Print Innovation Asia

Page 1

Print INNOVATION

Asia Magazine

Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia since 1986 Issue 7 - 2019

Announcing SOON the 2019 Asian Print Awards Winners



We wish all the companies the best of luck in winning an Award at this years Asian Print Awards We hope to see you on stage in Bangkok on Friday the 20th of September



Winners announced soon....... Asian PrintAwards 2019 th

PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS: 2020

2020

_018 020 VIETNAM - August Contents Page 6

Continuously working to integrate digital folding carton

printing increases capabilities 10

China’s Lang Fang UTS doubles its HP Indigo

press fleet

12

Digital labels - how quality will affect your ability

to move with the times

16

Increase application range with creative and

enhanced designs

18

Letra Graphix India wins gold yet again.

20

MPS presents ‘Beyond the Machine’ at Labelexpo

22

Towa Printing becomes 500th Plates Customer in Japan

24

Travelling the World with Instant Cups

26

Is Inkjet the Right Choice for All Providers?

30

Chinese print shops are growing with Heidelberg

26

Increasing productivity with the Lithrone G44

38

Factory acceptance for CorruCUT in Würzburg

42

New ergonomic press design at Pack Print in Bangkok

44

New Standard of Quality and Expands its Offerings

46

What can we learn from the best sales people?

50

An ideal press for Huizhou Honghui Printing

52

How you are leaving your current employment?

54

News from around Asia and the world

Issue 7 2019

Print INNOVATION

Asia Magazine

Published by Asian Print Awards Management Pte Ltd Level 28, Office 28-31 Clifford Centre, 24 Raffles Place, Singapore 048621 Print Innovation Asia Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia Asian Print Awards Packageing Excellence Awards 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 7 2019

6

Continuously working to folding carton printing Philip Morris International (PMI) is continuously working to integrate digital folding carton printing into their production environment. The transformation of folding carton printing is currently taking place at PMI’s Development Center in Switzerland. What is so special about it? To start with, an international brand owner deciding itself to push the boundaries of digital printing. How? By equipping a digital label printing machine for printing folding carton. The company invested in a Gallus Labelfire, which is being developed into an end-to-end digital printing solution. PMI's move is radical and so is the reason they’re doing it. The change in product portfolio now including smoke-free products requires a drastically reduced timeto-market, which was not possible by simply optimizing the supply chain in conventional printing. Digital printing came into play offering that required flexibility and speed, but it did not cover all the requirements in terms

of cost and capabilities. PMI saw the benefits of digital printing at a very early stage and decided not to wait until a finished solution became available on the market, but to actively work on further developing the digital solution itself. A hybrid digital printing machine was installed in the Development Center in Neuchâtel. Decision for a Gallus Labelfire 340 As the name Labelfire suggests, the type of machine is a model that is conceptually designed for label printing. The reason behind the choice lies in the modularity of the machine, says PMI. As a hybrid machine, Gallus Labelfire combines the analogue printing and embellishing processes still required today with the versatility of digital printing. According to Gallus, this machine configuration is the longest version of a Labelfire built so far. Gallus had to make some adjustments

The illustrations and brand colors are digitally printed with extended color gammut including white. A UV silver in flexographic printing is followed by the first UV matt varnish, which is a bit rougher followed by the second UV matt varnish. Finally all L&M letters are embossed. in order to equip the label printing machine with a working width of 340 mm for printing on board to cover a wide range of board types up to more than 300 g/m2. This business requirement led to considerable technical challenges to adapt the machine, i.e. web tension / machine re-enforcement, but with close collaboration between Gallus and PMI, they were overcome successfully. Machine Layout The machine is equipped with two flexographic printing units in front of the digital printing unit. The flexo units are used to achieve metallic effects on cold foil. Likewise, white can be applied at this point to partially cover metallic An extremely compact embellishment unit of Steinemann AG is integrated in the Labelfire.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

7

o integrate digital by Dieter Finna

Print with extended color gammut including white. The matt effect in black is achieved by applying a UV soft touch lacquer. In contrast, the glossy soft touch lacquer emphasizes the colored elements, visible in the Marlboro lettering. Clearly visible are the reflections of the embossing edge below the letters rlbo in the enlarged picture. foil or specially laminated substrate types. Next is a digital printing unit equipped with eight UV colours, covering CMYK, extended gamut printing plus digital white. Fujifilm Dimatix Samba print heads are used to enable a print speed of 50m/min at a physical resolution of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi. The digital printing unit is followed by two flexo units with which matt varnish or gloss varnish can be applied. At the end of the line, each pack is partially coated in flexographic printing to protect the surface of the blanks and adjust for the coefficient of friction for high packaging speeds. However, due to specific design needs, PMI has included additional flexo units which were installed downstream.

The metallic effect is created by online cold foil plus glue application in a flexo unit. The design colours are digitally printed using extended colour gammut including white. A rough matt lacquer is used followed by the embossing to achieve a 3D effect.

All digital? For PMI, a clearly defined goal is to digitize all printing and converting steps in the future. As early as December 2018, an offline laser die-cutter for cutting and creasing was installed to further explore digital converting possibilities. In addition, following PMI’s digital concept to extend the digital embellishment applications, a new digital embellishment unit will be integrated into the machine platform, which incorporates the implementation of Schmid-Rhyner’s patented digital varnishing technology (diVar) into the digital embellishment unit (DEU), which was jointly developed by Steinemann and Gallus.” The digital embellishment unit has been

dimensioned so compactly that all units fit inline into the narrow web machine, including drying, ozone extraction and cooling. "A digital solution for PMI will only lead the way when the digital endto-end production can be put into practice." The Entire Embellishment Spectrum Becomes Possible The uniqueness of the digital embellishment system is that it will enable digital varnishing, covering spot or continuous gloss and other effects. For this purpose, Schmid-Rhyner developed a UV-curable Ink-jet varnish which can be applied at a printing speed of 50 m/min up to a quantity of 25 g/m2, which corresponds to


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

8

an application thickness of 25 Οm. Reducing the print speed to 25m/min could even increase the amount to 50g/ m2. Practical examples Designs of more than 200 SKUs have already been printed on the digital printing line. These are mainly smaller print runs and requirements for various markets. A small selection of the printed packaging shows the images that were previously produced without the embellishment unit on the "Boardfire". In general, PMI uses stochastic screens, resulting in the finest vignettes to zero. The brand colours such as Marlboro Red or L & M Blue are made of screened separations of process colours. To apply metallic effects, the cold foil is overprinted. In this way, metallic effects can be generated in a variety of shades, which appear different from every viewing angle. Matt gloss effects are also used, which effectively support the design of the packaging. All printing examples are in a final processing step offline creased and die-cut. Proximity to production Philip Morris has established a true commercial packaging production at the Development Center in Neuchâtel,

where small to medium-sized print runs can be industrially produced. With a continuous development to strive for a digital end-to-end solution, PMI is at the forefront to explore and lead new technology opportunities. To further validate and test the technology under real commercial conditions, PMI has invested in two identical digital printing machines to be

The cold foil unit is above the flexographic printing units installed in one of their production sites in 2019. As Tony Snyder mentioned at the digital print for packaging conference in Berlin, this could ultimately lead to a digital printing line being available in every production site in the future.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

9


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

10

China’s Lang Fang UTS doubles its HP Indigo press fleet The addition of the new HP Indigo 12000 presses makes it the biggest HP Indigo B2 factory in China. Lang Fang UTS New World Digital Printing Co. has expanded its production capacity to meet market demand by doubling its HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press fleet to four units. At Print China 2019, UTS purchased two new 29 inch (B2) sized HP Indigo 12000 units to boost digital print capacity at its new facility established to operate the presses in Langfang, Hebei Province, China, strategically positioned to serve printing demand between Beijing and Tianjin. The addition of the presses makes UTS the biggest HP Indigo B2 factory in China. “UTS has achieved groundbreaking growth with HP Indigo digital printing technology,” said Zhang Lei, general manager, UTS. “The HP Indigo 12000 sheet size is the key of success for UTS, opening the possibility to deliver unique, personalized products without giving up fast turnaround.” The new fleet of presses has enabled UTS to reach 24/7 production, Zhang

Lei said. UTS is using the HP PrintOS cloud-based management system to simplify and automate production processes, as it strives to maximize capacity and efficiency of existing equipment. “It’s fantastic to see UTS growing rapidly in the vibrant Chinese printing market. The new possibilities offered by HP Indigo digital printing are enabling them to produce and automate production of new, highvalue applications that enhance and sustain business,” said Alon Bar-Shany, general manager, HP Indigo. At Print China, UTS won a HP Digital Print Excellence Awards 2019 for its outstanding production of a restaurant menu. The competition recognizes outstanding accomplishments and innovations by print service providers (PSPs) across Asia Pacific and Japan. The addition of the two HP Indigo 12000 presses significantly increases productivity with a robust digital 29-inch

press for any commercial application on almost any substrate. The unmatched range of media capabilities includes synthetic, metalized and canvas using One Shot technology. Advanced color capabilities include up to 7 ink stations and special inks such as HP Indigo ElectroInk White and fluorescents. Growing with HP Indigo digital printing In 2007, Zhang Lei saw the opportunity of digital transformation in the printing industry. In 2014, UTS acquired a HP Indigo 5600, which doubled its business volume and encouraged UTS to purchase a HP Indigo 7800 in the following year. Greater productivity attracted more large orders, requiring the company to further improve its capacity and efficiency. Eight months later, UTS acquired a HP Indigo 10000. In April 2018, the company installed its first HP Indigo 12000.


TRANSFORM YOUR CORRUGATED PACKAGING BUSINESS Create new business opportunities and gain new competitive advantages - while reducing turnaround time and waste. HP digital corrugated packaging solutions complement your analog capabilities, giving you greater flexibility to address short-runs, accelerate time to market, and simplify your production processes. With HP, you can turn dynamic market requirements into new growth opportunities for your business.

HP PAGEWIDE T400 PRESS

HP PAGEWIDE T1100 SERIES PRESSES

Open new opportunities with a combined solution of pre-print and digital in one inkjet web press.

Optimize time savings with high-volume production and job versatility, thanks to variable data and HP Multi-lane Print Architecture.

HP SCITEX 15500 CORRUGATED PRESS

HP SCITEX 17000 CORRUGATED PRESS

Drive down costs - and improve your break-even point - with a highly productive press that lets you do more.

Achieve cost-effective, short- and medium-run production. Meet demanding turnarounds with the quality you need.

DIGITAL FLEXIBILITY

OFFSET-LIKE PRINT QUALITY

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

: www.hp.com/go/corrugatedpackaging ©2018 HP Development Company, LP. 4AA7-4099EEW

INVEST WITH CONFIDENCE

HIGH PERFORMANCE

FOOD-SAFE WATER-BASED INK


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

12

Digital labels -

how quality will affect your ability to move with the times Once upon a time, printing labels for packaging was about legibility and longevity. And that’s still true. But now another factor has come into play, and label printers who fail to take it into consideration could find themselves struggling to keep up with innovations in the industry. There are two key innovations that label printers should be aware of: 1. Digital label printing Digital label printing is revolutionising how labels are printed. It’s letting printers do short-run, fast-turnaround projects for clients in a way that is far more affordable than ever before. Digital label printing lets you print sequential or variable labels far more

cost effectively than traditional techniques like flexographic printing. As there are no plates required, the set-up time and cost for each job is dramatically reduced. The flexibility offered by digital label printing is significant, and can open up new revenue streams and opportunities for printers.

One of the most exciting emerging opportunities for label printers is augmented reality. 2. Augmented reality Augmented reality (AR) is set to take the label industry by storm. AR combines real-world views with digital content. Users just download an app, then scan the label to access videos, cartoons, audio files, or other information relevant to the product. This delivers an unprecedented level of interactivity. For example, imagine you’re considering which pasta to buy. You scan the label on one brand to see a video of a celebrity chef making a recipe with that pasta. The chef recommends a particular bottle of wine to go with that recipe. So, you go to the bottle shop and find that bottle, and use the same app to scan its label. Now, you’re watching a video from the winemaker about the wine and its


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


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

14 vintage, what foods it goes best with, how it should taste, and how it is likely to mature over the next few years. You buy the wine and, because it was pricey, you put it in your cellar and plan to drink it on a special occasion. Five years later, you pick up the bottle and can’t remember what the winemaker said. So, you scan the label again and now, instead of seeing the same video you saw five years ago, you watch an updated version that explains what to expect if you open your wine today. The opportunities for businesses to upsell, cross-promote, and generally make their products stand out are almost limitless using AR technology like this. However, it’s important to remember that the success of any AR technology connected with labels depends heavily on the quality of the label itself. AR relies on sophisticated markers to be printed on the label. The smartphone camera must be able to pick up those markers accurately for the AR content to appear. So, it’s important that the printed label be highly accurate in terms of colour reproduction, fidelity, and crispness.

With Australian label printers already receiving strong demand for ARenabled labels, it’s only a matter of time before this type of label goes mainstream. When it does, label printers will need to have the right equipment in place to meet the demand. The Konica Minolta AccurioLabel 190 is being used to deliver the quality that’s required for AR labels. It produces colours accurately and the output is exceptionally high quality.

It’s affordable to run and delivers an outstanding result. The AccurioLabel 190 is helping Konica Minolta customers innovate and compete more effectively in a changing world. It’s a digital label printer which opens up myriad new opportunities for printers, attracting new customers who need small volumes of labels but require sophisticated options such as the ability to print barcodes or include AR markers.

We worked out the perfect solution to expand your gamut! Enter a new color space with ORIS X GAMUT.

ORIS X GAMUT Reproduce spot colors using a fixed ink set (CMYK+N)

ORIS X GAMUT

PDF RGB

PDF CMYK+Pantone

Increase color saturation of images Separate PDF data into multi-channel data Create and manage own spot color libraries Easy, fully-automated production process

Conventional

PDF CMYK+N FIXED INK PALETTE

Digital www.cgs-oris.com


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

15

LET US BE THE FUEL

Industrial Textile

MIS Systems

Hybrid Superwide

Wide Format

Roll-to-Roll Superwide

Soft Signage

Thermoform Printing

Web to Print Solutions

Fiery Servers

Ceramic

EFI offers you the broadest choice of products across the widest range of TM

applications to fuel your success. From superwide LED inkjet, to ceramic printing, to powerful Fiery print servers. From the lowest cost per print, to soft signage ÂŽ

textile printing, to delivering peak performance by running your business through EFI Productivity Suites. Contact your local EFI specialist at EFI_ANZ@efi.com.

Nothing herein should be construed as a warranty in addition to the express warranty statement provided with EFI products and services. EFI, FabriVU, Fiery and VUTEk are trademarks of Electronics For Imaging, Inc. and/or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or certain other countries. Š2018 Electronics For Imaging, Inc. All rights reserved.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

16

Increase application range with creative and enhanced designs Xeikon has developed a specific solution for printers looking to enhance and increase their range of labels. It is the unique combination of the Xeikon X-800 workflow and the PantherCure UV ink that can generate a tactile layer, responsible for a so called “haptic effect” in print. Printers can easily create designer labels with enhanced tactility, textures and a luxury feel Xeikon’s new haptic printing process not only boosts and expands the range of possible applications for high-end label markets, it helps make significant time savings by avoiding any modifications to the prepress files. Tactile effects on labels are greatly appreciated by the beer, beverage, food, and Health & Beauty markets. Jeroen Van Bauwel, Director Product Management, says, “The technology generating the tactile and textured layer is embedded in the Panther’s X-800 workflow. It is the brand owners and designers who define the structure, shape and form of the design. When the file is received, the workflow automatically recognizes the elements of the design and generates the information required to drive the print head – that’s what creates the haptic effect in print on the end product.” Increasing uptime In order to further optimize the workflow on the Panther, Xeikon

has developed a specific solution, embedded in the X-800 workflow: an automated optimization of the white ink layer. The production of labels on clear facestocks (e.g. premium beer or Health & Beauty labels) comes with unique challenges. An opaque white is required to make the design standout, this may result however in varying ink layer thicknesses across the web. The uneven thickness of the ink layer will generate a telescoping effect on the printed rolls. In the past, press operators have overcome this by printing smaller rolls, resulting in more frequent roll changes and extra waste in material and time. Some printers found a solution in spending extra time in prepress to reduce the amount of white. This time-consuming prepress work can now be handled in a fully automated way by the X-800 digital front-end without intervention at any stage in the production process. The X-800

automatically reduces the white layer. The extent of reduction will depend on the colors that come on top of it. The result is an increase in uptime during the manufacturing process – both in printing and converting – as printers can run larger rolls. In addition, PSP’s save on cost, not only because of the reduced amount of white ink, but also because of the reduction of waste. Van Bauwel concludes, “Xeikon continues to work towards excellence to enhance every facet of its portfolio. We continue to look for opportunities to make savings on costs and time. By improving each small step of the process, we can make a big difference to the overall production process and reduce manufacturing costs. Achieving haptic effects in print through the unique capabilities of our X-800 workflow and ink optimization not only boosts and increases the range of possible applications but allows printers to streamline their operations.”


www.xeikon.com


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

18

Letra Graphix goes for Flexo Gold

At the Asian Packaging Excellence Awards 2019, Letra Graphix was a big winner in labels, with awards across different categories. Sha Jumari reports. Nirav Shah, Managing Director Letra Graphix. The Gold winning entry for the ‘Labels Flexo’ category was for their client, Joy Body Lotion. According to Shah, they had very specific demands in terms of “design, colour, ink, substrate and the look of the label.” In addition to the Gold, Letra Graphix won Silver for ‘Combination Printing – Labels’, and Bronze for ‘Narrow Web Flexibles – Film’ and ‘Mid Web Flexibles – Film’. The Machine of Choice Specializing in customized self-adhesive labels, Letra Graphix was established in 1997 and are ISO 9001-2015 certified and SEDEX approved. Based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, company additionally prints multi-layer labels, hanger labels and security labels. The winning labels were produced using Gallus flexo printing machines. Letra Graphix has a 5,974 square yard manufacturing facility equipped with three state-of-the-art Gallus flexo printing machines capable of online screen printing, hot/ cold foil stamping & BOPP lamination either in sheet or roll form. They also have the Prati’s booklet machine, in-mould machine, inspection and slitting machine. An in-house Gallus screen printing unit with advanced workflow software and a full-fledged finishing line completes their arsenal. India’s Letra Graphix Pvt Ltd did home ground proud by sweeping awards at the Asian Packaging Excellence Awards 2019. The company went home with four awards in total: two Bronze awards, one Silver and an ultimate Gold award. “It is definitely a great feeling. Winning an award always gives us an upper edge compared to our competitors. The awards have been the driving force behind our commitment in providing world-class products at competitive prices with superior customer service and desire to grow with each and every customer we have. This inspires us to strive for more success in the next year,” said Nirav Shah, Letra Graphix. The company is a known competitor, winning awards yearon-year. When asked on their secret to winning: “Well, even today we feel as if we are submitting entries for the very first time. It is a tightrope but we choose entries by keeping our competitors in mind and submit those entries which we feel will do the trick,” said Shah.

Shah revealed that the company is in the midst of installing yet another Gallus machine, saying “configuration is in process.” “We are constantly expanding our equipment and personnel to meet the changing needs of the Label and packaging markets,” said Shah. “We have been keeping ahead of the times by investing in modern technology, implementing international standards in its processes, importing quality raw materials and taking best management practices onboard. Our greatest asset is our staff of qualified professionals and a trained workforce with years of experience behind them.” Letra Graphix also caters to various industries including cosmetics & personal care, pharmaceutical, agrochemicals, food & beverages, home care, and oil & lubricants amongst others. Shah concluded: “We adhere to strict quality control measures which makes us the top Indian self-adhesive label manufacturer in the industry by providing customized and cost effective labelling solutions of best quality.”


Going beyond the only true metallic spectrum. To make Metallicolour possible, the Iridesse™ Production Press uses 6-colour-1-pass technology with two types of special ink from Silver and Gold. This is the first time such an impressive overlay and underlay of speciality ink has been made available. Discover what’s possible in Metallicolour www.fxap.com.sg/beyond-imagination

Iridesse™ Production Press. Beyond imagination. Xerox, Xerox and Design, as well as Fuji Xerox and Design are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xerox Corporation in Japan and/or other countries.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

20

MPS presents ‘Beyond the Machine’ at Labelexpo Focus will be on four key processes that extend beyond the printing press

At this year’s Labelexpo Europe, 24-27 September in Brussels, MPS Systems is presenting ‘Beyond the Machine’ on booth 11C20 (hall 11). How the Dutch press manufacturer offers valuable processes that extend beyond a topquality printing press will be shared with label printers and converters. Focus on lifecycle performance At Labelexpo Europe, the press is not the primary focus for MPS. Atze Bosma, CEO of MPS explained: “Yes, our presses are top-quality, but we offer label printers and converters much more. High-level Service, and our knowledge of Connectivity and Productivity are the foundation for optimal lifecycle performance of MPS machines. The result: extremely efficient production of highest quality Applications.” What to expect on booth 11C20 In a glamorous Hollywood-style, theatre atmosphere, the ‘Beyond the Machine’ concept will be demonstrated with four islands surrounding the MPS printing press, each showing strengths of four key processes: Connectivity, Applications, Productivity and Service. To showcase the range of MPS print capabilities, MPS has invited customers

to submit their unique label applications printed on their press for a chance to win an MPS Label Award. The most beautiful labels will be displayed on the Wall of Fame. “This year’s Labelexpo Europe will be unlike anything we’ve shown before,” said Inge Smolders-Brinkman, Manager Marketing Communications. “Not only are we bringing a unique press, equipped to create highly complicated and special labels; we’re showing that an MPS press is only a tool to achieve the best and complete lifecycle performance.” Presentation of the EF SYMJET hybrid press Demonstrated on the MPS booth will be the hybrid EF SYMJET press, presented for the first time with an

exclusive Domino digital N617i inkjet printer, in a wider 17”/430 mm width and in a new colour scheme. Equipped with five flexo stations, digital cold foil, a Kurz cold foil unit for single images and optical effects, lamination and die-cutting; the EF SYMJET will print and show unique label applications. Hans Poortinga, Manager of the MPS Technology & Expertise Centre commented: “At Labelexpo Europe, our goal is to push the limits of flexo and inkjet printing and converting by creating the most exclusive and highlycomplicated labels. Visitors will see the combination of two different foils, 3D lenticular labels and variable data, and learn first-hand how hybrid printing can evolve their business.”


WWW.MPS4U.COM

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

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

HIGHLY AUTOMATED

EF SYMJET The hybrid printing solution

Our focus is on you, your operators and your results. We are driven, driven to improve your results. We design our presses to enhance the talents of your operators.

DIGITAL

EXL-PACKAGING The mid web packaging press

MID-WEB

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


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

22

Towa Printing becomes 500th Plates Customer in Japan TOWA PRINTING based in Osaka has recently become the 500th customer in Japan to convert to KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. KODAK Japan held a commemorative ceremony, factory tour and media event in June at TOWA PRINTING’s headquarters to celebrate the occasion. The event included the presentation of a commemorative plaque to Sadao Takamoto, president of TOWA PRINTING, from the Managing Director of KODAK Japan/Korea, Hiroshi Fujiwara.

Takamoto shared his thoughts on the cooperative relationship his company has enjoyed with KODAK for over 20 years, including their first purchase of a Kodak CTP. The company currently utilizes a MAGNUS Q800 Platesetter, alongside KODAK PRINERGY Workflow Solutions and Kodak printing plates.

He attributed other productivity improvements to Kodak technology when he stated: “20 years ago there were more than 20 people supporting the printing plate process at TOWA. Today there are currently ZERO people directly in charge of our CTP, which is a major contribution to our company’s profitability.”

According to Takamoto, TOWA PRINTING made the decision to introduce SONORA to achieve cost savings and improve efficiency by eliminating developer control and maintenance of the processer.

Takamoto said he expects the implementation of SONORA to have a very positive impact on TOWA’s bottom line, as well as helping to reduce the manufacturer’s environmental footprint through significant water savings and elimination of waste.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

23


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

24

Travelling the World with Instant Cups The new “Food Travel” Instant Cups from Maggi are just the thing for young and young-at-heart consumers. With varied dishes from international cuisine, they provide a quick snack: Perfect for in-between consumption in fast-paced everyday life. The display

and packaging manufacturer DS Smith has developed an impact-strong secondary placement in the shape of stacked suitcases for the launch of the trendy ready meals. The unusual creation in the brand's colourful design generates maximum attention on the sales floor and incites every shopper to go on a culinary world tour with the new cups in their luggage. The pre-stocked display saves retailers valuable stocking time. DS Smith's holistic display and packaging strategists were rewarded for their innovation with a German Packaging Award 2019. Little meals are trendy. Today's consumers prefer snacks that can keep up with their fast-paced daily lives. Things have to be done quickly and bring a touch of exoticism to the tongue. Maggi's “Food Travel” Instant Cups specifically address these needs. With the slogan “Be on the go – like a pro”, the seven new varieties now offer international specialities with characteristic spices and authentic ingredients in convenient cups. In food retailing, the new sub-brand “Food Travel” is promoted with an eyecatching pallet display. The secondary placement developed by DS Smith

Travelling the world at the point of sale: The secondary placement for the launch of the new Maggi “Food Travel” Instant Cups comes from DS Smith's hotbed of innovation. The display in suitcase look scores with attention-grabbing design and uncomplicated handling.

optically resembles the shape of several stacked suitcases. Even from a distance, the unusual design puts shoppers in a holiday mood. The open suitcase lid effectively directs their attention to the presented products. Clearly arranged, they invite consumers to spontaneously pick them, and inspire shoppers to take a gourmet tour through foreign cultures. The display from DS Smith, produced in high-quality offset printing, delivers an overall brand image. The creative presentation of the products encourages impulse purchases and promotes the sale of the new Instant Cups. The assembly in the shops is very simple because the products have already been placed in the suitcases. Simply pull off the hood, put up the poster and the sale can go ahead. Added value for retailers, consumers and the brand.

2020


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

25


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

26

Is Inkjet the Right Choice for All Providers? Over the past ten years, inkjet has evolved and grown to where it is today: a transformative technology that is expanding the value of print. Inkjet printing is now the fastest-growing print process in commercial, graphics and package printing, and is quickly moving into industrial and textile applications. Bent Serritslev, Memjet’s Senior Vice President APAC.

of their output and opening up new business opportunities for print service providers.

Yet with all of inkjet’s potential, many print service providers choose not to adopt this technology. In this article, we’ll review the trends and developments that make inkjet technology a valuable resource for many—but not all—printers. Because, despite the new business opportunities it brings, there are still a number of printers who have not yet chosen to adopt inkjet technology in their operations. The Promise of Inkjet Fulfilled In a recently published research report, The Future of Inkjet Printing to 2023, marketing intelligence firm Smithers Pira estimates the global market for inkjet printing will grow at a rate of 9.4 percent year-over-year and will be worth $109 billion in value of output by 2023.

Compare that number with the general outlook for the print industry. In this sector, global growth is occurring at a more moderate 0.8 percent annually. You can understand why inkjet printing solutions are getting so much attention and so many resources. In recent years, manufacturers of all aspects of inkjet printing technology— including printheads, machinery, inks and drying systems, and associated software—have invested heavily in research and development. Collectively, these developments have greatly improved the economics, print quality and reliability of inkjet technology. This new era of inkjet technology appears in many different forms. Many press manufacturers have added or enhanced their digital capabilities, boosting the speed and the quality

On the printhead side, Memjet introduced a new printing technology called DuraLink. This technology produces the quality, speed, and affordability high-volume print markets could not achieve before. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) use DuraLink to enable the rapid, cost-effective developments of nextgeneration printers for the commercial, packaging, and industrial printing markets. Gianluigi Rankin, Director of Product Marketing at Memjet, says that the past few years have been a time of great advancement for inkjet printing. “The market has seen a surge in the development of creative inkjet powered printing technology,” said Rankin. “As a result, we now have a much wider range of flexible solutions that can produce high-quality output at speeds that make them the right fit for a wide variety of markets and opportunities. In many cases, today’s inkjet solutions can produce products more cost-effectively than their analog alternatives.”


PrimeLink

™�

C9070 / C9065 Printer Fuji Xerox PrimeLink C9070/C9065 Printer combines easy to use features and professional capability as an all-in-one solution.

Simply professional. Amazingly flexible.

Xerox, Xerox and Design, Fuji Xerox and Design, as well as PrimeLink are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xerox Corporation in Japan and/or other countries. www.fujixerox.com.sg/en/Products/SG-Production-Print/PrimeLink-C9070-C9065-Printer


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

28

Combining research, creativity, and technology has resulted in the growth of inkjet-powered solutions that gives print providers the opportunity to better serve clients in existing markets and expand into new markets. Obstacles to Adoption For all of inkjet’s value, inkjet still represents a small portion of the APAC print market. Despite the business opportunity inkjet printing represents, there are still printers who are resisting the inkjetprinting trend. The question is, why? Making the shift from one business model to another can be daunting for many print service providers. “For print service providers to be

successful at inkjet, they need to think differently about their business,” says Bent Serritslev, Memjet’s Senior Vice President APAC. “That is the opportunity – and the challenge. Everything from economics to sales to prepress to finishing must be adapted to fit a new way of doing business. This transformation is not easy, and causes many providers to hold off on adopting the technology” Adopting an inkjet printing solution affects several key areas of the print service providers operation: personnel, operations, and economics. Changes for Personnel The adoption of inkjet printing can mean big changes for a print service provider’s employees.

The sales process for inkjet printing is different from that of analog. Salespeople must shift from taking orders to solving problems for their customers. This requires the salesperson to ask more questions about the customer’s business goals and then use inkjet’s capabilities—shorter runs, personalization, and color—to achieve those goals. Moreover, these salespeople often need to make this transition quickly. The print service provider will need to fill the machine with jobs to achieve the expected return on investment. The technology behind inkjet printing also requires different skill sets for the press operators. The analog printing process is a trade, but inkjet printing focuses less on the art and science


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

29

of the printing. Inkjet relies more on automation, software, and operating in a digital environment. Even with the right expertise, it can take time for printers to learn how to optimize the pre-press process and achieve the best quality and performance from their inkjet presses. To benefit fully from inkjet printing, it is necessary to adopt a new physical and electronic workflow that is different from an analog workflow. Tasks like inventory management, color management, automatic job queuing, and even specialized document finishing differ from their counterparts in an analog workflow. Economics are another reason why printers delay the purchase of an inkjet printing solution. High-performance inkjet equipment can be more expensive than analog. In addition to the capital expense, inkjet printers require different inks and papers, which have a different cost structure from analog. But all of this can be negated by the overall operational efficiencies that are gained by switching to digital printing. Moreover, the service level agreements that printers have with their customers will undergo significant changes. Customers will expect very quick turnarounds, which puts a new kind of burden on plant logistics. Adapt and Thrive Moving to inkjet printing can clearly bring challenges and expense for the print service provider. It’s easy to see

why a provider might hesitate to invest in inkjet. But inkjet brings so much potential opportunity that the idea of not moving to inkjet printing brings even greater challenges. Setting expectations is an important place to start when thinking about moving to inkjet. To start, define why you want to adopt inkjet-printing capabilities. There is usually a variety of drivers that move printers to adopt inkjet. Here are some of the most common: New business opportunities Faster run turn-around times Increased job volume and smaller print runs Enables efficient full-color printing on all jobs Lower cost of ownership compared to toner digital Next, define how you want to measure the return on your investment. For many printers, it is helpful to analyze the total cost of ownership. Look beyond the cost of the press and understand all the costs involved with the production of a print job, and what efficiency gains you could achieve. This analysis will help you set expectations and ensure your financial and productivity requirements are met. As the statistics show, an increasing number of printers have already made the transition to inkjet. Learn from their experience. Search for professional organizations, trade fairs, webinars, and even one-on-one meetings with printers you admire to learn how they made the transition.

Conclusion While the adoption of inkjet printing technology brings initial challenges and financial pressures, the end result is positive. “In our experience, we see that providers generally take between six - 12 months to get their inkjet solution and processes up to speed. But once they do, these providers realize significant business benefits, including reduced costs, new business opportunities, and the ability to offer personalization,” says Serritslev. The specific benefits that print service providers are able to achieve by using inkjet can depend on the markets they serve. Market-specific feedback reported to SGIA, a US-based print industry group, by printers who have adopted inkjet areas: Publication printers report new business and consistent color as their primary benefit. Transaction printers say increased personalization and new business are their key benefits. Direct Mail Providers note that high speeds, lower cost of ownership and optimized workflows are the key benefits in this segment. In-plant printers indicate that reduced job costs and new business are the key benefits they have achieved. “Regardless of the market you service, inkjet-powered solutions enable your business to thrive in a rapidly changing print market. All you have to do is take the first step,” concludes Serritslev.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

30

Chinese print shops are growing with Heidelberg • 350 million printed sheets in ten years – the first Speedmaster CD 102 from the plant in Shanghai with impressive performance at Hefei Jingyi Printing Ltd. • Same customer installs new Speedmaster CD 102 this year and doubles productivity • Besides standard machines, Heidelberg plant in Shanghai increasingly also provides customer-specific machines • With its Speedmaster CD 102-8+L, Xianjunlong Colour Printing receives the Speedmaster CD 102 with number 999 from the plant in Shanghai “In the last 26 years, I have always purchased printing presses from Heidelberg in order for us to grow,” said Su Zhao Chun, owner of Hefei Jingyi Printing Ltd. in Hefei. During this period, he has invested in four Speedmaster CD 102 presses, two Speedmaster SM 102 and two Speedmaster XL 75.

All the presses are four-color models and were all supplied by Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg). The range of services offered by the print shop has changed significantly in recent years. Previously, the focus was on printing advertising material. Nowadays, the printing of books and magazines accounts for 95 percent of

activity. Over 100 employees produce in two-shift operation at the Hefei site. Su is particularly proud of his range of services, which is characterized by a high degree of flexibility, fast delivery and top quality. The combination of Speedmaster CD 102 and Speedmaster XL 75 help him with this and enable him to produce both short and long runs economically. Exactly ten years ago, Hefei Jingyi Printing installed the first Speedmaster CD 102, which was delivered from the Heidelberg plant in Shanghai. The totalizer now shows 350 million sheets. The positive experiences and, in particular, the high degree of stability persuaded Su to install a new Speedmaster CD 102 four-colour at the beginning of this year. It also comes from the Heidelberg plant in Shanghai. “The new Speedmaster CD 102 has doubled our productivity,” said Su. “The presses from Shanghai offer us an excellent price-performance ratio



Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

32 “We need a printing press that meets our high requirements and, above all, the high standards of our customers, and helps us to expand our capacity,” states Mr. Zhuang, member of the management board. “In particular, our press operators are delighted with the new operating concept and the intelligent control with Intellistart.” The new press is in operation as part of an extensive fleet of Speedmaster CD 102 and CX 102 presses.

Su Zhao Chun, owner of Hefei Jingyi Printing Ltd and they produce with extremely high reliability.” With an average run length of 3,000 to 5,000 sheets, the high running speed and the short makeready times pay off. The new Speedmaster CD 102 from the Heidelberg plant in Shanghai already set several records in the first few weeks at Hefei Jingyi Printing: In one shift 156,000 sheets were printed and in another 240 plate changes were performed, meaning that a new form was started, on average, every 12 minutes. “This underlines the high popularity of the Speedmaster CD 102 in China, just like in the rest of the world,” said Florian Franken, product manager for the CD 102. “The Speedmaster CD 102 is highly versatile, whether for long or short runs, thin substrates or cardboard with thicknesses of up to a millimeter – the press offers outstanding productivity, quality and value retention, and thus a high degree of investment security for our customers.” Increased demand for customerspecific presses in Asia “The market in Asia is evolving, and we are seeing strong demand for customer-specific machines and a wealth of variants, especially for packaging printing,” explained Achim Mergenthaler, manager of the Heidelberg site in Shanghai. “We are proud of our high quality, which – thanks to the high standards of the Heidelberg production network – is

equal to that of the machines from the production facility in WieslochWalldorf. Since the end of 2018, we have been delivering the Speedmaster CD 102 with eight-colors, coating unit and UV preparation for the first time, in order to satisfy customer requirements on site.” At the beginning of April, the first Speedmaster CD 102-8+L from the plant in Shanghai was installed on the premises of Xianjunlong Colour Printing Co. Ltd in Shenzhen. It is the Speedmaster CD 102 with number 999 from the plant in Shanghai. Xianjunlong is a leading Chinese packaging producer, specializing in packagings for spirits, cigarettes and luxury goods.

Furthermore, as the first boxuni production partner, Xianjunlong has also implemented a fully integrated web-to-pack production line – from a cloud-based online platform to printing on a Heidelberg Primefire 106 and postpress. Shanghai is the Heidelberg Group’s production site in Asia. There, 420 people are employed in production, in addition to 150 sales and service employees for the Greater Shanghai area. Printing presses in 50 x 70 cm and 70 x 100 cm formats are produced there, mainly intended for sale in China, but also for other Asian markets and the rest of the world. The assembly plant went into operation in 2006, and the 1,000th printing press was delivered in the fall of 2013. Production volumes have been increasing ever since, and now every fifth printing unit is produced in Shanghai. Complex machine configurations also became available recently.

Group photo Xianjunlong Colour Printing Co. Ltd in Shenzhen


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

Uniquely Mono It’s quality, capability, productivity, versatility, and reliability. All of this combined makes it unique. QUALITY : Outstanding image quality with rich IQ features CAPABILITY : Wide media range with thick paper and banner PRODUCTIVITY : Robust print speed with effective in-line finishing VERSATILITY : With more choice of end-to-end solutions and office functions RELIABILITY : No.1 market share for 5 consecutive years in mono production products*

Be unique with Fuji Xerox B9 series. www.fujixerox.com.sg

Xerox, Xerox and Design, as well as Fuji Xerox and Design are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xerox Corporation in Japan and/or other countries and are used under license. *IDC, 2012-2016, World Wide Monochrome Laser cut sheet products, 91ppm+

33


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

34



Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

36


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

HP Indigo has reinvented versatility so that you can create unique solutions for your brand customers, to set them and yourself apart from the competition. The HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press thrives in the most demanding converting environments to deliver the highest quality for the world’s leading brands. And with Pack Ready, you can deliver high performance applications with immediate time to market. As with all HP Indigo Digital Presses, you can take advantage of HP PrintOS, an open and secure cloud-based print production operating system to help you get more out of your HP presses and printers, simplify and automate your production process and enable new forms of collaboration. Reinvent your ability to be unique, with the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press. Find out more: hp.com/go/hpindigo20000 and hp.com/go/PrintOS Š 2017 HP Development Company, L.P.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

38

Factory acceptance for CorruCUT in Würzburg • Successful factory acceptance testing in Würzburg • High level of automation • Klingele Group as cooperation partner • Focus on growth markets The Klingele Group, one of the leading independent manufacturers of corrugated base paper and corrugated cardboard packaging, and Koenig & Bauer, the world's second largest manufacturer of printing machines, are setting new standards in printing technology for packaging within the framework of a development partnership. Both companies have now reached a new milestone with the successful factory acceptance testing of a newly developed CorruCUT high board line rotary die-cutter by Klingele after conducting a test phase with the prototype. Koenig & Bauer completely redesigned the highly

productive 6-colour machine in close cooperation with Klingele and adapted it to the specific market and production demands. The CorruCUT will be installed and put into production in Klingele’s Delmenhorst plant as of August. The engineering design, the print quality achieved and the implementation of the operating concept not only impressed Klingele, but also received very positive feedback from visitors from the corrugated board industry worldwide. A quantum leap in quality and performance The combination of high print quality

and precision as well as market-leading performance represents a significant further development in printing technology for the packaging sector. Klingele will use the new machine to target market segments with high demands in terms of the print image and process reliability in packaging. These include in particular brand name companies, but also food manufacturers using packaging as an advertising medium at the point of sale. The technical specifications of the new CorruCUT are geared precisely to these exacting demands: In addition to its excellent print quality, it offers high accuracy in printing and die-cutting,


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

39

20 _018

LABELS & PACKAGING CONFERENCE AUGUST 26 - 27th Ho Chi Minh City

2020

Asia's Oldest and Biggest Packagiong Conference and Awards


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

40

within the CorruCUT also ensures a significant reduction in wear and therefore less machine downtime and lower costs for spare parts. Automated data analyses will enable preventive machine maintenance in the future, thus avoiding unexpected failures.

The machine has a rollerless infeed so the sheets of corrugated board are fed gently into the machine to protect the material. The vacuum roll handling

A win-win development partnership The development partnership between Klingele and Koenig & Bauer is a win-win for both sides: Koenig &

Bauer is the world's second largest manufacturer of printing machines with the broadest product range in the industry and the market leader in many printing processes. Koenig & Bauer is now increasing its commitment in a growing market for corrugated board converting machines with Klingele as an exclusive partner. The partnership in turn gave Klingele the chance to actively support the

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

d

thus significantly reducing waste and increasing resource efficiency. With a working width of 2.80 metres and a feed rate of 12,000 units per hour, the CorruCUT is extremely efficient; large packaging and displays are also easier to produce.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

41 development of the new rotary diecutter from the outset, thus ensuring that the machine fully meets the demands of the market. “Koenig & Bauer has implemented the concept and technical innovations very well. The results that we have now seen in Würzburg have impressed us,” states Dr. Jan Klingele, managing partner of the Klingele Group. Christoph Müller, member of the executive board at Koenig & Bauer: “In the last two years, we have continuously built up a new team and consistently worked on the development of the machine.” The focus on growth markets, such as conventional and digital packaging printing is part of the successful Koenig & Bauer strategy.

About Klingele Klingele Group is an international supplier of paper, corrugated cardboard packaging solutions and adhesives. The family-owned company founded in 1920 with headquarters in Remshalden near Stuttgart, Germany, is now run in the third generation by Dr. Jan Klingele. The company including its affiliated partners has a presence for its customers in Europe, Africa and Central America in their paper and packaging business divisions with 2 paper mills, 12 corrugated board plants, 8 processing plants and one corrugated

sheet feeder. These plants employ a total of 2,500 people and achieved a turnover of €860 million in 2018. The product range includes corrugated base paper based on waste paper, corrugated sheet boards as well as innovative and sustainable packaging solutions (primarily made of corrugated cardboard) for numerous industries and applications. Klingele is also a founding member of Blue Box Partners, the largest European alliance for packaging solutions.

_018 020 August

„With the new LEDcure,

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

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


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

42

New ergonomic press design at Pack Print in Bangkok Heidelberg launches new user-friendly design for Speedmaster XL 75 and CX75. For the many small and mediumsized printing companies, the 50 x 70 cm format is the perfect fit for their product range in commercial and packaging printing. Many packaging printers in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics segment in particular use the 50 x 70 format, which offers benefits for small folding carton sizes and a high level of embellishment, as well as short runs. According to Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg), there are now over 19,000 delivered Speedmaster CD 74, XL 75, and CX 75 printing units. Due to the demand, Heidelberg has upgraded the platform with a modern, ergonomic design to enhance its user-friendliness. Delivery of the redesigned Speedmaster CX 75 and XL 75 is set to begin in September 2019. Modern, ergonomic design Enhancement of the successful model series in the 50 x 70 format is ongoing. For example, the foundation for the Push to Stop philosophy was laid for drupa 2016 with the IntelliStart 2 user software. The Speedmaster CX 75 was presented one year later, optimally tailored to the needs of smaller printing companies in one- and twoshift operation thanks its much smaller footprint combined with high substrate flexibility.

“We have seen how the topic of user ergonomics has increased in importance,” explained Frank Süsser, product manager for the 50 x 70 format. “Even though automation looks after many routine tasks today, the operator always has something to do on the machine, like staging printing plates, adding ink, changing washup cloths and rubber blankets, or doing maintenance. The generous space between the printing units in the Speedmaster XL 75 and CX 75 is already useful, however we went a step further and modernized the entire gallery concept even more.” The design of the Speedmaster XL 106 was the inspiration for this, and was transferred to both machines. This includes both the gallery concept as well as the feeder and delivery gantries, which enhance the machines visually. The machines will be on display for the first time at Pack Print in Thailand in September 2019 and, at a customer event in October 2019 in Heidelberg’s Print Media Center Commercial in Wiesloch-Walldorf. “This is the first foretaste of drupa 2020. Other innovative solutions will follow to make our customers in the 50 x 70 format even more successful,” said Süsser.

New ergonomic design well received by customers “Our Speedmaster CD 74 was already a great machine – but the new Speedmaster XL 75 is another level. Even after just a few days, our printers can’t imagine life without the new ergonomic design. Working on the machine is fun now. It’s much more comfortable to operate, and therefore less tiring. As far as technology, the machine is also right up to date,” said Michel Schwander, head of commercial printing at Theiler Druck AG in Wollerau, Switzerland. The world’s first Speedmaster XL 75 five-color press with coating unit and the new design was installed there recently. “With AutoPlate Pro, Prinect Inpress Control, and the entire Preset control system, the individual work steps are now carried out fully automatically, are highly automated, and are also clearly visualized on the Wallscreen. This means that we can produce one job after the other much more quickly and efficiently,” said Schwander. The machine is used to produce brochures, mailings, advertising materials, and packagings. What customers like about the Speedmaster XL 75 is its application flexibility, productivity, and print quality. Whether as the base model, or a highly equipped machine with maximum automation for autonomous and navigated printing, all the way up to Anicolor technology. Its strong popularity gives the machine a high resale value, and therefore correspondingly high investment security.


THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR EVERY PRINT ENVIRONMENT

NEW LEVELS OF QUALITY AND PRODUCTION IN COLOUR PRODUCTION The imagePRESS C850/C750/C650 has been designed to meet the all the challenges of the colour production market. Ideal for busy CRD and GA environments, the imagePRESS C850/C750/C650 combines exceptional image quality with powerful productivity and offers the versatility to create extensive and innovative applications across a wide range of media, including heavyweight coated stocks and envelopes.

It can flexibly handle everything from short runs to complex variable data printing for personalised print communications – all within a small but scalable footprint. And with extended finishing capabilities and fast turnarounds it’s the perfect choice to help you meet every print challenge. Plus it offers an excellent return on investment – bringing time and cost savings to demanding CRDs and revenue generating opportunities to Graphic Arts environments.

PRODUCT AT-A-GLANCE PRODUCTIVITY

PRINT QUALITY

CHOICE OF WORKFLOWS

ENVIRONMENT

• Production speeds of up to 85 ppm (color and B/W)

• Vibrant and consistent image quality on a wide variety of media

• PRISMAsync Color Print Server

• Meets ENERGY STAR® standards

• Maintains rated speed on uncoated stocks up to 220 gsm

• 2400 x 2400 dpi print resolution

• imagePRESS Server H300

• Rated EPEAT Gold

• Precise, front-to-back registration

• imagePRESS Server G200

• Compliant with RoHS

• Gloss optimization

• imagePRESS Printer Kit

• Recyclable toner bottles

• 7,650-sheet feeding capacity with up to six different sources • Wide array of in-line feeding and finishing accessories

• Variety of calibration options to help maximize color consistency

• No VOCs in consumables

CANON SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. 1 Fusionopolis Place #15-10 Galaxis Singapore 138522 Tel: +65-6799 8888 | Fax: +65-6799 8882 | www.canon-asia.com | www.canon.com.sg


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

44

New Standard of Quality and Expands its Offerings The Flag Shop® (www.flagshop.com) has installed an EFI™ VUTEk® FabriVU® 340i dye-sublimation printer from Electronics For Imaging, Inc.

The Vancouver-based soft-signage and textile printing company has 11 franchise locations across Canada and is using the versatility and quality of its new printer to expand product offerings from coast to coast. The Flag Shop’s recently installed 340i is the first printer in its class to offer in-line sublimation, which eliminates the need to transfer printed items to a separate calender/heat press. The fourcolor, 133-inch wide printer also offers superiorquality, 2,400 dots per inch (dpi) imaging, which enables The Flag Shop to differentiate itself with truly premium products. “We needed a replacement printer, but we also wanted a printer that would allow us to expand our opportunities,” said Susan Braverman, The Flag Shop’s President. “The EFI 340i will be fabulous for our existing ‘bread and butter’ product line but, equally important, it opens up a whole new world of products that don’t yet exist in our marketplace.” New textile solutions for a diversifying market The printer is already setting a new standard for quality among clients. “We recently made street banner

samples on the FabriVU 340i for a large international retailer of highend yogawear – and they told us we blew away the competition,” said Ron Reyes, The Flag Shop’s Production Manager. “We were awarded the order and installed their full banner program throughout the city.” Reyes commented, “We are now able to provide products, such as backdrops for sets, with fewer seams which is important to this industry. We used to do projects in multiple pieces which were then sewn together but now are able to produce large backdrops in one piece – that’s impressive.” The Flag Shop also purchased the newest-version EFI Fiery® proServer SE digital front end (DFE) to drive its new printer. With the DFE, the company gets superior color management and spot-color handling, along with EFI’s exclusive Fiery Accelerated System Technology RIP (FAST RIP) – a processing feature that RIPs jobs 5 times faster on average to eliminate printer downtime spent waiting for files. Versatility and speed deliver an impressive ROI Even though The Flag Shop was

founded in 1975 as the first retail flag store in the world, it expanded years ago to also produce street banners, feather flags, corporate displays and scores of other textile applications. Municipalities, sports companies, event and conference organizers, and entertainment industry businesses are all steady clients. “We didn’t stop at flags,” Braverman explained, “and my company really shines in high-quality customized printing. Customers choose us because of our reputation for providing affordable, quality solutions to complex requirements.” Both she and Reyes regard EFI as having a similar objective of delivering flawless output. “I looked high and low for the right printer, and was very impressed by the VUTEk FabriVU 340i,” said Reyes. “It features Italian technology from Reggiani, which has been making the number-one textile digital printers since day one. That was very exciting. Plus, it delivers on color quality, and the inks produce a wide color gamut just out of CMYK. “The 340i recirculation ink technology extends the mileage of the inks,” he added, “so our ink cost has gone down and our ink usage has gone down. The ROI on this printer is impressive and I’ve been blown away by the EFI level of professionalism.” EFI VUTEk FabriVU printers are also available in 70-inch and 205-inch wide models to address a broad range of high-quality soft signage applications.


touchpoint packaging

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

Join the touchpoint packaging initiative Be part of it now:

www.drupa.com/tpp-en

drupa 2020 June 16–26, 2020 Dßsseldorf /Germany

45

Steering Committee:


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

46

What can we learn from the best sales people? Do great B2B sales people, regardless of what they sell, have any practices in common? In other words, do the best sales people all sell the same way? Are there best practices in sales? A number of years ago, a professional association attempted to answer that question. They studied superstar sales people from a wide variety of industries and concluded: Yes! In fact, the best sales people excel at the same things. Here are the top five practices of the very best sales people : 1. They see the situation from the customer’s point of view. 2. They ask better questions. 3. They listen more constructively. 4. They are obsessed with time management. 5.They do bigger deals. Let’s look at the relationship among these items to see if there are any lessons for us. “They do bigger deals.” That is both the result of their work (that is, after all, why they are the best sales people) as well as their focus from the beginning. They start with an understanding that it is their job to bring revenue into the company, and that the more revenue they bring

in, the more valuable they are to their companies and the more successful they become. And this realization leads them to what becomes an obsession. “They are obsessed management.”

with

In my book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime, I make the point that this practice – investing in the highest potential prospects and customers – trumps all other sales practices.

time

That means that they intentionally and methodically strive to make the best use of their sales time by focusing the bulk of their efforts on the highestpotential opportunities and customers. You won’t find them running an errand for a “C” customer just to be a nice guy.

If you are a great presenter, for example, and wonderful at closing the sale, your skills will be squandered if they are not exercised with the right people. And what do the best sales people do with the time they invest in the highestpotential customers? “Ask better questions,” and “listen more constructively.” Amazing. These two fundamental communication skills are, perhaps, the earliest communication skills we learn. Yet, the best take these foundational skills and execute them better. And since they excel at these two fundamentals, they naturally gain a better understanding of the “customer’s point of view.” Equipped with that competitive advantage, they formulate creative proposals that lead them back to where they started: bigger deals.



Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

48

This should be immensely encouraging to sales people. Unlike the promotional messages from legions of sales trainers and authors, the reality is that there are no “secrets” in sales. Success comes not from hidden strategies and mysterious tactics, but rather from the excellent execution of the essentials. The best sales people execute the most fundamental skills with excellence. And, since we can all do the things the best do, we can, if we choose, strive to do them better. And, if we strive to do them better, at some point we will arrive at the same place they are: a master sales person. In other words, there is a path to sales mastery, and we can all follow it, if we choose.

It begins with our mind-set. We need to see ourselves as professional sales people, whose job it is to bring revenue into the company. That sounds so simple and so basic, yet legions of sales people are loath to consider themselves sales people. They are account executives, sales facilitators, mobile customer service representatives, etc. Some consider themselves to be exclusively the advocates for the customer and hand out discounts and concessions to anyone and everyone. Since they don’t see themselves as professional sales people, they don’t invest in improving their sales skills. They don’t understand that their behavior creates a reciprocal reaction on the part of the customer. The sales person’s actions create reactions on the part of the customer. If they want more profitable actions from the customer,

they need to improve their actions. Once we have the mind-set of the professional sales person, we slowly begin to gravitate toward the opportunities and customers that hold the greatest potential. We understand that we only have a small and limited quantity of sales time, and that we must invest it, with a cold-blooded business attitude, in those situations that will bring the greatest reward. In short, effective time management becomes a daily obsession. Now, since we are interacting more frequently with the highest potential customers and prospects, we focus on excelling at the most fundamental communication skill: asking better questions and listening more constructively. Armed with these two fundamental and powerful communication devices, we strive for continued improvement and constant development. With this as a path, sales mastery is an achievable goal for every committed sales person. As the best have taught us, there is a path to sales mastery, and it travels through excellent execution of the essentials.

JOIN in AUGUST 2020

20 8 _01

2020

LABELS & PACKAGING CONFERENCE

AUGUST 26 - 27th Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam's industrial production rose by 10.0 percent year-on-year in May 2019, accelerating from a 9.3 percent growth in the previous month. Output increased further for manufacturing (11.6 percent vs 10 percent in April); and water supply and waste treatment (8.4 percent vs 7.9 percent). On the other hand, production of electricity supply and distribution went up at a softer pace (11.0 percent vs 12.4 percent) and mining and quarrying output declined (-1.5 percent vs 2.4 percent). Considering the first five months of the year, industrial output grew by 9.4 percent compared to the same period a year earlier. Industrial Production in Vietnam averaged 9.15 percent from 2009 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 28.40 percent in January of 2010 and a record low of -10.10 percent in February of 2013.


WE ARE R&D

EMPOWERING OEMS TO BUILD FAST PACKAGING PRINTERS CUSTOMERS CAN AFFORD

FAST

Print speeds up to 203 meters/min.

SIMPLE

PROFITABLE

Flexible, modular Faster time print system. to market.

Explore Your Press Options memjet.com/researchand-development/


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

50

An ideal press for Huizhou Honghui Printing After 15 years experience in packaging printing, Huizhou Honghui Printing Co., Ltd. started its relationship with Manroland by purchasing a new ROLAND 705 with coating module 3B plus format EVOLUTION press. This new press will boost production and assist with the print house's business development.

Founded in 2004, Honghui Printing specializes in packaging for personal care products and consumer goods. Through the years, the company has established a complete packaging workflow including prepress, printing and postpress. The company provides customers with total packaging solutions from design to finished product. Apart from driving continuous growth in the business, the ROLAND 705 LV EVOLUTION press is expected to further increase Honghui Printing's production capacity. Quality is fundamental “We have attached great importance to product quality since the establishment of our company,” says Mr. Huang Jianhui, General Manager of Honghui Printing. “We have received the ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 accreditation and print quality is at the core of our competitiveness and naturally our focus point when considering the procurement of a new press.” Manroland's world-class printing technology is exactly what Honghui

Printing needs in terms of print quality. The new-generation ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION comprises many cutting-edge printing technologies to provide the best print effects. For example, the TripleFlow inking unit arranges the ideal inking amount for the different graphics; the intelligent software manages the inking amount during the start of a new job and job changes. Hence, print quality is not only assured, but waste rate is reduced significantly. In addition, costs can be further reduced and the quality of finished sheet stacks is enhanced. The vacuum suction feeder is equipped with an automatic skew correction function, which automatically corrects any misplacement during the sheet transfer. Thus, the smooth and precise transfer of sheets is guaranteed. Improving profitability by higher efficiency “With the steady growth of our business, and facing the increasingly demanding requirements in the packaging printing market, we have come to realize that only by the continuous improvement

of our product quality and productivity, as well as the reduction of our total production cost, could our company stay ahead in the printing industry," says Mr. Huang. In view of this, Honghui Printing chose the option of 3B plus large format (780 mm x 1060 mm) for their ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION. The increase in size might be small compared with the 3B format (750 mm x 1060 mm), but this significantly improves productivity. Particularly in the field of packaging printing, under the hypothetically extreme circumstance, the yields of the substrates could rise up by 100 percent in 3B plus large format. In terms of both productivity and cost saving of printing materials, the 3B plus large format can play a big role. “We really appreciate that Manroland has provided us with the best solution” says Mr. Huang.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

Get personal label printing advice on transform.xeikon.com

How to51 outsmart competition with your label printing business

before you head over to Labelexpo Europe 2019

transform.xeikon.com

Then get personal and meet us at Labelexpo Europe 2019 Xeikon stand 5C28

24 - 27 September 2019 Brussels expo Labelexpo Europe 2019 Xeikon stand 5c28


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

52

How you are leaving your current employment? As important as it is, how you prepare to apply for your next career opportunity through the medium of your CV it is equally important as to how to prepare to leave your current employment. The reality is your CV is your employment ‘Autobiography’ and your CV is not just about recording your career history but equally importantly a record of leaving a previous employment. Potential employers will most certainly be interested in both aspects of your CV.

Your CV represents you as a first and most important introduction to your future employer and one thing that is going to be reviewed is your reason for leaving your previous employer. Most companies have a professional approach in dealing with employees leaving no matter what the reason – resignation, restructuring, redundancy, termination and to this end typically there will be an exit interview process available to employees leaving just as there is an induction process for employee’s joining. It is a requirement of employment law that when an employee joins a company, they educate themselves with respect to the company’s policies and procedures. It stands to reason that when an employee intends leaving a company, they should revisit the process of employment termination, which will be described in the companies policies and procedures manual. The process of leaving a company should be properly recorded and documented during the exit interview and thereafter when updating your CV a brief reference should be made of this and if so required supporting documentation made available on

request. One of the most essential requirements of this process is that you secure references from the correct persons within the company you are leaving. Never be concerned to ask for the exit interview process and references as this your constitutional right. If you have decided to leave your current employ, always ensure you provide at least one month’s notice period (or whatever is stated in your current employment contract) It would be a common courtesy to let your immediate boss know in advance of the HR or other similar departments, but every organization will have slightly different processes. Be prepared for your exit interview, be honest and precise with your answers, direct and to the point, but also avoid getting personal and naming names. Leave a forwarding email address in case follow up is required. Wishing you the best of fortune in your careers. Written and shared by Mood Group – The Specialist Headhunters/recruiters to the Print, Packaging & Associated Industry Sectors. www.moodgroup.co.uk



Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

54

Jeff Jacobson as Chief Executive Officeras account director EFI announced the appointment of Jeff Jacobson as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Jacobson will retain his position as Executive Chairman. Jacobson succeeds Bill Muir, who is stepping down for personal reasons. Jacobson is a 30-year veteran of the digital imaging and industrial technology sector. Prior to joining EFI, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Xerox. Jacobson also served as both President of Xerox's Technology Business and President of Xerox's Global Graphic Communications Operations. Before joining Xerox in 2012, he was the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Presstek, a leading manufacturer of digital offset printing solutions. “I am thrilled to be expanding my role on EFI’s leadership team to identify unique opportunities for innovation across the Company. EFI’s portfolio of best-in-class solutions presents an exciting opportunity to drive further growth in high-quality inkjet and integrated, digital workflows,” said Jacobson. “Together with my experienced and talented colleagues on the EFI team, we will provide the leadership needed to help EFI accelerate the transformation of industries where colorful images matter. “I also want to join the EFI team in thanking Bill for his contributions to the Company’s success and wishing him the best in his future endeavors. Bill played a pivotal role in successfully positioning EFI for the next chapter of our evolution, always doing so with integrity and the best interests of customers and employees,” he added.

Throughout his career, Mr. Jacobson has displayed an on-going commitment to helping customers improve their productivity and enhance their operations. As CEO of Xerox, he oversaw Xerox’s largest product launch in its more than 100-year-history and led the company through a strategic transformation, delivering best-in-class customer service, and driving innovation, while improving Xerox’s operating margins and cash flow. Before his time at Xerox and Presstek, Mr. Jacobson served as Chief Operating Officer of Eastman Kodak's Graphic Communications Group, where he was responsible for managing operations in Eastman Kodak's Global Graphics operations, which included manufacturing locations throughout North America, Europe, Japan, China, Israel and South Africa. Mr. Jacobson also served for five years as Chief Executive Officer of Kodak Polychrome Graphics, a highly successful joint venture between Sun Chemical and Eastman Kodak. “It has been a privilege to lead EFI through an important chapter in the Company’s history, and I look forward to seeing EFI thrive as it continues to collaborate with customers and partners worldwide,” said Bill Muir. “I have admired Jeff as an expert in the digital imaging space, and I am confident that with his vision and under his leadership, EFI will be able to successfully write the next chapter of innovation and market leadership across the Company’s portfolio of solutions.

for the consumer electronics sector. A Thematic score of 5 out of 5 indicates that this theme will significantly improve their future performance. GlobalData’s Thematic Scorecard ranks companies within a sector on the basis of overall leadership in the 10 themes that matter most to their industry, generating a leading indicator of future earnings growth. At the heart of the ecosystem is a “thematic engine”, which uniquely provides a leading indicator of future performance, ranking companies on the basis of overall leadership in the most important themes impacting their industry. The engine tracks 600 technology, media and telecoms companies against more than 50 themes, generating over 30,000 thematic scores. The algorithms in the thematic engine create thematic scorecards for 17 TMT sectors, for example in semiconductors. A company might be a market leader today but, if it is not well positioned in the most important themes, it will not be a leader tomorrow. Konica Minolta Launches AccurioPress C83hc

HP one of the leading companies in GlobalData's 3D printing theme for the consumer electronics sector

Konica Minolta introduces its new High Chroma digital production press, the AccurioPress C83hc.

HP is one of the top three leading companies in the 3D printing theme, according to the latest Thematic Scorecard for the consumer electronics sector from GlobalData, a data and analytics company. The other two companies are 3D Systems and Stratasys.

With its unique High Chroma toner covering an extended colour gamut, the AccurioPress C83hc reproduces images that are difficult to achieve with standard CMYK toner, such as bright purples and vibrant greens. This creates brighter and more saturated images that faithfully and vibrantly portray colours as seen on graphicworkstation monitors. Its ability to reproduce RGB colours is invaluable in expanding printing applications

The three companies all gained the highest Thematic score (5 out of 5) in GlobalData’s Thematic Scorecard


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

55

such as photo books, fashion apparel, nature photography, commercial graphics, and more. MEIKO Co., Ltd., a vinyl material wholesaler in Nagoya, Japan, was the first adopter of the C83hc, allowing the bookbinding company to successfully expand into the on-demand print business for the magazine and photobook markets. “Now we can provide RGB printing, which has been impossible to deliver. Thus, we can attract customers who want to print colours virtually as shown on the monitor,” said Bungo Yamauchi, executive officer of MEIKO. The company also appreciates the high-mix low volume production and short turnaround of the on-demand press. Beyond colour, the AccurioPress C83hc is built for consistent, highquality prints. Its state of the art technology increases productivity and accuracy. Higher Productivity and Versatility The AccurioPress C83hc runs 80 ppm/letter with high-capacity paper handling for large volume printing and high spec finishing options for greater efficiency. Thick paper weight compatibility of up to 350 gsm expands versatility to handle a variety of media such as banners and textured stocks.

In addition, the wide range of configurable finishing options available can cover any client need, from binding to folding.

PRINT® 19 to Highlight RED HOT Technologies APTech is pleased to announce the return of the RED HOT Technology Recognition Program at PRINT19 in Chicago (McCormick Place North, 3-5 October), showcasing exhibitors’ newest products or services on the event floor. “Sales opportunities and the collaboration that leads to growth go to the risk-takers, disruptors, and innovators,” said Thayer Long, president, APTech. “The RED HOT Technology participants will have an additional degree of visibility and recognition. Literally providing them a way to stand out in the crowd.” Featuring publishing and printing technology, equipment, or service that

has come to market within the past 12 months, the RED HOT Technology Recognition Program highlights the “what’s new” on the exhibit floor. All RED HOTs will be noted in the Event Guide which will be printed and distributed onsite at PRINT 19. In addition, each recognized product will sport a highly visible RED HOT Technology marker and will be listed online and searchable within the event’s online directory and planner. Each of these technologies may also be eligible to win one of three RED HOT Vanguard Awards, based on its merit as a game-changer in the industry. The RED HOT Breakthrough Award recognizes products that build on existing technology to significantly advance its use; the RED HOT Collaboration Award recognizes innovative new products that result from a collaboration among different manufacturers; and the RED HOT Pioneer Award will be given to a product that is the first of its kind or entirely new to the industry. “This program showcases the ‘what’s new’ without judgement, and through the Vanguard Awards, recognizes technology that breaks new ground, opening new markets and business opportunities that the industry needs,” said Long. RED HOT Technologies To help PRINT visitors zero in on the products they want to see, RED HOT Technology Recognition Program designees will be recognized in 10 categories: 1.Analog Presses & Add-on Devices 2. Color Management, Prepress & Pre-media 3. Consumables & Substrates 4. Digital Production Printing Devices 5. Imprinting, Mailing, Shipping & Fulfillment 6. Marketing and Multi-channel Solutions 7.Post-press, Specialty & Finishing 8. Sales & Management Systems 9. Wide-Format Digital Printing Devices 10. Workflow Automation Systems Interested exhibitors can find additional information about the RED HOT Technology program, as well as infor-


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

56 mation on how to submit products for inclusion is available at https://www. printtechnologies.org/PRINT19/exhibit/red-hot-technology-recognitionprogram/how-to-enter-for-red-hot/. 2019 InterTech Technology Award Recipients Announced Ten technologies have been selected to receive a 2019 InterTech Technology Award. Many more technologies were considered this year but only those listed below were deemed to be truly innovative and are expected to have as significant impact on the graphic communications industry. An independent panel of judges deliberated over an outstanding selection of technology nominations that highlight the dynamic nature of the industry. As another sign of the industry's direction, more than half of the awarded technologies, including two high-speed inkjet presses, produce or support digital printing. In addition, the judges recognized technologies that improve quality and sustainability of flexographic printing, reduce cutting errors, and introduce artificial intelligence to layout and imposition. The 10 technologies selected to receive a 2019 InterTech Technology Award: Kodak Flexcel NX Ultra Solution Miraclon HP PageWide True Water-Based Inks HP Inc. HP PrintOS Color Beat HP Indigo and Vistaprint Oce ProStream 1000 Canon Solutions America Print Control Wizard Esko USA PrintFlat Global Graphics Software HYBRID VDP Hybrid Software Inc. VRCut Ready Triumph Cutter Line MBM Corporation

Ricoh Pro VC 70000 Ricoh USA, Inc. tilia Phoenix 7.0 Tilia Labs A listing of all of the technologies considered for the prestigious InterTech award is available at www. printing.org/intertech2019. The awards will be presented to companies during the 2019 Premier Print Awards and InterTech Technology Awards Reception & Ceremony, on 2 October in Chicago, Illinois. A technology review booklet showcasing all of the year's entries will be distributed in Printing Industries of America--The Magazine Summer Forecast issue. Flint Group Packaging expands at Labelexpo Building on the outstanding success of ThermoFlexX digital imagers and Woodpecker Nano screening technology, Xeikon Prepress is launching a new and integrated prepress solution for digital flexo plates. Since Xeikon Prepress, as part of Xeikon, joined Flint Group in 2015, the two divisions combined forces in developing highly automated imaging devices and invested further into mutual R&D projects. Woodpecker Nano, a technology to create surface microstructures, is one of the innovations that was launched in April this year as a result of the unique expertise exchange between Xeikon Prepress and Flint Group’s Flexographic division. “After joining the Flint Group family, we suddenly were in the unique position of having the expertise of one of the leading plate manufacturers combined

with our own vast experience of imaging systems, in-house, which is unseen in our industry. As we have optimized ThermoFlexX imagers and developed Woodpecker Nano surface screening, we are now going for the next level to integrate and combine these with new innovations”, notes Uwe Stebani, General Manager of Xeikon Prepress. “We are sure that industry experts will be excited to learn about our new integrated plate imaging solutions,” adds Christophe Lievens, Sales Director of Xeikon Prepress. “Labelexpo 2019 is a perfect opportunity to announce our vision of quality enhancement in flexo platemaking.” More recently, the two divisions with their leading brands ThermoFlexX and nyloflex® focused on efficiency in the packaging prepress value chain, with the objective to introduce an integrated imaging system, producing highest quality flexographic printing plates while increasing productivity in the prepress room. “Our respective know-how in first class imaging devices, surface screening and photopolymer flexo plates enables us to introduce innovative solutions to the packaging prepress market. Our aim is to create the greatest value for our customers, delivering our promise of solutions that are “Better. Faster. Easier to use,” says Friedrich von Rechteren, Global Commercial VP Flexographic of Flint Group.


93 million population - 14th most populous country on earth 3 - 2019

20 _018

LABELS & PACKAGING CONFERENCE

AUGUST 26 - 27th Ho Chi Minh City

2020


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

58 ‘TRANSFORM’, we provide a tool that guides business owners in this transformation process.”

Ready to share digital expertise with the launch of ‘TRANSFORM’ Xeikon is set to showcase four live production solutions at Labelexpo Europe 2019 (September 24 to 27) - Hall 5 Stand C28. The company will also introduce its latest advisory tool ‘TRANSFORM’ sharing the company’s deeper understanding, experience, and valued digital printing expertise with the international label community, Xeikon can offer printers and converters insights into different ways of transforming a label printing business into a business for the future. Starting now and in preparation for the show, visitors to the website transform.xeikon.com can consult Xeikon and get advice on the ideal digital set-up for their business by simply answering a few questions. As a pioneer in full color digital label printing, Xeikon has gathered a wealth of knowledge on the key success factors in implementing digital production.

Over the four days of Labelexpo, Xeikon will exhibit on the Flint Group stand 5C28 and feature a wide portfolio of digital label printing solutions, including entry level as well as high productivity production lines from start to finish. There will be demonstrations on the latest innovative power of Xeikon’s X-800 workflow tools driving a number of digital presses using both inkjet and toner technologies and demonstrating food safety for flexible packaging and stand up pouches. Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s VP Marketing states, “Looking at today’s consumerdriven trends and the evolving diversity in consumer behaviour, label printers and converters are confronted with a number of challenges. They face varying run lengths, increasing numbers of jobs, long runs over many versions, personalisation, and just-in-time delivery requirements while still running their operational costs effectively. Digitising their print manufacturing process helps them to address these challenges. With

“Xeikon has over 30 years of experience in developing digital technologies for the label industry,” continues Weymans. “We have the deepest market understanding allowing us to offer label converters tailored advice on how to start with digital or optimise existing digital production. By just asking five simple questions related to their business, we provide personal advice that can set them on the right track to choose the ideal configuration for their business strategy out of almost 200 possible digital label production setups.” Popular digital printing configurations showcased live at Labelexpo Europe With TRANSFORM as a must-see, Xeikon will be operating a selection of popular configurations throughout the show: Label Discovery Package: an entrylevel solution addressing 90% of all end-user label applications Xeikon CX500: addressing high-end food and wine label printing Xeikon PX3000: the ideal solution for health & beauty markets and highperformance durable label printing Xeikon aXelerate: helping printers and converters to go the extra mile Xeikon will also be a key participant in Labelexpo’s Flexible Packaging Arena. There, it will showcase its digital pouch-making solution involving full color print and lamination for food packaging, both in the Brand Innovation Showcase and in the Sustainability Insight Café. Xeikon will also contribute to the Label Academy Masterclass. Flint Group Label Factory: combining industry strengths Xeikon, a division of Flint Group, will be present on the Flint Group stand C28 in hall 5. Visitors to this booth will discover how the “Flint Group Label Factory” offers an unmatched product and services portfolio that covers all steps of the value chain for label printing, and addresses most industry needs. Flint Group presents technologies from four different product groups that


EXQUISITE FINISHINGS YOU CAN

TOUCH

YOUR ADVANTAGES WITH THE JETVARNISH 3D EVO & IFOIL-L Expandable System Format Available with 3 different widths: 52 x 120cm, 64 x 120cm, 75 x 120cm

Varnish and Hot Foiling To achieve distinctive effects with outstanding print quality

Revolutionary AIS Scanner Automatic varnish and hot foil registration and fully compatible with VDF jobs

Innovative Software Suite Developed by MGI To improve efficiency and productivity

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


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

60 encompass the latest developments in prepress and pre-production, through digital and conventional print and embellishments, converting and delivery. These include Flint Group Flexographic Products (flexographic and letterpress printing plates), Flint Group Narrow Web (inks for any narrow web printing technique), Xeikon (digital printing solutions), and ThermoFlexX (digital imaging for flexo and letterpress). Claiming it has created a completely new standard in label converting productivity that will revolutionise the label supply chain Domino has daily scheduled N610i digital hybrid label converting demonstrations on its Booth No 9B50 in Hall 9 at Labelexpo 2019, claiming it has created a completely new standard in label converting productivity that will revolutionise the label supply chain. This solution is delivered in partnership with global market leader in print finishing, AB Graphic International Ltd, combining their Digicon Series 3 converting line with a Domino N610i Integration Module. Philip Easton, Director of the Domino Digital Printing Solutions business comments “There is an ongoing debate about how digital is best deployed by a label converter, whether as a stand-alone press with separate near-line finishing, with inline finishing, or in the form of a hybrid digital press. Although the job book profile is a major determinant of what is best in each case, we see a growing trend towards more

hybrids. We have spent a lot of time talking to our customers in order to understand the market trends and their needs. Our conclusions are: – even shorter run lengths combined with more just-in-time label production, removing the finishing bottleneck, and reducing waste both for cost and for sustainability.” The scheduled presentations will demonstrate in a single print, finish, slit, inspection and turret rewind process, the production of three different jobs with a total of ten SKU changes, a substrate change, three die cut changes, foil change and varnish changes with output all produced and boxed ready for shipment in less than 20 minutes! Philip comments further, “We want to demonstrate to label converters that they can offer small minimum order quantities, really short lead times but with the absolute minimum of production waste and time to achieve it; providing the capability to offer a completely different type and quality of service. We think converters should be proactively offering this solution with shorter lead times, cost-effective smaller run lengths and less waste as their competitive advantage.” Key features of this new generation production line include the Domino intelligent Technology i-Tech WebRev web reverse function which, when combined with the AB Graphic’s Digicon 3 buffers, can automatically reverse the web. For a substrate change, this allows the end of one production job and the beginning of the next to be processed on the line

at the same time. Material waste, even with substrate change, die change and varnish change is less than 7 metres and this will be demonstrated throughout Labelexpo. Using the latest AB Graphic’s turret rewinder, this integrated single process takes an unprinted web through to finished rolls ready to ship. Besides minimising production time, this solution also removes the unnecessary waste associated with separate processes to avoid the risk of under production. The result is minimal time to produce multiple short run jobs, lower costs, facilitating just-in-time lead times, and less waste meaning less impact on the environment. “We are delighted with the cooperation we have had with the team at AB Graphic. We feel we have created a game-changer and we welcome the industry to come and see this as the next stage of development in the label converting industry.” Tonejet Cylone direct-to-pack digital printer moves to new manufacturing facility Tonejet, manufacturer of advanced electro-static drop-on-demand digital print engines, has opened the doors to its new facility in Melbourn, Hertfordshire. The new space represents a milestone in Tonejet’s journey, allowing it to ramp-up manufacturing to meet worldwide orders for its unique Cyclone directto-pack digital printing systems. Every aspect of Tonejet’s Cyclone printing system, which provides low cost short-run digital decoration for beverage cans, is assembled and tested in-house at the new premises – from the novel surface priming system to the digital print engine itself. In addition to providing capacity for manufacturing, the new facility enables Tonejet to demonstrate the Cyclone system in its full end-to-end production form. The site allows Tonejet’s customers – beverage packaging producers and brand owners – to carry out direct-to-pack digital print demonstrations, trial runs and pre-production proofing. “After many months of hard work,


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

61 services. By combining worldwide engineering resources, BVS looks to speed the pace of innovation and development of data-connected workflow solutions. Ongoing service and support for BVS technology is also boosted by the integration. Promising to help printers eliminate defects, deliver perfect color, and automate their workflows, BVS will highlight these solutions at Stand 6E52:

we’re really excited to announce our new manufacturing facility. The location gives us both scale and efficiency as we continue to grow and develop,” comments Rob Day, CEO, Tonejet. “The space is ideal both as an R&D hub and operational centre, allowing our ink chemists, printhead technologists and printer engineers to work alongside their colleagues in production and customer support – I don’t think we could have found a better home. The new 1300 square meter space has allowed us to add the necessary de-palletizer, curing oven and re-palletizer units to test and demonstrate a full, end-to-end can printing line, while allowing our customers to visualise exactly how our products fit into their operations and their businesses,” continues Day. Tonejet also formulates its own consumables including pigmented inks on the nearby Melbourn Science Park. Free of the cost and lead-time barriers associated with traditional analogue printing, the Tonejet Cyclone system facilitates short production runs in the era of mass customisation. It provides beverage producers with the creative freedom to develop seasonal specials, personalised marketing campaigns and special brand activations, boosting consumer engagement and dramatically increasing sales volumes. With a clear vision for the future and an initial focus on craft beverage brand-owners, contract fillers and packaging suppliers, Tonejet is committed to digital print for the transformation of packaging printing: eliminating waste, shortening supply chains and slashing production costs.

The Cyclone system addresses todays packaging requirements head-on. It offers lower running costs than those associated with shrink sleeves or pressure sensitive labels and avoids the recycling headache created by such processes while providing a highquality finish. Kornit launches cloud platform BALDWIN Vision Systems (BVS) will bring new technical achievements to Stand 6E52 at Labelexpo Europe 2019 (24-27 September, Brussels Expo). BVS will be co-located at the show with AMS SpectralUV, another Baldwin Technology Company. Along with well-established color and inspection solutions for the printing industry, BVS will showcase the latest additions to their product portfolio— including Guardian RTM, a new realtime quality monitoring and reporting tool, and significant new capabilities for the ColorTrack software solution. According to President Vince Balistrieri, “The name ‘BALDWIN Vision Systems’ may not yet be familiar to label and narrow web printers. But the BVS product portfolio brings together decades of proven experience from established industry leaders in advanced color and inspection technology.” 2018 saw industry leaders QuadTech, PC Industries, and Web Printing Controls strategically united to form the new BALDWIN Vision Systems. The resulting combination of businesses and technologies represents the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio available for print process automation, inspection and related

Defect Management Solutions Guardian PQV 100% Print Inspection eliminates every defect with a more efficient, accurate, data-connected inspection workflow. PQV provides complete print quality verification from prepress through production, reporting, and archiving for perfect runs. With Guardian RTM Real-Time Monitoring, printers can track and compare many different production metrics. Press managers can monitor changes as they happen, and make highly-informed decisions about print quality, defect management, and even operator-to-operator performance. Guardian OLP Offline Proofing & Inspection focuses on pre-press proofing and pressroom


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

62

quality control. Graphic-Vision® 500 Series Web Viewing Systems quickly find defects such as misregistrations, streaks, voids, and fills. For high quality, high accuracy inspection requirements—such as pharmaceuticals, security and banknote—BVS provides solutions that meet the most exacting standards, with features including sequential data verification, bar code decoding & grading, custom lighting and more.

The Vision Systems business unit of Baldwin Technology Company, Inc. is the world’s leading innovator of advanced color and inspection technology for the printing industry. BALDWIN Vision Systems sells its automated control systems in more than 100 countries, and maintains a worldwide network of sales and service operations.

At Labelexpo Europe 2091, BVS also intends to offer an early preview a new defect management technology, which the company will launch fully at drupa 2020 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Nestlé recently installed two units of CoboAccess™_Pal, an industrial, safe

Color Management Solutions ColorTrack™ “color expert in a box” software facilitates fast, accurate press-side correction of ink formulations. ColorTrack seamlessly integrates with ink recipe software to not only simplify workflow, but also dramatically reduce the number of ink corrections needed to achieve accurate, optimal color. InkWeigh™ eliminates trial and error by weighing and tracking ink corrections at the press for each client, each job. Optimize and reduce leftover storage, and ensure full traceability. DeltaCam™ provides accurate inline spectral measurements, reducing waste and ensuring all printed products are within your customers’ color specifications. BVS will introduce its new ColorTrack Analytics software, which is designed to help printers deliver consistent, accurate color quality and customer reports—no matter what facility, process or materials are used to produce the printed product.

Success at Nestlé Special.T factory

and easy-to-use cobotic palletizing solution from Sidel, at their site in Orbe (Switzerland). By automating the palletizing of their Special.T capsules, Nestlé Suisse SA Orbe gained higher pallet quality while offering increased ease-of-operations for their workers. The latter benefit was ensured by the solution’s automation platform: based on the combination of PC and PLC, it allows better-controlled trajectories for improved cobot picking and placing. Due to the continued success and growing demand for collaborative solutions, Sidel recently extended and completed its cobotic palletizing range with a medium version that offers a higher payload, launched in May 2019. The global market for tea is projected to grow by 7.9 billion dollars between 2017 and 2022 due to rising trends like premiumisation and the addition of exotic flavours in mature markets as well as tea’s health positioning on a global scale. Nestlé Suisse SA Orbe, a factory producing tea in capsules under the well-known Special.T brand, addresses this growing trend. “In the past, this


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2019

63 plant, equipped with low and medium speed lines, was handling palletizing manually. As volume and productivity needed to increase, we were looking to use cobotic palletizing to avoid repetitive non-ergonomic tasks for operators. We wanted them to handle activities with higher added value”, explains Cédric Rey, Fill & Pack Maintenance & Improvement Manager at Nestlé. The team at Nestlé Suisse SA Orbe approached Sidel with their cobotic requirements back in 2017, leveraging the long-standing relationship between the two companies. At the time, Sidel was already working on developing a new cobotic palletizing solution and was able to take the opportunity to directly embed the customer’s requirements into their new programme. Success at Nestlé Suisse SA Orbe with higher pallet quality Nestlé Suisse SA Orbe was looking to use cobotics or collaborative robotics palletizing, an innovative Industry 4.0 technology. With this in mind, they required a robust, precise and userfriendly cobotic solution, working as an industrial answer to their challenge of pallet stability. Rey continues, “At our Orbe site, best in class pallet quality is absolute key, as our cases with the tea capsules are very light, long, and narrow. This is why accurate case placement on the pallet and tight layers are major requirements to guarantee pallet stability, avoiding that products are moving through the complete supply chain, respecting their full integrity and ultimately ending up in consumers’ hands without any damages. Additionally, we also needed to ensure the safety of our operators. It was imperative that the same level of safety would be maintained after switching from manual labour to a cobotic technology, ensuring that the solution is working safely with no fences around it. For us, the user friendliness of the new cobotic solution was extremely important as well: for instance, an intuitive navigation of its HMI was a must.”

Ensure better-controlled picking and trajectories At the Orbe site, two cobotic palletizers have now been installed downstream along two Cermex SW21 compact side-loading case packers. These CoboAccess_Pal solutions feature an industrial automation platform based on the combination of PC and PLC. “This association makes sure the cobot performs bettercontrolled picking and trajectories, leading to greater pallet quality and stability, instrumental for smooth pallet transportation through the supply chain. Additionally, they allow for an immediate restarting of the machine in case of potential problems or emergency stops, and as such, minimise downtime,” highlights Laurent Cristol, Strategic Account Director Nestlé, at Sidel. Moreover, CoboAccess_Pal’s HMI is well suited to meet the customer’s requirement for a user-friendly solution. Based on an intuitive tablet approach navigation, the HMI facilitates the daily jobs for Nestlé Suisse SA Orbe operators, as they can access Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and maintenance sheets for easier and faster trouble shooting and root cause analysis. Sidel made sure to get the safety of the CoboAccess_Pal objectively validated by Apave in addition to the equipment’s full compliance

with European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. CoboAccess_Pal always performs case handling above the conveyor or the pallet station, which ensures that cases never fall on the floor, therefore adding to maximum protection. Cristol explains, “Not less important, CoboAccess_Pal is extremely easy to install. At the factory in Orbe, it took one week including commissioning time; plus it can be easily moved between lines in less than ten minutes.” Sidel extends its cobotic palletizing range Surfing on this customer’s success and crowning a list of several installations already working throughout the world, Sidel decided to extend its cobotic palletizing range. The portfolio has recently been enriched with CoboAccess_Pal M. Featuring a Fanuc CR-15iA robotic arm, the solution allows a higher payload while running at six cycles per minute. Equipped with DCS software and the safe contact stop technology, the new cell becomes even more industrial and therefore better suited for a wider scope of applications and market categories.

2020



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.