Issue 3 PIA 2017

Print INNOVATION

Asia Magazine

Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia. Issue 3 2017

US$8.50

The path to success Answer your brand customer demands profitably with HP digital solutions for corrugated packaging and displays.

Capitalize on market demand for short runs and versatility with HP digital solutions built to adapt to your workflow. The choice is yours.

The HP Scitex 15000 Corrugated Press is the ideal platform for directto-corrugate applications. Designed for a flexible workflow that leaves room for differentiation, versioning and customization across your highvalue retail displays and boxes.

HP PageWide Web Press T400S brings together the best of pre-print and digital for the first time. Designed to provide a powerful combination of best-in-class quality and productivity, including high volume versioning with ease, operational efficiency and process simplification.

Now is the time to go where analog can’t go in corrugated, so take the path to greater success with the right HP digital solution for your business.

Find out more: hp.com/go/packaging

HP Scitex 15000 Corrugated Press

© Copyright 2016 HP Development Company, L.P.

HP PageWide Web Press T400S

Asian PrintAwards 2017 th

Gold

Silver

Print INNOVATION

Asia Magazine

Bronze

Contents Page 2

Labels and Packaging Innovation Conference Flyer

7

Digital offset press enhances community impact's

8

Test incoming PDF files to the most rigorous level

10

Konica Minolta Produces Tactile Effects for

Singapore Book

12

Global alliance for book distribution

14

Adopting a truly digital workflow

16

OneVision DigiLabel software solution optimises

workflows of label printers

18

CGS Brings Brands to Life

20

Expands its portfolio for label printing

22

First-class packaging printing

24

Innovations for enhanced safety at the workplace

28

Oreo and HP steal hearts of Chinese millenials

32

Centre of excellence for identity and security print

34

A positive story from most printers and suppliers in

most regions

42

3D Lens Technology Adds a New Dimension to

Printed Signage

46

EFI introduces new VUTEK printers at

Connect 2017

48

The Virtual Light Booth

50

News from around the world

Issue 3 2017 Published by Asian Print Awards Management Pte Ltd 39 Robinson Road, Robinson Point #11-01, Suite 25A Singapore 068911 Print Innovation Asia Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia Asian Print Awards

Publisher

Paul Callaghan paul@printinnovationasia.com

Editorial

Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com Advertising sales@cpublish.com.sg Editor

Sha Jumari sha@printinnovationasia.com Packaging Sales Matthew Callahan matt@cpublish.com.sg Accounts/Circulation accounts@cpublish.com.sg

Get the latest news and information, magazines Print and updates at the NEW INNOVATION

Asia Web Web Site. Go to www.printinnovationasia.com

TO STAY COMPETITIVE AND GROW OUR PACKAGING BUSINESS WE NEED

6

JOIN THE 2017 Conference in Jakarta April 27-28th

Hear from BRAND OWNERS and LEADING MANUFACTURERS on how you can remain competitive and drive your business growth in the future. Book your seat today.....

Presenters at the 2017 event include International Brand Owners Leading Flexo Printers Leading Label Manufacturers Leading Gravure Cigarette Manufacturers Business Topics Panel Discussion NPES Friday afternoon “Brand Owners tell us what they want” and Is it possible..

‘Technical Workshop and Display Area” Over 40 Leading Manufacturing and Supply Companies will talk to you about their latest products and technology for Packaging Manufacturing

The Program for 2 days of information, ideas, technology to keep your business moving “in the right direction”!

Day 1 8.30am Technical Workshop and Display area open (40 Companies) 930am - 11.20am Conference 11.20am 11.40am Coffee and cakes in the Technical Workshop area 11.40am-1.20pm Conference 1.20pm - 2.30pm Networking Lunch 2.30pm - 5.00pm Conference 5.00pm till 7.30pm Evening Cocktails and soft drinks in the Technical

Workshop and Display area

Day 2

8.30am Technical Workshop and Display area open (40 Companies) 10.00am - 12.20am Conference 12.20pm - 1.30pm Networking Lunch 1.30pm -3.30 pm Industry Panel and Session hosted by 3.30pm - 3.50pm Coffee and cakes in the Technical Workshop area 3.50pm - 5.20pm Conference 6.45pm till 7.30pm 2017 Awards Presentation Cocktails 7.30pm till late 15th Packaging Excellence Awards Gala Dinner - Ballroom (Presentations of Gold Silver and Bronze winners on stage)

The above package per delegate is ONLY US$220.00pp It includes 2 days conference, technical workshop, coffee breaks, lunches, cocktails and Gala Awards dinner

JAKARTA 27-28 APRIL 2017

ACCOMMODATION PACKAGE + CONFERENCE PACKAGE

Check in to the CROWN PLAZA Hotel on the 26th (Wed) and Check out 29th (Sat) Per Person Per Room, including Breakfast Thur to Sat, Conference Package and Awards Gala Dinner

ONLY US$620 Total Package cost per person BOOK ONLINE AT

WWW.ASIANPACKAGINGCONFERENCE.COM Booking Deadline: April 15th (Latest) 2017

Or Email the form below to elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com to reserve your seat in the most important, informative event in 2017 for the packaging Industry in Asia Name: _____________________________________________________ Job Title:____________________________________________________ Company: ____________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________ Country:______________

Telephone No: ____________________

Email _____________________

ACCOMMODATION RESERVATION Please book me for the following

- Single Room at Crown Plaza for 3 Nights (26-29th April) Total US$620 (per person)

- Double/Twin Share at Crown Plaza for 3 Nights (26-29th April) US$960 (2 persons)

CONFERENCE ONLY PACKAGE Conference Only Package at US$220 (per person) Group 5 -10 (10% Discount) 10 above (20% Discount)

PAYMENT DETAILS - PLEASE TICK

Credit Card

Visa

Credit Card Number___________________ Exp Date_________

Mastercard Name as on Card ___________________________________

_____________________________ ______________________

Authorised Signature Date Thank you for your booking. A confirmation will be sent to you in due course with your delegate number.

Please note that all other expenses, ie mini bar, telephone, internet charges etc. will be charged accordingly by the hotel, and must be settled upon check-out. For booking purposes, a 10% booking charge (of the total amount) will be charged to your credit card to secure the booking. If cancellation is made 1 month prior to the event, a full refund will apply. For cancellation 2 weeks before conference, the full amount of the package will be charged to the card holder, WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU BOOK TRAVEL INSURANCE!

Digital offset press enhances community impact's Presstek, LLC, the leading provider of eco-friendly printing solutions, today announces that Community Impact Printing, Texas’ fastest-growing news organization, has successfully installed a Certified Pre-Owned Presstek 75DI digital offset sheetfed press at their state-of-the-art printing and mailing facility in Pflugerville, Texas. The Presstek 75DI is being used to print high quality advertising inserts, direct mail and detached marketing labels for Community Impact’s portfolio of hyper-local newspapers.

Launched by founders John and Jennifer Garrett in 2005, with only 3 employees, Community Impact has grown to become the most widely distributed news source in Texas, now boasting a total mailed circulation of over 1.7 million. Still independently owned, the newspaper opened its own 36,000 square-foot printing facility in Pflugerville, Texas in October 2016, where it prints 22 newspapers covering the Austin, Dallas and Houston metro areas. Their success stems from transforming the outdated local newspaper model into an essential source of genuinely useful and informative “hyper-local” content.

“We aim to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through our commitment to localized, relevant news and information. Many of our advertising clients are small businesses with limited marketing budgets that want to target a particular neighborhood, sometimes just a one-mile radius around their

store” states David Ludwick, General Manager at Community Impact Printing. “The Presstek 75DI digital offset printing press supports this offering because it is so efficient and economical to run, meaning we can offer the smaller print runs our clients need to make it more affordable to advertise.”

Community Impact purchased the Presstek 75DI sheetfed 5-color digital offset press with inline aqueous coating, to produce advertising inserts as well as direct mail postcards, and ‘Marriage mail’ detached marketing labels, which are attached to the newspapers for mailing. Previously, the inserts and direct mail were outsourced, often requiring a lead time of a week or more.

Due to the Presstek 75DI’s high level of automation, the print facility can now realize a very quick turnaround and total make-ready is achieved in as little as six minutes.

“Since we had already purchased a

Goss Magnum Compact to print our newspapers, when we were looking for a sheetfed press we explored the other products offered by the AIP group and discovered the Certified Pre-Owned Presstek 75DI was a perfect solution for our needs” David continues. “We were very impressed by how quickly the press was installed ready to print.

We have found it extremely easy to use, and very economical to run due to the built-in automation, fast print speeds and quick job changeovers.”

Presstek DI digital offset presses, available in multiple configurations, employ a waterless printing technology resulting in less waste, sharper images and a wider color gamut. The DIs offer first-rate print quality with automated set up, imaging, printing and cleaning in one compact easy-to-use system, and are extremely cost effective for shortrun printing. Contact Presstek to learn more about DI presses for your print business.

Test incoming PDF files to the most rigorous level Ghent Workgroup (GWG) announces that Agfa’s Apogee Prepress workflow has successfully passed the latest GWG PDF preflight certification, addressing the highest level of preflight capability for reliable PDF processing.

The certification gained by Agfa includes the already-certified Enfocus PitStop preflighting software integrated in Apogee and adds Agfa’s own preflighting engine, ensuring that whichever option Apogee users select, they can be confident that their workflow will test incoming PDF files to the most rigorous level. Identifying potential output issues or file processing errors saves both time and materials, enabling printers to operate more productively and to identify recurring flaws in supplied artwork so that both the creative and production workflows can be improved.

Erik Peeters, Marketing Manager Workflow Solutions, Agfa Graphics, commented on achieving the GWG certification: “Every day Apogee workflow systems worldwide process over one million PDF pages. Making sure that potential issues are detected early in the process is essential, so preflight has always been a key component of our workflow solutions.

By using preflight profiles based on the GWG2015 specifications, our users can rely on a solid and proven set of checks that make sure final output meets their quality requirements.”

David

Zwang,

Chairman,

Ghent

Workgroup, points out: "As a globally recognized workflow vendor, Agfa has been a valued participant in GWG initiatives and standards and it has done a great job in passing the Ghent Workgroup PDF preflight certification.

Agfa has taken an important step in supporting the latest specifications; this is beneficial to all graphic arts associations and to the industry itself who will eventually use and profit from the new preflight profiles in Agfa’s workflow solutions.”

Preflight for prepress quality control The GWG2015 prefight certification is a validation of the prepress quality control specification developed by the GWG. It contains 14 different ‘variants’ aimed at different print market segments and output methods, all based on the ISO PDF/X-4 standard, but with additional conditions and restrictions relevant to each segment. The variants cover the majority of common print applications and include web- and sheetfed CMYK and/or spot color, magazine and newspaper advertisements. Because the certification is based on the PDF/X-4 standard, it also includes variants which include the use of RGB colors within artwork files as well as ‘live’ transparency to support the most

sophisticated and up-to-date graphic arts workflows.

The test suite used in the certification process comprises 260 test files that cover aspects such as correct detection of minimum image resolution, use of correct color spaces, white and grey overprint settings, ink coverage and spot color usage and naming.

File content that does not meet the necessary conditions is either flagged with an error message or with a warning, depending on the importance of the issue and how it could affect output.

Didier Haazen, Senior Innovation Advisor, VIGC, elaborates: “The preflight certification does not only check ‘bad’ cases where errors or warnings should be flagged, but adds positive vetting of ‘good’ examples where no messages should be presented.

The test set is the result of years of expertise and real-world experience.

The use of so many test files allows for thorough checking against the GWG2015 preflight requirements.

The procedure guarantees consistency between different preflight applications, which is a huge benefit for endusers when making comparisons and purchasing decisions.”

WE EMBODY PRINT At Agfa Graphics, print is part of our DNA. We live and breathe it.

Relying on 150 years of experience, we not only develop sustainable solutions for both offset and inkjet printing, we also open doors to new print markets and applications, including smart packaging, security and industrial printing.

The ultimate aim? Creating value for you!

Agfa (ASEAN) Sdn Bhd No. 18, Jalan Sepadu 25/123A, Seksyen 25, 40400 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia T +603 5525 5300 | +603 5525 3515 (Order desk hotline) F +603 5525 2779

www.agfagraphics.com

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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Konica Minolta Produces Tactile Effects for Singapore Book Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia (BSA), is supporting the production of the special edition of the locally-authored book titled “History of Singapore – Islands and Islanders”.

MGI JETVARNISH 3DS and iFOIL S In April 2016, Konica Minolta, Inc. announced an additional 30.5% stake in MGI, increasing Konica Minolta stake to 40.5%. With the strategic alliance with MGI, Konica Minolta added JETvarnish 3DS and iFOIL to its broad portfolio of digital print to provide value-added and innovative solutions. The MGI JETVARNISH 3DS is an accurate and fast production printer that turns regular prints into visually impactful jobs. It can varnish up to 100 microns for 3D raised effects and tactile finishes for more vivid and sensory communication.

A range of pages from book features modern printing techniques that adds a textured coating to images, creating a more enriching reading experience. It is achieved through Konica Minolta’s JETVARNISH 3DS UV spot varnish device that turns printed jobs into a sensory encounter.

“We have seen a rise in the number of publishers and marketers applying textured finishes to their works”, said Jonathan Yeo, general manager, Konica Minolta BSA. “Hence, our print partners are looking for new and efficient solutions to enhance their print jobs and provide more valueadded services to their customers.”

Documenting Singapore’s Island History with Lifelike Prints Printed in a standard A4 edition and A3 Premium Edition, the book, written and produced by Captain Frederick James Francis, provides a seafarer’s perspective on his discovery of Singapore’s rich marine coral and marine life. It also aims to provide insights into the Republic’s maritime past and progression over the years.

“The spot UV technology has allowed

us to achieve high quality tactile effects that would not have been possible through any other printing technology”, said Captain Frederick.

“It enhances what the book has set out to do – enabling readers to view the hidden beauty of our colourful corals and marine life, especially around the islands that are not accessible to the public.”

The device is also equipped with iFOIL S technology which enables print producers to perform hot foil stamping in-house. Through an innovative digital process, films and dies are eliminated, enabling users to produce hot foil stamping and embossing jobs from one to thousands of sheets with little set-up.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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Global alliance for bo King Printing and Rotolito Lombarda each invested in a HP PageWide Web Press T300.

When their principals met, they found they had more in common than just new presses. They stayed in touch, sharing technical information and techniques for improved performance.

Their presses now provide a platform for distributed printing, cutting time-to-market and taking book publishing into a new era.

Laying the foundations for a new age of books In 2010, two companies, Rotolito Lombarda, of Milan, Italy, and King Printing, of Lowell, Massachusetts each invested in HP PageWide Web Press T300s to enable cost-e ective shortruns of books, streamline work ows and drive savings. Rotolito Lombarda and King Printing had also chosen inline folder/gatherers from HP Finishing Partner Müller Martini. “Book blocks from the press are moved to near-line nishing lines for perfect binding or case book production,” says Emanule Bandecchi, sales and marketing director, Rotolito Lombarda Spa. “Knowing the similarities of our presses and their con gurations, our HP representative introduced us at Hunkeler Innovation Days 2011,” explained Adi Chinai, managing director, King Printing Co., Inc. “We stayed in touch and exchanged technical information about color, paper and the types of products we produced, as well as tips on how to improve performance and print quality.

Challenge

“Cutting time to market is an extremely important factor in today’s book market. The sooner a book is on the shelves, the sooner it is making money. Apart from actual shipping times and costs, clearing customs can, in some instances, add days to delivery times. Reducing that time and cost is something that King Printing and Rotolito Lombarda can do working as partners.”

Adi Chinai, managing director, King Printing Co., Inc.

We visited each other’s companies,” Bandecchi says. “We found we had very similar corporate cultures and shared similar attitudes towards customers and book production.”

The synergy Chinai and Bandecchi found was not as predictable as it may seem. Apart from a di erence in size, today, following upgrades and further installations of HP PageWide Web Presses, King Printing is 99 percent digital, while Rotolito Lombarda is 90 percent conventional. Nonetheless, through their continued discussions, Chinai and Bandecchi realized there was an opportunity to work together.

“We also began to see how we could o er our respective customers and other publishers a way of bene tting from digital and distributed printing,” Chinai says.

Creating a global alliance for distributed printing “Our partnership is based not only on our common technology – HP PageWide Web Presses – but also on a very similar corporate culture. This fosters

the high level of understanding and trust that has made it possible to o er our customers a unique service,” explains Chinai.

In just over a year, the global alliance has produced books for publishers all over the world.

“It works both ways,” says Bandecchi.

“Work for European publishers has been printed in the US and distributed across America, Canada and Latin America. Books printed in Italy have been distributed to Europe, Africa and Asia.”

Bandecchi and Chinai see one of the important keys to the success of their venture as keeping it simple. “No matter where the job originates, is printed or is distributed to, there is one purchase order, one set of les and one invoice,” Chinai says. “This is a degree of simplicity and transparency that has not existed before.”

Rotolito Lombarda uses its HP Indigo 7800 Digital Press, or its HP Indigo 10000 Digital Press to print covers for books printed on the HP PageWide

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

ook distribution

13

Solution

Result

Adi Chinai, managing director, King Printing Co., Inc.

Emanuele Bandecchi, sales and marketing director, Rotolito Lombarda Spa

“The core concept of the global alliance was to assist clients who needed product in Europe, or Asia, or across America; rather than have to deal with multiple vendor sources,they can come through one touchpoint at King Printing or Rotolito Lombarda.”

Web Presses. At King Printing, covers are printed o set or dry toner digital.

Both companies have laminating, foiling and embossing capabilities to supply virtually identical books.

Helping publishers better serve their readers The range of the books printed by each company illustrates the diversity of the vertical markets served by its publisher-customers. “We print a lot of trade paperbacks and educational books,” says Bandecchi. “The mono and color books are ideal for printing on the HP PageWide Web Press.

We also do a lot of scienti c and technical manuals as well as text books and workbooks. “Educational publishers are also very much involved in creating electronic content,” he continues. “In some cases, it’s an alternative to print, but in others, it’s complementary.”

Recognizing the electronic element to contemporary publishing is essential, according to Chinai. “We are planning to add another company to the global alliance,” he explains. “This one is an expert on electronic content and would enable us to o er a full service – print and electronic – to our customers, worldwide.” The HP PageWide Web Presses have enabled distributed book printing, meeting quality and cost requirements of customers. Yet, reconciling the role of print and electronic media platforms is in its early stages, and suitabilities and preferences are only beginning to emerge.

“Print is still alive; the book is still alive; we’re just taking it through its next stage of evolution,” Chinai concludes.

“The future of printing using digital and electronic media will be more and more geographically personalized, depending where it is placed and who will be reading it.

Shared platforms and Cloud content will be a big part of this.”

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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Adopting a truly digital workflow Finnish packaging printer Jaakkoo-Taara Oy chosen to create a truly digital workflow from order to final product with Xeikon’s Folding Carton Suite.

The specialist in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and food industry invested in Xeikon’s Folding Carton Suite with a Xeikon 3500 digital press to add digital capabilities to its existing offset and flexo production.

Founded in 1935, Jaakkoo-Taara Oy aims to be a pioneer in both service and technology. It employs 115 people and its annual turnover is €16.5 million.

Each year it prints more than 20,000 packaging and printed projects.

Thomas Brusila, Managing Director of Jaakkoo-Taara Oy explains: “We wanted to produce high print quality combined with increased efficiency and the ability to produce both cartons and labels. The new system will enable us to introduce serialized pharmaceutical packaging and personalized packaging and labels.

With digital we can also easily produce security and tamper evident features and we think we will be able to add value by offering that.”

Xeikon’s Folding Carton Suite, offers a ready-to-use package, making it easy to configure an efficient and cost-effective set-up for the digital production of folding cartons. It is ideal for high quality cost-effective short runs of folding cartons and labels. JaakkooTaara Oy’s system includes a Xeikon 3500 that prints at up to 600 m²/hr in 5-colours. Its fifth colour station can be used to apply special colours and effects.

The suite offers a basic press configuration equipped with 5th colour in combination with CMYK. The extended colour gamut ensures the accurate production of a wider range of brand colours. The 5th colour could be orange, red, blue, green, or white.

Colour management is made easy by cloud-based Xeikon Colour Control.

Jaakkoo-Taara Oy can also offer digital spot varnish with Xeikon’s Durable Clear Toner for scuff and scratch

resistance and UV or water based varnish.

Brusila continues: “We liked the fact it gave us the possibility to introduce a highly automated digital workflow that will enable us to increase our output efficiency. We can reduce errors and be faster and better. Streamlining production allows us to have a more collaborative approach and we can also be more flexible with how we work with our customers.”

Mr. Ari Enroth, sales area manager from Xeikon comments: “We are delighted that such a highly-respected packaging specialist has chosen to integrate Xeikon digital technology into its varied production mix. It is clear the capabilities of the folding carton suite will allow it to enhance its support for its current customers while adding new services to its portfolio.”

The market is changing

COST OF PRODUCTION

FLEXO

GRAVURE

HYBRID OFFSET

COST OF PRODUCTION

FLEXO

GRAVURE

HYBRID OFFSET

With hybrid offset, cost of production needn’t spiral If image changes, shorter runs and quicker turnarounds are becoming your new reality, it’s time to consider Goss Vpak™ hybrid web offset.

Goss International Singapore Pte Ltd 2 Toh Tuck Link, #05-01, Singapore 596225 PHONE: +65-6462 4833 www.gossinternational.com

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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OneVision DigiLabel software solution optimises workflows of label printers The innovative OneVision DigiLabel software solution, which simplifies production processes and enables more throughput from a higher degree of automation, will be demonstrated at the upcoming Xeikon Café Packaging Innovations 2017 (www. xeikoncafe.com), set for 28 to 31 March.

Well-known global players of the commercial and label printing business as well as the publishing industry rely on the expertise of German software manufacturer OneVision, and value the benefits they receive in time savings, cost reductions and quality improvements. Presented at Xeikon

Café is OneVision’s DigiLabel 2-in-1solution that optimises print data and simplifies label production in digital printing.

“Our main motivation to participate at Xeikon Café is to demonstrate to attendees how they can profit from

faster work processes with highly automated production, even in complex label workflows by utilizing our DigiLabel software. Additionally, the event is a unique opportunity to meet a large number of industryleading players, and to further deepen our understanding regarding the future

ONE. FOR ALL. The world‘s leading system for packaging proofs and dummies.

Contract proof quality, with native screening.

On every stock: film, cardboard, sheet metal, aluminum, sleeves, IML and much more.

Including finishing effects: Spot varnish, embossing, cold foil, foil blocking, drip-off, soft-touch and much more. www.cgs-oris.com

aims and needs of our target group.

With our new software DigiLabel, we are of course following the general company maxim of developing innovative solutions today for the needs of tomorrow. Those requirements will be integrated in next-generation DigiLabel releases�, said Ralf Fischer, OneVision general packaging manager.

DigiLabel enables easier production planning With DigiLabel, label production for digital label printing is optimised: not just prepress but the whole process from order receipt through artwork preparation for printing, production planning, automated job transmission, to printing and stamping presses.

The label printing software is a comprehensive system for production planning and simplifies the management of complex PDF workflows. From

order receipt to printing, DigiLabel offers maximal transparency and reliability in all production.

DigiLabel automates the assembly of open orders for a collect run in

stamping or laser cutting configurations, and automatically sets crop marks and assigns orders to printing presses. The effects on the final bottom line are significant time and cost savings.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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CGS Brings Brands to Life As it wraps up its distributor conference, CGS places strong emphasis on its highend packaging proofing and digital colour communication systems, signaling new directions for 2017. By Sha Jumari.

Christoph Thommessen, sales director for Asia Pacific, CGS CGS Publishing Technologies International recently concluded its biannual Asian Distributor Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. Held from 17 to 19 January 2017, the event aimed to keep CGS’ dealers within the region informed on product updates and provide latest technical training. In attendance were over 40 delegates from Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, India, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

The focus of this edition was placed on CGS’ range of ORIS solutions namely Flex Pack // Web and CxF Toolbox.

According to the company, the two solutions are gaining most traction for the Asian region.

“Following our theme of ‘Bringing Brands to Life’, CGS sets a clear focus on the demands of Asia’s fast growing

packaging market with customised solutions,” said Yan Wei Phin, regional manager, CGS. “This includes our Flex Pack//Web proofing and mockup solution with extended gamut inks and specialised media to match final prints, and also tools that do cold foiling and embossing. With our CxF toolbox we additionally have an open tool to communicate color from creation to production.”

ORIS Flex Pack // Web is a high-end packaging proofing solution that was first introduced at the end of 2012.

Since then, the system has a worldwide installation base of 340, garnering fans from packaging designers, brand owners to producers. 80 of the system are within the Asian region.

As part of the conference, CGS provided updated technical training on how to maximise the potential of

the solution. The Flex Pack // Web’s varnishing and embossing option was delved into, which, when used with the Roland LEF flatbed printer series can offer finishes such as embossing and spot UV. A presentation of success stories by existing customers including iMSGroup, Schawk, and Nestle, showcased the range and quality of proofs created by the Flex Pack // Web system.

The ORIS CxF Toolbox is a software that communicates every component of a brand colour along the entire supply chain. It does so by using ISOstandard CxF spectral data to control brand spot colours. A presentation made by the CGS team explained the core technologies of ISO 32000 on the CxF Toolbox system, in addition to highlighting the importance of understanding the whys and the hows of controlling overlapping spot colours.

"It's important for us to have these meetings in order to provide the

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

19 in October 2012 and has already been expanded to cater for increased global demand. Today, the factory serves as a key worldwide export hub for many of their wide format print and print and cut solutions.

A unique feature of the factory is its utilisation of ‘Digital YATAI’, which is a cell production system technology originally designed by Roland DG. This technology essentially allows the Bangkok facility to mirror its Japanese counterpart in Hamamatsu.

Digital YATAI minimises risks caused by human error and seeks to aid employees in assembling products.

It does so by using guided on-screen instructions and other automated systems including computer controlled tools that allows the factory to function at the same manufacturing level and achieve the same quality as the Japanese site.

most updated product knowledge and training so our dealers can best address the needs of their customers.

Beyond that, it strengthens the working partnership that we have with our dealers and demonstrates our appreciation and support for them," said Christoph Thommessen, sales director for Asia Pacific, CGS. CGS will be exhibiting at the upcoming Luxepack in Shanghai, China (12 to 13 April), Asian Packaging Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia (27 to 28 April) and on partner booths at China Print 2017 (9 to 13 May).

Roland DG’s highly automated factory A highlight of the distributor meeting was a site visit to Roland DG’s facility in Thailand, where the Roland VersaCAMM VSi printers are produced. The large format printer is part of CGS’ ORIS Flex Pack // Web system.

Located in Sinsakhon Printing City &

Industrial Estate, Samutsakhon, the site is Roland DG’s first manufacturing facility outside of Japan. The Roland DG factory became fully operational

By setting up a manufacturing factory in Thailand, Roland is now able to produce their premium products at a more affordable price to meet the increasing demand for inkjet printers in growing markets including Asia. With the factory becoming a central base for operations in the region, Roland can now respond quickly to the needs of the surrounding developing countries and realise prices demanded by the market.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

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Expands its portfolio for label printing Xeikon has made a strategic move with the addition of Panther technology, a UV inkjet platform that complements its dry toner digital label press portfolio. The first UV inkjet press based on this technology, the Xeikon PX3000, will be unveiled at the upcoming Xeikon Café Packaging Innovations 2017 event, set for 28 to 31 March in Belgium. them the ability to choose what fits best.

Xeikon created the market for dry toner printed labels, which is still growing significantly based on the value drytoner technology offers converters and their customers. It delivers high quality and food safe label products in the short to mid-volume runs that are increasingly in demand.

Series and Xeikon CX3, aka Cheetah) and application reach. Xeikon Panther technology uses PantherCure UV inks and builds on Xeikon’s significant printing expertise.

Furthermore, Xeikon customers can take advantage of the familiar Xeikon X-800 workflow connected to the new Xeikon PX3000.

Through its deep experience in digital label production, and by listening to the needs of its customers, Xeikon identified an opportunity to widen its role in the diverse market for selfadhesive label applications where dry toner is not the most optimal solution, but UV inkjet printing can bring more value. A few examples include digitally printed labels, previously produced on UV flexo or screen-print, where a glossy appearance and tactile look and feel is desired, or a high durability requirement for respectively the health & beauty and industrial end-use. There are plenty of end-use applications in the self-adhesive label market, each with their own requirement.

“UV inkjet and dry toner are complementary offerings that extend the range of applications which are better produced digitally,” commented Filip Weymans, VP of marketing for Xeikon. “Together, they offer a robust solution portfolio that responds to the demanding brand owner today and the requirements put forward to the label converter.”

The development of Xeikon’s production inkjet technology expands its product portfolio (Xeikon 3000

With Xeikon’s very long history and substantial knowledge of the digital label printing market, extensive dedicated worldwide sales and service organization, and access to marketleading technologies as part of Flint Group, Xeikon brings a powerful advisory role to label converters in providing a unique digital printing offering with the ability to analyse customer requirements and provide

“Label converters and brand owners are increasingly recognizing the value digital printing brings to the market, but many converters are unsure which direction to take to bring digital into the fold,” added Weymans. “In addition, some of our current dry toner users would like to move into inkjet as well, in order to extend their digital offerings. Through our deep industry experience and expertise, and offering both technologies for label printing, Xeikon stands ready to help them make these important decisions.

“We believe that both dry toner and inkjet will be required in the foreseeable future to meet market needs,” Weymans concluded. “Offering both beneficial technologies in our portfolio empowers our customers to choose what’s best for their applications and the end-users, like having access to the right golf club to best hit the ball in whatever circumstance.”

The initial unveiling of the new Xeikon PX3000 UV inkjet press will occur at the Xeikon Café Packaging Innovations 2017 event (www.xeikoncafe.com), 2831 March at Xeikon headquarters in Lier, Belgium. Xeikon Café Packaging Innovations is an event organized

by Xeikon and its Aura partners, offering visitors the opportunity to understand, evaluate and experience digital production, and enabling printers and converters to consciously make the best business decisions for their future. Through demonstrations, presentations, workshops and discussions, participants receive firsthand actionable information and advice on industry innovations and trends.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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First-class packaging printing Qingdao Dadi Printing Co., Ltd. acquires a new five-color ROLAND 900 7B super large format sheetfed offset on its 20th anniversary

requirement on high quality, the lead time is the issue of most concern to every customer,” says Mr. Zhou Chengjie, the company’s General Manager.

When it comes to packaging printing, Qingdao Dadi Printing Co., Ltd. has a track record that inspires customer confidence in China. Twenty years since it was established in 1996, Dadi Printing has grown into a huge enterprise with 550 employees. Passed GMI identification, their printing professional technology has achieved international advanced level.

In the past several years they have been evaluated as excellent supplier by many domestic auto parts manufacturers. And the products have also been recognized by famous auto parts manufacturers from Europe and US. Topnotch product quality, competitive price and timely delivery are the cornerstones of Dadi Printing’s enduring success.

It has been recognized as a "Credit AAA Company" and has successfully passed SGS certification. In Shandong Province, its products have been rated as "Excellent Packaging Products."

Dadi Printing is known to spare no effort in creating quality products efficiently and swiftly. The company attaches great importance to its customers’ requirements on quality and lead time.

Through strong technical support, advanced production equipment and sophisticated production management model, Dadi Printing has been able to exceed the customers’ expectations.

Constant innovation is part of Dadi Printing’s program to be able to adapt to modern trends and further improve its products and services. Recently, on the occasion of the company’s 20th anniversary, Dadi Printing acquired a brand-new five-color ROLAND 900 7B super large format sheetfed offset.

This will undoubtedly further enhance printing quality, shorten the production cycle and significantly increase profit.

Dadi Printing already has five advanced Manroland Sheetfed presses in its printing facility. “Besides the

“At present, our annual production volume has reached more than 40 million brake discs (drums) packaging cartons of over 20,000 different kinds of, which cover different boxes of almost all auto models in Europe, the United States, Japan and South Korea.

Moreover, we are able to quickly develop the new products according to the latest market demand. Facing such high production volume, the ROLAND 905 7B plus large format sheetfed offset will help us in ensuring stable and premium print quality, improve our productivity and shorten the lead time. These are exactly what we need urgently. Hence, it will surely put us in a better position to meet the customer needs.”

Mr. Kurt Herrmann, Managing Director of Manroland Greater China, thanked Dadi Printing for its enduring trust. As a loyal supporter of Manroland Sheetfed presses, Dadi Printing can count on Manroland Sheetfed to provide maximum technical support including comprehensive training service based on its actual business needs, Mr. Herrmann says."The performance of both old and new presses can be maximized with our professional technical service,” he adds. “Our high-quality service can help our valued printers achieve greater success.”

With Manroland Sheetfed’s advanced packaging technologies providing strong technical backing, Dadi Printing is confident of providing its customers with first-class packaging printing.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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©2014 EFI. All rights reserved.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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Innovations for enhanced safety at the workplace Decisions to invest in new printing equipment are influenced by many factors, not least the job spectrum to be handled, the required level of automation and other in-house circumstances. That is also perfectly justified, as the purchase of a new sheetfed offset press must not only make sense economically – it must contribute equally to an optimisation of production and quality.

But there is one further objective which is no less worthy of consideration in the forefront of an investment decision: Increased operational safety. This aspect is in fact decisive for a company's overall productivity. Sustained employee motivation depends on a healthy working environment. The elimination of potentially hazardous activities, such as work in unnatural postures, heavy lifting, repugnant odours or stressful operating procedures, can noticeably reduce or even avoid the occurrence of chronic illnesses and work accidents.

At the end of the day, every employer should feel obliged to consider

investments in the latest available technologies, in order to minimise the risk potential at every single workplace.

Avoiding dust and odours Equipment features to enable IPA reduction are an effective means to combat undesirable odours. That includes, for example, roller coatings for low-alcohol printing or production using an alcohol substitute (in both cases for conventional, UV and hybrid inks). EES (Emission Extraction System) serves a similar purpose in UV printing and finishing applications. It prevents unpleasant odours occurring

around the delivery, and thus at the press operator’s main workplace, and at the same time extracts dust. In some special cases (e.g. UV printing) extraction in and around the inking units can also be expedient to minimise ink misting.

Making processes simpler and safer Modern technologies often achieve great impact. One example of this is the DriveTronic SIS sidelay-free infeed on Rapida sheetfed offset presses: It dispenses with setting and maintenance tasks and relieves the operator of manual interventions in harmful

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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MAKE IT RUN FOR YOU "We are gaining new work in digital from current customers with the Xeikon CX3 and we are also dramatically increasing our customer base."

Tom Allum, Chairman Abbey Labels

"It's not a matter of being the smartest or the strongest anymore.

It's who can respond most quickly and effective to change."

Hoessein Hadaoui, CEO of Telrol Group

THE XEIKON CX3

packs speed and quality like no other Catch up with more testimonials www.xeikon.com/cx3 #XeikonCX3 direct. dedicated. digital

Visit us at Drupa Hall 8A Booth B20.1/B20.3

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

26 postures. Injuries are excluded. The high level of automation, furthermore, eliminates sources of error.

A further example is the provision for essentially automated blanket changes: It takes around 65 to 70 pulls on a torque wrench to open the blanket clamps fully. And then the same again for closing. The task takes approx. 8 minutes. It is furthermore physically tiring and highly stressful for the operator's joints. With this in mind, KBA-Sheetfed offers appropriately suitable cordless screwdrivers, which make the work much easier and reduce the time needed by a third.

A plate lift also saves the operator a lot of physically demanding work, especially in connection with long or raised presses. Large-format plates, in particular, can be rather difficult to handle and entail a risk of injury if not transported correctly. With a plate lift, it is a much simpler matter to lift the plates up to the gallery level. The press operator or assistant then only needs to insert them into the corresponding plate changer magazine.

The non-stop rollers at the delivery similarly enhance safety. Modern deliveries are already designed such that the press is automatically stopped if the operator or any foreign object violates the defined boundaries of the delivery.

This safeguard is taken one step further on a Rapida press, where the non-stop rollers are activated as soon as the

Coating forme change with SFC on a Rapida 145 pile plate is lowered while the press is running. The operator is thus safely protected from the still passing gripper carriages. Once the press has come to a standstill, the rollers can be retracted at the press of a button.

Greater comfort with AniSleeve, AniloxLoader and SFC KBA’s coating units are further examples of how previously manual processes can be automated and made safer. For example: Anilox roller exchange. AniloxLoader is the corresponding option for the mediumformat Rapida 106. Up to three anilox rollers can be stored in the coater magazine. Anilox roller changing takes place automatically and parallel to other makeready processes. That saves time

and relieves the operator of a great deal of heavy lifting.

The situation is similar in large format: With the AniSleeve system, the changing of anilox roller sleeves is child's play and can be handled by a single person, despite the dimensions. Once the bearings are released at the sides, the sleeves can be pulled out and placed in a sleeve depot using a simple lifting system. A new sleeve with a different cell volume can then be pushed back into the coater – again with a minimum of effort. Large packaging printers use this automation option almost without exception.

On Rapida presses, coating forme changes are accomplished in a matter of seconds with SFC (Simultaneous Forme Change), doing away with time-consuming clamping, bolting and tensioning. That lightens the operator's workload and enhances process security. Furthermore, coating forme changes can take place parallel to other makeready processes at the printing units.

When it comes to health and work safety in the printshop, there are possibilities to implement much more than is prescribed in the official regulations. It is up to the individual company to decide whether to make use of the available potential, in order to guarantee employees a safe and ergonomic workplace.

Effortless changing of the anilox roller sleeves on a large-format Rapida press

M

IM X A

UM

ILIT Y T A RS VE

OP

ND PRODUCTIV -TO-E IT Y D N E UM M I T

• Speeds up to 100 prints per min • Deliver vibrant image quality even on textured media • 2,400 x 2,400 dpi print resolution • Multi Density Adjustment Technology • “Right-first-time” output

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Setting New Standards in Image Quality & Productivity

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

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Oreo and HP steal hearts of Chinese millenials Mondelez International took advantage of HP digital technologies to engage millennials through ecommerce and brand personalisation. By Sha Jumari.

In order to keep up with this growing group of consumers, retailers need to constantly update their marketing strategies in order to keep up with millennial expectations.

One of the most successful ecommerce marketing campaigns to date was the Oreo Colorfilled campaign kickstarted by Mondelz International in China.

“We are always looking for new things within the digital spectrum, that can have a breakthrough in our marketing activations.

We saw this opportunity to merge new technology such as social media, ecommerce, big data, with manufacturer technology, that is digital printing. The result is the Oreo Colorfilled campaign,” said Dennis Dong, ecommerce marketing head of Mondelez International in China.

Dong was recently at Dscoop Asia 2016 to share how the company’s marketing initiative combined ecommerce and brand personalisation and has been successful in winning the hearts of Chinese millennials during Singles’ Day. “Singles’ Day represents one of the most important online shopping days in China.

In that one day, the e-commerce business can total up to $15 billion, which is an incredible number. We really wanted to connect to millennials in a special way,” Dong explained.

The consumption behavior for consumers are shifting, especially amongst millennials. Millennials have surpassed baby boomers to become the largest – and most demanding – generation of consumers.

For millennials, ecommerce is becoming the preferred purchasing method.

According to a 2015 research by online payments company PayPal, 79% of millennials (between ages 18 to 34) interviewed in Asia Pacific have shopped online within the past 12 months. This percentage is the highest globally. The

survey further revealed that millennials in India and China tie for the top spot of highest percentage of online shoppers in the region at 82%.

“Mega trends such as rapid urbanisation, consumer consumption, brand communications and hyper globalisation are making it all the more essential for brands to remain relevant to its consumers.

By the year 2030, it is predicted that the middle class in Asia will be the biggest in the world,” said Michael Boyle, vice president for HP’s graphics solutions business in Asia Pacific and Japan.

Singles’ Day, or Guanggun Jie, is a yearly festival unique to China and celebrated almost exclusively by millennials.

According to Business Insider, Single’s Day was first celebrated by students at Nanjing University back in 1993. 11 November, or 11/11, was the chosen day as an ode to the number one.

The idea of Colorfilled was inspired by colouring books, which were becoming viral amongst the young adults: “We took into heavy consideration very specific trends such as colouring books.

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Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

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“This is the first-ever, mass-produced, customised branding initiative of its kind in China. That is the beauty of leveraging on the digital printing technology to bring our marketing campaigns to life,” said Dong. “Enabled

by HP digital printing technology, we were able to produce the customised designs and ship it, all within a span of five days. With the traditional supply chain, we would need at least two to five months to make the project happen.”

“One of the things that we keep hearing about is that change is exponential.

If you look at where we are today, we’re still at the very cusp of how the world of graphic communications is changing. It is really the ability for a brand such as Mondelez International to take a concept onto a product that is as generic as cookies, and make it into something special and connect to customers in a new way,” said Boyle.

Millennials are always looking for new things that are perceived to be ‘cool’.

Colouring books were becoming viral on the social media space,” Dong continued.

The Mondelez team brainstormed on how to translate this trend onto Oreo packaging, and bring this concept on the online space. The Oreo Colorfilled campaign was first introduced to US markets at the end of 2015 as part of the brand’s holiday campaign for the region.

For a limited period of time, the campaign allowed customers to personalise the packaging of Oreo cookies by turning the wrappers into online canvases. The online experience was easily available via desktop or mobile and offered fans of the Oreo cookies an easy way to create a completely custom package. For the China campaign, Mondelez partnered with ecommerce giant, Alibaba.com, to reach out to Chinese millennials.

According to Dong, they were able to charge a premium price for orders made through Oreo Colorfilled; at 60 to 80% higher than in stores. The added traffic to Mondelez ecommerce site also boosted sales for their other products. With goals to grow their e-commerce revenue to $1 billion by 2020, Mondelez International appears to be on the right track.

Dennis Dong with HP Michael Boyle Roy Eitan presents prints from HP Indigo 2000

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FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER, CONTACT: Marco Gandasubrata, Director NPES Indonesia mgandasubrata@npes.org • (62)(21) 8063 1828

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

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Centre of excellence for identity and security print Adding taggants and colour changing pigments provides valuable protection against counterfeiting.

Contiweb, together with partner DG press ServiceS, today announce that De La Rue, the world’s largest commercial printer of banknotes and identity documents, have confirmed an order for a Thallo printing press. The purchase is part of a global investment of €33 million in equipment, factory upgrades and skills for De La Rue’s Centre of Excellence for Identity and Security Print in Malta.

De La Rue’s choice of the Thallo web offset printing press, which can print on a wide variety of substrates ranging from paper to film, demonstrates its flexibility and performance for many different market segments. The Thallo sleeve offset based concept makes it possible for printers to set up jobs in a matter of minutes, and the system’s many waste-reducing features deliver an unmatched, high quality solution for short run jobs, or when printing on

very expensive substrates.

“The Thallo press is designed to provide printers with the optimum flexibility without sacrificing on print quality. Security printing for product identification is an extremely demanding application, where compromise is not an option,” explains Richard Miedema, Product Manager, Contiweb. “Our experience in the security printing segment has contributed to the development of very high quality imaging for the Thallo system, which opens up several new markets alongside the label and flexible packaging market”.

Mr. Edward Chetcuti, Head of Site, Malta, from De La Rue commented: “To support its market leading position and drive further growth, De La Rue is investing in the creation of a centre of excellence for Identity and

Security Print in Malta. This demands that we have the flexibility to meet the changing needs of our customers whilst delivering high quality products within the shortest possible lead time, which is why we chose to invest in a Thallo web offset printing press”.

The Contiweb Thallo printing system offers significant advantages for the profitability and environmental requirements of printing businesses.

Integrating web offset with flexo, gravure or digital into hybrid configurations provides sustainable and environmentally friendly printing, cost-effective plates and sleeves and fast make-readies for high print quality on a wide range of substrates.

Contiweb Thallo web offset systems are produced and distributed under a strategic partnership between Contiweb and DG press.

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Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

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A positive story from most printers and suppliers in most regions Welcome to the executive summary of our 4th drupa Global Trends report, tracking key economic and market developments across the global printing industry. Following the very successful drupa held in the spring of 2016, Messe Duesseldorf refreshed its expert panel of printers and suppliers from amongst the visitors. The survey conducted in October 2016 had nearly 1200 participants with a good cross section from all the main market sectors and regions.

Two years ago we were able to report an almost universally positive picture from both printers and suppliers reporting on their own companies’ economic health, described as the ‘drupa barometers of economic con dence’. Last year the picture was more variable between the regions, with some doing well and others struggling.

It is a similar picture in 2016, however the variances are even larger.

eg Africa, which reported a net decline in confidence, the first time for any region since this report series started in 2013.

Drilling down into end market sectors, Functional and Packaging printers

globally are more con dent than Commercial printers who are in turn more con dent that Publishing printers, a pattern that has been present since 2013. However that global summary masks signi cant variations at regional level. Publishing printers in Africa and

Nevertheless in global terms, 42% of printers described their business as in a ‘good’ economic state, whilst 11% described it as ‘poor’. So a positive net balance of 31% and it is that ‘net balance’ that we show in the chart below and is used in many of the subsequent charts.

As always the forecast for next year is somewhat more optimistic than the reality the following year, whilst in some cases the difference is striking

How do you rate the current economic situation of your company? and What are your expectations of your company‘s economic situation for the next 12 months?

Asia were more con dent than those in Commercial print and it was the reverse of that in Australia/Oceania and the Middle East.

In general it is a similar positive story for suppliers in general with 56% reporting their company in a ‘good economic condition and just 6% stating it was in a ‘poor’ state, a positive net balance of 50% - the same as last year.

Curiously the regional variations are less than last year.

How do you rate the current economic situation of your company? and What are your expectations of your company‘s economic situation for the next 12 months?

Perhaps amongst both printers and suppliers in general a more cautious (and perhaps more realistic) outlook is

Game changers

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

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Say yes to 98% of commercial jobs, produced cost-effectively with no compromise on quality or media range Introducing the latest ground-breaking innovations from HP Indigo. Faster, smarter and more profitable, this new line-up is changing the rules of the game.

It includes the HP Indigo 5900 and 7900 digital presses, as well as the B2/29 inch HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press - all you would expect from an Indigo press, but in a wider format. It’s a game-changing portfolio that’s redefining what’s possible with print.

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Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

36 emerging. The economic summary in the main report indicates there is good cause for that caution.

The printers’ and suppliers’ own more detailed nancial performance gures support this more conservative view.

Printers globally report continuing falls in prices which are compensated for by increasing utilisation and hence raising overall revenues at a cost of falling margins.

Drilling down into the data both by region and by market sector, the picture is more complicated eg South/ Central America and Africa reported net positive price increases whilst the Middle East reported severe price and margin falls. Similarly whilst Publishing printers in North America show falls in revenues, prices and utilisation; in South/ Central America and Africa rises were reported in all three measures.

Despite the general squeeze on margins, employee numbers continue to rise globally with a +9% net balance, ranging between +21% North America and 0% South/Central America and Australia/Oceania. Whilst production employee numbers increase globally +9%, there is a small decline in administration employees of -2%. In the more developed regions numbers employed in publishing printers are falling sharply eg -21% North America.

Globally for suppliers the pattern is similar with revenues up 17% but prices down -24% and margins down -27% (nevertheless the best i.e. least negative, net balance in three years).

Again the picture is patchy regionally with the Middle East and South/ Central America struggling.

would affect printers and suppliers alike. Not so. Globally printers report better nancial conditions this year on all topics (except average debtor days where they like suppliers reported a worsening picture). Whilst globally suppliers report a worsening on all topics; with terms getting worse particularly in South/Central America, Africa and the Middle East (printers agree in these regions).

Printing is a very diverse industry when it comes to the print technologies used.

Fourteen out of sixteen technologies listed scored a 10% or above penetration in at least one of the market sectors.

You might expect that global and regional nancial market conditions

How have your company‘s revenues, prices, margins, utilisation and paper/ substrate prices changed over the last 12 months?

Overall Digital toner cutsheet colour presses led by a wide margin in terms of the positive net balance of print volumes in 2016 at +25% followed by Digital inkjet rollfed colour at +11%.

How have your company‘s revenues, prices, margins and utilisation changed over the last 12 months

The picture is more complex when you drill down into the market sectors, where for example there is 8% growth overall in Sheetfed offset thanks largely to Packaging and Publishing markets and an 8% growth overall in Flexo due

digital print was variable, while the gure for 2016 is 18%. As variable data is the major added value component of digital printing this is an alarming trend.

Another striking gure this year was the clear fall in the proportion of printers who reported they have a Web to Print/Storefront installation. After several years of steady increases this year there was a signi cant fall – down 3% globally. Not all regions fell but some were decisive eg North America down 25%.

How have your company‘s revenues, prices, margins, utilisation and paper/ substrate prices changed over the last 12 months?

Capital expenditure The drupa expert panel was recruited afresh from attendees after the very successful drupa in Spring 2016. There they saw an incomparable technical demonstration of the future of the print industry, so it is natural that they hold ambitious plans to invest in that future. Printers in all regions, except the Middle East, reported growing levels of capital investment.

Functional and Packaging printers were more con dent of rising investment levels than those in Publishing and Commercial sectors. For the rst time investment in Finishing is the top priority, closely followed by Print Technology. However there is greater investment in PrePress/work ow/MIS as printers begin to realise the need for greater automation.

to Packaging and Functional markets.

Past trends in the production mix of conventional print continued this year with ever-shorter run lengths, ever-shorter lead times and an everincreasing number of jobs. However there was a major surprise in the apparent irreversible transition to digital print; as for the rst year there was a small but distinct reduction in the proportion of turnover that was

digitally printed. Drilling down into market sectors, digital print is clearly having the greatest impact in Functional markets followed by Commercial then Publishing and then only modestly to date in Packaging.

Disappointingly the proportion by value of digital print that is variable stubbornly refuses to rise. In 2013, 19% of the printers then using digital print reported more than 25% of their

As for plans for investment in print technology, Sheetfed offset has knocked Digital toner cutsheet colour off overall top place, with Digital inkjet cutsheet colour growing rapidly to take equal third place alongside Flexo.

Drilling down into market sectors there is for the rst time in this report’s history i.e. since 2013, a different market leader in each market sector with Digital toner cutsheet colour in Commercial, Sheetfed offset in Publishing, Flexo in Packaging and Digital inkjet rollfed colour in Functional.

Suppliers’ capital investment plans remain strong globally with most regions forecasting a net increase. The exceptions are those regions struggling in performance terms eg South/ Central America and the Middle East.

By far the most popular investment type is the development of fresh sales channels (46%) but even Research and

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

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Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

39 Development, the least popular type of investment is up to its best level yet at 20%. Suppliers will spend more next year on marketing and whilst trade shows and product training remain the most popular uses of that budget, online content and education is almost the fastest growing customer support tool.

Stragically both printers and suppliers agreed the biggest constraints to growth were a lack of demand creating strong competition. But drilling down into the causes of the lack of sales, printers were agreed that nding new customers was the most dif cult whilst for suppliers it was competitive pricing.

As to how best to drive improved pro tability, printers put their faith in a combination of reduced staf ng/ improved productivity and new print technology whilst suppliers will rely on new products and new sales channels.

Market specific trends Commercial printers facing the impact of digital communications have been encouraged to nd new revenue streams with fresh added value services. With four years of data now available it must be reported there is no evidence of any such growth, with the notable exception of wide format print up from 37% in 2013 to 50% in 2016.

North America leads the way in adding new services, but even in that region there is some evidence of a fall in the range of services offered. Multichannel or cross media services are still a minority application (18% globally), although again North America is well ahead (38%).

Publishing printers are having the hardest time in adjusting to digital media as evidenced throughout the report. An increasing number of titles have online editions with the consequent reduction in circulation, although the number of titles lost to online-only editions remains very low.

Other means of creating added value such as personalisation, versioning and variable content are growing but slowly (once again North America showing the way). Yet relatively few publishing printers are adding fresh added value services beyond the historic prepress,

design and storage/ ful lment options.

Packaging printers have seen a relatively small impact of digital media to date at least and remain generally con dent across all regions.

On the other hand the level of adoption of added value SKUs remains modest in most cases, with interactive features the most common to be adopted. It is clear that digital print is starting to have a real impact (32% offer it globally), most commonly for labels but with exibles and folding cartons following and some signs for corrugated.

For Functional printers the story remains very positive, with those in this market sector putting ever more resources behind it as they enjoy good growth rates in most applications.

Inkjet is the dominant print technology for most applications (up from 61% in 2014 to 74% in 2016).

In conclusion Following the successful drupa in Spring 2016, this survey has provided the statistical support that shows print is recovering from the double hit of

the global recession and the impact of digital communications. Printers report sustained improvements in revenues to offset reductions in pricing and margins and strong capital investment plans. Whilst for suppliers, improving revenues and margins coupled again with strong investment plans show a positive future.

The good news is not universal; while Functional and Packaging print are in expansive mode, Publishing print is in a more defensive mode with Commercial print somewhere in-between. In regional terms, the Middle East has chronic problems undermining performance and Africa and South/ Central America remain fragile.

All print companies must continue to adapt and meet the market challenges head on. This will mean a ruthless approach to ef ciency and automation while at the same time learning new skills and developing new added value services. Nevertheless it is pleasing to report that overall, print has got its ‘mojo’ back.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

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The new Color 1000i Press

Gold & Silver give you infinite creative possibilities Fuji Xerox’s new Color 1000i Press is the industry’s first to offer gold and silver dry ink in a single pass.

Built on the market leading Color 1000 Press platform but now with stunning metallic effects that can deliver increased profitability to your business.

To find out more go to: www.fxap.com.sg/product/production/color_1000i/index.jsp The Color 1000i Press

Xerox, Xerox and Design, as well as Fuji Xerox and Design and Color 1000i Press are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xerox Corporation in Japan and/or other countries.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

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3D Lens Technology Adds a New Dimension to Printed Signage There was a time when you could describe lenticular imaging thusly: “You know those prizes that used to come in boxes of Cracker Jack, little cards that if you held it one way it displayed one image and if you held it another it would flip to another image?” It was a low-tech 3D effect or animation, kind of the analog equivalent of an animated GIF. Well, Cracker Jack doesn’t include physical prizes anymore, having replaced them with a sticker containing a QR code. So it goes. Lenticular imaging, though, still exists in both small- and large-format, and Agfa Graphics has introduced a new system called 3D Lens Technology for its Jeti Mira flatbed printers that digitally creates a kind of lenticular imaging.

Agfa’s 3D Lens Technology, which was introduced two years ago, takes a slightly different approach than lenticular printing. Instead of printing on a sheet with long, thin cylindrical lenticles, it prints tiny transparent dots that function as tiny lenses, using a moiré pattern to impart a 3D effect to an image. And rather than mount the printed image to a plastic sheet of lenticles, it prints the lenses directly using clear varnish.

It is software that interfaces with Agfa’s Jeti Mira flatbed UV printer. Once the proper pattern is created in the software, it is output in two passes: first the image itself is printed on a white background (the Jeti Mira also prints white ink) on any kind of clear acrylic or polycarbonate substrate. Then the ‘sheet’ is flipped, registered, and the pattern of tiny lenses is printed via the clear varnish on the other side.

“You print by layering up the varnish to get the height that you need to create a 3D effect,” said Babak Amoozgar, Jeti Applications Specialist for Agfa Graphics. “Since it’s done with varnish, you don’t need special lenticular media.

The 3D effect itself is governed by a combination of substrate thickness,

lens size, and lens height. Agfa offers three substrate thicknesses—3mm, 5mm, and 9mm—and for each thickness there are two different lens widths and six different depths.

Different combinations will yield different effects, from an image that “pops” out of the background, or, conversely, appears to sink into the background. Printing both the image

and the lenses is said to take between 20 and 30 minutes, depending on how much layering is required to build the lenses to the correct height.

One advantage to using a circular dot pattern rather than traditional lenticles is that registration doesn’t need to be as precise. “Even if your pattern is misregistered slightly, you’ll still get the

Lenticular Printing explained Traditional lenticular images are produced using a plastic sheet that contains long, thin cylindrical lenses called lenticles. These lenticles are only millimeters wide or smaller. Beneath the lenticles is a printed sheet containing one or more images that have been sliced up into tiny stripes that are the same width as the lenticles. They are interlaced such that each stripe lines up with a lenticle.

The lenticles then refract the image so that from one angle you see one image, and from another you see a different one. This imparts a 3D effect or a very simple animation. Lenticular is a variety of what is known as autostereoscopic imaging—or, in essence, “glasses-free 3D display.” The challenge with lenticular imaging is that registration of the interlaced image to the lenticle sheet has to be precise.

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Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

43

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

44 The powerful and award-winning Jeti Mira is a moving-gantry flatbed printer specially designed to offer you optimal flexibility. Up to 2.69 m-wide prints, a roll-to-roll option, LED curing and advanced 3D Lens Technology

pattern,” said Amoozgar, and the effect will still work.

The smallest image that can be printed is about two inches by two inches, with the largest being the maximum board size of the Jeti Mira, which is about 106 by 60 inches.

At present, the effect works best on very simple images, like geometric shapes. “You won’t be able to get someone’s face, for example, in 3D, because there’s too much detail,” said Amoozgar. “Usually vector images work best.”

The effect adds depth to a flat image, or even causes the background to

change as the viewer walks past it. “We can change the color background,” said Amoozgar. “It turns green, then as you walk past it turns purple, then back to green.”

using it for décor. “We’re seeing more use in interior design applications,” said Amoozgar, “such as displays in buildings and front-desk backgrounds in offices.”

Dynamic signage The goal is to make signage dynamic without needing to monkey around with dynamic digital signage. “It’s hard to get someone to look at a sign because most of the image is static,” said Amoozgar.

“If you have a moving background, it will capture more attention.” He also cited one Agfa customer who is using 3D Lens Technology for fineart applications—much like the Digital Atelier used lenticular printing for fine art back in the 1990s—and others are

Future applications could include billboards, but that is still some years away.

Agfa’s 3D Lens Technology uses a combination of a moiré effect and small, spherical lenses to impart a lenticular-like 3D effect to an image. More detailed images’— like the doughnut—require larger lenses. ”

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

46

EFI introduces new VUTEK printers at Connect 2017 VUTEk LED and soft signage printers were launched alongside new versions of print MIS/ERP software suites and Fiery digital production products EFI Connect 2017 concluded its 17th edition in January, as customers from all over the world attended the annual event. EFI reported that the conference reached reached sell-out capacity, as attendees from 37 nations gathered to participate.

This year's Connect features important technology advancements from EFI, including the debut of the company's largest soft- signage printer and new LED, roll-to-roll printers.

With each edition, the event aims to cater to customers' evolving needs for information related to market and technology trends. This year’s conference featured eight new educational tracks in an agenda of over

200 classes, with special sessions that included fireside chat keynotes with Quad/Graphics CEO Joel Quadracci and print technology veteran and Xerox CEO, Jeff Jacobson.

In addition to the new printers, EFI unveiled version 5 of its Productivity Suite end-to-end workflow offerings.

The company also highlighted nextgeneration EFI Fiery digital front end (DFE) production technologies that deliver uncompromising quality and productivity in digital print production.

In his opening keynote speech, EFI CEO Guy Gecht addressed artificial intelligence and the impact the next wave of advanced technology is having.

Some ERP and MIS workflow products

developed by EFI, for example, learn to be more efficient as they track business's operations.

"As with the developments we have all seen with personal computers and mobile technology, artificial intelligence promises to create more opportunities.

In print, it can drive preventive diagnostics and predictive maintenance, which helps our customers improve their top and bottom lines,� said Gecht.

Worldwide Premiere of superwide rollto-roll and soft signage printers EFI announced new VUTEk 5r and 3r printers, which are designed to be the industry's most technically advanced LED roll-to-roll production offerings.

The 5-meter VUTEk 5r printer was

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 3 2017

47

shown for the first time in Connect's center for innovation.

Printing at speeds up to 4,896 square feet per hour in resolutions up to 1,200 dpi, the 5-meter EFI VUTEk 5r and 3-meter EFI VUTEk 3r printers maximise performance, efficiency and quality. Featuring high-resolution, 7-picoliter EFI UltraDrop Technology, the new printers offer the fastest throughput in the market, superior image quality and a lower total cost of ownership for premium graphics work.

The printers are also available with a complete range of upgrade options for high productivity and versatility, including optional light colors and white for multi-layer printing; inline finishing for all-in-one printing, cutting, slitting, and collecting; auto backlit and blockout printing, and more.

The new, superwide, roll-to-roll LED printers are available now.

Superior, seamless imaging with the VUTEk FabriVU 520 printer EFI additionally launched new the 5.2- meter EFI VUTEk FabriVU 520 at Connect 2017. This would be EFI’s largest soft signage printer to date. The printer gives users new capabilities for producing a broader range of soft

signage products, including wall murals, theater drapes, and other superwide seamless applications.

Connect with the range of new and updated EFI Fiery DFE products at the conference.

The printer can produce up to 446 square meters per hour, and prints at resolutions up to 2,400 dpi. It can do both direct-to-textile and transfer printing with an easy changeover using the same inkset for greater versatility.

A patented ink-recovery system saves more than 95% of the ink lost in textile printing systems offered by other manufacturers.

The event featured the new Fiery NX server and NX Station for fast RIPing and streamlined cut-sheet production automation; Fiery DFE products for wide- and superwide-format inkjet proofing and production; and Fiery Workflow Suite offerings that boost productivity with best-in-class tools for document imposition, assembly, late-stage editing, visual make-ready, prepress automation and more.

The newest version of EFI Fiery Navigator on display simplifies the process of analysing daily digital print operations and long-term trends, delivering actionable business intelligence in a customizable, visual dashboard while providing device management capabilities.

Both new VUTEk printers on exhibit at Connect features the latest-version EFI Fiery proServer DFE, which gives users the advantage of fast RIPing, accurate, high-quality color and robust production management. EFI also presented a technology demonstration of a new, 65-inch wide EFI Wide Format LED inkjet hybrid roll/ flatbed printer at Connect, showing the continuing evolution of the proven, energy-efficient and versatile ‘cool cure' platform that has become the industry's most popular choice for productionspeed LED imaging.

Empowered by latest EFI Fiery DFE Attendees are gaining new insights into their digital production workflows at

EFI Fiery technology continued its advanced color leadership by recently becoming one of the first offerings in the industry to successfully handle all 48 test patches in the new Ghent Workgroup PDF Output Suite version 5.0 — a critical test factor and de facto standard for determining quality printing of PDF documents.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

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The Virtual Light Booth X-Rite Incorporated, a global leader in color science and technology, and its subsidiary Pantone LLC, announced the industry’s first immersive Virtual Light Booth (VLB). The VLB allows designers, material suppliers and marketers to accurately and efficiently visualize and compare 3D digital material renderings side-by-side with physical samples in an environment that controls all parameters influencing the perception of appearance.

Part of the company’s Total Appearance Capture (TAC™) ecosystem, the VLB ensures a new level of consistency between digital prototypes and final physical products. This helps companies reduce approval cycles and accelerate time to market.

As companies transition to digital manufacturing processes, there is a growing need for physically precise virtual designs that represent the true appearance of the final product. To date, CAD and rendering software solutions have been limited in their ability to visualize physical appearance characteristics such as texture, gloss, transparency and opacity. The TAC ecosystem and VLB make it possible to capture and verify the true appearance of a material in a digital environment.

“We have incorporated more than sixty years of color and appearance science into our state-of-the-art Virtual Light Booth to provide an immersive and interactive experience that allows users to accurately evaluate material appearance in both a physical and virtual world,” says Dr. Francis Lamy, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, X-Rite. “For the first time, VLB allows product teams to compare digital and physical materials under the exact same perceptual conditions – from illumination to contextual to observational factors.

With the VLB, design teams can easily vary these conditions to see changes in material performance. As a result, designers can make more informed material selections and reduce approval times and improve product quality.”

Turnkey Solution for Comparing Digital and Physical Material Samples The Virtual Light Booth combines the X-Rite’s SpectraLight QC professional light booth technology with a highresolution, color-calibrated LCD display and a real-time color management engine.

Customers do not need to worry about color calibration, lighting or viewing angles. We have incorporated all of this into the new VLB so that customers can quickly and accurately evaluate virtual and physical materials,” says Lamy.

A digital material rendering or product simulation is shown on the VLB’s display next to the physical sample. This enables users to view both the virtual and physical samples under controlled daylight conditions in a standardized visual observation environment. VLB offers users the flexibility of viewing samples under diffuse or spot light sources.

Combining embedded motion tracking sensors, spectrophotometers and colorimeters along with the synchronization of real-time rendering technology, the VLB delivers a 3D virtual experience that mimics real-life by adjusting the virtual representation as a person’s viewing angle changes. This is especially important when evaluating materials that use special-effect pigments, whose color and appearance change based on the viewing angle.

“We have taken the complex process of virtual evaluation and developed a turnkey solution that can be used across any design-to-production workflow.

The TAC Ecosystem The VLB is part of the TAC ecosystem, an award-winning appearance solution that accurately and efficiently captures, communicates and visualizes complex physical materials, including specialeffect pigments and synthetic fabrics.

TAC brings product designs to life with digital material representations that have the same visual appearance characteristics as their physical counterparts. Using the TAC ecosystem, product designers, 3D artists, material specifiers and marketers can scan in physical material samples and create vendor-neutral Appearance Exchange Format (AxF™) files to digitally communicate and share consistent appearance-related data with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), ComputerAided Design (CAD), and state-of-the art rendering applications. This enables a new level of realism and efficiency in digital material capture and 3D design.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

49

The art of inkjet.

Believe it when you see it!

The Fuji Xerox 1400 Inkjet Color Continuous Feed Printing System

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

50 Leading Financial Services Provider chooses Konica Minolta workflow solution Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia (BSA) announced that a large international financial services provider based in Singapore has opted to implement Dispatcher Phoenix, an award-winning automated workflow solution.

The solution shortens time to information and facilitates information sharing and streamlining of work duties.

Employees will be able to access the documents on premise or within the cloud with ease.

"As a digital company, Konica Minolta continues to add value to customers by offering solutions that help them shift into digital smart workplace, optimise information, and repurpose it for greater insight", said Jonathan Yeo, general manager for Konica Minolta BSA. Launched in July last year, Dispatcher Phoenix makes business workflow processes smarter by automating printing, routing, and imaging processes.

In addition, users can access cloud services like DropBox, OneDrive, and Google Drive via the Konica Minolta bizhub MFP control panel.

Solving the Paper Intensive Environment and Manual Workflow The key issue the company is facing is the time-consuming manual workflow process its employees undergo to retrieve documents, leading to a slow turnaround time for many tasks. In addition, some

departments are generating a high print quantity, further adding to the unsustainable paper volume. This spells increasing operating costs as more space is required.

Konica Minolta is offering a complete solution to automate workflow for easy retrieval of documents while enhancing document security in the organisation.

The automated workflow will streamline the company's operations and reduce the amount of paper needed for tasks. The scanned documents can be converted into searchable and Microsoft Office formats for easy retrieval and editing.

The Dispatcher Phoenix will also enhance document security with its ability to redact confidential information within the document. In addition, documents can only be released through user authentication. Together, these technologies will minimise information leaks.

QuadTech appoints new agent in Southeast Asia QuadTech announced the appointment of Richmatt Graphics (M) Sdn Bhd as its newest agent for sales and service of QuadTech register control, color control and Digital Ink systems for the commercial and newspaper industries in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

Richmatt Graphics is a renowned Southeast Asian mailroom equipment supplier offering a broad range of standard and customized services encompassing editorial systems, web presses, post-press equipment, and other

printing solutions to optimize production efficiency.

Having worked with the printing industry for the past 15 years, their customers include The New Straits Times Press, Berhad, Utusan Malaysia, Malaysia Nanban, Sin Chew Jit Poh, Munsang Printers, Singapore Press Holdings and Gramedia Printing Group.

“These are challenging times for printers.

The demand for color quality and reduced impressions per print run is putting an increasing amount of pressure on printing operations to not only reduce make-ready waste by getting the color and color register right, but also to maintain the consistency throughout the run. Our job is to inform printers of the benefits of automating color and register controls to reduce their waste and keep their production costs low. With QuadTech’s extensive product portfolio and solid reputation in this field, we can now help our customers to achieve this goal,” said Roach Michael, managing director, Richmatt Graphics.

“Doing business locally in Southeast Asia where there is a multi-lingual and multicultural business community requires a deep understanding of the nature of conducting business in the different regions and markets” said Vinodhkumar Balakrishnan, QuadTech Area Sales Manager.

“Richmatt Graphics with their wide experience in the local printing industry, understands this well and will be a strong partner to QuadTech in marketing our solutions, providing comprehensive technical support to printers, and keeping their operations running at peak

More Performance. Built in automation plus unique press

technologies take the finite resource of time and multiply it for you. You get more out of every shift and enhanced relationship with your clients.

The Versant™ 2100 Press allows you to manage colour more easily and simply with automated calibration and proofing. The result is higher quality without operator involvement, a positive impact on your productivity as well as your print output.

Do More. With More.

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

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

52 performance. Their team of qualified engineers, technicians and product specialists will ensure that customers across Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei will receive very best levels of service, product expertise and local market knowledge.”

US Company Installs World’s First HP Indigo 50000 Digital Press Digital Lizard is the world’s first HP Indigo 50000 Digital Press print service provider. With the installation of the high-volume, high-efficiency solution at its Las Vegas facility earlier this month, the US-based company is now positioned to provide its customers with personalised magazines, catalogs, direct mail, calendars, and more, all in offset quality.

“The HP Indigo 50000 is the next evolution in the digital print space. It will provide our clients with a cost-effective solution to personalize their marketing message on the micro level, while still producing the large volume necessary to reach their client base,” said William Wieners, president of Digital Lizard.

Digital Lizard is the first beta site for the roll-to-roll, 30 inch HP Indigo 50000 announced at drupa 2016.

The press is scheduled to be released to market in July.

“The Indigo 50000 will truly bridge the gap between our digital capabilities and our offset capabilities at Creel Printing,” said Wieners, including the ability to insert customised inserts into catalogs and magazines.

Additionally, the HP Indigo 50000 supports Digital Lizard’s sustainability goals by narrowing the cost gap for its customers to choose environmentally conscious print.

HP presses and printers in Digital Lizard’s fleet include the HP Indigo

12000 press, 12-HP Indigo 7900 presses, two HP Indigo 7250 presses, an HP Scitex LX850 Grand Format Poster/ Banner Printer, and an HP DesignJet L25500 60” Wide Format Poster Printer.

“Our ongoing relationship with HP has allowed us to stay ahead of the curve in every aspect of innovation within the industry,” added Wieners.

Digital Lizard joined the Creel family in 2005 and now operates plants in Hayden, ID; Las Vegas, NV; Mahwah, NJ; and Pusignan, France; all running 24/7. Creel’s Digital Division offers full-color variable digital printing, inline finishing, same-day shipping, and a host of leading-edge digital solutions.

HP opens second CoE in Asia in India HP, together with Redington India, officially opened doors to its Centre of Excellence (CoE), in Chennai, India.

The India CoE is the second of its kind in Asia, the first of which is in Singapore.

HP now has a total of five CoEs all over the globe.

With an investment of $3 million, the CoE showcases the company's latest products and its various uses. Besides digital offset presses, pre-press, postpress and web to print solutions will also be showcased.

"This centre will give our customers hands-on experience of the products along with required training on using them," said Alon Bar Shany, general manager, HP Indigo division, HP Inc. The Tamil Nadu state has over 85 installations, making is the largest market for HP Indigo in India.

According to HP, the southern states contributes to almost 50% of its business. The company is looking to drive adoption in multiple sectors

including photography, packaging and labelling on-demand and customised printing.

Agfa Graphics launches new Asanti 3.0 workflow software for sign & display producers With the launch of Asanti 3.0 – the latest version of Agfa Graphics’ automated production hub and workflow tool for sign & display printers – Agfa offers wide-format printers new functionalities, more integration possibilities and added automation. Combining these novelties with Agfa’s signature color management solution, automatic pre-flighting and the new intuitive GUI, Asanti 3.0 promises to revolutionize workflow management completely.

One tool to manage all data and all devices Sign & display producers need streamlined and automated processes.

Asanti is Agfa Graphics’ response to that need: one workflow tool for wide-format printers to manage all their data and devices. What’s more, version 3.0 allows for integration with third-party print equipment, MIS solutions and with the new, in-house software like PrintSphere and StoreFront.

“It really is a complete production hub that streamlines the entire workflow from beginning to end,” explains Erik Peeters, Marketing Manager Workflow Solutions, Agfa Graphics. “As such, it allows print professionals to avoid errors and minimize manual interventions, shorten pre-press procedures and thus simplify the entire printing process.”

Added features for more convenience Among the novelties of Asanti 3.0 is IntelliTune. IntelliTune automatically analyzes and improves image quality by optimizing skin tones, for example, or by eliminating noise or staircasing and blurriness.

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

53 “This is truly unique in the world of wide-format printers” Peeters adds.

“IntelliTune is completely automatic and integrated into Asanti. It contributes to the simplification of complex workflows, as well as to the consistent quality of printed images.”

Asanti 3.0 also boasts new features such as convenient proofing support with QuickProof which helps to avoid waste, an improved digital alternative for see-through graphics on clear material, optimized automation thanks to the use of new parameter presets and smart image repetition possibilities to further increase productivity.

New user interface and dashboard Next to Asanti’s intuitive graphical user interface featuring improved job layout and positioning visualization, version 3.0 offers a new user interface for tiling huge jobs.

“Our aim is to simplify the complete product life cycle of complex projects like tiling. As such, Asanti adds mounting instructions on the prints to ease the stitching and finishing after printing,” Peeters says.

New to Asanti Color Management is the advanced mode that allows printers to use a wizard for managing colors and shortening throughput time, and it features new white printing options.

Finally Asanti 3.0 allows for overruling special spot colors (e.g. brand colors) by dedicated color alternatives, in order to reproduce them with high accuracy, even on challenging media.

Koenig & Bauer builds new demo centre in Würzburg Nine months before the official ceremony to mark the 200th anniversary of Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA) in September 2017, the foundations were laid in January at the company’s Würzburg parent plant for a new digital and flexographic press demo centre. On 14 March KBA Chairman Claus-BolzaSchünemann and Christoph Müller, CEO of the subsidiaries KBA-Digital & Web Solutions AG & Co. KG and KBAFlexotecnica S.p.A., who will rent the demo centre from the holding, laid the foundation stone of the new building.

In addition, Asanti’s dedicated production dashboard displays all print jobs, the number of prints, status data of multiple engines, ink levels, elapsed time and more – all in one overview.

“It is all HTML5-based and works perfectly for those in close contact with clients and financial connections,” asserts Peeters.

With a usable area of around 2.100 m², modernised premises of 21,164 m³ and investment totalling a formidable € 6 million (including technical infrastructure; without demo presses) the building project is one of ambitious scale. It is the latest in a series of new buildings at the Würzburg site, following a new logistics centre and design building in 2001, two new production halls in 2003 and 2008 and a new foundry in 2012.

Agfa Graphics’ award-winning Color Management enhanced

Investment in growth sectors In the presence of Würzburg’s mayor,

Claus Bolza-Schünemann emphasises the growing importance of packaging printing for KBA. Flexographic printing technology for flexible packaging and corrugated cardboard will therefore be on show at the new demo centre Christian Schuchardt, members of the group board, the architect, contractors and other guests, Bolza-Schünemann drew attention in his opening speech to the contraction of media-focused print markets and the successful realignment of KBA Group concentrating on growth sectors like packaging, digital and industrial functional printing. 70 % of the group’s new press revenue is generated in the booming packaging sector. The group headquarters in Würzburg was chosen as the site for the new demo centre to provide suitable, conveniently situated presentation facilities with easy access to Frankfurt International Airport for customers from expanding markets.

Counterpart to sheet offset customer centre in Radebeul As counterpart to the demo centre for sheet offset presses and processing systems at Radebeul in Saxony, the new demo centre in Main-Franconia will feature a RotaJET digital printing press for commercial, publication and decor printing, a flexo rotary press from KBA-Digital & Web Würzburg’s Italian subsidiary KBA-Flexotecnica cooperating on flexible packaging, and a newly developed sheetfed flexo press from KBA-Digital & Web for direct printing on corrugated cardboard. The centre is due to be ready for occupancy

Packaging Innovation Asia Issue 11 2016

54 As Wim leaves our organization, we are thrilled to have an executive of the quality and with the experience of Benoit to carry the business forward.

His mission is to continue executing the plan and further grow the division.

Flint Group's mission is to be a global provider of digital printing equipment and overall printing supplies, and his knowledge and expertise will be important as we continue to move that mission forward.

in autumn 2017. Aside from customer demos, testing new developments is also planned.

Solutions for virtually all print markets Bolza-Schünemann: “KBA-Digital & Web builds the world’s largest inkjet roll-fed rotary presses and in future also high performance sheetfed presses to meet the growing demand for corrugated cardboard packaging. Our Italian subsidiary KBA-Flexotecnica offers technically outstanding flexo rotary presses for film, paper and lightweight cardboard packaging. With the widest portfolio of all manufacturers, KBA Group offers print solutions for virtually all markets. We want to present our systems for the above growth sectors live in action at the new demo centre.

Many of our national and international customers want to see the presses being operated in action before they decide to invest. And of course, we hope that this substantial investment will have a positive impact on our business in these new markets for KBA.” HELP CUSTOMERS WITH INCREASING REGULATIONS ON NUTRITIONAL LABELING Xeikon, a division of Flint Group, and market leader in digital colour printing technology today announced that Benoit Chatelard will assume the role of President & CEO of Flint Group’s Digital Solutions effective May 8th. In his mandate to further develop Flint Group Digital Solutions portfolio and customer reach in that arena, for which Xeikon is a strategic element, he will be proposed as CEO of Xeikon (to be confirmed by the Xeikon shareholders meeting).

Chatelard has a rich history in the digital production printing market.

Most recently, he was Vice President, Production Printing Business Group for Ricoh Europe. His digital production printing career began in 2002 when he led the IBM Printing Systems Division for France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

With the creation of the InfoPrint Solutions Compoany Joint Venture between Ricoh and IBM in 2007, Chatelard was appointed Vice President & General Manager for the joint venture in Asia Pacific based in Singapore, and continued to take on increased leadership responsibilities within Ricoh Europe over the ensuing years.

“First, I want to thank Wim Maes for his years of service to Xeikon, and for the great work he did in getting the Flint Group Digital Printing Solutions division off the ground following our acquisition of Xeikon,” says Antoine Fady, CEO of Flint Group. “His contributions have been invaluable in our ability to continue growth at Xeikon, better integrate sales efforts among our divisions, implement proper market segmentation, develop and implement investment strategies, and build a product roadmap for the Digital Printing Solutions division.

Under his leadership, Xeikon fully developed its labels and packaging domain, expanded market coverage, and thanks to customer-driven innovation, leaves the company in a strong position with a robust product portfolio.

”I am leaving Xeikon and Flint Group with mixed feelings,” Maes says. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the company and feel good about the progress we made. I especially want to thank our wonderful Xeikon customers, partners and employees for eight very interesting and rewarding years. I feel proud to have been able to contribute to the Xeikon story, and I have full confidence Benoit will continue this great story with even more achievements in the future.”

“I am looking forward to taking on this new role,” Chatelard says. “It is an exciting time in the industry, both for Xeikon and its customers. Under Wim’s leadership, the company was set on a solid path to the future, and I will be taking up the reins to continue his work, building even greater levels of customer intimacy, working to understand and address emerging customer needs in an ever-changing marketplace.”

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