 605 million).

EFI achieved 3 EDP awards

In a twelve-month comparison, the EBITDA excluding restructuring result improved from €69 million to € 97 million, despite lower sales.

The intensive use of short-time working models went some way toward compensating for the shortfall in profit contributions and the costs of under-utilization in the short term.

The costs saved by launching the transformation program in the first half-year amounted to approximately € 45 million.

In addition, earnings of € 73 million from the reorganization of the pension plans for the company’s employees in Germany and the sale of the Belgian subsidiary CERM (approx. € 8 million) had a positive impact on profitability. At € 57 million, EBIT excluding restructuring result was thus

Despite higher financing expenditures after valuation adjustments, in the first half-year Heidelberg managed to record an improved net result after taxes of € –9 million, up from € –16 million in the previous year.

EFI announced that it has received three European Digital Press (EDP) Awards in 2020. EFI’s Fiery FreeForm Create variable data printing (VDP) software, the VUTEk 32h LED hybrid flatbed/roll-to-roll inkjet printer and VUTEk D Series LED roll-to-roll inkjet printers were recognised in the awards programme.

Fiery FreeForm Create won in the EDP Awards category for best special application software. It is a standalone application that comes included with EFI Fiery print servers. It enables companies to easily and quickly add personalised elements such as variable text, images, or barcodes, to files in just a few clicks, making it ideal for VDP novices and seasoned veterans alike.

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59 For print businesses, in-plants and packaging producers, FreeForm Create can provide a more efficient and costeffective method of personalisation compared to existing or paid applications.

The 3.2-metre EFI VUTEk 32h LED hybrid inkjet printer received the EDP Award for hybrid/flatbed printers up to 250m2/h. The eight-colour printer is a versatile solution that can print on materials up to 5.08-centimetres thick in true 600- or 1,000-dpi resolutions.

A highly versatile hybrid solution, the VUTEk 32h is ideal for directto-rigid printing as well as roll-to-roll applications. Its white ink, optional clear ink for spot, flood and unique applications, and multi-layer printing capabilities also make it ideal for the production of premium speciality applications.

The EFI VUTEk D series, winner of the EDP Award for roll-to-roll printers above 320 centimetres, consists of two mid-range LED printers: the VUTEk D3r with a 350 cm maximum printing width, and the D5r with a 520 cm maximum printing width.

EFI created these printers for the industrial printing demands of highquality volume producers, with the ability to produce a wide range of applications, from indoor signage to fleet graphics, car wraps and truck-side curtains.

The features of VUTEk D series printers, including 1,200 dots per inch (dpi) printing, white and clear ink, multi-layer printing, and inline finishing, make them ideal for closely viewed indoor applications such as window displays, POS and POP

images, backlit signs, interior décor for walls and floors, trade show graphics, and fine art prints. The durable and high-quality graphics VUTEk D series printers provide also give customers more value in their ability to produce outdoor applications.

“We are both honoured and proud in receiving three EDP Awards this year,” said Paul Cripps, EFI regional vice president of sales. “These awards are important to us as they reflect our commitment to developing smart, breakthrough technologies as well as reinforce our hard work – all to better support our customers across market segments.”

The EDP Awards are held every year by the EDP Association, an organisation comprised of 20 leading European trade magazines in the printing industry. The Association evaluates the latest products and solutions that are digital or are able to integrate into a digital workflow.

Koenig & Bauer’s Visual PressSupport app enables remote maintenance With the current restrictions on travel, data-driven services are helping to prepare machines for production and resolve service cases to the satisfaction of the users.

Koenig & Bauer’s Visual PressSupport is a ‘digital’ tool that enables forms of information sharing with added value and greatly simplifies communication for users and hotline technicians alike.

With the software, the hotline technician sees exactly what the operator or service partner at the press can see.

He can observe relevant processes and functions as moving images, and thus obtains a faster and more comprehensive overview of the situation in the press room. That eliminates the need for lengthy descriptions and reduces the risk of misunderstandings compared to a simple telephone call.

This ‘digital’ tool enables forms of information sharing with added value and greatly simplifies communication for users and hotline technicians alike.

The hotline technician sees exactly

what the operator or service partner at the press can see.

He can observe relevant processes and functions as moving images, and thus obtains a faster and more comprehensive overview of the situation in the press room. That eliminates the need for lengthy descriptions and reduces the risk of misunderstandings compared to a simple telephone call.

How VisualPress Works with remote function checks and commissioning An example of the VisualPress in practice: When a new press is being set up, the installation of the UV dryers must be entrusted to specialists.

Due to the current restrictions, however, they were unable to travel to the site. And yet commissioning was still possible – thanks to Visual PressSupport.

First of all, online training was organised for the local service

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60 technicians. This was provided through the Koenig & Bauer Campus, the press manufacturer’s training centre. The training course showed and explained the critical aspects of dryer installation and commissioning and the technicians received specific instructions for working on highvoltage equipment with voltages up to 4 kV.

The user of a large-format perfector press, for example, reported creasing of the sheet in the perfecting unit.

Design engineers asked to be shown the sheets in question and certain mechanical elements via Visual PressSupport, and were able to determine an incorrect gripper setting.

After correction, the press produced flawlessly once more.

Subsequently, press assembly was completed and the dryers were installed. Before the press was started up for the first time, a dryer specialist from Koenig & Bauer was shown all the important points. This included the wiring of all electrical connections, the cable routing and the water cooling connections.

In another case, coating plate changes were not functioning properly. A visual check of the coating plate revealed that the wrong plate type was set on the console. Once the setting was changed, plate changing was back to normal.

The factory specialist was able to view the components via Visual PressSupport as still images or videos, and could guide the colleagues on site to those elements which required a closer check or further adjustments, for example by highlighting details on a drawing or screenshot.

Communication was not limited to just speech, but also included live images and written comments. Checklists were tackled step by step in the same manner. Everyone was on the same page at all times, and gapless function checks were possible. The press and its dryers could be taken into production safely.

Visual PressSupport has established itself as a proven tool when providing service for sheetfed offset presses.

Beside Koenig & Bauer Sheetfed, it is also used elsewhere in the company group – for example with presses and equipment from the business units Digital & Webfed, Coding and MetalPrint.

Durst launches the new P5 350 High Speed printing system including a high speed full automation, a complete workflow solution and a full ink portfolio

Durst, manufacturer of advanced digital printing and production technologies, has unveiled a raft of innovations as it continues its journey to become a complete solutions provider in line with its “Pixel to Output” strategy.

Central is the P5 350 High Speed printer – together with the Durst “Automat”™, a new full automation system, enhanced Durst software, a full LED ink portfolio and partnerships.

Launched in a virtual event, “Firework of Innovations”, the P5 350 HS is the newest family member from the P5 technology platform with Durst Automat, the fully automated inline solution that makes production processes far more versatile and efficient for customers.

The Durst Workflow is now available for non-Durst printers, following the announcement of a partnership with PrintFactory, which superior API software enables an easy management of mixed print environments. In line with its strategy, Durst has expanded its offer with Workflow, Analytics, automation and ink solutions for printers to deliver complete solutions from Pixel to Output.

Diversity of applications There are many other ways in which Visual PressSupport is able to help.

Printing process-related issues or mechanical problems can now also be solved remotely.

The perfect combination for the packaging industry ...

CXF TOOLS

FLEX PACK

X GAMUT

... to manage & optimize brand colors globally.

Learn more & get in touch:

www.cgs-oris.com

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 12 2020

62 The new Durst P5 350 HS can print at over 600 sqm per hour, which is twice the speed of the Durst P5 350 standard model, thus being the most productive hybrid printer in the market. Additionally, thanks to the same unique features that made the P5 350 successful, such as the multiroll and the multitrack 6 option, the new model retains the level of high versatility.

It can be configured with up to nine color channels including light colors and white, and varnish for special multilayer printing applications such as “Day&Night”, “In&Out”, and up to 12 layers hapt-printing.

The high versatility is maintained also in combination with Durst Automat, the new fully automated board feeding and stacking system, which can manage up to two lanes, also with different board sizes up to 3.5 m width (137.8 inch) and 2.2 m (86.6 inch) length and has a loading capacity of 90 cm (35.5 inch).

Thanks to its sliding registration tables, a comfortable access to the roll tool enables a fast material change operated by only one single operator.

Installations of the Durst P5 350 HS – combined with Durst Automat – will start from the end of Q1 in 2021.

Durst Workflow is a browser-based data management handling system that includes pre-press functionalisity as well as the ripping. The proven workflow for PDF toolbox, color management and rip engine ensures highest quality and ink cost optimization.

At the Firework of Innovations event, Durst also announced the introduction of the new POP Flexible LED Ink. This has impressive color gamut, unmatched combination of flexibility, stackability and adhesion. It is a bestin-class hybrid ink suitable for a wide variety of roll-to-roll and board media.

Another future-proof ink that can be loaded into Durst’s full portfolio of LED printers.

Durst has been steadily building its workflow offerings in line with its end-to-end thinking for 360-degree business solutions aimed at the Smart Factory concept to streamline production and processes. Durst Smart Shop,

Workflow, Analytics, Lift ERP – and now Durst Automat – are all pushing the boundaries of automation and innovation. All are backed by consultancy and seamless integration provided through Durst Professional Services.

Christian Harder, Durst Group’s Global Sales Director, Graphics Segment, said: “The launch of our latest family Durst P5 member, the P5 350 HS, is an important statement of our firm commitment to continue to be at the forefront of innovation in the large format market. It’s among a raft of innovations that we have unveiled to the market as part of our Pixel to Output strategy. Customers are demanding all-in-one solutions, which we provide as we move towards becoming a complete solution provider. In an integrated world, printers need to change as well. And we’ll help them on that journey through hardware, software, inks and collaborations.”

Christoph Gamper, Durst Group CEO and Co-Owner, said: “We’re looking forward to the future. I am confident that in 2021 the economy will recover and, in some fields, be even stronger than before. So we will continue what we do best: innovating with passion. In 2019, we launched the P5 platform and we now have more than 100 systems around the globe.

This is a great achievement, so a big thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of our customers, partners and our great Durst team members across the world.”

PrintVis and VPress to create the comprehensive software solution.

Kodak’s PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions provide scalable, automated, end-to-end solutions that cover requirements from order to cash and procurement to pay.

These new solutions aim to help printers manage their entire business processes conveniently, smoothly and efficiently, eliminating the complexity and costs of integrating, updating and maintaining numerous standalone software products from different suppliers.

PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions combine full-featured Office, CRM, ERP and MIS functionality with collaboration solutions, web-to-print and the PRINERGY On Demand production workflow in a single fully integrated cloud-based solutions platform.

The software is hosted on Microsoft Azure, which provides security and the highest levels of availability.

Kodak has enhanced the software with industry-specific analytics and AI capabilities, and takes care of integration, IT administration and ongoing maintenance through realtime Managed Services. The printspecific ERP / MIS component based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central came from PrintVis while VPress contributed advanced webto-print, e-commerce storefront and VDP authoring functionality.

“Kodak’s PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions bring the convenience and cost effectiveness of fully-integrated, subscription-based software solutions to the printing industry,” commented Todd Bigger, Vice President, Print, Kodak.

Kodak expands Microsoft partnership Kodak announced the launch of the KODAK PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions, the first fully integrated and managed, end-toend business software solutions for printers of any application and size.

Kodak has collaborated with software providers including Microsoft,

“We are excited to work with Kodak as a new PrintVis Partner. PrintVis’ overall market presence will be strengthened with Kodak’s strong reputation and expertise in the print industry,” said Kasper Tomshøj, Chief Executive Officer, PrintVis. “Together we are able to deliver a full array of print-specific software for customers on a global scale.”

5th INTERNATIONAL PACKAGING AND PRINTING EXHIBITION FOR ASIA

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 12 2020

63

22- 25 SEP 2021 BITEC • BANGKOK

www.pack-print.de

325

National Pavilions and Groups

leading exhibiting companies from

from Germany, Taiwan, Thailand, China and Singapore

30

countries and regions

International Visiting Delegations

More than

19,000

from the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Korea, Japan and many more, as well as local group visits from Thailand's printing and

trade visitors from

63

countries, making up a 30% overseas participation Supported by:

I

Messe DUsseldorf / Organizer of:

packaging industries

For enquiries:

Within Thailand:

Exposis Co., Ltd Tel (66} 2559 0856 _ Fax (66} 2559 2893 info@exposis.co.th

Overseas:

Messe DUsseldorf Asia Tel (65} 6332 9620 _ Fax (65} 6332 9655 ppi@mda.com.sg

Jointly organized by:

8* au1Aumsuss,il'irurllna

THE THAI PACKAGING ASSOCIATION

The Thai Printing Association

f Messe Diisseldorf Asia

www.xeikon.com