Print Innovation Asia June 21

Print INNOVATION

Asia

Magazine

Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia Pacific since 1985 Issue 6 2021

Corrugated Packaging:

How Digital Inkjet Printing is Creating New Possibilities Full article from page 46

Allmaster invests in its first EFI VUTEk 5r+ See article on page 4

REDUCE THE COST OF MAKING A BOX WITH HP PAGEWIDE CORRUGATED SOLUTIONS Get a digital printing solution that optimizes your supply chain and gives you new competitive advantages that cater to your customers’ needs.

HP PAGEWIDE T1190 PRESS

Deliver maximum efficiency for high-volume production with preprint image quality and digital versatility.

HP PAGEWIDE C500 PRESS Grow your business with HP’s digital postprint solution delivering offset quality for mainstream production.

High performance

Offset-like print quality

To find out more, visit: www.hp.com/go/corrugatedpackaging ©2021 HP Development Company. LP.

HP PAGEWIDE T470S PRESS

Optimize production by combining the power of digital roll efficiency and offset print quality.

Food-compliance water-based ink

Digital Profitability

Invest with confidence

Asian PrintAwards 2021 th

PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS: 2021

_018 022 Contents Page 4

Cover Story - Allmaster invests in its first

EFI VUTEk 5r+EFI Renewed

10

Expand Your Horizons with the 2 new products

from Canon

16

The new blueprint for wide format

18

China’s First HP PageWide Corrugated Press

20

7 reasons why color management software and

professional proofing solutions push

the digital transformation

26

Stewardship, sustainability, and success

28

Printing Consistent High-Quality Work at

DON DON DONKI

32

Enhancing the Digital Label OpportunityHow Digital

Inkjet Printing is Creating New Possibilities

38

Megadeal for Heidelberg –eleven high-tech

Speedmaster XL 106 presses

42

Installation of first Landa S10P in Germany

44

Unique size enables double imposition with

minimum paper waste

48

Customer Service Specialists Provide Expertise

52

People MOST forget the password for THESE

online accounts

54

News from around Asia and the world

Issue 6 2021

Print INNOVATION

Asia Magazine

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

Paul Callaghan paul@printinnovationasia.com

Editorial

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

Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

4

Allmaster invests in its The Singapore company has installed its first five-metre EFI workhorse to boost production speeds, efficiency, while widening product offerings with unmatched quality.

By Sha Jumari.

Based in Singapore, Allmaster Pte Ltd has upgraded its production capabilities, significantly increasing speed and efficiency without compromising premium quality with the recent install of the EFI VUTEk 5r+ five-metre UV LED roll-to-roll printer.

The EFI VUTEk 5r+ is Allmaster’s first foray into the EFI portfolio.

Allmaster, with about 120 employees, has an arsenal of printers housed in its almost 4,000 square metre production and warehousing facility.

Established since 1975, Allmaster had its start in traditional screen printing. Over the years, it branched out its services into sports and events branding, visual displays and large format printing. In the last couple of years, Allmaster went into the signage market. Its clientele is wide ranging; from governments to town councils, marketing agencies, and building and construction companies.

“Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we did a lot of exhibitions and sports events. Although most events were put on hold, we are actually still doing a fair bit of work for the construction industry. Recently, we even managed to get governmental contracts and that’s been keeping us busy over the past few months. We’ve also been busy with open houses that we support with event branding,” said Felix Chew, director at Allmaster Pte Ltd. The Search for a Digital Workhorse Success was a double-edged sword for Allmaster. While the company experienced growth and scored multiple projects despite the pandemic, it consequently began encountering a backlog issue. To meet with the growing orders and tight deadlines, Allmaster began shopping for a digital printing machine that would be able to handle the additional workload.

Chew saw the EFI VUTEk 5r+ firsthand at the Shanghai Ad and Sign Expo tradeshow in Shanghai, China.

Being able to see the printer in person allowed Chew to scrutinize the machine more, while looking at other brands.

“However, after we did comparison tests with the other brands, none were able to match the speed, quality and overall efficiency of the EFI VUTEk 5r+. I was impressed by the quick and precise turnaround from the EFI VUTEk 5r+. It is a real workhorse and the ink yield is fantastic. It was the clear winner,” said Chew.

Installed in February 2021, the EFI VUTEk 5r+ printer was put into full production almost immediately: “It was able to handle all of the urgent works that I needed. It fits me perfectly,” Chew continued.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

first EFI VUTEk 5r+

Rodd Harrison Vice President - Sales, APAC at EFI with Felix Chew, director at Allmaster Pte Ltd. Speed and Efficiency Without Compromising Quality Designed for producing high-volume graphics, the EFI VUTEk 5r+ can print up to 487 square metres per hour at true resolutions of up to 1200 dpi. The VUTEk 5r+ model features a completely reengineered printing algorithm that enables higher ink density and an overall quality improvement.

“Before installing the machine, I used to have to run two to three Epson printers for the same capacity. And we have to log a lot of overtime hours for just one or two projects. One project could easily be about 300 to 400 square metres, and they all want it urgently and fast,” Chew continued. “Now, I could print three rolls all at one time, and I could finish a project in a very short span of time compared to before. Since it’s a UV printer, I don't have to do

lamination. This saves me even more time and labour.”

The inkjet printer uses proprietary 7-picolitre UltraDrop Technology which provides high definition image quality and smooth skin tones, shadows, gradients, vignettes, and transitions. The EFI VUTEk 5r+ produces premium imaging with high ink coverage, high colour density and a wide colour gamut.

“A struggle that we used to have was with the quality alongside the slow turnaround times. Primarily, I was looking for speed and efficiency. If you can achieve the speed that I want, and with the quality, it makes the whole investment worthwhile,” said Chew.

The EFI VUTEk 5r+ offers superior throughput with a low total cost of ownership and the most available

options. The VUTEk 5r+ printer also offer several new options, including automated backlit, automatic blockout printing and an inline finishing system.

“It has a camera positioning system that allows you to do double sided prints accurately and precisely. Instead of the traditional way of printing two sides of the banners and then stitching or stapling them together, right now we can effectively print on a single sheet of blockout,” said Chew. “Firstly, it allows the prints to be crisper, tauter, and less prone to creases. It also helps to save the labour which was required to do all the stitching and whatnot before.”

The inline finishing system for all-inone printing, slitting, and collecting was another key decision factor for Chew.

“I like that the inline finishing was able to cut the two strips and print three

5

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

6

rows at one time. I have not seen any printer that can print three rows at one time. At that time I was even skeptical, until I tried it myself. The tiling and registration is perfect and accurate for every print. That was attractive to me, and we’re really able to handle our prints now effortlessly, compared to previously.”

“With other printers, you have to compromise speed with quality, and that is not the case here,” Chew continued. “I could print holding

stickers with just one pass, and achieve rich and vibrant colours. People can’t tell that this was done in one pass.

That’s a great advantage that I have.”

Widening Application Offerings for a Competitive Edge Allmaster can now expand their offerings with the versatility of the VUTEk 5r+ printer, which can handle a variety of flexible substrates and be utilised for an extended range of applications.

Since being put into production, Allmaster has been using the superwide printer primarily for holding graphics, retail prints and for vinyl stickers. A feature that Allmaster is keen to take full advantage of is the automatic backlit option which supports multiroll, cutting and slitting, and enables printing each side with a different print mode.

“The lightbox pieces are very vibrant.

When you print at different passes, it still gives you the same richness. The lightbox printing feature is one of the major selling factors as the colours are rich. It’s actually very difficult to print for lightboxes. More clients are demanding about the quality of lightboxes, so EFI has this unique positioning of being able to print lightbox graphics very well,” said Chew.

“That’s one area we would like to pitch because the quality is good. We can also

support mega prints for advertising lightboxes. The ability to print five metres is a great sell for us because not many companies in the market right now are able to do that,” Chew continued.

The printer is equipped with newly developed white printing modes that offer an increase in speed and enhanced quality. The modes can support multilayer printing of up to five layers, improving versatility and range of projects.

“The multilayer printing is really good too. The whites are so opaque that you can literally print two different images with the white in between. The white lets you get a really nice, dense colour when it’s backlit during the night, and during the daytime, it’s still a nice colour,” said Chew.

The Environmentally Friendly and Cost Saving Solution Allmaster’s new VUTEk printer features EFI’s LED "cool cure" curing technology which has cost savings and environmental benefits.

The technology widens the range of supported substrates, including lower cost and specialty media. Uptime and productivity can be increased with instant on/off and less maintenance, while driving down operating costs with significantly less energy consumption and fewer consumable parts.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

7

OWN THE FUTURE.

EFITM VUTEk® h5

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

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

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

LET US BE THE FUEL

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

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

8

“Besides speed, we also considered ink yield, because running costs is also under consideration,” said Chew.

with their service, we could always call on them, even though now it is all remote support,” said Chew.

The new printer is able to significantly reduce waste with consistent colour output and simple operation. In addition, it utilises quality 3M SuperRange XF ink, including white, which are GreenGuard certified.

“The engineers are always available when you need help and are very responsive. “Service reliability is very important to us and you want to have that added peace of mind that you will have the necessary service support in place. That’s one of the reasons we chose EFI as our partner,” Chew continued.

“The fact that EFI develops its own inks is an advantage. There is an element of control with the colour consistency.

We’ve had past experiences where the ink is sourced from a third supplier and the colour consistency is just not there.

It becomes a source of headache for us,” Chew continued.

“The environmental factor is a major plus point for us because we do a lot of outdoor prints. These days, especially in Singapore, everyone is talking about going green. A lot of corporations, and especially government agencies, place a lot of importance on sustainability.

They place priority on partnering with print service providers that are going green, so this gives us an edge over the competition too,” said Chew.

Partners in EFI “The after-sales service EFI provides is fantastic. We’ve never had a problem

“At EFI, we learn to be creative and flexible about how we help and support our customers, especially in these times,” said Rodd Harrison, VicePresident of Sales, Asia Pacific for EFI. “What EFI has done is that we’ve set up a service network. Let’s say a customer sends an email to the service community.

There might be 10 people who are monitoring that email from the service director to an application specialist in China to a product specialist in Australia. You can have a problem resolved in 15 minutes, without even requiring a service call.”

What’s Next for Allmaster?

“At this moment we’re still trying to use our VUTEk machine to clear

our backlogs, but we have been experimenting too. A good thing about the VUTEk 5r+ is the branding and positioning, because EFI is a wellknown brand,” said Chew.

“Of course, when the opportunity arises and the time is right, we may invest in another machine. We are also possibly looking at the hybrid series of flatbed/roll-fed printers, because we do quite a fair bit of that in some of our projects and we do not have a vacuum platform,” said Chew.

“Allmaster is cautious, so we respect that. It’s a very big investment, and they wanted lots of assurances about what they were doing. They did a lot of homework, talking to our customers, then getting tests done and comparing different technologies. I'm happy to say that now you know that you’ve made the right decision. We’re happy that the machine has delivered what they were expecting,” said Harrison.

“We’re excited to explore new creative application possibilities with the VUTEk 5r+ and EFI has also been helping us to utlise this printer to its full potential. We look forward to a very fruitful, long collaboration with EFI,” Chew concluded.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

9

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

10

Expand Your Horizons with the Canon has launched the new Colorado 1630, the latest addition to its portfolio of 64” UVgel roll-to-roll printers.

Catering to light production environments, this industrial grade printer offers a smart investment choice for companies in the large format market with lower volume needs, by giving them access to all the proven advantages of UVgel technology at a lower investment to further expand the business.

Engineered for durability, reliability and stability, the Colorado 1630 base model can be configured according to each user’s unique business needs by adding modular options such as FLXfinish, a second media roll, and easy doublesided printing.

Designed for sign makers, print service providers (PSPs) and in-house printers, the Colorado 1630 delivers superior print quality of 1,800 dpi with highly durable, odourless and instantly dry finish on almost any media for unlimited applications. In its fastest print mode, which is ideal for applications such as outdoor banners and billboards, the Colorado 1630 can attain a maximum print speed of 111 m²/hour. Even in high quality mode, the device delivers a cruising speed of 29 m²/hour.

The new versatile printer offers the same high productivity features, output quality and media versatility of its bigger brother, the Colorado 1650.

With Canon’s unique UVgel 460 inks that are used with the Colorado 1650, the Colorado 1630 produces razorsharp prints with a wide colour gamut.

Extremely reliable and easy-to-use, this robust workhorse is built for maximum uptime and quick turnarounds.

Operating costs are also minimised thanks to the efficiency of the printer,

combined with reduced waste and a 40% lower ink consumption compared to other technologies1, so customers can maximise their bottom line and, in turn, expand their business.

With on-the-fly ink replenishment and advanced automation features such as nozzle monitoring, printhead maintenance and media feed winding, users can benefit from uninterrupted production. In addition, Canon’s Remote Control app is now available to monitor all Colorado printers. This will allow users to check the printer status remotely, so this device can be maintained round the clock. The Remote Control app sends alerts to the users’ mobile devices with printer status updates, warnings and errors, offering the assurance that the printer is running smoothly to meet deadlines.

Colorado users can also benefit from Canon’s ProCare after-sales service programme, which offers maximised uptime through access to spare parts, preventive maintenance and remote support for increased productivity and minimal downtime.

Modular Options For Customised Needs The modular architecture of the Colorado 1630 allows customers to

start with the base model and, choose from a range of additional modules, for their business needs. For example, if the printer is installed with one media roll but run lengths are increasing, a second media roll option can be easily added. Further enhancing its efficiency, the precise media handling of the Colorado 1630 ensures near perfect registration for double-sided printing.

A ‘print side in’ option also allows customers to print on both the inside and outside of the roll for maximum media versatility. All options can be enabled remotely and on demand, without the need for a service visit.

With flexibility for a matte or glossy finish to each print, the optional FLXfinish module uses a unique LED curing technique to add visual impact to applications such as banners, wall

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

11

e 2 new products from Canon Elevate Efficiency and Accelerate Growth with the New Canon Colorstream 8000 Series coverings and point of sale materials without the need to change inks or media. This technology also supports printing on porous substrates, such as uncoated papers and soft signage materials, further expanding new market opportunities.

The Extended Colorado Family The introduction of the Colorado 1630 comes as an extension to the existing family of UVgel roll-to-roll printers. In addition to the Colorado 1630, the product portfolio includes the Colorado 1640/1650 for customers with higher volumes and the UVgel Wallpaper Factory which offers an end-to-end automated high-volume wallpaper production solution.

Steve Ford, Managing Director, Production Printing Asia, Canon Singapore, comments, “Since

launching the Colorado series in 2017, the technology has truly disrupted the market and with over 2,000 installations worldwide printing more than 25 million square metres to date, feedback has been extremely positive. Enabling our customers and partners to expand their application possibilities and grow their business is an essential driver for us at Canon Production Printing and increasingly we have seen a demand for a 1.6 m UVgel printer that can serve all PSPs. With the introduction of the Colorado 1630, customers with light production environments can benefit from a highly automated, robust and reliable printer with a modular architecture, that offers great flexibility at an attractive investment level.”

Canon also announced the launch of its new ColorStream 8000 series of continuous feed inkjet printer.

An addition to the market-leading ColorStream family, the new flagship represents the next stage in the evolution of the platform and sets a new standard for high volume production environments with its combined advances in productivity, print quality and application flexibility.

Built upon a decade of continuous innovation in response to customer feedback, the ColorStream 8000 series has been designed to meet the current and future production challenges of corporate and public sector in-plants, print and communication service (transactional and direct mail) providers and specialised commercial printers, such as those producing books, manuals or pharmaceutical leaflets.

Featuring advanced technology that

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

12

An addition to the market-leading ColorStream family, the new flagship represents the next stage in the evolution of the platform takes the ColorStream to a new level of quality, efficiency and productivity, the 8000 series gives users the ability to produce more in less time, broaden their application reach, explore new markets and grow their profit streams.

Taking Productivity to The Next Level Comprising two models - the ColorStream 8133 and 8160, which reflect the maximum print speed of each (133m/min and 160m/min) - the ColorStream 8000 series prints up to 2,152 A4 images/min (15 - 70 million A4 images per month), easily handling production peaks and providing the capability to reduce run and labour costs by consolidating volumes from offset and continuous feed toner presses onto the ColorStream.

downtimes and avoiding unpredicted downtimes during production.

Taking Print Quality to The Next Level The series feature new 1,200dpi printheads that yield a stunning and consistent print quality - even at the highest speed – from the first print to the last, reproducing smoother gradients, homogeneous tints, sharper detail, and minimising typical inkjet technology artefacts. The ColorStream 8000 series also uses a new water-based pigment ink set with latex polymer, which delivers a very wide colour gamut that meets Fogra process standards, perfect droplet formation, deep black and vibrant colours on uncoated paper without any pre-treatment.

The productivity of the series is further improved by the fact that everything that could be automated, has been making the series exceptionally easy to operate and freeing up operator time for other value-added activities.

The many automated tasks add to the remarkable uptime (over 90%) of the ColorStream 8000 series, giving users a reliable solution they can really trust.

Taking Application Flexibility to The Next Level In a fast-moving market, finding new applications can be crucial to staying competitive. Thanks to the improved print quality of the ColorStream 8000 series and its ability to print on a wide variety of uncoated, recycled and inkjet treated papers from 40gsm to 160gsm as standard (and selected papers up to 220gsm).

The Proactive Maintenance available with the ColorStream 8000 series offers additional peace of mind in production planning by delivering predictive maintenance for targeted machine

Print and communication service providers can now proactively respond to the challenges of today’s market and provide high quality promotional applications next to transactional, direct

mail and book (mono and full colour) applications. This capability is enhanced by the design of the press paper path, which, with a maximum print width of 560mm, gives impositioning freedom to create outstanding promotional pieces and maximise book formats.

Steve Ford, Managing Director, Production Printing Asia, Canon, comments: “Since its introduction in 2010, the ColorStream family has been recognised by customers across the globe as a highly productive and reliable solution. The ColorStream 8000 series is a new platform that leverages the heritage of the existing ColorStream family and takes its users to the next level of productivity, print quality and efficiency.

I’m confident that the ColorStream 8000 series, as the latest milestone in the evolution of the product family, will prove to be just as popular, if not more so, than earlier models and will play a major role in the continuing migration of print volumes to digital inkjet.”

Based on customer demand for the fastest ColorStream version, the ColorStream 8160 is now available, while the ColorStream 8133 will follow early in the second half of 2021. Both models will be available in mono and full-colour configurations.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

13

Korn it Digital

bonding

matters

Kornit Digital Asia Pacific

www.kornit.com #simpleprintingproduction #sustainablefashion #wearyourcare Enquiry: apac@kornit.com

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

14

EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS The new Colorado 1630 Add the unique, proven advantages of UVgel technology to your roll-to-roll configure the base system to your specific situation and upgrade later as your business grows. http://asia.canon/colorado1630

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

15

Choose your options: Velvety-matte printing, double-sided printing and second media roll Upgrade your printer when your needs evolve, thanks to the 1630’s modular concept All options can be enabled remotely and on demand, without the need for a service visit expand your business.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

16

The new blueprint for wide format Fujifilm announces a new development in its wide format inkjet strategy – a new range, built from the ground up, around a ‘new blueprint’ for wide format inkjet printers in terms of price/performance and ROI, versatility and value, and ease of use. choices based on answering questions like “does it do what it needs to do?” or “could it be done better?” Nothing was left unchanged that could be improved.

For more than 14 years since its initial launch, the Acuity range has built a deserved reputation for high quality, versatility and value, and this new range will enhance the Acuity brand on all of those fronts, whilst retaining the reliability that has always been the hallmark of Fujifilm’s inkjet systems.

Fujifilm has many years of experience in developing UV inkjet technologies, with the Sericol organisation, which it acquired in 2005, commercialising the very first UV inkjet systems back in 1999. The company’s immensely popular Acuity range of wide format printers, first launched in 2007, has seen huge success with over 1800 global installations, but the wide format market is a very different place now to what it was when the range was first introduced.

Fujifim realised three years ago that the market had reached a tipping point. A point at which more of the same, with minor improvements, was no longer enough. The market needed something fundamentally new. So out of the Fujifilm R&D and development centre in the UK, where the concept of wide format UV inkjet first became a reality two decades ago, we set out to create just that – something built out of our heritage and long experience, but at the same time, fundamentally new.

We made a strategic decision to rethink our Acuity wide format offering; focusing on new ways to deliver

improved value, versatility and easeof-use and, in particular, on defining a new benchmark for print ROI. We set out to do what we had first done back in 1999: to create a new blueprint for wide format.

Working with an award-winning industrial design company in collaboration with Fujifilm Design Centre, Fujifilm initiated a three-year period of intensive market research and development. Returning to first principles, they started with a blank canvas and a challenge to strip everything back and create a completely new and improved range of machines.

Four design criteria emerged from the research process which helped to inform all design choices, to identify the right manufacturers and suppliers to work with, and the right OEM partners to help to bring it all together.

These were: quality, value, performance and ease-of-use. In addition, every component part selected was chosen with these four criteria in mind, from the printheads to the user interface, lamps, static control and vacuum solutions. In all cases, Fujifilm made

The first two printers made to this new blueprint are the Acuity Ultra R2 and the Acuity Prime. The Acuity Ultra R2 is a completely redesigned and significantly improved version of the Acuity Ultra, which itself set a new standard for superwide print production when it was launched in 2018. The Acuity Prime is an entirely new, mid-range flatbed which offers ease-of-use and print ROI unmatched by anything else on the market. And, of course, both new printers take advantage of Fujifilm’s renowned UV inkjet ink, manufactured in the UK in the company’s multi-award winning factory.

The Acuity Ultra R2 and Acuity Prime represent the new blueprint for wide format print production, at a time when printers need more versatility and value, and ultimately a better ROI, more than ever.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

17

China’s First HP PageWide Corrugated Press Investing in HP PageWide T400S Digital Corrugated Packaging Press, HXPP achieves scale-production of corrugated packaging Installation of the HP PageWide T400S press at HXPP's production site in Huayi, Hubei. products in terms of yield, quality and speed to market, HXPP has proactively started to explore the field of digital printing, and this cooperation with HP is an important step in the exploration of the digital field.

Xiamen Hexing Packaging Co., Ltd (HXPP) has acquired China’s first HP PageWide digital press to meet the growing demand for customized corrugated packaging. The installation of the HP PageWide T400S press at HXPP's production site in Huayi, Hubei will help HXPP achieve largescale production of corrugated printing products.

“HXPP insists on being customercentric, striving to respond quickly to customer needs, continuing to create long-term value for customers that will ultimately benefit the packaging supply chain,” Mr. Xiao Kang Du, Vice-General Manager of United Creation Packaging Solutions, HXPP Group, said at an open house held for customers to introduce the new press at the site.

"With HP's digital printing products and solutions, we are able to realize the demand for mass production of personalized and customized printed products, making packaging a new marketing tool and a communication bridge between brands and consumers.

While helping brand owners stand out,

our company is able to explore more business opportunities and achieve a win-win situation," he added.

HXPP is a leading provider of corrugated packaging products in Asia, with about 60 manufacturing sites in China and four R&D centers. Its main products include high-end corrugated cartons, cardboard, and cushioning packaging materials, serving a number of leading technology, food and fastmoving brands in the industry. With more than 20 years of experience in the packaging and printing industry, HXPP has been committed to providing highquality packaging that adds value to brands and enhances the end-user experience.

To this end, HXPP has been seeking innovation in business and service models based on market insights.

Observing the youthful trend of the main consumer group, HXPP keenly captures the strong demand of brand owners for customized and differentiated marketing, and actively develops high-quality customized products for them. To meet the high demands of brands for customized

The 1066 mm (42 inch) wide HP PageWide T400S digital press is a digital pre-print solution for corrugated liners designed for industrial-grade production of corrugated packaging. It enables fast turnaround and delivery, and provides high print quality, and is a powerful tool for achieving customized product scale production. In addition, HP true water-based inks are certified

by UL ECOLOGO® and PTS certification for recyclability will further help HXPP achieve its sustainability goals. This will help HXPP stay ahead of the curve in a market with increasingly stringent environmental requirements.

"We are pleased to reach this cooperation with HXPP. By joining hands with an industry pioneer, HP will continue to give strong impetus to the digitalization and customization of the corrugated packaging industry in China," said Mr. Nick Price, HP PageWide Business Manager in APJ. "As a leading brand in the digital printing industry, HP has always been committed to using its leading equipment, solutions and resources to help our customers fully develop their own potential, expand more possibilities to serve end users and create more benefit opportunities for themselves. We also look forward to working with more like-minded customers to promote the positive development of the digital printing industry."

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

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

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

20

7 reasons why color man professional proofing solu transformation This article briefly illuminates the potential color management and proofing technology has for companies of the graphic industry to push their digital transformation and improve processes.

Digitalization, automation, and sustainability are keywords these days.

The corona crisis and the shutdowns are powerful drivers of change processes in SMEs as well as huge global companies.

Branch surveys show what the biggest challenges for printers and packaging printers are and in which areas many of them focus to emerge from the crisis stronger than before.

This article briefly illuminates the potential color management and proofing technology has for companies of the graphic industry to push their digital transformation and improve processes.

1. Connected processes & automated quality control Branch experts agree: The printing quality remains a key aspect in competition. Any activities which are conducted to reduce costs or to improve the productivity of the

companies may not affect the results in a negative way.

Smart and flexible tools help a lot to control printing results. They also allow you to monitor all presses in your production environment as well as connected devices and other processes automatically - in real-time. The software informs the user immediately whenever a part of the system deviates from an expected standard or requires user invention. But, of course, it needs to fit easily in existing infrastructures.

Perfect overview of all processes Detailed reports and trends analysis are available from anywhere in the world. They allow a perfect overview of all processes and deliver clear facts for further improvements or communication with customers, suppliers, and partners.

This is the best basis to achieve optimal results and reliable consistent quality – and to work more sustainably as a huge amount of waste can be reduced by identifying problems at their source – before incorrect proofs or plates enter the press room.

Automated processes and connect your devices and global production locations the best way – with central and mobile access to control, regulate and certify.

2. Smart job handling Another interesting fact is that intelligent color management technology has the potential to support you with clear facts which of the printing presses in your production hall (locally or globally) fits the best for the jobs.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

nagement software and utions push the digital have clear common goals. Also, small quantity production of labels or mockups is possible.

Color management software which has been specially developed for print production will help you to achieve a much more efficient printing process, it will avoid unnecessary change-over times or downtimes in our production hall.

Special algorithms answer the question which available press should be used for the best possible result including e.g. information about the color space and ink sets.

Both go hand and in hand as you will save money if you avoid unnecessary print runs, energy consumption, material, inks, and when you reduce waste and its disposal, for example.

Based on that, the software detects which available press will produce the ideal result, optimizes the print data, and sends it to the selected press for production.

Suitable software tools help you to work efficiently on both levels. That applies to the proofing and the production area likewise.

3. Maximum efficiency & productivity Of course, it´s not new that customer complaints and maculature are not good for your business, but besides the economic dimension, nowadays the ecological perspective gains more and more attention.

A professional proofing tool helps you to be more efficient and to produce fast and easy contract proofs as well as color-binding packaging proofs and prototypes. Physically and virtually.

That optimizes the communication and decision-making process with your customers and partners a lot as you

But, it is not “just” achieving the best color result with your printing presses and the optimal and easy handling of color, it is really a lot more: You will finally get accurate and consistent color across all your printing devices and you will repeat your print jobs worldwide easily and reliably: today - tomorrow anytime.

The last months have shown that this becomes vitally important for companies that were part of consolidations and added different printing presses as a result of these processes into their production environment.

The integration and harmonization of mixed machinery including modern and older printing presses can be easily conducted with the right software.

As a result, you will optimize the usage of your presses and create sustainability.

4. Optimal usage of resources & sustainable working Besides quality improvements, with suitable color management software, you can save a huge amount of ink, especially if you print advertising material like posters or banners, etc.

This leads to a huge cost reduction and has several “side effects” which should not be underestimated.

21

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

22

A less total ink coverage leads to a higher range of your inks as well as faster drying times. This allows a higher production speed which as a result raises the capacities and productivity of the company. Increased productivity means more sales and higher margins.

Important assets Besides that, other results are reduced print headwear or longer UV lamp life with reduced energy consumption. The experience shows, too, that the lower ink coverage can also reduce ink breaks across folds and minimizes the negative impacts of environmental factors.

Prints become less susceptible to fading and abrasion, for example. This is an important asset for promotional material.

The environmental factor can especially be observed if you use large amounts of UV inks, as these inks have the highest savings potential, resulting in less ink waste.

You will earn more money and your customers will get their orders faster and in better quality. Perfect match!

5. High-efficiency thanks to multicolor printing Especially if you work a lot with more than four colors and spot colors software solutions that were specially developed for this printing method can help you a lot to optimize your workflows and printing process. Why? With the right tool, you will reproduce nearly 100 percent of spot colors with an extended fixed ink set like

CMYK+OGV. And this opens up a lot of great potentials to save money and time!

Let us review some: - You do not need to order/pay for special inks, wait until they are mixed and delivered, etc. This reduces ink costs enormously.

- This leads to great competitive advantages because you can offer reduced pricing and faster delivery times to your customers.

- You do not need to store inks, pay for huge warehouses and for the disposal of useless spot inks.

- You considerably streamline, optimize, and speed up your entire production

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

23

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

24

Today, it is possible to use smart software tools to organize, edit and communicate color with all its (spectral) properties in a simple, secure and costeffective manner.

Of course, the central management of color is greatly important for brand owners, but also offers a lot of advantages for prepress companies, printers, brand owners, paint manufacturers, mock-up agencies, and packaging designers. process. This is a very important point!

Without the need of changing over special inks for every single print job – or even for one job, if there are so many spot colors used that you are unable to print the job in a single run – you have faster throughput, you have no makeready times or additional cleaning and wash-up times of the presses. The picture below visualizes on an abstract level these aspects, before expanded gamut printing and after making use of this technology.

- Last but not least: You gain a lot of flexibility because you can gang-run print jobs, containing different spot colors. There is no longer any need to print one job after the other! .

6. Customization, flexibility and workflow integration In general, professional color management and proofing software should be simple to use and work intuitively although it is really “heavy stuff ”.

That means, on the one hand, our tools basically contain an enormous amount of all powerful features and functions you may need to optimize your entire production process in the best and most effective way.

On the other hand, they offer the possibility to customize and use the tools in an individual way.

Flexibility is crucial for us: The software and its features can be used to automate processes to a maximum level, but you can also make your own decisions and selected special functions you need, customize and make changes.

You are fully free to decide the level

of automation you would like to work with.

Easy integration or build up a new system

Comprehensive digitalization of color optimizes the coordination and production processes and makes them much faster and less expensive.

Our solutions can be integrated easily into existing workflows and infrastructures, but there is also the possibility to build up a new holistic system based on the tools.

This ensures e.g. that media designers have exact specifications at hand and use the correct color at any time or it also assures correct ink formulation by the ink manufacturer.

All this applies for single locations but also for production bases worldwide – we think color globally.

Thanks to special prediction feature the entrance to the world of “CxF data” which are the basis of all that, became easy.

7. The true digitalization of color Every day, many companies of the graphic arts industry still face difficulties due to the communication of incomplete or misleading color information. This still causes many challenges, additional print runs, and costs recourses and money.

The result of using spectral color data through the entire supply chain – the strong fundament of real color digitalization – is consistent color reproduction in every print run and perfect brand colors worldwide!

THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR THE WORLD’S FOOD LABELING. Produce high-quality, durable labels and packaging with water-based inks for food safety.

T2

Affordable High Volume Digital Label Press

T2-C

High Volume Tabletop Label Press

T2-L

Flexible Packaging Digital Mini Press + Inline Lamination

QL-850 High Performance Tabletop Color Label Printer

Learn more Memjet.com/partners/Astronova

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

26

Stewardship, sustaina As we emerge from the pandemic crisis, we’ve seen the acceleration of a few important trends.

Customers made more of their purchases online, companies have made and sold products out of urgent necessity that they didn’t imagine before, and more local production has placed new regulatory demands on labels and packaging. Consumers have taken a closer look at their impact on the environment: how their goods are made, by whom, where, how the goods are packaged, and the materials the packaging is made from, as well as what happens to it after first use.

Pressure from these customers to be more responsible stewards is increasing, and tighter regulations are already under review. These seminal changes create a new opportunity for the proliferation of digital, on-demand package manufacturing, and printing with inks that foster a healthier work environment, minimize waste, and enable low-cost recovery and/or recycling.

We understand, yet still have much to learn about how the shift to digital printing improves the sustainability of printed products – instantly enabling waste reduction by eliminating plate preparation and make-ready waste to producing shorter runs to better matched supply and demand.

OEMs choose to incorporate Memjet’s digital inkjet technology for its fast, efficient, high-quality printing. Though, our technology goes significantly further addressing our deeply ingrained responsibility to a sustainable future.

From its modular design that enables our partners to build equipment to upgrade their customers’ press capability, rather than scrap their existing printing solutions, to our water-based inks which can reduce costs associated with environmental regulations (air emissions permitting, EHS risks, wastewater discharge, etc.), Memjet technology provides OEMs

with the resources they need to combine market success with environmental leadership.

Today, we are building on our efforts with the Memjet Sustainability Initiative. By taking this leadership role in sustainability, we will revolutionize the printing industry.

Commitment to a Sustainable Future The Memjet Sustainability Initiative addresses several critical areas across our value chain: materials, waste reduction, environmental footprints, our manufacturing footprint, supply chain social responsibility, printed products lifecycle, and customer worker environment, health, and safety.

Together with our past technological developments, these initiatives create a holistic approach to sustainability, making a positive impact on our communities while allowing our OEM partners and their customers

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

ability, and success

to prosper in an environmentally responsible way and differentiate their business.

The Acceleration of Digital Printing Industry analysts expect that the permanent shift in behavior brought on by the pandemic has hastened the shift away from offset to digital by at least two years. Marco Boer of IT Strategies says, “All of a sudden, we’ve accelerated that decline [of offset] much faster than the trajectory that we were on.”

For anyone concerned about the environment, the adoption of digital printing is good news. Compared to analog printing technologies, digital printing streamlines the production process. Printers can digitally produce the right materials, at the right time, in the right locations. Waste from print overages or out-of-date materials is

significantly reduced, as is the time and energy needed.

Memjet’s technology is sustainable by nature – a modular design that provides upgrade capability to existing capital equipment, and an all water-based ink technology portfolio that not only provides a safer work environment for employees, but also enables a higher degree of recyclability of printed materials.

We are firmly committed to embracing digital printing technology that eliminates waste, creates safer work environments, meets the most discerning of customer safety and purity requirements and moves us all to a low carbon circular economy.

Together, we can change the industry – and the world.

27

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

28

Printing Consistent High-Quality Work at DON DON DONKI Stepping into the aisles, DON DON DONKI is a burst of colours and energy.

A sprawling Japanese food supermarket filled with an assortment of colourful packaging, their interior environment is vibrant and invigorating, complete with distinctive neon sign boards and their signature DON DON DONKI jingle.

To date, they have 8 outlets across Singapore after opening their first in 2017. In every store, customers are sure to find a myriad of posters, print boards, Donpen (their penguin mascot) standees, and item pricing labels, which have all been printed and hand cut inhouse.

To understand how all of this was possible, we sat down with Mr Ma Jingtao, a senior network engineer with DON DON DONKI who has worked with Canon’s imagePROGRAF PRO Series large format printer over the past two years.

Don Don Donki has many vivid and eye-catching collaterals for your products and posters. How important is good quality print promotional material to your business?

At DON DON DONKI, we have this “Japanese discount specialty store” concept. Our founder Yusada Takao wanted to bring Singaporeans valuefor-money Japanese products and deals after seeing the exorbitant prices of Japanese goods in the market.

However, we wanted to go above and beyond that to make customers happy through our products. This is where the prints come in – we want to use posters that are colourful and makes customers happy when they read about deals on these prints.

We have been using Canon’s imagePROGRAF PRO Series large

format printer for the past two years – so far, it is able to sustain high quality prints that are vibrant and faithful to the original design’s colours. I think that the vibrancy of colours is integral to our brand identity, and the 12 colour LUCIA PRO pigment ink feature is able to achieve this and help us carry across the message.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

29

asia.canon/uvgel-interior-decor-guide

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

30

Of course, the 2400 x 1200dpi maximum resolution is also very impressive and our POP designers who produce all our visuals have not complained about any quality issues thus far.

That’s very interesting! What do you look out for when producing and printing promotional materials?

Quality and speed are definitely very important to us. We print around 3000 rolls of paper a month – we print every day, basically. It gets extra busy during store openings, so it’s important for us to have a reliable printer that is both efficient and able to produce quality print materials in order to pull off a smooth launch.

We have tried a few other models, but we found that the imagePROGRAF PRO Series large format printer is able to print around 30 pieces of paper a minute without compromising on quality and is the model we are currently most satisfied with.

How are Canon’s products related to improving the work that you do at DON DON DONKI? I’d say the prints help us improve the consistency of our print materials and ensure that we can always deliver the

information in our visuals well.

Actually, we don’t just print for the sake of printing, we take into consideration the environment the poster is placed in, and what would show up better in those circumstances. As you know, all our DON DON DONKI outlets are brightly lit, and compared to glossy prints, matte prints turn up better under strong lights.

Canon’s imagePROGRAF PRO Series large format printer can print on both types of surfaces, but we print on matte more often because glossy prints are more reflective in bright environments.

We are very happy with the quality of printing achieved through Canon’s products across the different surfaces because we get to fill the supermarket with colourful posters and promote DON DON DONKI products well.

As with every equipment, it requires some maintenance from time to time. How do you find Canon’s services in this regard?

Great. The servicing is reliable and we’ve not faced big issues thus far.

We do have other printers besides the imagePROGRAF PRO Series large format printer, like the imageRUNNER ADVANCE multi-function devices.

The latter is a colour laser multifunction printer designed to improve office workflow and cost efficiencies; it has smart features such as being able to automatically notify Canon if it runs out of ink. When that happens, Canon sends their team over to replenish.

Canon is also able to be flexible; for instance, they gave us a spare printer ink after we requested for it.

Could you describe your experience partnering with Canon thus far?

We’re really happy working with Canon over the years – it's a really sincere relationship with mutual respect. We have given each other feedback after working together for some time, and it’s heartening to see how Canon has grown and improved based on our feedback.

We are especially thankful for the dedicated Canon’s Japanese account manager, who specialises in taking care of Japanese companies based in Singapore – she was happy to help us with our overseas branches even during the circuit breaker period of the pandemic. This wasn’t within her job scope, but her enthusiasm to help made us really appreciative of this relationship we have with Canon.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

31

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

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

32

Enhancing the Digital

How Digital Inkjet Printing is Creatin Evolving brand owner demands combined with innovations in inkjet technology are expanding digital label printing opportunities.

Packaging is a print sector that is not easily disrupted by market forces, as its products play an essential and nonreplaceable role in many industries. It was one of the few print sectors not adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stay-at-home orders increased demand for consumer product goods (CPG), such as paper goods and beverages. The pandemic itself introduced new products for fighting the virus, including sanitizers, vaccines, and test kits — and all of these products require labels.

A Mordor Intelligence forecast expects the global print label market to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% from 2021 to 2026.

Labels were one of the first packaging applications to transition to digital printing, and inkjet promises to further that transition. Many print providers first enter packaging by offering labels before adding other applications.

Today, there are many inkjet options for printing labels, from tabletop devices to narrow webs to hybrid systems that add inkjet heads to analog printing presses.

Printing labels on inkjet devices offers print providers, converters, and product owners competitive cost structures, faster printing speeds, enhanced image quality, and the ability to print on a wide variety of substrates. In addition, inkjet mitigates a key barrier to digital printing: it can produce higher volumes than toner, bridging the gap between standard offset and electrophotographic run lengths.

Labels play many roles, including conveying critical product information, providing essential marketing support,

and enabling security measures to combat product counterfeiting and supply-chain diversion. Inkjet supports brand owner and regulatory label requirements on these fronts and many others because it can: • Print eye-catching designs with innovative technology and inks, enabling offset-quality output on a wide range of coated and uncoated substrates — while also resisting damage from light, moisture, and abrasion.

• Accommodate a wide variety of substrates. Because inkjet is a nonimpact printing technique, it can print on film and paper labels, pre-diecut and matrix-free rolls with high reliability.

• Provide better quality control. Labels are typically printed on narrow-web presses with widths from 5˝ to 15˝.

Some of the latest printing devices in this size range require fewer inkjet printheads to be “stitched” together to create a nozzle array that spans the width of the web. Fewer printheads mean better quality control.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

l Label Opportunity

ng New Possibilities • Deliver excellent print quality through substrate control and transport. As labels are typically printed roll to roll, web tension, weave, and flutter are well understood by manufacturers of continuous-feed printing devices.

Experience in web transport mechanics and properties is enabling single-pass inkjet printing to deliver high-quality output on narrow-web equipment.

• Offer production flexibility. Hybrid printing systems that combine different types of technology are offering advantages and benefits to label printers. Adding inkjet heads to flexographic presses increases production flexibility. Label converters can use their flexographic presses to produce longer-run jobs, while the hybrid option extends their capabilities to include customized labels, smaller lot sizes, and faster cycle times with minimal changeover costs.

• Economically meet demand for lower quantities.

• Add variable data elements such as expiration dates, tracking barcodes, local regulatory information, and serial numbers.

This special report, sponsored by Memjet, combines NAPCO Research survey data, industry reporting by Packaging Impressions, and secondary research to showcase how inkjet printing, brand owner demands, and market trends are converging in ways that elevate the quality of digital label printing, broaden its applications, and enrich the opportunities it holds.

THE DIGITAL LABEL PRINTING OPPORTUNITY Labels support brand owners in marketing, identifying, promoting, and transporting products. Labels also communicate information about a product’s origin, manufacturer, use, shelf life, hazard warnings, nutritional content, and disposal requirements.

By definition, a label is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item.

The two most basic types of labels are pressure sensitive and glue applied.

1. Pressure-sensitive labels are the most common type of label and are applied using only pressure, where no other process is required. The label is composed of face stock, adhesive, and a liner.

2. Glue-applied labels do not have an adhesive layer. Instead, cold or hot glue is used to apply the label to its container.

Many Varieties of Labels Nearly every product includes a label, and there are many varieties,

as described in Table 1. There are many opportunities for inkjet printing to support an organization’s label requirements.

Label Production Continues to Transition to Digital Printing Labels have long been printed on digital printing devices. According to the NAPCO Research report Digital Packaging Printing: The Time is Now!, a large majority of brand-owner survey respondents report their labels are produced on color digital presses (Figure 1). More than 80% produce prime labels and over 60% print nonprime labels on digital color presses.

Because of ongoing innovations in printing hardware, software, inks, toners, and substrates, producing labels on digital presses has become a more automated and less complicated process. These innovations have lowered and continue to lower

33

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

34 investment risk because they reduce technology complexity, workflow steps, and process variables.

Here is a brief summary of key technology advances offering opportunity for digital inkjet label printing: • Modular printheads versus fixed print bars enable flexibility in developing solutions for a wide range of applications and investment budgets.

The ability to stitch together multiple printhead modules enables equipment manufacturers to build simple but powerful entry-level inkjet presses as well as high-end production equipment with speed and quality that can be adapted for a broad range of substrates.

This means companies can enter packaging without having to make large investments in complex equipment.

• Water-based inks, printed with the highest-resolution printheads, offer high-quality precision output on a wide range of coated and uncoated substrates while also being resistant to damage from light, moisture, and abrasion. These inks also offer safety and sustainability advantages to providers serving the food and beverage markets — among the biggest users of labels and packaging — as product manufacturers must follow strict guidelines to ensure that product packaging protects human health.

• Inkjet is a less complicated printing process than other digital methods. While ink jetting is itself full of complexities in terms of ink formulation, jetting/spraying, droplet size, and adhesion, these complexities reside almost entirely in the inkjet heads and the ink and are typically resolved by the manufacturers of

these components. Toner devices, on the other hand, require multiple consumable parts and mechanisms to apply and fuse the toner to the substrate, leading to more expensive maintenance and higher intervention and down time. Inkjet typically reduces device maintenance and delivers faster print speeds with better uptime.

NAPCO Research’s study Lowering Entry Barriers in Digital Printing for Packaging, sponsored by Memjet, found that over half of printers/ converters print labels or tags on inkjet devices (Figure 2).

The survey also asked label printers to rank growth in demand for various customer requirements. The responses to this survey question highlight the reasons label production continues to migrate to digital printing. Respondents

report high growth in demand for shorter runs, ways to improve packaging results, and substrate availability (Figure 3). Digital printing accommodates many customer requirements that respondents reported are in high demand.

INKJET MEETING DEMANDING CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS Brand owner demands for shorter run lengths reflect trends toward more product varieties (increasing stockkeeping units) and on-demand ordering of labels versus ordering and storing larger volumes. Inkjet print technology ensures that label producers are able to meet customer requirements for shorter runs, personalization, quicker time to market, and more sophisticated graphics.

Improving Customer Engagement Digital printing is supporting the efforts of retailers, brand owners, marketers, and agencies to expand product versions and improve customer engagement.

Major brands such as Coca-Cola and Nutella are employing personalized labeling as part of larger marketing campaigns. On Coca-Cola’s website, consumers can order personalized labels for weddings and other events.

The rise in e-commerce has opened up new opportunities for suppliers of decorative labels and packaging to offer high-value, high-margin personalized labels and products to create a connection with the consumer.

Digital printing also supports increasing demand for smart packaging applications. QR codes, for instance, grew in popularity during the pandemic as a solution for touchless interactions.

QR codes continue to do what they do best — deliver an interactive experience and drive consumers to websites to obtain additional information, enter competitions, play games, or become part of social networks. As part of

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

35

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

36 technology suitable for chilled foods/ beverages and most moisture-exposed products.

• The Afinia Label DLP-2100 Mini Digital Label Press can print and finish in-line at up to 60 feet per minute.

The press is capable of laminating, diecutting, waste removal, slitting, and rewinding to finished rolls that are ready for application.

marketing campaigns, QR codes can be customized or uniquely variable, delivering a personalized experience to the consumer.

of the highest production rates (up to 150 ft/min (45.7 m/min) and lowest print costs in digital narrow web label printing.

According to a NAPCO Research survey, brand owners that influence labels report enhancing customer experiences to meet the expanding requirements of e-commerce retailers (Figure 4). Leveraging smart packaging technologies and expanding brand security features in their labels are also high priorities for their organizations.

• The Coaso iCueLabel 420 is a Memjet DuraFlex-powered roll-to-roll label printer producing high-quality labels — including food packaging safe and high-security labels — in a fast, affordable way.

Meeting Food Safety Requirements Users of labels are diverse, but a big share comes from the food and beverage industry. In this market, quality — the packaging can be as important as the product itself — and food safety are critical factors.

Labels used by food and beverage manufacturers must be safe for food contact and adhere to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. According to a NAPCO Research/ Memjet survey, 43% of package printer/converter respondents that serve the food and beverage market report that complying with packaging safety requirements is a critical/moderate challenge.

Printing labels with water-based, lowmigration inkjet solutions minimizes the impact on food and human health.

Several inkjet label presses, in various formats, offer 1600 dpi print quality with specially formulated aqueous inks suited to food packaging applications.

Here is a sampling: • Arrow Systems’ ArrowJet Aqua 330R is a high-speed, aqueous pigment inkjet roll-to-roll print solution using Memjet DuraFlex® technology to deliver some

• AstroNova’s QuickLabel QL-850 is a high-performance, wide-format label printer featuring NaturaTM inks for food packaging and Memjet VersaPass® technology.

• AstroNova’s T2-C is a highcapacity, high-volume tabletop label press capable of delivering precision over long runs on pre-diecut labels, eliminating the need for a secondary finishing process.

• The VIPColor VP650 is a desktop color label printer that features Memjet’s enhanced water- resistant ink

Delivering Sustainability Advantages Brand owner demands for sustainable packaging influence designs, substrates, printing processes, and provider selections. According to NAPCO Research’s study Adding Value to Digital Printing, sustainable packaging is a top priority for brand owners and a key factor for 58% when selecting printers and convertors. Product packaging is a highly visible way to demonstrate commitment to sustainability Digital printing is often considered more sustainable than other printing processes since it eliminates the use of printing plates and press chemistry.

It also reduces make-ready waste, as presses can print salable products almost immediately.

Printing labels on inkjet presses can eliminate waste created from product obsolescence, as brand owners can print only what is needed versus storing extensive inventories of labels that can become out of date. In addition, continually changing labeling guidelines and regulations often result in frequent

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

37 design and text changes, which make labels better suited to short-run production.

Water-based inks inherently contain less harmful chemicals, making them safer for the environment and the people handling them—and adding to better work environments and cleaner waste streams. This could potentially cut a print providers’ environmental costs (permits and disposal fees) when compared to other print technologies.

Thwarting Product Counterfeiting and Diversion Brand theft is a chronic challenge for many organizations. Technology has made it possible to more easily duplicate product packaging. In addition, product knock-offs have expanded from luxury goods to almost all products. Another important area of brand protection is gray-market goods, where legal products are sold outside the normal distribution channel. This is also referred to as product diversion, as products are sold in unauthorized places.

Digital printing devices offer brand owners a strong solution to authenticate products. The ability to print variable images and text is a key weapon in brand protection. Digital presses allow brand owners to print a unique number, image, or code for tracking or authentication purposes on individual packages and labels. In addition, some digital printing devices can print special visible or invisible inks.

BENEFITS OF PRINTING LABELS ON INKJET DEVICES According to the Smithers' report The Future of Inkjet Printing to 2025, labels is a top market driving growth in inkjet printing. The report outlines these drivers and trends as the reasons for inkjet’s growth: • The need for flexibility and agility to respond to customer requirements • The benefit of digital capability to only print what is needed • As a form of non-impact printing, the ability to print on a wider variety of substrates • The growth of e-commerce • The ability to provide a sustainable alternative to analog printing, because of less waste, chemicals, and materials during the printing process — especially for water-based ink technologies Inkjet printing extends the positive features and benefits delivered by digital printing. Citing benefits of the use of inkjet devices in printing labels, the majority of respondents to the NAPCO Research survey Lowering Entry Barriers in Digital Packaging Printing point to the ability to print variable images and data, high quality, and ease of use. Additional top benefits are low capital costs, having a small footprint, having lower costs of ownership compared to other technologies, and the ability to accommodate an increase in the number of SKUs (Figure 5).

Digital inkjet offers converters and print service providers the opportunity to meet brands’ expectations for highquality graphics with variable imaging and data, while offering a lower cost of ownership than competing digital print technologies.

Another important benefit for survey respondents is the faster print speed of inkjet (47%) compared to other digital print technologies. In addition, 45% of respondents appreciate inkjet’s low capital cost, reflecting innovations in printheads that are allowing more entry-level and lower-cost devices to enter the market.

Respondents that print labels on inkjet printing devices report their top two challenges are matching output with conventional and toner devices (51%) and substrate limitations (40%).

Optimizing color across printing devices and processes is a challenge in nearly all industry segments, because as print providers embrace new technologies, color management practices often lag. As more labels are produced with mixed printing technologies, providers will focus resources on improving internal color management practices.

Reasons for Not Printing Labels on Inkjet Devices The top reasons respondents don’t print labels via inkjet are that they don’t see the return on investment on the technology, prefer printing labels on toner devices, believe the start-up costs are too high, and don’t believe the color produced by inkjet devices meets their requirements. Interestingly, there wasn’t a standout reason for not using inkjet for printing labels, and the top response (don’t see the ROI) represented only 29% of respondents that don’t print labels on inkjet devices.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

38

Megadeal for Heidelberg –eleven hightech Speedmaster XL 106 presses • Total of 61 latest-generation printing units for greater productivity with Push-to-Stop technology • Print Site Contract for consumables supply • Allaoui Graphic Machinery taking all previous presses Heidelberg is experiencing steady investment growth in key market segments and regions. The company recently achieved a major sales success in the publishing sector, which constitutes one of the largest cultural industries in Europe with an estimated total market value of 36-38 billion euros.

With over 500,000 works published each year, Europe’s book industry is also exceptionally diverse and has performed amazingly well in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. This positive trend is bringing about a more favorable investment climate in publishing print shops.

It was against this backdrop that one of Europes leading publishing and book printer Wilco located in the Netherlands decided to replace the majority of its printing presses with a total of eleven

2020-generation Speedmaster XL 106 presses from Heidelberg as part of its site consolidation plans and the associated construction work for a new production center in Amersfoort.

These offset printing systems featuring

the enhanced Push to Stop technology have various configurations, including four models just for the Speedmaster XL 106 8P, some with LED UV technology.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

39

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

40

Total of 61 latest-generation printing units featuring Push to Stop technology Just last year, Heidelberg installed 18 new XL 106 printing units at the Wilco site in Amersfoort. After ordering another eight Speedmaster XL 106 presses with a total of 43 more printing units, Wilco has now become one of the biggest users of the latest Speedmaster XL 106 generation.

Wilco has concluded an additional Print Site Contract for the continuous supply of consumables, which ensures materials required for smooth operation, including ink, are delivered as and when required based on actual consumption.

“If, like us at Wilco, a company wants to be able to supply a whole range of products – from books, annual reports, and magazines all the way to direct marketing materials and flyers – in the shortest possible time, in the best quality, and on a sustainably competitive basis, it needs a motivated team, maximum efficiency, and stateof-the-art technologies,” says Robert Jan de Rooij, founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Wilco.

“When it comes to cutting-edge technology, the portfolio and services offered by Heidelberg completely won us over. We see our investment decision as a groundbreaking move for boosting

productivity and tightening our focus on the customer.”

Allaoui Graphic Machinery as a strategic Partner for Heidelberg Construction work in Amersfoort is due to be completed this September, by which point all the presses will have been installed at the new Wilco site. Wilco is thus replacing eleven existing presses – all of which have been bought by the Aachen-based family-run company Allaoui Graphic Machinery GmbH (AGM).

Owing to its data-based market intelligence and innovative machinematching expertise, AGM is a strategic and reliable partner for Heidelberg and its approach goes hand in hand with the data-driven, customer-focused sales approaches at Heidelberg.

“We are seeing investments steadily rise in markets and regions that are important for us. The Smart Print Shop of the future offers our customers the opportunity to reposition themselves and invest, even in challenging times,” says Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer. “This deal is one of the biggest combined equipment sales in our company’s history. Our sales and service organization and our product management team have worked closely and very professionally with Allaoui Graphic Machinery GmbH on this project.”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

41

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

42

Installation of first Landa S10P in Germany

Landa Digital Printing announces that a Landa S10P Nanographic Printing® Press has successfully been installed at commercial printer BluePrint AG in Germany.

The B1, double sided Landa press will enable BluePrint AG to address customer demands for large format commercial jobs with higher levels of customization, but at short-medium run lengths. The new Landa press will also enable BluePrint AG to increase internal efficiencies unlocking valuable cost savings, while further enabling it to target new business growth of up to 30%.

The new Landa S10P is located at BluePrint AG’s expanded facilities in Munich, serving European customers across the German speaking countries.

According to business owner, Gerhard Meier, the technology will allow the company to increase productivity and reduce time to market. Utilizing the Landa S10P’s seven colors and ultrawide color gamut, BluePrint AG will be able to service even the most complex customer requests for ultra-realistic photographic images, with high levels of personalization. Furthermore, by moving work to the Landa S10P, BluePrint AG expects to reduce its carbon emissions by up to 35%.

Gerhard Meier, CEO, BluePrint AG, comments, “We have a large customer base at BluePrint AG, including prestigious multinationals such as Porsche and BMW, as well as pharmaceuticals including Novartis.

As a result, it is our ongoing priority to deliver only the highest quality jobs to customers. To achieve that, we invest

in the latest, often game-changing, technology to provide fast, flexible, and sustainable solutions at competitive prices. The Landa S10P fits that bill perfectly, and it’s already opening- up new business opportunities.”

With a portfolio mix of traditional offset presses and smaller format digital capabilities, BluePrint AG plans to transition existing medium-run jobs onto its new Landa S10P. Typical applications include catalogs, displays, invitations, posters, magazines, and direct-mail.

“In terms of its B1 format (1050mm x 750mm) and ability to print on a wide range of substrates, the versatility of the Landa S10P allows us to use it across almost all of our business. This enables us to improve productivity by moving work from our offset and digital presses that are a better fit for Nanography®, especially for shortmedium run length work,” continues Gerhard Meier.

“For many of our pharmaceutical clients, jobs are also required in multi-

language versions – needing a level of personalization that’s difficult to produce cost efficiently for shortmedium runs on other technology. In addition, the Landa S10P’s seven colors and ultra-wide color gamut provides unparalleled results in terms of color definition and print quality.”

Established 25 years ago, BluePrint AG today employs 160 people, serving mainly the German, Swiss and Austrian markets. With a particular focus on offering sustainable solutions, the company is excited about the opportunity that the S10P represents.

“The Landa S10P fits perfectly into our ethos of delivering high quality products, while also being sustainability conscious,” concludes Gerhard Meier.

“When compared to offset processes, the ability of the S10P to reduce our carbon emissions by up to 35% is also a huge win. Nanography is a unique technology that we needed in our portfolio, and it’s not only a big selling point for us, but also for our customers in meeting their corporate social responsibility programs.”

Manuel Schrutt, General Manager EMEA at Landa Digital Printing, comments, “We’re proud to see our first perfecting press in Germany installed at BluePrint AG – they are a great fit for the technology. We are genuinely excited to see how they utilize the Landa S10P to meet customer demand, while exploring its wider capabilities to expand its business offering.”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

43

www.cgs-oris.com

Quality improvement Environmental resistance Faster drying Eco friendly

Ink Saving is so much more than just reducing costs: It helps optimizing the entire production process. How?

Learn more

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

44

Unique size enables double imposition with minimum paper waste Ningxia Jinshiji Packaging & Printing Co., Ltd. was founded in 1998 and has been engaged in the package printing industry for 23 years.

The company is a comprehensive package printer integrating product development with design, production and manufacturing.

The main product is paper packaging, and the main business categories include fine packaging of Chinese Baijiu (white liquor), and cardboard cartons and colored boxes for daily consumables such as food and milk.

Ningxia Jinshiji General Manager Wu Bin says, "Jinshiji is committed to being the premier packaging print provider in western China. Yili, Daliyuan, Qingdao Beer, Snowbeer and other

Wu Bin, General Manager

famous domestic brands are our main customers. 'Offering customers highquality printing' is our motto, and these well-known brands have very exacting print quality requirements."

our first Komori press, a four-color Lithrone S40. In more than 10 years of use, we have become very confident of the quality, stability and operability of Komori presses."

The pursuit of high print quality Print quality is crucial to the value of packaging products, and a high-end press is a fundamental guarantee of stable production and cost-efficient performance. "In 2005, we introduced

The pressure of competition in the packaging industry has only intensified in recent years, so the application of offset printing in packaging must develop in the direction of larger formats. Only in this way can efficiency be improved and costs reduced.

In 2019, Jinshiji established Gansu Jinshitai Packaging & Printing Co., Ltd. in Wuwei City, Gansu Province, and the new plant implemented an eco-friendly smart factory. Wu Bin says, "In the new factory, we are introducing more smart equipment. The Lithrone G44 is the first offset press we've installed here.

Ever since it was put into production, it has exceeded all of our goals, such as cost-performance and quality. As the scale of our operations in the market continues to expand, we believe that our cooperation with Komori will grow even deeper."

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

Just like you.

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

Direct. Dedicated. Digital.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

46

Lithrone G44's 840 x 1,150 mm maximum sheet size just right for double-imposition jobs Wu Bin says: "The reason we introduced two Lithrone G44 presses at one time is that the printing area is just right for milk cartons. Our previous 40inch press could only handle a single imposition, but the 44-inch Komori press can accommodate two, which nearly doubles overall productivity from printing to postpress. The use of plates is very economical, and the press's power consumption is the lowest of its type. All these make the enterprise more competitive in the market in terms of cost and efficiency."

Wu Bo, plant manager of Gansu Jinshitai, says, "The press is the core production machine for packaging printers, so we are very careful in the purchase of equipment. For this reason, we chose the Lithrone G44 press after taking into consideration and carefully analyzing the characteristics of the entire industry that we serve and our own product structure."

"At the beginning, our company used presses with a maximum sheet length of 1,060 mm, and all milk cartons were printed with a single imposition.

Customers came under pressure each year to reduce costs and boost efficiency, so it was necessary for the printing industry to change from conventional single-imposition to double-imposition presses, and our existing equipment was not able to meet our requirements.

For printers, there were only two options: one was to choose a largeformat 1,450 mm press to perform double-imposition printing.

The other was to install the 44-inch Lithrone G44. Our existing products were concentrated mainly in the 800 x 1,000 mm format. The Lithrone G44 press, with its 840 x 1,150 mm maximum sheet size, was a perfect fit for the size requirements of our double-imposition carton printing."

Lithrone G44: economic benefits very substantial Wu Bo used the actual output of one of his products to illustrate the huge changes in production efficiency brought about by the Lithrone G44: "Take the carton for 16 packs of 250 ml mini drinks as an example. The press can print this product with three impositions due to the 840 x 1,150 mm maximum sheet size. In the past, when other models were used for double-

imposition printing, we output 90,000 sheets that produced 180,000 cartons.

Now with three-imposition printing, the 90,000 sheets produce 270,000 cartons. Productivity has been instantly increased by 50 percent. In addition, paper waste has also been reduced by 50 percent due to smaller margins, making the economic benefits quite substantial!"

"In addition," Wu Bo also pointed out, "it has been in operation for more than six months, and my sense is that the Lithrone G44 is very simple to operate and easy to manage.

Automatic functions such as automatic cleaning, automatic plate changing, and automatic color changing greatly reduce the operator workload and makeready time. Compared with previous presses we've used, the Komori ink train is more clear-cut, the dots are sharper, and the print quality is great!"

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

47

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

48

Customer Service Specialists Provide Expertise Strong partnership with valued customers provides 20% productivity increase, 40% makeready reduction, and personnel optimization - Dedicated Customer Service Specialists (CSS) underscore their commitment to delivering excellence for complete press life cycle - This program highlights the company's core guarantee to holistic ongoing customer-centric support - CSS team along with online customer communication portal and proactive services ensures that customers exceed their production goals When one of Koenig & Bauer’s largest packaging firms called upon its Customer Service Specialists to visit its facility, the customer was successfully operating its high-performance Rapida 145 large format press but was seeking to better contend with its rapid expansion and growing production demand. After working one-on-one with the firm’s production and press crews, John D. Starratt Jr., a Regional Customer Service Specialist, was able to help the firm increase its production by 20%, reduce makeready by 40%, and provide outstanding overall improvements in press speed, downtime, and quality.

“Koenig & Bauer has an excellent reputation for its superior press

John D. Starratt Jr., a Regional Customer Service Specialist, is a member of the Koenig & Bauer CSS team that offers its expertise to customers

WWW.MPS4U.COM

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

49

OPERATOR FOCUSED, RESULTS DRIVEN EFS The automated multi-substrate press

AT MPS, we put the needs of our clients first.

HIGHLY AUTOMATED

EF SYMJET The hybrid printing solution

Our focus is on you, your operators and your results.

We are driven, driven to improve your results.

We design our presses to enhance the talents of your operators.

DIGITAL

EXL-PACKAGING The mid web packaging press

MID-WEB

MPS Systems Asia Sdn Bhd Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia info-asia@mps4u.com www.mps4u.com

MPS019-ADV-EB_EF SYMJET_ASIA_206x271.indd 1

31-07-19 14:44

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

50 technology,” says Michael Eichler, Koenig & Bauer Sales Director Service Select. “To ensure that the press is running up to its full capacity and potential, our CSS team of highlyskilled multifunctional experts is called upon to directly support our customer base, lend critical support, and deliver unique solutions with the utmost ease and responsiveness.”

In the case of this leading packaging firm, Starratt made both monthly and quarterly visits to the facility. His goal was to increase press performance, reduce makeready, refresh the press crews with training, and offer targeted analysis, advice, and recommendations to implement new standards and best practices.

“My initial review was that the press crew needed to improve their standard procedures to operate the press and we needed to retrain for better utilization of the press,” says Starratt. “Within a short amount of time, all of the

File photo

numbers greatly improved. The press was displaying exceptional run speeds and increased throughput.”

By working with the press crew, Starratt was able to improve processes and provide guidance on how targeted training can stabilize and further improve the efficiency of Koenig & Bauer’s equipment. By standardizing the press process, he gave each press operator a particular responsibility.

This, in turn, turned the pressroom into a more structured and organized operation.

“We immediately saw a huge improvement and major benefits within the pressroom,” says Starratt.

“After only a few visits, the procedures we put in place dramatically decreased makeready times.

We could see opportunities to increase their production and we showed them what the press was capable of if it is operated optimizing all the inherent simultaneous processes to ensure the

highest productivity.”

Due to the noticeable productivity gains, extraordinary benefits, and return on investment (ROI) derived from Starratt’s work, the customer has asked for additional CSS assistance at its other facilities in which Koenig & Bauer presses are in use.

“Employing our team’s proactive advisory role, we’re able to make recommendations to the customer and point out particular issues,” says Eichler. “This approach allows us to offer personalized support and builds a strong and loyal partnership with our customers. They appreciate the expert insight and holistic services that include their entire facility including prepress, press, and post-press. Our dedicated support structure is a hallmark of the Koenig & Bauer commitment to its customers.”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

51

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

52

People MOST forget the p online accounts With many of us now carrying out a multitude of tasks/activities online, one of the biggest problems we consistently experience is correctly remembering the password for our respective online accounts/applications such as email and social media.

Interested in password management, Reboot Online Marketing utilised online analytics tool Ahrefs to establish which online accounts/applications people most forget the password for.

Reboot Online Marketing found that Gmail (i.e., Google Mail) is the online account/application people most forget the password for with an astonishing average of 454,100 global online searches per month for ‘forgot Gmail password’ – the equivalent of 14,648 online searches a day!

In second position is Apple ID with 308,250 global online searches each month for ‘forgot Apple ID’.

Instagram is in third place as there is an average of 118,000 global online searches every month from those struggling to remember their password (‘forgot Instagram password’) for the popular photo and video sharing networking service.

In fourth spot is Windows 10, which has an average 86,300 global monthly online searches from users unable to correctly recall their password (‘forgot Windows 10 password’) for the Microsoft developed operating system.

Facebook (‘forgot Facebook password’ – 78,500) and Steam (‘forgot Steam password’ – 70,440) are among the

other online accounts/applications which receive more than 70,000 global online searches from those who have forgot their password for the respective social media platform and digital video game provider, respectively ranking fifth and sixth.

At the other end in 10th position is Amazon, as there are an average 32,900 global online searches a month for ‘forgot Amazon password’ from consumers who cannot adequately remember their password for the e-commerce giant.

Reboot Online Marketing’s Top Tips to Create Strong and Memorable Passwords 1) Think of memorable sentences/ song lyrics We are more likely to remember something that has some personal value to us and often some sentences/ song lyrics we have a strong sentiment towards. So, with that in mind, take the first letter of every word in a sentence or song lyric that is very memorable to you and add a few numbers and/ or special characters to the end of it to create a password that is complex yet unique to you.

2)Utilise your keyboard for inspiration Use your imagination to create

meaningful patterns across your keyboard to enable you to come up with a robust password. Try to make it a geometrical shape and make sure to include letters alongside numbers when

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

password for THESE

envisioning your geometrical shape on the keyboard.

companies being the most searched online under each of the three key terms/phrases.

3) Consider a reputable password manager With so many well-developed password managers now available, why not take the hassle of having to remember the login credentials of each of your online accounts/applications and entrust them to a password manager.

Password managers store your login information for all your online accounts/applications in one place and help you log into them automatically.

They encrypt your password database with a secure master password (the only password you will have to remember).

4) For instance: there are an average 80,800 global monthly online searches for ‘forgot Gmail password’, there are an average 335,500 global monthly online searches for ‘change Gmail password’ and there are an average 37,800 global monthly online searches for ‘reset Gmail password’ – to get an overall overview the three figures were added together so show the average global online searches for people forgetting their Gmail password each month.

Methodology for the Research 1) Reboot Online Marketing analysed online data from analytics tool Ahrefs to discover which online accounts/ applications internet users most forget the password for.

5) The process from stage four was repeated for all the other popular online account/application brands/ companies that kept recurring for each of the three key online search terms/ phrases – they included the likes of Apple ID, Facebook, Discord and many more.

2) To do so, Reboot Online Marketing identified three key online search terms/phrases internet users most use when they cannot remember a password for a certain online account/ application – they are ‘forgot password’, ‘change password’ and ‘reset password’ .

3) Thereafter, each of the three key online search terms/phrases were inserted into the Ahrefs database, which in turn presented the specific online account/application brands/

6) Once the search volumes for each of the three key terms/phrases were added together for each specific online account/application brand/company – they were ranked from highest to lowest based on the variable ‘average global monthly online searches for forgot password’ and then the online account/ application brands/companies where this was most the case were presented in the final results table as the top 10.

7) Reboot Online Marketing did take into account the variations in which people search for the same thing online but in different ways e.g. ‘Gmail’ and ‘Google Mail’ also ‘PSN’ and ‘PlayStation Network’.

8) All results were correct at the time of analysis and are subject to change based on fluctuations in global online searches.

9) NOTE: When analysing the data, each of the three key online search terms/phrases related to forgetting passwords were assessed in English as well as each country’s respective primary language (where applicable) to increase the reliability of results. https://www.rebootonline.com/

53

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

54 recent months we have exhausted all possibilities to avoid an imminent price increase. We want to grow together with our customers and continue to be a reliable partner to them in a changing market environment. The moderate price increase that is now necessary will allow us to further expand our innovation leadership and is therefore also an investment in the future."

Amcor invests in ePac Flexible Packaging Global packaging company, Amcor, announced its strategic investment in ePac Flexible Packaging. The investment will range between approximately US $10 to $15 million, including a minority ownership interest in ePac Holdings LLC and funding for one or more ePac sites. ePac specialises in short run digital printing and currently has an all-HP Indigo fleet. In 2020, it expanded into Asia Pacific with two new bases in Singapore and Indonesia. ePac is focused on servicing the needs of small and medium sized consumer goods customers and generates global annual revenues of approximately US $100 million.

"We are incredibly proud of Amcor's innovation and R&D capabilities but with our scale and global footprint we are also uniquely positioned to supplement our internal efforts with investments in complementary technologies and business models.

Our investment in ePac is the first corporate venture-type investment for Amcor and provides a great opportunity to learn from a high growth start-up,” said Amcor's CEO Ron Delia.

Amcor's Executive Vice President, Ian Wilson added: "ePac is a truly entrepreneurial technology driven company and has proven its ability to rapidly scale up a flexible packaging business, doubling revenues each year since its formation in 2016.

This is an exciting opportunity for both companies to benefit from the combination of innovative technologies and business models and the deep expertise of the industry

leader. We look forward to working with the ePac team and exploring opportunities to further extend this partnership in the future.”

Sharp rise in raw material costs leads to price adjustments at Heidelberg In order to cushion the disproportionately sharp rise in material, logistics, and other procurement costs, Heidelberg will be moderately increasing the prices for its equipment business with immediate effect. This adjustment is being made in an economic environment of rising demand and costs for raw materials and is a necessary step in order to continue offering customers innovative solutions and first-class service.

"The current price development of raw materials shows an unprecedented upward momentum," said Rainer Hundsdörfer, CEO of the company.

"Primarily due to the high demand from China as well as the global megatopic of electromobility, procurement costs have risen significantly in the short term. In

The focus is on the customer with his requirements to optimally develop and utilize his business potential through state-of-the-art technologies, innovative solutions and with new business models. With a view to the decisive factors, such as process optimization and intelligent, operatorindependent productivity, Heidelberg offers the smart print shop.

To this end, all Speedmaster models in small, medium, and large formats are equipped with the new Push to Stop functions and a cloud connection as standard. This means that all customer groups can enjoy the steadily growing range of cloud-based software solutions and also benefit from future developments.

Interesting innovations in the field of intelligent assistance systems and AI impressively demonstrate what is already possible today and where developments will go in the coming years.

Customers will be contacted directly by the Heidelberg sales team.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

55

Learn more

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

www.cgs-oris.com

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

56 Miraclon launches KODAK TIFF Assembler Plus (TAP) Flexo Edition Version 5.0 Miraclon announces the launch of the new KODAK TIFF Assembler Plus (TAP) Flexo Edition Version 5.0 software, further enabling KODAK FLEXCEL NX System users to simplify their operations and ensure continuous production.

TAP 5.0, available in 11 languages – including Chinese and Japanese, has specifically been designed to allow more configurations and robust usage, and supports the latest operating systems that includes Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, as well as macOS Big Sur (11.2) and macOS Catalina (10.15). New cutting table enhancements boost the quality, speed, and reliability of the process across a wide range of cutting tables, while its Invert Trim Waste feature, which automatically inverts the nonimaged areas of the plate, will reduce plate processing costs through fewer photopolymer wash outs, less chance of re-deposits, and lower solvent spend.

Building on its already strong reliability, TAP 5.0 also features improvements to customers’ connected support experience, enabling a more accurate scheduling of preventative maintenance and

effective on-site and remote support or training. Meanwhile, back-ups of TAP 5.0 will now occur automatically in the background to minimize disruption if any problem arises.

Joerg Kullwitz, Commercial Director for Miraclon’s Asia Pacific Region, comments: “Our R&D Team with their rich heritage in innovation are continuously looking at ways that will enable customers to streamline their daily operations. Tap 5.0 will enhance the efficiency, reliability and ease of use of our KODAK FLEXCEL NX Solutions to allow our customers to concentrate on the effective management and growth of their businesses.”

Tap 5.0 is available to current FLEXCEL Solutions customers to download, at no cost, immediately.

KODAK FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution moves to its new home at the W&H Technology Center Renovations at the Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H) Technology Center in Lengerich, Germany, have been completed, and included moving their in-house prepress technology – a KODAK FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution from Miraclon – to a brandnew plate room for quicker and easier accessibility. Providing a fast and solvent-free and VOC-free option to

predictable, consistent and top-quality flexographic plates, the FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution is used at W&H for a broad range of applications, including platemaking for press demonstrations and printing tests, as well as customer events.

“We really value our partnership with the team at W&H, who shares a similar vision about where the flexo industry is moving to”, says Grant Blewett, Chief Commercial Officer at Miraclon. “Since the equipment has been installed in 2019, it has worked virtually uninterrupted for demonstrations and application development tests.

We look forward to seeing more customers face-to-face again in the near future to showcase the capabilities of FLEXCEL NX Solutions on W&H’s state-of-the-art flexo presses.”

Ulrich Harte, W&H Product Management, adds: “Our 10,000 square-meter Technology Center is the largest of its kind anywhere in the world and it’s equipped with cutting-edge technologies. We can demonstrate the entire packaging printing value chain including prepress here in one place to existing and potential customers in a live atmosphere that is closely aligned to practical needs.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

57

The Future of Flexo Plate Making

+

Improve plate print quality and consistency

+

Reduce handling errors

+

Lower total cost of ownership

+

Higher productivity

www.xsysglobal.com

info@xsysglobal.com

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

58 The availability of innovative technologies like Miraclon’s FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution is crucial to our ability to present high quality flexo packaging printing as an efficient end-to-end process.”

New Beam 2 For Folding Carton Installed At Van Nuys Site≠ Following the successful installation of a Highcon® Euclid IIIC digital cutting and creasing machine at their Brook Park, OH site at the end of 2019, Digital Room has now increased production with a newly installed Beam 2 machine at their site in Van Nuys CA. For over 25 years, Digital Room has been a trusted leader in online printing. As an industry innovator, they offer a vast range of print and packaging products for dozens of branded online sites. By leveraging the latest manufacturing and e-commerce technologies Digital Room can provide high value products in whatever quantity their customers need in a delivery turnaround time as short as 24 hours.

According to Chase Cairncross, COO, Digital Room: “With the constant increase in e-commerce, customers want to be able to decide the shape, size, color and quantity of the items they need – they do not want to be limited to what they are told they can have. By using digital finishing technology, we eliminate the need for physical dies, we dramatically shorten the cycle time from order to delivery and we offer our customers unlimited design creativity, all benefits that are extremely challenging or practically impossible using conventional finishing equipment. That is how

we started using the Highcon Euclid IIIC machine for corrugated. As our business grew, we realized the potential of extending the digital finishing revolution would allow us to expand the range of products for other categories we are able to offer our customers.”

event “FUJIFILM Virtual Exhibition 2021” from June 24th to July 9th. The new products will include a new print on demand system renewed under the Fujifilm brand, a new digital press in the packaging segment where high market growth is expected, and a new line up of wide format inkjet printers.

Cairncross added, “the experience we had with the Highcon team was outstanding. We were up and running, delivering customer jobs within 4 days of the equipment arriving at our facility. In less than four months we are already operating three shifts per day. Highcon’s consultative approach is making a significant difference in our ability to maximize the value of their digital finishing technology and accelerate our return on investment while increasing our customer satisfaction”.

The event will also feature a range of seminars from independent graphics industry experts covering a wide range of subjects, with the focus during the exhibition period on creating new value, with various topics covered including updates on industry trends and tips for overcoming the COVID-19 disaster.

Mike Ciaramella, VP Sales & GM Highcon Americas added:” Digital Room has built their business around the concept of offering customers creative products combined with ultra-fast delivery, while ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction.

Today’s consumers require the flexibility, customization, and variety that Highcon systems deliver. We are proud of the confidence Digital Room has in our technology and are committed to helping them grow and succeed.”

FUJIFILM and FUJIFILM Business Innovation jointly open virtual event “FUJIFILM Virtual Exhibition 2021” FUJIFILM and Fujifilm Business Innovation hereby announce that the graphic communication division of the two companies will hold an online

Overview of FUJIFILM Virtual Exhibition 2021 1) Concept Under the title of “BELIEVING IN PRINT”, Fujifilm’s “Virtual Exhibition 2021” will open as a place for printers to experience multiple solutions all designed to help create new value. Fujifilm will exhibit the latest solutions across a broad range of sectors such as commercial, package and sign & display printing in a 3D space built to reflect a “printing factory of the near future”. On show will be a variety of high quality videos of webinars and demonstrations that support the formation of growth strategies for developing new business and process reforms aimed at further efficiency.

2) Registration Registration is required to enter the Virtual Exhibition, which can be carried out at https://believinginprint. fujifilm.com/eu/en/ 4) Webinar Fujifilm will offer eight sessions by

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

59 3.“Future of Digital Labels and Flexible Packaging” (25/6 16:00@CET, LIVE Sean Smyth Printing &Packaging Technologist, Smithers analyst &consultant, SMITHERS

experts from a wide range of fields in the industry which can be used to develop ideas about new printing possibilities, such as developing new businesses and growth strategies, and ideas that lead to process reforms for further efficiency.

1. Keynote Session “The Graphic Arts Industry and the New Fujifilm” (24/6 14:30@CET, LIVE Jim Hamilton Industry Analyst, Keypoint Intelligence Hiroaki Shimosaka General manager of Graphic Systems Business Division, Fujifilm Corporation 2.“Technology driving change for variable data on direct mail and transaction print” (25/6, on demand) Ryan McAbee Director Production Workflow Consulting Service, Keypoint Intelligence

4. “Technology driving change for variable data on direct mail and transaction print” (25/6, on demand) Greg Balch Vice President and General manager in charge of FUJIFILM Integrated Inkjet Solutions Shane Tansey Business Development Manager for FUJIFILM Integrated Inkjet Solutions Ankur Mour Mechanical Engineer III for FUJIFILM Integrated Inkjet Solutions 5. “Digital Printing Value & How to Sell it” (28/6, on demand) German Sacristan Director Production Print & Media Group, Keypoint Intelligence 6. “Challenges and opportunities for commercial printers post-COVID” (28/6 16:00@CET, LIVE Marco Boer Vice President, IT Strategies 7. “The State of Wide Format Printing 2021 – Roadmap to Recovery” (29/6, on demand) Eric Zimmerman Director of Wide Format Printing, Keypoint Intelligence 8. “A digital imprinting strategy for packaging” Greg Balch Vice President and General manager in charge of FUJIFILM Integrated Inkjet Solutions Shane Tansey Business Development Manager for FUJIFILM Integrated Inkjet Solutions

Jamie Walsh North American Sales Manager for FUJIFILM Integrated Inkjet Solutions Revolutionary technology to unlock a profitable and sustainable label future ACTEGA, manufacturer of specialty coatings, inks, adhesives and sealing compounds for the print and packaging industry, today officially launches Signite™ – a revolutionary, ACTEGA patented, premium quality decorating solution, designed to significantly reduce, and one day eliminate, waste in label production.

Depending on the decoration design, the technology can currently reduce label waste by over 50% compared to a similar footprint pressure sensitive label by elimination the label matrix, reducing the decoration thickness to about a third of that of a typical clear pressure sensitive label and eliminating label media plastic in non-print areas.

Furthermore, with Signite decorations comprising substantially less material mass than alternative modalities such as pressure sensitive labeling and shrink sleeves, this novel alternative is much more accommodating to current recycling processes and the expanding brand led container re-use programs beginning to dominate single-use glass packaging throughout the world.

The ground-breaking Signite decorations represent a true alternative to “no-label look” labels, bringing the look and feel of direct to container screen or digital printing with the efficiency of pressure sensitive labeling.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

60 With several beta customers already in operation working with glass containers, and additional versions of the technology targeted for rigid PET containers and aluminum beverage cans anticipated over the next few months, we expect the demand for this solution to accelerate its success and rollout across the industry.” says Carignano.

Today, the decorations are produced using slightly reconfigured narrow web flexo or hybrid digital printing processes running at standard narrow web printing speeds. Small to mid-sized brands have the potential to utilize these new or modified variations of their printing assets immediately, therefore allowing for relatively seamless scaling of their decoration production as the Signite technology continues to commercialize.

Transfer of the Signite decorations to containers requires designed-for-purpose variations of pressure sensitive labeling equipment. The first Signite in-line applicators launched into the market address rigid cylindrical containers at lower throughput speeds.

Subsequent system designs, that are in different stages of prototype development, will address aluminum and asymmetrical containers along with thin-walled container types requiring inflation for decoration transfer.

High speed Signite applicator machines and corresponding decoration media are planned as an inherent part of the technology roadmap and are anticipated to move into prototyping in 2022.

“Brands are taking a leadership position on sustainable packaging solutions, with ambitious waste reduction goals and a drive to increase the efficiency and scale of container recyclability,” explains Anthony Carignano, Technical Director Marketing – Sig-

nite, ACTEGA. “At the same time, these companies are seeking ways to unlock new high-quality label aesthetics and tactile experiences for premium products.

Thorsten Kröller, President Division ACTEGA, concludes, “This is an exciting time for ACTEGA and the industry in general. We are developing and bringing to market a solution that helps brand owners achieve their sustainability targets as well as achieve unique aesthetics for premium labeling. Although it is still in its infancy, Signite represents a huge milestone for the industry and on ACTEGA’s sustainability roadmap.”

“Signite offers these brands the best possible chance to meet all of these objectives. The solution is truly gamechanging with no other technology delivering plastic waste reduction on this scale. Plus, as the solution advances and becomes compatible with other production processes, such as digital inkjet, the impact on the industry and ultimately, the environment, will only become more significant.”

Signite promises to be a pioneering solution for numerous market sectors and aims in the future to support the high-volume production required by high-profile brands. Today, the solution is ideal for small volume contract decorators and specialty brand owners looking for a substantial differentiator that strengthens their competitive edge.

“In this first phase of the technology’s launch, we have a strong and clear focus on advancing this solution for the glass packaging sector. The end customers initially benefitting from this solution will therefore include producers of craft distilled spirits, micro- or mid-sized winery products, specialty food and non-alcoholic beverages, natural and nutraceutical pharma products, and home glassware, such as candles.

Winners Announced Next Issue

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2021

61

www.xeikon.com