Print Innovation Asia issue 6

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Print INNOVATION

Asia

Magazine

Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia since 1985 Issue 6 2020

Lifecycle Business and the new offering of Print Site Contracts

Interview page 38

Thomas Frank, Managing Director of Heidelberg Asia-Pacific


Say hello to a New Pink Ink A sweeter way to stand out. Stand out from the crowd with a Gamut-extending Specialty Colour for the Iridesse™ Production Press. Get noticed with many more vibrant new colour combinations using Pink Dry Ink, including pastels, neons and iridescent glows.

It’s a delicious time to rethink what’s possible. www.fujixerox.com.sg/en/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.


Asian PrintAwards 2020 th

PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS: 2020

2020

_018 020 VIETNAM - November Contents Page 4 FUJI XEROX - Bold Transformation, an Interview with Kouichi Tamai, President and Representative Director, Fuji Xerox 6 Top 10 New Launches – The Mega Roundup Some of the many new products we would have seen at drupa 12 Hung Hing - A new era in digital printing 14 The Impact of COVID-19 on the Printing Industry, by Sunil Gupta, CEO Memjet 16 Tokyo’s Image Magic Installs Twin Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro Systems 18 Print Marketing, A Digital Champion 22 Making things happen - 5 ways to persuade a client to be bold and innovative with their print 26 Less print is more 30 Addition to the Solvent Media portfolio 34 PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021, interview with Gernot Ringling, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf Asia 38 Lifecycle Business and the new offering of Print Site Contracts, we talk with Thomas Frank, Managing Director Heidelberg Asia-Pacific 42 Large-format Rapidas from Koenig & Bauer in demand the world over 44 Mediatama Lithrones power bold vision in packaging 48 India’s Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib installs Heidelberg Speedmaster CS 92 50 Strategic Choices in a Competitive and Converging Market 54 Vietnam inks new free trade deal with European Union 56 News from around Asia and the world

Issue 6 2020

Print INNOVATION

Asia Magazine

Published by Asian Print Awards Management Pte Ltd 65 Chulia Street #46-23 OCBC Centre Singapore 049513 Print Innovation Asia Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia Asian Print Awards Packageing Excellence Awards Label and Packaging Conferences Publisher Paul Callaghan paul@printinnovationasia.com Editorial Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com Editor Sha Jumari sha@printinnovationasia.com Packaging Sales Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

4 A SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FROM THE APRIL 2020 ISSUE OF FORBES ASIA

FUJI XEROX’S BOLD TRANSFORMATION

After unwinding a decades-long alliance with Xerox, the Japanese print and technology company will push global expansion forward to capture new business.

Kouichi Tamai, President and Representative Director, Fuji Xerox

Fuji Xerox is undergoing the biggest change in the company’s history. After its half-century-old technology agreement with Xerox Corporation ends next year, the Tokyo-based firm plans to embark on a dynamic growth strategy and expand to new markets under the Fujifilm brand. Fuji Xerox reached record profits in fiscal year 2018 and says it expects to post strong results in fiscal 2019. “Our employees have worked incredibly hard. I would like to share the fruit of those results with our customers,” says Kouichi Tamai, who has been President of Fuji Xerox since June 2018. Over the past two years, he has addressed management issues and established a corporate structure to generate profits through various initiatives.

Going Global With Fuji lm Brand

Fuji Xerox was established in 1962 in Tokyo as a joint venture between Rank Xerox and Fuji Photo Film, now Xerox and Fujifilm, respectively, to bring to Japan and to the Asia-Pacific the technology that revolutionized business communications—xerography, which is widely used in photocopying and printing. From the start, Fuji Xerox had the technology agreement with Xerox that provided for technology/brand licensing and salesterritory coverage. That agreement is set to expire at the end of March 2021. Pursuant to its expiry, Fuji Xerox will change its name to “Fujifilm Business Innovation,” the company announced in January.

“The first thing I want to say is that we will continue providing the same services to our customers. By improving the speed and the level of technology and product development within Fuji Xerox, we are innovating products with our own original technology. I would like all of our valued customers to be assured that there will be no change in the products and services we already offer,” Tamai says. Ending the technology agreement with Xerox will bring three major changes for Fuji Xerox. The biggest is the expansion of its sales territories worldwide. The firm’s sales coverage is currently limited to AsiaPacific and Oceania. But after April 2021, the restrictions will be lifted, paving the way for


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

5 A SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FROM THE APRIL 2020 ISSUE OF FORBES ASIA

Fuji Xerox to pursue global expansion under a new brand. Next, the company will be in position to move quickly to invest in new businesses as well as seek mergers and acquisitions in line with strategic goals. Fuji Xerox will also be able to provide customers with innovative new products and solutions by strengthening collaboration within the Fujifilm group. Fuji Xerox will have exclusive use of technology patents that it retains after the expiration of its agreement with Xerox. Finally, Fuji Xerox will no longer have to pay approximately ¥10 billion (US$95.3 million) annually to Xerox for use of the Xerox brand. The money instead will be reinvested in new businesses.

Innovating Constantly

The decision to disclose the changes in January was also significant. “Sure, it will be more than a year before the company name will actually change. However, Xerox is a brand that employees have affection for and customers are extremely familiar with. So we opted to make the announcement early to take plenty of time to explain the background of our decision,” Tamai says. The company plans to accelerate its synergies with Fujifilm group companies to further promote innovative solutions and services using technologies such as the cloud, AI and the Internet of Things. "For example, in the area of AI, there is synergy with Fujifilm's medical field. Combining Fujifilm's image-processing technology with our language-processing technology will expand the possibilities of new IT solutions. We must continue to focus on building an effective and efficient development system that leverages the strengths of both companies by fusing the technologies of Fuji Xerox and Fujifilm,'' Tamai says.

Expanding to Europe and America

To break into new overseas markets, including Europe and the U.S., “we will first look into manufacturing products for other brands. In other words, we’ll start as an OEM [original equipment manufacturer] supplier,” Tamai says. He received requests from both domestic and foreign manufacturers seeking OEM supplies from Fuji Xerox after the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings in 2019. “When asked why they wanted to partner with us, clients responded unanimously that in side-by-side

Tamai holds a doctorate degree in engineering from the University of Tokyo. He joined Fujifilm in 2003, then Fuji Xerox in 2017 as Deputy President, before assuming his current position of President and Representative Director in June 2018.

comparisons of the world’s major multifunction printers, the best products were made by Fuji Xerox. Even in challenging environments, there hardly were paper jams or malfunctions. In the case of cyberattacks, data remains safe,” Tamai says. “Careful consideration should be given on whether to invest in fixed costs, so in highly competitive European and American markets, we will keep a close eye on the OEM situation while considering whether to launch our own brand there.” In Asia-Pacific countries where Fuji Xerox’s sales channels already exist, the company will pursue M&As that will increase market share or accelerate the development of solutions and services. In February, Fuji Xerox acquired Australian office IT services company CSG to leverage CSG’s relationships with small and midsize businesses in Australia and New Zealand. Fuji Xerox, whose main customers are large corporations, aims to capture a broader client base through the mutually complementary business structures of the two companies. Tamai, who holds a doctorate degree in engineering, takes a precise approach to strategy development, much like a mechanical engineer designing sophisticated machinery. His goal is to raise the company’s sales to ¥1.3 trillion (US$12.4 billion) from

approximately ¥1 trillion (US$9.5 billion) by fiscal 2024. The company is also working on developing new game-changing models that will contribute to the company’s growth. Fuji Xerox is set to become a key force in driving innovation in global business.

Tamai has been growing roses as a hobby for the past 10 years—precisely, he says, because they are “difficult to grow.” “Just like with work, you have to put a lot of e ort into it, but it gives me so much pleasure to see others enjoy their beautiful blossoms,” he explains.


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Top 10 New Launches

Some of the many new products Drupa may have been postponed to 2021, but some suppliers are still going ahead with launches that were slated for the original drupa 2020 period. Some of the following picks are already available in the market, and meant to use drupa 2020 as a first showcase platform. These are some top 10 picks of the most recent launches: Heidelberg next generation Speedmaster From April 2020, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will be putting the most intelligent and automated Speedmaster ever into series production. The completely redesigned Prinect Press Center generation with the new Speedmaster Operating System delivers Push to Stop functionality and connection to the Prinect Cloud to every Speedmaster. Many new digital assistance systems, such as the Wash Assistant or Intellirun on the Wallscreen XL, turn the Prinect Press Center into a modern, attractive workstation, and allow the operator to continuously call on the machine’s performance potential. However, the hardware has evolved as well. In addition to the new and significantly larger 24-inch multi-touchscreen, the standard illuminant lighting to ISO 3664:2009 was converted to LED. Instead of time-consuming tube changes, as before, switching between standard illuminant D50 and D65 with and without UV is now done simply by pressing a button.

Canon Oce Colorado Wallpaper The Canon UVgel Wallpaper Factory is an integration between the awardwinning Colorado Printer Series and UVgel technology, and finishing partner Fotoba. Designed for outstanding throughput, high-quality, and efficiency, this solution is ideal for automated production of customized wallpapers. The UVgel Wallpaper Factory is a fully modular workflow solution, which consists of a motorized Fotoba Jumbo Roll media loader (JRL) connected to

the front of a Colorado series printer to help customers automatically cut flexible media into custom sizes and lengths. For an added convenience, with the embedded taping unit, print jobs can be as simple as "print, cut, rewind, and tape," allowing wallpaper rolls to be available for quick delivery. For regular print jobs, the two media drawers of the Colorado remain accessible.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

– The Mega Roundup

s we would have seen at drupa

integrates inkjet technology into the platform of the high-performance Rapida 106 offset press. VariJET 106 is a 41in sheet-fed system that combines digital inkjet with the benefits of offset printing and inline finishing, achieved by integrating inkjet technology into the platform of the high-performance Koenig & Bauer

Rapida 106 offset press. A modular platform, coating, cold foil transfer and analogue printing are examples of pre-inkjet processes that can specified, with coating, further printing and diecutting after. The system was shown as a technology demonstration at drupa 2016 and was expected to launch at drupa 2020.

The UVgel Wallpaper Factory will be available soon as a complete end-toend solution for new customers and as an upgrade for existing Colorado rollto-roll large format printers. Koenig & Bauer VariJET 106 The new VariJET 106 is the first product to come out of joint venture Koenig & Bauer Durst. The digital printing press for folding carton production Konica Minolta Cypress AccurioPress C14000 With the AccurioPress C14000 series, Konica Minolta entered the high speed, high production, cut sheet toner print market. The AccurioPress C14000 series is Konica Minolta’s new flagship model and answer to the high production print segment. The new models are designed to distinguish themselves with unprecedented print quality, amazing media flexibility and integrating with high degree of automation.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

8 The AccurioPress C14000 series prints at 140 pages per minute (ppm) in A4 and is 40% faster than the existing toner-based line up. It offers higher print volume and longer duty cycle, to reach the high production print segment needs. The AccurioPress C14000 was recently made available to the Asian region. Xeikon CX300 The Xeikon CX300 is a 330mm label press that can offer production capacity of over 50,000 square meters per month in a single shift operation. The full-colour press is equipped with five print stations, including CMYK and single-pass opaque white but can also support colour gamut expansion, custom or security colours.

optimizing usability and maximizing press uptime. Productivity is exceptional; up to 7,000 jobs per year or 22 million stand-up pouches in 24 hours with one operator, helped by the smartDROID robotic system that does the entire press setup without human intervention. It features the Job Recipe Management (JRM) System for a digitalized production workflow from file to finished product with creation of a

market. The first press in HP Indigo Series 5, the HP Indigo 100K is designed for offset players to adopt highly productive, on-demand digital printing. The HP Indigo 100K Digital Press offers nonstop duplex digital printing, enabling PSPs to deliver more than one million B2 million duplex sheets per month. The digital press features advanced paper handling and offset-like gripper-to-gripper design for precision

Based on Cheetah 2.0 technology, the Xeikon CX300 can easily operate in a three-shift operation and still registration, as well as unique Indigo digital advantages, including colour automation, calibration, fast switchover between jobs and media and five-input source feeder. Delivering 6000 sheets per hour, the HP Indigo 100K four-colour press boosts margins on short-run digital production and introduces new calculations that confirm a lower total cost of ownership.

deliver high value work. Strong, growing end-use markets such as food, pharmaceuticals and other markets using self-adhesive labels can be supported with the Xeikon CX300. Its dry toner technology surpasses any other digital printing technology with respect to food safety. The Cheetah toner also incorporates the recently announced QB toner technology, making it even more future-proofed against upcoming legislation and regulatory requirements. BOBST MASTER CI The new MASTER CI flexo press impresses with the most innovative technologies in CI flexo printing. The combination of exclusive smart technologies, including smartGPS GEN II, and advanced automation, makes all press operations easy and fast,

digital twin of the produced reels. The level of automation and connectivity enables dramatic reductions in waste and makes the output 100% consistent in colour and quality. HP Indigo 100K The HP Indigo 100K digital press, a new generation commercial printing solution, is purportedly the world’s most productive B2 sheetfed in the

Kornit Vulcan Plus Kornit’s Vulcan Plus represents the highest-capacity direct-to-garment print system in the Kornit product portfolio, achieving approximately 50% higher throughput than Kornit Atlas. Leveraging on the predecessor Vulcan, which was named a 2017 SGIA Product of the Year, Kornit has considerably improved the stability and reliability of the platform. Vulcan Plus gives the customer improved uptime


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and utilization from his equipment, and thus lower overall cost of ownership. Vulcan Plus is rated to print up to 235 impressions per hour, sized 13” by 13” on dark garments, with Kornit’s singlestep process. Depending on the job types and working hours involved, this translates to anywhere from 550,000 to more than one million impressions annually. Vulcan Plus comes with advanced NeoPigment™ Eco-Rapid ink set for amazing print quality and handfeel, and is compatible with ColorGATE RIP software, which enables easy colour matching, Pantone libraries, effects like semi-transparency and black knockouts, and PDF workflows. Komori Impremia NS40 The Impremia NS40, which was a technical exhibit at drupa 2016 and is slated for a sales launch at drupa 2020, is a 40-inch Sheetfed Nanographic Printing System that uses Nanography® technology licensed from Landa. The press was developed incorporating the know-how and technologies that Komori has cultivated through its offset printing business.

The press has a printing speed of 6,500 sheets per hour (sph), a true resolution of 1,200 dots per inch (dpi), can handle four to seven colours, with UV, LED or aqueous based in-line coating. The press can handle paper sizes up to 750 x 1050 mm, a sheet thickness of 0.06 mm to 0.8 mm, and can print on a wide range of offset paper without any special pre-processing. Roland 900 Evolution The Roland 900 Evolution is the newest version of the Roland 900 press, marking manroland’s re-emergence

in the very large format platform category. Based on the Evolution platform, the machine will be available at a speed of 16,000 sheets an hour in very large-format sizes of Size V 1300mm and Size VI 1450mm formats. Precise specifications will be available on its official launch.


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Yum Chak Ming, Matthew, Executive Chairman, Hung Hing Printing Group Limited

Hung Hing - A new era Hong Kong print and packaging company installed the Fuji Xerox Iridesse Production Press to support its expansion from B2B to B2C. “In expanding from B2B to B2C, we are moving closer to end users and creating value for our customers by leveraging new printing technologies. This is an important opportunity for us to move up the supply chain while improving our bottom line.” -Yum Chak Ming, Matthew, Executive Chairman, Hung Hing Printing Group Limited

demand in the upper stream. More recently, the company’s business strategy has shifted to actively reach out to end users. Instead of competing with clients, the company is creating more value for them, and at the same time, expanding their services to end users by developing different kinds of products.

Hung Hing Printing Group (Hung Hing) is a leading provider of comprehensive printing and packaging services in Hong Kong. For many years, Hung Hing has operated downstream in the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) business, which meant that the company’s revenues were largely determined by client

“We were always downstream in the OEM supply chain. This was a very passive position as our bottom line was determined by the activities of our clients. However, when we expanded from B2B to B2C, we got closer to end users and created value for our customers through new printing technologies. This was an important

TM

opportunity for use to innovate and succeed,” said Matthew Yum. He explained that digital printing provides increased flexibility and the opportunity to pursue creative ideas as the printed products can be custommade and in smaller quantities. The company is a leader in packaging, printing children’s books, greeting cards and paper products. In recent years, Hung Hing has also ventured into creative design and product development by establishing its creative arm, Beluga, to build upon its digital capabilities. In addition to the challenges affecting the bottom line, the company also faced increasing expectations from customers and demand for more exquisite and personalized products, and innovative services in a highly competitive and digitalized world. “Every challenge presents an opportunity for us to do better and grow bigger,” said Matthew. After adopting Fuji Xerox’s Iridesse Production Press for about one year, one of the brand names under Beluga called Papery pioneered “printing” on the first super sturdy paper bag. Papery is a lifestyle eco-friendly brand that creates contemporary paper products.

TM


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a in digital printing With digital printing technology, customers can create unique and personalized items for themselves such as putting their initials on the bag and choosing different patterns with metallic effects by adopting Iridesse Production Press. The technology also enables Beluga to cater to small volume production with increased choices and flexibility, without having to worry about the minimum order quantity (MOQ) requirements.

TM

“To the surprise of many people, digital printing delivers exceptional quality and a number of impressive effects. Not only does it help us differentiate our own product creations, it also adds value to our customers’ portfolios,” said Nicholas Yum, Creative Director, Beluga Limited, who joined Hung Hing eight years ago.

Hung Hing and Beluga chose Fuji Xerox (Hong Kong) for its reliable service, responsiveness to customers’ enquiries, and sustainability mindset. In the medium-run, the company is confident about producing sustainable products directly for end users and expanding from the B2B to B2C model. In the long-run, Hung Hing believes that by offering one-stop services from negotiation, design and production to delivery with digitization, the company can better contribute to the lasting success of its customers resulting in stronger and more enduring relationships in the process. For an in-depth case study with video, visit: https://www.fujixerox.com.hk/en/ Company/Success-Stories/Hung-Hing

Nicholas Yum, Creative Director BELUGA Limited About Hung Hing: Hung Hing Printing Group is a leading provider of comprehensive printing and packaging services in Hong Kong and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (0450.HK) in 1992. The company has over 8,600 employees and operates five plants in mainland China. Beginning in 1950 as a small printing house in Central, the business and retail heart of Hong Kong, Hung Hing expanded as a printer and a manufacturer of paper, folding cartons, corrugated containers, and high-end packaging products. Roughly 70 percent of its business is comprised of exports with the remainder for domestic consumption. Resilience, integrity, a positive attitude and an open mind towards adopting new technologies are all core values of the group.


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Around the world, uncertain conditions remain but businesses are starting to open. As we collectively move forward, Memjet is assessing the impact the pandemic has had on printing industry markets today – and what lies ahead.

Market Opportunities There is no question that the pandemic has had an impact on the printing industry. Some market segments have seen signs of growth; this gives us reasons for optimism: Packaging As consumers have been forced to isolate at home, demand for goods through eCommerce sites has soared. As we begin to recover, demand for goods through e-Commerce sites is likely to continue, as will demand for corrugate and folding carton packaging to ship those products. Flexible Packaging The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for flexible packaging, which is considered more hygienic due to limited handling. Another positive result has been the rise of food and beverage delivery services; which also expands the use of this type of disposable packaging.

providers will have to think and work differently. In a recent presentation for Future Print Digital Summit, Mark Hanley of IT Strategies said that as the industry moves out of the pandemic, print providers will likely postpone high capital investments due to uncertainty or the lack of finance. He projects that print providers will instead invest in lower-cost systems like digital inkjet printers Powered by Memjet. These print solutions have a lower barrier to entry than more expensive and complicated printers while producing high-quality, beautiful output with brilliant color and eyecatching clarity delivered at resolutions as high as 1600 dpi and some of the fastest print speeds. With digital printing technology that has a low cost of ownership and ability to easily produce short runs of customized packaging and labeling in

Labeling Labels are part of the supply chains of basic necessities and they serve as a vital tool for conveying information. As a result, the market has experienced an increased demand for food, hygiene, and pharmaceutical labels, as well as labeling information related to eCommerce sales. Short runs on a regular and increasing basis have become the norm. Impact on Investment In order to capture those opportunities in a post-COVID world, print solution

high-quality color, print providers can quickly establish themselves in these growing markets. Preparing for the Future Memjet provides the digital printing technology necessary for OEMs to develop printing solutions that capture these opportunities and allow them to prepare for the increased demand of affordable label and packaging printers. The modular nature of Memjet technology combined with our engineering services including remote development and support provide the resources and simplicity OEMs need to get their printing solutions to market quicker and more affordably – essential features in an uncertain market. Memjet inks are all water-based and free from toxic and reactive chemistries, like found in other inks. Our selective criteria and constant monitoring ensure that our inks remain suitable for use on tested food packaging, and throughout the product lifecycle. By choosing Memjet, OEMs ensure their solution is developed and launched expediently as well as capable of delivering the highest resolution, fastest speeds, and at a lower cost which print providers demand for today and into the future.

Sunil Gupta - CEO

These technological developments, combined with the innovation and resilience of those who work in the industry, ensure a future where the print industry thrives.


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Tokyo’s Image Magic Ins Avalanche Poly Pro Sys The two new direct-to-garment systems for polyester is expected to attract new customers and supplement the Japanese company’s 40% year-over-year growth. Kornit Digital announced that Tokyobased Image Magic has installed two Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro systems, expanding its longstanding digital direct-to-garment capabilities to imprint polyester and poly-blend fabrics. The move supplements Image Magic’s continuous development of internal efficiencies, and increases capacity for an operation that has observed 40% year-over-year growth. Image Magic serves a mix of corporate clients, including some of Japan’s leading apparel brands, and general consumers via a predominantly internet-based sales model. Established in 1995 as a print shop committed to producing one-off jobs

with the efficiency of mass production - and avoiding costly inventory - Image Magic has long sought an alternative to slow and inconsistent means for imprinting synthetics. Kornit’s Avalanche Poly Pro is the first digital direct-to-garment print system developed specifically for such materials. “We have long printed cotton materials on demand, but delivering polyester t-shirts and sports apparel in a consistent and timely manner remained a challenge,” said Makoto Yamakawa, Image Magic CEO. “Kornit’s Poly Pro system offers the best possible quality, at a speed to match our recent

increase in orders, which we expect will continue as more major sports events, most notably the Olympics, come to Japan.” “I was impressed by the smooth hand feel,” added Yutaka Bono, their Director of Development. “The Poly Pro is ideal for handling a wide variety of products in small quantities, which should help us attract new customers, particularly from the sports industry.” Using the eco-friendly NeoPigment™ Olympia ink set, Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro was developed to extend digital design complexity, colour gamut, and durability to polyesters, which have grown in popularity as a result of sportswear and “athleisure” trends. “Kornit is breaking down boundaries between what the consumer demands and what print shops can deliver at the speed of e-commerce, and our Poly Pro system embodies that effort completely,” said Andy Yarrow, President of Kornit Digital Asia Pacific. “Image Magic has achieved considerable growth by giving consumers what they want with a smart, lean business model, and we are proud they’ve chosen Kornit as a partner in taking their next steps forward.”


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stalls Twin Kornit stems

Makoto Yamakawa, Image Magic CEO According to Yamakawa, digital printing has been key to his business’s growth, and he foresees Kornit’s technology building on that strength: “We’ve been inviting partners and customers to our facility to demonstrate what the Poly Pro can do, and as we expand to a larger facility, we anticipate investing in more of these systems,” said Yamakawa. The Advent of Athleisure Sports is no longer just an activity one does for health and wellness; it has become a lifestyle. The term “athleisure,” combining the words “athletic” and “leisure,” has quickly become a trending word in recent years. According to data and analytics research group GlobalData, the athleisure market is poised to expand by 9% worldwide, and is set to outperform the global clothing and footwear market beyond 2023. The analysis also revealed that 68% of consumers who purchased sports clothing for exercise also wore them for eating out or shopping. Over the last two years, the athleisure trend has risen as demand for comfort, performance and style has driven the need for a multifunctional wardrobe.

In addition to their functional considerations, sportswear must also be moisture-wicking and stylish. In tropical Southeast Asia especially, comfort is an even more important factor. People can wear athleisure apparel at the gym, for a date, or to work if paired properly. Most of them are made of polyester, which is strong and durable with good elasticity. Polyester holds its shape well, and is also corrosionresistant, easy to wash and dry. Second only to cotton, polyester is one of the world’s most popular fabrics for t-shirts. The growing demand for athleisure also sets off a new round of the polyester boom.

steps: upload the document and print. The labour cost is reduced to less than one minute! By comparison, traditional screen printing takes at least 25 minutes from pre-treatment to printing the final product. Additionally, Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro offers the following benefits: • Prevents dye migration • Retains the fabric’s original properties and characteristics • Meets the durability requirements for sports applications • Unlimited design creativity • Profit from the very first impression NeoPigment Olympia ink — Unique innovative ink for high-quality printing on polyester: • Strong and soft at the same time, the poly enhancer improves durability and hand-feel • A wider colour gamut, solid colour coverage, and precise Pantone colourmatching • A high L value and opacity for enhanced reproduction of bright prints • Increased strength and flexibility to improve print elongation TM

Printing on polyester fabrics has always had several challenges: insufficient colour depth and clarity, easy to bleed, the hand feel of the printed area is somewhat stiff, etc. Released by Kornit Digital last year, the Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro uses a stateof-the-art ink specifically designed for polyester printing, suitable for all types and colours of polyester fabrics. The process has also been optimized to two


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Print Marketing, A Digital Champion Marketing is an area that used to be all about print. Nowadays, it might seem like this industry has moved its efforts to digital, but print marketing is still very much alive and well. Turns out, print is actually a powerful driver, giving digital the push it needs to succeed. Being “data-driven” might be the “in”thing right now, but working with direct marketing has actually been around for a while. It used to be about catalogue marketers and direct mailers, but whatever might be your strategy or resources of choice, even experienced agencies recommend not giving print marketing the boot in favour of digital. In fact, the two actually complement each other. Optimum Channel Mix Sure, going only with digital might be cheaper but the impact is also a lot lower. With print, you get what you paid for: high touch, high impact – giving critical messages the attention they deserve. Print can touch a customer

multiple times per year or season and it’s a touch that actually drives action, keeping top-of-mind awareness high. Analogue [oder: Printed] direct mail has an average response rate from 4,9% to 9%, while digital channels only have conversation rates of 0,77% to 1,3%. The 2018 DMA Response Rate Report proves that even Millennials, who are said to be fully immerged in the “digital age”, are likely to open and read catalogues when they get them. If done correctly, print can give all marketing efforts a boost. Optimum channel mix simply has to include print marketing! And there are some

Print Success So, how do you do print marketing correctly? First of all, success looks a little different now than it did in the past. It’s not as linear anymore. Nowadays, a catalogue is no longer a channel but a powerful driver pushing customers online or to a physical store location. Catalogues, just like packaging or other print products, are brand showcases, giving your company the option to tell a brand story – directly or through the use of thematic product spreads. A catalogue is meant to inspire your clientele. Other print campaigns like direct mail need to motivate your consumers to do something


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WHY PRINT JUST PACKAGING WHEN YOU CAN PRINT THE WHOLE PACKAGE. 19

Personalized High Quality Graphics

1600 DPI For Exquisite Detail

Designing the Right Packaging Printer Using Memjet modular printing technology, OEMs can build solutions to print amazing packaging corrugate, flexible, label, and folding carton - bringing the power of customization, personalization, and shorter runs to every brand. See all our packaging solutions at memjet.com/packaging


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immediately, by promoting a special bargain or presenting an especially appealing or exclusive offer. Keeping your target audience engaged is a high priority for every business and it’s easy to achieve with print campaigns. Retargeting postcards, for example, are the perfect layering of attitudinal and psychographic data. Hit the right person, with the right product, at just the right time. Of course, slicing up revenue for any multichannel campaign can be tricky. The key to form an overall perspective of the whole marketing results is a combination of website analytics layered against catalogue matchback

data. The results can look different for every business. Yes, it sounds complicated and initially it will be extra work to assess the situation, but it will be worth it to see where to tweak your expenditure and – of course – to enjoy your successful performances. Digital’s Hype Man Finding the optimum marketing mix always takes tests and refinement. Start out with doing market research like industry-relevant benchmark data, analysing customer behaviour or online surveys. With this data, you should be able to map put a strategy that ideally includes seven channels or more. And after that, it is up to you to test, launch,

analyse and refined! Cost is a frequent objection here, but initial expenses of additional creative versions are nothing compared to lost sales. Your brand needs to be seen. The quality of a product itself is important and might even be a unique characteristic, setting you apart from the competition, but it doesn’t do you any good if no one knows about it. Use print to boost the results of your optimum channel ecosystem, instead of cutting print to pay for digital measures. Print is digital’s hype man, and that’s why print is not dying out any time soon. In fact, with modern technology, it is possible to combine digital and print to go even one step further, creating interactive print ads and AR experiences that will blow away the competition and is sure to impress potential customers.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

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Making things happe

5 ways to persuade a client to be bo This piece is written for anyone who has a new piece of printing technology to use, but no immediate queue of clients lined-up who will either understand its advantages or see why they should be the first to use it. In other words – you know you have a new solution to offer, but the challenge is your clients don’t recognise a problem that needs fixing... I’m a designer and design strategist. Much of the media I work with is packaging and my clients are typically marketing leaders and brand managers for big brands stocked in retail outlets such as supermarkets. Over the past few years I have become convinced of the benefits of digital print in delivering a more creative and agile approach to how marketeers use the media of packaging. I’ve worked with HP quite a bit, creatively experimenting with their digital print capability and talking to their circle of print suppliers and the brands that use them. Getting busy people on board to ‘try something new’ can be hard work. These aren’t entrepreneurs, they are business professionals trying to meet their targets efficiently and effectively and they are not prone to moving away from tried and tested approaches.

So it’s not always an easy ‘sell’ – but here are some common-sense suggestions based on my own experience of trying to persuade my clients to have a go, to be bold, to try something new. Hopefully the things I have observed can act as general principles for anyone trying to get their clients to try something new and to then reap the benefits. It’s not the whole story – being a great business salesman comes down to many factors and skills (many of which I lack) but here’s how I try to make things happen… 1. Find the right opportunities The ‘new thing’ you have to offer won’t be for everybody. The majority of customers will be happier as followers of a proven approach than as innovators of something less tried and tested. So the first task is to find amongst your contacts those people

who like to feel brave and who get inspired by trying something different. The ideal candidate is someone young enough to want to make their reputation, but senior enough to make their own decisions! They also need to be passionate about what they are doing – because they genuinely want to make it better, not just more efficient. Having found this rare person, you now need to identify and understand two things about their professional working lives. What is it that keeps them awake at night, and what is it that would make them jump excitedly out of bed? Once you understand their big ‘problem’ and their big ‘I wonder’ questions, you can then figure out if the innovation you are championing can be overlaid onto these things as a potentially smart solution. The principle is simple – ask the right questions of the right people and listen to the answers – look for the ‘win-win’.


HP Indigo V12 Digital Press, Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

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en -

old and innovative with their print Author Silas Amos

“Have passion, be positive, embrace new technologies, be open for partnerships and teamwork and care about genuinely resolving your client’s challenges” “The majority of customers will be happier as followers of a proven approach than as innovators of something less tried and tested” “You need to be a passionate, informed and inspiring spirit yourself. You won’t convince others if you are not convinced yourself!”

One other thing – you need to be a passionate, informed and inspiring spirit yourself. You won’t convince others if you are not convinced yourself! 2. Lead by example As Henry Ford put it “You can’t build a reputation on what you propose to do.” In order to ignite interest you will need to show successful applications of the tech you are championing. The reality is that getting to these first concrete examples often comes from the first work being ‘given away’ to prove its worth. In blunt terms you have to put some skin in the game – on your own time and from your own energy. The Smirnoff work I developed with HP and the Yarza Twins came from an email I sent the Diageo design team headlined ‘Free Lunch?’ I simply asked them to lend me a brand on which I could prove the equipment’s capabilities. I was asking for a chance

for us to prove ourselves. Happily, they obliged. 3. Explain the value “We can deliver better, faster and cheaper, but can only do any two of these at a time” is a classic way of explaining ones offer to clients. But more and more they are demanding “all three please.” The value the innovation can bring needs to hit several targets in order for your client to become truly interested in it… In cost and speed it should be competitive or provide an affordable alternative to typical processes in the right context. In output it should produce something of equal or greater quality to typical alternatives. In application terms it should enable the client to do something they could not do before. This is the key factor: How can you creatively ‘up the game’ with the final

product. Will people pay more for it? Love it and buy more of it? Notice it (when before they were blind to it)? Will it make your clients competition look average by comparison? If you can offer comparative evidence against these basic points you have a good position to then look at how to tailor your pitch to your client. 4. Reduce the risk Only the reckless would bet their career and core business or brand on an untested new approach. There are two magic words that can unlock the proposed project: ‘Pilot scheme’. Start small, think of the first steps as a low risk experiment – if it fails, the only thing it has really cost is some time and energy. But if it works, the process can be reviewed, streamlined and made fit for larger and larger projects. Build trust, learn on the job, and there’s a good chance more work will develop organically from the process.


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5. Join forces Be it with competition amongst creative agencies or amongst solutionproviders in the print world, we are all used to a ‘dog-eats-dog’ approach to business. But with innovation, if you only stick to selling the one thing that you alone can do, there’s a chance you will become disconnected from your

client’s bigger challenges and processes, especially when looking forward. So, if you can learn to play ball with other key suppliers or teams you will more likely get to bigger and bolder solutions that can be truly game changing. My analogy is the stained-glass window – arguably the world’s first example of mass communication. Engineers figured out how to put big holes in lead bearing walls using flying buttresses. Craftsmen figured out how to colour glass and work it into images. And the ‘marketing department’ had a whole story to tell about ‘I am the light’. Put them all together and the Sunday worshippers got to see the world of their faith in a whole new way.

When I wanted to promote HP’s SmartStream software that underpins their digital printing solutions, I would have got nowhere without recruiting the talents of a great artist, Sir Peter Blake, and a great printer, F E Burman, to help connect the dots. Together with some HP Indigo software developers we pushed the tech and opened up a conversation about the cultural relevance of the technology. Connect the dots with the help of others and you can truly change the business we work in. In conclusion, I’d observe that there’s really nothing new under the sun. And success in promoting any radical leap in technology relies on very simple human values. Have passion, be positive, embrace new technologies, be open for partnerships and teamwork and care about genuinely resolving your client’s challenges. That way you’ll be well set to pick up new business whilst also having some fun along the way. And last but not least – do visit drupa 2021 in Düsseldorf as that’ll be the place where many innovations can be seen and touched.



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Less print is more Thinking forward to drupa 2021 the question arises: what role will commercial and publishing printing play in the future? They will of course play a role, but in a very different way than today. To a great extent the future of commercial and publishing printing lies in ‘individualisation’ – the data driving this is online and forms the basis for print 4.0. Profound changes in the media landscape had a significant impact on print for advertising and publishing. A large slice of the “advertising cake” is taken by online and social-media channels, their worldwide share being estimated at 35% (source : Smithers Pira Calculation from World Press Trends Database). The economic indicators for commercial printing and publishing have long since been disconnected from the general economic situation. Economic upturns of recent years have not been mirrored and any growth of individual players has happened due to cutthroat competition. Dramatic sales downturn The consequences of this have been, on the one hand, a continuing

consolidation process and, on the other hand, an associated workforce reduction. Between 2005 and 2015 sales revenues in Europe declined by 20% and the number of players fell by 14% to 110,000 firms (source: Intergraf). By 2020 total market revenues are expected to slightly exceed €70 billion and to level off thereafter.

Written by Knud Wassermann, Editor in Chief, Graphische Revue, Wien and returns by 80%, respectively. On the contrary, in this same time-period the US economy grew by over 70%. The only segment within the print industry to have profited during this time is packaging.

This trend is also reflected in the demand for graphic papers. In Europe, in 2018, there was an 18% sales downturn in wood free paper and by summarising this number for the last 10 years, we arrive at a percentage downturn in middle double-digits. Numbers from the USA do not show a better picture, where commercial print volumes have shrunk by almost 50%

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DIGITAL PRINTING SOLUTIONS LIKE NO OTHER Ready for the next turn. Just like you. As truly direct and dedicated printing technology specialists, we believe you should deal with your challenges in your very own way. That is why we offer a wider range of digital technologies for a wide range of applications. From wine labels to wall decoration; from toner to inkjet – how can we help you to make your business ready for the next turn? www.xeikon.com

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requirements. “Whoever can clearly differentiate their business model, will be successful “, assures Dr. Michael Fries, CEO of Onlineprinters, during the 2019 Online Print Symposium in Munich. Besides, customers themselves have also changed considerably. Decision makers are more and more digitally affine and it is key to be able to convey the benefits of print to young people – of which there are certainly enough. We need passionate employees in sales who appreciate the added value of print in a multimedia world and who can impress customers with print. “At the Adobe Summit in Las Vegas I had dozens of conversations with digital natives and they never questioned the

importance of print. They want print but rather on-demand, in real time and fully personalised“, concludes Horst Huber, Head of Werk-II. Shaping change… Obviously, the implementation of a new business or sales models can fail – but failing is better than doing nothing. To freeze up in shock from the fear of change does not get you anywhere. Whoever stands still has already lost. Hence the motto: “Whoever is not ready to tackle change will be overrun by it”. The print industry is still too focused on the technology and is not thinking in business models. No question: technology is undoubtedly important, above all networked technology.

But it is still only a means to an end. There are enough successful business models and they have one thing in common: with the help of the internet and social media channels they enable individualised print products which offer more customer value. This is why online retailers are turning more to print. The German firm Adnymics has enjoyed resounding success by providing online retailers with personalised packaging inserts which add more emotional impact to the “moment of unpacking”. A further example is MyPostcard: Users of their app can easily upload pictures from their Instagram feed or their personal photo album, choose a layout and finish their cards with a unique personalised message. MyPostcard then prints and sends these individualised, unique items within 24 hours to anywhere in the world. Even the traditional catalogue is enjoying a comeback – albeit in a strongly individualised form. This is for example the case with the German online retailer Bonprix who provide their customers with personalised mailings and folders based on their buying behaviour. Their monthly print volumes are running at 13 million A3 pages and the trend is upwards. Personalisation creates an added-value which in the case of Bonprix translates directly into strong sales growth. This


added value itself can also justify the higher costs for personalised print. Also, the trend in self publishing is continuing, with photobooks as bestsellers and notebooks being among today’s most popular analogue gadgets. A quote from Matthias Horx in Zukunftsreport 2019 is very pertinent: “If everything is always multipliable and available, then the unique, the specific, the tangible becomes the new luxury.” Technology trends Offset printing is technologically speaking largely exhausted. Today it’s all about process optimisation and increasing efficiency. A glance at the Overall Equipment Effectiveness value shows why this is: The industry’s average lies at only 30%. Slumbering within today’s machinery is a significant potential for increased efficiency and for better margins. How to make full use of this potential, whether with internal or external knowhow, is a decision you have to make for yourself. What’s important is that this topic is focused and not ignored. Heidelberg follows this approach with their subscription model. It is also interesting to see how a paper producer like Sappi is devoting itself to the topic of increased efficiency. During the course of their process analysis it came to light that up to 25% of all paper is

thrown away. Their aim is to tackle this problem using OctoBoost, a cloudbased, modular platform and working together with their customers. The driver of transformation Within the industry, digital printing is no longer considered as something marginal or dispensable. It is a key part of the ongoing digital transformation and underlies many new business models. Inkjet printing will confirm its potential by pushing even more into offset application territory. Much is made possible by the current developments in inks on one side and the broadening of the paper spectrum on the other. The stated goal is, sooner or later, to be able to print with inkjet on coated papers. Edition 1 in an industrial environment It is interesting to see how inkjet is pushing more into the area of sheet fed printing. Current sheet fed systems don’t have quite an appetite for print volumes, which sooner or later should help the process to break through also in smaller markets. By combining with inline finishing solutions, sheetfed systems bring a certain charm; typical print applications based on short runs can be very efficiently and flexibly produced. Canon has basically

positioned its solution between toner based digital print and offset, and assures that for runs of 300 to 1300 copies inkjet printing can score points economically. It’s fascinating to see how fully complete first editions of books, brochures and catalogues can be produced in an industrial digital print environment. Each product can look completely different in terms of content, size or format. The production line is completely integrated and networked so that even despite the level of individualisation, a required level of efficiency is reached. Thanks to today’s already achievable levels of automation, “mass customisation” is no longer a future dream. Take the offensive Despite the huge changes going on, we now have tools at hand that for multimedia communications with print, can set the right accents. This means personalisation and individualisation captured on paper. To get there requires courage, tenacity and a good dose of stamina. A visit to drupa 2021 can provide valuable inspiration. Don’t forget: today the business model decides over technology and not the other way around.


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Addition to the Solvent Media portfolio New white pouch film with metalized lining for the food sector CGS ORIS adds another unique pouch film to its media portfolio for solvent printers. A special feature of the material becomes apparent at first glance. The pouch film has both a white (printable) and a metalized side and thus corresponds in appearance and tactility to a typical aluminum composite film, such as is often used in the food industry for pouches, snack bars, or similar products. With this film, perfect mock-ups can be produced for this area, which cannot be distinguished from the original. "With the market launch of what is now the fourth heat-sealable film, we have responded to the great demand from our users. Lightweight sachets, standup pouches, etc. made of composite films are increasingly replacing the traditional types of packaging on the market. This is obviously also reflected in the increased demand for respective mock-ups. These pouch films are currently very much in trend and are in great demand. The films can all be printed quickly and easily and then converted into a perfect prototype.

They are suitable for a variety of different packaging prototypes without having to resort to the original substrate," comments Heiner MĂźller, Sales Director Packaging at CGS ORIS. Thanks to the white-laminated side of the substrate, it offers several advantages. Fewer passes are required and the ink coverage is significantly reduced because white no longer needs to be printed. For example, a snack bar, which often consists of whitelaminated composite films, can be easily produced. The printable white layer has high opacity and completely covers the inner film. This of course also shortens the otherwise necessary drying times and makes the entire production process much faster and more efficient. The new material now makes it even easier to meet the great demand for mockups and their increasingly complex

designs and to satisfy the increased requirements for packaging samples perfectly and cost-effectively. In the table below you find an overview of the available pouch films and their properties.


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pouch films in the printer is no problem thanks to the removable carrier film. The entire media range for solvent printers has been specially developed to meet the particularly high requirements for the production of proofs and prototypes in the packaging sector. It ranges from various transparent, aluminum and shrink films to cardboard packaging and the highly flexible CGS ORIS Media Transfer Film, which allows printing on original materials. All media impress with high ink absorption and perfect drying behavior. State-of-the-art coating technology and comprehensive quality

All pouch films are characterized in particular by a large color space, heat sealability, and direct printability. This is an advantage especially for the production of large, thin flexible packagings, which often cannot be produced with transfer film on original stock without wrinkling. Using the

control ensure consistent results with maximum quality throughout the entire CGS ORIS Solvent Media portfolio. Conventional substrates from the LFP sector usually meet these requirements only to a very limited extent and are subject to a number of limitations, such as poor scratch resistance, color casts or batch variations CGS ORIS not only offers an extensive portfolio of proofing and prototyping media. The color management specialist from the Rhine-Main area also sells the unique complete system Flex Pack, with which packaging proofs and samples of all kinds can be produced quickly and cost-effectively. All software and hardware components as well as color space expanding inks are perfectly coordinated in the system and enable unique mock-ups. Flex Pack is used worldwide by leading brand name companies, prepress companies, and packaging printers.


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Our World-class Post Press Innovations European made, with all of the quality and support you expect from Koenig & Bauer The Optima 106 K die-cutter and the Omega Allpro folder-gluer are capable of producing the most complex range of carton styles minimizing make ready and maximizing productivity and profitability. All this combined with the ultimate service and support from Koenig & Bauer. Contact your agent to learn more. Koenig & Bauer (SEA) Sdn Bhd +60 3 7885 8860 digitalsalescenter@koenig-bauer.com koenig-bauer.com


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Looking Ahead to PACK PR Holding the theme “defining packaging and printing in Asia”, Pack Print International 2021 is set to occur from 22-25 September 2021 at BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand. Print Innovation Asia catches up with Gernot Ringling, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf Asia, on a post-COVID19 industry, and what we can look forward to at the biggest packaging and printing exhibition in Southeast Asia.

Please tell us more about PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL (PPi) 2021? 2021 will see the 8th edition of PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL, once again taking place in Thailand – the heart of the region’s packaging and printing sector. Presented in partnership between Messe Düsseldorf Asia, The Thai Packaging Association and The Thai Printing Association, this tripartite relationship firmly positions the exhibition as an event for the industry by the industry and, since its inception in 2007, continues to establish itself on the regional and local calendar as a must-attend exhibition. PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021 will be staged on the back of global economies seeking rejuvenation in a post-COVID 19 economy where industries and companies, having experienced an uncompromising 2020, will be energised to do business as they regain their strength and confidence. We are ever optimistic that next year will bring a more positive outlook and PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021 will field a power-packed edition, bringing high quality packaging and printing technology and solutions to the forefront in one central networking and sourcing marketplace. What is the 2021 theme and its significance? Previous editions of PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL have endeavoured to mould the future of packaging and printing in Asia. With groundbreaking technologies and solutions to be introduced on the world stage at No. 1 global trade fairs interpack and

drupa in the first half of 2021, PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021 strives to present a showcase of these innovations closer to home – right here to the dynamic markets of Southeast Asia. In a nutshell, we hope to extend the innovative flavour and technology presented in Düsseldorf to our regional audience; providing a benchmark exhibition for stakeholders here to experience first-hand some of the best the global packaging and printing industry has to offer, hence truly defining packaging and printing in Asia. As a definitive exhibition, we are confident that this theme for PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021 will provide an impetus and direction that will go beyond shaping the

packaging and printing industries in the region, to also define and drive change. What will the industry in Asia want post-COVID19, and how will PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021 deliver? That is a tough question that many would find hard pressed to answer, but one certain thing is that as the COVID-19 crisis careens around the globe, we have all been forced to innovate and change the way we work and live, resulting in changing demands. What a post-COVID19 world will look like is


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

RINT INTERNATIONAL 2021

anyone’s guess and for sure we will see a ‘new normal’. For countries like Thailand, already a regional hub for printing and packaging, it will continue to be in a prime position to abate the disruption in global supply chains, attracting multinational companies looking to penetrate and expand their footprint in the region. PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021 will take place about five months after drupa where a lot of exciting new technologies will be uncovered. These packaging and printing innovations could be very well-received by the industry here, particularly against the backdrop of Thailand’s move towards an industrial sector upgrading to high technology following the S-curve scheme. At the same time, it is also interesting to note that the current crisis has fuelled the craving and desire for personal connection and facetime. It is

this essential face-to-face and personal element that is at the very core of traditional trade fairs, promoting healthy business partnerships and instilling business confidence, that will underscore PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021. Undoubtedly there will be lasting economic setbacks for some companies, but good business continuity is crucial and it is important that the industries continue to pinpoint new trends early and invest in the future in order to seize market opportunities and stay ahead of the curve. Print - with its many different and extensive applications and forms of use, will continue to be indispensable in many markets in the future. Businesses must scan for those trends most likely to push them through this crisis period and, also leave them stronger in the post-COVID19 market. The exchange of ideas between industry players

and the necessary inspiration are key means to this end and are realised and introduced in a future-oriented manner at exhibitions such as drupa and PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL. What can we look forward to at PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021? With the theme defining packaging and printing in Asia, PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021 hopes to inspire the industry to think ahead and to provide the right showcase of products and solutions for the industry to invest in the future. The crisis has been a catalyst for change across the packaging and printing sectors and many businesses have had to restructure how they operate. In a postCOVID economy, Industry 4.0 and automation will be trends that would have been accelerated and companies that used to be resistant or slow in its adoption would have had to make quick

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36 form of short-time work, production downtime and supply bottlenecks, while according to industry reports, the packaging and label segments are stable during this period, mainly due to the increasing demand for food and pharmaceutical packaging. decisions to adopt the technologies to stay productive. Against this landscape, six core tenets will be at the heart of the 2021 edition, where featured on the show floor will be products and technology under such as; • Artificial Intelligence - Self-learning machines - Technology with better productive maintenance and zero downtime, clear traceability • Premium design - Affordable contemporary designs which reflect a premium aesthetic - Engaging designs to facilitate social sharing • Sustainability - Zero-waste concepts - Eco-friendly products and solutions - Upcycling - Sustainable packaging and printing solutions • Security and safety - Smart packaging for real-time authentication - Increased product transparency and traceability - Enhanced brand protection - Augmented consumer experience • Digital economy Digitalization of machine performance and workflow - Connected users in interacting ecosystems - Collaborative manufacturing • 3D printing - Additive manufacturing across vertical markets, e.g. automotive, design and packaging, medical, etc. - Opportunities for print service providers Opportunities for machine manufacturers and users

Complementing the product and technology showcase, the exhibition will also feature a strong line-up of conferences and seminars with sharing of best practices and knowledge exchange from international and local experts. Tell us about the exhibitors that are slated to appear. The success of PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL in 2019 has prompted several companies to confirm their participation for 2021. We have received re-bookings from international brand names such as Konica Minolta, Kurz, Tsukatani, Zund as well as local players and prominent distributors; Bangkok Paper Business, Comprint, Cyber SM, Docusys, Foilmaster, Nationwide, Press Systems, Sansin, to name a few. At the 2019 edition, the exhibition welcomed 325 exhibitors from 30 countries featuring companies that included Canon, Heidelberg, HP, Koenig & Bauer, and Nakayama, amongst others. We look forward to welcoming back these and other long time exhibitors at PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021. In terms of the wider perspective and overall exhibitor interest, many economies the world over are going through a challenging time and the disruption to supply chains is having multiple effects. The printing industry is feeling the effects of the crisis in the

However, as economies and industries plan their recovery from the crisis and look to restore balance in the coming months, for some, launching new products and services will be key, alongside diversification, establishing new business connections and entering new markets. Thus, we are optimistic that PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2021 will be well placed and well timed to be that bridge and platform for the packaging and printing industries in the region, and the PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL team is committed to supporting exhibitors in their efforts to remain successful in the market. Meanwhile, what can we do while waiting for PPI? Extending the market reach to emerging Southeast Asian countries, PACK PRINT PLAS Philippines will be held in Manila, in October 2020, and indoprint and indopack will take place in Jakarta from 2-5 June 2021. These exhibitions are well-placed to showcase the potential and dynamic region of Southeast Asia. Pack Print International 2021 will happen from 22-25 September 2021 at BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand. Visit https://www.pack-print.de/ for more information.

In 2021 we will again hold the Asian Print Awards Gala Dinner in Bangkok at the PPI Exhibition


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Lifecycle Business and of Print Site Contracts. Interview with Thomas Frank, Managing Director of Heidelberg Asia-Pacific about the company’s Lifecycle Business and the new offering of Print Site Contract. Q1. As symbolized by the word “We are more than machines. “, nowadays Heidelberg is really focusing on fields like service and consumables, you call Lifecycle Solutions, as well as equipment. Can you please explain why you are taking this direction more than before? A1. Yes, frankly the business model for print equipment manufacturers used to be simpler. Sell the press, provide training, furnish parts and field service support when needed, and sell the customer another press when the time arrived to replace the equipment with something newer. And that, more or less, was the extent of the manufacturer’s involvement.

What the customer actually did with the press wasn’t always the vendor’s primary concern. When it comes to operating the equipment efficiently and profitably, the end-user was often on his, or her, own. This “hands-off ” model prevailed for a long time, but now printing businesses need more than just a reliable machine for prosperity in today’s ultra-competitive environment. This is what has prompted Heidelberg to reconnect with its customers in an entirely new role: as a partnering provider of coordinated resources it calls Lifecycle Solutions. Q2. Ok, so what actually is Heidelberg offering with Lifecycle Solutions?

Thomas Frank, Manag A2. Lifecycle Solutions deliver ROI by bringing together consumables, technical support, workflow, training, and business advisory services in coordinated packages that are specific to each customer’s situation and need. The common denominator is performance: helping customers do whatever it takes to maximize overall equipment efficiency (OEE) and achieve optimal productivity goals. In Heidelberg’s experience, the first step toward “optimal productivity” is often the customer’s recognition that additional capabilities or capacity may already be there. This is why a Lifecycle Solutions projects typically starts with an individual analysis of how the plant is operating and where opportunities for improvement lie.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

d the new offering . for new equipment, but might also include Saphira consumables, preventive maintenance, operator evaluations and training, repairs to existing equipment, parts replacement, or some combination of these services. Q3. It sounds like Heidelberg is not just selling consumables and services passively on top of the machines. Could you please explain how you are doing Lifecycle business more specifically?

ging Director of Heidelberg Asia-Pacific In this way, Heidelberg specialists can help set realistic benchmarks for the customer to work towards: spending less time in makeready, for example, or running the press closer to its toprated speed. Included in the analysis are calculations that quantify what the customer stands to gain in terms of jobs produced per shift, profit per job, and other key performance indicators (KPIs). These KPIs become the key building blocks in developing the printer’s targeted return, providing a benchmark for the success of the project. Now the Lifecycle Solutions consulting team can make the right recommendations for the package of products and services that the customer will need in order to hit the targets. That could include a recommendation

A3. We are expanding our contract business placing greater emphasis on a partnership-based approach. This is in line with the Smart Print Shop concept developed by Heidelberg. The now available “Print Site Contracts” provide a variable combination of consumables, services, software, training and performance consulting in a single package with the aim of further improving printing press availability and overall performance. Print Site Contracts are very much scalable and available in the form of a lifecycle agreement or subscription agreement. Customers have a choice of four packages with different scopes of services and methods of payment. They range from a “Lifecycle Smart” contract that includes services and consumables to a “Subscription Plus” package that covers consulting, training, service, consumables, Prinect software, and even the printing press itself. All packages aim to maximize our customer’s overall equipment efficiency (OEE), which represents a big added value when compared to purchasing individual components. Customers opting for one of these contracts can rest assured that only coordinated consumables and services with highest Heidelberg quality

standards are used. They also avoid the considerable expense, time and effort of obtaining all these elements separately from each other. The Heidelberg Assistant digital portal plays a key role, too, providing contract customers with a digital link to additional services such as a vendormanaged inventory, important real-time information relating to their company’s performance, and easy access to the Heidelberg eShop. Q4. Consumables play an important role in the Print Site Contract, even outside of Print Site Contract. Let me ask now about Heidelberg’s consumable business. What kind of consumables do you have? Can your customers get every consumable from Heidelberg? And how are these consumables optimized for Heidelberg machines? A4. Heidelberg has a complete range of consumables for sheetfed offset printing - the only thing we do not have are substrates. From plates to ink, coatings, and blankets, chemistry for wash and founts, rollers and stitching wire, glue and cutting knives - we have a very broad offering. Heidelberg source consumables from the world’s leading manufacturers, we test them and trial them in all production applications and environments and on the broadest range of jobs. Our consumables are optimized for the best print result and the most efficient production. We know how to make them work together and can solve any problems using our in-house expertise. Printing is not easy, and our customers know there are problems from time to time. When things go wrong, we know how to fix it, we take responsibility for the outcome. There is no finger pointing between suppliers when you work with Heidelberg.

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Our products are not the cheapest, but we are competitive. Using our expertise and products from world leading manufacturers, we are certain that by the time our customers produce a saleable sheet that the cost of that sheet will be same or less than sheets printed with cheap consumables. While the price of plates and ink for example is a high proportion of the input cost – waste from excess makeready sheets, additional wash ups or plate re-makes, add substantially to “hidden” costs. Reliable, consumables that work every time keep the overall cost of production down. We are proving to customers in Asia-Pacific that paying a little bit more per sqm, kilo or liter but driving higher efficiency with less waste actually saves money. A sheet printed with Heidelberg consumables on a Heidelberg press is most likely the one with the lowest overall cost. Q5. What are some of the consumables that are moving well currently? For what applications are they used for? A5. We have aligned our range to ensure we can look after packaging as well as commercial. A few years ago, Heidelberg’s consumables business was prepress focused, we established our business on plates bundled with imagesetters and processors. Plates are still around half our revenues and we are moving more towards low chemistry

and processless plates (DOP) as that technology improves. But more and more our growth comes from Pressroom consumables and products specifically for UV printing. One of the reasons is because nowadays we need to help our customers maximize overall equipment efficiency and achieve optimal productivity goals as mentioned above. Our attention is drawn towards new press configurations our customers are interested in, e.g. longer presses for packaging and label printing. They want to go into special applications including opaque whites, specialty coatings or multicolor technology. And as a consequence the demand for the associated consumables is on the rise. Q6. Ok, let’s get back to the story of Lifecycle solutions. Understood that you, Heidelberg, want to help your customer through the life of your equipment with Lifecycle solutions i.e. a variable combination of consumables, services, software, training and performance consulting in a single package called “Print Site Contract”. Does that sound like the installation of a machine is another start of your business from then on? A6. Yes, the Lifecycle Solutions relationship can begin with the purchase

of a new press, or it can be built around existing Heidelberg equipment. Either way, with our Print Site Contracts the customers can increase their profits by raising the productivity in their pressrooms and extending the life of their Heidelberg machinery. The “Life” in Lifecycle Solutions means a cooperation throughout the entire life span of equipment use, delivering measurable benefits to the printer at every stage. After more than 150 years of serving customers in virtually every country on earth, Heidelberg has learned that there aren’t many printing plants where “good performance” can’t be turned into “peak performance” if the management really wants to go for this. With the right combination of technology, service, consumables and technical advice this is achievable. And Heidelberg is surely the best partner on this journey as we provide that end-to-end support with Print Site Contracts. In this way, closing the order for a press opens a door to a new kind of engagement between vendor and end-user – a realignment that delivers benefits all around. Now, in and after the Corona pandemic, printers have all hands full to do rebuilding and maintaining their customer relation. With Print Site Contracts we can keep their backs free by implementing production costs savings through waste reduction and productivity increase.


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Large-format Rapidas from Koenig • 2019: 100 printing units ordered by German printing companies alone • Backbone in packaging production • Growing number of commercial applications • Enormous configuration diversity Large-format sheetfed offset presses manufactured in Radebeul have been quite literally a model for success on the global market for more than 50 years. Rapidas for sheet formats up to 106 x 145 cm (Rapida 145) and 120.5 x 164 cm (Rapida 164) print at speeds up to 18,000 sheets per hour and hold their own in all comparisons with their widely popular B1 counterparts when it comes to automation. Packaging and commercial printers, in particular, appreciate the large-format Rapida models for their performance, production availability and long service life. At the same time, countless online providers, book and poster printers, and many other highly specialised companies swear by their modern and economical large-format technology from Koenig & Bauer.

The highly automated eight-colour Rapida 145 perfector is the new centrepiece of the commercial production centre at Neografia A Rapida 145 with six printing units and coating equipment was installed at Gundlach Packaging in Oerlinghausen, for example. This was the company’s first sheetfed offset press “made in Saxony” after almost exactly 30 years. In May, Mugler Masterpack in Crimmitschau received a Rapida 145 with seven inking units, coating equipment, quadruple-length extended

Left to right: Adam Kenkel, Wieslaw Grabsztunowicz, Damian Kenkel (all Werner Kenkel), Jan Korenc (Koenig & Bauer), Waldemar Borowiak (Werner Kenkel) and Grzegorz Szymczykowski (Koenig & Bauer) at the official inauguration of the latest Rapida 164 Strong domestic demand In 2019, large-format Rapidas contributed significantly to a very successful year for sales of sheetfed offset printing presses in Germany. Almost 100 printing units were ordered by the country’s commercial, specialist and Internet printers, as well as by traditional packaging companies. In other words, every single order placed for a new large-format press was snapped up by Koenig & Bauer (DE) last year.

delivery and a whole host of further automation options, as well as the PDF-Check quality control system for sheet inspection with comparison against a pre-press PDF. Print provider Walter Grieger Offsetdruck in Nettetal is another typical Koenig & Bauer user which has now opted for a new large-format Rapida. A Rapida 164 with seven inking units, a coater and extended delivery is set to come on stream in

just a few weeks. In addition to displays and packaging printing for corrugated board products, it will be used to print gang formes for the folding carton industry. The new press is furthermore an entry card to the world of printing with an extended colour gamut. Valued by international packaging printers A year ago, Werner Kenkel, a Polish specialist for corrugated and solid board packaging, celebrated the 40th anniversary of its foundation. And taking this as a fitting occasion to further expand its production capacities, the company commissioned what was already its third largeformat Rapida – a Rapida 164 with six inking units, a coater and triple-length extended delivery. Superior Litho in Los Angeles, on the other hand, chose a Rapida 145 to add another 40 per cent to its printing capacity. The seven-colour coater press is the third large-format press from Koenig & Bauer which the company has installed in the space of a decade. The feature list includes UV dryers, inline colour control and PDF-Check. Superior Litho supplies packaging for the food, electronics and cosmetics industries, as well as for special products. Commercial users in the spotlight Bell & Bain is one of the oldest independent book and magazine printers in the United Kingdom. Last


& Bauer in demand the world over Commissioning of the new Rapida 145 at Superior Litho in Los Angeles with members of the company management team and representatives from Koenig & Bauer (US) presses. When defining the required features, the focus was placed above all on the fastest possible makeready, enabling clients to benefit from ultrashort delivery times for their print products. Perfect technology for every application Thanks to a broad diversity of configuration options, accessories and automation solutions, the largeformat Rapidas are an efficient means of production for both established and niche markets. They can be equipped with a reel-to-sheet feeder, a doublepile delivery, intermediate drying units, additional printing units after coating and perfecting facilities, as required for the individual application.

Thanks to its extensive automation, the Rapida 145 is an ideal means of production for short runs at Edelvives year, the company ordered another two Rapida 145 presses – one an eight-colour perfector for 4-over-4 production, the other a four-colour version, likewise with perfecting. With these two highly automated presses, Bell & Bain is targeting a significant increase in production capacity. Since 2004, it has installed a total of 36 largeformat printing units, including two further eight-colour presses.

and youth literature. In response to the trend towards ever shorter run lengths, the company installed a four-colour Rapida 145s last year. Today, up to 60 jobs are printed on the press on any given day. Back to Germany: With Flyeralarm/ Druckhaus Mainfranken, one of the market leaders in the web-to-print business relies on a fleet of Rapida

For packaging printing, they can also be placed on raised foundations and integrated into a fully automatic pile logistics system. Presses with up to 16 printing and finishing units are already in daily use. But as if that were not enough: Rapida sheetfed offset presses are especially robust and are manufactured to provide many years or even decades of reliable service. A few of them have already passed the magic figure of 1 billion printed sheets. You can always rely on a large-format Rapida – now and over a long service life.

Neografia in the Slovakian city of Martin also owns an eight-colour Rapida 145 with a perfecting unit for 4-over-4 production. It is able to print both sides of 32 A4 pages in a single press pass. That adds up to some 10 million A4 pages per day. The Edelvives Group is one of the few Spanish publishing houses whose company history stretches back more than 100 years. It is an important supplier to the education sector, and is similarly well known for its children’s

The eight-colour Rapida 145 for Bell & Bain can be seen here in the final assembly hall at Koenig & Bauer. In the meantime, the press should already be on its way to the UK.


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

From left: Sukirman Pardi, Director and Owner, Jeremia Tatulus, Director

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Mediatama Lithrones power bold vision in packaging Mediatama Perkasa is a family-owned offset printing company founded in 1994 by Director and Owner Sukirman Pardi. With its office and factory located near Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, the printer rapidly acquired customers and developed into the thriving business it is today. Since its founding, Mediatama Perkasa has been committed to giving the best possible service to customers. This pledge can be divided into three aspects: pre-order service, work-inprogress service, and finished product service. By maintaining the best possible outcome in each of these three stages of service, the company has made a name for itself throughout the printing industry and garnered the trust of bigname brands all over Indonesia. On Press spoke with Mr. Sukirman and his

son, Jeremia Tatulus, Director. "During the early days of Mediatama Perkasa, our work consisted mostly of packaging for household items, but as time went on, we branched into packaging for the food and beverage sector and also for pharmaceuticals. Within the printing industry in Indonesia, there is a rising demand for packaging products that offer high print quality, extreme attention to detail and competitive prices," says Sukirman. "Therefore, to meet the needs of this market, we decided to invest in the

Komori six-color Lithrone G37 in 2018 and a six-color Lithrone G40 with coater in 2019." 'Among our best business decisions' These advanced presses have enabled Mediatama Perkasa to tackle jobs that need exacting precision. "Having owned several Komori machines in the past, our experience with using them has been pleasantly positive. With their exceptional durability and outstanding printing accuracy as well as Komori's satisfying customer service, the Lithrone G37 and Lithrone G40 acquisitions have been among our best business decisions in the past few years," says Sukirman. "These machines are producing top-quality print products that meet all our customer needs. We mostly use the Lithrone G37 and Lithrone G40 for jobs that require very accurate work, which overwhelmingly consists of pharmaceutical work." "Pharmaceutical packaging is one of the From left: Suyoto, Head of Production; Sukirman Pardi; Ahmad, operator


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


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

46 From left: Sukirman Pardi, Director and Owner, Jeremia Tatulus, Director

steep and prices weren't as transparent.

most precision-oriented applications in printing because it requires colors to be almost totally precise. Not to mention that the die-cutting must also be extremely accurate," he adds. "In addition to this, Komori's aftersales service is the best in the industry. For example, when one of our other Komori machines was down, our report was handled promptly, and the machine was back in operation in less than a week. This level of unprecedented service that comes with every Komori machine is sure to bring us repeat customers in the years ahead. In addition, customer service is also superb. They get back to us with an answer just a few minutes after we ask a question. All this is on top of the fact that Komori machines are priced extremely competitively for their capabilities, thus making the procurement of a Komori machine one of the easiest business decisions that we at Mediatama Perkasa have had to make over these past few years," he explains. 'Dedicated UV plant planned' "As for the years ahead, our goal is to become the biggest offset printing company in Indonesia while also branching out to provide more of our services to more than 50 percent of bigname brands in Indonesia. In addition, I am planning to build a dedicated UV printing plant that will be managed by my son. For this plant, we intend to apply for certification under the ISO 22000 international standard for food

safety management. For maximum cleanliness, the floor of the entire plant will be covered with epoxy." "Having such a big goal in mind, we at Mediatama Perkasa will also not forget that we come from humble beginnings. At root, we are still a local, familyowned business. Mediatama Perkasa initially started by just purchasing a couple of secondhand machines financed by a loan from the bank. We got our big break around 10 to 12 years ago, when competition wasn't really

However, over the years, more offset printing companies have entered the market, and we've had to become increasingly efficient to keep our prices competitive. With the goal of becoming the leading offset printing company in Indonesia, Mediatama Perkasa has grown continuously since our founding. By keeping the appeal of a family business, and, with the help of Komori machinery, by continuously delivering high-quality products to our customers, we hope to become even more competitive in the years to come," concludes Sukirman.



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India’s Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib installs Heidelberg Speedmaster CS 92 Based in New Delhi, the institution switches to digital to produce high quality religious scriptures. New Delhi-based Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib has upgraded its print facility with a brand new Heidelberg Speedmaster CS 92 press, reaffirming its commitment to excellent print quality. The organisation is run by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and prints the ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib’, a central religious scripture of Sikhism. The facility also prints other related holy texts, calendars, journals, and material in accordance with the Sikh religious code, which are then supplied to places of worship in India and overseas. The installation of the Heidelberg Speedmaster CS 92 press at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib was a festive occasion. DSGMC members were in attendance, including President Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and General Secretary, Harmit Singh Kalka.

“The Heidelberg Speedmaster CS 92 enhances overall print quality and productivity, with quicker make-readies and turn-arounds. We are excited to print Sri Guru Granth Sahib on a world-class quality press. The move to digital empowers cost-effective, and high-volume printing,” stated Manjinder Singh. Built upon the Speedmaster CD 102 platform, the Heidelberg Speedmaster CS 92 can accommodate a wide array of print substrates with thicknesses ranging from 0.03 mm to 0.6 mm. With print speeds of up to 15,000 sheets per hour, this high-end press is integrated with Heidelberg’s proprietary Prinect workflow to make operations simple and intuitive. The remote-controlled, calibrationfree foil ink fountain of the Heidelberg Speedmaster CS 92 ensures superior quality and stable colouring through

the entire production run, with 500 increments per colour zone. A speedcompensated Alcolor dampening system facilitates stable ink-water balance, and outstanding print quality. “The Heidelberg Speedmaster CS 92 is a value asset to assist the shift from conventional and monochrome press operations to highly-automated, full-volume, colour printing. Waste optimization is an added bonus. With the CS 92, we look forward to setting new benchmarks in productivity and performance,” Manjinder Singh added. The DSGMC is only one of two bodies with exclusive and legal authorization to publish the authentic version of the Gurmat literature (philosophy of the Gurus), the holy scripture and other religious texts of the Sikhs. The committee supplies the religious literature Sikhs in 50 countries.


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Strategic Choices in a Competitive and Converging Market Over the past few years, printers and suppliers have created major new products and services to adapt to the ever-changing print markets. For the drupa’s 3rd Spotlight Report, experts of our industry have come together to report on their efforts and share their experiences, stumbling blocks and successes. After publishing the 7thannual Global Trends Report, we went into detail on one specific topic again, with our 3rdSpotlight Report: Strategic choices in a competitive and converging marketplace. This time, we asked our global expert panel of printers and suppliers about their ways of adapting to the impact of digital mediaand the general downward drift in demand, in different market sectors and regions across the world. Changes and challenges of the shifting demands are impacting all of us in different ways, so it was important to us at drupa, to collect the voices of our industry and share ideas, solutions and goals to approach the digital age.

Launching Success The first issues that come to mind when talking about a competitive and converging market are turnover, prices and margins – so naturally, that was the first thing we asked our 529 printers and 178 manufacturers and suppliers about. All parties reported to work against rather challenging conditions in most market sectors and regions. While the Packaging sector saw itself in

a manageable position, Publishing and Commercial where facing especially troublesome challenges. Printmight still be growing overall, but the margins are steadily going down. So, what to do about it? Some are simply looking to launch one or more new products or services, others are even planning on breaking into new markets. Over the past four years,


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60% of printers reported launching major new products or services. For suppliers, the numbers were even higher. And that strategy seems to pay off, as about half the launches were successful, generating a new, more committed customer base. Creating a more diverse range of products and services was especially successful for suppliers, with 40% success rate for the smaller companies and up to 80% success rate for the largest suppliers. Understanding the market and being able to respond to customer demand, while not overextending the company’s resources long-term, were key factors for a successful launch.

Conquering New Market Sectors When expanding into a new market sectors, our experts couldn’t stress the importance of staying informed about that new market’s trends enough: Having a great idea alone will not help your company, you also have to show up at events and expand your network! Nevertheless, 30% of printers chose this strategy to expand their product range, reaching into new markets, while 54% of printers expanded only their product range without also expanding their existing market position. Suppliers were able to give their impressions of their customer’s launches, as well as their own efforts.

While suppliers also reported encountering problems with overextended resources, they also repeatedly mentioned issues with finding the right channel to market their new products or services, as well as having to push back their scheduled launch dates. And for those innovative diversifications, timing is key: in this digital age more than ever, technologies are changing and evolving rapidly. In a competitive market, it is important to release your product before your competition does or your technology will be outdated.


could the next four years possibly look like and how can we really make them be a success?

62% of suppliers called those launches an important, if not very important, source of revenue over the past four years. Stepping into the Future Looking back on those measures, what can we say about the future? What

Most printers and suppliers are planning on continuing their efforts of launching new products or services, learning from past mistakes to increase their success rate. Investment plans naturally show and overwhelming interest in Digital print technologies, followed by Finishing as the most popular targets. Launching major new products and services needs to become part of normal business, implementing them as efficient as possible. But we cannot only be guided by flashy ideas or the pressure of the market, the selection

must be carefully made to ensure success. Planning realistically, as we’ve said before, is key: your launch will run late and suck in more staff and other resources than initially expected, so don’t be overambitious. Your company needs to still be able to manage those stresses and strains. Don’t spread yourselves too thin. Manage your expectations. Branching out into new markets will still be more challenging, but thorough preparation should enable you to achieve good results.


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Vietnam inks new free trade deal with European Union Vietnam's parliament unanimously approved a free-trade agreement with the European Union that will scrap almost all tariffs on goods traded between the bloc and the south-east Asian country. The National Assembly's vote followed approval by the European Parliament in February. The agreement is expected to go into effect as early as July after all governments approve it, according to the website of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Vietnam will slash 99 per cent of its import duties over 10 years and the

EU will do the same over seven years under the pact. The agreement curbs non-tariff barriers and opens up public procurement. Trade between the EU and Vietnam reached $US56.45 billion ($80.95 billion) last year, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs. Vietnam's 2019 exports

to Europe were $US41.5 billion, accounting for 16 per cent of the nation's shipments that year. Vietnam, whose economy depends on exports, has inked more than a dozen free-trade agreements in roughly the past two decades. The trade agreement could increase Vietnam's gross domestic product by 2.4 per cent and give exports a 12 per cent boost by 2030, according to a World Bank report released in May. The deal will prompt more foreign companies to shift operations to Vietnam, according to a post on the chamber's website, which cited Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh. Vietnam's legislature also passed an investment protection pact with the European Union.


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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

56 KODAK FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution gets FTA award Miraclon receives FTA Technical Innovation Award for KODAK FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution featuring KODAK Ultra Clean Technology Miraclon received the coveted FTA Technical Innovation Award for its KODAK FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution, reflecting a fresh and novel approach to aqueous flexo plate making technology. As one of two overall winners in the Prepress – Graphics category and the sole plate technology winner, the award signifies the potential of the FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution to have a significant impact on the flexo market. Joe Tuccitto, Director of Education at FTA, said: “Recipients of the FTA Technical Innovation Award are chosen by a panel of industry experts representing all areas of the flexo industry to have the potential to positively change the future of flexography. Once again this year, the overall judging process was extremely competitive with a variety of distinctive products and innovative technologies that utilize the flexographic process or have been designed specifically to enhance flexographic printing.” The Awards presentation took place at the commencement of this week’s 2020 FTA Virtual FORUM, with the formal in-person ceremony now scheduled to take place during the FTA Fall Conference. In 2009, the FTA recognized the

KODAK FLEXCEL NX System with a Technical Innovation Award. This second FTA Innovation Award for the KODAK FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution featuring KODAK Ultra Clean Technology is confirmation of Miraclon’s commitment to ongoing value-driven innovation for FLEXCEL NX customers. “It is a great honor to receive this FTA Technical Innovation Award. The FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution provides packaging printers with another method for producing highperforming FLEXCEL NX Plates,” said Dr Zaki Ali, Chief Technology Officer, Miraclon. “An aqueous plate making system with patented KODAK Ultra Clean Technology, the FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution allows for the preparation of a pressready plate in under one hour while removing the hurdles and challenges that have plagued aqueous platemaking solutions for the last 25 years.” The FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution is the first aqueous solution that provides consistent, high-performing flexo plates in a high volume, low maintenance environment, enabling printers to take advantage of all the proven print performance benefits of FLEXCEL NX Plates without the hassle of solvent processing. Dr Ali and his R&D staff, based in Oakdale, Minnesota, have been permanent fixtures of the team behind KODAK FLEXCEL Solutions’ innovation from the early development of the FLEXCEL NX System. With a long string of patents to their name that protect

the unique proprietary technology that has helped to transform the capabilities of flexo printing, Dr Ali himself is affectionately known as the ‘grandfather of NX’. The prolific team were recently awarded their 4th US patent associated with the FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution. New Landa CEO appointed Landa Digital Printing (LDP), announced the appointment of Arik Gordon as new CEO. Former CEO Yishai Amir stepped down in January 2020. LDP develops Nanographic Printing presses and currently employs approximately 550 people.

Gordon joins LDP after 18 years at tech company, Orbotech. He held several executive management positions in the company’s operations in Asia Pacific, and upon returning to Israel in 2013, was appointed President of Orbotech's PCB (Printed Circuit Board) division. Prior to joining Orbotech, Gordon worked for Scitex Europe for four years. "During his years at Orbotech, I had the privilege of working closely with Arik. I value him as a leader with a broad technological background, who has demonstrated deep business understanding and strategic thinking in every position he has held. Arik has the professional and interpersonal capabilities needed to lead our highly skilled and dedicated team, as we realize our unique and significant business opportunities, and establish Landa Digital Printing as a leader in the world printing market," said Asher Levy, Active Chairman of Landa Digital Printing. "In 2019, Landa Digital Printing installed its first Nanographic Printing presses at customer sites around the world and received very positive


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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

58 reinforcement that our products are about to change the printing industry. In 2020, despite the global coronavirus pandemic, we expect to see additional installations worldwide, as demand for our products continues to be robust. We firmly believe that Arik is the right person to lead the company to global success," added Levy. Upon his appointment as CEO of LDP, Gordon said: "I am delighted and excited to join Landa Digital Printing. Landa has a special and rare combination of groundbreaking technology, revolutionary products, first-rate professionals, and, not least, the potential to lead the trilliondollar printing industry. As CEO, I accept the mission of leading Landa's talented team in Israel and worldwide to realize the significant opportunity ahead of us." New recycling recommendations help climate efforts In the UK new recommendations allow paperboard packaging to contain up to 15 per cent plastic and still be considered recyclable. One item of such packaging can have 80 per cent less climate impact compared with the corresponding all-plastic packaging. Paperboard packaging with a thin plastic barrier is an ideal compromise which combines paperboard’s stiffness for the construction with plastic’s impermeability for such purposes as a longer food lifespan. This type of packaging reduces the use of plastic and has far less climate impact than the equivalent packaging made only of plastic. However, opinion has been divided over whether and how this type of packaging can be recycled. The answer depends mainly on which technology is available in each local market. This has been the case in the UK, which has lacked clear advice on how packaging made of such combination materials should be recycled. Plastic-coated paperboard At the beginning of 2020, the UK labelling organisation OPRL (On-Pack Recycling Label) issued guidelines for how to recycle packaging made of paper and board with a plastic coat-

Plastic trays are common applications in food packaging. By changing to paperboard and a plastic barrier the climate impact is significantly lowered whilst the package is still recyclable. ing. The guidelines were developed in cooperation with the relevant industry organisations and specify which recycling label should be put on the packaging to advise consumers. The new recommendations state that packaging can contain up to 15 per cent plastic and still be classified as recyclable and be sorted in the waste stream for paper materials. As of January 2023 the permitted plastic content will be reduced to 10 per cent of the packaging’s weight. Gives time for development “This is a good decision which establishes clear rules for a number of years ahead,” comments Ginny Samuel, Business Development Manager at Iggesund Paperboard. “Those of us who work with paper- and paperboard-based packaging have been challenged to develop solutions using less material but we’ve also been given time to do this.” OPRL originally wanted to allow far less than 15 per cent plastic content in fibre-based packaging. But increasing awareness of packaging’s climate impact has already persuaded numerous major brand owners to start replacing their all-plastic solutions. This is particularly the case with food packaging, where plastic is often necessary as a barrier against moisture, grease or aroma. Setting the limit for plastic content too low would have

risked slowing down this development. “One solution that’s very common in food packaging is to put the food in a tray, and plastic is most commonly used for this,” explains Jonas Adler, Director New Business Development at Iggesund Paperboard. “We can replace it with our combination material Inverform, which is a paperboard tray with a thin plastic barrier. But it currently has a plastic content of over 10 per cent. “Our solution reduces the packaging’s climate impact by 80 per cent, so it would be a setback for sustainability work if this packaging solution were to be penalised.” Significant reduction The goal of the paper and board industry is to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of plastic in this type of product – a step that requires new, fossil-free barriers. Development work is being done in many places, and new and increasingly better solutions will undoubtedly be presented in within the next few years. OPRL’s guidelines are primarily intended for the UK market, and the question is how much will they influence other markets? “They will also be significant outside the UK,” Jonas Adler replies. “Because so many strong brands are based there, these guidelines will definitely have an impact outside the British Isles.”


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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

60 Adapting facilities Jonas Adler also emphasises that material manufacturers cannot bear all the responsibility for closing the recycling circle. “The recycling systems and their facilities must also be developed so that they can handle the new, resourceefficient material solutions. OPRL’s recommendation gives both them and the material producers time to adapt, and thereby creates the conditions to make the packaging industry even more circular.” overcome numerous production inefficiencies associated with PDF files Solimar Systems, Inc., provider of leading workflow solutions for print production and digital communications, today launches Solimar ReadyPDF® Prepress Server™. This intuitive, pioneering solution enables users to overcome numerous production inefficiencies associated with PDF files, and benefit from increased automation, enhanced quality control and a more streamlined, profitable production process. ReadyPDF Prepress Server is a PDFcentric production print manager that features a host of invaluable file cleansing and optimization capabilities including font embedding, consolidation and replacement (including subsets). The server leverages Solimar’s nearly 30 years of experience in output management and distribution. This solution enables increased color space control and ICC profile application. It also enables easy removal or optimized

The Benefits of Production PDF Optimization During a Critical Time for the Industry

inclusion of XObjects and improved document structure to overcome downstream processes or device issues. Jonathan Malone-McGrew, Senior Director of Engagement, Solimar Systems, explains, “PDF files are one of the most popular print file formats, but the file is often not well-formed when the printer receives it. Our ReadyPDF solution effectively identifies, optimizes and fixes many of these typical issues, enabling a smoother, faster and more cost-efficient production workflow. We know customers can reduce job onboarding from 20 minutes to 20 seconds using our solutions and, therefore, save many valuable hours of processing time every day.” Additional system highlights include the ability to downsample and cache image resources, control transparencies and flatten layers. What’s more, a new obfuscation feature allows users to jumble all text content in the PDF. This capability allows businesses to conceal confidential data and ensure adherence to GDPR, the California Data Protection Act and other data protection guidelines when sending files to third parties for review or testing.

“The launch of ReadyPDF Prepress Server could not have come at a better time for the industry,” says Mary Ann Rowan, Chief Experience Officer, Solimar Systems. “During the COVID-19 crisis, businesses are facing significant limitations on staffing their print facilities and automation is, therefore, key to production continuity. Our ReadyPDF solution has a templated approach to PDF optimization and correction enabling printers to automate onboarding of production work.” As many blue-chip brands and multinational corporations are increasing their digital communication to improve responsiveness and decrease environmental impact, the ReadyPDF solution provides timely help with optimizing file sizes by reducing font and other resource volume and downsampling images to lower resolutions typical in electronic presentation. “ReadyPDF server can be used to optimize print files for e-delivery, enabling printers to provide their customers with a flexible service. Reducing file sizes also minimizes storage costs, and ReadyPDF server can simultaneously create an archive and a print version of a PDF. This makes the process of storing and locating archived files more efficient,” Rowan says. “The benefits that ReadyPDF server provides are numerous, and at a time when businesses need to streamline their operations to increase profitability and competitiveness, it’s an ideal tool. As such, we are offering free trials of PDF optimization and other solutions in our portfolio to enable more printers to evaluate their workflow and make the necessary improvements to future-proof their businesses for continued success.” Launch of the Domino X630i single pass, digital ink jet press On 16 June, on what should have been the first day of drupa 2020, Domino Digital Printing Solutions announced the launch of the Domino


5th INTERNATIONAL PACKAGING AND PRINTING EXHIBITION FOR ASIA

22- 25 SEP 2021 BITEC • BANGKOK

www.pack-print.de

325

National Pavilions and Groups

leading exhibiting companies from

from Germany, Taiwan, Thailand, China and Singapore

30

countries and regions

International Visiting Delegations

More than

19,000

from the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Korea, Japan and many more, as well as local group visits from Thailand's printing and

trade visitors from

63

countries, making up a 30% overseas participation Supported by:

I

Messe DUsseldorf / Organizer of:

packaging industries

For enquiries:

Within Thailand:

Exposis Co., Ltd Tel (66} 2559 0856 _ Fax (66} 2559 2893 info@exposis.co.th

Overseas:

Messe DUsseldorf Asia Tel (65} 6332 9620 _ Fax (65} 6332 9655 ppi@mda.com.sg

Jointly organized by:

8* au1Aumsuss,il'irurllna

THE THAI PACKAGING ASSOCIATION

The Thai Printing Association

f Messe Diisseldorf Asia


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

62 polymeric particles, i-Tech PolyM is designed to print on both uncoated and coated corrugated substrates without the need to either apply a separate primer or even a bonding agent. In addition, it is also suitable for many non-direct food packaging applications being Swiss Ordinance, Nestlé and EuPIA compliant. Further i-Tech components are incorporated into Domino’s proven Generation 6 ink jet platform. These include the i-Tech ActiFlow ink circulation system, i-Tech CleanCap automated print head cleaning and capping station, and i-Tech StitchLink automated print head alignment. X630i single pass, digital ink jet press supplied with the revolutionary Domino AQ95 CMYK aqueous ink set representing ‘The new business model for corrugated box production.’ Although Domino has been developing industrial ink jet technologies since 1978, this represents their first step into the digital corrugated printing space. Domino is part of an international group with its headquarters in Cambridge in the UK, who became part of the Japanese based Brother Industries corporation in 2015. After launching into the label printing sector in 2012, Domino quickly established itself as the ink jet technology digital press market leader, and now intends to repeat this same success in the corrugated box printing market. The Domino X630i is a new digital ink jet printing solution designed for everyday corrugated production, enabling corrugated box printers to print with minimal set-up time and waste, significantly improving overall plant productivity. Matt Condon, Corrugated Sector Business Development Manager at Domino Digital Printing Solutions division, says: “We are delighted to be introducing this highly automated, single pass Domino X630i digital ink jet press which will enable you to profitably develop short and medium run market opportunities, facilitating new streams of business and providing a more complete range of capability for your customer base.” The X630i is based on Domino’s

proven and reliable Generation 6 ink jet platform, which has approaching 1000 worldwide industrial installations. Condon continues, “Digital printing allows you to remove the need for printing plates and the lost production time and waste associated with set-up and make-ready, thereby increasing your uptime, productivity and efficiency, and reducing cost and consumption. With speeds of up to 75m/min (246ft/min), 600 x 600dpi print resolution, and a maximum print area of 3000mm x 1345mm (118” x 53”), the Domino X630i ink jet press is designed for everyday corrugated box production. This investment will enable you to move your short run, multiple SKU and short lead time jobs to digital, rebalancing production with your analogue printing equipment, driving up efficiency and output with reduced costs and improved profit margins. It will give you a competitive advantage, allowing you to grow your longer run conventional print production, whilst at the same time attracting new business and giving your customers the opportunity for more versioning, personalisation and consumer engagement.” The X630i is supplied with the revolutionary Domino AQ95 CMYK aqueous ink set, which incorporates i-Tech PolyM, one of Domino’s unique intelligent Technology features. These features reflect Domino’s depth of ink jet expertise and are designed to create systems altogether more flexible and reliable. Based on unique micro

These i-Tech features optimise ink jet nozzle performance and reliability, delivering more consistent and high quality print results. The automation provides a more controlled process with minimal operator intervention and maintenance and reduced set up times. It is all designed to improve uptime, ensuring the highest levels of productivity. Condon continues, “Domino recognises that corrugated converters are facing the same challenges faced by label printers ten years ago with increased demands from brand owners for shorter print runs, shorter lead times and more SKUs. The question is how do you meet this challenge costeffectively? Add to this, the increasing demands for personalisation, shelfready packaging, and Covid-19 which has ‘temporarily’ accelerated the already predicted market growth in e-commerce, as security and hygiene take on greater importance. All these factors are drivers towards the digital production of corrugated. Domino wanted to extend and share our digital ink jet knowledge and expertise with the corrugated sector to help you respond to these changing market demands.” Condon concludes, “The Domino X630i has a small footprint, with big benefits that will help you transform your business and make your entire production floor more efficient.” But don’t just take Condon’s word for this…


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

63


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

64 personalities such as Hans-Dietrich Genscher and the astronaut Neil Armstrong graced the events with their presence

The death of Reinhard Ulbrich (DuPont) the “king of the flexo press Dr. Ulbrich was widely known throughout the printing and packaging industry around the world and played a major role in the development of flexo printing from being almost a cottage industry to the high precision printing technique it is today. Many still regard him as the “King of European Flexo”. Joining DuPont in the Mylar® film division in Switzerland in the early 1960’s, Reinhard progressed up the corporate ladder, moving to Düsseldorf in 1969 as the manager for films in Germany. A short spell at DuPont’s US corporate headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, he returned to the Photo Products department in Frankfurt, Germany and eventually took on the role of Business Manager for the Cyrel business in 1982. Flexo printing at that time was very much the stepchild of the printing industry and DuPont’s flexo plates were all made in the United States. After intensive lobbying, cajoling and persuasion, Dr. Ulbrich persuaded DuPont management to install a new production line for Cyrel plates based in Frankfurt and hired young, enthusiastic printing engineers and sales staff to aggressively grow the business. Dr. Ulbrich’s people skills were legendary. He was universally admired and respected. As a supplier to the industry, he was always ready to listen to his customers’ needs. They

loved being with him and he brought warmth and fellowship to the flexo industry. To his many colleagues at DuPont he was a mentor and friend and his staff found him easy to work with. Always full of new ideas, his “customer always comes first attitude” motivated many to find new ways to delight the customer. The Cyrel “Grand Prix” flexo printing competition, which ran throughout Europe and latterly in Asia in the 1990s, was an example of Reinhard’s customer-focused thinking, bringing together flexo printers, plate-makers and brand owners from all over Europe to celebrate excellence in flexographic printing on cartons, flexible packaging and labels. Notable

Born in Silesia, then a part of Germany that today belongs to Poland, Reinhard turned his attention east after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. He focused on growing flexo printing in the former eastern bloc and Russia, in particular where many credit him with introducing flexo printing there, helping to build the economy there after the revolution. Even after his retirement from DuPont, Dr. Ulbrich travelled frequently to Moscow and helped introduce flexo printing courses at the Russian Academy of Printing in Moscow, for which he was awarded an honorary doctorate. While coronavirus restrictions currently prevent large gatherings, his family, friends and colleagues intend to hold a memorial event sometime in the autumn in Frankfurt, in true Reinhard style, to give thanks for his life and achievements. Dr. Ulbrich leaves behind Katrin, his wife of many years and his two daughters, Barbara and Caroline as well as grandchildren Alicia and Gabriel. We offer them our most sincere condolences at their loss.

2020

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES 3rd NOVEMBER 2020


Printing Innovation Asia Issue 6 2020

65

Quality Printer? Then go for GOLD The 2020 Asian Print Awards 3RD NOVEMBER 2020 ENTRY DEADLINE


16

th

FREE ENTRY FORM DEADLINE 5PM NOVEMBER 3RD 2020

SINGAPORE - THAILAND - INDIA - MALAYSIA - JAPAN - HONG KONG - CHINA - KOREA - TAIWAN - VIETNAM - INDONESIA - SRI LANKA - PHILIPPINES - CAMBODIA - MYNAMAR The annual Asian Print Awards was founded to recognise outstanding achievement in the print and packaging industries across Asia. With more than half the world’s population represented in this fast growing area, communication in the form of printed matter links Asia’s diverse cultures. It is imperative that such print achievements do not go unrecognised, especially among the population base that Asia enjoys. The Awards are judged on a wholly quality-oriented set of criteria to ensure that fair play is enacted at all times. The Independent Judging Panel comprises highly qualified personnel from within Asia and around the world. The independent judging panel has no knowledge of the actual entrants details. ALL ENTRIES ARE NUMBER-CODED. Entries must be commercially produced work. The Asian Print Awards is the only regional print quality competition of its kind in Asia. Supported by leading industry-supply companies, any progressive quality print house should enter and prove that they are the best - by winning the Gold, Silver or Bronze award. Proving pride in quality awareness is what customers love to see. It’s not just empty words, you can prove it.

Categories 1-8 : Offset Printing Only

20. Digital Labels

1. Calendars – any format

21 Digital - Outdoor Billboard

2. Sheetfed Magazines

Categories 22-26 : Specialty Categories

3. Book printing – less than 4 colours

22. Multi–Piece Productions and Campaigns Any substrate or print process: Multi–piece Production must be 3 or more items such as folder, leaflets, ring binders, inserts, envelopes including their contents. Campaigns must be 3 or more items with a consistent theme produced during the year by the same printer for the same client.

4. Book printing – 4 or more colours 5. Limited Editions & Artwork Reproductions (under 1000 print run) 6. Web Offset – Coated stock 70gsm and above 7. Web Offset –LWC (light weight coated) 65gsm or less 8. Offset Packaging products

Categories 9 - 21 : Digital Printing Only 9. Book Printing 10. Calendars 11. Personalised photo books – any format. 12. Posters 13. Showcards & Point-of-Sale material 14. Digital Magazines

23. Embellishment Any substrate – any combination - for example: embossing – diecutting – foil stamping –laminating coating. 24. Innovation / Specialty Printing The entry must exhibit any innovative and/ special application of machinery, process, substrate or finishing. A short description must be provided for the judges, detailing reasons for entry into this category. 25. Company Self Promotion Any item printed to promote a product or company involved in the graphic arts industry. Self promotion cannot be entered into any other Category. 26. Judges Special Award (A job that catches all the Judges’ attention)

15. Gold, Silver and Special colours 16. Restaurant Menus 17. Limited Editions & Artwork reproductions (under 500 print run) 18. Digital Proofing (must supply the digital proof and the prinnted product)

Best in Digital Award

19. Digital Packaging Best in Offset Award * If your company wins an award, a representative(s) from your company MUST be present in Manila to receive the award on stage, we will not send any awards to you if you are absent!

Best Use of Colour Award


FREE ENTRY FORM ASIAN PRINT AWARDS 2020

Deadline for Entries Submission: 3rd NOVEMBER 2020, 5pm Remember to submit 2 copies of each job! Why? - Just in case one is damaged.

SECTION A (This will not be shown to judges). Please fill the form in capital letters. Entered by (company name): ______________________________________________________________________________________ Contact Person: ________________________________________________ Email______________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: __________________________________

Country________________________________

Category entered __________________________ Title of entry (ie: " Paul's Ice Cream" ): ____________________________________________________________ Printed by (Printers name): ________________________________________________________________________________________ Client name: ________________________________________________________ Designer Pre Press House: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Brand of Printing Machine used: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Stock supplied by (Merchant’s name): ______________________________________________________________________________ Brand name of stocks Coated Uncoated: ____________________________________________________________________________ By signing here you accept the rules and conditions of the Asian Print Awards

Signature over printed name_____________________________ Name_____________________________________________________

SECTION B Production information to be shown to judges

( tape this securely to the back of your entries)

Category entered (Same as above): __________ Entry number (Administrative use only] ____________

Title of entry (ie: " Paul's Ice Cream" )__________________________________________Print method: _______________________

Number of ink colours (4-6-8 etc) ________

Any Embellishment (foil stamping etc) __________________________________

Quantity produced (Print run copies): ___________ Other technical details (finishing processes etc) ________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

16th Asian Print Awards 2020 ENTRIES SUBMISSION CLOSES 3rd NOVEMBER 2020, 5pm

Send all entries to: APAM Pte Ltd, 65 Chulia Street #46-23 - OCBC Centre - Singapore 049513 Email: paul@printinnovationasia.com Additional entry forms can be downloaded at www.printinnovationasia.com Please note that entries are non-returnable unless a self addressed courier pack is supplied.


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