August 2013 PWA

Print World Asia Magazine

Covering the Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia.

MICA (P) 046/11/2010 - KDN PPS1529/05/2013(025527)

Issue 8 2013 US$8.50

Agfa Asean Sdn Bhd Level 1, MENARA AmFIRST, Jalan19/3, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia Tel: +603-79535800 Fax: +603-79535900

2013 11 th Asian Print Awards Free entry Form

2013

entries submission closes on 1 october 2013 at 5pm

Enter your best work!

AwArd winning performAnce

3

The Asian Print Awards Committee would like to thank our Title Sponsor, Pack Print International (PPi), our Platinum and Gold sponsors. Together we recognise the best in print quality Asia has to offer.

platinum Sponsors

Brand Sponsor

gold Sponsors

Print Media Association of Singapore

welcome

11th asian print awards 2013 - the only regional awards oF its kind in asia 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.

Entries submission close on 1 October 2013 at 5pm. 57 Ubi Ave. 1, #03-06 Ubi Centre, Singapore 408936.

conditions oF entry 1. Entries may be submitted by individuals, companies or associations involved in any area of print production, and be from the following countries: Singapore - Malaysia - Korea - Hong Kong - China Indonesia - Thailand - Vietnam - Myanmar - Japan - Philippines Sri Lanka - India - Cambodia - Pakistan - Taiwan - Mauritius Brunei - Bangladesh - Australia - New Zealand - Cambodia Laos - Nepal Entries are invited from: Advertising agencies - Printing companies - Book binders Advertisers and brand owners - Prepress companies Art and Design Studios - Paper Merchants or any other person or company associated with the production of print or the purchase of print in the Asian region.

2. A company can enter as many jobs in as many different categories as it wishes, but the company must make sure that all correct information is completed on the entry form for each individual job entered.

3. All winning entries will be reproduced and featured in the awards catalogue to be distributed during the awards dinner presentation.

4. Entries in the 11th Asian Print Awards must be printed between 30 November 2012 and 1st October 2013, are produced within the Asian countries specified in clause 1. All entries must be sent to and be in on the 1 October 2013 before 5pm.

5. There is no restriction on the type of stock used or the method of printing. Imported stock, artwork or photographs from overseas sources are acceptable. Reproduction film (prepress) and printing and finishing must however be produced entirely with the Asian regions designated.

All other printed works submitted from other countries will be immediately disqualified.

6. An official entry form must be completed for each entry (photocopies are acceptable). This form has an “A” and a “B” section. The “A” section will be used to catalogue all entries and to determine the person or company to receive the awards. This section is not shown to the judging panel. The “B” section is for technical details to be considered by the judging panel and must be taped to the back of each entry. Details submitted on the entry form are used as copy for the Award catalogue. The Committee accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies in the details submitted.

7. The judges will be appointed by the Asian Print Awards Committee and the judges’ decision is final. Each entry will be considered and evaluated for print quality or if otherwise stated in the categories listed.

8. The awards are for outstanding achievements in printing and more than one award may be made in any category. Gold, Silver & Bronze medals will only be presented to the Print Company.

make a note in your diary now! the “event” for 2013 is the asian print awards night, join us in kl malaysia, on 28 november 2013 If your company wins an award, a representative(s) from your company MUST be present in KL Malaysia to receive the award on stage, we will not send any awards to you if you are absent!

11th asian print awards 2013 categories Categories 1-12 : Offset Printing Only 1. Posters, Showcards and Point-of-sale material – 4 or more colours - any substrate 2. Postcards, Greeting and Invitation Cards –(small items to be display mounted) 3. Calendars – any format 4. Leaflets, Flyers, Folders and Brochures- any number of colours, up to 16 pages (excluding cover)

20. Digital Outdoor, Large Format and Signage. Entrant must supply: a) a full sized print or b) a CD/DVD of theme and a one square metre sample print or c) a proof of the concept and one square metre sample print Category 20 entries will be judged equally on concept., print quality & visual impact

5. Catalogues, Booklets and Brochures - 4 or more colours more than 16 pages.

6. Sheetfed magazines – 4 or more colours 7. Book printing – less than 4 colours 8. Book printing – 4 or more colours 9. Limited Editions & Artwork reproductions (under 2000 print run) 10. Web Offset – Coated stock 70gsm and above 11. Web Offset –LWC (light weight coated) 65gsm or less 12. Packaging – any number of colours on any substrate: will be judged equally on – Print Quality – Functionality and Design

Categories 13-21: Digital Printing Only Will be Judged on – Quality – Production – Appropriate use of technology & Visual impact Provide name of press utilised in “Other technical details” of section B on the entry form 13. Book Printing – 4 or more colours 14. Leaflets, Flyers, Folders & Brochures – any number of colours up to 16 pages (excluding cover)

Categories 21-25: Specialty Categories 21. Multi–piece productions and Campaigns – Any substrate or print process: Multi–piece Production must be 3 or more items such as folder, leaflets, ringbinders, 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.

22. Embellishment - any substrate – any combination for example: embossing –diecutting – foil stamping – laminating, coating.

23. 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.

24. Digital Colour Proofing: The Judging Criteria is to assess the best proof to print match. Entries must be from a commercial Production Job (not a test sample) and must supply a proof together with a full copy of the printed job. Magazines entries must provide a proof of eight (8) different pages together with a full copy of the magazine.

25. 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.

15. Catalogues, booklets and brochures – 4 or more colours more than 16 pages.

16. Calendars & personalised photo books – any format.

17. Postcards, Greeting and Invitation cards (small items to be display-mounted).

18. Posters, Showcards & Point-of-sale material – 4 or more colours – any substrate.

19. Packaging (a package must contain and protect the product, communicate with the end user and be functional for end-use) any number of colours on any substrate: will be judged equally on Print Quality – Functionality and Design.

make sure you check all your entries For any Faults, production deFects! it may mean gold..

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Digital Technology 6 Free entry Form

Deadline for Entries Submission: 1 October 2013, 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).

Entered by (company name): ______________________________________________________________________________________ Contact Person: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: _______________ Country_____________________

Postcode__________________

Email___________________

Title of entry (description): ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Printed by (company name): ________________________________________________________________________________________ Client name: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Designer Pre Press House: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Brand of Printing Machine used: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Stock supplied by (Merchant’s name): ______________________________________________________________________________ Brand name of stocks Coated Uncoated: ____________________________________________________________________________ Category entered __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 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 to the back of your entries)

Category entered (Same as above): __________________________________ Entry number (Administrative use only] ____________ Print method: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Number of ink colours Embellishments: _______________________________________________________________________________ Number of press passes Quantity produced (Print run copies): _________________________________________________________ Other technical details (finishing processes etc)_______________________________________________________________________

11th Asian Print Awards 2013 ENTRIES SUBMISSION CLOSES 1 October 2013, 5pm Send all entries to: APAM Pte Ltd, 57 Ubi Ave. 1, #03-06 Ubi centre, Singapore 408936.

Tel 65-6733 5342

Fax +65 6733 3586 Email us: epub_subscription@cpublish.com.sg

Additional entry forms can be downloaded at www.asianprintawards.com.sg Please note that entries are non-returnable unless a self addressed courier pack is supplied.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Asian PrintAwards 2013 th

Gold

Silver

PrePress

Bronze

Contents Page 8 10 12 16 18 22 24 26 28 32 34 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 54 56

7

Fuji Xerox unveils iGen4 Press Diamond edition Primex Printers, in Philippines, installs new digital printing press Network & Experience the world’s best in the printing and packaging sectors Inkjet Web Press to boost business agility Gold Dry Inks Make French Debut Another 700 in the bag CGS’ Cloud-Based Color Management Technology Drives Xerox’s New FreeFlow Solution Personalized swords helped the Japanese fencing team Astros – China’s colourful print kingdom What happens when a channel partner loses focus?

HD Flexo and Full HD Flexo Certification program Emerging markets set to propel folding carton demands Buck The Trend With Toray’s Waterless Plate Technology The ProLiner Featuring the New Two-Off Mode Offers Considerably Greater Flexibility Fujifilm takes digital print productivity to the next level Xeikon presents its ThermoFlexX product family Graphium digital UV inkjet press for labels, packaging HP Expands Designjet Z-series Portfolio Increases digital printing capacity with Canon wide format technology News from around the world

Issue 8 2013 57 Ubi Ave. 1, #03-06 Ubi Centre, Singapore 408936. tel+65 6733 5342 fax +65 6733 3586 Publisher Paul Callaghan paul@cpublish.com.sg Events Elizabeth Liew eliew@cpublish.com.sg Managing Director Jeffrey Protheroe jeff@cpublish.com.sg Journalist Christel Lee editorasia@cpublish.com.sg Advertising Sales Matthew Callahan matt@cpublish.com.sg Accounts/Circulation Meynard accounts@cpublish.com.sg

Print World Asia • 8/2013

8

Digital Technology

Fuji Xerox unveils iGen4 Press Diamond edition The latest digital colour press by Fuji Xerox also had one signing on the first day of the Asian tradeshow.

Christel Lee reports.

Koji Tezuka, President of Fuji Xerox (Thailand) Co., Ltd disclosed the Thai printing industry is highly-competitive.

In the nation where offset printing is declining, digital technology comes in for an important role. Customers’ requirements are now changing from volume printing to “Print for Pay” with a 24hours service guarantee. This also places marketing on a crucial position for companies to catch up.

Tezuka notes, “Our participation in Pack Print International 2013 presents a good opportunity for entrepreneurs to adopt new printing technologies to drive their business growth and enhance their competitiveness in printing industry at domestic and international levels.”

He adds it is Fuji Xerox (Thailand)’s fourth time at the show. “With our concept ‘Design your customers, produce more jobs, reduce your costs and grow your business’ we support our customers with printing solution for effective management, cost reduction, profitability including new marketing strategies such as personalised and security printing,” Tezuka highlights.

The products showcased include the Color C75 press and the Color J75 press (recently launched in Singapore).

Both are currently selling well in the market. The Fuji Xerox 1400 Inkjet Color offers ultra high printing speed at 1,312 pages per minute; the Color 1000 offers printing performance for production systems with varnishing process in one step; the Xerox iGen4 Press Diamond edition launched in Thailand is currently enjoying good response in Europe, United States of America and Asia. There are currently 2200 units installed worldwide.

350gsm. Supporting print materials size of 14.33” x 26” which is the biggest size comparing with the same product levels in the market.

Pichai Thanyawacharakul, Production System Business Director of Fuji Xerox (Thailand) Co., Ltd said, “The iGen4 Press Diamond edition produces high quality prints which are equivalent to offset printing with Matte Dry Ink. The printing speed is 110 ppm. The maximum paper weight is

I Design Plate, based in Thailand, has announced their purchase of this high-performance press on the first day of Pack Print International 2013 tradeshow. The company shares their views on this latest press at a separate press interview.

“Additionally, Auto Density Control System supports the inspection for colour intensity control for stabilising high quality printing as well as reducing processing time with the genius autocontrol system which is advantageous and saves costs for businesses.”

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Digital Technology

9

Print World Asia • 8/2013

10

Digital Technology

Primex Printers, in Philippines, installs new digital printing press Primex Printers, in Mandaluyong City, Philippines, has recently signed a contract for a new Ricoh C751 digital printing press, which the company has ordered through Ricoh’s partner in the Philippines, Heidelberg. marketing collaterals, business cards, tickets, personalized items and shortrun jobs. “This press will definitely support our existing business and create new business opportunities for the company. We anticipate being able to offer personalized printing to our clients as a new service. And the efficiencies and speed of the press will allow us to produce short runs more econmically”.

At present the company’s split between offset and digital is 90 percent offset and 10 percent digital, but Mr. Calaquian anticipates the installation of the new Ricoh C751 will attract a larger volume of digital work.

In business for 34 years, Primex Printers employs a staff of 50 and works with an impressive clientelle that includes leading brand names and companies across various markets such as finance, travel, medical, utilities, education and motor vehicles.

The company offers both offset and digital print production, as well as fine art Giclée printing. In the pressroom Primex operates several Heidelberg presses including a Speedmaster 52 four colour machine installed in 2009 as well as two Heidelberg Printmaster presses.

After seeing first hand, the speed and quality achievable with the Ricoh C751 at both drupa in Germany and at Print & Label Exhibit last year in Pasay City, Philippines, Mr Alberto Z. Calaquian, President of Primex Printers decided this was the right machine for the company. “It was beneficial for us to see the machine in operation before we made our decision. At both trade events we were able to discover the

benefits of the press and understand how we could apply it to our business”.

He said the motivation for the purchase of the Ricoh C751 is to satisfy the increased demand from customers for high quality digital printing. “There were several aspects of the Ricoh C751 that appealed to us, “said Mr. Calaquian. “The press’ registration is very accurate, and its cooling system is an advantage for our factory. Plus Heidelberg’s after sales support is also very important to us as we know we can rely on them”.

The Ricoh C751 will be used to produce a variety of jobs including

Primex Printers is committed to working with the best equipment within its budget. In 2011 it installed a Stahlfolder KH66, a genuinely flexible folding machine that has enabled the company to provide a faster, and higher, quality folding service. The KH 66 is ideal for booklets and books and can cost-effectively handle commercial jobs of all sizes with top-quality results.

And the wide range of papers it can process is unrivalled.

Of the Stahlfolder KH66 Mr. Calaquian said, “this is a superb machine and has allowed us to speed up turnaround times for folding jobs”. The company also operates a Polar 92X guillotine.

Mr. Calaquian reports that business is “steady at the moment and the low season is generally compensated with fast-moving months. We are confident our new digital press, combined with our existing Heidelberg equipment will enable us to continue to grow our business and meet the high expectations of our customers,” he concluded.

IST METZ presents: Energy efficient UV systems for all printing applications

UV systems from IST METZ can be integrated into printing presses of any shape or size.

This allows production of high-quality UV packaging, UV labels, UV commercials prints and special UV applications.

IST METZ manufactures and develops all key components, such as UV lamps, reflectors and electronic power supplies, in-house: MAdE In GErMAny!

Our new subsidiary IST METZ SEA Co., Ltd. in Bangkok provides services and consulting for all UV applications.

IST METZ SEA Co., Ltd. 1558/12 Baan Klang-Krung Soi 4, Bangna-Trad Road, Bangna Bangkok 10260, Thailand phone +66 2 1 82 00 43

We want to become your regional partner for all UV printing matters. Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss UV solutions for your specific needs!

Print World Asia • 8/2013

12

Management/General

Network & Experience the world’s best in the printing and packaging sectors PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2013, Southeast Asia’s most-awaited trade fair for the packaging and printing sector is back from 28 to 31 August 2013 at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC).

Strategically set in Thailand, Asia’s rising integrated hub for both thriving sectors, the 4th International Packaging and Printing Exhibition will bring together the world’s leading companies for a comprehensive showcase of the latest technological innovations and solutions that are set to move the industry. For four days, the show floor will be buzzing with multi-range product displays, life machinery and robust exhibitor-visitor engagements across three exhibition halls at BITEC. Trade professionals will also be treated to an array of exciting on site activities including product demonstrations, interactive seminars and workshops conducted by industry experts

representing the exhibiting leading brands.

Challenging & Enhancing Capabilities within the Industry’s Boundaries PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL is an industry focused trade exhibition that provides an excellent collaborative platform for leading companies and their authorized distributors, suppliers and certified dealers to meet targeted clients. The trade exhibition is jointly organized by Messe Düsseldorf Asia (MDA), The Thai Packaging Association and The Thai Printing Association.

Mr Gernot Ringling, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf Asia shares that “Given the strong industry development across the packaging and printing business sectors throughout the region, PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL has developed and established itself as the leading platform and focal point for both industries, not only from Thailand but from across the region.”

The trade exhibition is well-positioned to provide an enriching one-stop networking experience to exhibitors and visitors with the best in the industry, draw critical industry insights and witness first-hand the latest

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Management/General 13 developments that can propel their businesses towards greater success in these sectors. The exhibition has attracted the participation of equipment manufacturers such as Canon, Fuji Film, Hewlett Packard, Heidelberg Graphics (Thailand), Koenig & Bauer Group (KBA), Riso, Sanki Machinery Trading Inc, and many others. Large distributors and suppliers of multinational brands products include Berli Jucker Public Co Ltd, Creation Machinery Corporation Ltd, Docusys (Thailand) Co Ltd,, Ferrostaal (Thailand)Co. Ltd, Global Graphics Machines Co Ltd, Nationwide Co Ltd, Printplas Machinery Co Ltd, Rotary Technology Limited and Sanxin Printing Machine Material (Thailand) Co Ltd,.

Specialized product manufacturers and suppliers include Chaiyaboon Brothers Co Ltd, Eltromat GmbH, Nova Inter Tech Co Ltd, Perma-Flex Co Ltd, Tex-Year Industries Inc. will feature their products designed to further enhance the operational efficiency of its customers.

The packaging industry’s growth is in line with global trends driven by buyers’ changing demands, improved economics of shorter print runs, agile job set-up and custom data printing.

For the packaging sector, visitors can expect to see exhibitors showcasing digital printed packaging and label solutions with participation from Duco International Co Ltd, Graphpack Co. Ltd, Perma-Flex Co Ltd, S.K.P Interpack Co Ltd, Sytems Board Co Ltd, Univacco Technology (M) Sdn Bhd, Zhengzhou Pengsheng Packaging Material Co Ltd and many others.

Technological and Innovative showcase for the printing and packaging sectors

PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2013 is the choice platform for many market leaders to showcase their newest developments, applications and technologies for the packaging and printing sector. With an expanded show floor of close to 30%, visitors can expect to gain insights on relevant technologies that meet their companies’ business requirements whilst identifying potential opportunities at the trade exhibition.

The exhibition displays bring forward a comprehensive selection of customized, multi-capabilities products as well as integrated services for high volume mass market productions to meet varying customers’ needs. For the printing industry, an ensemble of international names has been lined up to feature the latest products with integrated functions, environmentallyfriendly solutions for flexo, gravure, digital and sheetfed offset printing. On the packaging side, recognizable global brands trusted for reliable packaging delivery will feature complete lines and services for flexible, digital and integrated packaging technology for packaging materials, machines, consumables and aid product.

The biennial trade exhibition has gained regional standing and proven its global market significance and relevance to leading industry players.

Since its debut on the regional stage in 2007, the number of international visitors is consistently on the rise and

repeat visitor attendance has risen steadily over the years. The last edition in 2011 attracted over 16,000 visitors with a 30% record increase in overseas visitors. A further growth in regional and international participation is expected as PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2013 aims to attract some 20,000 trade professionals to the exhibition this August.

Visitors from the printing industry include specialists from commercial, digital, newspaper printing and reproduction houses, experts from the publishing, finishing and converting trades, retail and manufacturing companies, advertising and design houses as well as those involved in multimedia and internet publishing.

The show floor for the packaging sector will be represented by those who are focused on finding resource capabilities in package production, consultancy services for niche packaging needs, consumer goods, electronics manufacturing and contract packaging. Visiting delegations from countries such as Bangladesh, India, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines and Vietnam are expected to visit the four day exhibition.

To further enhance their visitors’ experience at the exhibition, trade professionals can participate at various concurrent events organized in conjunction with PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

14

PrePress

Glo

The hubergroup is a global combine comprising almost 40 manufacturing companies with more than 150 representatives

bal

What‘s our goal? It´s quite simple – We aim to offer each and every customer the very best products available.

!NKREDIBLE

Innovative offset process inks

MGA

NewV

The latest generation of UV inks for offset, letterpress and flexo printing as well as hybrid printing technology

ACRYLAC

Unique low-migration inks for printing of food packaging

Quality water-based coatings for attractive effects, premium finishing and maximum protection

REVOLUTION

GOOD NEWS

PRINTLAC

Fount concentrates

The revolutionary heatset ink series – for excellent stability in the production run

Versatile oil-based varnishes for protecting and finishing offset prints

ALCHEMY

Glossy metallic inks for a range of applications and requirements

The individual coldset offset inks for high-speed newspaper presses

Perfect water dosing – for the classic wet-offset processes

Printing auxiliaries

Solving challenges – when applications can‘t be implemented with standard solutions

Thailand

Huber Inks (Thailand) Ltd. - 22nd Floor Sorachai Building 23/91 Sukhumvit 63 Klongton-Nua, Watthana • 10110 Bangkok Find and visit all the companies that belong to the group at www.huberinks.co.th Tel: +66 2 714 3229 to 30 Fax: +66 2 714 3228 email: Sandor.meszaros@huberinks.co.th

Philippines

Micro Inks Limited - 4th Floor Miriam House 151 Legaspi Street, Legaspi Village Manila, Philippines Tel: +63 284 86561 Fax: +63 284 86688 email: Sandor.meszaros@hubergroup.ph web: www.hubergroup.com

Indonesia

PT Huber Inks Indonesia - Jalan Gatot Subroto Kilometer 7,8 Nomor 88 RT 003 RW 02 Kec. Jati Uwung Kab. Tangerang Banten Indonesia 14440 - Tel : +62 21 44515760 Fax : +62 21 30225368 E-mail : sambasiva@huberindonesia.com website : www.hubergroup.com

Print World Asia • 8/2013

16

Digital Technology

AT A GLANCE Industry: Publishing Business name: Kodansha Ltd. Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan Website: kodansha.co.jp

CHALLENGE • Improvesupplychainmanagement and reduce warehousing costs.

• Meetoffsetqualityandmedia variety but with the ability to produce shorter print runs.

• Upgradecontentsinnewprint formats, and transfer publishing data to eBooks and hybrid products.

• Achieveastreamlinedworkflow incorpo rating print, bookbinding and finishing.

SOLUTION • Benchmarkingagainstinternational best practices, Kodansha invested in theHPT300ColorInkjetWebPress to deliver the necessary speed, efficiency and publishing flexibility.

• UsingtheHPT300onshort-runs of small format books and to print academic content, including upgrades from monochrome tocolor.

RESULTS • Reducedstockcount,improvingcost control and inventory management.

• Improvedbusinessagility;nowable to print in shorter runs and respond to market demand.

• Enabledtherefreshofacademic content with cost-effective use of color images in previously monochrome titles.

Inkjet Web Press to boost business agility

Kodansha is one of the largest publishing companies in Japan.

Established in 1909, it publishes more than 50 magazine titles, along with 3,000 book titles every year. Unusual among Japanese publishers, Kodansha operates its own printing company, Toyokuni Printing.

Despite its size, reputation and vertical integration, Kodansha is not immune to the challenges of the wider publishing industry. Across the industry, print

circulation figures are falling, while the availability of online content is flourishing. The print circulation of new title launches is also dwindling.

The traditional business model, where publishers use offset printers to produce large volumes of product (with the risk that not every copy will sell), is proving costly and inflexible.

Unsold copies require warehousing, stock management and ongoing marketing involvement. In addition, offset printing makes it difficult to react quickly to new print opportunities.

To thrive, publishers need to be far more agile. They need to be able to repurpose content in response to market demand and, where applicable, adapt print content as eBooks, creating a new hybrid publishing market.

Kodansha wants to be able to trial new titles with shorter print runs and

examine niche opportunities. This way the business is better able to quickly and cost effectively identify commercial successes, and reduce the costly storage of excess paper stock.

Benchmarking against international publishers Kenjiro Umezaki, executive director of Kodansha’s Production Division says the business sought a new press, one capable of printing short-runs: “Even if we were only printing short-runs, we look for savings in the cost of printing, so we were considering new printing systems.”

Umezaki says Kodansha typically benchmarks new purchases against the equipment of rival publishers.

He says he was impressed with the performance of the HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press and HP’s experience

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Digital Technology in international markets, particularly in the book publishing sector.

“We were looking at using the HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press not for on-demand products, but for routine short-run production for wide distribution to bookstores. To do so, we wanted to use the same offset paper as with the previous set-up.

“The HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press was able to meet our requirements.

We looked at many factors, including ink-density, and test-printing showed that other companies’ equipment would not be able to meet our needs.”

– Kenjiro Umezaki, executive director of Kodansha‘s Production Division

“The HP T300 was able to meet our requirements. We looked at many factors, including ink-density, and testprinting showed that other companies’ equipment would not be able to meet our needs.”

Reducing stock costs The HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press has made an immediate impact. The ability to offer short-runs has reduced the risk of printing an excessive amount of copies. This will lead to a reduction in stock and improved inventory management, contributing to considerable annual savings. “We expect this will be the most significant cost-reduction area for the business,” says Umezaki.

More than cost saving, the HP T300 has enabled Kodansha to be more flexible with its approach to market.

Short-runs allow the business to test a product and if demand is strong, go ahead with larger runs.

“We don’t know for sure which titles will succeed or how many copies will be sold. It’s important for us to establish the production line to supply books promptly according to market response,” says Umezaki.

“Furthermore, if we can determine how many books we should produce at any one time, it becomes a less risky process.”

In addition, academic books, previously published in monochrome, can now be produced in color, making the product more attractive and able to command a higher margin. In addition, the publishing content is reused in the publishing of eBooks.

Umezaki says printing towards the upper range of the HP T300’s limits, which is color print runs of up to 3,000, will deliver cost comparable to offset. This allows Kodansha to print

17

in color at monochrome prices, while improving margins and delivering a higher quality product. It also impacts Kodansha proof-books, promotional copies sent to bookshops and buyers.

Hideki Okada, chief operating officer of Toyokuni Printing, says the HP T300 is now being trialed on bunko books, small format books similar to paperbacks, with print runs between 300 and 500. This format needs to be light yet robust, requiring thin paper but glued solidly to prevent falling apart. For quality purposes, it is important neither ink nor Bonding Agent shows through the thin paper.

The HP Bonding Agent, a colorless liquid applied before the other inks and only where inks are printed improves optical density and pigment adhesion to the paper. The HP T300’s use of the HP Bonding Agent means Kodansha can not only print onto low-cost, uncoated offset media, but by doing

so, achieve a level of durability and output quality that surpassed what it considered achievable.

“We’d like to use the new system to increase the number and variety of such publications,” he says. “We can improve bunko books by including more pictures and illustrations, something the HP T300 enables.

“Usually with inkjet printing, you need to choose a specific paper carefully, but with the HP T300, you can use standard offset paper. The effectiveness of the HP Bonding Agent also gives us more flexibility in choosing the paper.

“We can streamline the production process with bookbinding and finishing. Conventional high-volume production is based on a separation of these processes. The HP T300 gives us a good opportunity to streamline our production.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

18

Digital Technology

Gold Dry Inks Make French Debut Etoile Imprim can now ensure its products stand out from its competitors after investing in KODAK NEXPRESS Gold Dry Ink. The company is the first print service provider in France to adopt the new inks, which it will use to add an attention- grabbing effect to personalised print products.

Based in Bezons to the north of Paris, Etoile Imprim employs 19 staff and generates sales of 3.2 million euros. The company offers a wide range of services to businesses of all sizes. Committed to sustainability, Etoile Imprim boasts the Imprim‘Vert label, is ISO 14001, PEFC and FSC certified, and a signatory to the UN Global Compact. It carried out its carbon balance in 2010, which was unusual for a small business at the time.

Originally a sheet-fed offset operation, Etoile Imprim shifted to digital printing in 2010 with the purchase of a KODAK NEXPRESS 2500 Digital Production Color Press, which enabled it to produce high-value customised products and short-run work.

The NEXPRESS Press made a big impression, prompting Etoile Imprim to invest in the latest model in the range, the KODAK NEXPRESS SX3900 Digital Production Color Press

with the new XXL Long Sheet option.

The investment means the company is the first printer in Europe to own this latest feature in the NEXPRESS Press range and the first in France to boast metallic digital printing.

Nassib Kazma, Chief Executive of Etoile Imprim, says, "We partnered with Kodak three years ago because the NEXPRESS Press is easy to set up and better suited to our SME infrastructure.

The metallic digital printing really sets us apart from the competition, as there‘s nothing else like it on the market."

Exemplary production Etoile Imprim was already very satisfied with its original NEXPRESS 2500 Press and its capability to produce profitable personalised documents in small quantities. However, the

company knew that investing in the latest model would enable it increase productivity and drive the business forward: "Printing at 131 ppm on the KODAK NEXPRESS SX3900 Press means we can produce more runs per shift, increase our profit-per-page margins, and deliver photo- quality images, continues Kazma.

"Also, colour blocks and half-tones are more balanced, thanks to the ink that has a much greater fluidity. This enables us to produce exactly what our customers demand."

Using Kodak's newest XXL Long Sheet option The new XXL Long Sheet (914 mm x 356mm) option means Etoile Imprim can print new products digitally, such as French-style four A4 leaf or Italianstyle three-leaf brochures, document folders and book jackets.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Digital Technology

DO I CONTROL JOBS FROM ORDER TO DELIVERY? I HAVE TO.

19

IS THERE A SINGLE END-TO-END SOLUTION? Get all the tools for success with EFI. EFI print products and production software give you an end-to-end digital solution that helps assure profitable growth. Keep control from the moment your customers order a job to the moment they get it.

Call or scan to learn more +86-21-63190058 definitely.efi.com/30

©2013 EFI. All rights reserved.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

20

Digital Technology

The platform will take nearly 800 substrates without prior treatment, to which operators can add a virtually unlimited number of personalised substrates. Offering such vast choice, and being able to print on longer sheets, has enabled Etoile Imprim to significantly broaden its product portfolio.

improves reproduction in a five-colour process and spot colours (Pantone).

"Dimensional Printing is very impressive," says Kazma. "It creates a 'raised‘ embossed look that you can‘t resist touching, and is ideal for producing documents that need a striking effect – like children‘s books for example."

Added-value applications When equipped with the KODAK NEXPRESS Fifth Imaging Unit Solutions, the KODAK NEXPRESS SX3900 Press gives users access to a wide range of value-adding applications: Gold Dry Ink, Dimensional Printing, matt or gloss varnish, red fluorescing dry ink, light black HD dry ink, and red, green and blue dry ink. It also

"And now with the Gold Dry Ink and the metallic colours, we can get even more creative. The print rendering is stunning. In the past, to get metallic gold we had to print a fifth colour in offset. Now, we have the fifth colour on the digital press to add a glittering gold.

"Also, with the NEXPRESS Press, you do not have to slow down production to optimise output. It keeps on producing great results. And digital gold costs less than offset, which means we can pass the savings on to our customers."

Claude Desbrugères, Kodak‘s Cluster Business Director, France & Benelux: "In addition to producing more jobs for its customers, Etoile Imprim has been able to enter new markets thanks to the metallic digital printing and the Long Sheet option. The company is producing previously unseen colours, eye-catching effects, larger formats, and personalised print products – and all in record lead times and in short runs."

Cross-fleet color accuracy and repeatability ORIS PRESS MATCHER // WEB Consistent color reproduction across different printing technologies

Digital Press

Matches colors to standards: e.g. GRACoL, ISO Coated V2 (FOGRA 39) Client

Wide Format

Prints

Certified Color

Iterative procedure with precise and repeatable results Optimum grey balance

Printing Press

130604_RZ_ENG_Press_Matcher_Anzeige_Neues_CD.indd 2

www.cgs-oris.com

Learn More

05.06.13 12:54

UV LED Curable Flatbed Inkjet Printer

Ultra-High Speed, High Precision Prints that Capture Your Mind The new JFX500-2131 from Mimaki smashes all established records for a grand format flatbed UV LED printer, with production speeds of up to 60 sqm/h, delivering unbelievably high quality, right down to 2 point text on a massive 210 x 310 cm print area.

The Mimaki JFX500-2131 delivers: • Amazing print speeds of up to 60 sqm/h with CMYK and 45 sqm/h with white ink printing • High precision printing up to 1,200 dpi and variable dot printing with a minimum size of 4 picoliter • No media deformation, no drying time. No warm up time

www.mimaki.co.jp

Print World Asia • 8/2013

22

Digital Technology

Another 700 in the bag Every day in shopping malls and high streets across the world there is evidence of the Manroland success story.

perfect ink distribution, flat sheet travel, precise register, smooth and gentle delivery and inline enhancement, it ensures the highest print quality and at the same time maintain the highspeed printing.

Its sturdy design and flexibility in format, such as the 3B+ format (780mm x 1050mm), can significantly improve productivity; reduce production costs, and achieve more profit. Thus, the overall competitiveness of the printers can be enhanced.

Colourking Printing, based in China, produce those wonderful high-end branded bags for the likes of Gucci and Hugo Boss, to enable customers to proudly carry their designer goods home.

Eight million bags of all shapes and sizes and made from various types of paper roll off their Manroland presses every month. That’s an awful lot of bags- and the company have found that by utilizing the flexibility of the fivecolour ROLAND 700 with coating in format 3B+ they were able to improve productivity by a massive 20 per cent!

Mr Ling Long, Managing Director of the company based in Shenzhen, says excitedly: “The new installation of the ROLAND 700 in format 3B+ has improved our print quality, productivity and saved production costs.”

About the ROLAND 700 The ROLAND 700 is a cutting-edge, high speed commercial and packaging press.

Its printing speed is up to 16,000 sheets per hour. In addition, thanks to features such as the shortest make-ready time,

About Manroland Sheetfed Manroland Sheetfed GmbH began trading on 10 February 2012, following the acquisition of the sheetfed division of the insolvent Manroland AG by British industrialist Tony Langley and Langley Holdings PLC (www. langleyholdings.com).

Manroland Sheetfed employs approx.

1000 people at the HQ in Offenbach, Germany and around 2000 staff worldwide, in over 40 subsidiaries. For more information about Manroland Sheetfed, visit www.manroland.com.

The 3B+ is a huge boost for packaging printers. For example, the bigger sheet sizing allows Colourking to print 12 bags instead of ten from the same amount of paper - and to cope with odd sizes their clients demand.

After years of growth, and a new plant of more than 220,000 square feet, the company have become high- end packaging specialists with a full range of services and product categories, including luxury paper carrying bags, gift boxes and Christmas cards.

Mr. Ling Long, Managing Director of Colorking Printing Products Co., Ltd.

Production Workflow Softwares

Professional Color Management

Print Profitability

Maximum Reliability & Uptime

Variable Data Softwares

High Productivity and Versatility

Canon has come a long way in the production printing arena. Our series of color and mono digital press are designed to meet your every business requirement.

All imagePRESS and Oce machines come with a range of professional finishing accessories, providing you the ease of business scalability and flexibility. Each of the imagePRESS and Oce comes with its own strength of business proposition.

To complement the imagePRESS and Oce series of digital press, we have a wide offering of print production software solutions for your business needs. Ranging from web-based job submission, to integrated workflow, variable data printing and print audit, our production solutions ensure that your business can be simple.

OcĂŠ VarioPrint 110/120/135

imagePRESS C6010 / C7010VP

Canon Singapore Pte Ltd 1 HarbourFront Ave #04-01 Keppel Bay Tower Singapore 098632 Tel: (65) 6799 8888 www.canon-asia.com

Print World Asia • 8/2013

24

Digital Technology

CGS’ Cloud-Based Color Management Technology Drives Xerox’s New FreeFlow Solution ORIS measurement and tracking software to work directly with in-line spectrophotometers on Xerox digital presses CGS has announced a cloud-based color management solution to support digital presses controlled by Xerox’s FreeFlow Print Server and the new Xerox IntegratedPLUS Automated Color Management. The system uses ORIS color measurement and tracking software directly with the in-line spectrophotometer (ILS) of Xerox’s iGen Presses to automatically monitor color status for an entire “fleet” of digital devices.

“The color quality potential of IntegratedPLUS cannot be overstated,” said David Palmieri, CGS’ Director of Business Alliances. “Of all our color development partners, Xerox has taken the lead by using ORIS software directly with their ILS. This eliminates the manual measurement process and makes it possible to easily diagnose color compliance remotely—for digital presses, anywhere in the world.”

Using the Cloud

Xerox has received a “Must See ’Em” for the IntegratedPLUS Automated Color Management, which will be demonstrated at the Xerox booth (1202) at PRINT 13.

IntegratedPLUS Automated Color Management uses the Softwareas-a-Service model to remotely manage multiple color devices over

a secure Internet connection. The ORIS module uses the press’ ILS to automatically measure the color values of a control strip—and compare those values with a standardized profile target file. IntegratedPLUS Automated Color Management can then determine whether or not the device is performing to specification, providing data that can easily be used in combination with CGS tools to diagnose and fix problems, as well as plan routine calibration and maintenance. Measurement data is stored on a secure, SQL-based, online database, allowing administrators to easily monitor color performance at any location.

Printers with brand-critical customers and those with high standards for color quality and consistency will realize immediate benefits with IntegratedPLUS Automated Color Management. The ability to centrally measure color compliance on any device—and to do so without a costly manual step—means that true “enterprise color” is finally a reality.

“We’re pleased with the results of Xerox’s cloud-based color management approach,” said Palmieri. “We’re looking forward to continuing our collaboration, and to adding even more ORIS capabilities to their outstanding product.”

Interviews CGS will be available to discuss the Xerox IntegratedPLUS Automated Color Management at the CGS booth (2644) and at the Xerox booth (1202) at PRINT 13.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Digital Technology

25

Print World Asia • 8/2013

26

Digital Technology

Personalized swords helped the Japanese fencing team Stratasys a leading manufacturer of 3D printers and production systems for prototyping and manufacturing, today has announced that the University of Tsukuba, Japan is using an Objet350 Connex multi-material 3D Printer as part of its advanced R&D program for sports science and Olympic training.

The University of Tsukuba conducts research and development in three key areas: sports equipment, training and conditioning. A research team led by Professor Norihisa Fujii at the university's Faculty of Gymnastics developed equipment used by Japan's fencing team which won the Silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics.

3D Printing Helps Fencers Get a Grip The hilt of the fencing sword must fit the fencer's hand perfectly, even a slight difference in the shape of the hilt can spell victory or defeat. Before 3D printing, there was only one type of fencing hilt in the world, and each competitor had to personally file the hilt to customize the fit and achieve a non-slip surface. If the sword ended up breaking, it was almost impossible to get another one with the same fit.

For the 2012 Olympics, the researchers at the University of Tsukuba scanned the actual equipment used by the fencers in 3D, and the resulting polygon data was then incorporated into 3D CAD. The 16-micron accuracy of the PolyJet based Objet350 Connex 3D Printer enabled the researchers to produce iterative prototypes of each sword with minute variations according to the athlete's feedback. A total of 70 prototypes were produced.

Mr. Osamu Takeda, a researcher who managed the modeling of the prototypes at the University of Tsukuba, Sports R&D Core commented, "Players are not engineers. They talk about their requirements instinctively. So, bearing this in mind, we develop various patterns based on different assumptions. With the Objet Connex multi-material 3D Printer, we can do

this easily. We can respond flexibly and promptly because the machine is so accurate."

The customized, completed hilts were manufactured in April 2012, three months before the London Olympics.

For the first time in fencing history, each competitor had five spare hilts, providing a "sense of security."

"Whatever the sport may be, it's all about designing customized equipment to enable the athlete to maximize his or her personal best," said Jon Cobb, Executive Vice President Marketing, Stratasys. "Stratasys 3D printers have a long history with the sports world, spanning everything from the design of customized running shoes to the 3D printing of end use parts for bikes and snowmobiles. The accuracy of our technology and the durability and flexibility of our materials enable sports equipment designers to develop truly breakthrough concepts. Also, the fast turnaround time of 3D printing means that the athlete can try several design iterations until the equipment exactly matches personal preferences."

The University of Tsukuba is now exploring other 3D printing sports applications such as protective equipment for gymnasts, shoes for javelin throwers, triathlon wear, sailing masts, a footwork assessment system for badminton, and more.

Personalized fencing hilts produced on a multi-material Objet350 Connex 3D Printer

Print World Asia • 8/2013

28

Sheetfed Offset

Astros – China’s colourful print kingdom The Chinese print group Leo has its origins in a small factory set up in Hong Kong in 1982. The first investment on the Chinese mainland followed in 1989 with the opening of a factory in Nanhai District. At the end of 1991, the Leo Group then established Heshan Astros Printing in the city of Heshan.

Constant expansion of the overseas market fostered healthy growth for Heshan Astros Printing and the other group subsidiaries. The favourable geographical location, modern production equipment and professional staff were decisive contributing factors.

Today, Leo is one of the largest print enterprises in the world. A spectacular print complex covering an area of 666,000 m2 stands out in bright yellow and blue on what was once low-lying marshland.

Strong exports …

Astros currently counts more than 14,000 employees. Investments over the past years have totalled more than €235 million (RMB 1.9 billion), and exports have reached some €285 million (RMB 2.53 billion). From 2007 to 2012,

the company recorded an average growth rate of around 10 per cent.

The key export markets are Europe, the USA and Australia, which Astros serves through its own sales offices in Reading (UK), Seattle (USA), Antwerp (Belgium) and Milan (Italy). They maintain close customer relationships with customers at global level and can thus stay abreast of all the latest market trends. In 2011, for example, Astros designed and produced a high-quality 3D book, with which its customer successfully gained accreditation as a supplier to the 2012 Olympic Games in London. ... and success in domestic packaging The production value of the Chinese packaging sector increased from RMB 250 billion in 2003 to RMB 1,200

billion in 2010. That corresponds to an annual growth rate of 21 per cent. As the global packaging market continues to shift towards Asia, and above all to China, this trend will probably be accelerated further in the next three to five years. China is set to become the second-largest packaging producer in the world.

Against this background, Astros has begun to develop print capacities for the domestic packaging market through a number of joint ventures: The companies Shanghai Tophand Business Printing Co., Ltd. and Leo Creative (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd. were established in Shanghai to help develop the market in the Yangtse River Delta region, while Huaao Printing Co., Ltd., Jiangxi Xinhua Printing House and Jiangxi Xinhua Bookstore in Jiangxi cater to the Central China market.

Astros places a focus on corrugated and carton packaging, with Leo United Paper Products supplying primarily functional corrugated packaging. To

Astros uses Rapida presses in formats up to 120 x 162 cm. The press to be seen here is a six-colour Rapida 162 with inline coater and raised foundations.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

30

Sheetfed Offset

this end, considerable sums have been invested in modern flexo equipment and post-press systems. Equal attention is paid to the mid- and high-quality segments, where corresponding investments and product developments have enabled Astros to consolidate long-standing partnerships with many customers.

KBA technology for attractive products Astros has ranked third on the list of the “Top 100 Print Enterprises in China” for the past three years. The fine reputation of Astros products throughout the world is confirmed

The impressive yellow-and-blue Astros print complex covers an area of 666,000 m2 by the stream of prizes received by the company, for example Premium Print Awards, Gold Ink Awards, and the First Prize of China Printing.

The outstanding position which Leo occupies in the print industry today is furthermore indivisible from the excellence of its equipment base.

From a compact Genius 52 UV up to a large-format Rapida in format 120 x 162 cm, Astros operates a total of eight sheetfed offset presses from KBA.

“With its excellent presses and reliable service organisation, KBA helps us to deliver products of stable high quality to our customers,” says Yang Zemin, president of the Leo Paper Group. He is full of praise for the cooperation between the two companies: “Beside its protection functions, packaging must also be visually appealing to the consumer. Through the longterm cooperation with KBA, we have repeatedly been able to incorporate the latest features into our presses, which permits us to offer our customers new, attractive products, and at the same time forms a basis for maximum production efficiency.”

Model enterprise in environmental protection In recent years, Astros has collected numerous awards for its commitment to environmental protection, for example the Hang Seng Pearl River Delta Environmental Grand Award in 2007, and a Hong Kong Award for Industries in 2008. In 2010, the Leo Group also received the Gold Award in the sectoral category “Manufacturing” at the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence.

This prestigious award scheme honours outstanding achievements in environmental protection, culture and management.

With Astros, Leo Paper Group president Yang Zemin has created one of the largest print enterprises in the world

Yang Zemin: “This is pleasing recognition for our work to date. The real purpose of our efforts, however, is not to win prizes, but rather to fulfil our social responsibility and to contribute to a ‘green and harmonious world’.

That is also why a ‘zero-waste factory’ is our next objective.”

Print World Asia • 8/2013

32

Sheetfed Offset

What happens when a channel partner loses focus?

Having channel partners can be tricky business. Christel Lee of Print World Asia investigates the complexity, which happens to concern ethics.

a smaller unit of my machine. Look at his booth and you will see other bigger machines on display. He admitted to me another distributor has been scooping most of the business because of their low prices,” he laments.

I went up to the alleged accused and got a revelation. His prices are low because his products are Asia-made; this is the biggest giveaway.

Order taker Vs Order getter

For countries where principals have trouble penetrating, the next natural step is to go through a channel partner. Banking in on the contacts and relationship with local customers, it can be a ticket to decent margins.

However, when tides turn and market gets tougher, ethics can get placed in the backseat.

The recent tradeshow in Bangkok showcased more distributors. Sanxin Holdings International Group Co., Ltd’s booth only got bigger at each year.

Berli Jucker Public Company Limited, and Creation Machinery Company, Nationwide Co Ltd - the regulars and known in the country of their strong distribution networks.

Some other exhibitors who faced heat from good-performing distributors have stooped to accuse others of quoting rock-bottom prices to secure the sale, affecting the market and their margins.

It’s a fair comment to make noting a surge in distributors at Pack Print International 2013. Thailand is a country seemingly dominated by distributors for obvious reasons; strong network of contacts, familiarity of local language and culture. However, what happens when a channel partner starts to get selective about the brands of products to sell?

A principal who spoke on condition of anonymity said his Thai channel partner has been lamenting on loss of business due to rivals’ rock-bottom pricing. In comparison to previous years, the space allocated for his machinery display drastically shrunken. While he admits his products are expensive, he noticed distributors have gotten down to taking on more than they can chew.

“My Thai distributor rang me to say he can only afford to allocate a small space, which means I can only display

How do you differentiate the two?

The interviewee in question has seen a lot that he was on the verge of losing faith in humanity after working with multiple types. “I have seen distributing companies attempt to take on as many brands as possible for a good reason. However, that translates to eventual selective sales depending on the demand,” he laments, adding his channel partners are not afraid to admit sales are harder to close today with competitors slashing prices.

Marketing support is also a big issue concerning distributors. An American digital press manufacturer has announced the hiring of a sales manager to be in charge of their Southeast Asian sales. However, they are also known to be working with a reputable Thailandbased distributor. My trip to their booth for three days straight looking for the principal was fruitless despite multiple assurances he would be there.

However, it’s comforting to see interest in their press, served by a sales person working for the distributing company.

It’s anybody’s guess if the principal had the wrong distributors, one cannot dismiss the importance of working with one.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Sheetfed Offset 33

...new Magnum Compact

Combining compact inker modules with powerful automation and agility features, the Goss Magnum Compact press introduces advantages never before available in the single-width sector. The result is a versatile, cost-effective option for newspaper, semi-commercial and book production, including multi-product business models and ultra short run lengths.

www.gossinternational.com

Print World Asia • 8/2013

34

Management/General

HD Flexo and Full HD Flexo Certification program Esko reported about the continuous success of its HD Flexo and Full HD Flexo Certification. The number of certified customers, partners and vendors grows at an ever faster pace and reached the point where brand owners can turn to industry leading f lexo c ompanies ev erywhere i n t he w orld to get certified qu ality. The stringent certification process officially states today's highest quality in flexographic printing and has become a de facto global industry standard.

“Esko launched HD Flexo in 2009 and was the first supplier in the packaging industry to give flexo a quality stamp by a certification," comments Jan Buchweitz, Senior Product Manager Digital Flexo at Esko. “Since then, that number has continued to grow rapidly as the technology has been adopted eagerly by our customers. In 2013, we started to apply a similar certification process for Esko Full HD Flexo users, and the first series of Full HD Flexo certificates are currently issued.”

Getting Certified In order to become certified, customers submit multiple production print samples produced using Esko HD Flexo or Esko Full HD Flexo.

Engineers in Esko's Flexo R&D center then check the quality of the submissions according to published quality parameters. Once certification is granted, customers receive a certificate plus a set of promotional tools that allow them to use the Esko Certification logo. Esko HD Flexo and Esko Full HD Flexo Certifications are valid for two years, after which time recipients must recertify to ensure that the quality standard is protected. The certification program is free of charge for anyone applying. The certificate signifies their dedication to producing the highest possible quality. The list of certified companies is available on Esko's website: www.esko.com/ en/Products/Overview/hd-flexo/

Certified.

Global Successes One such company is Southern Africa’s Golden Era Group, the second largest printing and packaging group in the region. Managing Director Raj Chhita explains: “Flexographic printing has improved greatly over the last few years.

The quality and productivity we can now achieve is comparable to gravure and litho. HD Flexo Certification highlights for our customers a consistency that helps us confidently win new work.”

Another example is Colognia Press, an innovative printer of self-adhesive labels, tags, tickets and packaging materials for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, household and electronic

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Sheetfed Offset 35

Fit for future markets.

Stand out from the competition and gain access to new markets.

The digital printing market is developing at a rapid pace and is opening up new vistas. With the finishing systems for offset and digital printing from Muller Martini you can stand out in your market and be provided with new business Visit hall 14, booth C21 for your personal fitness program 3.5. – 16.5.2012, Düsseldorf

models. Our hybrid systems prepare you for tomorrow’s markets and impress

We look forward to meeting you!

Muller Martini – your strong partner.

your current clients with their efficiency and flexibility.

Muller Martini (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Telefon: +65 6276 0656 Fax: +65 6276 3475, www.mullermartini.com/sg Muller Martini (Hong Kong) Limited, Telefon: +852-2877 8820 Fax: +852-2877 8128, www.mullermartini.com/hk

Print World Asia • 8/2013

36

Management/General Vendors that supply support materials and tools such as tape, aniloxes, etc., to the flexo industry can also pursue certification, since their supplies and materials are instrumental in achieving HD Flexo quality.

industries located in the Czech Republic. “HD Flexo allows us to print to a very high quality,” comments CEO Jaroslav Vendl, “and the HD Flexo Certification gives us the official seal of approval for the quality standards Colognia Press has achieved.”

Partner and vendor Certification Certification opportunity is also extended to flexo printers or converters as well as industry vendors. For example, a trade shop that produces flexo plates can apply for certification. Many trade shops who have been certified have also

worked with their converters to certify them as well. “We chose to go digital with the Esko CDI and HD Flexo,” says Benny Ho Wei Min, Executive Director of Eye Graphic Sdn. Bhd., a Malaysian flexo trade shop. “Our clients are looking for more flexibility from plate makers and are pushing for faster turn-around times. Digital flexo enables us to offer this. Being HD Flexo Certified definitely strengthens our competitiveness and confirms our commitment to providing the highest level of quality to our customers.”

Bringing value to the industry “In fact our customers are eager to get certified and inspire us for this program. There are multiple levels of value in achieving HD Flexo or Full HD Flexo Certification,” Buchweitz explains. “HD Flexo Certification gives converters a stamp of quality assurance from a recognized industry leader that helps them cement relationships with brand owners. Clearly, there is also value in the process for Esko as we work to extend the range of companies that are certified and to protect a quality standard that has come to define the best in flexographic printing.” Buchweitz concludes stating that while applicants must be Esko customers, there is significant value in this process to the flexo industry as a whole, since it raises the level of quality across a broad spectrum of providers and thus expands the market potential for flexo in general.

2013 Get ready for the ASIAN PRINT AWARDS

We hope to see you in Kuala Lumpur at the winners gala dinner. www.asianprintawards.com

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Sheetfed Offset 37

Print World Asia • 8/2013

38

Packaging Technology

Emerging markets set to propel folding carton demands Increasing demand has been detected within economies coming up aggressively in a bid to pit against the current heavy weights – especially in healthcare, cigarettes and foods. This is according to a latest study by Smithers Pira “The Future of Folding Cartons to 2018”.

The study outlines three key technologies that brings added value to folding cartons between now and 2018, namely: 1. Retail-ready packaging 2. Anti-counterfeit 3. Additives to current folding cartons in a bid to lengthen products shelf-lives The food industry currently appears to be the most “bankable” markets for print sectors. With the increasing demands for health concerns, many food companies have come under fire for the amounts of preservatives added to not only enhance the tastes, but to lengthen the lifespan of products.

Cut-throat competition between competitors have come to a point of time is no longer a luxury – leading to

the increasing importance of retailready packaging in a bid to catch the consumers’ attention with the first six seconds. Sample-sized packaging or single-serve portions have become a norm.

According to Smithers Pira’s study, smaller packaging tends to utilize more materials and it address the “just-intime” for sales. It comes in the form ofcorrugated / microflute systems, rigid plastic and some rigid board products.

The industry cannot agree more on the damage counterfeits have done to authenticity. Astronomical amounts of investments have been pumped into allow consumers avoid buying bogus products through security printed packaging. Such allows consumers to

verify the manufacturing companies upon QR scanners. To date, wineries have been the worst hit.

The study adds anti-counterfeit technology used in folding carton applications is expected to almost double with high growth expected, especially in the health care sector.

Developments in water-based coatings, nano-materials, bio-polymers and antimicrobial compounds are leading the growth for barrier coatings.

The study also stresses the need for continual brand differentiation in the crowded marketplace is the impetus of growing demand for innovation in printing methods, with an increase in such technologies as QR codes, holographic images, Fresnel lenses and other 3D devices. The technological developments in printed electronics are bringing the development of smart packaging closer to fruition as costs are decreasing.

Bankable markets Consumer electronics is one of them that is said to promise good opportunities for folding cartons and microflute packs with the continued global growth in demand for mobile

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Packaging Technology

phones, tablets, and other personal devices.

such as Easter eggs and Christmas gift packs.

Pharmaceutical sector, which accounts for some 10% of the folding cartons may also be involved in production of small packs. To combat counterfeiting, stimulating demand for sophisticated track-and-trace systems in the form of either 1D barcodes, 2D barcodes or RFID systems.

According to the report, personal care market has shown a rapid recovery from the global recession and growth is being stimulated by the use of technology in the form of social media, mobile commerce and in-store digital technologies, targeting the tech-savvy young consumer. Eco-friendly brands are gaining prominence and demand for innovating printing techniques such as Fresnel lenses is growing.

Convenience foods and those for the health-conscious have also created opportunities. In the confectionery market, perceived over-packaging has been a focus of consumer discontent, leading to considerable innovation in the packaging of seasonal products

Globally, cartonboard production grew by 1.3% in 2012 to reach a total of 42.5 million tonnes, valued at $37.3 billion, with more than half of this volume

located in the Asia-Pacific sector. The top five producers of cartonboard constituted almost 16% of the total volume in 2012, with the top ten making up over a quarter. The 20 largest producers accounted for 40% of the market.

Total volume of converted folding carton reportedly grew by over 1% to reach 47.4 million tonnes in 2012, with 55% of this emanating in the Asia-Pacific sector. The five largest cartonboard converters make up almost 7% of this somewhat fragmented market, while the ten largest converters accounted for more than 9% of the volume in 2012.

39

Print World Asia • 8/2013

40

Management/General

Buck The Trend With Toray’s Waterless Plate Technology oray will demonstrate how customers can buck the general market trend and reinvigorate newspaper printing at the Wan Ifra World Publishing Expo 2013, Hall 2.2 Stand 235, October 7 to 9, Berlin, Germany.

During the show, Toray will highlight the successful commissioning of its new European plate production facility in, Prostjov, Czech Republic.

The factory will produce all types of CTP waterless plates for the European, American and Middle East markets, including the highly durable MX10 plate for newspaper and semi- commercial printing. Since its introduction in 2012, the MX10 plate has provided enhanced productivity to a number of newspaper printers.

“Production at the new factory is slated to begin in November 2013, months ahead of schedule, said Mitsunori Hayashi, General Manager of Sales and Marketing for the new Toray Graphics factory in the Czech Republic. “The output from the new plant will satisfy European demand and supply products to the global market as well.

As part of its global development strategy, Toray determined that the investment in the Czech Republic plant was an important move in order for the company to meet the growing demand for waterless printing plates. Mr. Hayashi adds: “The overall newspaper printing market is certainly facing a wide range of challenges. Yet there has been a distinct acceleration in demand for waterless printing technologies within that market.

For the fiscal year ending March 2012, the volume of waterless printing plate shipments was at its highest level since analog positive waterless printing plates went on sale in 1979. Over that period, Toray has made a steady effort to improve the materials used and continue to accumulate waterless printing technical know-how that benefits its customers as they work

1st sample: During the WAN-IFRA Publishing in Berlin, Toray will highlight the successful commissioning of its new European plate production facility in Prostějov, Czech Republic, first waterless plate sample onsite.

to improve their operations. These efforts are clearly being recognized by newspaper printers who are adopting waterless in greater numbers than ever before.“ As part of its business development efforts, Toray has appointed Rinus Hoebeke, - former Kodak Newspaper Segment Director, to further develop waterless printing opportunities, expand market research, and develop industry partner relationships. Mr Hayashi comments, “Mr Hoebeke's numerous contacts and decades of experience in various technical and highlevel sales and marketing functions will be invaluable in developing cohesive

communications between Toray and its independent dealers.”

At the expo, Toray will also make available to attendees its new Toray Waterless Journal produced in cooperation with Toray customers and partners. Designed to inform the market about technical developments, this publication shares experiences from waterless users and discusses opportunities the technology provides for newspaper printers. In addition to ensuring efficient and cost effective printing of daily newspaper titles, many users of the eco-friendly waterless printing process are able to expand their product offerings by producing

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Management/General 41

exciting, high quality products on a variety of paper stocks for the semicommercial print market. This adds new revenue streams and increases press utilization by taking advantage of off-hours idle time. The improved quality offered by waterless printing makes this new service an attractive one for newspaper printers to deploy.

The Toray Waterless Journal will be printed on a KBA Cortina press

by Freiburger Druck, the printing unit of the Badische Zeitung, which has repeatedly won the prestigious „Newspaper Printer of the Year's award, most recently in 2012.

Visitors to the Toray stand will have the opportunity to „touch and feel examples of the latest waterless

printed products, characterized by their exceptional quality.

Mr Hayashi concludes, “The fact that the Toray waterless plate business is bucking the general market trend and still growing in a very challenging environment demonstrates that Toray's decision to invest in a European plate production plant was the right decision to make. The opportunities the ecofriendly waterless printing process provides are reflected in the market uptake for Toray waterless plates.

We are pleased to be able to help our customers improve productivity, increase asset utilization, open up new business opportunities and maintain their competitive edge by ensuring a steady supply of waterless plates and

Toray‟s new European plate production facility in Prostějov, Czech Republic. by providing a high level of service and quality for years to come.”

This years biggest Packaging Conference is in Manila in November, go to www.afta.com.sg to make your seat booking

The turnkey solution for flexible packaging proofing and mock-up production.

ORIS FLEX PACK // WEB SYSTEM XG Inks

CustomInterface

Cardboard- and flexible packaging Extended color gamut

Print incl. metallic, white & spot colors Matchlessly low cost per proof Access to Esko Color Engine

Roland VersaCAMM VS

Continuous- and halftone dot proofing Integrated perf-cut function

Printjob Editor

ORIS Specialized Substrates

Transferfilm www.cgs-oris.com

130604_RZ_ENG_Flex-Pack_Anzeige_Neues_CD.indd 2

Learn more

05.06.13 12:55

Print World Asia • 8/2013

42

Finishing Technology

The ProLiner Featuring the New Two-Off Mode Offers Considerably Greater Flexibility The insert business and fine zoning in advertising journals have increased steadily in recent years, prompting the Mayer & Söhne printing and media group in the Bavarian town of Aichach to invest in a new ProLiner inserting system from Muller Martini featuring two-off mode, a year after commissioning a new newspaper rotary press. “We’re anticipating considerably shorter processing times,” says Managing Director Erwin Neudecker.

The Mayer & Söhne media group was convinced, in particular, by the newly developed two-off mode of the ProLiner, which will go into production at the start of November, as well as by its high availability and optimal layout (“we have more space lengthwise than widthwise”), explains Technical Director Marcus Jaskolla. “The twoup mode gives us considerably greater flexibility. We’re also anticipating much higher productivity because the processing times will be significantly shorter in the inserting process.”

Mayer & Söhne prints over 30 newspaper titles with print runs of between 5,000 and 500,000 copies.

Aside from two daily newspapers, these are predominantly ever popular weekly advertising journals, the majority of which are produced for external clients.

The newspapers each contain between two and 15 inserts, with the average number being five.

Since both the number of newspapers printed in Aichach and its insert business have grown in size to a welcome degree, placing greater demands on fine zoning, the traditional company commissioned a new KBA Commander CT newspaper press for the Berliner format in 2012.

It supplements a Geoman from manroland, commissioned in 1999, which also prints in the Berliner format.

Comprehensive Inserting Line One year on, Mayer & Söhne is now

also reacting to the higher output in the mailroom. Rather than investing in the aging system of another machine manufacturer, the family business has opted for a comprehensive ProLiner inserting line from Muller Martini with 14 feeders, two NewsStack compensating stackers with TABA topsheet printing units for great accuracy in stack formation, and MPC (Mailroom Production Control) and the new Connex.Mailroom with Connex.Info.

The Mayer & Söhne media group was assisted in the process of selecting the new equipment by the Mauser-Kaiser engineering office from Aschheim (Germany), which was also involved in the decision on the new newspaper press. The main section and the inserts are loaded via stream feeders in order to achieve a higher performance.

Depending on the number of inserts, the ProLiner achieves an impressive net output of up to 70,000 copies per hour.

Two-Off and One-Off Mode If, for instance, Mayer & Söhne, which was founded in 1862 and is run in the fifth generation by the Mayer/Sixta family, produces a newspaper with five inserts, insert stations 1 to 5 and 10 to 14 can be identically configured in twooff mode, thereby virtually doubling the cycle time. For products with six to 14 inserts, the ProLiner runs as usual in one-off mode.

In addition to newspapers, Mayer & Söhne also prints countless leaflets, magazines, company brochures and business reports using sheet-fed offset.

High-quality covers are also produced using the offset procedure. They are currently processed using a 335 saddle stitcher from Muller Martini, but will soon be wire-stitched with signatures printed on the newspaper rotary press to coldset commercial work using a secondhand Bravo.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

43

Focus on what matters most.

The service bureau industry is undergoing dramatic changes and is faced with ever increasing operational pressures.

At Fuji Xerox, our goal is to partner with you to enable you to grow your business and to deliver greater returns.

Utilising industry leading technology Fuji Xerox can help reduce your costs, increase your productivity and profitability.

Fuji Xerox will partner with you helping every step of the way to: • Delight your customers – By transitioning to high quality, variable data colour prints • Grow your business – Configure for today’s needs and upgrade for tomorrows growth • Reduce your costs – Through greater automation and improved efficiencies • Produce more jobs – In a shorter time frame at faster speeds

© 2012 Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd all rights reserved. Xerox and the sphere of connectivity design are trademarks or registered trademarks of Xerox Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

www.fxap.com.sg

Print World Asia • 8/2013

44

Management/General

Fujifilm takes digital print productivity to the next level

Fujifilm announces the launch of its next generation XMF Workflow v5.5. This latest version of its industry leading cross-media workflow includes a number of major new variable data and productivity-enhancing features designed to optimise high speed print production on the Jet Press 720 and 540W digital inkjet presses.

Advanced capabilities to support high volume print production on Fujifilm’s Jet Press 720 and 540W digital inkjet presses Enhanced automation and variable data management As with previous versions of XMF, content rendering is processed by the award-winning PDF Print Engine from Adobe®. XMF v5.5 takes performance to the next level, as it is one of the first systems on the market to utiliseAdobe’s newly announced scalability framework, the “Mercury RIP Architecture.”

This means XMF v5.5 is able to take advantage of this architecture to drive data-rich, high-volume digital print production. Mercury’s parallel processing architecture features distributed multi-tier caching and dynamic load balancing to take full advantage of available hardware.

“Digital web presses put huge demands on workflow systems, so our focus has been to develop an extremely efficient end-to-end print environment that

allows companies to increase their productivity and competitiveness,” comments Shigenori Tsuji, Senior Vice President of the Workflow Division for Fujifilm Global Graphic Systems.

“As well as being the first vendor to bring to market a workflow built from the ground up around JDF and the Adobe PDF Print Engine, Fujifilm is leading the way once more with the introduction of Adobe’s new Mercury RIP Architecture.”

Fujifilm has used this unique technology within XMF v5.5 to create a very wide data path for driving graphically rich personalised content to the company’s digital inkjet web press, the Jet Press 540W. According to Raman Nagpal, senior director of print at Adobe, “The Fujifilm Jet Press

540W powered by XMF v5.5 marks an impressive milestone in the evolution of continuous-feed digital printing.”

A major release featuring new functionalities This new version of XMF has undergone a number of internal technology upgrades to accommodate the more complex demands of high speed digital printing as well as optimise more traditional CTP plate production: VDP support and database XMF Workflow v5.5 supports both the most innovative (PDF/VT) and well established (PPML) variable data formats. In addition, a new database has been implemented within XMF to sustain the high data processing volumes associated with variable data printing in order to maximise the productivity typically required by fastmoving digital print environments.

MIS integration Fujifilm has recently obtained CIP4 certification for XMF v5.5 which guarantees full integration between an MIS system and XMF. This means

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Management/General 45 representation of the final print job. Within XMF v5.5, this is now processed automatically, saving time and increasing efficiency.

Improved integration with XMF ColorPath Finally, XMF Workflow v5.5 features further improvements to support XMF ColorPath, the cloud-based colour management system that is designed to help printers calibrate and maintain

XMF can now be connected to many different MIS systems and incorporates a new JDF tool to interpret and convert incoming MIS instructions into JDF compatible ones.

Automatic 3D proofing XMF v5.5 offers improved proofing capabilities through the automated distribution of 3D proofs. The 3D proofing module, already embedded in previous versions of XMF Workflow, gives printers the ability to create a ‘virtual printed product’ to provide their customers with an accurate

compliance to printing standards.

“XMF Workflow v5.5 has been developed to seamlessly integrate with any fully functional production environment,” concludes Shigenori Tsuji. “Accurate colour management, reliable processing of high volumes of variable data, greater automation and support for the most extreme printing speeds are all essential capabilities of a modern workflow that this latest version supports. We are confident that XMF v5.5 sets new standards for printers looking to enhance performance and output.”

Get ready for the 2013 ASIAN PRINT AWARDS We hope to see you in Kuala Lumpur at the winners gala dinner.

www.asianprintawards.com

Print World Asia • 8/2013

46

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

Xeikon presents its ThermoFlexX product family At Labelexpo Europe 2013, Xeikon extends its range of Flexo Imagers for Flexographic and Letterpress plates with the ThermoFlexX 80.

This large format Flexo Imager is capable of exposing plates up to 1270 x 2032 mm, covering the size requirements for corrugated printers and trade shops or service bureaus. The ThermoFlexX 80 offers outstanding quality and unprecedented productivity, along with a unique loading and unloading concept.

“With almost 20 years of experience in Computer-to-Plate development and manufacturing, Xeikon Prepress has a reputation of being a leading technology innovator in the printing industry,” says Christophe Lievens, Director of Sales and Marketing Xeikon Prepress.

“With our ThermoFlexX products we emphasize this reputation by producing imagers, for the flexographic and letterpress industry, with unique and innovative features.”

Flexibility in resolution “By offering a wide range of output resolutions, we strengthen our open standard philosophy. Offering a seamless integration with any workflow on the market lowers the threshold to make the step towards digital flexo platemaking.

Our ThermoFlexX engines can image plates at 2400, 2540, 4000, 4800 and 5080 dpi. With our highest resolution of 5080 dpi, the product is technology-ready to raise the quality level of output to the newest industry standards,” adds Doug Mawdsley, Product Manager Flexo Prepress.

Unique range of benefits The ThermoFlexX solution comes with a range of unique benefits.

Advanced clamping design allows plates to be mounted easily on to the drum, while a uniquely designed vacuum slider offers the flexibility to

use plates of any width. This is highly beneficial to operators as there is no need to cut the plates to fit a dedicated vacuum zone thus allowing the use of cut-off scraps. The ThermoFlexX solution also features ergonomic plate mounting and its hybrid drum offers flexibility of holding plates in place either by vacuum or by magnetics.

Worldwide network for local service and support Xeikon’s worldwide service network will provide local support for the full range of ThermoFlexX products.

Sales of the product is conducted via Xeikon’s authorized dealer network.

ABOUT XEIKON Xeikon NV is an innovator in digital printing technology. The company designs, develops and delivers webfed digital color presses for labels and packaging applications, document printing, as well as commercial printing.

These presses utilize LED-array-based dry toner electrophotography, open workflow software and applicationspecific toners.

As an OEM supplier, Xeikon designs and produces plate makers for newspaper offset printing applications.

Xeikon also manufactures basysPrint computer-to-plate (CtP) solutions for the commercial printing market. These proven CtP systems combine the latest exposure techniques with cost-efficient UV plate technology, high imaging quality and flexibility.

For the flexographic market, Xeikon offers digital platemaking systems under the ThermoFlexX brand name.

ThermoFlexX systems provide high resolution plate exposure including screening, color management, as well as workflow management.

All the Xeikon solutions are designed with the overarching principles of profitability, quality, flexibility and sustainability in mind. With these guiding principles and a deep, intimate knowledge of its customers, Xeikon continues to be one of the industry's leading innovators of products and solutions.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

FESPA CHINA & CSGIA 2013 THE FUTURE FOR PRINT 18-20 NOVEMBER 2013 SHANGHAI WORLD EXPO EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTRE CHINA

WHERE GLOBAL BRANDS MEET TO DELIVER LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRINT BUSINESSES FESPA China & CSGIA is the ultimate fusion of technology for the Sign and Graphics market.

With an extensive line-up of 400 international exhibitors, visiting FESPA China & CSGIA 2013 provides businesses with an opportunity to experience the latest products and technology for screen, digital and textile printing.

Taking place on the 18-20 November 2013 the industries global print manufacturers and suppliers will meet in Shanghai, China to deliver limitless opportunities for print businesses along with an unrivalled programme of visitor features.

SEE THE FUTURE OF PRINT AT FESPA 2013 & CSGIA 2013 –

BY REGISTERING TODAY AT WWW.FESPACHINA.COM

WWW.FESPACHINA.COM

|

FESPA CHINA & CSGIA 2013, 18-20 NOVEMBER 2013

47

Print World Asia • 8/2013

48

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

Graphium digital UV inkjet press for labels, packaging Fujifilm today announces that it will showcase the new Graphium digital UV inkjet press developed and manufactured by FFEI Ltd on its stand at Label Expo Graphium has been developed for converters and printers producing labels, packaging and speciality print who want to increase margins and revenue streams on their short to medium print runs. It is a modular digital UV inkjet press that puts choice, flexibility and productivity into the hands of printers and converters, enabling them to embrace complex projects requiring a wide gamut of colours on most commonly used substrates.

“It is becoming increasingly important for converters and printers to look at digital inkjet technologies for the production of labels, packaging and speciality print,” comments Jon

Harper-Smith, marketing manager industrial and packaging, Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems. “There are growing opportunities for printers to differentiate and expand their product offerings through the use of these new technologies. Graphium, in particular, represents a new calibre of inkjet press designed for the narrow web market and, when combined with the new Fujifilm Uvijet Graphium ink developed specifically for label and packaging applications, breaks new ground in terms of the performance that can be achieved from a digital label press.”

Supporting up to five digital modules, and six flexo stations, Graphium

offers the unique capability of being able to integrate optional flexo and finishing stations in-line for conversion in a single pass. This capability can significantly reduce production time and cost in comparison to traditional offline finishing.

Graphium utilises state of the art print heads combined with Fujifilm Uvijet ink to deliver unrivalled reliability for single-pass printing. This enables the production of a range of drop sizes from six to forty two picolitres, providing eight grey levels that allow fine details, smooth tones and readable text to be reproduced reliably and consistently.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

The Uvijet Graphium UV curing inks developed by Fujifilm combine the functional performance, colour gamut and adhesion properties needed for label printing with reliable jetting performance required for consistent printing. The press supports cyan, magenta, yellow, black and high opacity white ink channels and, together with a low ‘cost-in-use’, represents the most productive, high opacity digital white press on the market.

Summary of features • Designed for a wide range of applications, including labels and selfadhesive decals

Graphium combines a range of leading technologies, including innovative workflow, pre-press and colour management software, as well as inkjet head calibration technology, to ensure consistent quality and repeatable production. For printers, that means consistent proof-to-press match and alignment to colour standards; yielding high-quality, vibrant printing and excellent adhesion, light fastness, and durability.

• High opacity white for background printing and fine detail

• Adhesion to a wide range of substrates, including most grades of top-coated PE, top-coated PP, PVC, and paper • High strength pigmentation with wide colour gamut

• Compatible with typical finishing processes including die cutting, foil blocking and embossing “We are on a mission to transform the digital labels, packaging, and speciality print market, and Graphium represents a major step towards achieving this goal,” comments Andy Cook, FFEI managing director.

“Graphium represents a new generation of digital

inkjet press aimed at the narrow web market that is able to achieve high quality print at unparalleled productivity levels for the most versatile range of applications, all achievable at a low level of capital investment.”

Fujifilm will be distributing the Graphium digital press in selected territories in Europe.

Further information relating to the distribution and commercial availability will be available at the show.

49

Print World Asia • 8/2013

50

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

HP Expands Designjet Z-series Portfolio HP Designjet Z5400 PostScript ePrinter delivers high-quality prints with improved productivity as the industry's first multi-roll, largeformat ePrinter HP today announced the new HP Designjet Z5400 PostScript ePrinter, expanding the HP Designjet Z-series portfolio with the first multi-roll, largeformat ePrinter for copy shops.(1) The new printer helps customers increase their print offerings to address a wider range of requests without a large capital investment.

Copy shops often fulfil urgent and diverse print requests, so they depend on solutions that can produce a large variety of applications quickly and efficiently without compromising quality. The HP Designjet Z5400 PostScript ePrinter helps copy shops respond to these demands.

The 44-inch (1.11 meter) device is ideal for printing large-format applications with high image quality, such as posters, photos, canvases, backlit prints, indoor signs, point-ofsale posters, line drawings and maps.

The HP ePrinter provides fast delivery of completed print projects with tworoll media and automatic switching features. This increases productivity by reducing time spent changing media as well as downtime in between multiple print jobs.

Copy shop customers expect quick turnaround times and prints with consistent colour tones and image quality. The HP Designjet Z5400 PostScript ePrinter features HP MultiDimensional Smart Drop Placement Technology, which provides increased levels of colour accuracy for reliable operation. Based on automatic drop detection and intelligent masking capabilities, the technology detects then corrects ink placement errors during printing to increase efficiency and reduce waste.

"In this highly competitive industry, the HP Designjet Z5400 PostScript ePrinter enables us to expand our in-house print capabilities with a wide variety of high-quality colour applications," said Brandon Harrop, art director, Express Imaging. "We can now complete print jobs faster with the printer's two-roll media feature and expect to triple our business with a wider variety of print offerings."

Driving business growth with increased efficiency and durability

Meet us @Label Expo

Booth 9H45

PERSONAL

QUALITY

HOW WOULD DIGITAL LABEL PRODUCTION WORK FOR YOU? See the proof. For free.

Digital is quality made versatile. Profitability made sustainable. Think: top-quality labels, multiple substrates, and a personal approach. But seeing is believing.

So let us show you the proof. Order your free custom digital labels at Xeikon.

seetheproof.com Upload your designs & get your free digital labels.

Print World Asia • 8/2013

52

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

Copy shops can employ HP Instant Printing PRO to preview, crop and easily print PDF, PostScript, HP-GL/2, TIFF and JPEG files. Additionally, the web-connected HP Designjet Z5400 features automatic software updates, USB flash drive or email printing, as well as a colour touch screen and print preview for quick checking of prints.

The HP Designjet Z5400 PostScript ePrinter allows copy shops to produce durable, water-resistant prints that can last up to 200 years.(2) The HP ePrinter uses six HP Photo Inks with three different shades of black to produce quality colour and black-and-white images with up to 2400 x 1,200 dots per inch (dpi).

"Our customers are constantly under competitive pressure to differentiate their print offerings and meet tight deadlines," said Ramon Pastor, vice president and general manager, Large Format Printing, HP. "To help our customers address these needs, HP continues to deliver innovations built to fit the varying demands of graphic professionals.

Large-format portfolio expanded with the customer in mind With the addition of the HP Designjet Z5400 PostScript ePrinter, HP continues to provide affordable and easy-to-use large-format printing solutions. Designed to deliver highquality, durable prints with speed, productivity and efficiency, the HP Designjet Z-series printers includes: HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer: Ideal for copy shops and print service providers who strive for the highest print quality and maximum speed.(3) HP Designjet Z5200 PostScript Printer: With eight inks, this device is suited for copy shops that have a demand for high-quality, graphic print jobs with an affordable solution.

HP Designjet Z3200 and Z2100 Photo Printers: These two printers, with 12 inks and eight inks, respectively, provide high-impact, long-lasting colour prints with a wide colour-gamut for pro labs, photography and graphic design professionals.

(1) The HP Designjet Z5400 PostScript ePrinter is the first large-format printer in the market with multi-roll and webconnectivity, compared to the Canon iPF8300S, Canon iPF6300S, Epson Stylus Pro 7890 and Epson Stylus Pro 9890. Comparison based on manufacturers' published materials.

(2) With Original HP 772 or HP 70 Photo Inks. Display permanence rating for interior displays/away from direct sunlight, under glass by HP Image Permanence Lab on a range of HP media. Water resistance testing by HP Image Permanence Lab on a range of HP media and follows ISO 18935 method. Details are available at hp.com/ go/supplies/printpermanence.

(3) Compared to large-format inkjet printers under $25,000 for graphic applications. Based on the fastest rated color speeds as published by manufacturers as of January 2010. Test methods vary.

Division ContiTech of Continental AG Print World Asia • 8/2013

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

53

Laid-back efficiency.

Global-warming-neutral CLIMATE Xtra BLANKETS printing blankets let you lean back and relax. That’s because they enable you to up your efficiency while at the same time effortlessly satisfying your customers' sustainability wishes. More at www.pxp.de

Your Needs First.

www.pxp.de

Print World Asia • 8/2013

54

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

Increases digital printing capacity with Canon wide format technology Enhancing productivity and expanding its portfolio of services are topping the agenda for Wales-based Print Service Provider (PSP) ScreenTec, as it invests in an Océ Arizona 480 GT from Canon.

New model complements company’s existing Océ Arizona 350 GT, further supporting its transition from traditional screen printer to multipurpose Print Service Provider (PSP)

point-of-sale (POS) and industrial print markets, and was attracted by the Arizona 480 GT’s capability to produce multi-layer specialist applications including window graphics.

Wales-based company to use latest investment to boost productivity and diversify service offering to support expansion into new markets

Harry Palmer, ScreenTec’s Sales Director, says: “Digital wide format printing has galvanised our business, increasing the speed and range of applications we can offer to our customers. Further investment in UV wide format technology was the next natural step for our business. Scouring the market for what technology was out there, we just couldn’t look past Canon and its Océ Arizona solutions – which have served us well. Picking another machine from the Océ Arizona stable was an easy decision for us to make.”

Inspired by the success achieved with its existing Océ Arizona 350 GT – which has underpinned its growth from a traditional screen printer to a multi-purpose PSP – ScreenTec has purchased an Arizona 480 GT to boost output capacity and pave the way for potential new revenue streams.

The company is looking to further strengthen its position in both the

Two key drivers for the company in selecting its new investment were the

Harry Palmer, ScreenTec’s Sales Director reliability of the technology and Canon’s back-up service. With competition high during times of economic uncertainty, PSPs must be more meticulous than ever when it comes to selecting the right supplier and product to help them move their business forward.

Palmer explains: “I have learnt from experience that it is absolutely vital to have a machine that is dependable and that will provide you with minimal downtime. That may sound obvious, but the complete package is not always there. Machines do need servicing now and again, but it’s critical that the supplier provides efficient support and service to ensure any problems are dealt with effectively to minimise downtime. The Arizona 350 GT’s reliability – coupled with the service and support provided by Canon – has been the cornerstone of our recent business growth, as it means we never

Print World Asia • 8/2013

Wide Format / Proofing Technology

have to say ‘no’ to a customer or let them down.”

Canon’s Océ Arizona 480 GT met the company’s search criteria. The market’s leading UV flatbed wide format printer offers remarkable application versatility and productivity, while maintaining the uncompromising print quality favoured

by Canon customers. It features speeds of up to 32.8m2/hr with eight independent ink channels capable of varnish for decorative gloss effects, double opacity white option and two additional channels for cyan and magenta (CM2) for smooth production printing.

Palmer elaborates on the appeal of the new machine: “We will be able to meet growing customer demand

for shorter runs, with high quality applications more cost-effectively – all delivered quickly thanks to the high throughput and batch-printing mode.

Meanwhile the opportunities afforded by the additional channels have already attracted interest from our customers – including the option to produce specialist applications like window graphics. We will be inviting them to the factory as soon as the new printer arrives, to demonstrate what it could mean for their business.”

Duncan Smith, Wide Format Printing Group Director, Canon UK, says: “We’re delighted that ScreenTec has decided to continue its journey with us. It is an example of a company that recognises both the vast potential of the wide format market and how

AIRDOT Ä C XY      

digital printing technology can drive success. Such is the image quality of our digital Océ Arizona UV flatbeds, they can complement more traditional printing methods – such as screenprinting – to drive productivity and efficiency. Meanwhile the eight-ink channel configuration offers customers a panoply of creativity possibility – the bigger picture really has got bigger.”

blanket factory

P-550 blue, quality blanket, for high speed sheet & web presses G-900 green, fine dot image, web & sheet presses G-955 green, no-pack 2.10, 2.15 to 2.56mm gauge CS-700 green, newspaper cold set web P-580 blue, top quality printing UV-200 red, UV-blanket fine dot quality blanket

C N I XIN YU A N Rubber Products Comp. Co., Ltd A IR D O T Ä PRINTING BLANKETS

CNI GRAPHICS Companies Hong Kong / Shanghai - Tampa USA - Swiss-Germany w w w .airdo t.ne t info@ airdo t.ne t

55

Print World Asia • 8/2013

56

News Milestone in UV technology On occasion of the ten thousandth electronic power supply unit for UV systems manufactured by IST METZ GmbH, the company presented Carl Edelmann GmbH with an award on 31st July.

Electronic power supply units belong to the peripheral equipment of a UV system. Since 1998, these devices have been manufactured at eta plus electronic GmbH, a subsidiary of IST METZ GmbH. The ELC® range of electronic power supply units have been developed specifically to operate UV lamps. They optimise production safety in the print room and also reduce operating costs.

The ELC® units are highly efficient with low energy consumption. They reduce any electrical peaks which improves production quality. The electronic power supply unit also extends the range of adjustment of the UV lamp as the optimal lamp output can be adjusted steplessly between 30 and 100% depending on the production speed. The compact design of the ELC® units means that the space required is reduced by up to 50%.

15 years after the first device had been produced, the ten thousandth electronic power supply unit ELC® was symbolically

handed over to Carl Edelmann GmbH. It already has been installed into a printing press at the company’s headquarter in Heidenheim, Germany. Carl Edelmann GmbH is a leading provider of highclass innovative packaging solutions.

In twelve production sites worldwide the familiy enterprise founded in 1913 develops and produces folding cartons, packaging inserts and system solutions, primarily for the health- and beautycare markets. For many years now, Edelmann and IST METZ have been having a fruitful business relationship.

EFI's New UV-curable Thermoforming Inks Add an Extra Dimension to Graphics EFITM has extended its range of versatile options for the wid-feormat market with the introduction of its thermoforming digital UV-curable ink, enabling signmakers and printing companies to

print direct onto thermoplastic sheet materials, which can then be formed into deep draw, high elongation parts with excellent retention of hue and opacity.

Formulated for use in the EFI VUTEk® GS2000 Pro-TF and the VUTEk GS3250 Pro-TF, pre-decorating with this new ink eliminates former labor-intensive, costly methods such as hand airbrushing used when working with shaped and irregular surfaces.

EFI's VUTEk GS-TF thermoforming ink's elongation capabilities are enhanced by its high opacity on a broad selection of materials, including PETG, acrylics, polycarbonates, polystyrenes and PVC, plus derivatives and mixes. This makes it ideal for applications including custom-formed signs, packaging, pointof-purchase displays, vending panels, automotive and recreational vehicles, consumer and promotional products, and many more. The extended color gamut is complemented by its ability to withstand heat forming, cutting and routing without cracking, chipping or losing adhesion, with moisture resistance and a durable life resulting in longlasting graphics.

These new inks are designed to remove the limitations of working with thermoformed applications, opening new routes to productivity for businesses wanting to generate revenues and gain a competitive advantage from high impact signs and graphics. Designed to be used with EFI's 3.2-meter VUTEk GS3250 Pro-TF and 2-meter VUTEk GS2000 Pro-TF, finished graphics benefit from the eight-color plus white ink-set and variable dot grayscale print capabilities resulting in outstanding image quality and strong, accurate colors.

(from left to right) Werner Michael Seidel, Business Unit Manager Printing (Carl Edelmann GmbH), Dietmar Kaiser, Key Account Coordinator (IST METZ GmbH), Holger Kühn, Head of Sales Department (IST METZ GmbH), Dirk Jägers, Managing Director (IST METZ GmbH), Oliver Sattel, Technical Director (Carl Edelmann GmbH) during the presentation of the ten thousandth electronic power supply unit ELC®.

"EFI's introduction of thermoformable UV-curable inks, and the machines in which to use them, offers printers new opportunities for bringing digital printing's strengths to a broad range of innovative applications," said Barney Cox, printing industry consultant. "This means that printers can offer customers

Print world Asia • 8/2013

News high impact, short run, versioned and customized imagery that has an added dimension, appealing to the increased desire for personalized products."

Countdown to milestone release of Enfocus PitStop 12 Enfocus is in the midst of a multi-media education campaign to prepare users for the next release of its PitStop technology.

The campaign is introducing the market to all but one of the new features in PitStop Pro 12 and PitStop Server 12.

These significant new features enable the most comprehensive checking, correction, and editing of every element within a PDF file – all from within the familiar PitStop interface.

The education campaign is centered on a series of videos, with one debuting every week of 8 leading up to the release of PitStop 12. Then on September 8th, 2013 at 19:00 CEST, Enfocus executives will unveil the final feature at PRINT 13 in Chicago, USA, to coincide with the release of PitStop 12 to the marketplace.

The videos are available at: http://www. enfocus.com/pitstop-pro-12.

Customers behind development of the world’s industry standard PitStop Pro, the industry standard for PDF preflighting and editing, is used by 130,000 users worldwide to correct typographic errors, change color spaces and fix dozens of other PDF problems.

As the company looked to improve and expand the functionality of PitStop Pro, it turned to this expansive user base for feedback, conducting customer surveys, “Voice of the Customer” interviews, and reaching out to customers via social media and LinkedIn forums.

Fabian Prudhomme, Vice President

of Enfocus, talked about customer involvement in the release of PitStop 12: “PitStop 12 is a result of Enfocus commitment to developing solutions based directly on customers needs. As a result, PitStop12 has evolved into a simple but extremely powerful „pocket knife of technology that can manipulate everything in a PDF, without opening a new application.

“Our commitment to these customers has continued with this education programme. These videos and resources are helping our customers - and the market in general - understand the value PitStop solutions bring in streamlining the production process.”

Beta site speaks out Pictorial Offset of Carlstadt, New Jersey, USA was a beta test site for PitStop 12.

A company spokesperson said, “We run a fast-paced print environment; so our shop completely relies on PDF integrity and smooth workflow integration. With

AIRDOT Ä      

B-600 G-900 G-955 CS-700 WB-800 UV-200

features like Smart Preflight, image editing, and gradient editing, there is hardly a PDF that can't be fixed using PitStop Pro 12. Most importantly, having the capabilities to do all these things without kicking the file back to the client and slowing down production is invaluable.”

New features in PitStop Pro 12 and PitStop Server 12 PitStop Pro 12 includes new editing tools* that lets users edit and correct images and blends without having to leave PitStop Pro and go into an external editor such as Adobe® Photoshop® or Illustrator®.

The new PitStop Server 12 now uses the industry standard Adobe® transparency flattening engine.

This ensures consistency with flattening performed externally in Adobe® Creative Suite® or APPE pre-press workflows.

Align and Distribute - The new Align

NEW Printing blanket production 2010

blue, alround blanket, for high speed presses green, fine print best image reproduction green, no-pack 2.10 to 2.56mm gauge newspaper cold set web commercial web & sheet presses UV-blanket fine dot quality image blanket

CNI - XINYUA N Rubber Products Comp. Co., Ltd A IRD O T Ä PRINTING BLANKETS

New pro CNI-XIN duction plan t YUAN RUBBE R

CNI GRAPHICS Companies Hong Kong / Shanghai - Tampa USA - Swiss-Germany w w w .airdo t.ne t s ales@ airdot.net

57

Print World Asia • 8/2013

58

News and Distribute functionality allows multiple selected objects to be easily aligned or equally spaced. Objects can be automatically rearranged so they align to common left, right, top or bottom edges, or vertically, or horizontally to a common center.

Group/Ungroup - Multiple objects within a PDF file can now be selected by the user and grouped together. A group object can then be edited as a single object and also used with the Align and Distribute tools. Grouped objects can also be cut and pasted between PDF documents and the group will remain in the new document, making moving objects much simpler and straightforward.

Ink usage reporting - Users can generate a report containing the amount of ink or toner required to print a page or an entire document. This new report can be generated as part of the Preflight report or as an independent action.

Check font size by lowercase x-height - A new European Union regulation (No. 1169/2011 effective December 13th 2014) specifies minimum font size requirements for the nutrition declaration on food packaging, based on the lowercase x-height of the font as it is designed to guarantee legibility. This new action in PitStop allows type size to be checked in this way.

Check for white overprinting objects - This check looks for white line art objects that overprint. There is also a fix available within the preflight profile to make offending elements knockout automatically.

Also available are following new Actions and Action List Functions that include: An Action to remove empty layers.

An action to allow layers to be flattened to their current view rather than the default view.

A new Action that converts content in Form Fields to normal printable content removing any output issues that may exist with Form Fields.

Special Announcement On September 8th, 2013 at 19:00 CEST, Enfocus executives will unveil the latest new component of PitStop at a press conference during PRINT13 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Availability PitStop Pro 12 and PitStop Server 12 will be released on September 8th 2013.

Beginning immediately, users purchasing or upgrading to PitStop Pro / Server 11 now will be entitled to a free upgrade to PitStop Pro / Server 12, until the actual release date.

Esko to acquire CAPE Systems Esko announced today its intent to purchase CAPE Systems, a provider of software solutions for packaging design, pallet load optimization and supply chain profitability. CAPE is active worldwide through a network of resellers, and is headquartered in Allen, TX (US) with offices in London, UK. “Esko is continually evolving from a prepress solution provider to an endto-end supplier in the packaging world.

It is our strategy to improve and drive profitability, utilization and fail safe solutions for our customers all the way from design to the point of sale, “explains Carsten Knudsen, Esko President and CEO. “CAPE has already made inroads in the brand owner and retailer packaging space. Adding their palletization tools to our portfolio supports our strategic goals. With CAPE, Esko receives the world’s leading and best-in-class toolkit. We re determined to leverage the synergies this brings to our existing products and services—especially the sustainability benefits that integrating CAPE’s technology into Esko solutions should provide our customers.”

There are strong synergies between CAPE and Esko, including many common customers across both the packaging manufacturing and brand owner markets. There are close links between ArtiosCAD, Esko’s leading structural package design software

worldwide, and CAPE PACK, which uses ArtiosCAD data for calculation and simulations within the software.

Additionally, CAPE reports can already be managed within Esko’s WebCenter online packaging management platform.

“There could be no better future for CAPE than to join Esko, one of CAPE’s most dynamic and familiar business partners,” comments CAPE CEO Brad Leonard. “The Esko technology and organization are well-known to us.

Joining Esko guarantees our global users continued support, development and integration, and opens up a wide range of packaging solutions.”

CAPE’s products and staff will be integrated into Esko’s portfolio and organization. eech addresses plastics industry needs with full static control and webcleaning ranges on display at K 2013 Meech International has officially announced its plans to participate at this year’s K trade fair (16th – 23rd October, Hall 11/ B60). With its complete Hyperion static control range on display and supported by a series of web-cleaners that includes the CyClean, Meech intends to illustrate to the plastics industry how businesses can benefit from its innovative range of products.

“The plastics sector is going through constant changes and offers numerous business opportunities, which is why we are looking forward to attending K once again,” explains David Rogers, Business Unit Director for Static Control.

“Since the last show we’ve successfully developed a new line of anti-static products ideal for the plastics industry, which we are confident will generate a lot of interest among the visitors to our stand.”

Static control range Despite static being a common phenomenon, David maintains that businesses need to be more conscious of the impact it can have on their in house activities.

“As a static charge is generated, products made of common plastic materials like polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene tend to mis-feed or misbehave, while the opportunity for contamination of the final product increases dramatically,” he elaborates.

“Add to this the increased potential for injury to operators as a consequence of the generated static charge discharging,

Print world Asia • 8/2013

News

59

Print World Asia • 8/2013

60

News Available immediately, Meech’s complete static control and web-cleaning ranges will be on display on the Meech stand (Hall 11/ B60) at the K trade fair, Düsseldorf Investment in Canon technology enables Latent Light to expand into B2C market Building on Latent Light’s successful partnership with Canon UK, a leader in imaging solutions, the company has invested in a second Canon imagePRESS – the C7000VP – to expand into the B2C market.

and the need to control static levels becomes a fundamental aspect of the production environment.”

David highlights the importance of this last comment with an example: “When static is present on a roll of film it can cause issues during the winding process, even if the charge is initially low. By winding up the material, you achieve a ‘battery effect’ with a huge accumulated charge. This charge can attract large amounts of contamination like dust or swarf, but it can also generate a powerful discharge that is capable of causing operator shocks, or even more severe accidents, like fires and damage to in house equipment.”

David goes on to explain another common occurrence which can take place during an injection moulding process: “Small light weight mouldings, for example plastic cups, can stick to the face of the moulding tool due to a static charge. This can subsequently lead to mould damage and even affect production speeds.”

“Our company has long recognised the issues caused by this phenomenon,” concludes David, “which is why we aim to provide customers with the excellent standards of static elimination they have come to expect from the Meech brand. Our most recent bars, the 971IPS and 929IPS, were developed as a direct response to customer feedback and provide efficient ionisation from a 24v power supply.”

Web-cleaning range Adam Battrick, Business Unit Director for Cleaning Systems, believes that it is also important to capitalise on the strengths of web-cleaning in order to minimise wastage and achieve higher levels of productivity within the plastics industry.

“Product cleanliness is of paramount importance within a number of industries,” explains Adam. “Let’s take thermoforming as an example, which is used in both the food and medical sectors. Materials need to be free of contamination prior to the forming process, otherwise there’s a risk that dust might become embedded in the final product. This can be achieved by placing a non-contact cleaner over the web, like the CyClean, which is capable of removing contamination to below 1 micron.” He follows up with a second example: “Meech’s non-contact webcleaners are also particularly useful in the manufacture of plastic bags, as they prove ideal for removing waste particles, or chad, after the die cutting process.”

“Web cleaning systems need to achieve two main actions for successful cleaning,” concludes Adam, “the boundary layer of air on the web must be broken, allowing contamination trapped under and within it to be removed, and the static charge on the web must be eliminated so that contamination can be isolated. We understand that brand owners expect the best quality finish for their products, so our systems are designed to guarantee spotless webs and therefore excellent results.”

Aiming to double the size of its business over the coming year, the Bristol-based photo-print service provider will use the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP to meet increasing demand for high-quality photobooks and expand its business with a new consumer facing offering, photogifts.co.uk.

The imagePRESS C7000VP – a 1200 x 1200 dpi digital colour production printer that runs up to 70 pages per minute (ppm) – provides Latent Light’s existing imagePRESS C6000VP with crucial support during peak production times of photo applications such as photobooks, calendars and canvas prints.

The company can now offer even faster turnaround times for short-run, printon-demand and customised print jobs.

The latest investment joins a fleet of Canon imagePROGRAF wide format devices, helping to drive the company’s new business, photogifts.co.uk. The new brand offers high quality personalised photo gifts that consumers can easily create online, with products ranging from canvas prints and books to mouse mats and chopping boards.

Adam Gildersleeve, Managing Director of Latent Light says: “We have a clear idea of where we currently are in the market and where we want to be. We needed to find the right print solution to deliver the quality, consistency and speed required to grow our business. As with any business decision we considered our options, but our search for uncompromised quality and service led us back to Canon. We had been so impressed by our existing imagePRESS – nothing in the market comes close to the high quality and consistency it achieves – that we needed little persuasion to add the C7000VP.” Over the last decade, Gildersleeve has

Print world Asia • 8/2013

News

seen his company transform from a sideline project based in a spare room, into a serious business venture operating from a 1,160 sqm state-of-the-art production unit in Bristol. One of its recent successes includes a full-time contract to produce photobooks and calendars for a large retailer.

Gildersleeve explains: “Previously, our client used a number of third party companies to produce its photobooks, however they were seeing a high level of these products returned by customers every year because of poor quality. With Latent Light, the client has not received a single return due to substandard quality and we firmly believe that this is indicative of what you can achieve with an imagePRESS.” Gildersleeve concludes: “From the outset, Canon has worked closely with us to lay the foundations for long term growth. They understand the problems we have faced and have been realistic about how to solve them, exploring all available options with us and providing expert advice on how to get the best out of their solutions.”

Mark Lawn, European and UK Marketing Director, Canon Europe, comments: “We’re delighted to be part of this exciting development journey with Latent Light. As a company they are demonstrating what was highlighted in Canon’s latest Insight Report – that there are significant opportunities out there for print service providers to grow their business through innovation and delivering value added services. Our

focus at Canon is to develop business partnerships like this one [with Latent Light] where, by providing the insight, technology and support to guide customers towards profitable new revenue streams, we’re helping them to see the bigger picture.”

BOBST expands your FFG capabilities with the brand new FFG 8.20 EXPERT In-line flexo folder gluers (FFG's) have delivered a real revolution in box making over the last decade and Bobst Lyon has played a leading role in bringing this process to a level never seen before thanks to developments such as full inline die-cutting on high graphics bottom-printers, embedded quality control systems and multi-fold features.

None the less, regular slotted cases (RSC's) remain a very popular and effective solution for many end user industries. Strong box compression performance, their ease of use on packing lines and their excellent value for money are among the strongest assets of this packaging classic. RSC's remain a huge market for the so-called “brown box applications” and in this world of commodity packaging there is fierce competition over the big volumes involved among the key players in the corrugated industry.

What is the target of this machine?

Designed for the day in, day out production of RSC's, the objective of the FFG 8.20 EXPERT is to be the highest performing machine available when it comes to square metre output per operator and to deliver the lowest

Get ready for the 2013 ASIAN PRINT AWARDS We hope to see you in Kuala Lumpur at the winners gala dinner.

www.asianprintawards.com

61

Print World Asia • 8/2013

62

News possible total cost of ownership. The 8.20 denomination reflects the two key dimensions of the machine: 800 mm in length and 2'000 mm in width (printed area), while 'EXPERT' reflects its production attributes: high speed- fast set-up - highly accurate folding, all of which make it the best-in-class solution for producing simple boxes at the lowest possible cost. Delivering consistent performance at high speeds (up to 22'000 boxes per hour) as well as ensuring fast set-up times (below two minutes), the 8.20 EXPERT produces volumes never before seen at this size, being equally at home handling fewer numbers of long runs or large numbers of short runs.

What’s new in the FFG 8.20 EXPERT? Layout Based on a fixed configuration, the FFG 8.20 EXPERT offers a surprisingly small footprint in its standard four colour version, while the modular design of its top printing flexo units mean that any requirement from one to six units can be accommodated (each module comes with two printing units and, optionally, can be delivered with one empty chamber allowing the creation of one, three, or five flexo unit configurations.)

Process Box production begins with the in-feed of sheets by a direct feed belt feeder, designed for high speed feeding with no crush, which opens up opportunities to box makers in an environment where brand owners are continually lightweighting.

BOBST has always targeted technology which can simplify those processes

and settings that take up most of the operator’s time. To this end, we have developed a new Smart Plate mounting system that allows the operator to carry out printing plate change-over in less than two minutes. Here, the operator simply mounts the plate onto a special jig and a pneumatic system draws it into the press and locks it up. At the end of the run the system unlocks the plate and ejects it from the print unit.

unit parameters, the operator moves box elements, such as the print, using one of the two large touch screen displays.

MPC4 then translates that requirement into the machine changes necessary, then sends the appropriate commands to any of the 34 motors at its disposal. MPC4 makes manual adjustment or individual settings a thing of the past, allowing the operator to focus on productivity and the quality of the box.

Posilock mounting of the die-cutting tools on the 8.20 EXPERT mean a further reduction in change-over time, while an entirely new four shaft slotter with a fully automatic lap cutter delivers almost instant set-up, reduced maintenance and improved quality which is comparable to die-cutting.

A further new development is MMPC, which is a maintenance, management and productivity control centre located in a 'black box' within the FFG 8.20 EXPERT. Accessed by Wi-Fi, MMPC gives multiple, authorised users access to a huge range of information.

Maintenance staff can, for example, view the machine status and trouble-shooting history, have direct access to preventative maintenance schedules and task details, and can create a shopping basket of parts to order on-line.

Squareness of the box is a basic requirement, particularly when it comes to the end-users packing lines where box runnability is a key issue for erecting and filling machines. To maintain squareness, the FFG 8.20 EXPERT features a new double creasing profile which adjusts to the thickness of the board and is controlled by the machine's new MPC4 control system. The equally vital folding accuracy of the machine is ensured thanks to a full vacuum belt with multi-T system and to motorized gauging rollers.

Key to the usability and high performance of the FFG 8.20 EXPERT is the newly developed MPC4 - the latest generation of human-machine interfaces for BOBST FFG's. Based around the concept of adjusting the box on-screen rather than directly adjusting

Plant management will be interested in the production information available from the MMPC, which offers a full dashboard of data such as uptime, historic performance, boxes produced etc. With suitable in-plant IT infrastructure, plant managers can even view this information from a PC, tablet or Smartphone anywhere in the world via a secure access system.

To sum-up the FFG 8.20 EXPERT • Operators will love its user friendliness • Production managers will love its high reliability and superb flexibility • Owners will love its R.O.I

H-UV convertible

Quality and Reliability in an Eco-friendly and Economical Innovative UV Curing System

LITHRONE S29

LITHRONE G40