Print Innovation Asia May 2021 by Print Innovation Asia

Print INNOVATION

Asia

Magazine

Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia Pacific since 1985 Issue 5 2021

Corrugated Packaging:

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

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Asian PrintAwards 2021 th

PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS: 2021

_018 021 ONLINE Contents Page 4

EFI Renewed

NuPress maximizes capabilities while

increasing efficiencies

Are you delivering the personalisation buyers want?

A new milestone for sublimation printing

New edition Stitch S1000 printer for soft signage

and Interior Décor

Kornit Digital Announces MAX Technology

Accelerated document process transformation will

reduce the print volumes of 78.4% in Asia/Pacific

Xeikon launches new colour insurance policy

Shriram Veritech Solutions improves print

quality, reduces waste

Artificial intelligence boosts print shop performance

Robotic plate supply for a highly automated

print shop

The Missing Link in Print & Packaging

Print Rooms deliver value during the pandemic

Japanese print shop signs Heidelberg

subscription agreement

Manroland helps build new benchmark

for packaging

Omega Allpro 145 in production at Tianjin Haishun

Printing & Packaging

Corrugated Packaging: From Shipping Container

to Marketing Vehicle How Digital Inkjet Printing is

Creating New Possibilities

News from around Asia and the world

Issue 5 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 5 2021

EFI Renewed PIA virtually catches up with EFI’s head honcho, Jeff Jacobson to chat about new product launches, business focuses in Asia Pacific, and the leadership impact he wants to make. By Sha Jumari.

Scheduling software and a new fulfilment solution for the company’s popular MarketDirect StoreFront webto-print software. EFI’s Fiery digital front end business continues to lead the latest version of its Command WorkStation software and the newest version of its JobFlow prepress production automation solution, with powerful new image upscaling, PDF management and job collection tools. EFI has also continued expanding its partnership with Japanese finishing solutions provider Duplo, introducing an integration for Fiery Impose software that reduces finishing setup times by 80% on custom work produced on Fiery Driven printers and finished on the Duplo DC-618 Slitter/ Cutter/Creaser.

Even with the challenges of the pandemic, EFI began 2021 with a customer focus on innovation and opportunities that will help print and packaging organisations reduce costs, improve margin and capture new work. Following a comprehensive users conference – a virtual event called EFI Engage in lieu of the company’s in-person Connect conference – the American print technology company is bringing its newest solutions to the Asia Pacific region.

The range of solutions coming to market include version 9 releases in EFI’s Productivity Suites of comprehensive, validated, end-to-end business and production management workflows for commercial print, mailing, display graphics, publication and packaging operations. Individual components in the Suites have included had some important enhancements as well, including a Chineselanguage version of the company’s award-winning PrintFlow Dynamic

As the company approaches mid-year, EFI is continuing its momentum. Working with a distributor, EFI will highlight new innovations from its EFI Reggiani textile printer business at ITMA Asia in Shanghai in June. The following month, at the Shanghai Ad & Sign Expo, EFI and distributor Chang Yin will focus on the company’s extensive portfolio of leading-edge display graphics printers, including innovations from EFI’s energy-saving, versatile and efficient UV LED roll-toroll solutions. The company’s latest roll-to-roll launch, the EFI VUTEk Q series,

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

5 will be followed by several additional high-performance products, including a new super high speed VUTEk XT hybrid printer, and a single-pass display graphics printer based on the EFI Nozomi corrugated packaging press. When asked which of the new launches he is most excited about, Jacobson quipped: “Oh, I don’t know that I can pick one! I’m thrilled about them each for different reasons. There’s a lot of exciting technology within display graphics. The VUTEk XT offers remarkable throughput, completely surpassing the competition, and is going to be an amazing solution for our customers who have been looking to drive higher volume and a lower TCO.” The VUTEk XT is a hybrid flatbed/ roll-to-roll printer and a successor to the EFI VUTEk HS series. It can print more than 375 boards per hour, which is nearly twice the throughput of the VUTEk HS125 F4 printer. “Not only is it a choice for customers still looking to migrate from analog to digital, but it’s also so high powered that one VUTEk XT it can replace many slower digital devices in a shop,” said Jacobson. “Our new VUTEk Q series is going to enable a lot of really unique and challenging applications, and we’re all looking forward to seeing how our customers implement it. And of course, there are lots of wonderful new developments within Fiery and our Productivity Suite which will be key to ensuring our customers have truly comprehensive and cutting-edge solutions,” Jacobson continued. The new VUTEk Q3r and Q5r UV LED is said to be EFI’s fastest roll-

VUTEk XT hybrid printer

VUTEk Q-series printer to-roll superwide format printers. The VUTEk Q series can produce a wide range of challenging applications, like the most demanding premium POP with multi-layer white and cosmetics displays that demand the highest print quality to the highest volume campaigns that requires the lowest cost of production. The Q5r is a 198inch printer that runs at speeds up to 672sqm per hour, while the 138-inch wide VUTEk Q3r model prints up to 558sqm per hour. Asia Pacific an important market “The Asia Pacific (APAC) market represents potential for enormous growth. The region is one of the largest markets, period, and is particularly primed for growth in areas like display graphics and corrugated. The region is also very focused on sustainable and environmentally conscious solutions, and I think our portfolio fits its needs quite well,” asserted Jacobson. EFI had a relatively successful 2020 in Australia and New Zealand, scoring nearly 20 new printer installations in the past year. It culminated in a partnership with Currie Group, an established and independent supplier in the region. The partnership is expected to enable EFI to expand its customer reach in the wide format industry in Australia and New Zealand.

“Overall, there is an acceleration that we are already seeing in APAC. Business is coming back. We are already seeing year-over-year increases in ink volumes in the region. It is a great leading indicator that many APAC countries are moving away from the pandemic and back toward growth. And we think growth could be rapid in many parts of APAC over the course of 2021,” Jacobson said. “As with most other regional markets, eCommerce has been booming in the Asia Pacific market, and hand-inhand with this has been growth in the delivery and logistics industry. It is the perfect market for EFI to continue growing our corrugated business, both with our Nozomi print solution and our very strong workflow software productivity portfolio for corrugated,” said Jacobson. In 2018, Thailand’s Thai Containers Group (TCG) became the first APAC company to install EFI's Nozomi single-pass inkjet corrugated packaging printer solution. The Nozomi – the leading single-pass platform for corrugated printing – also has a second installation in the region, at Nippon Paper's Opal packaging business in Australia. The Nozomi is EFI’s flagship digital printer for corrugated boards. At Engage, the company launched a 1.6-metre wide, single-pass UV LED printer based on the Nozomi, targeted for display graphics. “Another point of growth is within display graphics. Especially as the pandemic subsides, and public events rebound – for example, within the entertainment industry – we’ll see graphics needs expand,” Jacobson added. Industrial applications are another important growth area throughout the region, but especially so in China: “Our

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

6 Southeast Asia's leading corrugated container leader, Bangkok-based Thai Containers Group (TCG) was the very first company in Asia to install the EFI Nozomi single-pass inkjet digital press. The highquality production possible with the company's six-colour direct-to-board printer earned TCG a Gold award for Digital Packaging in the 2019 Asian Packaging Excellence Awards.

Cretaprint business, which is focused on the ceramic tile manufacturing sector in China and other countries, continued to grow in 2020 and there is momentum in other building materials, printing on wood, for example, with our Cubik single-pass solution. One of China’s largest furniture manufacturers is currently installing a Cubik printer, and we expect there will be many more opportunities throughout APAC for that technology because digital can bring so many important efficiency and versatility advantages to new markets.” A different take on leadership – diversity and inclusion EFI Engage also marked the second year Jacobson took to the helm, since being named CEO in August 2019. His predecessor was Bill Muir, who served for less than a year. Muir in turn took over from long-time CEO, Guy Gecht. Since Gecht’s time, EFI’s focus is on innovation, and developing the best solutions for customers. While Jacobson hoped to continue the innovative spirit, he is specific in the impact he hopes to make in the company culture. “One area where I have started some culture change is with regards to diversity, equity and inclusion. It is very much part of who I am, going back to my upbringing in racially diverse neighbourhoods in and around New York City,” said Jacobson. Prior to being named CEO, Jacobson

was an advisor to Siris Capital, which acquired EFI in 2019 in an approximate $1.7 billion deal. His career spanned 30 years, and includes stints in Kodak, Presstek and Xerox. The first 11 years however, dealt with people - in human resources at Kodak Polychrome, before going to law school and becoming a labour and employment attorney. “In part because it has always been clear to me that organizations work best when they embrace diversity and create equal opportunities for all,” said Jacobson. “Diversity is not just a social cause; it is value creating for your business. And, in regard to women’s equity, it is impossible to exclude half of the population and believe that you will have the best talent available to you.” Some of the actionable steps that Jacobson has taken includes working close with EFI’s human resources leadership and senior management to further the company’s diversity and inclusiveness initiatives. EFI is committed to ensuring that diversity happens at the top of the management chain. “Not only is this the right thing to do, it also speaks to many of the core values of our parent organization, Siris Capital. Last year, Frank Baker, a founder and managing partner of Siris, and his wife Laura donated $1 million to establish scholarships at Spelman

College, a historically Black college in Atlanta,” said Jacobson. “This year, my wife Irene and I were inspired to work with my alma mater, University at Buffalo, to create the Irene and Jeffrey Jacobson Fellowship for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the university’s School of Management. It is a cause I am passionate about personally, but it is also an important part of how EFI will continue to innovate and stay ahead.” Jacobson also joined EFI in unusual times – almost immediately upon his appointment, the pandemic struck. PIA had to ask: what was it like to lead in such unusual circumstances? “I came to EFI excited, believing that as a company we had the innovation, technology and drive to introduce some amazing new solutions to our markets and that we would continue to build the EFI brand. But I never could have known just how much we would accomplish over only a year and a half,” said Jacobson. “I think I’ve experienced every feeling on the spectrum since I joined in 2019, from instinctive concern for our customers and our team members as we watched the pandemic unfold last year, to immense pride in those same folks as we overcame challenges to our markets and survived unpredictable difficulties. I believe that great growth can come from our greatest challenges, and I’ve never been firmer in my decision to have joined EFI. I’m still thrilled to be here, I’m proud of what our team has accomplished and I'm especially excited about our newest products,” Jacobson concluded.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

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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 5 2021

NuPress maximizes capabilities while increasing efficiencies Miami-based diversified and leading print provider of marketing essentials, menus, packaging, banners, signs and more announce the installation of its Fujifilm J Press 750S The new addition of the J Press 750S has enabled the company to set itself apart from the competition by providing advanced capabilities and efficiencies, while continuing to deliver high quality prints. “In the age of COVID, we have seen a significant change in what customers want,” said Ricky De La Vega, owner of NuPress. “Cost efficient, shorter runs are becoming the norm; no one wants excess inventory sitting around or going to waste. Our J Press 750S has allowed us to easily accommodate these shorter runs while exceeding the quality we were getting from our offset presses.” The addition of the J Press 750S empowered NuPress’ ability to do shorter runs, including specialty packaging jobs, and significantly increase its overall output efficiency. As an example, a longstanding

customer recently challenged NuPress with a new job with the goal of testmarketing a new product. The testmarket job required only 100 pieces of each version but there are 58 different versions to produce – and each containing Pantone colors. With a conventional press, this job would take a countless amount of time at an excessive cost. With the J Press, 750S because of its extensive color gamut and productivity efficiencies, NuPress was able to produce this job for their customer in time measured in minutes, not hours, and the color match was spot on. “This has been a game changer,” said De La Vega. “This added efficiency and combined with the overall versatility and range of capabilities of the J Press, we were able to be extra-competitive in bidding on and quoting jobs for customers, many times helping us earn the business over our competition.”

When it comes to finishing work, another advantage NuPress has discovered with its J Press 750S is that it produces output that is offset in nature. “The inks dry like offset inks, they don’t create a shiny surface like other inks or toners do,” said De La Vega. “This has a direct impact on how the print is finished. With other technologies, print buyers are accustomed to paying for a secondary coating to be applied to make the output more offset like. This isn’t at all necessary with the J Press 750S bringing added efficiency, quality, and cost savings directly to my customers. It’s very much a seamless integration from prepress to the pressroom.” The output is of such high quality that many times De La Vega will use the J Press 750S to output finished proofs of the job for his customers – an impossibility for a traditional offset press. Leveraging the core technologies of the esteemed J Press 720S, the J Press 750S raises the bar by adopting Fujifilm’s latest quality, productivity and environmental enhancements. The J Press 750S features industry leading FUJIFILM Dimatix Samba® print heads along with a 6-up letter size imposition and increased speed, delivering double the sellable output over the previous version. This is all accomplished while reducing the overall footprint by 15 percent and reducing energy consumption by 23 percent.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

It is almost here. Get ready to welcome in a new era. Watch this space for updates on the print revolution. https://believinginprint.fujifilm.com/eu/en/ Contact us at shm-fbap-Beyond.Imagination@fujifilm.com FUJIFILM and FUJIFILM logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of FUJIFILM Corporation

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Are you delivering t buyers want? When you receive marketing communications is your interest gained? Is the content relevant? Are you drawn to learning more? Do you make a purchase? When you receive marketing communications is your interest gained? Is the content relevant? Are you drawn to learning more? Do you make a purchase? New research suggests that too often the answer to these questions is no. The Experience Disconnect: 2021 B2B Marketing Report from Uberflip,

American cloud-based content experience platform, showed a major disconnect between the personalisation buyers want and what marketers are actually delivering. This wastes marketing resources and frustrates buyers.

the buyer journey found that many highly rated their companies’ ability to personalise content (52% scoring themselves at least a 4 out of 5). However, they are missing a key opportunity to deliver what buyers find most important. In fact:

The survey of 500 B2B buyers and marketers on their expectations for

• 1 in 5 marketers rated boring or unengaging content as a top pain point when researching a purchasing decision. Only 5% of buyers agreed. • 1 in 3 buyers stated irrelevant content as one of the most frustrating parts of researching a purchasing decision, compared to less than a quarter of marketers. • Relevant content was buyers’ top driver (61%) for taking action, however relevant content didn’t even make it into marketers’ top three. • Over half (54%) of the marketers surveyed said personalised calls to action were their top method for getting buyers to take action or engage, while less than a third of buyers identified that as a driver for taking action. Global marketing communications agency Wunderman Thompson posed a similar question to 1,000 consumers and 500 marketers and customer experience decision makers in Great Britain. It discovered that if not handled properly, efforts to personalise can alienate customers with 33% of consumers stating targeted ads were among their biggest frustrations. However, when relevant and contextualised, 42% said targeted ads

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

the personalisation • To make customers feel valued with relevance and context - the right content, in the right place, at the right time. Content can be tailored many different ways to generate engagement, including bespoke offers, vouchers and catalogues. When done correctly, it opens doors.

were a valuable use of their personal data and 37% said they were more likely to buy a product if they had seen a relevant ad. 48% said they want to feel valued as a customer but only 16% believed personal connections with brands were important. And although 76% of decision makers aimed to personalise experiences, just 14% were prioritising this content. So how do marketers bridge the gap between consumer expectations and a brand’s proposition? Uberflip’s report suggested three takeaways, particularly for cultivating long lasting customer relationships: • Personalise based on buyers’ problems, not just basic data i.e. name and company. • Prioritise quickly digestible short form, visual content and engaging experiences. • Deliver highly relevant content that aims to educate more than sell.

Wunderman Thompson said marketers should know: • Why they want to create a personalised experience and what value it will deliver to the customer and the business. • What data should be collected and to set the operating model up for data curation.

Figures from the Britain’s Royal Mail show that 94% of addressed mail is opened, read or set aside for later, personalised mail is 35% more likely to drive an actual purchase than unaddressed mail and customised mail is re-read 4.5 times on average. It indeed does have a ‘shelf life’. So, in your own marketing or where advising and serving clients’ marketing, remember that all not all personalisation is of equal value. Consider what will resonate most with recipients. And maybe reread the Book of the Year 1997: The One to One Future, by Don Peppers & Martha Rogers.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

A new milestone for sublimation printing Durst, manufacturer of innovative digital printing systems and software solutions, is setting a milestone in the field of sublimation printing with the launch of the P5 TEX iSUB. The abbreviation iSUB stands for "inline sublimation." This eliminates individual work steps, resulting in a significant increase in quality and efficiency for the user. The soft signage market is experiencing enormous growth rates in all areas of application - from visual communication and decor to textile clothing. In the period from 2017 to 2023, the sales volume will increase by more than 60 percent, according to a forecast by Keypoint Intelligence. Converted to absolute figures, the market will grow globally from around $19.2 billion in 2019 to $31.4 billion (2023). A number of trends can be pinpointed for this continued growth, which clearly speak in favor of the soft signage market. These include environmental friendliness through the use of waterbased, odorless inks. Other user benefits include cost efficiency in logistics and low ink consumption, as well as fast project implementation and a wide range of applications. "Durst has been active in the soft signage market since 2010, and we have been able to place over 250 systems from the Rhotex series on the market worldwide," emphasizes Christian Harder, Vice President Sales, Durst Group AG. Integrated inline fixation In tune with these trends in the soft signage market, Durst has developed the P5 TEX iSUB, which is based on the successful P5 platform with a maximum print width of 3.3 meters. At the heart of the Durst P5 TEX iSUB is the integrated inline fusing for direct printing on polyester fabrics. The advantages of this one-step process are obvious, explains Andrea Riccardi, Head of Product Management,

Durst Group AG: "No investment and no floor space is required for a calender. The Durst P5 TEX iSUB is operated by only one operator, and the process acceleration also increases our customers' ability to deliver." Whereby the P5 TEX iSUB is not limited to direct printing, but transfer papers can also be printed and further processed in the usual way. It is precisely the combination of both processes in one system that gives users enormous flexibility. Innovation iSUB - contactless fixing technology The Sublifix dye sublimation ink developed by Durst delivers vivid colors, even on difficult media such as blackback or backlit for light boxes or flags. A unique feature of the P5 Text iSUB is its innovative contactless fusing. The iSUB contactless technology ensures excellent color consistency as well as extreme sharpness of detail in images and text, also blurring or bleeding of color is virtually eliminated. A wide range of applications can be implemented with the P5 TEX iSUB. One example is decorative fabrics with strong, brilliant colors and exact

reproduction of details. Another are flags that show good print on both sides of the material even without external calendaring. Blackback applications as well as colorful light boxes round out the spectrum while retaining the softtouch feel. In all these applications, the Durst RIP plays a central role, ensuring consistent color across all media. The maximum print speed is 383 m2/ hour when the 330 cm print format is fully utilized, inspiring the efficient implementation of all these application examples. Access to two rolls via the Multiroll option makes changing materials much easier in practice. In addition, the Dualroll option allows two rolls with a width of 1.6 meters to be printed. Another outstanding feature of the Durst P5 TEX is the integrated finishing unit, which can be used to sew and stitch media. "The P5 TEX iSUB combines efficiency, quality and productivity at the highest level. At Durst, we are convinced that our solution will give a significant boost to the soft signage market," assures Christian Harder, Vice President Sales, Durst Group AG.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Korn it Digital

bonding

matters

Kornit Digital Asia Pacific

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

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

New edition Stitch S1000 printer for soft signage and Interior Décor • Take on more: Improve application range with next level versatility and backlit saturation on direct-to-fabric • Work faster: Boost productivity with short start-up times1 and speeds of up to 2370 ft²/hr (220 m²/hr)2 • Take control: Simplified operation lets you run your print business virtually anytime, anywhere with HP PrintOS and the HP Configuration Center

professionals to confidently leave the device to print unattended.

HP has announced the latest addition to its HP Stitch portfolio to help print service providers (PSPs) diversify their soft signage and interior décor offerings, as well as meet more challenging customer needs. The updated 126-inch HP Stitch S1000 is designed to offer high quality with greater versatility and smooth operation.

& Dry system3ensure deep blacks, vivid colors and extreme resolution to deliver work of the highest-quality.

"The new HP Stitch S1000 will allow PSPs to expand their dye-sub production versatility even further and say yes to ambitious projects, as well as demanding and innovative applications,” said Oscar Vidal, Large Format Global Business Strategy Director, HP. "With the large format industry set for a progressive year, HP’s latest Stitch device ensures soft signage and interior decoration professionals are able to handle a diverse range of customer needs, safe in the knowledge they have the technology to deliver.”

Work faster HP Stitch S1000 is designed to provide rapid turnaround production start-up times4 and speeds of up to 2370 ft²/ hr (220 m²/hr)5. Additionally, it also offers the possibility to double the through put on substrates of up to 63 inches (1.6m) with dual roll accessory. The Smart Nozzle Compensation system and Optical Media Advance Sensor Plus work together to ensure reliable image quality while operating at pace. With an additional integrated aerosol and vapor extraction system, meeting tight deadlines has never been easier.

Take on more The highly versatile new HP Stitch S1000 gives users the option to print directly to fabric or onto transfer paper, simplifying workflows without compromising on results - while 1200 native dpi printheads and HP’s Drop

A newly incorporated contact heater offers enhanced backlit saturation performance on direct-to-fabric jobs, meaning colors appear brighter and more vivid than ever before.

User-replaceable printheads and HP preventative maintenance support6 helps increase uptime, while spreader rollers, 10-liter ink supplies and rolls up to 600lb (300kg) allow print

Take control Combined with the HP PrintOS app7, print operations are easily controlled anywhere, anytime – while also allowing PSPs to make data-driven decisions. If working with a fleet, the HP Configuration Center ensures jobs are distributed efficiently for maximum productivity, with a builtin spectrophotometer providing color consistency across fleet. Tests show that in 40% less time, a single operator can easily load both transfer and textile rolls - enabled by features including automatic media tension adjustment, simple media path, automatic and optimized printhead cleaning, and a device warm-up process that occurs in parallel with loading. Gain a sustainability edge The updated HP Stitch S1000 uses ECO PASSPORT certified dye sublimation inks, a standard that verifies the safety of chemical products used in the textile and leather industry.9 The device also benefits from HP’s free and convenient printhead recycling scheme, via the HP Planet Partners initiative. Meanwhile, the outer carton of a S1000 ink cartridge is made from cardboard and can be recycled locally - part of HP’s goal of creating a more circular, low-carbon economy.

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31-07-19 14:44

EXPERIENCE QUALITY EXCELLENCE Make stunning applications Thanks to many iQuariusiX innovations, the varioPRINT iX-series print quality rivals any other established print technology. It prints coated and uncoated media up to 350 gsm, with consistently high quality. With the varioPRINT iX-series, you experience:

• Vibrant colours • Superb skin tones • Razor-sharp fine text and line detail • Smooth gradients

Quality across runs, machines and time • Innovative printheads and image processing technology • Intelligent nozzle activity and uniformity control • Print environment optimisation and ink conditioning for optimal printing performance • Proprietary polymer pigment water-based performance iX ink and ColorGrip • High registration accuracy • Advanced colour management

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Kornit Digital Announc

the next generation solution for on-demand, s Unparalleled retail quality combined with groundbreaking 3D print capabilities and versatile decoration techniques for all categories of fashion and apparel Kornit Digital a worldwide market leader in digital textile printing technology, announced today the release of its new MAX technology, establishing a new standard for on-demand fashion and apparel production. One technology, highest quality, endless design possibilities – all waste-free MAX technology surpasses industry norms for retail quality on multiple fabric types and breaks new grounds of versatility with previously unattainable print applications, significantly expanding the reach of digital ondemand textile production into the center of mainstream fashion and apparel. A key feature of Kornit’s MAX technology is XDi, which delivers revolutionary 3D capabilities for new, high-density graphic decoration that can simulate embroidery, vinyl, and heat transfer in a single, waste-free digital process. The new XDi, which is based on Kornit’s patents, allows fulfillers and brands to expand their offerings to include new-to-market,

innovative decorations without the inefficiencies and cost of operating analog technologies. Introducing Kornit Atlas MAX and ActiveLoad Automation Kornit also debuted the ActiveLoad Automation technology, a new robotic system to significantly ease the burden of manual and labor-intensive media handling in the textile decoration industry. This increases total output per shift while ensuring minimal downtime and exceptional reliability. The new patent pending ActiveLoad Automation technology ensures continuous production and consistency, while decreasing human error and fatigue, regardless of employee experience and training, for ultimate results and best operational efficiency. The first product with MAX technology is now commercially available in the Kornit Atlas MAX, a carbon-neutral, industrial-scale DTG production system, providing unsurpassed retail quality, exceptional color-matching capabilities, and a wide, vivid color gamut, with exceptional durability.

The Atlas MAX is delivered with the new XDi technology built in, for 3D printing capabilities. An upgrade to the Kornit Atlas systems will be available during the first quarter of 2022. “Kornit’s new MAX capabilities bring sustainable on-demand production to the mainstream. We plan to roll out the MAX technology to additional lucrative market segments such as team sports, athleisure, diverse categories of fashion, and home décor applications,” said Omer Kulka, Kornit Digital CMO. “Kornit innovation arrives at just the right moment to match supply

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

ces MAX Technology,

sustainable fashion and apparel production

and the future is here now. MAX offers a rare sustainable symbiosis, more creativity, less waste. I am excited to experience what’s possible once the collective brilliance of our industry begins to create digitally, without limits. A world of opportunity awaits us.”

to demand – demand that requires freedom of design for self-expression, quality, and sustainable practices; and supply that expands on-demand capabilities enabling the direct-toconsumer vision.” Delivering on the promise of digital production “There’s a growing realization and acceptance that on-demand production is the answer to meet the demands of today’s consumer,” said Ronen Samuel, Kornit Digital CEO. “Kornit’s MAX technology defines the future of ondemand, sustainable textile production,

“Our customers have a strong, growing need for retail quality and additional applications, and we are confident the Kornit Atlas MAX will equip us to meet that demand,” added Scott Valancy, COO, Monster Digital, which beta-tested the new system.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Accelerated document process transformation will reduce the print volumes of 78.4% in Asia/Pacific The increased shift to hybrid work – coupled with digitalization initiatives – has caused organizations to re-think their reliance on paper documents and printers while finding solutions that enable mobility, security, accessibility, and business resilience. According to IDC's Survey Presentation Accelerated versus Gradual Transformers in APeJ (Asia Pacific excluding Japan), over 75% of organizations expect printed page volume to decrease over the next two years. Coupled with close to half of all organizations (47.7%) expecting a reduction in print devices, these trends suggest rapid maturity and adoption of document solutions as the region looks to digitize paper processes. Countries were divided into Accelerated or Gradual Transformers, depending on responses relating to likelihood of going completely paperless, timeline for WorkSpace transformation, and degree to which they say print volume and print devices decreasing over the next two years. Accelerated Transformers include India, Thailand Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and Korea, while Gradual Transformers include China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and the Philippines. “Both groups will transform the WorkSpace to address a hybrid workforce, increasing the accessibility of print services through solutions or feature upgrades to enable work from

anywhere,” says Kenneth Tham, Senior Market Analyst for Imaging, Print and Document Solutions at IDC Asia/ Pacific. India, Thailand, and Malaysia respondents indicating they would see print volumes and devices decrease to a larger degree than digitally mature countries like Australia and Korea. This suggests their short-term investments into document solutions will be focused on transforming business process while nearly eliminating the need for paper. On the other hand, Taiwan and Hong Kong were classified as Gradual Transformer despite being digitally mature countries – it resonates the legislative value printed documents still hold in these countries. Their document transformation initiatives will address the co-existence of paper and digital documents, ensuring data from all sources is captured and fed into core business systems. Accelerated and Gradual Transformers

were examined in terms of how they would transform the WorkSpace, coupled with which document solutions would they use to augment business processes. Respondents were also asked on plans to digitize live / backlog documents, whether in-house or outsourced services will be used, and what factors will they prioritize when selecting a scanning vendor. IDC's Asia/Pacific Next-Generation Imaging, Printing and Document Solutions research examines the new opportunities on print environment from smart scan/print devices and managed workflow services to 3D printing. This research provides insights on the potential innovation that will disrupt the traditional print hardware market in Asia/Pacific. In light of the adoption of 3rd Platform technologies particularly on cloud, Big Data, and mobility, end users continue to evaluate and adopt new solutions to enhance their workflow environment from the desktop level to the industrial level.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Xeikon launches new colour insurance policy The new Xeikon XCS Pro 2.0 is a fully automated suite of colour management tools

Xeikon introduced its new XCS Pro 2.0, a fully automated suite of colour management tools. The service is based in the cloud and delivers every advantage of quality colour control – predictability, repeatability and profitability. Brand owners and retailers and the current high levels of e-commerce continue to drive the need for colour consistency across the whole of the print process. The new colour package includes training courses plus ongoing consultancy and is offered as a ‘pay as you go’ subscription model making it simple and easy to adopt and utilise. Xeikon’s XCS Pro 2.0 offers the printer the predictability and confidence to be able to match digital brand colours alongside the results from other processes. Printers can match spot and brand colours where Xeikon's new colour tools remove all guess work and avoid down time by trial and error. “Historically colour management software has needed an expert to deliver results and this takes time. Xeikon has developed its XCS Pro

2.0 as a ‘no waste’ ‘no expert’, fully automated colour system. Xeikon now has the first digital dry toner, web press solution which embraces selffixing colour control, quality control and ICC profiling plus Pantone/ brand colour generation to meet all industry standards. Xeikon has built its new colour management system’s architecture to enable it to remotely analyse, target and fix any colour problem in minutes. Xeikon’s cloud based analytical tools can diagnose any colour issue and the issue is sorted with no delays which adds to significant time savings in production,” said Xeikon’s colour management expert, Bruce Dransfield. The new XCS Pro 2.0 is available for demonstration. Xeikon wants to instil a lean approach to colour management and make it practical for all their customers and users, which offers a lot of advantages: - The quality control tools can be set to industry standards – either theoretical, ‘process corrected’ or ‘house’ standards and results are measured and traced using the new analytics in Xeikon’s cloud-based system. - It is also possible for the operator to

fix and re-verify the colour quality of the print on the fly. - Xeikon’s dry toner engines are all fitted with inline spectrophotometers to automatically make this possible during production saving on waste and rejected jobs. - For packaging and label printers, accurate brand colours are vitally important. - Xeikon’s new suite of colour management software contains tools that can copy and paste from a preprinted sample to optimise the brand colour for the selected substrate. - Xeikon uses .CxF (colour exchange format) in order to communicate with tools found in the analogue world such as Flint Group’s VIVO or Pantone LIVE as well as proofing systems. Customer loyalty is crucial to any business, so repeatability and consistent quality is another important advantage. This was an early design specification of Xeikon’s Color Control toolbox to allow for reproduction of any job at any time with the exact same quality. Using the Inline Spectro-photometer supplied with all Xeikon dry toner engines, colour management becomes touchless and automatic. Last minute tweaks can be made "on the fly" and profiles, colour tables and quality control are all controlled by AI during production ensuring the highest quality print is maintained.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Shriram Veritech Solutions improves print quality, reduces waste Offline proofing and inspection system eliminates pre-press and pressroom defect issues to ensure print quality and accuracy broken text and color variations that can result in wasted time and materials. As we looked at different technology options, we chose the Guardian OLP because it is easy to operate, and was very effective at resolving these print issues. It is a fantastic system, and has added to our profitability through waste reduction and improved print quality. Our customers are happy because we have improved our inspection capabilities while at the same time reducing our inspection time—saving downtime on our printing lines.”

Shriram Veritech Solutions (veritech. in), one of India’s leading providers of brand protection and anti-counterfeiting solutions, has realized improved print quality, reduced inspection time, and reduced substrate and ink waste by installing a new Guardian OLP Offline Proofing & Inspection system from Baldwin Vision Systems. Shriram Veritech is located in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and offers a broad range of products such as holograms, labels, stamping foils and more, helping their customers to execute brand protection and enhancement strategies. The Guardian OLP system verifies that the files used for production—or the beginning-of-run press samples— match the customer-approved master file 100%. By comparing pre-press files or scanned press sample to the customer-approved original in a matter of seconds, advanced software automatically locates and highlights even the smallest of differences in print quality. The system can compare oneup electronic files or scans to multi-up

electronic files or scans, and instantly detect printing defects such as missing or extra print, pre-press errors, plate defects and color variations. Lalit Kumar Sharma, Shriram Veritech Manager, comments: “We were looking to eliminate issues with missing and

Raj Rana, Regional Sales Manager for Baldwin Vision Systems, adds that “implementation of the Guardian OLP system at Shriram Veritech follows another successful installation at Pragati Graphics Pvt. Ltd. The Indian print market is taking notice of the productivity gains and waste savings being realized by some of the region’s most prestigious and technology-driven print facilities.”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Artificial intelligence boo performance • Performance Advisor Technology from Heidelberg automates process consulting • Customers benefit from specific recommendations based on trend monitoring and benchmarks • AI module integrated into Heidelberg Cloud • Heidelberg Assistant offers intuitive customer access to AI module As in other sectors, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) will become increasingly important in the print media industry in the next few years, driving further print shop automation and firmly establishing new digital business models on the market. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) has launched a new subscription business model that is shaping the industry. One key element of this model is process consulting, which aims to fully utilize the potential of the equipment and software solutions being used, while also improving print shop processes. The highly specialized experts Heidelberg requires to achieve this goal regularly work with customers both on site and online, but their availability is limited.

subscription model, and also in general, is driving the automation of the actual consulting process using AI. Heidelberg is therefore launching Performance Advisor Technology

(PAT), an AI-based process consulting tool that uses an automated process to provide contract customers

The growing demand for performance consulting services under the

Performance Advisor Technology from Heidelberg is an AI process consulting tool that provides contract customers with specific, straightforward guidance. Heidelberg is once again underlining its position as a key innovation driver in the industry by using artificial intelligence to improve print shops’ overall performance.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

osts print shop

with specific, straightforward instructions for improving their operational procedures. This involves adding an artificial intelligence module to the Heidelberg Cloud, which contains data from over 13,000 connected machines and information relating to more than 60 million makeready processes. The module monitors series of measurements that record the current performance of Heidelberg equipment, visualizing anomalies and displaying various recommendations for customers. PAT also explains the individual KPIs to customers, which ensures a better understanding of these statistics. There are already plans to add a benchmarking function to PAT that compares Heidelberg machines with an anonymized comparative group from the Heidelberg Cloud. Heidelberg Assistant offers intuitive customer access to AI module

Heidelberg Assistant (HDA) provides customers with intuitive access to the AI services from the Heidelberg Cloud. They are free to decide which suggestions to go along with and when. Each time they follow a suggestion, the AI module learns something new about the effectiveness of the measures and can adapt future recommendations based on this experience. A freemium version of PAT is now available to all HDA users. “With the launch of its Performance Advisor Technology, Heidelberg is demonstrating its innovative strength when it comes to digitizing key industry processes,” says Tom Oelsner, Head of Digital Innovation in the Heidelberg Digital Unit. “The focus of our activities in this area is on improving customer performance. At the same time, the company benefits from the enhanced scalability of its new data-driven business models,” he adds.

An intuitive collaboration and communication tool such as Heidelberg Assistant, which now has over 3,100 users worldwide, is vital for the complex technology involved in AI. Along with details of KPIs and service agreements whenever required, HDA gives users a direct overview of their equipment’s availability and efficiency. It also provides access to a range of Heidelberg products and services. Customers communicate with the company online, making it quick and easy to transfer data for clarifying technical issues. For subscription customers in particular, HDA is an essential tool to continuously monitor their print shop’s performance. Integrating Performance Advisor Technology from Heidelberg into HDA is therefore a further logical step in the digitization of relationships with customers and works to their benefit by improving their overall performance.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Robotic plate supply for a highly automated print shop Meinders & Elstermann is a family-owned company with a 135-year history and a fully-equipped print shop with a solid foundation.

Around 150 employees are working on three 8-colour and one 10-colour sheet fed offset press as well as a state-of-the-art bookbinding shop. Their material workflow is constantly upgraded and a key area where an upgrade took place a few months ago was in plate production, where plate logistics was redesigned together with BEIL Systems. With its state-of-the-art machinery, the M&E printing house is able to realize very high-volume and complex orders even within a very short time. Depending on the customer's requirements, the manufacturing depth can cover all stages of production from the creation of the data to the final letter shop work. More and more printing plates needed The introduction of a new MIS system in 2016 was already carried out with the idea of a future full network integration of the entire company. Two years later, the production planning and control

systems were updated, and, among other things, the classic paper-based process was quickly obsolete. The interconnection of all machines was critical , in order to communicate and process all necessary information for production. A spatial change made a replacement of the previously used plate production line necessary, as there was already considerably less space available during the planning. Whereas before classic thermal plates were still in use, these were now replaced by process less plates in the sense of ecological thought. The highest possible automation is sought Due to the ever-increasing and faster advancing versioning into short runs, the number of printing plates required and the associated requirements for in-house logistics have increased significantly in recent years. This necessitated a more reliable and simpler solution of producing printing plates.

In this way, the time spent by the employees for making plates is to be reduced. These were relatively high in the old configuration with a multicassette loader and a skid loader as well as the manual charging of the shooters. The M&E printing house wanted the highest possible automation of all process steps and the possibility of running the system independently without personnel. Of course, reliability was also a big issue, as was plate throughput. While the supplier was retained for the CTPs, M&E Druckhaus was looking for a new, strong and reliable partner for the logistics of the plates. BEIL Systems was also able to convince with an innovative solution for feeding plates to the CTPs. Beil was chosen because of their experience with lights out automation and unique design build capabilities. This concept includes a 6-axis robot in the plate production at Meinders & Elstermann, that can pick up the

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

plates from different pallets deposit the interleaving paper in a paper box, and place the plates - without touching the emulsion layer - precisely on roller conveyors that guide the plates to the imagesetters.

QR-codes readers. Depending on the throughput of the exposure units, the bending machine could handle up to 210 plates per hour.

After the two image setters, the plates are also fully automatic processed in a bending machine for the Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 and then sorted in one of the ten available stacking positions. The bin stack assignment takes place according to the previous disposition per printing press via a direct interface to Prinect.

The order was placed in spring 2020 and the commissioning in Belm planned for Drupa 2020. Among other things, the COVID crisis delayed the construction and eventual commissioning until August. With the complete dismantling of the old equipment, the new system was finally fully put into production in September.

During the entire process, the printing plates are scanned and tracked via

For the employees, many things were new – not only the technology, but also

In operation since September 2020

the new processes in a changed spatial environment. In many areas, the new workflow now saves significant time. The pure exposure capacity increased by 12 plates per hour, and many labourintensive setup times were omitted when the system is set up. If plate demand continues to increase, the system can be extended by another CTP. Conclusion After start up adjustments were made, according to a prepress manager Marco Rassfeld, production is now partly completely self-sufficient. The upstream and downstream processes have also need optimized and now the overall production efficiency shows significant improvement. Marco Rassfeld: "Communication is always very constructive and solution-oriented, so that you work together on the project and develop the project further together. The coordination with the other suppliers was also going without problems and was and is absolutely solution-oriented." Implementation of crucial custom automation requires shared goals and cooperation between customer and supplier. BEIL Systems excels at delivering automated solutions with and for their customers for over 40 years now.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

The Missing Link in Print & Packaging In this article, Horst Huber, CEO priint Group / WERK II, shares his thoughts on questions such as “Can the printing industry keep pace with the digital transformation?” or “What is needed to establish it as a true link between brands and consumers?” Can the printing industry keep pace with the digital transformation? Or is it falling behind the fast, digital communication? What is needed to establish it as a true link between brands and consumers?” Let’s First Take a Look at the World of Print as a Marketing Tool It was the good old days when print was the main pillar of customer communication and other print shops were the only competitors. When print itself was not under scrutiny. That has changed radically. Digital thinking has become the rival of print shops. I recently heard from a marketing manager: “We want to increase the SEO budget by halving the print run.” Another printer told me that he was denied access to one of his former clients because print was not an issue at the moment.

Marketing Presentation – With or Without Print? Commercial printing clients include wholesalers, retailers and manufacturers. The companies’ marketers from the companies can serve as connectors. But if you look at the entire relation between the print industry and its clients, the print industry must face the provocative thesis that it has basically lost touch with them. A major factor, which I believe is largely ignored by at least some print shops, is that the relevant contact persons on customer side have changed and there is no connection to new relevant target groups. These new contact persons in companies are digital players, thinking digitally and acting agilely. The term “digital printer” takes on a new meaning here: “Digital printers” have to think digitally and have their customers understand the added value of print as part of digital

communication. To put it in another way: it’s not the printing process or the run length etc. that is decisive but the conversion rate, personalized content and emotional appeal of the respective communication measure. We know that end-consumers can encounter around 150 touchpoints on their customer journey of which around 15% are print-related touchpoints – whether in PDF or print form. “Only that few?” an offliner might react. “Still so many?” an onliner is likely to reply. Regardless of which perspective you take, it is undeniable that digital communication is on the rise, more and more digital natives are entering marketing departments, and end consumers are dictating the rules of modern communication. Nevertheless, we know from our daily work that print can achieve conversion rates in the higher double digits and that the haptic medium can trigger emotional moments and promote sales like hardly any other medium. We also know about sustainability and its importance as a “door opener” to digital business. But it’s a fact that print must adapt to the laws of digital communication if it wants to be and remain successful in the medium term. What Laws Does Digital Communication Follow? Law No. 1: On Demand Digital communication is available on demand. Of course, this cannot be achieved exactly for print communication. But if we look at the

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

34 usable for the packaging industry in order to be able to react more quickly and agilely to the market and thus meet its demands. In addition to technical and legal requirements, implementation challenges increasingly include variants relating to countries, languages and people. Conclusion Are clients behind the printing and packaging industry in reality? The highly dynamic nature of the market, such as constantly changing consumer behavior, competitive pressure from brand owners, and the laws of the digital economy, are turning a lot of things upside down. In my experience, printers and converters are often better positioned digitally than their customers in terms of technology. But what is the benefit of the fastest machine if data and integrated processes are missing? A digitally minded service provider, however, starts working agilely and shows its clients how the digital rules, according to which the customer works, can be implemented in the process chain quickly. entire timescale – from data capture to print production – we see that 90 to 95 % of the time is spent on customer side and not in printing. This means that processes on the customer side must be linked with the printing industry to gain an enormous potential of time savings. Law No. 2: Personalization With every email or click, software solutions get to know the end customer better in order to provide them with even more individualized and personalized offers. For the production of print products, this requires integrating information from CRM systems into the printing process in addition to product information. Law No. 3: Trial & Error Online campaigns are split, tested, played off against each other, etc., in order to learn from the results and incorporate them into the next campaigns. This can’t be transferred to print communication in precisely the same way. Nevertheless, the results of

printed campaigns should also benefit the digital marketing systems. Because this way, the success of a printed campaign quickly becomes obvious and measurable. Do These Laws Also Apply to Packaging? Packaging printing is the growth market of the printing industry but this should not hide the fact that the technological gaps already mentioned above must also be closed in packaging printing in order to stay competitive in the long run. More agility in supply chains with increasingly shorter product life cycles is equally necessary. For this purpose, sophisticated and powerful workflow systems, printing and finishing equipment are available in the packaging industry. But their integration into the systems of industrial companies and brand owners is still at an early stage. It must be possible to make data from ERP, MDM, PIM, DAM, CRM and CMS systems directly

In addition to technologies that connect the process chain from the brand to the service provider, digitization and automation as well as digital printing are also of great importance, for example, in order to comply with the trial-and-error principle. In the end, the goal is to establish a complete digital supply chain covering consumers, brand owners, retailers, printing and distribution.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Print Rooms deliver v the pandemic The pandemic has driven significant business transformation. For Print Rooms and CRDs there has been major shift in their perceived value with many stepping up to new challenges and providing vital services to home workers. Room for Print in 2021, an independent study by Kaspar Roos from Aspire and Ralf Schlozer, The Digital Print Expert, found their ability to remain relevant, flexible and reliable helped deliver strong returns. For many it justified their continued existence when external services and providers were impacted. It identified these four key findings: 1 COVID-19 – a catalyst for change When the pandemic hit a Dutch inhouse site in the automotive industry, identified the immediate need to continue customer based

processes like producing manuals and communications and adapted its processes accordingly. A UK university rushed through workflow modernisation, including an online ordering system, to allow documents to be ordered remotely. Flexibility was crucial for these and other operations. Particularly when new products and services were added at short notice, such as Covid-19 related communications and signage. Also vital was production reliability. For example, with Hybrid Mail, DZ Bank in Germany enabled staff to continue

creating customer letters for centralised print and distribution. 2 Focus on the customer CRDs traditionally have a fixed user base and the survey found expanding services and capabilities was the best argument against outsourcing. A local council’s Print Room confirmed its flexibility with documents that need

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

value during university also reported increased demand after investing in a web to print solution. The survey found there was a shift towards additional colours and value added services, encouraging print rooms to invest in new technology. 3 Embrace digitisation Print Room managers should prepare to adapt their print and digital document services. Many sites confirmed increased demand for digital versions while print volumes remained stable. Transactional documents were expected to move towards digital versions, while marketing documents were expected to grow more in print. One CRD serving a large insurance company reported a growth in print to accompany digital communications for online renewals.

to be produced outside normal hours and a major insurer was able to cut down delivery times for documents by digitally printing them internally. Inhouse sites also saw noticeable differences when they improved their ordering process, adapted accounting and integrated desktop applications. A German local council and a UK

study digital print, combined with inline finishing to automate labour intensive processes, stood out as a driver for higher productivity. Additional operational efficiency was achieved through software investment such as production workflow, marketing and database management solutions and electronic job submission or web to print. The report highlighted an education commission that supplies exam papers. It brought print back in house with an automated production workflow. It now produces high quality personalised exam papers on demand. As for the long term effects of the pandemic, the study found organisations will:

The study also highlighted that Print Rooms were well equipped to be an important stakeholder in digital document strategy. They offer valuable skills in design and layout of documents and contribute to processes on compliance and data protection.

• take greater care in how they source print products; • want to store less and rely more on immediate digital print on demand; • place greater importance on online ordering, tracking and automation as staff and internal customers work from home more; • see an increase in the range of print products requested.

4 Automate workflows With companies cutting costs, staffing levels have gone down while the complexity and variety of job types has increased. The secret of doing more with less is technology, automation, and business model innovation. In the

The role of print and electronic documents is changing, but their significance remains. It is important to be prepared for the evolving communication landscape by making the right decisions with the best guidance and practical advice.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Japanese print shop signs Heidelberg subscription agreement Heidelberg announced that With up Co, Ltd, has signed a Heidelberg Subscription Plus contract. The agreement will cover a the supply of a Speedmaster CD 102-4 manufactured in China and a Suprasetter 106 DCL CtP platesetter (DCL = dual cassette loader). Founded in 1947, With up Co., Ltd. has 100 employees and is celebrating 75 years in the business this year. For the past 16 years, the company has been led by Yoko Takahashi. The partnership-based approach of Heidelberg Subscription Plus frees up Takahashi and her staff sufficiently to develop and implement new ideas, including areas of business other than print products.

The volume-based Prinect Production Manager software also included will give the Niigata-based company access to all the functions of Prinect workflow technology. Under the Subscription Plus contract, the customer will also receive Saphira consumables, systematic services, consulting, and training from Heidelberg. The consumables and service parts can be easily ordered using the convenient Heidelberg eShop. Heidelberg Subscription is a comprehensive service product that has so far won over more than 80 print shops worldwide, including three in Japan. “Our Subscription Plus contract and state-of-the-art technology will help With up to boost productivity and minimize costs per printed sheet,” said Joerg Bauer, Member of the Management Board of Heidelberg

Japan. “With up is the first company in eastern Japan to opt for an agreement of this kind. Heidelberg Subscription as a whole is a promising contract model for Japan’s printing industry.” Under the contract, With up will be charged for the new production technology, complete with consumables and services, based on the number of sheets printed. Heidelberg will provide the consulting required for With up to meet the productivity targets set jointly by the two companies, leaving the print shop to focus more on supporting its own customers and on sales activities. The entire system based around the new Speedmaster CD 102 will be delivered to the customer and installed this summer. The new sheetfed offset press is replacing an older Speedmaster SM 102 and a competitor’s system.

Part of the Print Site Contracts portfolio Heidelberg Subscription Plus is one of the company’s Print Site Contracts. These are split into two categories – Lifecycle Agreements and Subscription Agreements. The main differences between Lifecycle Agreements and Subscription Agreements are their scope of services and method of payment. Both types of contract aim to help customers optimize their overall equipment efficiency. “Our contract options give print shops the opportunity to become more competitive by boosting their productivity, which is ideal for businesses in a fiercely competitive country such as Japan,” said Bauer. “This has resulted in growing interest from customers since the launch of Print Site Contracts last year.”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Manroland helps build new benchmark for packaging For a company that started out full of ambition, Ningxia Hongde Packaging Materials Co., Ltd. naturally favors a bold business approach and a smart choice in essential equipment.

Mr. Tom Tseng, Managing Director, Tazon Color Paper Co. Ltd. these same reasons, the new-generation ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION became the obvious choice of Ningxia Hongde when selecting a new machine.

And so as the demand for productivity and high-end tobacco packaging grows, Ningxia Hongde turned to Manroland for its production needs in these fastchanging times. Situated in Wuzhong City on the Ningxia Plain, the company is the leading high-end cigarette packaging printer in the Northwest, a vast area covering the Ningxia Autonomous Region. To accommodate more customers and to keep its standing as a print leader, Ningxia Hongde last year purchased a new eight-color ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION press. Having been installed and put into production recently, the powerful machine is expected to propel the company to greater success.

Hongsibao District, Wuzhong City, the largest ecological immigration area in the country. Ningxia Hongde provides packaging for large-scale tobacco companies across the country. It has an annual production capacity for packaging of 400,000 boxes of cigarettes. Nearly 10 years of unremitting effort saw the company enjoy significant business growth and receive a number of awards such as “Top 50 Small and Medium Enterprises in the Autonomous Region,” “Specialized and Innovative Small and Medium Enterprises in the Autonomous Region,” and “Advanced Organization of Safe Production in the Autonomous Region.”

From the beginning, Ningxia Hongde relied on an eight-color ROLAND 700 with double coating module press as its Ningxia Hongde was founded in key production machine. During nearly 2011 by a group of tobacco industry 10 years of operation, the ROLAND leaders adhering to the shared value 700 helped the company achieve of “Country First, Consumers First.” continuous business growth and build a Its chief aim was to actively support new benchmark for cigarette packaging the development of the “Yellow River printers in the Northwest. That is Charity Valley” in Ningxia. Hence, it due to its premium productivity, print is a poverty alleviation enterprise in quality and finishing capabilities. For

“Tobacco packaging products have rigorous requirements -- large quantity, high speed and high product quality," says Ms. Ma Guiqin, General Manager and General Secretary of the Party branch of Ningxia Hongde. "This poses tremendous challenges to us including the frontline production workers and the company managers. "However, in terms of the equipment quality or the quality of printed products, we have been very satisfied with our Manroland machine, which has been running in our plant for almost a decade." Speaking of Ningxia Honde's investment on a ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION, Ms. Ma says: “Looking at the future, the demand for printing technology is becoming more and more diversified, which raises the new requirements of the processing capacity of the printers; at the same time, we also hope to continuously improve our productivity and optimize the production process through automated technologies. "The new-generation ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION has made big improvements on user-friendliness and various automatic functions. Furthermore, its print quality is as brilliant as other Manroland printing machines. It meets all of our needs."

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Omega Allpro 145 in production at Tianjin Haishun Printing & Packaging Last year, Tianjin Haishun Printing & Packaging Co., Ltd., which is based in the Chinese city of Tianjin, started up its first fully automatic folder-gluer for cartons featuring special forms. • High level of production automation • Productivity increases by 300 per cent • Opportunities for continued strategic business growth • Certified and award-winning production The Omega Allpro 145 supplied by Koenig & Bauer Duran produces

straight-line, crash-lock and doublewalled cartons, as well as six-corner cartons and special packaging for fruit and for clothing. The machine reduces the intensity of work, and has given the level of production automation a significant boost.

The Omega Allpro 145 has allowed daily output from the folder-gluer to increase to up to 50,000 folding cartons. In the past, production generally totalled anything from 12,000 to 15,000 cartons per day. In other words, production volumes have increased by around 300 per cent, even though staffing levels remain unchanged. The company has also become more flexible, as the machine has opened the door to new markets, has shortened turnaround times, saves storage costs, and offers opportunities for new strategic growth in the business. Higher level of sheetfed offset automation as well Now that Tianjin Haishun is using the Omega Allpro 145 for production, it is now also using post-press equipment from Koenig & Bauer for the first time. The company has been using sheetfed

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Direct. Dedicated. Digital.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

offset printing presses from Radebeul ever since the company was founded 18 years ago. The current line-up encompasses nine presses from the Rapida 105, Rapida 106 and Rapida 145 series – the majority of them feature coating facilities and pile logistics, and a number also boast special features such as a reel-to-sheet feeder, perfecting unit, UV accessories, and highly automated FAPC or SPC plate changers.

The Future of Flexo Plate Making

Tianjin Haishun has grown into a highly advanced, fully integrated print company. Its employees, who number almost 1,000, work on a production floor extending across 50,000 m2. The company generates a turnover of more than RMB 700 million (approx. €90 million). Alongside packaging for foods, pharmaceuticals, beauty products, FMCGs, clothing and electronics, the company portfolio also includes hardcover and paperback books, calendars, stickers and many other commercial products. Export markets as far afield as Europe and America Tianjin Haishun is now able to deliver its products and services to customers all over China from the Tianjin Binhai New Area, which has the largest port in North China and is in close proximity to the Beijing metropolitan area.

+ Improve plate print quality and consistency

+ Reduce handling errors

+ Lower total cost of ownership

+ Higher productivity

www.xsysglobal.com

info@xsysglobal.com

At the same time, exports are regularly shipped to overseas markets, for example South Korea, Europe and the United States. Tianjin Haishun is widely respected as a reliable and solid industrial partner. The company has been awarded all the usual certifications, including certifications to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001, and has received multiple awards for its work, including the China Print Awards, the Package Star Award and the Green Printing Special Award.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Corrugated Packaging: F

Marketing Vehicle How Digital Inkjet P INTRODUCTION A combination of forces, from lifestyle shifts to new print technology to consumer demand, is giving corrugated packaging a decorative makeover and expanding its role of protecting products to include marketing them. Corrugated packaging’s transformation from plain brown shipping boxes to product containers with high-quality graphics and print embellishment is expanding opportunities for package printers/converters. Advances in substrates, inks, decorative techniques, and inkjet printing heads for direct printing on corrugated board or preprinting liner are enabling brand owners to use the packaging application to enhance customer experiences and build brand awareness. Corrugated packaging offers organizations a recurring opportunity for building brand awareness and reputation because it travels through many hands in the supply chain, from shipment to final destination. The ability to enhance corrugated packaging’s appearance more efficiently, together with its widespread use, makes it the perfect tool for branding, promotion, and sales. According to The Paper & Packaging Board, corrugated boxes are more widely used today than at any other time in their 164-year history, largely due to growth in e-commerce. In fact, the group believes corrugated materials have entered a golden age of creativity and use. The digital corrugated packaging opportunity Corrugated board is the most frequently used shipping material, and advances in printing technology are expanding its marketing role in product packaging. Market data from the Fibre Box Association highlights the popularity and use of corrugated packaging. The group reports 39 billion corrugated packages are delivered every year and estimates the size of the U.S. market for corrugated packaging and displays is $35.2 billion. The research study Digital Package Printing: The Time Is Now! found that brand owners’ use of corrugated packaging is growing. In addition, brand owners reported using corrugated packaging printed on digital color presses (Figure 1). Digital printing is solidifying corrugated packaging’s attractiveness

as a marketing tool because it combines high-end print quality with short-run cost efficiency. Corrugated packaging is also becoming more available to brand owners as digital printing enables more providers to offer it.

Previously, the corrugated packaging segment was more difficult to enter as specialized printing and finishing equipment was required. In addition, digital printing provides brand owners with new possibilities

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

From Shipping Container to Printing is Creating New Possibilities

for direct printing on containerboard or preprinting linerboard to attach to manufactured corrugated board. New opportunities include cost-effectively producing short runs, improving graphics, adding more colors, including special effects, reducing turnaround times, enabling more versions, and having the ability to test packaging concepts. While digital printing of corrugated is starting to take hold, most corrugated packaging is printed on either flexographic or offset presses. Flexography is often used to print one

or two colors directly on the corrugated material. Offset printing is used typically to print graphics on coated liners that are glued to the corrugated box. A recent NAPCO Research/Memjet survey of corrugated package printers/ converters reveals why digital printing is an attractive alternative. Respondents reported growing demand for shorter runs, increasing numbers of stock-keeping units (SKUs), greater versioning, and security features (Figure 2) — all areas well suited for digital printing.

Corrugated packaging is a powerful brand ambassador Advances in printing technology, substrates, and finishing methods are expanding color and special effects options to add new quality features to corrugated packaging’s list of popular benefits — it’s strong, lightweight, made with renewable materials, and recycled at a high rate. Packaging is an important part of any company’s marketing strategy, and in many respects is the fifth “P” of the marketing mix. Packaging is a significant vehicle for presenting marketing messages to consumers at the point of consideration, purchase, and delivery. According to an Ipsos survey of 2,000 U.S. adults on behalf of the Paper and Packaging Board, 72% believe that the design of a package is a key influencer when selecting products to buy. In addition, 71% of respondents report they are more likely to buy brands from companies that package their products in paper or cardboard than in other materials. A driving force in the use of corrugated packaging as a marketing tool is the growth in consumers purchasing

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

48 products over the Internet. As more products are shipped to buyers in corrugated boxes, marketers are looking for ways to leverage packaging to build awareness and influence perceptions of the recipient and any others viewing the box before it reaches the final destination. e-commerce growth leading the corruf=gated evolution Ongoing growth in e-commerce is a key factor generating demand for corrugated packaging and expanding its functional role — product protection — to include marketing. Market research firm Statista estimates that e-commerce sales will reach $6.54 trillion in 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated online product purchases, which will likely continue as consumers have become accustomed to the convenience of online ordering and the supply chain has adapted to meeting increased volumes. The enormous growth in e-commerce purchasing is moving the point of customer engagement from physical store locations to buyer locations. When a customer receives an online order, this may be his or her first physical interaction with a brand, and in that lies a huge opportunity for impact. This shift is leading brand owners to specify more colorful, aesthetically pleasing, customized packaging that creates an emotional “unboxing” experience. According to a NAPCO Research survey, 33% of brand owners report that creating unboxing excitement for e-commerce sales is a key challenge. Brand owners are creating more colorful, customized, and engaging packaging to create an emotional “unboxing” experience for e-commerce customers. Exciting packaging strengthens the customer relationship, builds brand advocates, and can result in new customer referrals. Customers often document and share their experience opening a package via social media videos or images. Sustainability matters and corrugated makes the grade Another important marketing feature of corrugated packaging is its sustainability. Sustainability is an

essential priority for brand owners, retailers, and consumers. Consumer demand for sustainable packaging influences designs, substrates, printing processes, and provider selections. A recent survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers conducted by Two Sides North America finds that packaging is becoming a driving force in consumer purchasing decisions, and that consumers care about sustainability. According to the survey: • More than half of consumers (57%) prefer products ordered online to be delivered in paper/ cardboard packaging, and two-thirds (66%) believe paper/cardboard packaging is better for the environment than other types of packaging. • More than a third (38%) will spend

more on a product if it is in ecofriendly packaging, while 36% will avoid retailers that are not taking steps to reduce their use of non-recyclable packaging. Corrugated packaging offers sustainability advantages. A primary ecological advantage of corrugated boxes is that they are commonly recyclable and are made from a high percentage of recycled paper, including cartons or newspaper. While other forms of packaging may claim recyclability, corrugated packaging is one with a solid recycling infrastructure. More corrugated packaging is recovered for recycling than any other packaging material . Most municipal recycling programs collect corrugated materials for recycling. The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) estimates

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

that 96% of U.S. citizens have access to community curbside or drop-off corrugated recycling programs. As brand owners become more focused on sustainability, corrugated packaging is commonly recycled. The pulp and paper industry is already adept at converting it into new generations of containerboard. Memjet water-based, pigmented inkjet inks will fully support the recycling of printed corrugated materials, and will not create toxic waste streams. Injet printing a sustainable alternative Inkjet printing of corrugated packaging offers sustainability advantages to brand owners. According to a NAPCO Research survey, 75% of brand owners report sustainability is a high priority (Figure 6). An often overlooked sustainability advantage of inkjet printing is that it can economically produce the exact quantities required. Digital printing’s ability to accommodate shorter runs enables converters and brands to reduce costs and waste associated with overproduction. A recent NAPCO Research survey found that combating waste created by rapid product obsolescence was a top challenge for 29% of brand owner respondents. Injet printing creating new corrugated possibilities Stunning full-color graphics, customizable content, and reduced turnaround times are all making corrugated packaging a more attractive alternative to brand owners and marketers alike. A big factor enabling new creative techniques used in

corrugated packaging is high-speed, single-pass, digital presses. Although the technology is still in its early stages of adoption, it is quickly demonstrating its value to corrugated printers and their customers. Innovations in single-pass, high-speed, direct-to-board digital presses are offering brand owners new corrugated options and advantages, including: • Flexible print runs • Affordable setup costs • Personalization and versioning • New level of quality These single-pass digital color inkjet solutions — like the ones powered by Memjet inkjet technology — print extremely fast, firing millions of drops of ink per second to produce exceptional quality at a low cost. The printheads can be flexibly assembled to create various widths and system speeds depending on the type of packaging needed. A plain corrugated package only has to pass once underneath the fixed printheads to lay down all of the colors and details required.

The use of digital printing is expanding in corrugated printing as a result of high-speed, single-pass inkjet printing systems. While multi-pass flatbed inkjet printers have been used for some time to print corrugated board, their slower speeds have limited use. For inkjet to make its mark in printing corrugated packaging, more productive devices with faster printing speeds were required to meet customer demands. Single-pass inkjet printing uses multiple printheads that are positioned along the whole width of the substrate, instead of heads moving from left to right over the substrate. This enables faster

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

printing since the substrate moves at a constant speed through the printer and the total image is created in one pass. Another way that modular inkjet printing is influencing corrugated is when it is incorporated into the late stages of box-making. On these machines, boxes are created on demand based on the size of the contents, and the ability to add custom graphics that match the size of the box — and potentially even the recipient of the box — can be a significant advantage. The major inkjet printhead manufacturers have worked to eliminate many of the obstacles for printing corrugated cardboard substrates. One example is color matching, as there are single-pass inkjet systems printing up to seven colors. The expanded color gamut enables corrugated printers to accurately hit customers’ brand colors and produce more realistic images — capabilities that are critical for brand owners. Inkjet printing is gaining ground in corrugated printing. A NAPCO Research/Memjet survey of package printers/converters found that 56% of respondents that print corrugated packaging were printing it on inkjet presses (Figure 7). While the majority of corrugated packaging volume is

printed by flexography, this research finding indicates package printers/ converters are adding inkjet printing to the production mix. FM Future’s the Future of Inkjet 2020 offers another proof point on the heightened role of inkjet in corrugated packaging printing. Of the 129 companies participating in the group’s survey — a mix of inkjet developers, manufacturers, and print providers from printers in the U.S. and Europe — 56% identified corrugated and folding cartons as segments poised to be significant adopters of inkjet printing. Inkjet printing offers corrugated printers many attractive benefits. According to the NAPCO Research/ Memjet survey, respondents that printed corrugated packaging on inkjet devices identified the ability to print variable images/data, high quality, ease of use, faster print speeds, and lower cost of ownership compared to other printing methods (Figure 8) as top benefits. These benefits reflect the value and role inkjet printing is playing in expanding corrugated packaging’s ability to enhance customer experiences and build brand strength. Conclusion There is no doubt corrugated packaging’s stature as a marketing and

branding tool will continue to grow as brand owners become more familiar with new capabilities. As packaging printers step up efforts to educate brand owners on the advantages that inkjet printing delivers to corrugated packaging, more creative innovation will follow. Inkjet printing of corrugated packaging offers many attractive benefits for brand owners in enhancing customer experiences and marketing results. Say goodbye to the mundane brown box and hello to a visually compelling, engaging, functional, eco-friendly packaging alternative.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

52 X1 HS. “Given how well things had gone, we were very much open to incorporating robotics onto the X1 to boost speeds still further,” says Allen. “It already ran fast, but we felt that if we could produce the same quality print even faster, we were looking at a game-changer. Seeing it in action, we were immediately impressed. The automatic unloading of substrates greatly reduces set up times and the versatility in terms of media the robotics can handle is very impressive.”

Impact Retail becomes world’s first company to invest in Onset X1 HS from Fujifilm UK retail and shopper marketing agency upgrades from Onset X1 to the automated Onset X1 HS solution to further increase already impressive production speeds A leader in the production of high quality, luxury retail displays for some of the world’s leading brands, Leicester-based Impact Retail prides itself on a strategically-driven and creative mindset. Its 76-strong team includes designers and project managers who have helped many companies enhance their brands with striking visual displays. Impact Retail had spent many years outsourcing its digital print work – but in March of last year, they invested in Fujifilm’s Onset X1. Impressed with the results, the company soon became a BETA test site for the new, automated Onset X1 HS solution and following two months of successful testing, Impact Retail has now become the first company in the world to invest in the Onset X1 HS. “Due to the nature of the brands we work with, the quality of our finished products is critical to everything we do,” says Westley Allen, Print Manager at Impact Retail. “Reducing lead times is also very important, to ensure that we always support our clients to achieve challenging in-store launch dates.

Up until mid-2020, we had outsourced the vast majority of our print work, but we decided we wanted to have more control over quality and lead times and looked into options to bring it in-house. We ultimately felt that the first few machines we looked at lacked the set up and print speed levels we needed, and once that became clear, the Onset was really the only option. “We could immediately see that the Onset X1 could deliver on the print quality front and it certainly ticked the speed box too. We did a site visit to Inca Digital’s Cambridge facility to see the Onset in action for ourselves – from then on, we were sold. “This was by far the biggest CapEx we’d ever undertaken as a business – so it was not a decision we took lightly, but the speed and quality were of such a high standard that we were confident it was a good strategic long-term investment.” Covid-19 delayed the installation of the Onset X1 at Impact Retail, which was initially planned for March 2020, with the machine fully installed in July. “We were blown away by the quality it produced and the speed it worked at, and were immediately able to adjust our workflow, reducing lead times and increasing the flexibility of our scheduling,” continues Allen. With a strong relationship now formed, Impact Retail agreed in October 2020 to be a test site for the more advanced, automated Onset

Impact Retail’s full investment in the Onset X1 HS was finalised in December, and the company is delighted with the results, declaring the machine a huge success. “Combining the technology with a strategic change in working patterns, we have now doubled production capacity. This means we can now work with more clients, more brands and still provide the same exceptional service we pride ourselves on. “This investment also enables us to venture into more bespoke work, smaller volume production runs and projects that require faster turnaround times that may have been challenging to provide previously. “Initially, we were printing to display and fluted boards for the temporary display side of the business. We’re now broadening the range of substrates and applications, allowing us to print even more of our premium retail display work in-house. “Investing in the Onset X1 HS is the single biggest investment this company has ever made and we can safely say it has transformed our business. It’s one of the best things we’ve ever done. We had originally envisaged the Onset taking on around 80% of the digital print jobs we were outsourcing – with the remaining 20% and all our litho work continuing to be outsourced. But it has exceeded our expectations massively. We have, in fact, now brought all of our digital print and litho work in-house – with the exception of a few speciality print jobs – and we’re printing more than double the volume we’d anticipated. When business gets

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

Learn more

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

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

54 back up to pre-pandemic levels – we’ll do even more.” Allen also has high praise for the staff who helped to get the Onset X1 HS up and running: “The teams at Fujifilm and Inca have been great. Everyone we have dealt with has been extremely helpful, very knowledgeable and patient with us throughout the process.” Heidelberg‘s digital ecosystem given the name “Heidelberg Plus” Heidelberg is taking the digitization of its customer relationships incorporating useful value-added collaborative business relationships with customers in our digital world. Our aim is for the Heidelberg Plus ecosystem to simplify the way we work with our customers and offer them more added value,” explains Ludwig Allgoewer, Head of Sales and Marketing at Heidelberg.

services to the next level. The company is combining all elements of the Heidelberg ecosystem in its new “Heidelberg Plus” digital customer portal. This includes everything from Internet presence with website and eShop to various performance report, monitoring, and service applications in the production sector and access to instructional videos plus white papers covering technical aspects and applications. Developments in the areas of cloud technology, IoT, big data, and AI have created new possibilities that Heidelberg will now be systematically harnessing to offer customers further added value. Examples include developing the first AIbased applications to advise them interactively on how they can optimize their own operations, with Heidelberg leveraging and supplying its big data expertise. In the future, customers will be able to access the entire digital world at Heidelberg using a single sign-on. “Digitized customer relationships coupled with attractive added-value services are the key to establishing

Heidelberg is thus combining existing applications with new services for customers. In the future, a single point of access is all users will need for a complete overview of all information and tools, networked functions, and the entire Heidelberg service portfolio. This will make it quick and easy to obtain information, purchase items (eShop), and monitor operations. Over 1,600 print shops already use Heidelberg Assistant (HDA) to access their production data. To obtain the relevant services, they need to be registered or have purchased specific services (e.g. Maintenance Manager) as a contract customer. “What is already impressing users more than anything is the option of using mobile devices to monitor machine operation, purchase consumables, or create service tickets. Regular HDA users range from large businesses with sites located in dozens of different countries to SMEs with just one site,” says Allgoewer, summarizing the customer benefits. “Key elements of the ecosystem such as HDA and the eShop have already developed very encouragingly. By merging these and other existing applications, and also integrating new ones, we will further enhance the

benefits for our customers,” he adds. The company will soon be unveiling the new Heidelberg Plus ecosystem to the public – at the China Print trade show this summer. In the fall, it will then be showcased at the Print Media Centers in Germany, the United States, Japan, and Brazil. Fully recyclable plastic films approved for HP Indigo presses The new digitally printed packaging solution allows brands to personalize their environmentally friendly packaging with HP Indigo’s printing capabilities In collaboration with HP Indigo, Polysack has validated its packaging films for printing on HP Indigo digital presses. Polysack is a green-tech manufacturer of plastic film products for flexible packaging and high-shrink labels. According to the company, its Pack’N’Cycle plastic film is 100% recyclable. The company added that some 9% of all plastic is recycled and that “most “recyclable” plastic is not actually recycled or fully recyclable”. “The ability to combine our 100-percent recyclable film with HP Indigo’s printing capabilities allows businesses to create packaging that fits their brand while remaining environmentally conscious,” said Yanir Aharonson, CEO of Polysack. “Plastic waste is a major environmental problem, and we’re glad to help make the world a bit more green.”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

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 5 2021

56 printers to switch from printing on plastic film materials to printing on paper substrates with water-based inks.” The nyloflex® FTM Digital is a medium hard plate with a smooth surface, bringing a good ink transfer and ink laydown out of the box and capable of reproducing sophisticated surface screenings in case this is required. With no need for additional equipment or auxiliaries, the plate can be exposed in existing systems with standard tube lights or LED UV-A light exposure, before solvent processing.

Polysack’s film can replace 70 to 80% of unrecyclable plastic to fully recyclable packaging without increasing costs, modifying people’s usage habits, or needing to rebuild the infrastructure for the package production. “We are excited to help brands find new packaging options for their products to continue to improve their sustainability profile,” said Yair Gellis, head of Flexible Packaging development at HP Indigo, “The HP Indigo digital printing solution for flexible packaging offers brands sustainability advantages including lower waste.” XSYS announces the launch of nyloflex® FTM Digital flexo plate for printing with water-based inks • Suitable for printing on paper substrates to meet sustainability demands • Enables printers to switch from solvent to water-based inks • Offers superior ink laydown and reduced costs The new nyloflex® FTM Digital plate with inherent flat top dots has been developed specifically for flexographic printing with water-based inks on different grades of paper substrates. The trigger for the development of this new plate solution is the acceleration in the demand for more

environmentally friendly packaging production. As the market moves towards more sustainable substrates in response to those demands, XSYS is introducing the nyloflex® FTM Digital plate which enables printers to use water-based inks on coated and uncoated paper for aseptic food packaging and corrugated preprint liner. “This latest addition to the nyloflex® plate portfolio will have a broad appeal for printers serving different segments of the packaging production wishing to move to a more sustainable operation, but still retain the ability to produce the highest quality products,” said Simon Top, Product Manager at XSYS. “The nyloflex® FTM Digital will help to fulfil the brand owners’ sustainability requirements by allowing

XSYS innovative inherent flat top dot technology ensures minimum dot wear and significantly less dot gain compared to round top dot plates, thereby also greatly improving press uptimes to reduce costs and start-up waste in the press room. Featuring advanced dot sharpening, the nyloflex® FTM Digital presents fine highlights and a high solid ink density in print, increasing the shelf appeal of the final product. “The nyloflex® FTM Digital can be considered as the flat top dot counterpart of our well known nyloflex® ACT Digital plate,” explained Top. “The plate enables printers to easily tackle both coated and uncoated papers without the need to use two different plate types. In the past, a hard plate like the nyloflex® ACE UP and medium hard plate like nyloflex® ACT were often combined to achieve the optimum result. At one customer case, we were able to reduce

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

57 this complexity for up to 60% of the print jobs by using the nyloflex® FTM Digital.” An additional benefit is the better plate filling that could be achieved and thereby reducing the plate waste and total plate cost in the plate making process. nyloflex® FTM Digital plates are commercially available in 1.14 mm (0.045 in) to 2.84 mm (0.112 in) thicknesses and in varying plate sizes. The nyloflex® FTM Digital plate material will be available for shipment as of May 31, 2021. “As the optimum choice for long highquality print runs on more sustainable substrates, the nyloflex® FTM Digital is the perfect response to the pressure from the market to find solutions that are better for the environment, but also cost efficient,” Simon Top concluded. Brand-New Premium Packaging Plant in Gdansk, Poland, Has SWEDBRAND Well-Positioned to Address Luxury Brand Requirements SWEDBRAND Group, the packaging partner to some of the world’s most iconic brands, today announced the opening of its brand-new converting plant in Poland, Swedbrand Poland Sp z o.o., for premium customized rigid boxes for luxury products. Supported by a global production network of owned and partner-run facilities, the state-of-the-art Gdansk plant is operated by experienced staff and is able to deliver significantly reduced cost and time for intra-Europe delivery.

The facility is managed by Bogdan Putko, who has 35 years of experience in the Polish packaging market and has worked with many global brands.

Our shipping costs per truckload from Poland to Germany, for example, are between €850 and €1,300. This way the delivery can be accomplished in as little as three days.”

“The company has well-established packaging capabilities in China and Viet Nam and began looking for opportunities to initiate production in Europe as well about two years ago,” said Zaid Bunni, co-founder of the SWEDBRAND Group. “This seems prescient today in light of the disruptions brought on by the pandemic and the instability in Asian markets. We are especially pleased to have Bogdan join our team and bring his extensive knowledge of both packaging and the Polish printing/ converting environment as we built out our new factory.”

These reduced shipping fees lead to a more competitive overall cost structure for the premium rigid boxes. With regards to brands, these premium boxes are important for communicating the respective brand image and increasing their luxury product’s shelf appeal, while protecting often fragile contents at the same time. In addition, being able to get products to the shelves up to a month earlier than previously possible results in a significant revenue opportunity for brands and retailers.

Bunni points out that the Gdansk factory, which is a highly automated state-of-the-art converting operation for premium rigid boxes, brings a number of benefits to brands requirement rigid box production for use in Europe. Plant manager Bogdan Putko adds, “We’ve seen dramatic increases in both time and cost for shipping from China to Europe. While manufacturing time and labor costs are somewhat higher in Poland, it can take four to five weeks just to secure a 40-foot container in China, and then five to seven weeks to ship it to Europe. In addition, just in the last few months shipping costs have increased by a factor of four or five, from US$2,000 for a 40-foot container to as much as US$10,000.

“We have just completed putting the finishing touches on our factory and are now entering full production phase,” Putko added. “We also offer brands a unique opportunity for a virtual factory tour in light of pandemic conditions that are still restricting travel. The virtual tour is designed to showcase all aspects of the factory and provide brands with the confidence that we can provide reliable and timely service. In addition, the Gdansk factory addresses the need of many of the world’s most well-known brands to diversify risk by moving all or some of their packaging converting from Asia to Europe.” successfully completed the beta program for its revolutionary, sustainable and cost-effective metallization technology

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

58 ACTEGA Metal Print GmbH today announces that the German print specialist, Kolbe-Coloco Spezialdruck GmbH, has successfully completed the beta program for its revolutionary, sustainable and cost-effective metallization technology, EcoLeaf™. The new ACTEGA technology is enabling Kolbe-Coloco to meet its customers’ sustainability targets for reduced waste, while increasing operating efficiencies and opening the door to new profitable business. Announced as the world’s first EcoLeaf customer in March 2020, KolbeColoco concluded the ACTEGA beta program in less than 11 months. Installed on the company’s Gallus RCS 430 modular inline labels press, the business is now using the breakthrough EcoLeaf technology for paid commercial jobs. Representing 20% of all label jobs it produces, and as part of a phased transition, the business is now gradually moving all its foil-based work to its new EcoLeaf solution. Stefan Klinksiek, Kolbe-Coloco’s CEO, comments: ‘EcoLeaf is already enabling us to enjoy resource savings and significantly less waste. What’s more, the ACTEGA technology has also become a real catalyst for new business too – brands truly engage with its benefits and see it as a premium service. There’s no doubt that EcoLeaf has provided us with a competitive edge.” As part of the Hamburg-based print-

ing group, H.O.PERSIEHL, KolbeColoco employs 170 people and is based in Versmold, Germany. The company is renowned for providing superior performance “multi-sensory print finishing”, which delivers selfadhesive labels that better engage the consumer and leads to increased sales. In addition, and as part of its drive towards sustainability best practice, Kolbe-Coloco is now ISO 9001 certified – critical in serving its portfolio of food and beverage and pharmaceutical blue-chip customers. “Despite the pandemic, the installation of EcoLeaf went very well. After initial alignment of software and hardware, we started the first tests in June and were delighted with the results,” concludes Stefan Klinksiek. “Now that we’ve moved into commercial sales, we predict ROI from Ecoleaf by 2022, with the anticipated need of a second unit in the not-too-distant future.” In addition to processing all the learnings from its beta program, the team at ACTEGA Metal Print have also redesigned and launched a new outer skin for the EcoLeaf unit. As a result, all new EcoLeaf systems now feature a cover that offers user friendly functionality, superior durability and a style that reflects the cutting-edge nature of the technology. Jan Franz Allerkamp, Managing Director of ACTEGA Metal Print, comments: “We are obviously delighted that Kolbe-Coloco has successfully completed the beta program and that

EcoLeaf is making such a positive contribution to their business.” “While the last 16 months have been a huge global challenge, some trends such as sustainability, smart logistics and local production have further intensified. Brands are actively seeking new processes and new technologies, such as EcoLeaf, to better meet their ambitions – we are proud and excited to support our customers in delivering this for metalized printed labels,” concludes Jan Franz Allerkamp. Novotecno enjoys major benefits from next generation rotec® sleeves By deploying the latest rotec® Blue Light Sleeves from XSYS on its wide web flexo presses, the Spanish fresh produce packaging specialist has been able to reduce downtime and running costs. The next-generation, thinwalled sleeve features a longer-lasting construction that improves efficiencies and productivity in flexo printing production. Headquartered in Badalona, in Spain, Novotecno S.A. – Grupo Giró is an international innovation leader in packaging systems and products for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry. The company produces tubular nets, labels and films, as well as manufacturing specialised weighing and bagging machinery for the horticultural sector. The Giró brand is known worldwide for the excellent quality, high reliability and great modularity of its machinery, which allows packers to achieve the best productivity in the market and to respond quickly to new demands from customers.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 5 2021

59 stability compared to the original Blue Light Sleeve from the early 1990s. The development builds on the thin-wall technology of the second-generation sleeve from 2016, but is less likely to crack and more cut resistant. It also has a smoother surface than competitive products.

Working with XSYS regional agent LR Flexo, Novotecno has been relying on rotec® Blue Light plate-mounting sleeves for all flexographic printing at the factory in Badalona for more than 10 years. It was the first converter to upgrade to the new long-lasting construction, thin-walled sleeves, and the improvement has been impressive. “On average, we were ordering approximately 50 rotec® Blue Light Sleeves of this size each year, because they became damaged so quickly. Since switching to the new construction in July 2019, lifetime has doubled, so that amounts to a substantial saving for us,” said Daniel Moreno, Production Manager at Novotecno. Continuous innovation from XSYS The long-lasting construction rotec® Blue Light Sleeves is the third generation of this thin-walled, plate carrier technology from XSYS Sleeves. Introduced to the market in 2020, the new sleeve offers improved overall

Available in lengths between 250 and 2600mm, the new thin-walled sleeve is offered in a thickness of 0.9 – 1.7mm. It can be combined with various adapters for plate-mounting off press and offers easy and reliable handling of all flexo plate types. “With the new construction of the thin Blue Lights, the product is more robust. Soon after we started using them, it became clear that the surface is much more resistant and doesn’t crack after a few cuts.” commented Daniel Moreno. Preferred partner for sleeves The XSYS rotec® product development team is constantly driving innovation to meet the needs of customers and stay ahead of trends. The evolution of the sleeve technology goes hand in hand with the partnerships that have been created over many years. “Having represented rotec® Sleeves & Adapters for more than 20 years, I am impressed by how easily the rotec® team understood the situation and proposed a new solution for our common customer,” said Lluis Rebled,

owner of LR Flexo. “Our partnership with Novotecno is a real success story and it is a clear example of how we work together with customers to help them succeed.” Commenting on why Novotecno chooses XSYS Sleeves as their supplier, Moreno concluded, “The product quality is excellent, and we know we can rely on XSYS if there are any issues. When we had a specific problem, XSYS and the agent LR Flexo took it seriously and solved it for us quickly. This is the relationship and cooperation we expect with our partners, therefore rotec® is our preferred brand for sleeves.” For more information about the new XSYS division of the Flint Group, please visit www.xsysglobal.com or contact info@xsysglobal.com. successfully completed the beta program for its revolutionary, sustainable and cost-effective metallization technology ACTEGA Metal Print GmbH today announces that the German print specialist, Kolbe-Coloco Spezialdruck GmbH, has successfully completed the beta program for its revolutionary, sustainable and cost-effective

Print Innovation Asia May 2021

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