Print Innovation Asia 2-21

Print INNOVATION

Asia

Magazine

Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia Pacific since 1985 Issue 2 2021

Digitization - its impact on sustainability, agility, and growth

Full story from page 14

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Asian PrintAwards 2020 th

PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS: 2020

_018 021 ONLINE Contents Page 4

Fuji Xerox takes on new challengers. Interview with

Kouichi Tamai, Fuji Xerox President and

representative director

6

Xeikon adds two new entry-level presses to its

label printing portfolio

10

Fuji Xerox Unveils New PIXI Award Name and

Announces the 2020 Award Winners

12

Digital transactional, DM and book printer cites increased

efficiency, speed and time-savings

14

Digitization and its impact on sustainability, agility, and growth.

22 Control your ink Control your costs 24

Inkjet integral in the future of canmaking in Asia

26

Say goodbye to complexity.

30

The power behind Sirivatana package printing strategy

34

Chinese tobacco packaging company installs

Roland 700 Evolution

36

Indian packaging printer aims to grow significantly

38

Komori announces new Lithrone models

40

Are you ready for 5G. Online data reveals which

countries are MOST sceptical

42

Shreedhar labels eliminates print defects

44

HP launches new latex printer portfolio

46

First Scodix ultra digital enhancement press installed

48

Fujifilm Acuity B1 helps to boost production speeds

& slash operating costs

50

New GOLD level material health certificate for

food safe coatings

52

Two advnaced solutions for digital textile production

54

We are already into 21, here are some more

predictions what it will look like ahead

56

News from around Asia and the world

Issue 2 2021

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

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

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SPONSOR CONTENT

WITH A NEW NAME,

FUJI XEROX TAKES ON

H

aving been at the forefront of business innovation for nearly six decades, Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. is also reinventing itself. On April 1, 2021, Fuji Xerox will change its name to FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp. The new name represents not only a renewed emphasis on creative new products and services that will make work easier and more efficient, but a move into a wide range of business areas and the forging of synergies with other businesses under the Fujifilm Group.

A TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS “We decided to take this new step forward because of a greater need for agility and a desire to collaborate further with Fujifilm,” says Kouichi Tamai, Fuji Xerox president and representative director. “Under the new company name, I want to emphasize that we will continue to deliver our robust products developed in-house to customers and partners including Xerox, with whom we enjoy a good business relationship.”

The launch of the new name marks the end of one of the longest and most successful Japanese-American joint ventures in history.

As economies around the world look to ramp up activity in the new year, many companies are rethinking how they do business. On top of advances in technological trends including deep learning, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things, corporations are dealing with work-lifestyle changes stemming from the coronavirus pandemic such as working from home.

Established in 1962, the venture between FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation (then Fuji Photo Film) and Xerox Corporation (then Rank Xerox) was founded to empower businesses and consumers across Asia Pacific with photocopiers and related products and services.

For nearly 60 years, Fuji Xerox provided document services and products that supported countless organizations in the region, including large corporations and governments, and saw its revenue top 1 trillion yen ($9 billion).

In 2019, FUJIFILM Holdings acquired Xerox’s 25% stake in Fuji Xerox, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. The following year, Fuji Xerox decided to end its Technology Agreement with Xerox, which provided for technology/brand licenses and sales territories applicable to each company, on March 31, 2021.

Regardless of this change, however, Tamai stresses that one aspect of Fuji Xerox’s business that will not change with the new corporate identity is its commitment to R&D, which has resulted in numerous successful products and services under the Fuji Xerox brand. Quality, too, will remain a hallmark of the company’s approach. This dedication was recently seen in Fuji Xerox’s color multifunction printer*1 being

recognized as the first digital multifunction printer to be selected as a “Green Design Product” for its energy-saving and environmental protection performances by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China.

RESILIENCE AMID DISRUPTION The coronavirus pandemic didn’t stop Fuji Xerox from innovating: it continued to introduce new products and services in 2020.

For instance, Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific launched 19 printer models in the acclaimed ApeosPort and DocuPrint series. These products support digital transformation with features such as end-to-end automated workflow, cloud connectivity and 360°data security, all presented in a user-friendly format.

Though offices reduced their use of printers and other products as staff worked from home, the number of Fuji Xerox’s multifunction printers sold in the first half of fiscal 2020 was higher than the previous year, maintaining the company’s top market share in Japan and Asia-Pacific.

“Remote work requires a ‘hub’ that can handle data securely, and the robustness of our

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

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SPONSOR CONTENT

Under the new company name, I want to emphasize that we will continue to deliver our robust products developed in-house to customers and partners.

Kouichi Tamai, president and representative directo Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

multifunction printers—especially their security—is one reason why we can become a powerful global leader in the industry, in spite of the pandemic,” says Tamai. “We are the first in Japan, and the only multifunction printer maker, to earn the highest AAAis information security rating for compliance with the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP800-171 security standards, a rating that is likely to be widely demanded by companies operating globally.”

CONTINUED GROWTH AND INNOVATION Fuji Xerox is also forming new partnerships. In collaboration with California-based Ripcord, a leading robotics and integrated Software as a Service (SaaS) digitization company, Fuji Xerox established FUJIFILM RIPCORD to promote digital transformation in the growing business process services market in Japan and Asia-Pacific. Aiming to rack up sales of over 30 billion yen ($290 million) by the mid-2020s, the Japan-based joint venture plans to expand into the Asia-Pacific region in the future.

“There is an enormous volume of analog data in organizations such as banks, medical

institutions and insurers,” says Tamai. “Not only can this be automatically digitalized into searchable form, it becomes part of a document management system that eliminates inefficiencies and enables the digitalized information to be utilized speedily.

Users will see cost savings by doing away with document storage space located on expensive real estate.”

Fuji Xerox is taking advantage of its new momentum to reinvent itself and position for major growth. One of its goals is significantly higher sales from new territories. Previously limited to the Asia-Pacific region, FUJIFILM Business Innovation will branch out into Europe and the Americas, first aggressively supplying OEM products while developing products under its own brand. The company will also continue to supply products to Xerox.

Another source of growth is innovating in collaboration with other companies in the Fujifilm Group. For example, by combining Fuji Xerox’s natural language processing technology with Fujifilm’s image processing technology, the two companies jointly developed a solution that helps professionals to generate diagnostic medical reports, an

increasingly important solution that is expected to enhance throughput in healthcare.

As the company looks to the post-pandemic era, FUJIFILM Business Innovation will continue to provide award-winning solutions that make work more simple, speedy and secure.

“Fujifilm has a stellar brand reputation as a strong, innovative company,” says Tamai. “The new name FUJIFILM Business Innovation represents our unwavering commitment to support both our current customers in the Asia-Pacific as well as our future customers in the U.S./EU region to improve their business efficiency and overcome their business challenges with our innovation.” *1 DocuCentre-VII C3372

Refer to https://www.bloomberg.com/notices/sponsor for Sponsor Terms and Conditions.

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Xeikon adds two new entry-level presses to its label printing portfolio Xeikon has announced the addition of two new digital label presses – the Xeikon CX30 and Xeikon CX50. Building on its 6th generation platform and based on CHEETAH 2.0 technology with new generation interfaces and cloud connection, these new presses are designed to offer maximum OEE. The Xeikon CX30 and Xeikon CX50 fit perfectly in the Xeikon portfolio between the Xeikon 3030 REX and Xeikon 3050 REX entry-level presses and the higher-end Xeikon CX300 and Xeikon CX500. Xeikon has designed and developed the two new presses to suit any label printer operating on ‘middle capacity’, that is: 20,00040,000sqm or 30,000-55,000 MSI in all end-use segments but excelling in the pharmaceutical, food, and wine & spirit label sectors.

The new machines are available for physical and online demonstrations at Xeikon’s Global Innovation Center in Antwerp, Belgium, and globally commercially available as of Q1 2021.

Filip Weymans, VP Marketing at Xeikon, says, “Part of the Xeikon strategy going forward is to make sure every label printer and converter has the maximum choice to purchase a Xeikon press which can help them drive business growth. A successful and cost-effective investment in a digital

production solution works best when it is based on expected, realistic print volumes. Xeikon’s CHEETAH 2.0 series offers competitive running costs, and printers have the opportunity to successfully expand the capabilities of their press (by upgrading either in speed or width, or both).

The Xeikon CX30 and Xeikon CX50 are an appropriate choice for printers and converters looking at digital for the first time with future plans to expand and grow their operation – also for

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(DFE) workflow is a true differentiator and enabler and can be integrated with common ERP and MIS systems.

Accuracy of colour reproduction over time and between presses is guaranteed by an integrated on-press inline spectrometer. Xeikon’s X-800 workflow holds variable data capabilities unseen in the current market, allowing the label printer and converter to explore a variety of high value applications with a basic press investment.

online label printers who are seeing their business explode.”

Both the Xeikon CX30 and Xeikon CX50 are ‘middle capacity’ presses that can be upgraded on site: For higher speeds, both the Xeikon CX30 and Xeikon CX50 can be upgraded from 20mpm (65ft/min) to 30mpm (98ft/min) with the Xeikon CX300 or Xeikon CX500 For greater width, the Xeikon CX30 (330mm or 13”) can be upgraded to the Xeikon CX50 (520mm or 20.47”) or the Xeikon CX500 N.B. Xeikon’s print volume bandwidth is defined by product marketing and designed to complement both flexo and offset conventional print CHEETAH 2.0 technology is based on Xeikon’s scalable press architecture that includes five print stations and a full rotary process with a variable repeat length. Each station utilises Xeikon’s dry toner process and a variety of print widths up to 512mm (20.3”) using an LED imaging head operating at 1200×3600 dpi and delivering offset/ gravure image quality.

The two new presses use Xeikon’s QB dry toner based on CHEETAH 2.0 technology, which excels in the digital print landscape by offering superior colour consistency across the web and ensuring the highest volume of output with reduced waste. The

toner is available in CMYK, Red, Blue, Green, Orange, extra Magenta (gamut extension colours), Super Black, plus technical colours such as One-pass opaque white, UV and reflective clear as well as colours produced at the customer’s request.

The QB-I toner achieves top quality results on a broad range of standard flexo substrates. The pigments used in the QB toner are of the highest grade and food safe, and also offer the highest levels of ‘light fastness’ in the market.

The labels shine not only after printing but also for a long time afterwards.

The Xeikon CX30 and Xeikon CX50 are both driven by Xeikon’s powerful and intelligent X-800 digital front end for ultimate efficiency and full automation. Xeikon’s Digital Front End

Filip Weymans concludes, “With Xeikon’s long standing expertise, we have developed the deeper understanding that can help label printers and converters with all aspects of running a successful digital business, from choice of equipment (10 label presses) and choice of technology (Dry toner and UV inkjet) to workflow integration and expert colour management services.

We are recognised as a go-to trusted advisor and solutions provider.

Xeikon wants to help the label printer and converter transform his label manufacturing into a digital label manufacturing – not just digitizing the printing aspect but also the other aspects of the manufacturing processes inspired by digital printing. With the introduction of the Xeikon CX30 and Xeikon CX50, we continue to build and structure our comprehensive portfolio so that our customers can find everything they need with Xeikon.”

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Fuji Xerox Unveils New P Announces the 2020 Awa Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd announced Innovation Print Awards as the new name for PIXI Awards after 12 years and shared the 27 winning entries in the 2020 Innovation Print Awards (previously called PIXI Awards).

The annual competition honours the most outstanding and innovative users of Fuji Xerox graphics communications solutions across the region with entries from Australia, China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The 2020 Innovation Print Awards attracted 242 entries across 16 award categories under application-based and print technology. Coincidentally, there are two new additions to the new award. The first being the “Best Use of Creative Design” under print technology.

This new category allows users to capture different types of creativity and innovation in digital printing and we aimed to showcase the omnifarious applications of the Iridesse™

Production Press specialty colours and applications. For the first time in the award’s 12-year history, two entries using Fujifilm Jet Press and Acuity equipment were among the winners.

The returning panel comprising of printing industry experts from the Asian Print Awards, Paul Callaghan and Major Wong Wing Kwong, assessed all entries based on criteria including print quality, appropriate use of digital technology, degree of innovation, business effectiveness and overall aesthetics. With print quality as the key criteria, there were 17 winners from eight Asian countries who won the first place.

“Through this competition, we saw prevalent use of special colours like Gold, Silver and Metallics, and the way in which companies are using these to

enhance the work that they print is truly amazing,” comments Paul Callaghan, Head Judge. “The submitted pieces for our judging were avant garde and are only made possible with the recent technological advancements. You can easily guess what we will be looking at for judging in the years ahead. These new processes definitely added even more punch for print buyers and the products they ultimately put into the market.”

Out of 27 winning entries, 18 winning applications were produced using the Iridesse™ Production Press, including the winner of the newly added category, the Special Recognition “Best of the Best” award -- The Print Department from Australia for their winning submission of a Digital Printing Guide.

Please see their winning product listed on the next page.

“It is heartening to receive such overwhelming response from various countries and the continued support from the judges. We hope to inspire more design and print innovations and showcase these talents in the regional platform with the newly named

2020 Innovation Print Awards Special Recognition “Best of the Best” Winner - A Digital Printing Guide from The Print Department, Australia

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

PIXI Award Name and ard Winners

Innovation Print Awards,” shared Scott Mackie, General Manager - Graphics Communications Services Business, Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. “Print design is like a piece of art and with the right tools, the final masterpiece can be awe-inspiring.”

Representing the Judging team, Paul conveyed his congratulations to all the winners. “The winners continue to amaze us with work that is second to none and we are sure that the print buyer, their customers, must also be over the moon with the finished results.

Print buyers are indeed spoilt for choices with the evolving technology and the plentiful opportunities available to add colours and special processes to their print jobs.”

The winning applications will be showcased in Fuji Xerox Graphic Communication Service Tokyo, Japan and regional Graphic Communication industry events.

To further profile these talents, Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd will submit all entries Note 1 to the Asian Print Awards, a competition for printers in the region.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

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Digital transactional, DM and book printer cites increased efficiency, speed and time-savings Contiweb, a specialist in state-of-the-art technologies for printing, advanced drying and web-handling, announces today that Italian print service provider, Rotomail, has invested in a second round of Contiweb non-stop winding solutions.

The latest purchase joins existing CD unwinder and CR rewinder solutions as well as a Contiweb Digital Fluid Applicator at Rotomail’s Milan facility.

Contiweb non-stop winding solutions, comprising the CD and CR series, help to increase productivity and print capacity by drastically reducing the time taken to change reels. Adding the ability to splice paper reels of different weight, web width or coating on digital inkjet presses, without stopping production, also means less reel changes are necessary.

Giovanni Antonuzzo, CEO, Rotomail states, “We initially opted for Contiweb largely due to the partnership the company has with HP and first installed Contiweb’s non-stop winding solutions in 2016 alongside a new HP PageWide Web Press. We were immediately impressed by the results. The realisation that we would not have to manually change a reel every hour or so has boosted the uptime and productivity of our press significantly. The Contiweb systems are also extremely modern and reliable, so much so, that as part of a retrofit, we decided to invest in the technology on another of our HP Web presses. Installed last month,

in October, Contiweb CD and CR systems have replaced existing non-stop splicers and rewinders so we now have two HP presses with the same winding capability and high productivity.”

Key to the decision for further investment lies in the increased productivity and efficiency of the printing process. On average, manual unwinder loading can take up to fifteen minutes, combined with rewinder unloading and loading a new core taking another ten minutes. Antonuzzo explains, “The difference on paper may not sound like a lot, but if you change a reel every hour, your productivity will suffer. We save fifteen minutes for each roll using Contiweb solutions, which, combined across our entire output makes a large difference to lead-times and overall efficiency. If the printer runs two eight-hour shifts, five days a week, that’s at least 20 hours more printing we can achieve every week.

More if we scale up to three shifts in busy times.”

Rotomail uses Contiweb winding solutions in combination with the Contiweb Digital Fluid Applicator (DFA). The DFA is a Plug’N’Play standalone remoistening applicator for digital web presses, developed to significantly improve the quality of digitally printed products. At Rotomail the DFA has taken away the waviness of the paper in signatures, which generated growth in books. Thanks to the DFA, the books are now completely flat. Working together, the Contiweb equipment saves time, cost and improves the quality of the end products generated.

Davide Pomati, Area Sales Manager at Contiweb says, “Rotomail’s investment in our technology on three separate occasions is a signifier of our solutions’ increasing value to productionefficiency. The company is a pioneer of digital inkjet printing, quickly seeing the value it would deliver to the market and the forward-thinking ethos of Rotomail is extremely impressive. We’re proud to support such a business with our technology!”

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Digitization and its impa agility, and growth.

The global packaging printing market is expected to grow by around three percent annually until 2023. The driving factors of this increase are the growth of the global population, the increasing urbanization and rising purchasing power in the emerging mar- kets, and the trend towards smaller households in the industrial nations.

Packaging printing therefore remains the fastest growing segment in the print media industry. A big boost in demand comes from brand manufacturers and retailers insisting on sustainable packag- ings. And more good news – the food and pharmaceutical industries are considered systemically relevant, which ensures busy times for packaging printers in these two segments, even in times of crisis, as demon- strated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the positive growth prospects go hand in hand with increasing demands. This white paper analyzes the key trends and challenges, and presents technologies and solutions for successfully shaping the future of packaging printing.

Managing growing complexity more effectively The dynamics in packaging and label printing continue to grow. The driving forces are increasing diversification,

shorter delivery times and product life cycles, as well as legal requirements.

The trend toward increasing personaliza- tion and therefore to a greater variety of jobs and shorter runs has already been vis- ible in the food industry for the past few years.

This has increased the need for more efficient production processes. The main focus is on establishing lean process standards through networked workflows and automation and, in view of the increasing skills shortage, also on mini- mizing manual interventions.

The pharmaceutical sector is increasingly developing toward just-intime production. This is caused by ever shorter runs in combination with shorter delivery times and a greater variety of jobs. The driving factors are the various package sizes and dosages and the greater focus on specialty medicines (e.g. orphan

drugs) in small production batches, along with rising numbers of language and country versions.

The over-the-counter (OTC) product seg- ment places high demands on finishing. The main determinants of success at the point of sale – in other words, in pharma- cies and drugstores – are the look and feel of the folding carton. The costly design process, strongly fluctuating requirements, and a shorter time to market require agile and efficient production methods. Makeready times and paper waste are therefore growing in importance when it comes to competitiveness for packaging printers too.

This means that the production speed alone is no longer the be-all and endall in profitable production. The Push to Stop approach from Heidelberg is therefore also becoming increasingly established in packaging printing.

Navigated printing guides the operator through the makeready process via the shortest route, reduces manual interventions, and thus makes it possible to produce complex jobs quickly, economically, and flexibly in con- sistently high quality.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

act on sustainability,

Concepts such as just-in-time or vendor managed inventory should also be imple- mented in packaging printing.

This is the only way to generate efficiency improve- ments through leaner processes or the elimination of inventory holding.

Increasing quality demands The high quality requirements in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to strict legal regulations on consumer protection, traceability, and patient safety or counterfeit protection further increase the complexity of order processing. This goes hand in hand with a greater need for automation.

A defining feature of inspection systems for economical and zerodefect produc- tion is that they detect defects reliably in all production steps and at the same time help to save time, and reduce paper waste.

In the Speedmaster 2020 generation from Heidelberg, the Device Assistant enables effective paper waste management by intelligently combining

different devices on the machine, e.g. Prinect Inspection Control 3 and the waste ejector or the tape inserter.

Customized profiles for paper waste and quality management can be created for each job portfolio.

Inspection systems for profitable and error-free production stand out by detect- ing errors reliably in each production step and, at the same time,

save time and cut waste sheets.

Heidelberg offers various inspection sys- tems for quality assurance in the different stages of production: • Inline inspection during print production. Prinect Inspection Control 3: Checks the sheet for printing defects using a PDF or OK sheet comparison.

The advantage of this is that it prevents

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

16 sustainabil- ity. This is because it is easier to recycle, more flexible, and more economical than metalized foillaminated cardboards and can also be processed at high machine speeds. The cardboard can be printed with multiple colors and coated in the same pass – with conventional or UV inks. Functions such as the format indexing on the FoilStar from Heidelberg, which stops the foil when it is not needed, reduces mate- rial consumption by up to 80 %.

waste sheets from getting into finishing (e. g. hot-foil embossing) or postpress.

• Inline inspection in postpress. Diana Inspector: Full size checking of cardboard cut-outs for printing errors (e. g. in the barcode) using a PDF or OK sheet comparison. The advantage here is that users can check the multiple-ups even with difficult materials such as metal- lized cardboard, holograms, or hot foils. Special lighting was developed for this process.

• Offline inspection. Diana Eye: Fullsize control of all ups using a PDF compari- son. Benefit: 100 % inspection even of very demanding finishing effects such as coated surfaces, foilS, embossings, and holograms.

More finishing, more special applications Quality requirements are also increasing in terms of finishing. Brand manufacturers are keen to set their products apart more clearly from retailers’ own brands, whose packagings are increasingly sophisticated.

First and foremost, brand owners are look- ing to stimulate customers at the point of sale through exceptional effects. This calls for application know-how and longer and more complex press configurations. In particular, double-coating presses with customized set-ups of coating, printing, and drying units are needed to produce the different applications profitably in a single pass. The trend for matt/gloss and Sustainability – moving away from plastic, trend towards cold foil Packaging companies are already

increasingly looking for alternatives to achieve sustainability targets and meet legal requirements. Global players are starting to replace plastic packagings on a large scale.

Nestlé, for example, is using more and more recyclable paper packagings in the confectionery segment. L’Oréal started selling skincare in cardboard-based tubes this year. And even McDonald’s in Ger- many is, where possible, replacing plastic with paper-based packagings.

One reason for this is that cardboard packagings are regarded among consumers as especially sustainable, which encourages sales – see also:

Moving toward Packaging printing 4.0 More diverse products, more complex jobs, and shorter runs result in continuous pressures relating to time, innovation, and cost.

Packaging printers therefore need solu- tions to automate the workflows in all process steps in order to boost their per- formance and reduce their operators’ workload. At the same time they need to avoid unscheduled downtimes, minimize the use of resources, and make their value chain more flexible.

This should open up new perspectives for folding carton printers.

The answer to these challenges? Digitization. Because the only way to achieve significant efficiency gains and exploit productivity potential is with softwarecontrolled process optimization.

Cold foil is also particularly popular right now from the point of view of

As a market leader in packaging printing and pioneer in digitization,

Meet the New Building Blocks of Productivity With the new Versant® 3100i Press and Versant® 180i Press We’d all like to get more done in a day, especially if it means less work too.

The new Versant® 3100i Press and Versant® 180i Press are designed to give your business a real productivity boost. With clever features like Automated Document Workflows and fast processing times, you’re free to focus on other tasks, like taking care of customers and building your business.

Up to 67% faster turnaround time1 1 Based on 3rd party as well: V3100i Press 67% faster turnaround time & V180i Press 48% Test based on a real situation from the customer perspective: mixed job – mixed size printing – mixed simplex/duplex – in comparison to V3100/180 Press

Learn more about how we could help you boost productivity at www.fujixerox.com.sg/sgp/buildingopportunity

Xerox, Xerox and Design, as well as Fuji Xerox and Design are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xerox Corporation in Japan and/or other countries.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

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Packaging printers therefore also need solutions that automate the workflow in all process steps to increase performance and release operators.

At the same time, they need to avoid unplanned downtimes, minimize the use of resources, and make the value chain more flexible.

Heidelberg early on saw the potential of new technol- ogies for services such as Remote Monitor- ing or smart concepts such as Push to Stop to boost availability and performance. Now is the time for the next step towards Packaging printing 4.0.

Boosting performance with an efficient workflow and assistance systems The most important driver on the path to Packaging printing 4.0 is an integrated workflow that divides data silos into prepress, press, and postpress and converts them into a networked process chain.

The key benefits: • Automation.

Data-controlled workflows make manual intervention largely redundant, prevent errors, and shorten throughput times. At the same time they form the basis for establishing process standards and productivity that is inde- pendent from the operator.

• Seamless flow of data. Job and preset- ting data for the machines is automati- cally available where it is needed in press and postpress without the need for manual intervention.

• Transparency regarding cost efficiency. Evaluating the commercial and produc- tion data reveals cost

drivers and sources of additional potential revenue.

• Quicker and easier. Intelligent assistance systems on the Heidelberg Speedmaster select powder application or the appro- priate washup program based on job and machine parameters or optimize the ink presetting on the press using artificial intelligence (Color Assistant Pro). This reduces the operator's workload and speeds up production.

• Automated logistics. Robotics and driver- less systems in material logistics are becoming increasingly important, for example for the automated provision and disposal of printing plates or for the automated transportation of printing plates from plate imaging to the press, and the printed sheets to postpress.

Postpress and production environment become smart Cost-effective and just-in-time delivery requires a consistently high production flow with no downtimes – from prepress to postpress.

Productivity in postpress has increased further thanks to faster changeovers and higher production speeds, resulting in a 1 : 2 ratio between press and postpress.

Digitalization is the answer to these chal- lenges, as only software-controlled process optimization can open up substantial increases in efficiency and productivity.

Digital services and artificial intelligence The emergence of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) has given rise to an entire portfolio of digital services that cover the whole press and postpress process.

These services aim to provide relief to printers in their daily operations and boost availability and performance.

They include tailored contract packages made up of services, software, consumables, training and consulting (Lifecycle Solutions), online procurement of con- sumables (eCommerce), remote problem analysis and troubleshooting (Remote Diagnosis), recommendations for improving performance (Performance Advisor Technology), and Predictive Monitoring.

These services will be further expanded in the future and will grow in importance as a catalyst for process efficiency. As the trends and challenges outlined here show, digitized value creation is increasingly becoming a prerequisite for benefiting from the forecast market growth and ensuring competitiveness in the long term.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

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Control your ink Control your costs In a recent survey of production inkjet users across a wide array of application segments, Inkjet Insight found that 79% of respondents considered the ink estimating process to be important or very important to their overall estimating process. to check the accuracy of your estimator against the press.

In practice, 54% of respondents across all segments indicated that they run more than half of new jobs through their estimating software. However, not everyone follows best practices with ink estimating – sometimes due to the nature of the work or the availability of files to estimate. In fact, 28% of respondents indicated that they perform ink estimating on fewer than 10% of jobs.

In practice, 54% of respondents across all segments indicated that they run more than half of new jobs through their estimating software. However, not everyone follows best practices with ink estimating – sometimes due to the nature of the work or the availability of files to estimate. In fact, 28% of respondents indicated that they perform ink estimating on fewer than 10% of jobs.

Given that inkjet ink is like liquid gold, as I wrote in a previous post, often

work-arounds are needed to make sure that jobs are estimated profitably. If you don’t have estimating software, or don’t receive files to use with the system you have, create baselines using actual ink usage for typical jobs and generate guidelines for incorporating ink costs into the estimating process. It won’t be exact, but it will be as consistent and evidence-based as possible. Continuing the process by measuring actual job costs against estimates will help to refine guidelines over time.

Most inkjet printing system manufacturers provide an ink cost estimator to help printers determine an accurate cost per page. Most survey respondents (67%) used software provided for free by their OEM and another 10% paid for software from their OEM. Memjet-powered systems also have an ink estimator available that measures the amount of ink used in a job with accuracy of +- 5%. If you already have a solution, take the time

Consider your ink estimating options as carefully as you consider your press.

Evaluate ink estimating solutions in parallel and see which software provides estimates that are closest to actuals as you run test jobs. Also consider the level of control you have in managing ink usage. Systems with smaller drop sizes and accurate drop placement are necessary to drive print quality and also support enhanced ink cost control. With a 1.2 picoliter drop volume, Memjet VersaPass® printing technology delivers the smallest drop of ink commercially available in a production class printhead.

Memjet DuraLink® and DuraFlex® technologies also have very small drop volumes at 2.1 picoliters.

Don’t be locked into the solution you have. Periodically consider how your estimating process can be improved and the costs and benefits of making a change. Keep in mind that as presses improve their resolution and media compatibility, software needs to keep up. Has yours?

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Inkjet integral in the future of canmaking in Asia SWAN Industries assesses the benefits of Fujifilm’s inkjet technology a year on from making its first investment One of Thailand’s biggest metal packaging printers, SWAN, has been supplying high-quality printed metal sheets to a wide variety of canmaking customers for more than half a century.

The company was one of the first in Asia to recognise the transformative potential of inkjet technology to the metal packaging market and, in late 2019, it became the first company in the region to invest in Fujifilm’s revolutionary digital inkjet printer, the Acuity B1.

“We started looking for a digital press initially because we needed a proofing device,” said Operations Director, Vorasit Dejthamrong. “We had a preexisting relationship with Fujifilm as they had been a plate supplier to us for many years, so it was through that connection that we first came to learn of the Acuity B1 and, for a couple of reasons, it really stood out compared with everything else we looked at.

“The first thing was the quality,” Dejthamrong continued. “Customers are becoming more and more demanding when it comes to quality and no other digital machine we looked at could reach a standard acceptable to us. But, even more importantly, the Acuity B1 offered us the opportunity to do much more than create high-

quality proofs – it opened the door to profitable short-run commercial work.

“Run lengths are coming down.

Though we still of course do very long runs of 100,000 sheets or more, we’re also getting asked more and more often to do jobs that are much, much shorter than that. It’s not uncommon now to be asked to produce jobs with run lengths as low as 100 and, to be honest, anything less than 2,000 is very difficult to produce profitably. Before we had the Acuity B1 we would either turn down opportunities like that or produce them at a loss.”

Dejthamrong sees digital inkjet printing technology as an integral part of the future of the Asian canmaking market.

with the speed with which we can now turn small jobs around – and they are amazed by the quality,” he said. “And to be honest, we haven’t really even begun to scratch the surface of what inkjet technology is capable of. So far, we’ve very much focussed on the same type of work we do on our litho presses, just with shorter runs. But there is a world of possibility out there with creative effects, customisation and personalisation that the market doesn’t yet fully understand.

That’s the next step for us – educating our customers about the creative possibilities that are going to shape the future of the industry. With the Acuity B1 and our partnership with Fujifilm, we’re in the best possible place to do that.”

“Our customers are already delighted “The metal decoration market is a very analogue world, but Fujifilm inkjet technology, which has transformed so many commercial and wide format print businesses over the past two decades, is now doing the same for metal packaging printers. Early investors, like SWAN Industries, are already seeing the huge range of benefits this technology brings, as well as positioning themselves to make the most of future opportunities,” said Kevin Jenner, Business Manager, Fujifilm Wide Format Inkjet Systems.

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Zest it up with our New Pink Ink Turn opportunities into breakthroughs.

Boost your service portfolio with the versatile new Specialty Colour for the Iridesse™ Production Press. Combining our breakthrough Pink Dry Ink with existing white, metallic and CMYK inks enables you to produce so much more.

It’s a delicious time to rethink what’s exceptional. www.fujixerox.com.sg/en/Beyond-Imagination

Xerox, Xerox and Design, as well as Fuji Xerox and Design are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xerox Corporation in Japan and/or other countries.

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Say goodbye to complexity.

Printing as an industry has a broad history of technology innovation, but it also has a history of complex manual processes and production bottlenecks.

Selling the job is only the beginning of a long series of steps that touch every part of both the business and production infrastructures.

The touchpoints begin with capturing job specifications to ensure that the substrates, inks, and other raw materials are available. The steps encompassed by resource planning continue to grow in importance while the pace of change in the available software tools is faster than ever.

KODAK PRINERGY Workflow customers use these processes every day to bring work onboard, prepare it for print, and ship it to their customers.

In parallel, they need to capture more data to ensure that all work is invoiced, manage change orders, and ensure the cost of goods sold doesn't outpace what they can charge.

The good news is that for twenty years, PRINERGY users have been at the forefront of building automated workflows that give them an efficiency edge. Rules-based automation, paired with the on-going development of planning, press management, and

data exchange capabilities keeps PRINERGY relevant in the highly competitive workflow market.

Kodak knows that growing any print business is hard work. It takes strategy, planning, and a drive for every ounce of efficiency. That is why in 2019, Kodak brought the PRINERGY platform to the cloud. The KODAK PRINERGY On Demand platform was the first step in developing a cloud-based ecosystem designed to help printers not only run production efficiently but also run the business efficiently.

PRINERGY On Demand is built on the robust Microsoft Azure infrastructure.

It is proof that powerful automation can be efficient, provide the data that improves cost management, and be cloud-based.

Just as the KODAK PRINERGY Workflow platform has been built on years of helping printers define workflows that optimize print production using Rules-based Automation (RBA) and powerful planning tools. The new KODAK PRINERGY On Demand Business

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

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Printers with islands of automation know the time and effort it takes to work with multiple vendors and integrators.

PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions can leverage that investment to bring a deeper level of integration to your processes at whatever pace you need. For printers with mostly manual processes, there may be a temptation to create your own solution, but those who have built islands of automation know the disruption that working with multiple vendors requires.

Solutions expand the ecosystem with a set of integrated partnerships that will make the business of printing more efficient.

The proven track records of Microsoft Dynamics for business management, PrintVis for Print MIS, and Vpress for Web-to-Print, paired with PRINERGY On Demand, brings to market the first smart, cloud-enabled, print manufacturing environment that eliminates the gap between the business and the execution of print.

Many printers already use the popular Microsoft Dynamics Business Central applications to develop analytics, manage customer relationship data, and manage their supply chains.

PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions brings the power of Microsoft Dynamics to PRINERGY On Demand by linking the full suite of Dynamics 365 business solutions to the PRINERGY On Demand platform making it more efficient to run the business.

Already a part of the Microsoft Dynamics platform, PrintVis is the new PRINERGY On Demand partner for the complete suite of ERP and MIS functions. Even if you have some of these functions in place, it will be worth reviewing how the twenty years of PrintVis experience in diverse print environments brings innovation to the platform.

With PrintVis, you have a complete view of the shop floor for smarter planning and scheduling. The estimating and quoting functions use data from the inventory function for the most accurate job costing. The job ticketing function ensures that every job is logged and tracked from onboarding to delivery and links the process back to the business systems to ensure accurate invoicing.

PRINERGY partner Vpress brings the onboarding and client-facing solution to the platform. Industry experts agree that onboarding the job is a common bottleneck, and web-to-print solutions should be in every shop to streamline the process.

Leveraging their almost 20 years of implementing scalable solutions, the Vpress Coreprint platform enables integration with a world-class web-toprint suite. Vpress also brings an easy e-commerce solution to PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions customers. Not just a storefront, but

The most cost effective and time-saving path to automation is to work with a highly disciplined Kodak workflow team. They can build a plan that automates the available tools to meet your business needs, adding analytics and visibility to the current and full workflow need. No need to manage schedules from multiple vendors or to be the arbiter when disputes arise.

The Kodak team streamlines the engagement, manages the complexity, and keeps your team informed every step of the way.

The business of printing is in the process of a seismic change. To compete in the evolving print market, printing companies must grab every opportunity for automation, efficiency, and endto-end operational transparency. That is what PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions bring to the market.

No matter where you are on your workflow journey, Kodak brings you the first accessible and affordable platform as a Service built to grow your business. Say goodbye to complexity.

Say hello to PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions.

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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 power behind Siriva printing strategy Sirivatana Interprint Public Company Limited was founded 40 years ago as a small print shop. Managing Director and Chairman Pornthep Samatiyadekul remembers the humble start of the enterprise: "We had only 32 square meters of space and two employees. Now we have thousands of employees working to improve our capabilities and focusing on doing everything in-house. We are also developing printing technology and launching social and environmental initiatives to raise Thailand's printing industry to meet international standards and to gain worldwide recognition."

Being able to handle all aspects of production in-house is the basis of Sirivatana's business model and the key to its expansion. The company headquarters is located in Bangkok, and the production plant is in Bang Pakong in central Thailand. In addition, a plant in Vientiane, Laos, producing pop-up books was established in 2005.

Chairman Pornthep explains the early growth of the printer. "We opened our first overseas sales office in Santa Monica, near Los Angeles, some 30

years ago and opened another in New York before expanding globally. At this time, we decided to change our corporate logo and chose the emblem of a globe to represent our global

market reach as we strived to export.

In the past we were exporting 70% of our output. Today, however, that figure is only 30%."

Pornthep details the essentials of the business model: "Sirivatana is a total solutions provider, capable of handling everything from creative design to logistics, all in-house. Our work covers a multitude of segments, such as commercial printing and books for export.

Because we maintain very high standards, those who require premium quality usually come to us. Moreover, with our large facilities as well as our large-format presses, we are able to accept a wider variety of jobs and also offer our customers economy of scale.

This is the core of our competitive edge."

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atana package "Thanks to love, cooperation, determination, care, and honesty in our profession of printing, we have become one of the largest printing companies in the Asia-Pacific region."

Pornthep Samatiyadekul, Managing Director and Chairman

"As we all know, printing began to encounter strong headwinds about 10 years ago. The emergence of digital technology, especially the rise of online marketing and shopping, had a negative impact on demand for magazines and commercial printing. We were aware of these changes, so we set our sights on packaging, where we already had some experience, albeit on a small scale.

Forty percent of our work is in packaging, but we have set a target to increase this to 60% of our total output.

To succeed in this field, we invested in printing presses that can print not only on paper but also on plastic sheets. Our print output will be sheets. We will not be producing flexible packaging," adds Pornthep.

Purpose in installing Lithrone G40 and Lithrone G44 Sirivatana's first Komori packaging press was the six-color Lithrone G40,

specified as a UV press capable of printing on plastics and metallized materials. This machine addresses a range of applications, including boxes.

The company soon followed up with an eight-color Lithrone G44, a B1 press.

Pornthep explains this investment: "In this day and age, the larger the press

format, the better, especially when it comes to packaging jobs. This is because the paper sheets are thicker.

No matter how large the sheets are, there will be no stretching. This press has been in constant use since the day it was installed. I plan to purchase a new press and since most of our jobs are six or seven colors, an eight-color press will definitely give us more flexibility as well as faster output."

Boontham Siriso, Production Director

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Six-color Lithrone G40: flexibility and ease of operation Sirivatana had already maximized the capacity of its existing presses, so investing in the Lithrone G40 became the logical choice. Flexibility and ease of operation come with technology, which is inherent in new presses. New technology enhances the workflow and management processes.

The packaging industry is enormous, and it will continue to expand further, especially for e-commerce and exports.

Therefore, Sirivatana is determined to draw from its experience and build teams of highly qualified personnel.

Already 12 acres of land have been put to use and the company's facility has been expanded by adding a second floor. However, Sirivatana needs to expand further to accommodate its growing operations.

Eight-color Lithrone G44: competitive edge on cost and colors The Lithrone G44 prints B1 size sheets without trimming, so it is very versatile. The outputs are the size that the company wants, allowing them to achieve the productivity levels needed.

It is synchronized very well with the production workflow. Although

Sirivatana constantly achieves its targets, the workload lately has been increasing tremendously as the company reaches out to an ever-growing market.

Pornthep details the specific features of the press: "There are two major factors that need to be considered separately.

The first is the 44" size, which reduces production costs because we can make better, more economical job layouts, with more jobs per sheet. The second factor that led to the Lithrone G44 is the capability of running multi-color

jobs. These jobs increase the product value for our customers.

Advantages of the PDC-SX There are two important benefits of PDC-SX (Spectral Print Density Control SX-model), which is installed on both presses. The auto-register enhances the ability to work faster by cutting paper waste to less than 30 sheets. The ability to scan ink densities also helps to reduce paper waste. Only about 50 sheets are used to achieve the color okay and start production printing.

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ColorWave 3800

PlotWave 3000 Series

PlotWave 5000 Series

PlotWave 7500

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Chinese tobacco pack installs Roland 700 Ev Qingzhou Xinhua Packaging Co., Ltd last year collaborated for the first time with Manroland by purchasing a new eight-colour Roland 700 Evolution with coating module and UV system press. The press has now been installed and put into production with a significant increase in production capacity.

Founded in 1995, Qingzhou Xinhua Packaging is highly experienced in packaging printing. In 2014, it was successfully restructured into the first wholly-owned printing company of the Etsong Tobacco (Group) Ltd Co. Since then, it has enjoyed rapid growth.

After decades of steady progress, the company has become a modern packaging printing enterprise with assets of nearly 100 million yuan and annual output value of nearly 150 million yuan. Moreover, it was rated as a national high-tech enterprise and a Weifang municipal technology center in 2017.

Jiang Nianxiao, Qingzhou Xinhua Packaging's general manager, knew exactly how the Roland 700 Evolution can take the company to the next level.

"In addition to the traditional production of tobacco packages, our company has been exploring new markets in recent years. Through technological advancements, we hope to face the new challenges in the packaging printing market and improve the production process, product quality, innovation and productivity," said Jiang.

"We also hope to reduce operating costs, keep expanding our business and enhance our company’s competitiveness in the market with the world’s latest technology and the smartest printing equipment."

Due this expectation, and after thorough research, the company decided to acquire a Roland 700 Evolution. As Manroland's latest flagship model for medium format, it has a sleek platform design with a futuristic look and numerous innovative technologies designed to significantly improve production efficiency, operation and quality.

Due to its excellent print quality and process innovation capability, the Roland 700 Evolution is widely used in the tobacco packaging industry. In fact, it has received high recognition from the cigarette packaging companies.

This is another important reason why Qingzhou Xinhua Packaging chose Manroland.

Technically speaking, Manroland’s 16-roller ink chain design ensures the best balance between ink storage and reaction speed. This is particularly suitable for the "rich coloured" characteristics and design requirements of tobacco packaging products.

TripleFlow configures the optimal ink volume according to different graphics and texts; the intelligent software controls the ink volume for new job startup and job changes, thus minimizing the waste of printing sheets and increasing efficiency.

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kaging company volution

This is especially important to the tobacco packaging printing companies: the cost of cigarette packaging materials tends to be high. The more material can be saved, the lesser the production cost -- and this translates into greater profits.

The new-generation press adopts the new operation concept of "visualization". Its operating system integrates various adjustment functions such as ink key control, registration adjustment, ink roller and ink flow adjustment onto the touch screen.

This, in turn, provides operators with a more ergonomic interface and gives greater convenience in operation. The Roland 700 Evolution is user-friendly, so productivity of operators increases significantly.

For Qingzhou Xinhua Packaging and other fist-time users of Manroland presses, guidance on professional operation and maintenance is helpful for the immediate improvement of the operators’ skills and the premium performance of the new machine. The ProServ 360° Performance Package is readily available for this.

The Roland 700 Evolution comes with the 24-month ProServ 360° Performance Package. Apart from conventional services such as equipment installation and personnel training, the ProServ 360° Performance Package provides customers with "proactive service" including proactive maintenance, remote inspection of equipment, technical support, analysis of production and equipment usage and annual maintenance. The ProServ 360° Performance Package aims to

help printers in the efficient use and maintenance of their equipment, assuring them of the highest return on investment.

“When choosing the printing equipment, we conducted a thorough research on all kinds of sheetfed offsets in the market," Jiang added.

"After a precise market analysis and a comparison of technical specifications, we finally chose the Manroland machine: Roland 700 Evolution (ROLAND 708 LV).”

"Our product quality and production efficiency have significantly improved since it was installed and put into production. This new machine does not only meet our expectations in full, it will also help our company to further speed up its growth and achieve a new milestone soon!"

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Indian packaging printer aims to grow significantly UFlex invests in second Heidelberg Intro printing line to expand Asepto plant in Sanand - Print quality of Heidelberg Intro exceeds customer expectations of UFlex - High-performance Web fed solution to deal with the growing demand for UFlex’s Asepto, aseptic beverage packaging UFlex Limited, India's largest multinational flexible packaging and polymer science company and the first Indian manufacturer of aseptic liquid packaging, announces to double its production capacity from 3.5 bn packs per annum to 7 bn packs per annum.

To achieve this, the company decided to invest in second printing line from the Heidelberg Web Carton Converting GmbH. This investment is part of its larger growth strategy in the liquid packaging space on the back of its ambition to expand its global footprints. Investing in the Heidelberg Intro Web printing technology is thus the first among many steps toward achieving its production capacity.

UFlex, established in 1985 and after becoming extremely successful in flexible packaging, it was time to diversify with offerings within the packaging business and Aseptic Liquid Packaging emerged as an obvious choice for the scope of innovation in the segment. The decision was taken and the Greenfield plant in Sanand

with 85,000 sqm packaging area and a current printing capacity to produce 3.5 billion packs p.a. was commissioned.

Now, the company aims at doubling the production capacity with the second printing line in the plant.

Asepto plant, within a few years, has become a subject of interest in the Indian subcontinent. Therefore, it was necessary and a definite requirement to increase the existing capacity.

When the factory was completed, the investment was only in the latest technology and state-of-the-art machinery. One of the key-suppliers is Heidelberg Web Carton Converting, which delivered an Intro web-flexo printing press. The high-class machine prints 7 colors at a web-width of 1320 mm with a speed of 500 MPM for all packaging materials of Asepto products. The highest quality and reliability of the machine combined with the best performance parameters are proven facts of Heidelberg Intro.

Therefore, Intro was the first choice for the second machine as well! The new custom-built Heidelberg Intro will

be installed in 2021 and will double Asepto’s printing capacity.

Mr. Ashwani Kumar Sharma, President & CEO, Aseptic Liquid Packaging, UFlex Ltd. shares “Asepto is on a significant growth path. Heidelberg’s Intro Web-Printing-Press machine is the perfect fit to meet all our, and our customer’s requirements. Not only are the expectations for the machine, but also the seamless after-sales service factors makes Heidelberg Intro an ideal system to give a push to our growth plans. The partnership shared by the two market leaders over the years has created a win-win situation for both of us. Once the commissioning of the project is complete, we will be looking at global expansion. Asepto Sanand will certainly act as a benchmark”.

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Komori announces new Lithrone models New Lithrone GX44RP/G44 advance models Added to lineup of Lithrone GX/G advance series

Komori Corporation has announced that new Lithrone GX44RP/G44 advance models have been added to the lineup of Lithrone GX/G advance series sheetfed offset presses.

First announced in August 2020, Lithrone GX/G advance presses built with a concept that provide a world class ROI (Return on Investment) launched in October.

Now, advance technology will be extended to two new 44-inch models of the Lithrone lineup.

The Lithrone GX/G advance presses deliver high productivity and print quality with easy operation. Based on the Connected Automation concept, strengthened collaboration and optimization between processes as well as high-level automation with presets based on information from high-end systems are realized, thus contributing to productivity improvement throughout the entire printing process.

This level of integration is powered by Komori's KP-Connect Pro.

The Lithrone G44 advance models capitalize on a unique format size to offer impressively high production efficiency for the packaging market, while also increasing efficiency, when used in a combination with the Lithrone G40 advance 40-inch press.

The 44-inch size is easy to handle and does not require additional manpower since the size is similar to a 40-inch press. It is also extremely well suited for multiple imposition. For this reason it is receiving renewed attention in the package printing market. The Lithrone G44 advance provides higher productivity as a Game Change.

With double-sided one-pass printing built around a stable sheet transport, the Lithrone GX44RP advance also

displays impressively high production for either light or heavy stocks.

Customers may also be interested in the presses which already available for sale, Lithrone GX40/G40 advance and Lithrone GX40RP advance models, as well as the Lithrone G37P advance, which offers better ROIs through onepass printing built around a perfecting mechanism that is compact and highspeed.

Orders for the new Lithrone models will be accepted beginning 1 March 2021.

Moving forward, Komori will continue to focus on press technology that delivers greater efficiency and profitability for its customers.

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

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Are you ready for 5G. Online data reveals which countries are MOST sceptical • The United States is the most sceptical country in the world about 5G, with an average 374,700 tentative online searches about 5G per month • United Kingdom (93,400) and Australia (32,970) are among the other countries where there are over 30,000 dubious online searches regarding 5G each month 5G is one of the pinnacle new technologies that is set to revolutionise everyday life. Driven by its core benefit of super-fast low latency internet, 5G has the strong potential to unlock the full capabilities of other advanced technologies like augmented reality and Internet of things (IoT). Despite these positive credentials, many are still cynical about 5G. Interested in technology trends, Prolifics Testing utilised online analytics tool Ahrefs to discover which countries in the world are most sceptical about 5G based on their online searches in relation to 5G. Prolifics Testing classified and grouped consistently recurring Google searches by individuals on 5G such as ‘is 5G dangerous?’, ‘is 5G safe?’, ‘is 5G harmful?’, ‘does 5G pose health risks?’ and ‘does 5G cause/spread coronavirus (Covid-19)?’ as sceptical online searches about 5G. Prolifics Testing found that that the United States is in the number one spot as Americans are the most hesitant about the emerging technology, with an astonishing 374,700 sceptical online searches regarding 5G each month – the equivalent of 1,027 sceptical online searches per day!

In second position is the United Kingdom, where there are 93,400 online searches a month by Brits doubting and questioning various aspects of 5G.

Australia is in third place, as there is an average of 32,970 dubious online queries about 5G per month by worried Australians.

Canada (22,680) and Poland (20,510) are among the other countries in the world where there are more than

20,000 tentative online searches about 5G every month, respectively ranking fourth and fifth.

Interestingly in Africa, there are 13,780 online searches a month by South Africans (eighth place) and 6,850 online searches a month by Nigerians (thirteenth place) concerning the possible negative implications of 5G technology.

At the other end in 20th place is Denmark, where there is an average of 1,410 sceptical online searches by Danes relating to 5G each month. https://www.prolifics-testing.com/

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Meet the New Building Blocks of Efficiency With the new Versant® 3100i Press and Versant® 180i Press Are you feeling the pressure to cut costs? Things like print jams and mistakes from misfeeds can seem small at first, but the delays and cost of supplies can start to stack up. The new Versant® 3100i Press and Versant® 180i Press are designed to minimise waste and maximise performance. Our revolutionary Air Suction Feeder and smart automated workflows come together to reduce the risk of human error and avoid costly problems like print jams.

Up to 67% faster turnaround time

Learn more about how we could give your business an efficiency boost at www.fujixerox.com.au/aus/ buildingopportunity

Air Suction Feeder Versant® 3100i Press

Xerox, Xerox and Design, as well as Fuji Xerox and Design are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xerox Corporation in Japan and/or other countries.

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Shreedhar labels eliminates print defects Technology from Baldwin Vision Systems provides complete print quality verification from prepress through production, reporting and archiving Mr. Bhavya Shah (left) and Mr. Manish Patel (right) of Shreedhar Labels with Mr. Amit Desai of Baldwin Vision Systems, and the Guardian PQV 100% Inspection system installed on their Re brand rewinder.

Shreedhar Labels (www.shreedharlabels. in), located in Ahmedabad, has achieved a “zero rejection” level of print quality, after installing India’s first Guardian PQV 100% Print Inspection technology from Baldwin Vision Systems. Shreedhar Labels is one of India’s premier labeling specialists, with more than three decades of experience as an ISO-certified printing company providing advanced, customized solutions for the clients.

While this is the first installation of the technology in India, the Guardian PQV has years of proven performance in the Americas and Europe. PQV is a feature-rich inline defect detection system that enables printers to find and remove defects quickly, and monitor their processes to prevent defects from occurring in the first place. The system provides complete print quality verification from prepress through production, reporting, and archiving for perfect runs.

“The system is designed to perform without fail to the most rigorous inspection requirements, with almost any substrate, and for all printing applications including converting, label, packaging, sheet and web,” says Mr. Amit Desai, Regional Sales Manager for Baldwin Vision Systems.

“Its state-of-the-art camera systems can be mounted on one or both sides of the substrate to perform 100% inspection for print quality, variable data, and even the most challenging security print features. When properly equipped, a Guardian PQV system can inspect for missing decimal points and broken characters on font sizes down to 4 pt. text typically, or even smaller in special circumstances.”

Mr. Bhavya Shah, director of Shreedhar Labels, notes that his company’s processes have been greatly improved since the installation of the Guardian PQV. “Before installing the system,” said Mr. Shah, “we were not getting optimal productivity. Many defects were going out. In particular, font size changes were not detected before the printed product was shipped to our customers.

“After installation of the Guardian PQV technology, we are able to guarantee our performance and our customers are very happy with the print quality. We now have zero rejection of printed substrate from our customers.

Our operators are using the system for every job, and say it is very userfriendly. The tiniest font size variations are detected, and no defective product is sent to our customers.”

As to why Shreedhar Labels chose Baldwin Vision Systems over other options, Mr. Shah comments: “The Baldwin Vision Systems brand is well known for quality. They provide local support and excellent service here in Ahmedabad. The process of installing the PQV system went very smoothly, and we now are realizing higher speeds, better print quality, and our operation is more productive.”

After the proven performance at Shreedhar Labels, acceptance of Guardian PQV in the India print market is already growing. India’s second PQV installation is now underway at printing giant Pragati Graphics Pvt. Ltd. The Vision Systems business unit of Baldwin Technology Company, Inc. is the world’s leading innovator of advanced color and inspection technology for the printing industry. Baldwin Vision Systems (baldwinvisionsystems.com) sells its automated control systems in more than 100 countries, and maintains a worldwide network of sales and service operations.

DIGITAL PRINTING SOLUTIONS LIKE NO OTHER Ready for the next turn.

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As truly direct and dedicated printing technology specialists, we believe you should deal with your challenges in your very own way. That is why we offer a wider range of digital technologies for a wide range of applications. From wine labels to wall decoration; from toner to inkjet – how can we help you to make your business ready for the next turn? www.xeikon.com

Direct. Dedicated. Digital.

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HP launches new latex printer portfolio The new HP Latex 700 and 800 printer series offers whitest white ink and increases productivity by up to 50% versus previous HP models

HP Inc. has introduced a range of new Latex large format print solutions to help print service providers diversify their offerings and meet more challenging customer needs.

After a year of business disruption across the large format industry, the HP Latex 700 and 800 series brings a suite of features that enable PSPs to be more agile, tackle ambitious projects and take on the highest value work. The new portfolio also delivers fast workflows that help businesses hit deadlines, while sharpening their sustainability edge.

“When you think about HP Latex, imagine the unique ability to say yes to every customer request, regardless of fast-changing schedule or application demands. Help meet deadlines with undisputable operator and environmental safety, as, with HP Latex, every signage & decor decision becomes a sustainable one,” said Guayente Sanmartin, General Manager, Large Format Business, HP. “The new Latex 700 and 800 portfolio will allow PSPs to win big by navigating customer challenges in the next normal and embracing more ambitious projects safe in the knowledge their work will deliver.”

Whitest White Ink The new HP Latex range consists of four devices – the HP Latex 700 and

800, and the HP Latex 700W and 800W which offer white ink capability for the first time in this category.

It is the whitest white ink available on the market that does not yellow over time , enabling print businesses to produce neater outlines and add more contrast to darker supports.

Meanwhile, updated printheads possessing more nozzles and producing speeds of up to 36 m2/hr allow the HP Latex 800 and 800W to offer 50% higher productivity levels compared to previous HP models.

Print jobs executed on the new 700/800 Series will deliver with vivid colours and finer image and text details, even at faster print speeds. Operationally, HP PrintOS also enables PSPs to monitor and control their print fleet using a cloud-based interface they can use virtually anywhere, anytime.

Recent HP research reveals that 85% of PSP customers now demand sustainable products and practices.

To meet this requirement, the new Latex products continue to build on HP’s long-lasting commitment to sustainable printing. All four devices in the HP Latex 700 and 800 series use the HP Eco Carton – a cartridge made with cardboard material, reducing the amount of plastic used by 80%. HP’s

water-based inks are also kinder to the environment.

Improved HP Latex Print and Cut Plus HP has also introduced an updated Latex Print and Cut portfolio that is fully compatible with the Latex 700 and 800 Series. Equipped with the latest Raster Image Processor (RIP) software and completely new contour cutters, the devices allow for improved usability - making jobs easier and more intuitive than ever for signage and decorative printed applications.

The HP Latex 700 and 800 Series and the updated HP Latex Cut and Print Plus Solution, are expected to be available for all major markets starting 2 February 2021.

Updated features include optimized cutting accuracy through the enhanced Optical Position System (OPOS) configurations. As part of this improvement, the HP cutter reads the black inner lines along the job and carries out additional measurements, further aided by new HP barcodes located on the printed sheets to identify jobs. Cutting on the new Latex 64 and 54 Plus Cutting Solutions is enhanced by a higher cutter downforce of up to 600gr. This provides the necessary pressure to deliver accurate cutting performance even on thicker media.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

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First Scodix ultra digital enhancement press installed Scodix, the world’s leading provider of digital enhancement solutions for the graphic arts industry, today announces that Germany S.A.C.I.A.G has installed a Scodix Ultra Digital Enhancement Press.

The press is the first of the Scodix Ultra series to be installed in Paraguay where Germany S.A.C.I.A.G is a leading packaging producer in the food, tobacco, clothing, cosmetic and pharmaceutical markets.

Edgar Himmelreich, CEO of Germany S.A.C.I.A.G, states, “It is simple logic to bring the leading digital enhancement press onto our production floor, as it enables us to supply quality short-run enhancement to our customers quickly and economically. The release of the Scodix low migration polymer, Scodix PolySense 550, helped our decision to purchase a Scodix press, as we are such a large provider of food packaging.”

All presses within the Scodix Ultra series work with PolySense 550 for digital enhancement applications requiring low migration for indirect contact with products such as food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, which represent a large proportion of the products Germany S.A.C.I.A.G produces packaging for. Approved by

Swiss Ordinance, Scodix PolySense 550 makes various applications – including Scodix Sense™, Scodix Foil™, Scodix VDE™, Scodix Cast&Cure™ and Scodix Glitter™ – viable for food packaging.

“Our ethos is about bringing our passion to every project we work on,” Himmelreich elaborates, “We want to develop great packaging at the best possible cost. Scodix digital enhancement allows all of our customers to achieve luxurious

packaging for their brand, no matter the size of their production run, no matter the product.”

The Scodix Ultra press was sold to Germany S.A.C.I.A.G, by Novaprint, Scodix’ partner in Paraguay, also representing the company in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Uruguay. Novaprint Innovasa Director Ariel Musri comments on their latest installation: “We’ve been serving the graphic arts industry in South America since 2004, and as such we have an excellent relationship with Germany S.A.C.I.A.G. When we talked to them about potential new technologies that could really add value for new and existing customers, whilst serving the increasing demand for short-run jobs, we knew Scodix was the perfect solution.”

Isaac Castiel, Scodix VP of LATAM adds, “Germany S.A.C.I.A.G is the perfect fit for Scodix, the technology compliments their desire to uniquely enhance offset products. We are also delighted to add Paraguay to the list of countries that operate a Scodix press.

South America now delivers Scodix enhanced products from coast-to-coast, which is an inspiring achievement.”

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Fujifilm Acuity B1 helps to boost production speeds & slash operating costs Dutch printer’s investment in the Acuity B1 with a white ink option, has led to reliable high quality output and a positive return on investment With various branches in the Netherlands and Belgium, Verhoef has a proud heritage stretching back over 60 years. The company, based in Veldhoven just southwest of Eindhoven, supplies customers throughout the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France, with high quality, durable products.

Verhoef prides itself on delivering both the highest quality print – on various substrates including wood and plastic – and also on its rapid order fulfilment.

In order to boost still further both production quality and speed, the company invested in an Acuity B1 from Fujifilm in early 2019.

Using a mix of screen and digital printing technologies, Verhoef ’s blend of expertise allows for the creation of innovative ideas. “Our working method is to be practical, inventive and costeffective,” says company owner Jan Verhoef. “We stand by these principles in every area we work in. We produce products such as modular systems, labels, banners, window decorations, signage, vinyl, floor stickers and tiles – each product is very important and we strive to deliver it to the highest specification and in the most optimal time.

“We did have another digital printer in the years leading up to the investment in the Acuity B1 – but we found that we needed something that was quicker from a production standpoint and cheaper to maintain,” explains Jan. “We noticed the Acuity B1 for the first time at an exhibition and we were immediately impressed by its capabilities, especially the fully automated printing aspect.

We already had (and still have) an Inca Digital Onset X1 from Fujifilm and

having seen the quality output and reliability from that machine, we knew that partnering up with Fujifilm again made sense.

“We’ve been very impressed with the Acuity B1. While our production has quickened, the quality has also been outstanding. The white ink option, which we were the first in the world to take up, allows us to produce vibrant work that really stands out, especially on transparent materials. The white ink print heads are very stable and, two years on from our investment, we’ve had no issues at all.”

Mr Verhoef also notes how impressed he and his colleagues have been with the automated operation of the machine: “The operator will start the printer up, and then the production run requires no intervention at all, allowing our staff to focus on other tasks.

Overall, it’s helped with cost savings

and shortened our production times, which is essential given the demands of our customers.

“Working with Fujifilm and Inca has been a pleasure once again,” concludes Jan. “They are good listeners and provide helpful advice – they are the perfect partner for us.”

Jaap van Duren, General Manager at Fujifilm Sericol comments: “Verhoef has always stood by its principles of delivering high quality work costeffectively, and we’re delighted to see how the Acuity B1 is aiding that pledge.

Having already benefitted from the reliability and quality of the Onset X1, the company is now seeing identical success with the Acuity B1. We look forward to continuing to work with them and helping them to improve still further on the service they offer to their customers.”

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New GOLD level mate for food safe coatings ACTEGA, manufacturer of specialty coatings, inks, adhesives and sealing compounds for the print and packaging industry, today announced its latest achievement in meeting the most stringent sustainability and product safety standards.

All ingredients in the company’s FoodSafe(1) range raw material matrix have now been assessed against the criteria of the Material Health category in the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard and as a result, the entire FoodSafe series was awarded the Gold level Material Health Certificate by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

This prestigious Gold level certification provides customers with further confidence in the safety of ACTEGA’s complete FoodSafe portfolio. This additional assurance enables users to not only produce legally compliant food packaging but offer brands packaging solutions that adhere to the highest material health requirements for coatings.

The certification also allows ACTEGA to develop new products or adapt existing ones to customer requirements from the tested raw material matrix, without automatically losing the FoodSafe Gold status. This affords ACTEGA much greater flexibility to meet its customers’ evolving needs whilst ensuring its commitment to sustainability and consumer safety is not compromised.

“Climate change, food shortages, plastic waste and species under threat of extinction are all negatively impacted by unsustainable packaging.

The Cradle to Cradle® design principle offers manufacturers a route to ensuring the products they supply are made from materials that are recyclable and environmentally friendly and, therefore, ‘healthy’.

The Material Health Certification is a valuable tool for optimizing the material health of products ”, explains Dr. Hans-Michael Lenz, Head of QC, Environment and Product Safety, ACTEGA. “Our FoodSafe range are water-based coatings for ‘direct food contact’ packaging and, as such, environmental responsibility and consumer safety have always been a priority. However, achieving this latest certification is a clear demonstration of our resolute drive to put consumer safety and product quality first.”

The Material Health Certification uses a globally recognized methodology that assesses all raw materials within a

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terial health certificate s

product, and throughout its life cycle, identifying any potential health risks to humans or the environment.

In addition to compliance with strict evaluation criteria for all product components and ingredients, there are additional requirements to be mentioned. These include ensuring the product does not contain any ‘Banned List’ chemicals(2) above the relevant thresholds and that the evaluated materials are free from carcinogens, mutagens, or reproductive toxicants. All requirements described in the ‘standard for emission testing of volatile organic compounds (VOC)’ must also be met.

ACTEGA was awarded a Gold level Material Health Certificate for more than 100 FoodSafe overprint varnishes several months prior to this latest accomplishment. “That was an important first step for ACTEGA but only the start of our journey. T oday, securing a Gold level certification for the entire Foodsafe range is a landmark moment. We ultimately increase the benefits it provides our customers and further cement the part we play in supporting a more

sustainable future for the packaging industry” concluded Lenz.

FoodSafe coatings are water-based coatings for the direct food contact, as a minimum to dry and fat-including foodstuffs. They have a low potential for migration and do not contain undesirable constitutional components such as mineral oils (MOSH, MOAH), heavy metals or phthalates. They are compliant with the framework regulation EU No. 1935/2004 and the Plastics Directive EU No. 10/2011

(PIM). They also correspond to the Swiss Ordinance (SR 817.023.21) as well as to the Good Manufacturing Practice Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006.

Control of ‘Banned List’ chemicals helps to prevent dangerous substances from accumulating in the biosphere and leading to irreversible negative effects on human health. Also excluded are substances that have hazardous properties in relation to their manufacture, use and disposal.

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Two advnaced solutions for digital textile production Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd. President, Kazuaki IKEDA) engaged in industrial inkjet printers, cutting plotters, and 3D printers announces the release of the "TS100-1600" sublimation transfer inkjet printer for textile and apparel applications, to be available worldwide starting February 2021.

In recent years, in the textile and apparel market, with the diversification of customer needs, the demand for on-demand printing, which can reduce inventory by producing small lots and various kinds of products in a short delivery time, has increased instead of inventory sales of mass-produced products.

Digital printing is getting more market attention as an efficient production method that can reduce inventory because it does not require a platemaking process and can produce small lots and a wide variety of products on a case-by-case basis to be possible to shorten the time from planning to product arrival at the store. On the other hand, those exist who are hesitant to go digital because of the initial installation costs, including the purchase of printers.

The TS100-1600 meets the market needs of the textile and apparel industry, and as an entry-level model with high performance and an affordable price, it can be used with confidence by a wide range of customers who are considering the introduction of digital printing.

The TS100-1600 is a sublimation transfer inkjet printer newly added to the entry-level “100 Series” lineup, which offers an excellent balance of operation performance, image quality, speed, and cost.

The print width of 1,600 mm, which is frequently used in the textile/apparel industry, is supported. Even though the printer is a reasonable entry-level model, it achieves high productivity with a print speed of 70 m²/h in the fastest mode, which is about twice as fast as our conventional model for textiles *1.

In addition, the use of a one-liter bottle ink for the first time in our sublimation transfer models helps cut the running cost in about half compared to our conventional model *1 (when equipped with standard 440 cc cartridges), and enables stable, long-term operation due to the reduced frequency of ink replacement.

The printer is also equipped with a variety of features, including NCU (Nozzle Check Unit)*2, NRS (Nozzle Recovery System)*3, and MAPS4 (Mimaki Advanced Pass System 4)*4 to ensure stable, high-quality prints.

Moreover, the DAS (Dot Adjustment

System) function is adopted to automate dot position correction and feeding amount correction that were previously done manually, reducing the workload on the operator drastically.

The TS100-1600 is compatible with Mimaki’s two types of original RIP software, TxLink4 Lite and RasterLink7 to ensure beautiful prints and ease of use. You may choose either one as a standard provision when purchasing the product.

Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd. upholds the management vision of "novelty and difference" and will continue to strive to be an innovator company that provides customer-oriented products *1 When compared to our previous models: JV150-160 (equipped with waterbased sublimation ink) and TS30-1300 *2 NCU: A function that automatically detects the status of nozzles using the sensor, and performs auto cleaning when a missing nozzle is found *3 NRS: A function that automatically replaces defective nozzles with other nozzles if there is a problem left unsolved by the nozzle cleaning, and ensures uninterrupted printing with stable image quality *4 MAPS4: A function that prints pass boundaries fading in gradation to reduce banding (horizontal stripes), uneven color, and glossy streak

Learn more

New solution for direct-to-substrate proofing on uncoated packaging media - now available for FLEX PACK!

www.cgs-oris.com

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We are already into 21, predictions what it will lo It goes without saying; but I’ll say it anyway. 2020 was a year. Like.

No. Other. I expect 2021 to be exceptional too as we all adjust to a very different new normal. Remember the old normal? Me neither.

So, what will 2021 look like? What are the trends that will define it?

No surprise that the professional forecasters have peered into the murk and are now publishing their wisdom in the form of their 2021 projections and trends across business, society, consumer behaviour and the economy.

Here is a curated list of some of the most prominent and interesting trends.

Some are surprising, some are maybe ‘predictable‘, all though are likely to play a role in the unfolding pattern and texture of this year we are entering.

So, this Magnificent Seven starts with a trend that it seems almost everyone has identified as key for 2021.

1. Online shopping It relates to the stimulus that the Coronavirus has provided. Remaining at home in 2020 led older age groups to approach online shopping as well as younger people. And there will

be no going back. With high levels of e-commerce becoming the norm across European society’s different demographics.

The Creativepool report, The Consumer trends that will define 2021 stated that “Consumer insight platform Attest reports that 68.9% of Brits say they’re now more likely to shop online”. And for much business to business purchasing too.

All of which means that brands need to raise their game as far as the online user experience is concerned. The browsing and ordering process needs to be as smooth, enjoyable, and convenient as possible.

2. Sustainability Again, no great surprise here. The pandemic has forced consumers to reassess, or double down on, their attitudes to the environment as they saw some positive results and the planet start to recover. Sustainability will be a

burning topic in 2021 as consumers fear that recent gains are lost. Brands will be expected to play their part.

Those showing commitment to the cause are likely to have the upper hand.

3. Social re-evaluation In adjacent territory is the shift to the foreground of social causes and the quest for social justice. People at home reflecting on the state of society are increasingly not satisfied.

And they expect the brands to whom they give their loyalty to share their values and concerns. To illustrate this the GWI consumer trends report for 2021 showed 41% of consumers want brands to put more focus on supporting social causes.

4. DIY Innovation This is perhaps more left field than the trends outlined so far. People facing different challenges to the ones of the pre-Coronavirus world have shown remarkable ingenuity. They have found life hacks, improvised, and worked around in both their private and working lives. The phenomenon has found expression in the surge in new business start-ups, the use of Tik Tok for medical advice, and the team behind Fortnite finding a way to bring a live game experience to 12 million. Organisations need to tap into the DIY revolution, innovating in such a way that their offerings become platforms on which third parties can adapt. Co-creation is the way ahead and a more ecosystem-oriented approach to innovation.

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here are some more ook like moving ahead

5. Work Evolution The contract between employer and employee is being reframed as workers who once travelled daily to their workplace are now effectively living in their office. To preserve and enhance wellbeing and productivity, employers can innovate in the areas of technology where investment in digital transformation can revolutionise work from home experiences, team collaboration and connectivity with central databases and customers.

Companies that invest can emerge triumphant. Also, culture: as virtual teams interact in different ways to colocated teams. Ad hoc communications should be encouraged therefore to foster camaraderie and combat isolation.

6. Safety First It is no surprise that personal safety and protection will be a priority around Europe in 2021. Safety, it can be argued, is the new wellness movement.

The fear of infection and increased health awareness will drive demand for hygiene products, contactless solutions and experiences, free from inherent risk. This safety obsessed trend was identified by Euromonitor International in its Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2021 report.

7. Memorable Moments Lastly, home has become the new

storefront, but without the buzz and thrill that comes with the instore purchase experience. This means an opportunity is forming for brands able to create a memorable moment.

Personalisation and supply chain solutions can contribute here to make a distinctive experience that gives competitive edge. As the Fjord Trends 2021 report from Accenture puts it succinctly: “The way we get hold of things changed in 2020, and it’s becoming more important to deliver joy right through to the last moment.”

Travel Looks like all major airlines will ask for some sort of vaccination certigfite or

proof you have had the VOVID-19 vaccination jabs. Also hotels and other travel realated venues may also ask for the same. In fact roumours are some countires will not let you travel inblund woith out forst proving you are vaccinated. This maybe a problem for the ' anti-vaxxers" who enjoy traveling for pleasure, or worse must travel for work related issues So, all diverse trends - many of them interdependent and complementary.

All of them important. The list is not definitive. The future isn’t. But it may serve as a working synthesis of what is heading our way. Strap yourself in – 2021 is upon us.

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56 Xeikon white paper on migrationoptimized digital label and packaging printing solutions The migration behaviour of digital ink systems plays a decisive role in the selection of a digital press and determines to a large extent which application segments the printing system can cover – and to which segments it could be expanded if necessary. These comprehensive aspects of migration-optimised solutions are discussed in Xeikon’s new white paper, in which Lode Deprez, Vice President Technology, provides insight into the criteria that must be taken into account when purchasing a digital printing system.

The white paper initially addresses the question of why there can’t be a “one ink” system that is suitable for all applications in digital packaging printing. It outlines the extremely complex requirements placed on ink systems, which differ in their migration behaviour and whose food safety properties are a very important criteria when selecting a machine system.

In addition, the ink systems used must meet legal requirements. The white paper provides a brief overview of the key regulations issued by legislative bodies, associations and branded goods manufacturers, and provides easy-to-understand information on the current migration limits.

Against this background, it shows the importance of the chemical composition of digital ink systems on migration behaviour. By looking into the different composition of dry and liquid toner and UV inkjet inks, it highlights the advantages of the

respective ink systems for different applications.

However, the ink components, with their different molecule sizes, are not the only elements to have an influence on the migration behaviour of digital ink systems. The transfer from printing inks to food depends on other factors such as storage time, storage temperature, barrier properties of the packaging material and, ultimately, the packaged good itself. The white paper also provides clear explanations on this topic.

The result is a clear picture of the user segments in which digital ink systems have their strengths. Divided into the segments of food, pharmaceuticals, wine & spirits, beverages, health & beauty, chemicals and consumer goods, individual recommendations can be derived for each label and packaging printer depending on the composition of their portfolio, which will help them when deciding on a digital printing system. The white paper also goes over the question of how to proceed if the portfolio is to be further developed in a particular direction.

You can download the White Paper here: https://go.xeikon.com/wplowmigration_en Smurfit Kappa launches additional TopClip packing system designed for smaller brandser Smurfit Kappa announced the launch of a new packing system for its sustainable TopClip product, a paperbased replacement for plastic shrink wrap that bundles beverage multipacks. This packing system, which is

designed for smaller businesses and brands, comes after the launch of their high speed machine with KHS last year. This now completes the portfolio of Smurfit Kappa's end to end solutions for TopClip, ensuring it is suitable for beverage companies of all sizes.

The launch of this new packing solution, and the implementation by Czech beer brewer Pivovar Clock, sees the packaging company selected to supply their innovative and sustainable paper-based TopClip for 500ml cans.

A modern and creative brewery, Pivovar Clock are noted within the industry for their early adoption of sustainable technology. The brewer uses the latest steam technology and local ingredients to produce their beer.

Smurfit Kappa has now launched complete solutions, including automation for every shape and size of beverage company, which will be a key characteristic in facilitating the roll out of TopClip with many different brands. Now, with this implementation, Smurfit Kappa has proven their commitment to supplying TopClip, both to the large global brands requiring high-speed machines, and to smaller craft breweries.

With a 30% lower carbon footprint than a shrink wrap consumer pack, TopClip is plastic-free and

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57 business.”

“With our portfolio of machine solutions, Smurfit Kappa can provide a holistic offering to reduce your carbon footprint and ultimately help grow sales,” concluded Mr. Berkenbosch.

The announcement means that TopClip, which has already been available in the UK and the Netherlands with other brands, will be now additionally be available to consumers in the Czech, Polish and Slovakian markets.

TopClip is part of Smurfit Kappa’s Better Planet Packaging, a portfolio of innovative packaging solutions designed to be more sustainable and always made from a renewable and recyclable raw material.

100% renewable, recyclable and biodegradable. As it is made from less material and does not require glue, TopClip is significantly more sustainable than other recently launched same-purpose packaging solutions on the market and offers a premium consumer experience with good branding opportunities.

Welcoming the announcement, Jirí Andrš, CEO at Pivovar Clock said: “As a company, we pride ourselves on only using the highest quality ingredients when making our beers. We want to provide this standard across our business and Smurfit Kappa’s TopClip solution offers us a new sustainable alternative while providing an excellent consumer and branding experience.''

“At Pivovar Clock, we are committed to significantly decreasing our carbon footprint, so by choosing TopClip we are also meeting our environmental obligations by reducing single-use plastics.”

Commenting on the news, Arco Berkenbosch, VP Innovation and Development, at Smurfit Kappa Europe said: “We are delighted to partner with Pivovar Clock by providing their consumers with the latest in innovative and sustainable packaging solutions. Whether you’re a small or large beverage company, there is a version of TopClip to suit your

SOLitrack 2.4 delivers web-based job control, proof and approval, and JDF finishing control for an efficient PDF-centric production print workflow Solimar Systems, provider of leading workflow solutions for print production and digital communications, today announces the release of SOLitrack™ version 2.4. This version includes many new features including web-based job control, proof and approval capabilities, and JDF finishing for PDF files — all to maximize the

effectiveness and efficiency of a remote print production workflow.

Key to the ease-of-use and overall visibility that SOLitrack 2.4 provides is a central dashboard, now available worldwide as a web-based platform with SOLitrack Mobile. The dashboard displays event notifications and tracks Solimar’s Chemistry™ platform components in detail providing users in-depth views of their production workflow processes.

SOLitrack 2.4 keeps a continuous record of processing activity which provides a history of the entire workflow that can be viewed and reported on in real-time. The platform constantly monitors the production workflow for errors, notifying appropriate users on issues or events needing attention.

“Many print businesses need their operational staff to remotely oversee and manage processes in their factories. As such, company managers need visibility, live access, and control to ensure production processes run smoothly,” states Jonathan Malone-McGrew, Senior Director of Engagement, Solimar Systems.

“SOLitrack provides a comprehensive, reliable production print workflow solution to do just that. It enables companies to track and report on workflow processes from the shop floor or remote locations.”

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58 In addition, the Proof and Approval feature in SOLitrack 2.4 empowers In-Plants and Print Service Providers (PSPs) to automate the approval process of jobs and work orders.

From the secure, web-based SOLitrack client, everyone in the approval chain can easily review, approve or reject jobs. Individual components of jobs can be managed with the Piece Level Tracking (PLT) feature. This Proof and Approval process also supports multi-step approvals, including rules for the overall review process, notifications and auto-approvals based on schedules and events.

With SOLitrack’s support for Job Definition Format (JDF) finishing controls, operators can direct jobs to JDF-enabled printers to dynamically apply the appropriate tray calls, stapling, binding, or other finishing.

The benefit for PSPs is time savings, a simplified print production workflow and overall reduced operational costs.

“We’re excited to deliver this new functionality and grateful to our Customer Advisory Council members who provided helpful insights to help boost their productivity and empower remote working,” adds Mary Ann Rowan, Chief Experience Officer, Solimar Systems. “We’re working hard to make 2021 a stellar year full of valuable enhancements as well as a celebration of our 30th anniversary.”

Certified drivers for HP’s new portfolio of versatile Latex printers SA International (SAi), the leading provider of software solutions for professional signmaking, wide-format digital printing and CAD/CAM machining industries, has announced that they now offer certified drivers for the new HP Latex 700 and 800 Latex Printers.

SAi’s Flexi RIP design and print software enables you to fully utilize the advanced new features of the HP printers, including multi-layer printing.

SAi Flexi will also separate layered PDF files into separate pages for printing. With an integrated HP online media library, users can view and download the latest media and print modes directly to their printer, which

auto-synchronizes with Flexi creating a seamless workflow.

In addition to advanced workflow features, SAi Flexi supports white ink layered printing, a versatile and powerful tool. Flexi can generate white ink on the fly or from the white layer from the predefined design. Users can control how white ink is printed in both the Flexi Design and Flexi RIP Production Manager functions.

With the ability to preview the white channel beforehand, users save RIP and print time and avoid wasted materials.

SAi also provides drivers for: HP DesignJet Printer Series HP Scitex Printer Series HP Stitch Printer Series All HP Latex Printers SAi Flexi is the industry leader for creating a variety of applications such as vehicle wraps, banners, signs, soft signage and much more. With a low monthly operating cost, SAi Flexi subscription includes free software upgrades, e-mail and phone support and all of the design and production features SAi Flexi has always been known for.

Thailand-Based NR Instant Produce PCL Leverages V-Shapes Unique Sachet Packaging for Continued Growth V-Shapes, an innovative supplier of vertically integrated products and services for convenient, hygienic and sustainable single-dose packaging, today reported that Thailand-based

NR Instant Produce PCL, a leading global manufacturer of sustainability produced ethnic, plant-based and functional foods, has installed four V-Shapes ALPHA packaging lines to support manufacture of its non-food consumer products for domestic and international distribution, including its Sustainable Development Brand (SDB) clean shots hand sanitizer as well as co-packing of third-party products. The company, which was founded in 1991 and had annual sales of approximately € 31 million in 2019, was recently listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) with the distinction of being the first purpose-led listed Thai company in the field of plant-based food, its primary business.

The company has manufacturing facilities in Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi provinces in Thailand and plans to invest in plant-based manufacturing plants in the UK and United States. The IPO will also provide funding to reach a total of five (5) V-Shapes manufacturing lines for the production of sanitization products for sale in Canada, the United States and the Middle East.

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The Future of Flexo Plate Making

+

Improve plate print quality and consistency

+

Reduce handling errors

+

Lower total cost of ownership

+

Higher productivity

www.xsysglobal.com

info@xsysglobal.com

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

60 tion capacity, warehouse logistics, and secure space for future growth.

Following a move in 2015 from MPS’ previous headquarters in Didam to a more conveniently located and modern building in Arnhem, MPS experienced rapid growth. As the new assembly hall in Arnhem became too restrictive in size to accommodate the increasing demand of MPS machines sold, MPS invested considerable time searching for an alternate location in close proximity.

NR Instant Produce PCL is building a global platform focused on producing the future of food, building state-ofthe-art facilities in key geographies around the world to enable the production of food that will support a world of 10 billion people by 2050.

“We decided to partner with V-Shapes in December 2019,” said NR Instant Produce PCL CEO Dan Pathomvanich. “We saw it as a super-cool solution that has provided us with a packaging solution that is very different and unique from what everyone else is offering.”

NR Instant Produce PCL is another example also of V-Shapes’ ability to adapt to pandemic conditions by providing virtual installation support using smart glasses. Pathomvanich added, “The experience of virtual/ online commissioning is perfect to help a company and not commit any error during the installation while keeping everyone safe.”

In addition, with V-Shapes lines in place, NR Instant Produce PCL was able to assist with pandemic mitigation by providing 10 million of its SDB clean shot hand sanitizer sachets, produced with V-Shapes technology, for use in the Southeast Asian region.

“Prior to implementing V-Shapes,” Pathomvanich said, “we would have been unable to provide this critical service.”

Pathomvanich notes that existing customers are excited to implement

V-Shapes technology in the Southeast Asian region, and the availability of this unique packaging approach is also generating new business for the company. “We are very happy with the configurations we have in place today,” he concludes, “but we are also looking forward to continued innovation from V-Shapes, including in-line printing, that will make us more productive and enable us to provide faster cycle times and more variations in the products we provide to our customers.

Another reason we chose V-Shapes is their consistent work towards a circular economy and the continuous development of sustainable materials with a 360-degree approach to using compostable, biodegradable, and/ or recyclable materials, laminates and substrates.”

Pathomvanich also notes that V-Shapes brings a high level of quality and state-of-the-art technology to the market, including the fact that there are a number of patents in place on the process, as well as the unique single-dose packaging it enables. These were also contributing factors to choosing to partner with V-Shapes.

MPS Systems extends production floorspace MPS Systems extends their floorspace with a 1.600 m2 building across the street from their headquarters based in Arnhem, Netherlands. The additional space will be used to extend produc-

More space and new possibilities The new MPS facility with 1.600 m2 floorspace will be used initially to extend the warehouse and MPS assembly lines. “Having a beautiful, spacious building just across the street from our headquarters doesn’t just give us more space and new energy, but also plenty of new possibilities to consider,” said Anton Spierenburg, MPS Supply Chain & Operations Manager.

“With our ambitious global plans, MPS is planning for more growth in the future. We’re planning to use this space for the build of our press lines, but it also gives us the opportunity to redesign our main building to maximize space and efficiencies in both locations.”

MPS’ address remains the same at Delta 100 in Arnhem, the Netherlands.

The new location is Delta 134.

Sensors Finding Their Way Into Various Areas If a single image can show what a business is all about, the cat on the gin box is the one that does just that for Victory Graphics. The attention-grabbing combination of dark black tones, a fine image and bright reverse-outs are exceptional enough, but when you

5th INTERNATIONAL PACKAGING AND PRINTING EXHIBITION FOR ASIA

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

61

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

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

62 With FLEXCEL NX plates, the press can produce work that combines excellent coverage in solid areas with crisp reverse-outs and fine tones. In turn, this means we can reproduce both line and tone using just the one plate, instead of one plate for each.

Essentially, we lift the quality these plants produce from standard to premium, giving them the ability to compete for work they previously thought was beyond their capabilities.”

consider it was produced on a 20-yearold press using a single KODAK FLEXCEL NX plate, thus eliminating register issues and reducing cost, it becomes truly extraordinary.

Helping printers produce flexo packaging that combines such high quality and remarkable on-press efficiency is all in a day’s work for specialist flexo prepress business Victory Graphics, based in Portsmouth, UK. In the case of the cat image, the impressive print was produced by Newmarket-based Caps Cases, where print manager Wayne Booker, supported by Victory Graphics, is continuously driving print quality on such challenging jobs using FLEXCEL NX plates.

Diversification Victory’s website describes the company’s mission rather modestly: “Our aim is to help our clients grow by improving quality and reducing the cost of flexographic print”. Behind the strapline is an impressive story. It started in 2014, when the company entered the flexo prepress market, diversifying away from its previous concentration on coating plates (“a niche business”, in the words of owner and managing director Karl Pampus) and towards a broader base in packaging — flexible and corrugated — and labels.

Today coating plates account for around one-third of sales, says operations director Dean Darby, who adds that “offering a wider range of services helped us maintain growth

even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Any fall-off in, say, label demand has been compensated by growth in corrugated.”

In 2016 Victory installed a KODAK FLEXCEL NX System, featuring a large-format 50” x 80” imaging unit capable of producing any size of plate.

Looking back, Pampus credits the FLEXCEL NX System from Miraclon with setting the company on the path to the reputation it now enjoys in the corrugated market. “With FLEXCEL NX we can provide clients with a plate technology that’s far superior to anything else available — one that delivers not only consistently high quality, but also really significant production efficiencies and cost savings.”

1-to-1 reproduction for true print consistency Pampus goes on to describe the majority of Victory’s clients as “independent corrugated sheetfed plants that are striving for quality despite often having older, lower-specification presses.

The FLEXCEL NX System’s combination of flat-top dot technology and advanced plate surface patterning makes this possible. Flat-top dots deliver true print consistency through true 1-to-1 reproduction between the digital file and the physical plate structure, while KODAK DIGICAP NX Patterning enables surface structuring to be applied to all print areas on the plate, including very small dots, aiding precise metering of ink for each print element. The plate surface can therefore be tailored to specific print requirements and press specifications.

Pampus continues: “Avoiding pinholes and areas where there’s too much ink not only produces brighter colors with reduced ink usage, it also allows the press to run faster. The even spread of ink on the plate gives homogeneous coverage, while the lower pressure results in consistently good transfer. In addition, lower-volume aniloxes can be used with associated savings on ink.”

There are significant operational benefits for the printers, adds Dean Darby.

“Customers regularly tell us how much faster they get to color, which reduces make-ready waste. And with FLEXCEL NX plates they don’t have to clean as frequently on long runs; we’ve had customers reduce cleaning by over 50%.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2021

63 Conversions In common with many FLEXCEL NX plate users, Victory sees considerable scope to transition litholamination jobs to flexo post-print and gravure jobs to flexo. One such opportunity currently under discussion with a leading brewery — the outer case for a premium-label beer — could yield five-figure cost savings with a switch to flexo. Says Pampus: “What helps us in these discussions is FLEXCEL NX’s consistent ability to match proofs and samples produced by the incumbent technology — that consistency in delivering print results makes the difference. Sure, with other plate technologies it’s possible to get good results by tweaking parameters on the press, but with FLEXCEL NX it’s the certainty of getting results so quickly that makes press passes a routine task — almost a non-event!”

Looking to the future for corrugated, Pampus expects the visual appearance of outer packaging to become even more important to brands, influenced in part by the acceleration in e-commerce in the wake of Covid-19 and the growing ‘unboxing’ phenomenon, whereby social media users share videos of product unpacking. “These developments will in turn put pressure on corrugated to achieve higher quality.”

He acknowledges that there are pressures on printers too — the perennial ones on prices and margin. “These trickle down to suppliers like us, of course, and our response is to become more efficient, more productive. We’ve invested just over £500,000 in the last year on measures to achieve this, including the recent installation of a new MIS.” Darby adds that last year the company also more than doubled the production area with the addition of a mezzanine floor — a sure sign of confidence in the future.

Victory is also responding by continuing to do what it has done so successfully to date: exploiting all the advanced features that set FLEXCEL NX plates apart from the competition, constantly seeking further improvement. Says Karl Pampus: “At the heart of the business are innovation and continuous improvement across our

complete offering, all with the ultimate aim of giving printers the print quality improvement and cost reductions that will help them succeed as well.”

They are highly productive – the best on the market Based in Saint-Denis-sur-Sarthon, Normandy, SDPS is a leading supplier of high quality wide format print to the French POP and POS market. The company installed its first Onset X2 in 2016 and followed that with a second installation the following year. Three years on, in the summer of 2020, they decided to take the opportunity to upgrade to the Onset X2 HS, which was launched by Fujifilm and Inca Digital in 2019.

“We were very happy with the two X2 machines,” says Richard Charrier, Technical Director at SDPS. “They are highly productive – the best on the market – but we saw an opportunity to boost our production speeds even further if we invested in an HS model.”

The Onset X2 HS was installed in August, with the accompanying robotic arm system having to follow later due to COVID restrictions. Neither Charrier, nor company CEO Regis Broussin have been disappointed. “Job set-up times are much faster now,” says Broussin. “We’re saving five to ten minutes in set-up time with every job, and with anywhere from two to ten jobs in a typical shift, that time saving quickly adds up.”

Nor is it just with the job set-up that time savings are being made. “The printing speed is faster as well,” Broussin adds. “The heads adjust more quickly and the loading and unloading is much smoother. All together we’re saving one-and-a-half to two hours of production time every shift. What that

has meant is that we’ve moved from a pattern of three eight hour shifts per day to three seven hour shifts per day.

We’ve also now been able to start closing the factory on Saturday mornings and giving everyone a welcome break.

And we’ve been able to do all of that while maintaining the same levels of production as before.”

Charrier notes that the quality the Onset range is known for is still very much there. “The extra speed hasn’t affected the quality at all,” he comments. “It’s still every bit as good and our customers are delighted with it.”

Like all print businesses in Europe, SDPS faced significant challenges in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

“A lot of our usual work dropped off during the first lockdown in the spring,” says Broussin. “It picked up rapidly in July and August – we were much busier then than we normally would be – but overall it’s certainly been a very tough year.

“Looking ahead, the print production market is very competitive and I expect to see a bit of a price war next year among us and our competitors.

Having an exceptionally reliable, high quality and high productivity machine like the Onset is certainly an advantage for us in that scenario.”

Jerome Delplanque, Commercial Director, Wide Format, Fujifilm Graphic Systems France says: “SDPS has been a valued customer of Fujifilm’s for a number of years now. Having been with them for so many new steps on their journey, we’re delighted to have been able to give their production yet another boost with our latest high speed Onset model. In what has been a very tough year for all of us, SDPS has performed admirably well and we’re proud to be working with them.”

www.xeikon.com