Print Innovation Asia #2

Print INNOVATION

Asia Magazine

Serving The Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia since 1986 Issue 2 - 2019

The latest from manroland Read the full interview in this issue CEO Rafael Penuela

THE 2019 ASIAN P

RECOGNISING

WIN THE BEST IN SHOW SPECIAL AWARD US$2000.00 PRINTPACK INDIA

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PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS

G AND HONOURING ASIA’S BEST

Asian Print Awards Management Pte Ltd Level 28, Office 28-31 Clifford Centre, 24 Raffles Place, Singapore 048621

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PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS: 2019

_018 019 Contents Page 2

Asian Packagaing Excellence Awards Entry Form

LAST CHANCE

6

Looking ahead with manroland sheetfed

10

QLM LABEL MAKERS unveils unique

"Mosaic" designs

12

Xeikon Café 2019 presents Academy program

16

Leading the Professional Digital Printing Industry

18

Asian Packaging Conference 2019 comes to India

20

CGS expands its ORIS Solvent Media portfolio

22

1000th HP Indigo Press Sold

24

EFI 2.0 – Bill Muir to Innovate & Execute

29

SHIFT_019 Conference information

32

Rapida 75 PRO soon on its way to IPC on Mauritius

34

Design meets security in banknote printing

36

Holographic Colour Prints Against Counterfeiting

38

Rebranding with efficiency and renewal

40

The Ink Industry in 2018 – A Review

42

Recruitment is an ongoing activity - Minimum Quantity

but Maximum Quality.

44

Opting for a programmable clamp cutter

46

Kodak launches new PROSPER Plus Imprinting

Solutions for packaging

50

Super-industrial, next-generation direct-to-garment

printing platform

52

News from around Asia and the world

Issue 2 2019

Print INNOVATION

Asia Magazine

Published by Asian Print Awards Management Pte Ltd Level 28, Office 28-31 Clifford Centre, 24 Raffles Place, Singapore 048621 Print Innovation Asia Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia Asian Print Awards Packageing Excellence Awards SHIFT Packaging Conferences Publisher

Paul Callaghan paul@printinnovationasia.com

Editorial

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

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Looking Ahead with Sha Jumari catches up with CEO Rafael Penuela to discuss Manroland Sheetfed’s performance in Asia, the success of ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION presses and the company’s stand on digital.

In early February 2019, Manroland Sheetfed GmbH's parent company, Langley Holdings, published its IFRS Annual Report & Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2018. At the end of 2018, the group recorded a profit of €103.5m versus €111.8m in 2017. Net assets at the year end were €722.6m and cash €379.5m - both record highs.

“I would say that the year 2018 has been a difficult year for the printing industry due to the overall declined market performance. We have nearly achieved our targets with regard to revenues,” said Rafael Penuela, Manroland Sheetfed’s CEO, when asked on the company’s performance in 2018.

“When it comes to results you might say that they could always be better, but we are satisfied with the expected results and the achievement of our financial targets. But more than this we could convince many new customers to rely on our products and fulfil their expectations. In general terms I would say yes, it is another satisfactory year,” Penuela continued.

Manroland Sheetfed has been present in the Asian region for decades. The organization has subsidiaries in China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand

and Indonesia. On top of that, Manroland has representation in The Philippines and Vietnam.

“China plus Asia together is representing at least 1/3 of the total production of offset presses today. It was only 10 to 12 years ago that the volume represented by Asia was less than half of today’s business volume,” said Penuela.

China still counts as Manroland’s largest clientele, although Southeast Asia is developing well.

“I would say that the Southeast Asian market is maybe less dynamic than it was ten years ago. It is not as dynamic as the Chinese market has been and still is,” Penuela continued. “But we see the same trends from international print buyers that are visible in Asian countries, similar to what we have seen years ago in China. For example, the demand for high-end packaging products, integrated production processes, demand for quality and lower cost of production. I expect a very similar market trend.”

The ROLAND 700 Evolution Update The ROLAND 700 Evolution is

CEO Rafael Penuela

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Manroland’s highly flexible platform of the long established series of B1-plus format presses. The Evolution was first unveiled to the global public at drupa 2016. Since its launch, it has been on an upward trajectory, and does not appear to be slowing down. Recently, the company celebrated the 1000th unit of the press in the market.

Although no specific number was provided for ROLAND 700 Evolution machines in Southeast Asia, Penuela said that they have presence in each country. He added that China is the market where the company has sold the most of ROLAND 700 Evolution.

“The ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION is

one technical platform that we are using in this size to cover the needs of our customers for all type of applications.

We are talking from a very simple press with basic automation to highly automated nine colour press with double coating and special configurations for very unique applications. The platform of ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION was developed exactly to serve printers with very different demands from different regions and applications,” said Penuela.

“We are quite satisfied with the development of this product. We gained trust in our early efforts and we would like to expand and transfer the learnings from the successful

ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION now to the next product line. We will keep our R&D principles by focusing on print quality, solid construction and high reliability in operations,” Penuela continued.

Adding value with ProServ 360 Performance One of the more unique value-add feature of the EVOLUTION is the ProServ 360 Performance service. First introduced in 2017 as part of a global launch, the ProServ 360 Performance is an integrated, 24-month partnership program. It is a preventive and corrective service that will provide continuously during the lifetime of

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the press. It assists the customers to increase the productivity and reduce the unplanned downtime.

“So far the ProServ 360 performance program is very successful and we are very happy about that. Many customers are convinced by the service during the first two years, and when it is due time, they chose to prolong this service.

ProServ 360 performance program is very successful and so far the response is very positive not because of the warranty and normal repair work which is included, much more because of the performance analysis which we do remotely,” said Penuela.

According to Penuela, all Evolution customers are using the ProServ 360 Performance service. The program also enables Manroland to work together with their customers to improve their performance.

“The analysis of the machine and job data are discussed regularly with the printer in order to identify fields of improvement. Why was the press standing still for 20 minutes? What was wrong? Why are you always using the longest washing program? Can’t you use a shorter one? Why are you not changing the sequence of print jobs to improve your productivity? Why the press was standing still because apparently no plates were available?”

Penuela explained. “Meanwhile we are learning every day from our customers about processes and also about our weaknesses which help us to better understand customer demands and improve our products.”

On Going Digital In the advent of digital printing, many offset manufacturers are either developing the technology or adding digital presses in their portfolio by way of partnerships or acquisitions.

Manroland Sheetfed worked out its first digital press in 1995, called DicoWeb. It was the first press without plates. However, Penuela asserted that developing digital presses are not their focus. They are more interested in integrating digital technology into a conventional offset press.

“We had different exercises to cooperate with other digital companies for many years. I'm talking about a technical cooperation, not sales and distribution channel. I know that our competitors have had similar experiences over the last 20 years. So far no sheetfed manufacturer has succeeded to establish a solid and commercially successful digital product,” said Penuela.

Years back, Manroland Sheetfed and Landa signed an agreement before drupa 2012, which fizzled years later.

According to Penuela, the agreement was based on the integration of Landa technology into its conventional offset presses.

“We are still very interested to evaluate such an integration once the conditions are given. The hybrid machine could become reality once we have identified the right technology to integrate variable data into a conventional offset-press. To achieve this, we need to consider substrate-variability, high speed and offset-like print quality. The combination of both technologies under those conditions would create

real value for printers,” said Penuela.

According to Penuela, digital printing can add real value for printers by personalizing data, which Manroland Sheetfed is already working on: “We have developed with partners the possibility to create numbering systems so that we can use numbering on our sheet applications, such as small personalization barcodes or others type of variable data integrated in the offset-process. But it still remains an offset press with supporting systems to make some type of personalized application.”

Beyond 2019 - Drupa 2020?

When it comes to developments, Manroland Sheetfed will continue to focus R&D efforts to further automate the ROLAND 700 press, and to extend the learnings to subsequent product lines.

“And more important, we should always take into consideration that the product development is not always related to the heavy metal. It's more or at least equally important to develop products which are supporting the integration process or the data exchange to help customers to be competitive and better serve print buyers,” Penuela asserted.

When prodded about drupa 2020 previews, Penuela remained tightlipped, but said that: “We are looking forward to drupa 2020 already. We will present some new products. We will focus on our main business which is the all-round offset press focused on ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION which still has a lot of market to gain and satisfy new demands from our customers.”

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QLM LABEL MAKERS unveils unique "Mosaic" designs Pukara Estate, a leading Australian olive oil, vinegar and gourmet food manufacturer located in the Hunter Valley region of NSW, recently worked with local label manufacturer QLM Label Makers to produce an innovative label design for their Connoisseur Club members that stayed true to their company values and design principles, but gave their members something truly unique.

According to Steve Goodchild from Pukara Estate: "Our Connoisseur Club was established to offer our loyal membership exclusive offers and promotions. Our label design has been long established in the market and I am still reluctant to make significant changes to our label design simply for the sake of change, however the chance to explore an alternative design for our club membership was an opportunity for us to create something different."

This presented QLM Label Makers the challenge to design and print a customised 'art series' that would give Pukara's club members something truly unique. By working with the team at HP Indigo, QLM were able to combine the technology of their HP Indigo label presses with 'Mosaic' software which

HP Indigo uses to create customised tiling effects in designs, like those seen in Coke and Nutella product sleeves.

Lindsay Nutley, Marketing Manager for the QLM Group worked with Pukara Estate throughout the project from concept to design, sampling and production. "This project was designed to be something special for Pukara, but most importantly it needed to be done in a style that reflected their brand. The complexity was finding a range of images and then working out the right way of using them to achieve the desired result. It’s not as simple as putting an image on a product. As well as being unique it had to be something stylish that people would want to have on display in their kitchen."

The design and production process involved confirming 'seed' files from which designs were finalised.

The software to press process is seamless and the HP Indigo platform, supported by the Currie Group in Australia, provide the QLM Group with additional print capacity and the advantages of personalisation and customisation that is the hallmark of digital print technology.

Despite some initial reservations, Goodchild confirmed "The response has been overwhelmingly pleasing.

From our production staff to our tasting rooms and social media platforms. The labels are certainly catching people's attention and converting into additional sales. We are definitely observing strong growth in our club membership."

You can see the designs them via the website: https://www.pukaraestate. com.au/connoisseur-club-special-evoo . For QLM Label Makers, this project provided the first market application of 'mosaic' technology in the self-adhesive label space and is part of a number of ongoing projects aimed at utilising the power of personalisation and customisation to generate increased sales.

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Xeikon Café 2019 presents Academy program Technology-agnostic educational forum offers expert insights on all aspects of digital production and a wide variety end-use applications Xeikon Café Europe 2019 (www. xeikoncafe.com), scheduled for 26 to 28 March in Antwerp, Belgium, brings back its educational Academy.

Providing a thorough look at revenuegenerating opportunities from both a business as well as a technology perspective, the Academy program comprises a series of parallel sessions.

The Business Talks will help attendees acquire knowledge and insights on business opportunities, while the practical Tech Talks focus on the technical characteristics of a wide variety of end-use applications.

Each will include or be followed by a technology demo at one of the presses running a live, relevant enduse application based on the contents of the session. An overview of all Academy sessions can be found below or is available in the Xeikon Café event app. To install the Xeikon Café app, click here or simply download the Eventmobi app at the iTunes store or at Google Play and enter the code ‘xceurope’.

“Xeikon Café Academy provides a valuable learning opportunity for event attendees,” explains Danny Mertens of Xeikon Café. “The goal is to provide them with practical info they can take back home to develop new business opportunities and applications that bring added value for their customers.

Both Business Talks and Tech Talks also showcase the value brought to market by close collaboration among all Xeikon Café partners, each sharing technical expertise that results in the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. On top of that, by combining the Academy sessions with an on-the-spot demo, attendees get the level of detail needed to take actionable ideas back to their businesses.”

In addition to the highly educational content in the Academy, there is also the Xeikon Café Conference taking place each morning and offering thought leadership content from a variety of brands and printing professionals, including Keynote Trend Researcher Aljan De Boer, DS Smith, Continental Foods, Tough Crowd, Eurocod,

Leaderform and Tapecon.

Academy program details: BUSINESS TALKS Navigating through the digital opportunity For visitors considering adding digital to their labels and packaging production portfolio or looking to increase the amount of digital technology they now have. This session explores a number of opportunities for business growth enabled by digital.

Perfecting the Digital and Flexo match This session helps visitors decide when it is more efficient to use digital over flexo or offset, and provide insights as to how digital production can improve the profitability of a conventional print

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

14 Presenters will outline the benefits of dry toner EP (electrophotography) digital production from a technological point of view, as well as list the specific requirements for producing labels for food, beverage, wine, spirits and pharma applications, which all come with their very own aesthetic and functional demands.

set-up for optimum business results.

Experts will discuss in-depth the configuration of a true end-to-end digital label production that integrates prepress, print, converting and quality control.

Cost & application benefits of UV inkjet: get ahead with all you need to know

Whether for promotional items or plastic containers, digital heat transfer decoration can open new business doors. This session details how to leverage digital production for any heat transfer application, and how to deliver them faster and with much higher quality.

This session delves into UV inkjet technology to answer any questions about production requirements and costs, specifically related to applications for household, industrial, durables and health & beauty. business and help to acquire more customers.

Choosing the right print technology: drivers for success Most label converters understand the variety of digital print technologies available on the market today, but are they also aware of the specific characteristics and benefits of each?

This session offers a technologyagnostic approach to choosing the most optimal technology.

Next-level digital production goals: how can you reach yours?

This is an expert session in which many tips & tricks are shared on how to maximise digital production; continuously improve operations by stripping out more time, waste and cost; and ultimately increase margins and service levels.   Academy program details: TECH TALKS Unravelling the complexity of digital in-mould labels This technical session is dedicated to unravelling the mystery and complexity around high-impact in-mould labels and details how digital production can be implemented as a complement to conventional printing.

When food safety and quality matters: dry toner cost & application gains

Showcase of a hybrid solution for short-run carton & label production Digital production helps meet brand challenges to address seasonality and changing market demands. It is even more valuable when shortrun production of a variety of label and carton packages is combined in one-run thanks to smart, automated workflow processes.

Too hot to handle? How to unleash unlimited advertising on paper cups In this session, visitors get the technical basics on how a paper cup is made and learn how to leverage their digital print equipment to unleash unlimited possibilities for advertising on paper cups, while ensuring food safety compliance.

Pouches, an opportunity beyond your labels One of the fastest growing flexible packaging types, stand-up pouches are often perceived as premium packaging.

Digital production allows label printers and converters to offer a unique service and benefit from high quality, costeffective lower volumes and shorter lead times.

How smooth is your operation?

Get business smart with end-2-end production A must-attend session for any printer looking to leverage its digital production

Hot right now: capitalize on digital heat transfer labels that stick

The role of the designer in a successful packaging & label workflow A not-to-be-missed session for anyone involved in prepress. For a workflow to be efficient and effective, the role of the designer responsible for the graphics, images, layout and final job file, is of undeniable importance. This session discusses the main pain points and technical challenges, and how to deal with them.

The new normal in digital colour management Increasing demand of global brands for colour equity across geographies and substrates, makes it ever more challenging for flexo label printers to pixel-perfect match brand & Pantone colours. This session has the answer how to reliably meet these colour demands.

Staying on top of new food safety regulations (session only on Wed March 27) Food safety is of the utmost importance if you are producing labels or packaging for any kind of food product. This session provides insights on the food safety aspects across all printing technologies, while providing an update of new and emerging regulations; For more information, practical details and program details for Xeikon CafÊ Europe 2019, visit www.xeikoncafe.com and download the event app. Tickets can be reserved directly on the event’s website.

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Leading the Professional Digital Printing Industry Continuous technological and service enhancement are key to stand out from your competitors and build customer loyalty. Ma King Kee Diazo Printing & Co. Ltd. (‘MKK’); market leader since 1950, has been offering professional digital printing service for local market.

William Ho; Director of MKK has seen the increasing demand of high quality printing in the market and has been looking for a solution to strengthen the capability of MKK in order to cope with high print demand efficiently. William has made a big move in 2018 and installed five units of Iridesse™ Production Press in his production sites. Two of the five units are installed in his Central branch to support their business growth in the Central Business District (CBD).

Digital printing has been the dominant printing technology since the 90’s for over three decades. From then on, MKK has been working closely with Fuji Xerox (Hong Kong) to promote industry-led technologies and services to the market. ‘The company accelerated digital printing service since

1995 and shifted its business focus from blueprinting and photocopying to commercial printing. All branches equipped with high quality digital printing solution to serve various type of clients.’ said William. As of today, MKK manages 10 branches in Hong Kong and Macau.

MKK has a broad client portfolio comprises of various industries including architecture, legal and accounting sectors. These clients would only accept top-quality digital printings with strict compliance to their requirements. William recognized the ever growing demand on high quality digital outputs and introduced five units of Iridesse™ Production from Fuji Xerox (Hong Kong) to his fleet in 2018. This made MKK not only the major client for Fuji Xerox (Hong Kong) but also in Asia.

Accomplished with over 100 patented technologies, Iridesse™ has a powerful six-color print engine using xerography to simulate Pantone metallic colors.

It combines two special colors out of the four selections (gold, silver, clear and white) in a single pass, achieving highly desirable results. William agreed William Ho; Director of MKK

that Iridesse™ has revolutionized the digital printing industry, allowing printing house to deliver similar quality of screen printing with double hit white toner. The technological features of digital printing also enhance the communication and collaboration between MKK and its clients. A significantly shorten lead time between proof reading and output production not only minimizes the environmental footprint, but also elevates the output and industry standard, allowing businesses to offer value-added services.

Standing at the forefront of the industry, MKK has been a longterm partner of Fuji Xerox (Hong Kong). William mentions MKK will continue to explore new product functionalities and applications with the support from Fuji Xerox (Hong Kong), and to share new insights and feedback for continuous improvement.

William believes that this constructive partnership would build a brighter future for the industry.

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Going beyond the only true metallic spectrum.

To make Metallicolour possible, the Iridesse™ Production Press uses 6-colour-1-pass technology with two types of special ink from Silver and Gold. This is the first time such an impressive overlay and underlay of speciality ink has been made available.

Discover what’s possible in Metallicolour www.fxap.com.sg/beyond-imagination

Iridesse™ Production Press. Beyond imagination.

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

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Asian Packaging Conference 2019 comes to India Titled SHIFT_019, the 17th edition of Asian Packaging Conference will be held in New Delhi, India for the first time.

SHIFT_019 is Asia’s premiere Labels and Packaging Conference. The twoday conference will be filled with enlightening presentations, thoughtprovoking discussions and networking opportunities, with the aim to transform print and packaging businesses.

Past editions have been held in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. For the first time ever, the event will be held in India following popular request from delegates of past year’s edition.

Each year, the conference attracts business owners and suppliers, packaging printers, converters, brand owners and designers. Organised by Asia Print Awards Management (formerly known as AFTA), the conference was similarly titled SHIFT_018 in last year’s edition. This year, the same thread was continued with SHIFT_019.

“Asia, and especially India, has been tapped to lead the growth of the packaging industry through to 2025,” said Paul Callaghan, chairman of Packaging & Print Innovation Asia.

“Supported by leading packaging suppliers and associations, the conference will be filled with the latest information to help any company in packaging production grow in the coming years.”

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The conference theme has been set at: Investing for Sustainability & Financial Returns. According to organisers, there will be about 25 international speakers lined up to present at the conference.

The conference this year aim to cover issues in prepress, digital, flexo, gravure, finishing, design and branding faced by today’s print packaging business owners.

region. The competition is open to companies involved in the production of packaging industry.

2019 Asian Packaging Excellence Awards opens for submissions SHIFT_019 will be held in conjunction with the 2019 Asian Packaging Excellence Awards. The competition is now accepting submissions.

An international, independent jury of industry experts will examine each submission anonymously within preestablished criteria.

All entries must be submitted by 20 March 2019. To be eligible, entries must have been commercially produced within the 12 months preceding the entry deadline of 20 March 2018. Now in its 17th year, the competition recognises and honours packaging excellence for the Asian

There are 26 categories divided into three segments of Flexography, Rotogravure and Labels. A new category of Mockup/Sample Production has also been inducted following requests from last edition of the awards.

Winners will be recognised during the gala dinner at SHIFT_019.

SHIFT_019 is also supported by the Association of Label Printers and Suppliers (ALPS ) and also IPAMA. The full catalogue of categories and entry form can be found at: www. printinnovationasia.com

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CGS expands its ORIS Solvent Media portfolio Three new Pouch Films are available to address the latest Mockup Trends Packaging prototypes are increasingly in demand to help developing design ideas and support the decision-making process.

As a result, there are higher expectations regarding mockups, which are becoming more and more complex.

This trend has been noticeable for some time in the US and UK, but is now extending to other European markets – especially among top brand owners. To perfectly meet the increasing demands on packaging samples and to even reproduce complex finishings quickly and cost-effectively, CGS has expanded its extensive media portfolio with three new types of materials.

In addition to the metallized pouch film, used, for example, for the production of snack food packaging, there are also white and transparent pouch films available (see table). All three materials can be directly printed, exhibit a large color gamut and are heat-sealable. The removable carrier foil makes it easy to handle in the printer.

With these new inkjet films, most flexible packaging samples can be produced directly without the need for a transfer film. This is especially advantageous for large, thin foil packaging samples, where the previous approach often led to wrinkles.

The new materials now provide additional generic substrates optimized for flexible packaging.

The entire ORIS Solvent Media portfolio has been specifically developed to meet the particular

challenges of proof and prototype production for packaging, ranging from a various selection of transparent, aluminum and shrink foils to cardboard and the highly flexible ORIS Media Transfer Foil for printing on original substrates.

All are characterized by a high ink limit and a fast drying time. In addition, the latest coating technology combined with an extensive quality control, guarantees consistent results and maximum quality. Common ink-jet materials developed for large format applications are mostly inadequate for the demands of the packaging market and typically exhibit low scratch resistance, color casts and batch-tobatch variations.

In addition to high quality media for all types of packaging proofs and samples, CGS also produces the award-winning ORIS Flex Pack // Web system: "In

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21 ORIS Flex Pack, all components – that means specially developed software, hardware, expanded gamut inks and the custom media portfolio –perfectly match each other. Therefore, it’s not surprising, that ORIS Flex Pack has become the defacto standard worldwide at leading brand companies, prepress houses and packaging printers. Proofs and prototypes of the most complex packaging and labels are being produced in perfect quality off the printing press,” commented Heiner Müller, CGS Key Account Director Europe. An overview of the entire ORIS Media portfolio and ORIS Flex Pack // Web is available on the CGS website.

CGS announces the integration of SpectroDens in ORIS CxF Toolbox

CGS Publishing Technologies has announced that ORIS CxF Toolbox can now support colour measurement device, SpecktroDens.

TECHKON´s densitometer

compact spectralSpectroDens is

recognised by many users for its easy handling and intuitive operability in colour measurement. The measurement device combines capabilities of a highly accurate spectrophotometer and an easy-to-use densitometer, making it an attractive device for printing houses worldwide.

To provide an optimized workflow for all users of the SpectroDens, it has now been integrated within ORIS CxF Toolbox software.

Users can select the device in a drop-down menu and all colour measurements can be read in and processed very easily in the ORIS CxF Toolbox software. The software

is specially developed for the effective and consistent communication of brand and special colours.

“It is very important for us that our customers can easily use and combine the hardware they want with ORIS software. Their workflow should work perfectly with all the desired functions.

With the ‘SpectroDens’ we have integrated a popular measuring device that further expands the available possibilities and allows our customers even more flexibility,” explained Bernd Rückert, product marketing manager, CGS. ORIS Certified // Web, the effective web-based quality control system from CGS, has already supported the spectral densitometer for some time.

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1000th HP Indigo Press Sold HP reaches milestone of 1000th unit sold for HP Indigo’s industryleading wide-format, Series 4 platform HP Inc. announced it reached a milestone one-thousand HP Indigo Series 4 presses sold, amid growing customer momentum for its industryleading 29 inch (B2) platform across commercial and labels and packaging digital printing applications.

“Supplying 1000 presses to customers in 65 countries is an exciting milestone.

The introduction of the HP Indigo B2 platform at drupa 2012 set the stage for a massive disruption in printing, prompting print service providers to reevaluate their businesses,” Alon BarShany, general manager, HP Indigo, HP Inc., said at the annual HP Indigo 2019 Global Customer Event. “Today, adopters of HP Indigo technologies are enjoying double-digit growth thanks to their relentless drive to innovate and print different.”

Ryan Printing, a New York, US, print service provider, was recognized as the 1000th worldwide installation of an HP Indigo Series 4 press with its purchase of an HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press.

“The Indigo 12000 HD will be a perfect fit for our longer and large-size digital runs and our shorter traditional offset jobs, and will help enable us to open up new markets and capabilities,”

said Al Ryan, owner and general manager, whose new press will expand production alongside its HP Indigo 7800.

Setting a new industry benchmark for quality, the HP Indigo 12000 HD has reached 50 installations worldwide, including the recent purchase of five units by Smartpress. The 29 inch (75 cm) wide Series 4 press platform also includes the oversized B1 HP Indigo 50000 for commercial and photo printing, HP Indigo 20000 for labels and flexible packaging, and HP Indigo 30000 for folding cartons. Additionally, HP Indigo’s narrow-web Series 3 labels and packaging presses, including the HP Indigo 8000 and HP Indigo 6000 series, have reached 1500 installed units.

Recent HP Indigo labels and packaging momentum includes: • Continued adoption of the highly productive HP Indigo 8000 Digital Press, enabling label customers to cost effectively convert medium and long runs from flexo to HP Indigo. “The HP Indigo 8000 is a great combination of outstanding productivity with renowned HP Indigo print quality. The 8000 has delivered a revenue stream equivalent to three of our flexographic converting equipment processes,” said Rocky Rahija, CEO, Flextec.

• Pack Ready Laminator by Karlville, a pioneering technology extending the value of flexible packaging printing on HP Indigo digital presses, is gaining traction with eight customer installations worldwide. Offering an immediate time-to-market solution for flexible packaging converters, Pack Ready uses an adhesive-free lamination film that can meet global food packaging safety standards.

• Rootree’s launch of a 100% compostable packaging solution based on the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press. “We’ve made a commitment in the industry to bring environmental consciousness in packaging by addressing the full packaging lifecycle. With the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press, we’re manufacturing packaging fully made with 100% compostable films with up to 75% less waste than conventional packaging manufacturing,” said Philippe St-Cyr, general manager, Rootree.

• Flexible packaging converters installing large fleets of HP Indigo 20000 digital presses, including a total of 28 units at ePac in the US and eight with LVAI in China.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

More difference, more profit

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Make every job different cost-effectively, with HP digital solutions for Corrugated packaging and displays

HP PageWide T400S Press

HP Scitex 17000 Corrugated Press

HP PageWide T1100S Press

HP has reinvented the versatility, productivity and quality of Corrugated printing so that you can stay ahead of your competitors. From basic corrugated to high value boxes, reduce delivery times on long and short runs while providing offset-substitutable quality. Always with end-to-end support from HP. The HP PageWide T400S Press gives you preprint and digital in one. The HP Scitex 17000 Corrugated Press ensures high-quality results delivered cost-effectively. Meanwhile, the HP PageWide T1100S Press with Multi-lane Printing Architecture cost-effectively prints multiple short runs with variable box sizes on one roll.

As with all HP PageWide Presses, you can take advantage of HP PrintOS, an open and secure cloud-based print production operating system to help you get more out of your HP presses and printers, simplify and automate your production process and enable new forms of collaboration.

Find out more: hp.com/go/pagewidepress/corrugated, hp.com/go/scitex/corrugated and hp.com/go/PrintOs Š 2017 HP Development Company, L.P.

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EFI 2.0 – Bill Muir to Innovate & Execute As EFI celebrates the 20th anniversary of Connect conference, the print industry gets up close and personal with the new CEO, Bill Muir. Sha Jumari reports from the show floor.

From 22 to 25 January 2019, EFI celebrated the 20th anniversary of its signature user event, Connect. Over three days, printing and packaging professionals from across the globe congregated at Wynn in Las Vegas for EFI Connect 2019.

Although Connect 2019 had on the same format as prior editions, this particular one had a decidedly different atmosphere. This was the official public debut of Bill Muir, EFI’s newly appointed CEO. In October 2018, Gecht stepped down from his post as CEO, and shortly after, Muir was announced as new lead.

Addressing a roomful of Connect attendees, Muir made his opening keynote speech on 22 January.

“This is my 99th day as CEO. It means tomorrow I have to start taking responsibility for everything that happens in this company,” joked Muir, inducing laughter from the audience.

“My prime responsibility is in keeping the innovative engine of this company going and help enable your business to thrive in the digital age,” Muir continued.

Although continuing to innovate is part of Muir’s leadership handbook, he highlighted on a second factor – execution.

“As I think about the evolution of the company, innovation in and of itself is not enough. One of the things we need to do a better job of is innovation and execution. We need to continue to do a good job of keeping the EFI innovation engine alive and well; at the same time, do a better job helping you execute for the needs of your end customer.”

Muir piqued much interest since he did not come from a print background.

Prior to this role, he was COO of Jabil, a global manufacturing services company. This company raked in $22 billion in revenue. While Gecht successfully – and impressively –

propelled EFI to almost billion-dollarstatus, with Muir in charge, it’s evident that EFI wants to push itself across the threshold, and then some. Muir is off to a good start – at the close of 2018, EFI reported a revenue of $1.02 billion after a difficult Q4/18.

In terms of leadership style, as CEO Gecht led with a pair of highly techdriven, engineering goggles, having come from the Fiery end. Under his management, EFI went from being solely a Fiery business, to its now extended portfolio of productivity suites and industrial inkjet machines through a series of acquisitions.

Muir was taken in by this. One of the main things that attracted him to EFI is its ability to “demonstrate incredible foresight and managerial courage that continue to grow the business across the print continuum.”

It was clear, however, that Muir intends to lead with his own management style.

He seemed more focused on the people aspect of the business.

“Two things are important to me: culture and customers. If we can do those two things really well, the capital will take care of itself,” said Muir.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

25 He referred to ‘culture’ as fostering exceptional employee experience and promoting a work environment in which employees are highly engaged.

According to Muir, this environment is meant to encourage staff to “give their all to the enterprise because they believe they get something back in return and then some, where employee dignity is really honoured, respected and valued.”

The other focus, ‘customer’, was alluded to being obsessed with the customer experience at every single point of interaction.

“Everyone in the organisation has a level of ownership at every point of interaction with you; from the first time we're talking to you, to when we're making the installation,” Muir explained.

On a perhaps superficial note, Gecht and Muir differ in presentation styles too. Except for the occasional oneliner quips, Muir appeared to hold onto a more serious, determined note in his speech.

Gecht on the other hand, while also a confident presenter, always included rather… quirky creative twists, to his presentations. Last Connect 2018, he began his keynote by revealing photos of EFI staff from 20 years back, much to the amusement of the audience.

There was also that one media presentation for drupa 2012 when he overlayed clipart images of squids over his slides to illustrate that “EFI inks are safe enough for squids to swim in.”

It’s much too soon to draw comparisons between Gecht and Muir, but a couple of things were already apparent. We may not have squid-filled presentations anymore, but the industry will sit in anticipation to see Muir can take EFI to.

Stellar Keynote Presentations Muir continued the Connect tradition of “fireside chats” or sit-down sessions, this time round with Joseph Popolo, CEO of The Freeman Co. The US company specialises in exhibition display graphics and has expanded to include integrated experiential marketing services. EFI CFO Marc Olin and senior VP of productivity software Gaby Matsliach also took

the stage to present updates on the organization’s portfolio.

Providing a special twist to this year’s Connect were sessions by Cirque du Soleil and 15-year-old fashion designer Ariel Swedroe. Olivier Gariépy and Michel Savoie of the Cirque du Soleil’s highly acclaimed costume workshop provided interesting behind-the-scenes insight on custom-made costumes.

They unveiled how EFI’s Optitex 2D/3D CAD solutions and EFI Reggiani textile printing technology was utilised in the creative and production processes to produce performance outfits.

High school student Ariel Swedroe added a youthful perspective to the event. At the age of 8, she created her

label, Swedroe by Ariel, and used her grandfather’s artwork to create her own prints. Swedroe said that digital printing is a new technology that she has enjoyed exploring and utilising.

Digital printing has allowed her to easily recreate her unique one-of-akind designs. Delegates were treated to a runway presentation of her resortstyle designs towards the end of the session. Some designs produced by EFI Reggiani textile inkjet printers were showcased.

On top of main stage presentations, the conference entails of more than 200 presentations and hands-on training sessions from top EFI specialists and some of print’s leading management and technology experts.

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hybrid LED printer. The high-volume EFI VUTEk h5 hybrid LED printer is part of the VUTEk h series of devices.

Global EFI R&D teams developed the series from the ground up to establish new benchmarks for productivity and profit opportunity. The 126-inch wide printer can run up to 109 boards per hour and offers eight-colour and optional four-colour printing modes plus white, as well as an up to nine-layer print capability.

“From speaking with the customers here, you’ve told me why you keep coming back to Connect year after year,” said Muir. “Every single time you’re here, you learn something that you can take away that definitively makes your business better. So I’m hopeful that over the course of the next few days that you’re able to take away that one thing to make your business significantly better.”

Software: Premiere of new Fiery DFE The bulk of Connect 2019 announcements and launches came from the software end of the business.

One of the bigger announcements was the worldwide premiere of new EFI Fiery DFE technology. The new Fiery FS350 Pro will drive cut-sheet and continuous-feed digital production presses from EFI partners, as well as single-pass inkjet presses from EFI. It handles extended-gamut CMYK+ configurations and offers tools to save on specialty toners and inks, reducing waste while delivering amazing colour results on high-value print products.

Some of the new features include “Smart White”, which saves on white toner/ink by applying it selectively, rather than as a flood fill, and also “Smart Estimator” cost estimation capabilities integrated in Fiery Command Workstation. The Fiery FS350 Pro is equipped with Fiery ImageViewer which allows split views and late-stage colour changes.

EFI further announced new Fiery integrations with Duplo finishing devices to offer automated cutting, slitting, creasing and spot coating workflows. The integrations streamline

pre-press job preparation to save time while reducing errors and waste.

According to EFI, users can save up to 70% off setup times.

Using the newest version of EFI Fiery Command WorkStation, customers gain an intuitive and integrated user experience with a single shared interface for Fiery driven digital equipment, including wide- and superwide-format inkjet printers and ultra-high-speed inkjet presses.

Additionally, EFI announced the latest version of the Fiery proServer Premium 7.1 DFE for superwide-format inkjet production. The upgraded software is able to process jobs twice as fast via hardware acceleration. It uses GPUaccelerated Fast Drive technology that speeds up processing and eliminates idle printer time so users can maximise on printer investments.

Hardware: A Spotlight on the VUTEk h5 On the hardware side, EFI exhibited the recently launched VUTEk h5

The h5 model, which is also available as a field upgrade to the EFI VUTEk h3 printer, features UltraDrop Technology with native 7-picoliter grayscale printhead imaging and true multi-drop addressability, delivering exceptional smoothness in shadows, gradients and transitions.

The new EFI VUTEk FabriVU 340i for the soft-signage market was on show as well. Visitors were able to view the aqueous dispersed dye-sublimation printer which offers in-line calendaring at fast production speeds. Other EFI machines on the exhibit floor features EFI Pro 24f flatbed and Pro 32r rollto-roll LED printers, along with the EFI VUTEk 3r+.

A VR demo stand of the EFI Nozomi C18000 inkjet press made a repeat appearance on the exhibition floor.

The Nozomi is now equipped with three new printing modes and a white ink feature. Users can also now opt for a new top feeder and enhanced coater.

The next Connect is slated to occur from 21 to 24 January 2020, at Wynn Las Vegas.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

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Rapida 75 PRO soon on its way to IPC on Mauritius First sheetfed offset press from Koenig & Bauer on the holiday island •Seminar with new sales partner DSI as catalyst for the order • Delivery at the end of the first quarter • Customer convinced by space-saving design and low energy consumption

It is set to commence its journey at the end of March – the first Rapida 75 PRO for a printing company on the island of Mauritius. IPC Imprimerie & Papeterie in Cassis, a suburb of the capital Port Louis, has opted for a fourcolour model. The production start is scheduled for the middle of the year.

Engineered for sheet formats up to 605 x 750 mm and configured with a package of board-handling accessories, the press is ideally prepared for the processing of substrates between 80 and 450 gsm.

The feature list includes switchable differential-speed drives for the dampening units, roller coatings for low-alcohol and alcohol-free printing, and CleanTronic Synchro for parallel washing processes. ErgoTronic ACR takes care of register measurements, while ErgoTronic ColorDrive measures and controls the ink densities.

CIP3 PPF data from pre-press can be converted into press presetting data via LogoTronic CIPLinkX. Compact, space-saving design clinches the deal The compact, space-saving design of the Rapida 75 PRO, its low energy consumption and the availability of a

local service partner convinced the IPC management and sealed the purchase decision.

The process was kicked off at a seminar last June. DSI, the Koenig & Bauer sales partner for Mauritius, the Seychelles and Madagascar, presented the products of the oldest press manufacturer in the world to an audience of representatives from practically all print companies on the island. The company had taken over sales and service activities for Koenig & Bauer only shortly before.

As a distributor of numerous other

products for the print industry, DSI can point to excellent networking contacts.

Not least for this reason, the seminar attracted considerable attention, and the contract with IPC was already signed before the end of the year.

IPC comprises a graphic design studio, printshop and finishing department, and is active in both commercial and packaging printing. In addition, the company runs a shop in Port Louis selling stationery and a diversity of trendy, mainly printed souvenirs.

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Design meets security in banknote printing 2.2 million euros – this figure represents the total face value of the approximately 39,000 counterfeit euro banknotes that were in circulation in the first half of 2018, according to a Bundesbank press release published in November of last year.

Because reproduction technology is steadily improving, it is essential to continually introduce new security measures that make counterfeiting as difficult as possible.

All euro banknotes contain a variety of security features to prevent counterfeiting. As indicated by the slogan “feel – see – tilt”, these elements include, for instance, tangible reliefs, shiny figures and light bars that move up and down or change colour when the note is tilted. These security features are deliberately easy to recognise, so that forgeries can be unmasked immediately. Another security feature for banknotes uses micro text in certain places that can be deciphered with a magnifying glass. The paper also incorporates small fibres that fluoresce under standard UV light so that each fibre displays three different colours.

Under special UV light, one can also see small circles that glow yellow in the centre of the banknote and orange elsewhere. Euro banknotes are also protected against counterfeiting with security features that can be detected only under infrared light.

Although many of these security elements are obvious, they have to fulfil extremely high standards so

that the banknotes remain difficult to counterfeit. Certainly banknotes should be artistically pleasing and fulfill aesthetic requirements, but it is even more important for them to be functional and forgery- proof. Security printing is based on these essential factors: complex processes, special combinations of materials – paper, inks and films – and design. This all calls for a large number of diverse UV printing and finishing technologies: offset printing using a very special process is the basic method used for all the banknotes in circulation.

Screen printing is especially suitable for applying thick ink coatings to banknotes, particularly for varying and iridescent colours. The security dyes used are extremely expensive, so

it is important that they be used as efficiently as possible.

Banknotes can also be finished with, for example flexo coatings, hot embossing and lasers. The security features and much of the necessary expertise for banknote printing are strictly confidential. But the optical systems used for matching, for example, long ago found their way into automated commercial sheet- fed offset printing.

Conversely, one method that is not at all suitable for producing banknotes is inkjet printing. This process is too similar to commercially available technologies, which means that it is therefore not sufficiently forgeryproof.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

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Holographic Colour Prints Against Counterfeiting Counterfeiting of important documents is an ongoing problem and is getting more and more simple. Researchers at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have therefore invented a new anti-counterfeiting technology that uses 3D-printed holograms.

The Problem of Commonly Printed Holograms For many years, one way to determine counterfeiting has been the use of holograms. These little prints can be found on nearly everything, including personal documents, bank cards and medicine packaging. The problem with traditional anti-counterfeiting holographics is that they are relatively easy to reproduce, due to the fact, that they only modulate the phase light they are exposed to. Therefore, Researchers at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have developed a new anti-counterfeiting device that uses 3D printing technology.

Associate Professor Joel Yang explaines “The relationship of holograms in combating counterfeiting is analogous to antibiotics against infections. Every so often, new technology is needed to deter counterfeiters as the old fashioned holograms become easier to copy.”

How 3D Printing Can Be Used in Holography The team has developed a technology that is called “holographic colour prints” that uses nano 3D-printed polymer structures to achieve a more secure proceed for producing important documents.

The team designed a nanostructured pixel that is strategically aranaged on a plane. Each pixel has two functions and is used as aspeed bump (phase) and a road block (amplitude) for incident light. Finally, a nano 3D Printer sculps a structured plate using a computer algorithm.

Holographic colour prints display

a traditional printed image under white light, while showing different coloured holograms under laser light.

The researchers used Luigi Russolo’s art painting “Perfume” from 1910 as a colour print to demonstrate the functionality. When exposed to white light, it looks like a normal 2D-printed painting. Different thick layers of polymerised cuboid are showing symbols of a red fingerprint, a green key and a blue lettering, saying “SECURITY”, when exposed to laser light. All of these images are achieved by one single print.

The Future of Holographic Printing Joel Yang explains: “For the first time, multiple holograms that are colour selective are ‘woven’ into a colourful image using advanced nanofabrication techniques. We are hopeful that these new holographic colour prints are user friendly but counterfeiter unfriendly: They are readily verified but challenging to copy, and can provide enhanced security in anti-counterfeiting applications.”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

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The Ink Industry in 2018 – A Review 2018 is gone and we are in the third month of the new year.

So, it’s time to look at the most important developments in various sectors our industry is interconnected with. We get started with reviewing the ink industry.

Due to raw material shortages, strong competition, and ongoing customer consolidations, the ink industry had to face several challenges, especially the packaging and digital printing sectors.

While packaging and digital printing continued to grow, the publication and commercial side had its challenges.

It’s the energy curable ink field that seems to be really promising since it’s already one of the dominating technologies used in narrow web and mid-web printing in some regions.

There’s still room for the technology to grow in the graphic arts market, it remains a growing market with sustained future potential in other regions around the world.

Furthermore, UV has found a position in packaging, commercial, industrial and more. It can be used for a variety of printing processes, including offset, screen, digital, etc. Variations of energy cure are the future of printing. Because UV inks dry in a matter of seconds, the printed material can be immediately processed when coming out of the press, which saves printers money and time. Besides, UV printing can be used with almost any surface and therefore, offers a vast selection of inflexible and flexible print substrates.

Raw Materials When it comes to raw materials, 2018 was really challenging. For instance, in May 2018, the European Printing Ink Association (EuPIA) warned of a “potential shortage of photoinitiators”.

Additionally, TPO and TPO-L, important photoinitiators for inkjet inks, UV LED inks, automotive coatings, and wood coatings and

flooring, were in short supply due to the shutdown of a key precursor. Now, there are only a handful of companies left that produce this precursor. This made the prices rise dramatically.

Meanwhile, pigments, intermediates and other materials remain a challenge. For titanium dioxide, the supply situation remains more than tight. Due to stricter environmental regulations, prices for pigments relating intermediates, photoinitiators as well as other additives, have also increased significantly during 2018.

With the challenges the raw material market had to tackle, waxes and additive manufacturers had to work closer with their customers to find solutions for their current problems.

But nevertheless, leading suppliers reported gains in their respective segments.

Metallic Pigments But now to some pleasant developments: Because it’s getting more and more important to catch the attention of the consumer, it’s no surprise that the global metallic pigments market is growing. It is expected to reach $1.86 billion by 2026.

Additionally, brand owners continue to see a strong interest in metallic inks and they are being used on a much broader variety of packaging than in the past.

We’re curious about the developments the new year will bring to the ink (and packaging) industry. And guess what’s best about 2019? It’s only one year to go until we welcome you at drupa 2020, where we’re able to see what ink manufacturers have in mind for the future.

Limitless Possibilities Be free to grow with the endless applications of the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press

HP Indigo has reinvented versatility so that you can create unique solutions for your brand customers, to set them and yourself apart from the competition. The HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press thrives in the most demanding converting environments to deliver the highest quality for the world’s leading brands. And with Pack Ready, you can deliver high performance applications with immediate time to market.

As with all HP Indigo Digital Presses, you can take advantage of HP PrintOS, an open and secure cloud-based print production operating system to help you get more out of your HP presses and printers, simplify and automate your production process and enable new forms of collaboration.

Reinvent your ability to be unique, with the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press.

Find out more: hp.com/go/hpindigo20000 and hp.com/go/PrintOS Š 2017 HP Development Company, L.P.

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Recruitment is an ong Minimum Quantity bu The statement may surprise you.

You are thinking that all the positions have been filled, the organization is sailing smoothly, all the signs are green. So why should recruitment be an ongoing activity for me?

In the short term, this may be quite true but certainly not in the long term.

It is not the best option for an ongoing concern. You are losing out on better, more current, informed and superior talent that has just become available onto the market. This ongoing activity will create your next layer and

generation of talent. Not doing so may result in a serious employee and talent deficiency at a later stage for the organization.

Good HR capital is expensive. In today’s competitive environment, you need to have the minimum quantity and best

quality. A comprehensive HR plan to cater to the attrition and retirement over a longer period is required. One way to do this is to plan two parallel streams of talent whereby the main track would consist of experienced, mature talent who are capable of efficiently running the operations, know the systems as well as working for the organization very well. The second parallel stream will be of fresh talent, new to the company, learning for the first stream, introducing new thinking and ways of working, who will eventually take over from the main stream at the time of attritions and retirements.

This will ensure that both the streams are adequately challenged and charged to deliver the best. This also ensures that there is adequate competition between them to perform and deliver more for the organization to grow and grow at a faster pace.

Organizations also need to continue to hire new talent so as not be become complacent, new talent brings new thought, new approach and different ways of working. Hire people who are better than your best, this will create competition and raise the performance bar, resulting in more delivery, thus increasing the overall competiveness and efficiency of the organization.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

going activity ut Maximum Quality.

It is true that adding resources is an expensive proposition, especially for smaller organizations where the number of employees is small. This activity has to be planned over a longer term, keeping in view the HR attrition, retirements and company expansion plans. It should be planned just like a feasibility project for hardware additions and expansions. My experience, with a relatively large organization, was that the projected attrition of HR pool and retirement was sufficient to practice this concept regularly and effectively and with excellent results.

Talent pools are like living beings. They have to be nurtured, revitalized and coaxed to grow at a faster pace. These pools have to be weeded from time to time, watered and nourished regularly.

A regular intake of fresh talent keeps the organization young, fast, agile, updated and most of all, competitive.

About the Author: Rizwan Ghani is an Associate Director of Mood Group – A specialist headhunting and recruitment practice to the Printing, Packaging & Industrial Processing Sectors.

Rizwan’s LinkedIn profile https:// www.linkedin.com/in/rizwanghani2/ Please visit Mood Group www.moodgroup.co.uk

2019 PACKAGING CONFERENCE FAST TRACK FOR YOUR BUSINESS NEW DELHI - INDIA - MAY 6 - 8 - 2019

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touchpoint packaging

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

Join the touchpoint packaging initiative Be part of it now:

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drupa 2020 June 16–26, 2020 Dßsseldorf /Germany

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Steering Committee:

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Kodak launches new PROSPER Plus Imprinting Solutions for packaging Kodak enables Creative Freedom for brands and designers as well as printers and converters with KODAK Continuous Inkjet Technology.

Kodak introduced new KODAK PROSPER Plus Imprinting Solutions for the packaging industry. These solutions include four new imprinting components as well as food safe packaging inks and pre-coatings for folding cartons, food wraps, paper cups & plates, and ream wraps.

The new PROSPER Plus models will expand the capabilities for printers to leverage continuous inkjet as a complimentary capability to the KODAK PROSPER 6000S Simplex Press and the UTECO SAPPHIRE EVO (Flexible Substrates) Web Fed Solution.

The PROSPER Plus Imprinting Solution is the newest KODAK Stream Inkjet Technology component product line, developed based on KODAK PROSPER S-Series Imprinting Systems, which is designed for packaging and product decoration applications.

The four hardware products will include two narrow formats and two wider format models which will either print at speeds up to 260 mpm or 600 mpm maximum.

The narrow format design is a 105 mm single jetting module, perfect for imprinting barcodes, QR codes, promotional contest information or small format designs in either monochrome or four-colour output.

The wider format design is 210 mm dual stitched products which is ideal for corrugated, folding carton and label packaging applications that require full page printing or dynamic layouts.

These components are capable of being mounted in-line with offset, flexo, or gravure presses, from Uteco or other equipment providers, or could be implemented in finishing lines such as folding/gluing systems providing the flexibility for digital to be incorporated throughout various existing printing operations.

PROSPER Plus models feature new print modes with smaller drop size and higher resolution for faster drying and better quality.

Kodak’s water-based inks are customer friendly and have passed US and

European certifications for food safety, direct skin contact, and food service products. First demonstrated at drupa 2016, Kodak’s Digital Varnish for packaging applications offers a unique combination of gloss and durability enhancement on folding cartons and related applications. This odorless, water-based Digital Varnish is formulated for indirect food contact compliance and is free of VOCs, mineral oils, and any unreacted UVcurable components.

Creative Freedom Campaign The Creative Freedom campaign is designed to educate and promote the

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

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Additionally, Kodak has been working in close collaboration with industry leaders including Michelman to test compatibility of Kodak’s inks and technologies with various substrates such as PET, Nylon and polypropylene.

The company has worked to pre-qualify existing flexible packaging solutions

from key leading suppliers to assure the compatibility with commercially available adhesives, substrates, primer, Kodak’s inkjet inks, and flexo overvarnish and overprint. The combination of all these technologies will be delivered by the Uteco Sapphire EVO press using Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology, which will deliver solutions both for surface printing and reverse printing with lamination. The Sapphire EVO will provide brands and converters the ability to produce short, medium or long run digital flexible packaging.

Aldo Peretti, CEO of the Uteco Group, confirmed the continued success of the SAPPHIRE EVO Press with the first unit sold to Nuova Erreplast and the second unit going to Kinyosha in Japan. “The adoption of this hybrid digital web press is showcasing the value

of digital printing with water-based inks on flexible substrates for a wide variety of applications including food packaging and personal care items such as diapers. The combined knowledge of Uteco and Kodak has unleashed the possibilities and customers have taken notice.”

Adding to Kodak branded solutions for packaging, Uteco and Kodak continue to create hybrid digital solutions utilizing environmentally friendly water-based inks on flexible substrates without compromising on productivity or economics. Based on the successful reactions of customers and the industry to the SAPPHIRE EVO Unit, Uteco Group has agreed to expand development efforts with Kodak being among the first to integrate KODAK ULTRASTREAM Inkjet Technology to drive new solutions in the future.

Günter Mazur and Heiko Mazur, Managing Directors, Häuser KG & DruckDiscount24.de

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use of digital printing in packaging applications. Printers and converters need flexibility and efficient production for shorter runs with economic and in-line and nearline technology implementation. Brands and creative agencies need “Greener products”, creative flexibility, and the ability to quickly drive ideas to market with design freedom. Kodak’s portfolio provides a combination of strong economics and design flexibility using the widest variety of substrates, without creative compromise.

UTECO SAPPHIRE EVO with Kodak technology

Randy Vandagriff, president of enterprise inkjet systems division for Kodak, commented: “The packaging market demands innovative, sustainable, productive solutions. Kodak’s waterbased inks provide the lowest cost, the highest versatility and the most environmentally friendly option for production inkjet printing. Brands and creative agencies are now able to make printed packaging a physical touchpoint to digitally connect with consumers, unleashing creative flexibility with colour palettes and substrates along with operational efficiency to get to the market faster.”

The new PROSPER Plus Components will be available beginning in April 2019.

„With the new LEDcure,

we can get a huge amount of printing done. Here in Cologne‘s biggest printing company, tradition and innovation work hand in hand. The LED system from IST Metz is designed to offer top performance at low running costs. The new LEDcure can do even more than its predecessor, and

we can now print very efficiently!“ IST Metz LEDcure: The most efficient UV LED system of its kind

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

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Super-industrial, next-gene printing platform All-new Kornit Atlas has been radically designed for high-volume production, delivering highest productivity, most impressive standards of top retail print quality and optimized cost of ownership - Kornit Digital, a global market leader in digital textile printing innovation, has announced the introduction of the Kornit Atlas.

Kornit Digital, a global market leader in digital textile printing innovation, has announced the introduction of the Kornit Atlas. Following the success of Kornit’s Storm HD6 and Avalanche HD6 / HDK, the Atlas is the first instance of the company’s next-generation direct-to-garment printing platform, providing garment decorators and screen printers a unique tool for mastering the current and future challenges of the textile supply chain.

The Kornit Atlas is a heavy-duty system created for super-industrial garment decoration businesses. It was designed to deliver a typical annual production capacity of up to 350,000 impressions, optimizing production efficiency and cost of ownership. The Kornit Atlas is aimed at highly productive garment decorators, mid to large size screen printers and innovative businesses looking to combine state-of-the art technology with lowest cost of ownership.

The system is equipped with new recirculating print heads and comes with a newly developed ink, NeoPigmentTM Eco-Rapid. The Kornit Atlas is equipped with a unique printing engine, featuring an enhanced version of Kornit’s HD technology, complemented by a professional RIP (raster image processing) software solution, and produces prints that meet the highest standards of retail quality and durability. The all-new Atlas comes ready for Kornit’s future releases of its cloud-based business intelligence, productivity analytics and optimization software platforms, scheduled to be released in the second half of 2019.

It will allow for easy future network connectivity required to support fleet management and optimization of global multi-systems and multi-site enterprises.

Omer Kulka, Kornit’s VP of Marketing and Product Strategy, comments,

“This is a huge leap forward, not only for Kornit, but also for the directto-garment industry as a whole.

We have delivered the Atlas on the collective feedback of thousands of Kornit systems’ operators and on the experience collected from hundreds of millions of printed garments – simply put, the Atlas is the best and most costefficient direct-to-garment printing technology for high-quantity and highquality production requirements. On top of that, the Atlas has been designed in a modular and future-ready way, driving quick and easy implementation of new developments in the future.

At Kornit, we remain focused on constantly introducing technology that allows the industry’s leading brands to better connect with their customers and to adapt to the rapid changes in consumer preferences, impacting the fashion and apparel industry and is driven by the talent in our global research and development division.”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

eration direct-to-garment

The system can be viewed in live demonstrations at Kornit Digital’s booth at the ISS Long Beach show, taking place January 18-20, 2019 and in all of Kornit’s experience demo centers around the globe shortly after, as well as at Fespa Munich from May 14-17, 2019 and ITMA Barcelona, June 2026, 2019. In addition, the company is planning Open House events to demonstrate the new systems in April in its regional subsidiaries.

The new NeoPigmentTM Eco-Rapid ink is a main driver of the Atlas’ retail quality prints. It provides an industryleading white ink opacity, matched to those of conventional screen inks, and meets highest durability standards on multiple fabric types. Its increased color gamut and saturation allow for deep full tones and precise spot color matching.

The new ink has been developed with sustainability in mind, carries the Oeko-Tex Eco-Passport certification and is GOTS pre-approved. The new Eco-Rapid ink will be integrated with new Storm HD6 and Avalanche HD6/ HDK systems and will also be retrofitted to existing Kornit HD systems. Kornit intends to switch all existing HD customers to NeoPigmentTM EcoRapid during the year 2019.

The launch of the Atlas completes an extensive period of beta testing, with extremely positive feedback from early adopters. Deborah H. Merrill, President of the Delta Group, parent

company of DTG2Go, comments, “Many of the Kornit Atlas’ innovative capabilities, including the wrinkle detection and pallet ergonomics, present clear productivity benefits.

The new Eco-Rapid ink provides impressive brilliance and color gamut, meeting all wash test standards with no discernible scent. We are glad we had the opportunity to beta-test the Kornit Atlas and are certain it will become a key component within DTG2Go’s production line.”

Jon Lunt, Co-Founder and Director at T Shirt & Sons, adds, “Using the Atlas, T Shirt and Sons achieved a significant boost in garment decoration production through the peak holiday season. In several weeks of rigorous testing in a high-volume production environment, the Kornit Atlas – with its new Eco-Rapid ink set – was a revelation, doubling our output with very high-quality prints and the reliability this high-pressure season demanded.”

About Kornit Digital Kornit Digital develops, manufactures and markets industrial digital printing technologies for the garment, apparel and textile industries. Kornit delivers complete solutions, including digital printing systems, inks, consumables, software and after-sales support.

Leading the digital direct-to-garment printing market with its exclusive ecofriendly NeoPigment printing process, Kornit caters directly to the changing needs of the textile printing value chain. Kornit’s technology enables innovative business models based on web-to-print, on-demand and mass customization concepts.

With its immense experience in the direct-to-garment market, Kornit also offers a revolutionary approach to the roll-to-roll textile printing industry: Digitally printing with a single ink set onto multiple types of fabric with no additional finishing processes.

Founded in 2003, Kornit Digital is a global company, headquartered in Israel with offices in the USA, Europe and Asia Pacific, and serves customers in more than 100 countries worldwide.

For more information, visit Kornit Digital at www.kornit.com.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

52 “I welcome Yarrow on board as the new president of Kornit Digital Asia Pacific. He brings with him 15 years track record at various leadership levels, deep understanding of local and global markets as well as a sound industry background. He will steer Kornit Digital’s Asia Pacific business through the next phase of growth,” Gilad Yron, Kornit’s executive vice president of sales said.

Kornit names Andy Yarrow as President, Asia Pacific25 Kornit Digital, a global market leader in digital textile printing technology, has announced that Andy Yarrow has been appointed as the president of Kornit Digital’s Asia Pacific region, effective February 10, 2019. The company, based in Israel, develops and markets industrial digital printing technologies for the garment, apparel, and textile industries.

Yarrow joins Kornit from EFI, where he held several sales and management roles in Europe and Asia Pacific for the past twelve years, most recently in Hong Kong as the head of Asia Pacific Sales. Prior to moving to Hong Kong, Andy spent 2.5 years in Japan as head of EFI’s fiery and inkjet business in Asia Pacific, Kornit said.

Yarrow has been in the industry for 20 years and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in creative imaging from the University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom. In his new capacity, Yarrow will oversee Kornit’s operations in the Asia Pacific region.

Andy Yarrow will focus on accelerating the company’s growth across Asia, as well as on optimising the team structure towards customer success and empowerment. He will focus on expanding Kornit’s footprint in the customised design segment, as well as expand the business in Asia by entering new segments such as the brands, private labels, promotional, and other leading screen printers and users of Kornit’s upcoming new technologies, such as printing on dark polyester.

“The era of self-expression has arrived, and consumers now want their products quickly and with a personal statement. The supply chain must find ways to adjust to meet these demands.

Kornit is a global leader in digital textile printing. It offers cutting edge solutions to these complex supply chain and logistics issues by facilitating proximity manufacturing to reduce shipping times, eliminating inventory risk and enabling short runs. The market shift to on-demand retailing unfolds the opportunity for driving Kornit’s growth to the next level and I am looking forward to leading this exciting journey in Asia Pacific,” Yarrow said.

Konica Minolta among 100 most sustainable corporations globally Konica Minolta, Inc. has been listed among the “2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World” (2019 Global 100).

Konica Minolta was named one of the 2019 Global 100, to be announced by Canada-based Corporate Knights in conjunction with the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) (Davos Meeting) to be held from January 22 to 25, 2019 in Davos, Switzerland.

This is the second time for Konica Minolta to be included on the prestigious Global 100 list following 2011.

The 2019 Global 100 were selected from among 7,536 major companies around the globe based on an evalua-

tion of environmental, social, and governance indicators as well as the ability to promote diversity and innovation.

Eight Japanese companies are on this global list of corporations that excel in sustainability.

Konica Minolta has set the goal of becoming a global company that is vital to society by continuing to create new values that bring innovations to the world in cooperation with stakeholders around the world.

To achieve this goal, and in light of the changing social landscape and business environment, Konica Minolta has identified the following six material issues to be addressed with priority, and integrates corporate social responsibility into its management focusing on these issues.

• Environment • Social innovation • Customer satisfaction and product safety • Responsible supply chain • Human capital • Diversity By promoting global initiatives in line with these material issues on a groupwide basis, Konica Minolta hopes to contribute to the evolution of the business community and society at large, and to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Fiery driven Landa press first to receive new FOGRA cert EFI announced that its EFI Fiery digital front end technology and the Landa S10 Nanographic Printing Press combined is the first to receive Fogra’s new expanded FograCert Validation Printing System certification.

“This new ‘combi-certification’ extends the established FograCert VPS testing regime beyond single print validation to an evaluation of print run stability stipulated by PSD, ProcessStandard Digital (ISO/TS 15311),”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

53 The funds Heidelberg generates with the capital increase are to be used to accelerate its digital agenda (such as digitizing products, processes, and business models) and for general business financing.

said Andreas Kraushaar of Fogra.

“We were pleased to work with both Landa and EFI in conducting this first-of- its-kind certification of ISO compliant Validation Prints for Landa’s S10 press and the press’s EFI Fiery digital front end. Congratulations to both EFI and Landa for achievement of these Fogra seals.”

ISO 12647-8 originally specified criteria and tolerances for the certification of Validation Printing Systems, as well as for Validation Print Creation in the field.

The certification now covers combination printing systems that include a printing system, driving software, colour management software, substrate, and a simulated printing condition that more accurately represents today’s print production process.

“The Fogra seal is an important validation of the quality of our Landa S10 Nanographic Printing Press,” said Landa Digital Printing VP of product strategy Gilad Tzori.

“It also validates our choice of partnering with EFI. While certification based on a single print has been the standard for some time, we believe this new certification, which tests print run stability, is an important validation of the Landa S10 print quality. Our customers can be reassured of consistent quality at Landa digital print speeds.”

“By meeting new validation requirements like the FograCert Validation Printing System certification, EFI and Landa are working to ensure that printing companies’ customers can have greater confidence in the print they buy, which ultimately helps cre-

ate more opportunities for growth in high-volume digital printing,” said John Henze, vice president, sales and marketing, EFI Fiery.

Heidelberg announces China’s Masterwork as new shareholder Heidelberg steps up activities in the packaging market and gains potential strategic anchor shareholder.

Heidelberg has entered into agreement with Masterwork Group Co., Ltd. (Masterwork) from China which intends to acquire a stake in Heidelberg via capital increase from authorized capital with an exclusion of shareholders' subscription rights.

With the agreement, Masterwork is to obtain around 8.5% of Heidelberg’s share capital. The implementation of such capital measure is subject to approval by Heidelberg's supervisory board.

Based in the Chinese city of Tianjin, Masterwork is China’s largest manufacturer of die-cutters and hot-foil embossing machines.

Heidelberg has had a long-standing sales partnership with Masterwork.

The agreement will allow Heidelberg to further improve its market position in the growing packaging printing segment.

“The Heidelberg Management Board and Supervisory Board are delighted that our long-standing, successful collaboration with Masterwork is to become much closer. This opens up further potential in the growing packaging printing segment, especially in China – the world’s largest individual market,” Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer.

“We are expecting better capacity utilization at our plants across the globe to make us far more efficient, but I would like to stress that this will not weaken our sites in Germany. We are delighted that in Masterwork we are obtaining another long-term investor that firmly believes in the company’s innovative prowess, strategy, and potential for the future.

“Heidelberg is our ideal partner for jointly leveraging growth potential in the packaging printing market. The stake we are obtaining in this longestablished company and world market leader underlines that we are in it for the long haul and are confident Heidelberg has adopted the right strategy,” said Masterwork President Li Li. Building on leading market position in growing packaging printing segment Heidelberg and Masterwork, which is listed on China’s Shenzhen stock exchange, have operated a close postpress partnership for a number of years, turning print products into folding cartons for the packaging market.

They also benefit from a long-standing, successful sales collaboration.

Masterwork specializes in postpress

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equipment for the folding carton industry. Back in 2014, it acquired the postpress packaging technologies of Heidelberg, which retains responsibility for global sales and digital customer relations.

The possibility of linking Masterwork’s postpress machines to the Heidelberg cloud is a big advantage when it comes to realizing the value proposition of using production data to boost customers’ productivity. Packaging printing is expected to enjoy above-average growth in the coming years.

Heidelberg already holds a leading position in this segment in Europe and the Americas, while Masterwork is one of China’s leading postpress suppliers for packaging.

The closer ties are set to significantly strengthen this position in China – the world’s largest packaging market – and in other regions, too.

Creating shared value and stepping up sales of Heidelberg products in China There are also plans for closer collaboration focusing on the two companies’ value chains. Heidelberg will continue to supply the dynamic markets in China and the rest of Asia from the site in Qingpu, near Shanghai, that it established back in 2006.

As a result of the closer working relationship with Masterwork, it will also benefit from joint component manufacturing operations at the Masterwork site in Tianjin in the future. This will provide both companies with a whole host of possibilities for improving their efficiency.

Chanel invests in bioplastics French luxury brand, Chanel, has invested in Sulapac, a Finnish start-up specialising in biodegradable materials.

Chanel becomes the first investor coming from the luxury cosmetic industry.

“We have set very high-quality standard to our sustainable material, with an ambition to replace plastic, and we are very pleased to welcome Chanel, a leading brand representing the most demanding luxury segment, among our investors,” said Suvi Haimi, CEO of Sulapac.

“Chanel is definitely one of the forerunners in the luxury segment as they want to invest on latest sustainable material and technology innovations. Our mission to save this world from the plastic waste just became a big step closer.”

Aiming to tackle the accumulation of non-biodegradable plastics, Sulapac has developed an innovative material which responds to consumers' growing desire to find environmentally friendly products or packaging.

Sulapac products use a biodegradable and microplastic-free material made of FSC-certified wood chips and natural binders. The materials have all the benefits of plastic, yet biodegrade completely and leave no microplastics behind.

According to the company, to replace plastic with Sulapac, manufacturers can use their existing machinery with the material, without the need to build new factories. 100% biodegradable packaging outperforms other sustainable alternatives in terms of barrier properties, fast biodegradation and unique look.

Arab Printing Press modernises its printing options Arab Printing Press in the industrial city of Sid El Bauchrieh near Beirut has been using Koenig & Bauer technology for decades. At the beginning of 2019, another press joined the growing list – a Rapida 106 with four printing units, inline coater, extended delivery and a perfecting unit for 2/2 production.

Given the positive experience with the predecessor press, an eight-colour Rapida 106 for 4-over-4 perfecting installed in 2014, and in particular the extremely efficient and cost-effective production enjoyed ever since, it was only logical that the company chose this high-performance medium-format press again.

Arab Printing Press was founded in 1968 and today counts 110 employees.

The product portfolio covers books (e.g. text books), labels, packaging and commercial work of all kinds.

The demands placed on the company’s machinery base are correspondingly diverse. Alongside the aforementioned eight-colour Rapida 106, the press hall also accommodates a two-colour Rapida 104 and a five-colour Rapida 105. The new Rapida 106 is thus the fourth medium-format press. Its

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• 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

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

56 the purchase were its minimised environmental impact, low powder and alcohol consumption, and quiet running. Energy consumption was reduced by 45 per cent compared to the predecessor press. That translates to an annual cost saving of almost €25,000 ($28,000) and a reduction of 118 tonnes in CO2 emissions.

Arab Printing Press is active not only in sheetfed offset, but also in digital and 3D printing. The total production space in Sid El Bauchrieh amounts to 5,500 m2. In future, too, the prime objective for the Lebanese print specialists is to combine production efficiency with the highest possible ecological standards.

The Scodix Ultra 101 and Scodix Ultra 202 presses make digital enhancement more accessible than ever Scodix, the world’s pioneer of digital enhancement solutions for the graphic arts industry, today announces the commercial launch of the Scodix Ultra 101 and the Scodix Ultra 202 Digital Enhancement Presses.

enormous productivity enables the replacement of two older presses.

Fast job changeover with DriveTronic SPC The Rapida 106 is designed to handle substrates from 0.04 to 1.2 mm at production speeds up to 18,000 sheets/hr. As was already the case with the previous eight-colour model, the new press is able to change all the plates simultaneously thanks to DriveTronic SPC. Further outstanding automation features are DriveTronic Plate Ident and CleanTronic washing systems for the blankets, impression cylinders and rollers. Mention must also be made of EES (Emission Extraction System) and energy-saving VariDryBlue IR/hot-air dryers in the delivery and extended delivery.

To manage print quality, the Rapida 106 is equipped with ErgoTronic ColorControl, where the use of narrow colour bars with a height of

just 3 mm enables optimum utilisation of the sheet format. Register control is realised with ErgoTronic ICR. Arab Printing Press produces for local and international markets. The company operates through several subsidiaries, including a sales office in Great Britain and two further printing facilities. Production is organised very efficiently and complies with numerous international standards.

Arab Printing Press is certified to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, FSC, UN Global Compact and SEDEX. Ecological production Besides quality, ecological aspects are priority concerns for Arab Printing Press, which was one of the first industrial companies in Lebanon to install solar panels on its hall roof.

Ecological considerations were already placed in the foreground ahead of the installation of the eight-colour press five years ago. Criteria for

The Scodix family of presses, including the Scodix Ultra 101 and the Scodix Ultra 202, was developed to meet the increased demand for business-generating digital enhancement and allow print service providers (PSPs) of all sizes to target new revenue opportunities.

Scodix Ultra 101 Designed as a stepping stone into the world of digital enhancement, the Scodix Ultra 101 is fully compatible with offset and HP Indigo presses.

Seamless integration ensures print providers can maximise their uptime and crucially, expand their throughput.

The Scodix Ultra 101 offers six Scodix enhancements including Scodix Sense, Scodix Foil™, Scodix Metallic™, Scodix VDE™, Scodix Glitter™ and Scodix Cast&Cure™, plus combinations of all of the above, offering users a competitive business differentiator.

The Scodix Ultra 101 solution is making its worldwide debut at the HP Indigo Global VIP customer event on

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For advice on how Konica Minolta can help your business move forward, contact us at (65) 6361 2800 or enquiry@konicaminolta.sg

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 2 2019

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February 12th. The full capabilities of the Scodix Ultra 101 will be demonstrated with HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital press.

“Delivering visually striking and tactile enhancements, Scodix adds great value to HP Indigo prints,” states Alon Bar-Shany, General Manager, HP Indigo Division, HP Inc., adding, “The introduction of the new Scodix Ultra 101 is further testament to the company’s innovation and will increase applications and business opportunities for HP Indigo customers.”

Fully Featured The Scodix Ultra 202 ‘full feature’ Digital Enhancement Press provides customers with the largest array of enhancement capabilities in the industry today. This press produces unmatched quality – quickly and cost-effectively – enabling print providers to increase their throughput and creating business opportunities.

Users have the freedom to print enhancements on paper, lamination, a variety of water-based coatings, PVC and carton, opening the door to a succession of new applications.

All nine of the Scodix applications run efficiently on the Scodix Ultra 202 press, replacing the need for separate systems on the production floor and preserving a small footprint. By incorporating digital enhancement, print providers can expand their service offering with attentiongrabbing applications. These include premium business/greeting cards, folders, head-turning book covers, audience-engaging brochures, standout labels and packaging.

Scodix brings numerous benefits to a range of industries, including commercial print, direct mail, folding cartons, point of display, web2print,

security markings and many more with a focus on fine details.

Adina Shorr, CEO at Scodix, concludes, “By adding these new systems to our portfolio, we are increasing the number of customers that can employ Scodix and ‘turn print into an experience’.

“The Scodix Ultra 202 promises to be our flagship product, with the widest range of applications and substrate compatibility in the market, while the brand-new Scodix Ultra 101 provides a taste of that, allowing smaller printers to add luxurious embellishments and personalisation that sells brands, whilst protecting profitability.”

BOBST unveils AR customer assistance service BOBST announced the launch of ‘Helpline Plus AR’, the first ever remote assistance service in the packaging industry to incorporate a smart headset with augmented reality (AR) glasses.

Customers requiring technical assistance can wear the smart headset and connect with experts who can simultaneously see what the user sees and offer advice and support in real time.

“This is a huge step forward in terms of embracing the latest technology to maximize customer experience,” said Julien Laran, Head of Business Unit Services. “We believe this will bring significant benefits for our customers, particularly time and cost savings due to the rapid problem-solving this innovation enables. Even before AR, our Helpline service could solve many issues online in less than two hours – we now believe that more issues can be solved and time can be reduced even further.”

Helpline Plus AR is Wi-Fi connected and it establishes a secure connection with the customer’s machine via the internet. Customers get a BOBST expert on-demand, and with the help of the two-way video and audio live stream, an immediate solution to the issue can be provided.

“Helpline Plus AR makes for a seamless experience between our customer and our experts, because the BOBST machine is directly connected to the service,” said Laran. “And with the smart headset, both are looking at the same thing at the same time, limiting any risk of confusion. The service bridges knowledge gaps and ultimately adds up to less downtime and increased productivity, as well as an enhanced customer experience.”

BOBST is the first company in the packaging industry to introduce state-of-the-art remote assistance in augmented reality.

Helpline Plus AR will be gradually launched worldwide.

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_018 019 2019 PACKAGING CONFERENCE FAST TRACK FOR YOUR BUSINESS MAY 2019