PWA July 2015 WEB

Print World Asia Magazine

Issue 7 2015 US$8.50

Covering the Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia.

MICA (P) 155/12/2013 - KDN PPS1529/05/2013(025527)

Doing it the Taiwanese way Story on Page 8

The new Color 1000i Press

Gold & Silver give you infinite creative possibilities Fuji Xerox’s new Color 1000i Press is the industry’s first to offer gold and silver dry ink in a single pass.

Built on the market leading Color 1000 Press platform but now with stunning metallic effects that can deliver increased profitability to your business.

To find out more go to: www.fxap.com.sg/product/production/color_1000i/index.jsp The Color 1000i Press

Xerox, Xerox and Design, as well as Fuji Xerox and Design and Color 1000i Press are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xerox Corporation in Japan and/or other countries.

Asian PrintAwards 2015 th

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Contents Page

Issue 7 2015

4 Hybrid Software launches Cloudflow RIP 6 StoreFlow Cloud – A SaaS Web-toPrint Solution 8 Taiwan Paves the Way to Green Packaging

with HP Indigo 12 EFI Launches Next-generation of its Industry-

leading Fiery Digital Front End Platform 14 European holidaymakers still depend on printed

travel documents 16 Practical knowledge transfer on cutting-edge UV

sheetfed offset 20 Multiple benefits for quick turnaround commercial

litho printing 22 G40s power trading card start up 24 IST METZ is rocking the print world 26 Achieve significant savings and ‘remarkable’ results 28 Customized Travel Brochures with Runs of 1 are

Produced Fully Automatically 30 drupa cube: innovative conference programme at

drupa 2016 32 Digital printing press for corrugated board 34 Introduction of two new toners 36 Differentiating Power of the new ThermoFlexX 60 40 Offering valuable perspectives on a number of

business topics 42 BusAds partners HP for eco-friendly solutions 46 FESPA brand draws growing Asian audience 49 Powerful, Flexible production workflows for all

printing technologies 50 News from around the world

57 Ubi Ave. 1, #03-06 Ubi Centre, Singapore 408936. tel+65 6733 5342 fax +65 6733 3586 Marketing Director

Paul Callaghan paul@cpublish.com.sg

Events

Elizabeth Liew eliew@cpublish.com.sg Advertising sales@cpublish.com.sg Journalist

Sha Jumari editorasia@cpublish.com.sg Advertising Sales

Matthew Callahan matt@cpublish.com.sg Accounts/Circulation accounts@cpublish.com.sg

Get your BEST work ready for this year's Asian Print Awards (held in Singapore).

It will be the hardest event to win in the Awards 13 year History

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

4

PrePress

Hybrid Software launches Cloudflow RIP The new Cloudflow RIP can work as a standalone or as part of the Cloudflow workflow to rev up production efficiency for the packaging and label markets. By Sha Jumari.

Hybrid Software has announced a major addition to its Cloudflow suite of software for the packaging and label markets following the development of the Cloudflow RIP. Released in conjunction with the ThermoFlexX 60 machine launch in Yper, Belgium, the software was demonstrated with the ThermoFlexX digital flexo plate imagers available on-site.

The new Cloudflow RIP supports flexo platemaking, providing sophisticated screening and calibration control facilities. In addition to regular AM and FM screening, the RIP also supports object-based screening, enabling users to have full control over the ripping process.

“Being an integral part of our comprehensive Cloudflow suite of products, the RIP can take full advantage of the distributed architecture of Cloudflow to achieve extremely efficient productivity,” said Guido Van der Schueren, chairman, Hybrid Software. “As with all of our Cloudflow products the new RIP runs on the server and the user can control it via a web browser.”

Hybrid Software’s Cloudflow RIP supports native PDF 1.6 files and is available in two modes, either standalone or in a Cloudflow workflow.

In the standalone version the RIP is supplied with its own HTML UI, allowing the user to set up presets and then run jobs. A built-in TIFF viewer is provided to inspect output.

In a Cloudflow environment, the RIP runs as part of an operating workflow, handling functions such as routing files based on metadata and obtaining information from other systems. It can easily integrate with other Hybrid Software products such as Proofscope and PACKZFlow.

Cloudflow is a workflow system for running centralised graphics production work on a private computing cloud.

Cloudflow interfaces can be controlled from any web browser, or even a tablet.

“This means you can use it wherever there’s a connection, such as at the airport. Additionally, your customers can have access to the software wherever they are as well,” added Jan Ruysschaert, managing director,

Hybrid Software NV. Many print service providers have multiple file servers or several production locations in order to keep up with customer demands. This results in difficulty in managing production workloads and keeping track of digital files. Cloudflow aims to resolve this by centralising the production process within one system, the “cloud”, which can be accessed from any location at all through a browser.

Developed in HTML5, Cloudflow has a clean, straightforward interface.

The system’s Cloudflow Workspace provides user security, file management, and total control over all workflows and production.

One of the more interesting features of the software is that printers can send request approval to their clients from the program. As opposed to send files over email which might end up confusing, customers will be able to discuss and make changes on the design on the cloud software itself, minimising potential confusion.

Hybrid also demonstrated the latest version of PACKZ, its professional PDF editor for packaging and label workflows. The software can be fully integrated within the Cloudflow environment.

In version 3.0, the PACKZ Warp function allows users to create grids based on based on numerical information or technical drawings. This can be used for conical warping, disc shaped metal cans and shrink sleeves and the results can be seen instantly on screen in live 3D. PACKZ has a direct link with IC3D Suite for real-time 3D simulation of shrink sleeves, folding cartons and labels

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

PrePress

More Performance. Built in automation plus unique press

5

technologies take the finite resource of time and multiply it for you. You get more out of every shift and enhanced relationship with your clients.

The Versant™ 2100 Press allows you to manage colour more easily and simply with automated calibration and proofing. The result is higher quality without operator involvement, a positive impact on your productivity as well as your print output.

Do More. With More.

For more information: www.fxap.com.sg/product/production/versant_2100p.jsp The Versant™ 2100 Press

Xerox, Xerox and Design, as well as Fuji Xerox and Design and Versant are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xerox Corporation in Japan and/or other countries.

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

6

PrePress

StoreFlow Cloud – A SaaS Web-toPrint Solution XMPie Lowers the Barriers to Adopting Web-toPrint with Its Latest ‘Pay-As-You-Go’, Software-as-aService Solution

XMPie®, a leading provider of Web-to-print and personalized communication software, announces the release of StoreFlow Cloud – a subscription-based solution for creating Web-to-print portals. With little or no IT investment required, StoreFlow Cloud lowers the barriers to entry for practicing Web-to-print, making it easier for Print service providers and enterprises to embrace Web-to-print as a business offering.

StoreFlow Cloud is fully compatible with XMPie’s market-leading suite of solutions for personalization and multichannel communications, and it opens doors to the world of highervalue services, such as creating and managing marketing portals, which is the goal and aspiration of many service providers.

said Jacob Aizikowitz, President of XMPie. “At the same time, customers of StoreFlow Cloud will be able to jumpstart their journey towards transforming their businesses to become full-fledged, high-value multichannel service providers.”

“As an entry level Cloud-based solution, StoreFlow Cloud gives Print and Marketing service providers a convenient way to participate in a fast growing segment of services,”

While StoreFlow Cloud is the newest addition to XMPie’s product line, it is a solid member of a wellestablished, leading family of offerings in Web-to-print and multichannel

StoreFlow Cloud offers a costeffective way to create and manage e-commerce web sites that enable visitors to upload their documents, or select a template from a catalog and customize / personalize it, price the job, and submit it for processing and handling. StoreFlow Cloud leverages Xerox FreeFlow™ Core technology to streamline and automate pre-press functions and other print fulfilment workflows – critical for touchless, cost-effective fulfillment of jobs.

communications.

“XMPie StoreFlow continues to take giant leaps forward, making it one of the most intuitive, flexible, and extensible solutions available in the market today for expanding a print business and improving operational efficiencies,” Will Furphy, Managing Director at Technique, Melbourne, Australia.

Key features: Unlimited number of static, customizable and variable documents Adobe workflow for InDesign template creation and editing Automated predefined prepress workflows powered by Xerox FreeFlow™ Core Customizable, Mobile-friendly storefronts with intuitive shopping experience Integrates with common payment gateways and shipping providers

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

Game changers

Digital Technology

7

Say yes to 98% of commercial jobs, produced cost-effectively with no compromise on quality or media range.

Introducing the latest ground-breaking innovations from HP Indigo.

Faster, smarter and more profitable, this new line-up is changing the rules of the game. It includes the HP Indigo 5600 and 7800 digital presses, as well as the B2/29 inch HP Indigo 10000 – all you would expect from an Indigo press, but in a wider format. It’s a gamechanging portfolio that’s redefining what’s possible with print.

With thousands of digital sheetfed presses in operation, as well as partnerships with leading vendors for end-to-end solutions, HP Indigo is the proven choice for profitable growth.

Find out more at hp.com/go/indigo or contact Edcent Chan at: +65 9862 6092 or email: edcent.chan@hp.com

HP Indigo 7800 Digital Press

HP Indigo 10000 Digital Press

© 2014 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

HP Indigo 5600 Digital Press

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Digital Technology

Taiwan Paves the Way to Green Packaging with HP Indigo Taiwan Lamination installs the first HP Indigo 20000 in the Asia Pacific region, outside of Japan, pioneering sustainable digital solutions in the packaging space.

Sha Jumari reports.

In collaboration with Taiwan Lamination, HP recently hosted a customer and media event in Taiwan in May 2015 to announce the first Asia Pacific installation of the HP Indigo 20000, outside of Japan. The investment in HP Indigo came in response to increased packaging sustainability awareness and demand for high quality, short-runs on varying substrates. The event saw over 200 domestic and international visitors, including Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and even Europe.

“Packaging plays a significant role in the environmental sustainability. This is why two years ago, we’ve committed ourselves to adopt technologies that support our philosophy of going green,” said Chen Yung Shun, president, Taiwan Lamination Industries, Inc. During the event, delegates were able to visit Taiwan Lamination’s new facilities, which housed the HP Indigo 20000 digital press. HP also arranged for attendees to visit UM Taiwan and

Gain-How Printing Co., printing companies that have successfully transitioned to digital printing systems.

Established in 1977, Taiwan Lamination specializes in flexible packaging for various industries including food and beverage, electronics and medical. Traditionally using rotogravure technology, the Taoyuan-based company invested US$15 million in its new factory, equipping it with technologies and machines that go hand in hand with the company’s commitment to be environmentally responsible, including solvent-free laminating machines and water-based flexo printing technology.

“As part of our corporate social responsibility efforts, we want to promote environmentally-conscious printing and ensure that the manufacturing process of packaging materials complies with environmental and safety standards. At the same time, we do not want to compromise quality,” Chen continued. “We first saw the HP Indigo 20000 at Drupa 2012, and were impressed with its high quality digital printing capabilities.”

The HP Indigo 20000 is a roll-to-roll digital press that is capable of producing a variety of digital applications, including flexible packaging, labels and shrink sleeves on film or paper.

The press’ 76 cm (30”) media width and 1.1 metre repeat length allows it to accommodate most flexible packaging format sizes. The first five installations of the press in the region have all been in Japan.

Chen Yung Shun, president, Taiwan Lamination Industries, Inc.

“Taiwan Lamination is our first customer outside of Japan to install the HP Indigo 20000 press. We installed the machine several months back; it is up-and-running, in full commercial production, and we're here to celebrate that,” said Roy Eitan, director and General Manager, HP Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. HP’s proprietary Indigo technology for labels has been around since 1995. Over the last 20 years HP has remained the market leader, selling more machines in the narrow web space and gaining significant digital market share. Taking the existing Indigo technology, HP increased the format by 2.5 times and presented printers in the packaging space with a digital solution for mass production in wide-web folding cartons and packaging. This came in the form of the HP Indigo 20000 and 30000, which was first launched at Drupa 2012, signifying HP’s dedication to the packaging market.

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

Digital Technology exhibiting growth in every country and evolving, due to shifting demands.

Demands of the end-users and brandowners have progressed to requiring shorter runs and more variety, flavours, sizes etc (SKU’s), which align with the capabilities of digital printing.

At the same time, companies that are privately owned are being taken over by the second generation, who are beginning to innovate with digital solutions.

“This trend is exactly the same in Asia Pacific. In Taiwan especially, where we have a strong digital label market, there is the same packaging penetration, ratio and speed, as in markets in Europe and North America,” Eitan continued. “The brands all have the same needs to be more specific and have more versions. Between localization, customization and personalization; ultimately the brand owner is developing more SKUs.”

“We forecast a strong double digit growth for HP year after year. The key thing here is not our growth; it is our customer’s growth. Our business model is built upon customers growing their print volumes. We’re very proud to say that in packaging our customers are growing their business by 30% year after year,” said Eitan.

“There’s a huge group of people who can take our product and do things with it that we have never even thought of before. This is why this event is so important to us. Our job is to empower as many customers as we can with our technology, by enabling them to share ideas and take them to the next level,” Eitan continued.

Transforming Industries Packaging is a key strategic growth engine for HP. In Asia, the middleincome market is growing. As people are getting better jobs and the minimum wage increases, so does their desire to spend money and consume. Asia displays the fastest

growing domestic consumption in the world, and with that, a rapid growth of packaging.

The event is just one of HP’s efforts to drive the digital revolution in the packaging industry: “This phenomena is worldwide, not just Taiwan. Our ultimate aim is to help our customers transition into digital packaging,” said Eitan.

The evolution of the packaging industry is the same situation faced by commercial printing many years back.

Although commercial printing still takes up a large share of the market, it is slowing in terms of growth.

Packaging, on the other hand, is

Chen explained further: “There is a serious bottleneck in the current market and we are now taking in more short runs. Previously we produced packaging that can be used over the next 10 years. In the current market, one packaging design is meant for one year of use only. In addition, our clients now have a wide variety of products and require an array of packaging designs.

With the old gravure method, this new trend becomes very expensive.”

“With HP, we easily solved this problem for our clients. We can even print one piece of substrate. Our clients are very happy with our new service,” Chen added, extolling the main benefit of installing the HP Indigo 20000 press. “We can also confidently tell our clients that they only need to wait 30 minutes for us to provide a finished packaging. With traditional gravure, this would not be possible at all.”

9

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Digital Technology “We’re all about transforming industries. When you transform an industry, you do not do it alone. You do it with other partners in the market.

Your partners can be in various forms, such as additional vendors, software companies and finishing companies, but they can also be your customers,” Eitan continued.

“We partner with customers who are most forward-thinking, innovative, and committed to transform the industry and this is exactly what we find in Taiwan Lamination. It is a very traditional business, but with foresight to innovate digitally. HP is right behind them, empowering them with our solutions. This is what we do at HP.” HP Delivers Quality, Productivity, Environmental Benefits Nick Price, General Manager for the Labels and Packaging Segment of HP Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, broke down the core advantages of going digital: “The main benefit of HP Indigo is the print quality on almost all substrates.

HP Indigo presses are able to deliver the same quality as gravure and offset technologies, often even better when factoring in the conventional print defects such as dot-gain, misregistration and colour shifts.”

“Secondly we provide the productivity gains. Printing on a HP Indigo cuts down a lot of time and cost in the workflow. There are no plates or cylinders to manufacture and once the digital file is approved it can be printed immediately.

In places like China where the minimum wages are increasing, and in Japan, where the wages are high, digital printing reduces man hours considerably and enables you to be more competitive in delivering your finished goods.

Nick Price and Roy Eitan

Speed to market is also a huge factor to consider, where digital printing can help reduce this from weeks to days, or even hours” Price continued.

As well as the HP Indigo hardware advantages, there are additional software such as the HP Smartstream Mosaic that enables thousands of designs to be created and printed automatically from a surprisingly limited number of original designs.

This same technology was used for Coca-Cola’s famed Extraordinary Campaign in Israel.

One of the key benefits of digital packaging printing is the compliancy to environmental sustainability.

Packaging production can be a very high-emission industry, especially when using conventional gravure technologies that involve machinery and chemicals. Governments are also making a push for environmental practices and implementing stricter regulations. HP Indigo’s low-emission solutions best conforms to this.

“There is now much more demand in Asia Pacific to be environmentallyfriendly. Companies have talked about it for years, but now governments are acting and business owners are having to respond. But the largest push is coming from International Brands who want to send the right message to their consumers. Digital Packaging can deliver that” explained Price. “You are removing a lot of chemicals, polymers, metals and VOC emissions from the process, reducing the environmental footprint significantly.”

The Taiwanese Way Creativity and innovation are two qualities not foreign to Taiwan. In 2014, Bloomberg awarded the island among the top 10 most innovative in the world, and the first in patent activity.

“Taiwan is an interesting market.

It's a perfect combination – Chinese sensibilities in manufacturing and speed, harmonizing with Japan’s attention to detail and eye for subtleties.

With that combination, it is creating a winning formula, in manufacturing, technology and, of course, packaging,” observed Price.

In terms of product, Price added that Taiwan has comparable aesthetics to Japan and closely follows the trends there. The island has similar products and unique offerings that come with strong and innovative ideas with its packaging.

In Taiwan, HP partners with Grandtech to expand its domestic sales reach and first line support.

Taiwan’s economy is highly dependent on international trade and export, but its print industry remains largely domesticated. That may soon change - in May 2014, Taiwan opened up its printing industry to China under a service trade pact. Due to China’s strict constraints on commercial printing and publishing, most of the focus has been on the packaging segment.

Packaging has a regional reach, as more Taiwanese companies set up base in Southeast Asia and China.

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

Management/General 11

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

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Digital Technology

EFI Launches Next-generation of its Industry-leading Fiery Digital Front End Platform EFI has launched the newest platform for its industry-leading Fiery® digital front ends (DFE) for digital printing systems. The latest advancements included in the new EFI Fiery FS200 Pro extend technical leadership advantage that makes Fiery the world’s most popular production DFE technology by giving users an extremely productive, intuitive platform with expanded colour capability.

EFI’s market-leading MIS/ERP and web-to-print products.

Fiery FS200 Pro

The DFE platform, which will be incorporated in several new digital presses from EFI partners starting in Q3, features innovative tools for higher-speed processing and expansion to CMYK+ colours. It also provides robust capabilities for shop automation and connectivity.

As the industry’s only CIP4-certified JDF DFE, the Fiery platform can seamlessly connect with other JDFbased devices. Plus, users can establish fully automated, bi-directional communication and integration with

“Fiery is the gold standard for the class of digital front end technology needed to drive high-end, integrated graphic arts production printing environments, and we are excited to take our leadingedge technology to the next level with a platform that addresses users’ critical needs for faster processing, moreefficient printing and expanded colour gamuts,” said Toby Weiss, senior vice president and general manager, EFI Fiery. “Many of the new capabilities included in this release are unique to Fiery and will deliver a competitive advantage to print businesses looking to fuel their success with the unmatched performance this DFE platform offers.”

Improved productivity with 5 5% faster RIPing Fiery DFEs are powered by EFI’s proprietary ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) with RIPChip™ technology that can process print files significantly faster than alternative DFEs. Fiery FS200 Pro expands the performance advantage on high-end servers with EFI’s breakthrough Fiery HyperRIP offering. HyperRIP now has a mode optimised for multiple jobs, as well as the previous, singlejob mode, boosting processing performance up to 55% compared to the performance without HyperRIP. Now, the Fiery FS200 Pro platform

can RIP up to four jobs simultaneously, giving users the ability to print more jobs in the shortest possible time.

The new Fiery platform also includes a Rush RIP mode that opens up a fifth RIP to process rush jobs when all four main parallel processors are busy.

“Rush RIP allows printing operations to accommodate last-minute rush jobs without interrupting the on-going workflow or cancelling jobs that are already being processed. It also gives users the ability to preview jobs quickly while other jobs are processing, further speeding up the production process and increasing overall throughput,” said Weiss.

“With the new Fiery FS200 Pro platform, EFI has brought a new level of productivity to the market,” according to Kaspar Roos, director of analyst firm InfoTrends’ Production Workflow Service. “Improvements in RIPing speed, colour management, and tighter integration of workflow components make this new Fiery platform a very attractive proposition.”

Better brand-colour matching, and customisable API integration The EFI Fiery FS200 Pro system also takes colour management to brandnew heights with the introduction of a CMYK+ feature set for incorporating expanded-gamut process-colour imaging beyond standard four-color imaging. CMYK+ opens the door to a range of inkjet press technologies that may be capable of incorporating five-,

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

Digital Technology The first DFEs based on the Fiery FS200 Pro platform will be available in Q3.

Fiery is the world’s most popular DFE platform, with more users than all other production printing DFEs combined. For more information about Fiery Driven™ production printing, visit www.efi.com.

six-, or eight-colour process imaging.

Print businesses can more precisely match a wider range of brand colours on digital presses offering expanded toner imaging capabilities.

EFI has also released colour correction and process control improvements to the Fiery Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition including:

• new features in Fiery ImageViewer that offer greater consistency in the colour workflow, with automated colour adjustment between similar jobs using custom colour curves • a WYSIWYG interface to edit control bars, offering users more control over placement and content.

About EFI EFI™ (www.efi.com) is a worldwide provider of products, technology and services leading the transformation of analogue to digital imaging. Based in Silicon Valley, with offices around the globe, the company's powerful integrated product portfolio includes digital front-end servers; superwide, wide-format, label and ceramic inkjet presses and inks; production workflow, web to print, and business automation software; and office, enterprise and mobile cloud solutions. These products allow users to produce, communicate and share information in an easy and effective way, and enable businesses to increase their profits, productivity, and efficiency.

FIND YOUR KEY TO SUCCESS AT F E S PA C H I N A & CS G I A 2 0 1 5

21-23 October 2015, Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China

15

FESPA CHINA 2015 Shanghai

21-23 October 2015

FESPA China & CSGIA 2015: ‘Find the Key to Success’ for your print business amongst the industry’s finest representatives covering wide format digital printing, screen printing, garment decoration, textile print, signage and point of sales display.

With 500 international and local manufacturers and suppliers displaying new products, the latest technology and applications, visitors can gain insight and knowledge to enhance their business at FESPA China & CSGIA, Shanghai.

Visit Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai from 21-23 October 2015

REGISTER FOR YOUR FREE VISITOR BADGE AT

WWW.FESPACHINA.COM Solutions Partner

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FESPA China Print World Asia 148.5x210 EN.indd 1

Digital Textile Partner

30/06/2015 11:26

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Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Digital Technology

European holidaymakers still depend on printed travel documents 93% rely on printed travel documents, despite researching and booking online Canon study aims to identify how brands can add value to improve customer experience With the European summer holiday season about to start, Canon, worldleader in imaging solutions, today reveals that despite 92% consumers researching holidays online, and a further 82% booking accommodation and 77% booking travel using the internet, an astonishing 93% of European holidaymakers still print out travel documents according to new European research.

Of those who do print out travel documents, 87% refer to them over the course of their trip. However, over half of all respondents (57%) choose to turn to social media and the web to source information on their destination while travelling, and just 10% actually use the information provided by their booking source (i.e. online travel agencies, booking operators etc.).

The European research found that 71% consumers print out travel documents as a precautionary measure to overcome any technological issues or potential mix-ups further down the line, while more than half (51%) do so out of habit. According to the findings, German (75%) and British travellers (74%) are the most likely to print out travel documents ‘just-in-case’.

Marc Ranner, Marketing Director at Canon Europe, said: “It’s clear that whilst European travellers have embraced digital for researching, comparing prices and booking holidays, they are still very dependent on printed travel documents. Whether or not this is because of a lack of trust in the electronic systems used by travel operators, or their own personal

technology, there is a strong appetite for tangible printed documents as a reliable reference.”

When asked what information holiday makers want readily available when travelling, the top five included: the address of the final destination (67%), a map of the destination (51%), directions to where they are staying (42%), public transportation directions to destination (31%) and key local addresses and numbers (28%).

Ranner continues: “The message to travel companies is clear; printed travel documents are still incredibly important to holidaymakers but the information they contain could be far more useful. Rather than only providing details specific to the bookings or using whitespace to deliver targeted banner ads that are often disregarded, businesses can add value to printed travel documents to extend and improve their customers’ experience, not just by giving them the information they need, but also the details they actually want to hand in a user and print friendly way, reducing the need for them to rely on the internet while abroad.

There is also an opportunity to fuse together the benefits of the internet with the reliability of print. Using selectable or customisable online documents that allow consumers to print out what’s relevant to them is a level of personalisation that demonstrates an understanding of customer needs and shows that they are at the heart of your business.”

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Sheetfed Offset

Practical knowledge transfer on cutting-edge UV sheetfed offset A large international customer event took place once again at KBA-Sheetfed Solutions in Radebeul, near Dresden, with the LED-UV & Traditional UV Conference from 24 to 26 June.

The event was a resounding success with around 1,000 print experts from more than 30 countries in attendance.

This huge level of interest shows just how important the topic of UV printing in diverse variations has now become to the print industry and how important sharing knowledge is.

KBA is once again a trendsetter and trailblazer in the relatively young field of HR- and LED-UV in particular.

Nevertheless, the event did not just focus on this technical topic. The visiting print pundits were treated to two new product developments at once with practical live demonstrations of the Rapida 105 PRO unveiled at Print China in April and the inline Rapida RDC (Rotary Die Cutter).

When welcoming the guests Ralf Sammeck, KBA group executive board member responsible for the new business unit KBA-Sheetfed Solutions, referred to the company’s all-encompassing approach in sheetfed

offset. This includes technical and process innovations, intensive customer consulting, competent and fast-reacting after-sales service on all continents, user-specific solutions as a longstanding pillar of strength of the

Saxon press manufacturer and setting benchmarks with Rapidas installed at other top performing printshops.

At the end of the day it is all about helping our customers to be successful in the market. The KBA group has an exceptionally broad product portfolio and is a financially solid partner of printing companies.

Experts from the supply industry light up HR- and LED-UV from all sides KBA key account manager Jürgen Veil also mentioned the company’s all-encompassing approach while presenting the podium discussion on cutting-edge finishing and curing technology. Technology partners from the world of printing inks (Flint, Epple, Inx), coating (Actega, Weilburger) and drying (AMS) answered a raft of user questions. When it came to ink and coating attention focused on the availability of special series, opaque white, metallic or Iriodin, as well as their suitability for food and

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Sheetfed Offset on non-absorbent substrates was shown on a six-colour Rapida 106 with coater and ColdFoil Micro.

When changing jobs the visitors saw a switch from self-adhesive labels to PP film. This was in addition to a demonstration of an automatic anilox roller change with AniloxLoader and automatic coating plate change with DriveTronic SFC. Various print jobs were shown for work and turn on a new five-colour Rapida 75 with coater and LED dryer. One of the highlights of the demonstrations was the brilliant print quality on offset paper delivered

by LED-UV.

non-food packaging, the toy and the tobacco industries. Questions were also asked about the print services available, suitable cleaning agents and technological features. The discussion on dryers also focused on practical topics: how do you know when a diode is broken, who can replace these, how is maintenance work carried out on LED dryers, how can the curing of LED inks be measured with measuring technology and much more.

New Rapida 105 PRO with new TouchTronic operation The new KBA Rapida 105 PRO medium-format press was presented in theory and practice as a raised sixcolour press with twin coaters for conventional inks, primers and UV coating. The new press scores points with its high level of variety in terms of kit (also perfecting) and fulfils the essential requirements of commercial and packaging printers. It will soon be on display in the KBA demo centre in Radebeul featuring a ColdFoiler for high-quality cold-foil finishing. With speeds of up to 17,000sph and a high level of pre-set capabilities, the press offers somewhat more comfort and performance compared to the Rapida 105 which is still available (see press release 15-023 from 13.04.2015). In terms of price and performance the Rapida 105 PRO is positioned between the Rapida 105 and Rapida 106, which is the world’s number one press in its format class with speeds of up to 20,000sph and the shortest makeready times.

The visitors were treated to a demonstration of a job change with a fast coating plate change and coating change as well as a substrate changeover from 250 g/m2 (160lbs) to 1.1mm-thick. The new intuitive TouchTronic operating system with a 16:9 touchscreen was a further highlight. All relevant information can be accessed on the touchscreen with a maximum of two touches. New features include comfortable job changing at just one press of a button (One Button Job Change) and the clearly arranged list of jobs. TouchTronic is expected to be gradually built into all new Rapidas in all format classes by the beginning of 2016.

Demonstration of the strengths of LED-UV in all format classes A series of press demos was dedicated to UV and finishing: cold-foil kit in connection with HR-UV technology

KBA presented a job printed with inmould film and low-migration LEDUV inks on a Rapida 145 (six colours with coater). This was followed by jobs demonstrating fast work and turn with three different types of paper (matt, gloss and offset). The focus of the job changes was placed on automation modules for fast set-up, these include DriveTronic SRW (simultaneous roller washing) and DriveTronic SFC coater with AniSleeve sleeve changing.

Rapida 106 remains makeready world champion even with LED-UV The afternoon programme began with a keynote talk from David Bland of Blackmore Ltd. in Longmead, Great Britain. He is one of a raft of users who have already implemented LEDUV technology and he reported on his experience with this new technology.

Afterwards an eight-colour Rapida 106 with coater and perfecting for 4/4 production showed what it could do: it was impressive to see that the sheets were dry immediately after passing

through the LED dryer despite the sheets’ high colour imposition, the print quality on offset paper in LED-UV was outstanding and the production of ten different jobs took place within a short time, this included posters with Flying JobChange. The KBA Rapida 106 defends its title as makeready world champion even with LED technology. The press’ technological highlights include the cleaning and supplying of the coater with UV coating during production.

Launch of the KBA Rapida RDC The Rapida RDC was also unveiled at the open house. It features a rotary die-cutter based on Rapida components that can run at speeds of up to 14,000sph. It is equipped with various automation modules for reducing start-up times (e.g. automatic cutting die change). Its intuitive operating concept is based on that of other Rapida presses. Job profiles can be stored shortening makeready when

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Existing systems, such as KBA LogoTronic, can also be applied.

Grooving and embossing took place in the Rapida RDC’s first unit and die-cutting took place in the second.

After a quick cutting die change in the

second unit, the visitors were treated to die-cutting of self-adhesive labels.

KBA invited the visiting print experts to a popular beach bar situated directly at the river Elbe in the evening.

The guests had the opportunity to converse informally with each other, to network or simply enjoy the view of the historical old town of Dresden on a summer’s evening.

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Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

20

Sheetfed Offset

Multiple benefits for quick turnaround commercial litho printing The Energy-saving LED UV drying technology option supplied with the ROLAND 700 Evolution offers many benefits for printers.

Enabling more vibrant color and higher levels of productivity on a wide range of substrates, along with significant cost and environmental benefits and greatly increased viability for short-run printing. LED technology provides instant drying, on paper, synthetics or metalized stocks, and because it does away with the need for spray powder, it also offers significant environmental benefits.

LED power and control units are compact and energy efficient, needing only 50 - 70% of the power required by LEC-UV and 20% - 30% of the power required by typically UV equipment, while occupying a significantly smaller footprint. These are completely integrated into press functionality, and segmentation of power output delivers further savings. LED drying also does away with marking issues on the press

and combines higher color brilliance with more sharpness, while doing away with the need for protective coatings.

The ink dries instantly through exposure to the LED light so no further surface protection is required. Because the LED process generates light with no heat, presses can operate with low pile temperatures with no sheet curling or other registration issues.

Summing up the benefits of LED UV drying technology on the ROLAND Evolution, Manroland Head of R&D Stefan Finger commented: “The advantages of LED technology for the ROLAND 700 Evolution are threefold; higher print quality than we could ever have believed possible along with significant energy reduction and instant post production processing to deliver significant efficiency benefits for our customers.”

LED technology can be specified on the majority of ROLAND sheetfed formats, either new or retrofitted. To find out more please contact your local Manroland office or email evolution@ manrolandsheetfed.com About Manroland Sheetfed Manroland Sheetfed GmbH is a leading German producer of sheetfed offset litho printing presses. Founded in 1871, the company is one of the oldest producers of printing presses in the world. Today the company has its own subsidiaries in over 40 countries and is a global watchword for supreme quality and reliability. Manroland Sheetfed GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of the privately owned UK engineering group, Langley Holdings plc.

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

Sheetfed Offset 21

touch the future Inspiring ideas for success drupa is the must-attend event in 2016: Starting point of highly promising visions.

Focus of future technologies. Meeting point of ideas that electrify the markets.

Innovative business models and best-practice examples will show the growth potential of the future: print, packaging production, green printing, functional printing, multichannel and 3D printing.

The programme “drupa future visions” is a look far ahead.

Be part of it!

daily news, trends, innovations blog.drupa.com

May 31 – June 10, 2016 Düsseldorf/Germany www.drupa.com Share

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www.messe-duesseldorf.de/MDA

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Sheetfed Offset

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Sheetfed Offset

IST METZ is rocking the print world UV rocks“ has been the motto of IST METZ GmbH for this year’s UV DAYS. And UV did rock: more space, more guests, more exhibitors – the seventh edition of UV DAYS ended with a whole set of superlatives.

Any ordinary smartphone can be pushed into the folded head of the guitar. It is first clamped into a holder produced by the 3D printing process.

The top of the head is closed with a cardboard tab. An app for Apple or Android devices developed specifically for the occasion can be loaded. It contains a game in which, similarly to when playing the guitar, the fingers of the left hand have to touch the correct strings to win points. In other words, the cardboard guitar really can be "played" digitally using the app.

Visitors from all over the world came to Nuertingen near Stuttgart in Germany where the UV specialist has its headquarters. IST METZ informed about UV lamp technology as well as the increasingly popular LED technology. Both drying technologies were demonstrated with a cartonboard guitar.

The world’s largest in-house exhibition of UV technology has beaten its own records once again: 800 guests (2013: 600) could be welcomed by IST METZ at UV DAYS in June.

The event comprised several printing demonstrations and lectures, company tours, lab tours and a large exhibition of partners from the printing industry.

For this, more exhibitors than ever could be won – 35 companies (2013: 26) took part in UV DAYS. “With around 2,000 square metres in our new building, we had of course the advantage of having more space this year”, said Dirk Jägers, Managing Director of IST METZ GmbH. “Thus we have been able to assign the popular exhibition stands to more companies.”

There was also high demand for the paper guitar, this year’s print gimmick for visitors. The printing of the guitar body, with the drying of inks and varnishes by means of UV light included, was demonstrated live, once with UV lamp technology and once exemplarily with a UV LED system.

Furthermore the finishing of the guitar neck with hot-foil embossing was shown, also cured by means of UV light.

„We have once again shown at UV DAYS how much potential UV technology offers in combination with new product ideas“, said Dirk Jägers.

“Lamp or LED, which technology is the better choice depends on the respective application. UV allows for high-class finishings in packaging printing. There the lamp technology will remain useful. In commercial printing less finishing effects are required, but here the advantage of immediate processing is a strength UV also offers. A retrofitting to LED technology is conceivable in this area.

What is certain above all is that the market for UV is growing, and along with it UV DAYS which we will host again in 2017.”

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Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Management/General

Achieve significant savings and ‘remarkable’ results When Customark, one of the UK’s most diverse specialist printing and labelling companies made the transition from OEM inks to Sun Chemical’s Streamline range of alternative solvent inkjet inks, it didn’t just benefit from the combination of premium quality output and total reliability.

The company has achieved significant cost savings without compromising standards, giving its service offering that all important competitive edge.

The West Midlands-based company, which specialises in the development and printing of unique labelling and identification systems as well as promotional and display graphics, prides itself on its customer service and high quality products at competitive prices. With such a diverse and growing product portfolio and its wide-ranging and demanding customer base, Customark was experiencing increasingly high volumes of ink usage on its Roland and Mimaki digital wide format presses.

“Our digital wide format presses are in almost constant use, running 24 hours a day up to six days a week,” says Steven Round, in charge of marketing at Customark. “And with customer demand for ever tighter turnaround times, shorter and more personalised print and high quality output, any disruption to the efficiency and quality of our operation just wouldn’t have been acceptable.”

The challenge of supplying Customark with its increasing inks and consumables needs lay with ScreenPro, Sun Chemical’s largest authorised distributor for screen and digital inks to the UK graphics market. Liam Redmond, Director of ScreenPro explains: “We pride ourselves in keeping one step ahead of our customers by anticipating their needs and carefully monitoring product innovation.

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

Management/General 27 Having worked with Customark for several years, we could see through their increased volumes of ink usage, that they could benefit significantly by migrating from their existing OEM product, to the Streamline range of alternative inks, and just as importantly, without impacting on the quality and productivity of their output.”

Sun Chemical’s Streamline range offer fully OEM-compatible solutions for inkjet printers, which have been specially formulated to match the colour, physical properties and performance of the original inks.

This enables them to be mixed and interchanged with OEM solvent inks, offering total flexibility and without affecting output.

Prior to introducing the Streamline inks to its customer offering, and recommending it to Customark, Liam and his team at ScreenPro needed to be totally confident that the ink would perform equally well, if not better, than the existing inks that Customark was using. “We could easily calculate the cost savings, but we had to be absolutely sure there would be no detrimental impact to the effectiveness of their equipment as well as replicate the highest standards of output,” says Liam.

ScreenPro undertook a series of trials over a period of 12 months to rigorously test all aspects of the inks in real production environments in terms of quality, performance, colour matching and compatibility with printing technologies.

“The results were quite remarkable,” enthuses Liam. “There were absolutely

no issues with the Streamline inks, giving us complete confidence to recommend them to our customers, who have since welcomed the opportunity to achieve considerable cost and production efficiencies with some outstanding quality output.”

Having conducted their own trials to monitor performance alongside their OEM inks, Customark has since converted its Mimaki and Roland wide format digital presses and has been successfully using Sun Chemical’s Streamline alternative solvent inkjet inks for some time. Steven Round concludes: “It’s been a win/win situation for us. We haven’t suffered any quality or production efficiency issues – which is something that can happen when you introduce some alternative inks. In addition, we’ve also gained some substantial cost benefits, saving around 32% in ink costs alone over the last 12 months.”

For more information on Sun Chemical and its Streamline range, visit: www. sunchemical.com.

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Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Finishing Technology

Customized Travel Brochures with Runs of 1 are Produced Fully Automatically DS Graphics in Lowell in the US state of Massachusetts specializes in customized, digitally printed travel brochures with runs of 1.

A few weeks ago the company shifted from manual production to use of a new Primera Digital saddle stitcher equipped with a flat pile feeder. A barcode system developed by Muller Martini that also handles routed distribution enables efficient production.

Have you also wanted a personal holiday brochure containing your favorite destinations? A leading supplier in the USA of small-group package holidays provides just that for its North American customers, who love travelling to Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. Preferred travel destinations can be entered on the website. Those who are keen to visit the Slavic countries by the Adriatic, for instance, receive a catalog about Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina, while those who prefer Australia can learn more about Sydney, the Outback and the Great Barrier Reef. Every travel brochure is a customized, unique “My Catalog”, enabling the supplier to communicate even more effectively with its customers.

Customer-Specific Configuration Until April the distribution of the brochures that are printed using a digital sheet-fed press was performed manually, which was highly resourceintensive. However, a few weeks ago DS Graphics switched not only to producing the brochures fully automatically, but also to preparing them for distribution in the same manner. DS Graphics, which specializes in digital strategies and integrated marketing solutions, specially commissioned a Primera Digital saddle stitcher for that purpose.

The saddle stitcher is equipped with a flat pile feeder, a pocket folding unit and an MBO processing folder and was configured by Muller Martini to suit the company’s needs.

DS Graphics produces the travel brochures, which have the address of the recipient on the back page, at staggered intervals in a bundle, rather than daily. The Asir 3 barcode system not only simplifies production and ensures the cover and content match (variable data production), but also provides for the routed preparation of the bundles in the compensating stacker (variable bundle production).

The barcode that is printed on every signature and cover contains a product ID (which defines the job), a copy ID (which ensures the correct sequence of the signatures) and a bundle ID (for stacking). DS Graphics delivers the customized products, which have been optimally sorted by the various mailing routes, on pallets to customers.

Hybrid Solution for Digital and Offset Thanks to this Primera Digital solution that was previously only available for the Presto II Digital saddle stitcher and

has been installed as a world premiere

by Muller Martini, DS graphics can also produce products with runs of 1 efficiently and with a massive time saving compared to the previous manual solution. The Primera Digital, which is equipped with six flat pile feeders, the new 0507 cover feeder and the Robusto compensating stacker, is also a hybrid solution that can be used for the stitching of conventionally printed products. Ninety-five percent of the products at DS Graphics continue to be conventional, commercial products that are offset printed.

However, the innovative company already has new digital plans, and, in addition to the fully automatic production of the brochures by means of digital signature printing, a flat pile feeder and saddle stitcher, is contemplating a near-line solution using roll/roll.

KBA Sheetfed Offset Technology Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

Packaging Technology

29

KBA Rapida 145 and 164 More power in VLF

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Our new Rapida 145 and Rapida 164 jumbos underscore our position as the technological and market leader in large format. The Rapida 145’s maximum rated output of 17,000 sheets per hour and the Rapida 164’s output of 15,000 sheets per hour as well as unbeatably fast job changes deliver an unparalleled level of productivity and cost efficiency. How? Through simultaneous plate change, parallel washing cycles, no-sidelay infeed, automated coating-forme change, quick-change screen-roller sleeves and presetting of all core functions. Plus options for inline finishing, quality assurance and much, much more. Any questions?

Give us a call.

KBA Printing Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., +86 10 8447 5909, w.zehner@kbachina.com KBA (HK) Co. Ltd., +852 2742 8368, jkwan@kba.com.hk KBA Asia Pacific Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia, +60 3 788 588-60, KBA@KBAasiapacific.com KBA Asia Pacific Sdn. Bhd., Singapore, +65 6562 8582, ssegger@KBAasiapacific.com Intergraphics (Thailand) Co. Ltd., +66 2 259 3071, jtsuwan@igraph.co.th www.kba.com

Koenig & Bauer AG

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Management/General

drupa cube: innovative conference programme at drupa 2016 Bridging the gap between print professionals and their creative agency, marketing and brand owner clients across a variety of vertical markets Visitors to drupa 2016 (the world's leading trade fair for print and crossmedia solutions) will experience an exciting new approach to innovation in print when they stop by the drupa cube. This special conference and event programme will feature a wide range of applications for printed products in numerous industries and areas of life.

"New technologies like printed electronics and 3D printing, creative multichannel applications and the use of digital printing techniques in packaging and other sectors continue to illustrate the amazing potential of print," says Sabine Geldermann, director of drupa. "This potential is the focus of drupa cube, with its international conference and event programme. Through an interdisciplinary approach, it is also designed to bridge the knowledge gap about the relevancy and functionality of print that often exists between printing professionals and their creative agency, marketing, and brand owner clients across a variety of vertical markets."

In contrast to the first two cube conferences in 2008 and 2012, the 11day programme is not organised by target group but rather, based on six key drupa 2016 themes: • Multichannel • Print • Functional Printing • 3D Printing • Package Production • Green Printing.

Each presentation slot will combine various themes using best practise case studies: Functional printing and packaging printing, 3D printing

and sustainability, and multichannel including print are some of the combinations being explored.

This encourages thinking beyond supposedly fixed boundaries. This outside-the-box principle opens up new possibilities for visitors and broadens the horizon for the future of print.

Through its range of themes and its interdisciplinary concept, drupa cube is, for the first time, also addressing selected vertical markets including the food, consumer goods, interior design, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries; and the financial and public sectors. "In this way, we aim to attract new visitor groups to drupa and inspire them with the possibilities of print," adds Geldermann.

The strategic and creative design of the programme and its implementation were handled by brand experience agency FreemanXP, a division of Freeman, the world’s largest event company. "I am confident that in FreemanXP we have the perfect partner at our side." Geldermann

says. "Thanks to projects they have accomplished for global players like EFI, HP and the U.S. trade fair Graph Expo, FreemanXP has the necessary industry experience. Not only that, but FreemanXP has already worked for countless international brands in other industry segments, so it also brings to the table a vast amount of expertise and inspiration from outside the print industry." Jordan Waid, Vice-President, Brand Experience, at FreemanXP, adds: "Co-creation is the future and our new intersectional approach to the cube at drupa creates a collaboration hub for all facets of the print industry to design a new future for content creation."

The details of the drupa cube programme are currently being finalised. A provisional programme is expected to be published in autumn at www.drupa.de. Also new at drupa 2016, participation in the cube programme will be free for visitors to drupa, included in the day ticket price of €65 (or €45 for tickets purchased online).

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Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

32

Packaging Technology

Digital printing press for corrugated board The second beta-testing site to receive a BOBST digital printing press for corrugated board is the Schumacher Packaging plant in Ebersdorf, Germany, where the installation is already well under way and where production will start at the end of this month. well giving access to a large number of mid-volume opportunities. And all this is delivered at high speed, with close to offset quality. It means that corrugated packaging manufacturers will be able to enter all sorts of existing and new markets.”

The Ebersdorf site, in central Germany, is the central hub of Schumacher Packaging GmbH, which has thirteen sites across Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. Björn Schumacher, Managing Director of Schumacher Packaging GmbH, said, “We are very excited about the possibilities this BOBST press offers for opening up new market areas to us. We continuously invest in high-performance, state-ofthe-art machines in all our production areas, which is one of the reasons we have been able to grow our business significantly over the past few years.

Designed and built in Switzerland, the BOBST digital printing press for corrugated board prints images, graphics, codes and text, which can vary from sheet to sheet. Production speeds can reach 200 meters per minute, with a maximum sheet width of 1.3 meters. Applications include serialization, personalized packs, versioned packaging, customized

corrugated products, and medium to short-runs of conventional boxes and displays. Incorporating Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology, the BOBST press delivers four-color digital print directly onto corrugated board and print run lengths can be from a single sheet to several thousand. The collaboration between technology leaders BOBST and Kodak has produced a digital press which exhibits a combination of print quality, speed and versatility which will allow converters to better respond to an increasingly dynamic market.

Jean-Pascal Bobst, CEO of Bobst Group, said, “The print technology choices that corrugated packaging manufacturers have had available to them, up until now, have determined the markets they can serve. Our new solution changes all this because one printing press can open up a huge range of markets, from long runs of boxes featuring variable data to very short runs of bespoke packs and displays – as

The Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology used in the BOBST digital printing press has a number of characteristics that make it ideal for corrugated packaging production. This continuous inkjet printing technology provides greater throw distance compared to dropon-demand inkjet enabling print on a wide range of substrate thicknesses; its high speed continuous jetting makes the press more responsive and so able to print variable data at faster speeds; and the technology uses waterbased inks which are food compliant, compatible with a wide range of coated and uncoated substrates and more environmentally friendly.

“This product represents the first generation of solutions from the Strategic Partnership we announced with BOBST in 2013,” said Philip Cullimore, Sr. VP of Kodak, and President, Enterprise Inkjet Systems Division. “ Philippe Milliet, Head of Business Unit Sheet-fed, added, “Brand owners want more flexibility, especially at the late stage, as well as equal or better print quality. They also aim to increase engagement with consumers, while at the same time keeping costs under control. Our digital solution gives our customers the ability to deliver all that using one machine.”

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

Packaging Technology

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Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Packaging Technology

Introduction of two new toners Xeikon, an innovator in digital color printing technology, today announced the introduction of two new toners, MatteSilver and PalladiumSilver.

The two special silver metallic toner colors will enable more creative possibilities for designers as well as label and package printers and converters using Xeikon’s digital printing technologies. The luxurylook MatteSilver and PalladiumSilver toners are the first products in the new Xeikon Creative Colors toner group, which recognizes and explores the added value that special effects bring to label and packaging print, especially in the consumer products arena.

MatteSilver offers the luxury of a rich metal finish to the print substrate while PalladiumSilver – uniquely available for digital print in the Xeikon portfolio – features a speckled silver sparkle for extra textural interest.

“With this new Creative Colors toner line, Xeikon is mirroring the capabilities of flexo and offset inks. We are giving label and packaging printers

and converters the opportunity to offer brand owners added-value haptic and optic qualities with the Xeikon digital print process – popular features of brand promotion and marketing across the globe today,” explains Jeroen Van Bauwel, Director Product Management at Xeikon. “The Creative Colors toner line adds an exciting extra dimension to our recognized strengths in the label and packaging print arena – shorter runs, extended product variants and faster delivery times than conventional processes, and of course, personalization. They really make a design stand out!”

Xeikon toners: an industryleading line-up The new MatteSilver and PalladiumSilver toners complement Xeikon’s toner portfoliothat includes: - Standard colors (CMYK); - Off-the-shelf spot colors which allow for a gamut expansion beyond CMYK;

- Custom spot colors allowing to make unique colors based upon LAB values; - Technical colors which perform specific function like one-pass opaque white, UV reflecting clear, or security colors which reflect to a specific spectrum or contain certain taggents.

Creative Colors is a new group within this portfolio and these toners offer the same benefits as all of Xeikon’s toner in terms of food safety, lightfastness and eco-friendliness.

Van Bauwel adds, “Xeikon is really trailblazing with this new Creative Colors toner line – and we are confident that it will bring even more opportunities in the future for printers employing Xeikon presses to

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

Packaging Technology offered by these two metallic toners is a great way to launch our exciting new Creative Colors line,” Van Bauwel concludes, “and Labelexpo Europe is the perfect event to show them in action on the Xeikon Cheetah press on our booth B/C 50, hall 9.”

ABOUT XEIKON Xeikon is an innovator in digital printing technology. The company designs, develops and delivers webfed digital color presses for labels and

differentiate themselves from their competitors, and deliver the luxury effects that today’s brand owners want. These new toners also represent another step in the analog-to-digital transformation in print and packaging production, not only by enabling new applications but also by allowing printers and converters to migrate even more applications from conventional printing and finishing technologies to digital. And this is just the beginning!”

A sparkling presence at Labelexpo Europe The MatteSilver and PalladiumSilver toners will be commercially available as of Labelexpo Europe 2015, taking place in Brussels, September 29 to October 2. “The premium finish

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.

35

Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Finishing Technology

Differentiating Power of the new ThermoFlexX 60 ThermoFlexX announces global launch of the ThermoFlexX 60 digital flexo plate imager, taking on the philosophy of ‘openness’. Sha Jumari reports. imaging system, which enables output speeds of 12 square metres an hour at 2400 dpi, making these two models the fastest flexo imagers in the world.

Thus far, three installations of the ThermoFlexX 80 are already in full production in France, Algeria and Egypt.

“We listen continuously to what customers and other industry players say they want from a plate imaging device and this feedback steers much of the development work we carry out here in Ypres. This is why we have dedicated so much research effort into output quality and why we have recently developed the ability to change resolution on-the-fly on the ThermoFlexX 80 and 60 models,” said Lievens.

With the theme ‘Open Technology, Open Mind’, ThermoFlexX unveiled the new ThermoFlexX 60 digital flexo plate imager at an open house at its factory in Ypres, Belgium, on 17 June 2015. The ThermoFlexX 60 is lauded to be the most advanced 1067 x 1524 mm flexo imager on the market.

“Our commitment to the flexo industry and our determination to push forward the boundaries of what can be achieved in the field of plate imaging has resulted in several major breakthroughs which have positioned ThermoFlexX as a leading manufacturer in this sector,” said Christophe Lievens, director sales and marketing, basysPrint and ThermoFlexX. “We focus very much on having an open technology so our machines can integrate into any environment

and workflow,” added Lievens. “Over the last two years, we standardised all our systems to have a completely open interface, open connectivity and multiple resolutions.”

The imager boasts the same technical specs as the ThermoFlexX 80 which was launched first in 2014. This includes the ability to fit a dual-head

Unique Engine Features The imaging head consists of three independent modules: the motor, laser and optics. The flexible design enables easier service interventions, simplifying replacements and service and hardware upgrading. A lens cleaning feature provides constant airflow to avoid carbon rests from sticking on the lens.

This improves imaging quality and lessens lens cleaning interventions.

TFX80_drum

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Print World Asia • 7 / 2015

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Packaging Technology right - Christophe Lievens, director sales and marketing, basysPrint and ThermoFlexX.

Opportunity for Digital Flexo CtP While offset CtP markets still take up a large share of the market, it is showing an overall decline. Flexo CtP, on the other hand, has an expected CAGR of 4%. As printers are beginning to invest in their own pre-press, there is a renewal market of early adopters.

The ThermoFlexX 60 also features automatic optical calibration and focus setting. The imager will automatically select the correct resolution depending upon the job being sent by the workflow and alter the optics accordingly.

The imager supports resolutions from the wide range of 2100 dpi to 5080 dpi.

Additionally, its MultiPlate front-end software allows multiple resolutions to be produced on one plate, significantly cutting down on time and wastage.

Minimising Waste and Optimising Automation Automation is a key word within the ThermoFlexX imaging process. From the automatic calibration system that guarantees jobs are always imaged under optimum conditions, to the ability for the operator to load and unload plates at the touch of a button, the imagers strive to keep wastage to a miminum.

One of the main causes of plate damage comes from handling large plates manually. To minimise this occurrence, ThermoFlexX created a mobile table called Flextray, which can be adjusted easily to transport and feed plates into the guiding system on the imager. The advanced automatic clamping system, combined with the slow drum rotation feature, ensures that plate mounting is straightforward and accurate.

The creation of a hybrid drum that enables plates to be held by either vacuum or magnets means that customers can expose standard polymer flexo plates or steel-backed letterpress plates. ThermoFlexX has developed a vacuum slider facility that allows the operator to cut off vacuum to areas

of the drum not mounted, simply by moving a slider to the edge of the plate.

This function is automated on the new ThermoFlexX 80 and 60. Eliminating the need to apply special tape, or cutting plates to fit the unused part of the drum, means that customers can easily fit and expose plate off-cuts that would otherwise be thrown away.

Screening Technologies To promote superior quality in flexo presses, ThermoFlexX developed two software solutions: ThermoFlexX Hybrid Screening and ThermoFlexX Surface Screening.

The flexo process struggles to reduce the minimum dot sufficiently, leading to visible hard-edges. The ThermoFlexX Hybrid Screening alleviates this by allowing the production of small, consistent dots that significantly reduces the risk of the ‘grainy effect’ on the final printed product, especially in fade to zero vignettes. This solution produces a print quality that is comparable to offset but with the lower production costs of flexo.

The ThermoFlexX Surface Screening involves roughening the plate surface with a high frequency pattern. This produces higher density and smoother solids, along with sharp line-work to avoid the ‘halo’ effect. With the surface screening technology, barcodes of the highest readability can be created.

The technology work in combination with ‘flat top dot’ technology and is executed by ThermoFlexX’s software that can be stand-alone or integrated as a background function on any workflow.

The limited CtP suppliers in the market currently meant there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of functionality - an opportunity ThermoFlexX took advantage of: “It’s an obvious direction for Xeikon Prepress. We’re a technology-driven company with 20 years of experience in CtP manufacturing,” said Lievens.

“Of course, Xeikon’s large digital division has a lot of foothold with customers in labels, so immediately we saw the possibilities to sell small machines, and that’s how we stepped into this market,” continued Lievens.

Europe and the US are saturated markets, while Asia is showing signs of growth. Lievens added that China is a difficult market due to high taxes and stiff competition from its domestic CtP manufacturers.

Brand owners today constantly have to compete in product visibility and shelf appeal, in the most cost-effective manner. The pressure is on for printers and trade shops to deliver that quality and consistency, within the smallest delay. The challenge for system suppliers is to provide solutions and even anticipate these trends.

“Our commitment to the flexo industry and our determination to push forward the boundaries of what can be achieved in the field of plate imaging has resulted in several major breakthroughs which have positioned ThermoFlexX as a leading manufacturer in this sector,” Lievens concluded.

“We expect interest to remain high, with a peak around Labelexpo in September when we will be showing some exciting new developments!”

THE QUALITY BENCHMARK JUST GOT FASTER The Xeikon digital presses for labels and packaging excel in productivity and high quality printing. With its top speed of 30 m/min (98 ft/min), the Xeikon Cheetah is the fastest top quality five color digital label press. Furthermore, it offers all the other benefits that make Xeikon label presses unique. With the Xeikon Cheetah, the quality benchmark has just become significantly faster!

Top quality, true 1200 x 3600 dpi Dry toner electrophotography 98 ft/min (30 m/min) 5 colors Full rotary printing

www.xeikon.com

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Packaging Technology

Offering valuable perspectives on a number of business topics.

‘COMPETENCE 15 - Inspiring Business Solutions’ drew close to 300 packaging makers from around the globe to the BOBST Competence Centre in Mex, Switzerland for a very different type of event.

Along with a host of machine premières and innovations from BOBST, COMPETENCE 15 also featured a parallel conference program offering valuable perspectives on a number of business topics. These ranged from boosting business performance to the latest trends, opportunities and challenges facing different sectors of the packaging industry.

Philippe Milliet, Head of BOBST Business Unit Sheet-fed, said, “Competence 15 was carefully designed to be different to a typical launch event. The idea of the ‘Inspiring Business Solutions’ theme was to showcase not only the latest BOBST developments, which are designed to help solve specific problems our customers face, but also to present them with ideas and perspectives that will help them tackle the challenges that will affect them over the coming years. These perspectives came from our own experts, as well as from brand owners and business thinkers.”

Held from the 23rd to 25th June 2015, COMPETENCE 15 was a platform for the world premières of a number of new BOBST developments including:

Foil Unwinder +, a new foiling solution offering considerable savings in foil use; VISIONCUT 106 LER, a new highly productive blank separating die-cutter; and EXPERTCODE, a new digital serialization machine addressing the increasing needs of packaging makers worldwide for coding and customization.

The event also included the European debut of NOVACUT 106 ER, a blank separating die-cutter already giving customers around the world very cost efficient entry into high quality in-line blanking. NOVACUT had its world première last summer at ExpoPrint Brazil.

Emilio Corti, Head of Sales for the BOBST Business Unit Sheet-fed, said, “The number of premières we presented at COMPETENCE 15 shows that we are maintaining our commitment to continuous innovation. Each new piece of equipment has been designed to help our customers worldwide improve their profitability in the increasingly competitive commercial landscape of the packaging manufacturing sector.

On top of this, EXPERTCODE is the first of a new product line for us. It speaks directly to a need that our customers have expressed for technology which can help their brand owner customers, for example in

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Packaging Technology pharmaceutical industries, track, trace and protect their products.”

Equipment, systems and services premières Foil Unwinder+ is a system which sets new industry standards for foil use optimization, and hence cost reduction. Available from July as an option on MASTERFOIL 106 PR hotfoil stamping presses, the unit features a number of intelligent processes that together ensure the most accurate foil advance with the least possible stress on the web. By constantly selfadjusting during production, Foil Unwinder + allows the press to run with a gap as small as 2mm between impressions on the foil, regardless of running speed, reel size or reel width.

By doing this, Foil Unwinder+ can reduce foil consumption by as much as 50%, depending on the layout of the job.

As pressure grows on packaging manufacturers to be more efficient, carton makers are increasingly interested in options for the automated in-line separation of cartons. The new VISIONCUT 106 LER diecutter helps users cut labor costs, enhance product quality and increase productivity by removing the need for the hand stripping of waste. This completely new IIIB format press has a cam driven platen and dynamic optical lateral register control for exceptional accuracy and production consistency.

The fully automatic Smart Feeder on the VISIONCUT 106 LER delivers incredibly reliable sheet feeding, even at its top speed of 8’000 sheets per hour. This not only increases productivity, but also frees up the machine operator to concentrate on quality, rather than on getting sheets through the machine.

Launched last July, the 7’000 sheet per hour, IIIB format NOVACUT 106 ER blank separating die-cutter complements the VISIONCUT by giving carton makers worldwide a way to access in-line blank separation technology. The BOBST Angle Lock® blanking tool system incorporated into the NOVACUT 106 ER means that, regardless of where they are in the world, users can blank separate jobs. This is because Angle Lock® blanking tools can either be supplied

directly by BOBST, or made inplant using standard components. By providing customers with first class tooling technology that enhances the performance of the NOVACUT, BOBST is supporting those markets where access to good quality tooling is difficult, if not impossible.

Both the NOVACUT 106 ER and VISIONCUT 106 LER can be converted from blanking mode to full sheet delivery in a matter of minutes, giving users who are new to blank separation the ability to build up a portfolio of blanked work while running existing jobs.

EXPERTCODE is the first full market launch from the BOBST digital printing initiative and addresses anti-counterfeiting and traceability as well as the customization and versioning of packs. EXPERTCODE gives packaging manufacturers the ability to digitally print individualized codes, text or graphics, off-line onto blanks or onto already folded and glued cartons, and to do so with high resolution, at high speed and with instant verification. The system brings together the extensive BOBST research and development into digital printing, its experience in high speed, high accuracy optical recognition systems gained through BOBST Registron® systems, and innovative technology from trusted industry partners.

Visitors to COMPETENCE 15 also saw a number of BOBST service products designed to increase productivity, reduce costs or ensure safety. These included a new Platen Conditioning service which removes the oxidation that can build up on beams, chases and platens, and protects

the machine against further corrosion.

The service can reduce makeready times on die-cutters by between 25% and 50% and the cutting force needed to run a job by up to 30%.

Complimenting the premières were a number of new product and finance solutions from BOBST partners, including Deutsche Leasing, Hunkeler, H.B. Fuller, Marbach GmbH, Henkel, Kurz, Hinderer+Mühlich GmbH, Lasertec, Baumerhhs, SGM and UEI Group. Formatted as a trade show within COMPETENCE 15, having access to these partners meant that visitors were able to get the latest information and exchange ideas with leading suppliers to the industry.

Complementary conference program Among the presentations in the conference program at COMPETENCE 15 was a talk by Charlotte D’Aulnois, of coaching and consultancy company SAPHIRDNS, on how to boost business performance using neuroscience and sports coaching. A review of upcoming requirements impacting pharmaceutical packaging was given

by Patrik Merckell of Novartis; while a look at the food safety challenges facing digitally printed packaging was presented by Steven Klump of Nestlé.

The conference also included sessions

by François Hosotte of Ferring on the secondary packaging challenges facing pharma brand owners and their suppliers; a review of packaging trends in the cosmetics industry by Bobst’s Alex Volery; and Alvise Cavallari of Nestlé outlined some of the many opportunities offered to the packaging industry by developments in digital printing.

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BusAds partners HP for eco-friendly solutions To be more committed to its environment sustainability policies, BusAds found a friend in HP.

By Sha Jumari.

Striving to be as green as possible has always been on BusAds Pte Ltd’s agenda. Over the past few years, the Singapore-based company spared no effort in seeking out the most environmentally responsible solutions. After much deliberation, BusAds added two HP Latex 360 wide format printers to its repertoire in April 2015.

Prior to the investment, BusAds was already acquainted with HP through purchase of its latex inks, which present a more eco-friendly alternative to solvent inks: “HP and us go way back, I think it’s always nice to have an old friend to re-visit and be able to renew our relationship ever so often,” said Alvin Yapp, director of corporate affairs, BusAds Pte Ltd. BusAds’ efforts has also been recognised by Mediacorp’s ‘Saving Gaia’ campaign, a nationwide initiative to promote environmental awareness.

The large format print service providers was also the only Singaporean

company to achieve a Silver status on the Carbon & Sustainability Programme initiated by InStep. The programme measures and quantifies the carbon footprint of a business.

actually one of the biggest culprits we produce a lot of toxins and waste.

Whatever we can do to be more sustainable helps and goes a long way,” said Yapp.

“We hope to champion the environmental cause. The print industry is

Yapp stressed upon the importance of being sustainable: “A lot of companies are actually very concerned with being as green as possible. For example, H&M came down to our facilities to audit our printing process and evaluate the amount of plastics and waste produced before they signed with us.

Companies like H&M are not a rarity anymore.”

“There are many printers in the market, and many claim they can do many things. For us, we compare quality, we seek out feedback from their other customers and how satisfied they are,” said Yapp, when asked on his decision process before investing in HP’s Latex solutions.

“We also look at the integrity of the company. In terms of post-customer

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Wide Format / Proofing Technology servicing, maintenance, and how available they are for us,” Yapp continued.

“With HP, they are not just a supplier, they are a good working partner. They don’t just market their printers, they market the customers who buy the printers too. HP comes up with corporate videos, press releases and features, so we’re excited to be in this partnership.”

Breaking New Markets The company’s first project using the HP Latex 360 printer was for an art installation to promote the underpass usage at the Singapore River. Designed by the Raffles Design School, the art installation was produced with the environment in mind.

“With the HP Latex solutions, there are no toxins and bacteria that is released into the air when I do my printing. There is no smell – during the production process all through to installation. There’s none of that funny rubber smell anymore after you install it,” said Yapp. “This makes the final product safe for kids even, who tend to be a bit more sensitive to chemicals and bacteria.”

The next job was a collaboration with local shopping mall, Orchard Central, and Kombirocks, which specialises in vintage car rentals: “Vintage cars have a lot of contours and nooks and crannies. The HP latex material was very compatible for that, and contoured very well to the vintage cars.”

“We also find the final product to be brighter, visually it looks more real and the colour just pops,” said Yapp. “Additionally, the HP 360 Latex printer does not require a laminate, so that saves us time.”

BusAds is already looking to expand its HP fleet, thanks to the range of opportunities the solutions opened up for the company. The company is especially interested in broaching the interior design industry. The HP Latex 360 is able to print on fabric, and has fire-retardant properties.

“The key here is that the material is able to provide that fabric texture.

Wallpaper is very popular these days, especially customisable ones. Instead of buying wallpaper designs off-the-

rack, we can now print unique designs using HP Latex,” said Yapp. “In Singapore, this is still considered a new concept. But once people are aware that this option is possible, and readily available, I believe this trend will accelerate.”

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Reduce Global impact Konica Minolta takes into account various environmental aspects of its products.

This approach begins with the research and development of new products and services, continues through all internal processes integrating both the supplier and customer chain, and comes full circle with the recycling of old devices.

Manufacturing ENERGY CONSERVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A ZERO WASTE PROGRAM Promote recycling

Green procurement IMPLEMENT GREEN PROCUREMENT ON A GLOBAL SCALE Giving priority to product purchases with low environmental impact

R&D CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS Energy-saving product design, compact and lighweight construction, extended product life, recyclable components

Disposal Recycling MINIMISE WASTE AND MEET LOCAL MARKET REGULATIONS Establishing procedures that facilitate recycling of used products

End-user operating stage MINIMISE TOTAL CO2 EMISSIONS DURING EACH OFFICE PRODUCT’S LIFE Develop products and technologies that save energy

Sales & Service INCREASE EFFICIENCY IN SALES AND SERVICE Reduce the number of cars at sales offices optimise service visits

Distribution IMPROVE DISTRIBUTION ROUTES AND SYSTEMS TO REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS Proactive restructuring of worldwide logistics facilities

At Konica Minolta, we believe in sustainability.

Konica Minolta products are designed with the environment in mind.

FOR ADVICE ON HOW KONICA MINOLTA CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS MOVE FORWARD, CONTACT US AT (65) 6361 2800 OR ENQUIRY@KONICAMINOLTA.SG

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FESPA brand draws growing Asian audience Increase in Asian visitors to FESPA Global Expo 2015 and high level of entries to FESPA Awards

The recent FESPA 2015 Global Expo proved just how successful FESPA has been at consolidating its brand in Asia, as it welcomed a significant increase in Asian visitors, including nearly 300 from China. Among the 23137 visitors to FESPA 2015 in Cologne, Germany, there was a 59% increase in representatives from Asia compared with FESPA 2010, making up 5% of the total visitor base. This highlights how the FESPA brand is strengthening its presence in the region, and how the wide format marketplace is of growing interest to leading Asian printers.

Asian success in the FESPA Awards Taking place during the show, the FESPA Awards 2015 were also a very popular contest for Asian printers.

Accounting for nearly 50% of the shortlisted entries across all categories, with particular emphasis on posters, fine art reproductions, special effect screen, and t-shirts and other garments, the skillset from Asia was certainly showcased to its best advantage.

Asian printers won three of the seventeen categories. The Posters (Single Sheets & Multi-Sheets) and Fine Art categories were both won

by Kumazawa Screen Printing, Inc., Japan. Sincerely Screen Co., Ltd. from Thailand was awarded Gold in the T-shirt category.

The coveted Hall of Fame Award, which is dedicated to an outstanding individual in the printing world and voted for online by the FESPA community, was awarded to Mark Gervais from Ningbo Shenzhou Knitting Co., Ltd in China.

This demonstrates how exceptional developments in Asia are recognised across the globe.

Roz McGuinness, Divisional Director of FESPA comments: “The impact our FESPA China brand is having on awareness of FESPA in Asia is very positive. We are delighted that visitor numbers from Asia to our Global Expo have grown significantly since FESPA 2010, and the increase in numbers from China in particular is very encouraging.

The main FESPA exhibition not only

allows visitors from the region to see new technologies first hand, but also to attend demonstrations and seminars from industry leaders which provide insight into where the future may lie.

“When we first launched FESPA China in 2013 our goal was to increase the number of international visitors to the existing event, while also providing more focus on digital technology.

The fact that more Asian visitors are attending our flagship European event shows a greater interest in digital printing in the region, as people travel across continents to see the latest digital technology and to meet the principal manufacturers. With more and more international brands exhibiting at FESPA China, local printers can also benefit from the same exposure to leading global suppliers at the regional event in October 2015.”

FESPA China 2015, taking place from 21-23 October in Shanghai, will be the third event of its kind. The 2015 event is expected to further strengthen the ties FESPA has with Asian suppliers, printers and opinion formers.

For more information on FESPA China 2015 and to pre-register to attend visit: www.fespachina.com

The road to growth

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Set your future along a secure, profitable path in labels and packaging with the HP Indigo Digital Press portfolio.

HP brings a decade of experience, innovation and best-in-class technology to the new family of HP Indigo Digital Presses for labels and flexible packaging.

Match your business needs with the widest range of digital production capabilities to help your business grow. Choose from the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press for heavy-duty medium and long runs, or move from one job to the next with the HP Indigo WS6800 Press, a high-performing versatile press for short to medium-run jobs, or why not step into the world of digital print production with the HP Indigo WS4600, today’s best entry level solution.

HP Indigo offers a proven, versatile product portfolio that enables next level flexibility and new ways to serve your customers. Discover the advantages of HP Indigo, and secure your path to profitable growth today.

Find out more: hp.com/go/labelsandpackaging or contact Edcent Chan at: +65 9862 6092 or email: edcent.chan@hp.com

HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press

© 2014 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

HP Indigo WS4600 Digital Press

HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press

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Powerful, Flexible production workflows for all printing technologies Esko plans a big splash at Labelexpo Europe, the world's largest event for the label and package printing industry. On display right at the show floor entrance will be the full range of Esko solutions that help label and packaging converters build consistency and flexibility in their production workflows, no matter their size, the degree of complexity of their businesses or the printing technologies used.

Esko will be located on stand 4C20.

Labelexpo Europe 2015 takes place September 29th till October 2nd at the Brussels Expo in Belgium.

“Labelexpo Europe is always a great show for us,” states Armand Gougay, VP EMEA at Esko, “We will be taking advantage of this event as part of our ongoing commitment to understand what keeps printers, converters and brand owners awake at night, and

advise them on best practices to address these pain points. We will share our expertise and suggest how to improve profitability by implementing smart prepress, automated workflow, best in class flexo, color management and systems integration across their entire business. Our focus at the show will be to demonstrate how smart prepress solutions help any label and packaging converter to grow their business.”

Exceptional communication and errorfree production To be successful in today’s market place, one must perform exceptionally well in all areas of label and packaging production. Brand owners create packaging designs that resonate with consumers and that are designed, approved and produced with the utmost accuracy. Converters execute these designs perfectly and as fast and efficient as possible. Everyone throughout the entire supply chain has to work together effectively to achieve these goals.

To that end, Esko will present its renowned software solutions – covering everything from design over prepress

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Also on show is Esko’s portfolio of digital flexo platemaking solutions.

The flexo plate imagers integrated with software, services, know-how and industry partner connections cover the widest range of digital flexo printing applications. “High quality printing requires high quality prepress and digital flexo plates,” comments Thomas Klein, VP Hardware Business at Esko.

“We are delighted to celebrate two decades of the popular Cyrel Digital Imager (CDI), which continues to be the world’s leading standard for digital flexo plate imaging. By extending the CDI with Esko HD Flexo and Full HD Flexo technology, flexo print quality has stepped up to previously unseen quality levels comparable to gravure and offset. Flexo print today delivers customers high quality results for labels, flexible packaging, corrugated boxes and more.”

and workflow automation, proofing and color up to the printed job, and beyond. Bundled under Esko Software Suite 14, the most complete collection of preproduction software tools available on the market, Esko’s software solutions optimize cost, streamline workflows and improve the overall quality and consistency, regardless if labels are produced digitally, in offset, flexo, gravure or screen print.

Workflow automation is a top priority for successful label manufacturers, and Esko will have no shortage of ideas and options at the show to help businesses of all sizes increase automation, productivity and profits. At the heart of this are Esko Automation Engine, a modular workflow server with dynamic

workflows that sets a new standard for prepress workflow automation with rock-solid quality control, and WebCenter, Esko’s unique and powerful web-based platform that manages the entire packaging and label project life cycle, including specifications and approvals.

The latest release of Esko Software Suite adds flexibility for the user by enabling popular software editors like Studio and DeskPack to be used in subscription mode in monthly or yearly programs. The increasing demand for hosted applications is supported with the availability of WebCenter as a fully hosted solution.

Celebrating 20 years of digital flexo excellence

Trusted advisor for label and packaging converters “Esko experts will be on hand to act as trusted advisors, listen to visitors, understand their business needs and recommend solutions from Esko and its partners,” Gougay adds. He points out that a broad range of Esko’s press, plate and software partners will also exhibit, providing the perfect opportunity for attendees to understand the benefits of an integrated workflow. Esko’s partners at Labelexpo Europe 2015 include – amongst others – press manufacturers Gallus, Nuova GIDUE, HP Indigo, Mark Andy and Nilpeter; plate vendors Dantex, DuPont, Flint, Fujifilm and MacDermid; and software partners CERM and CHILI Publish.

“Labelexpo Europe 2015 is shaping up to be once again a fabulous show. We look forward to a fun and productive event guaranteed to deliver Results that Make You Smile!” Gougay concludes.

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NEWS to ensure that their supply chain is as environmentally-friendly as possible, and Earthinks provide this confidence without compromising the quality of the end product. With the installation of the ink dispenser, we're now able to go above and beyond to meet their requirements and this has impressed both existing customers and new prospects."

Earthinks Launch New Gravure Inks and Coatings Range For Increased Brand Support and Environmental Best Practice Earthinks®, manufacturer of the most natural inks available for flexographic and screen printing, has launched a range of gravure inks and specialist coatings, providing new printing possibilities to brand owners in their search for improved sustainability.

These latest additions to the Earthinks range provides gravure printers and converters with high-quality, versatile inks made from sustainable and nonpolluting resources - replacing traditional and non-environmental solvent and water based gravure inks. With brands under pressure to monitor and improve their environmental footprint, print houses are increasingly using Earthinks to support their environmental requirements, while meeting brand expectations for high quality print for range of applications including food packaging in particular cartons, paper and poly cups, napkins and sachets as well as wallpaper, greetings cards and many more.

Similar to Earthinks' flexographic and screen print products, the new gravure inks are water-based and made from up to 100% natural ingredients including soy, starch, sugars, dextrin, tree resin, cellulose and other polysaccharides.

Natural waxes are used to replace standard petroleum-based synthetics and natural oils are used to defoam instead of mineral oils. They are fully biodegradable and compostable and like all Earthinks products, the new inks are independently tested to ASTM D6866.

The new Earthinks coatings range also offers up to 100% natural ingredients with functional and aesthetic properties, and can be used with flexo, screen and gravure inks as well as roller coat applications.

An award-winning first year for Earthinks The launch of the new products follows a successful first year for Earthinks.

Having delivered on their commitment to provide a complete eco-friendly ink solution, the company focused on ways to further enhance their customers' facilities in order to support the endcustomers' requirements and maximise productivity. To do this, Earthinks installed two ink dispensers at separate customer sites - Weedon Group and Single Source - as well as its first in-house customer colour laboratory at Weedon PSC's Hednesford facility. The Earthinks dispenser allows in-house colour mixing and the ability to facilitate special colour production on-demand. The colour lab improves print quality, colour consistency and production times, vastly improving onsite efficiency.

Paul Mainwaring, Managing Director, Single Source says, "Since we took the decision to offer the Earthinks range, the response from our customers has been amazing. Many companies want

The market's reception of Earthinks' ground-breaking products has not gone unnoticed. The company has also been rewarded with three accolades for its eco-friendly ink range. Earthinks just won the 2015 Stationers Company Innovation Excellence Award as well as being highly commended in the ‘Sustainable Innovation Award' category at the British Coatings Federation 2014 Awards Ceremony. The company also received a ‘Green Apple Environment Award', presented at the 2014 Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice ceremony, which took place last autumn in the Houses of Parliament.

Jonathan Mack, Owner of Earthinks, comments, "2014 saw Earthinks mark an important development in sustainable printing. When we launched, we genuinely set out to make a difference - no matter how small that might be.

However, we have been delighted by the market reaction to our ink range and what we are looking to achieve. For this to be formerly acknowledged by the industry with these two recent award wins has been the icing on the cake.

"Our latest product developments are an important next step in our Earthinks journey, providing customers with a complete ink solution that meets the most stringent environmental standards and helps them to achieve their own sustainability goals."

Xeikon brings next-generation VariLane to Labelexpo Europe Xeikon, an innovator in digital color printing technology, announced a new version of VariLane, its imposition software plug-in for the Xeikon X-800 digital front-end (DFE). VariLane 4.0 is now fully integrated within the X-800 4.0 workflow and is specifically designed to allow label printers greater flexibility in the production of labels, providing increased profit opportunities. With this development, Xeikon has added a significant enhancement to the ability for label printers to optimize productivity

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meet the experts

NEWS

February/March, 2016 Brno, Czech Republic www.bvv.cz/printexpo-gb October 18–21, 2016 Shanghai, China www.allinprint.com

May 31 –June 10, 2016 Düsseldorf, Germany www.drupa.com

November 17–20, 2015 Shanghai, China www.pacproasia.com

August 26 –29, 2015 Bangkok, Thailand www.pack-print.de September 7–10, 2016 Jakarta, Indonesia www.indoprint.net

drupa in Düsseldorf is the most important global event for the industry.

In other markets of great potential we draw on our expertise to bring you additional trade shows featuring the technologies of tomorrow.

Welcome to the experts, welcome to drupa.

t! ss i m i m o ’t Don .drupa.c blog

Share Messe Düsseldorf Asia Pte Ltd 3 HarbourFront Place #09-02 HarbourFront Tower Two _ Singapore 099254 Tel. +65 6332 9643 / 6332 9620 Fax +65 6337 4633 / 6332 9655 mdrep@mda.com.sg

www.messe-duesseldorf.de/MDA

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NEWS and profitability by printing labels of different sizes and run lengths on the same web in discreet lanes. In addition, VariLane 4.0 is a key enabler in meeting the needs of brand owners for short run lengths and just-in-time delivery.

“Xeikon has a strong and continuing focus on the label market, and VariLane 4.0 is proof of our ongoing commitment to supporting the needs of label printers in every way possible,” says Jeroen Van Bauwel, Director Product Management at Xeikon. “With prepress activities minimized, and utilizing all of the integrated benefits of the X-800 DFE, label printers can easily combine different jobs on one substrate – even for labels of different heights and widths and with different run lengths.

And they can easily make last-minute adjustments to artwork or add variable data. This is a real advance in optimizing label production and further increasing profitability for label printers. This type of out-of-the-box thinking and unique value-add sets Xeikon apart in the world of digital label printing.”

Supporting the label printer with innovative solutions The unique VariLane plug-in, launched four years ago as a standalone tool and now integrated into the X-800 workflow, brought to commercial reality the concept of printing different labels in lanes of different widths and heights across the same web. Imposition – arranging the labels on the roll in order to serve the proper application of the labels in later production processes – is a fundamental step in prepress. Typically, labels are arranged in lanes across the web roll, and because labels had to be of equal size, the print lanes were also of equal size.

This imposed limitations on both productivity and efficient use of substrates. VariLane gives prepress operators the freedom to combine labels in print lanes of variable sizes which improves throughput and reduces waste.

In fact, label printers working with VariLane have been able to substantially increase their productivity and reduce material wastage, with resultant cost savings of up to 30%. This unique capability is made possible by the full rotary technology of Xeikon digital presses, combined with their variable repeat length.

With VariLane 4.0 and its full integration with the X-800 DFE, yet another dimension is added to the versatility of Xeikon’s digital technology and the optimization of digital print production.

The VariLane concept combines prepress, data processing and press operation functionality, seamlessly integrated with existing workflows and business processes, while maintaining flexibility and quality. VariLane 4.0 makes last-minute corrections to artwork easy to achieve, and Xeikon’s metadata tool can be employed to add barcodes or sequential numbering to labels as required.

“Combining different jobs in the same print run has never been easier. And for label printers working with our wideweb Xeikon 3050 and 3500 presses, it’s a perfect fit!” Van Bauwel adds. “But even with narrower rolls, label printers can optimize their productivity, reduce costs and increase profitability. And that is all possible today with Xeikon technology, without sacrificing the standards of professional and functional excellence brand owners expect – no matter how short the print run or delivery time.”

VariLane 4.0 is a plug-in for the recently launched Xeikon X-800 4.0 digital frontend, which will be commercially available at the end of June.

MakerBot Launches Hands-on Learning Guide for Introducing 3D Printing in the Classroom Thousands of educators throughout Europe are embracing 3D printing as a new way to teach 21st century skills and prepare students for the jobs of the future. Taking the first steps to

introduce students to 3D printing, however, can be challenging. MakerBot, a global leader in the desktop 3D printing industry, conducted in-depth research this spring to better understand how to help educators incorporate 3D printing in classrooms. The research shows that acquiring 3D design skills is a major hurdle for educators and there is no single resource to address this need.

To fill that gap, MakerBot published a handbook designed to provide educators with a wide variety of ideas, activities, and projects to get started with 3D printing. Titled MakerBot in the Classroom: An Introduction to 3D Printing and Design, the handbook includes an introduction to 3D printing and a range of hands-on 3D design lesson plans. MakerBot in the Classroom will be available from July 1st as a free digital download for registered MakerBot customers and a sample project chapter will be available free to anyone who registers on eu.makerbot.com.

Additionally, MakerBot launched a new MakerBot Education landing page with further ideas and resources to support the integration of 3D printing in the classroom, such as real-world MakerBot stories, videos, challenges for teachers and students, and more.

“3D printing is a powerful tool in the classroom and provides engaging experiences that motivate students to excel. 3D printing can help teach many of the 21st century skills that employers are looking for, such as STEAM1 literacy, collaboration, problem-solving, and applying knowledge to the real world,” said Jonathan Jaglom, CEO of MakerBot. “We’re excited to launch MakerBot in the Classroom to help even

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NEWS more educators and students discover the power of 3D printing to create original designs. This handbook is part of our broader MakerBot Education initiative, which aims to provide teachers, professors, librarians, and students with access to the resources and tools they need to embrace 3D printing. We will continue to work together with educators to build out the leading MakerBot 3D Ecosystem to address their specific needs.”

A recent survey of teachers commissioned by MakerBot in the United States showed that 83 percent of teachers using MakerBot 3D Printers empowered their students to design their own objects as opposed to having them print existing designs. This requires educators to teach 3D design and introduce students to the software that enables them to take an idea and turn it into a 3D printable design. Lesson plans and project ideas were among the most frequent requested resources to help educators get started, and MakerBot in the Classroom fills those needs.

MakerBot in the Classroom is divided into three sections: The first section covers how MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers work and the technology behind them, the second section shows how to download, scan, and design models to print on a 3D printer, and the third and most comprehensive chapter features multiple projects for teachers and students to 3D design and 3D print.

Each section provides background knowledge, learning objectives, terminology, sample activities, and discussion materials.

The project ideas in the handbook are provided as a starting point to help educators integrate 3D printing into their own lesson plans and classrooms.

They invite educators and students to investigate a subject matter, explore a variety of 3D modeling tools, and create and print original designs. Each project introduces a different type of free 3D design software, including Tinkercad, OpenSCAD, Sculptris and 123D Design.

Each project also has a section that offers guidance on tying the project further into curriculum.

For example, Make Your Own Country is a project that casts students as explorers of a new world. Students design and

3D print tiles representing water, forest, mountains, and other landscapes, which can be assembled into a new and uncharted territory. Students then form groups that develop settlements by surveying the land and discovering its natural resources. During this project, students learn 21st century skills, such as 3D design, critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration.

MakerBot in the Classroom is the first offering as part of MakerBot’s long-term commitment to working with educators to provide better support for 3D printing in classrooms and on campus. Additional tools and resources for educators are now available on the new MakerBot Education landing page, such as realworld MakerBot stories, videos, and challenges for teachers and students. For example, MakerBot recently launched five Thingiversity Summer STEAM Challenges on MakerBot Thingiverse, the world’s largest 3D design community, to encourage students, teachers, and librarians to try 3D modeling at home over the summer.

The leading MakerBot 3D Ecosystem also includes hardware, materials, learning, software, and apps like MakerBot PrintShop for iPad, which allows students to turn 2D drawings and sketches into physical objects.

Additionally, MakerBot offers custom product solutions for educational institutions such as the MakerBot Starter Lab, a scalable, reliable 3D printing solution that is easy to implement; and the MakerBot Innovation Center, a largescale 3D printing hub.

MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers are already installed in many schools around the world, for example more than 5,000 schools throughout the U.S. alone.

At Libera Università Carlo Cattaneo (LIUC) in Castellanza, Italy, a MakerBot Innovation Center was opened earlier this month and is supposed to be having a profound impact on students, faculty, and the community with its many possibilities. The university will be offering partnerships with as well as courses for regional industry to create a vibrant cross-departmental learning commons and innovation hub that serves both students and the local business community in unprecedented ways.

1 Science, technology, engineering, art and math.

IDCm – InlineDensity Control motorized: perfect ink density made affordable nlineDensity Control (IDC) from manroland web systems is now also available for cost-sensitive retrofit projects. Druckhaus Haberbeck in Lage, Germany, retrofitted a ROTOMAN with the IDCm ink density control. In addition to print quality, the leading commercial printer appreciates the high process stability.

“We wanted to offer our experience in ink density control in a low-cost control system. Customers deciding to retrofit the IDCm system will enjoy increased quality and process reliability while saving resources,” says Florian Fejfar, manroland web systems, explaining the

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NEWS motivation to develop the IDCm ink density control.The Product Manager for Color & Quality describes the innovation and its distinction from the known InlineDensity Control as follows: “The IDCm uses traversing measurement modules. This allows us to offer a much lower cost price at the same tried and tested measurement quality and precision. We are now also able to offer uncomplicated upgrades to existing press equipment.” All of manroland web systems’ developments aim to provide customers with an optimal production environment and maximum flexibility for the long term. Subsequent press expansions and upgrades such as IDCm are a major component of this philosophy. Haberbeck, known for its inline and offline finishing products such as catalogs, flyers, and mailings takes advantage of this first-hand. The company retrofitted a 2004 ROTOMAN with the color control.

Quality upgrade for ROTOMAN Haberbeck uses the ROTOMAN to efficiently produce small print runs with frequent job changes. The company also requires short retrofit and adjusting times (EDE). In Lage, flying language, price, and image changes are all a part of day-to-day business accompanied by complete image and ink changes.

All of these challenges demand stable production quality. IDCm is a sustainable solution, and Günter Wolf, Technical Director of Haberbeck, has been convinced since day one: “We are already familiar with IDC color control thanks to our LITHOMAN and are extremely satisfied with its reliability and performance. We wanted to take advantage of this system for our existing ROTOMAN. But it was necessary for us to keep the procurement costs within a reasonable limit.”

IDC – advantages throughout the pressroom The advantages of ink density measurement have a positive effect throughout the entire pressroom.

Haberbeck installed IDCm as a plug & play version, entailing fewer follow-up adjustments. No software changes are required on the press control console and PressManager. At Haberbeck, IDCm fully meets the expected measurement and control quality, handling, and material savings, as Günter Wolf confirms: “The system impressed us

with its excellent measuring precision, comparable to manual measurement.

Press operators are unable to make measurements at this speed and level of accuracy. IDCm is completely responsible for ink metering control.”

The expert staff takes advantage of the staffing resources freed up by the IDCm since the system opens a significantly larger window of time for runability and process optimizing. “In addition, process stability has improved substantially, while waste has been reduced and ink saved,” Wolf states. He himself understands the production process very well, offering an analysis: “It has become much more transparent thanks to the integrated longterm quality evaluation. This helps us to adjust and optimize existing processes.”

IDC – in-house control system innovation InlineDensity Control (IDC) is one of many Inline Control systems developed in collaboration between grapho metronic and manroland web systems.

This includes ink and cut-off register, fan-out, and lateral web offset, all of which can be fully integrated into the PECOM environment. In a single measurement, IDC determines true ink density values across the entire width of the web. The high frequency of the colorimetry enables a comprehensive quality report, which can be analyzed in a tool such as the PressMonitor. grapho metronic – success by precision! grapho metronic is the specialist for reliable, precise colorimetry in commercial, newspaper, and sheetfed printing. For over 50 years, the efficient measurement and control systems have reduced resource consumption, ensuring consistent quality in the production process. Located near the Isar River in Munich, grapho metronic is a subsidiary of manroland web systems GmbH. grapho metronic develops and manufactures highly integrated cameras that are used for process and quality control in automated production.

Special application fields include spectral measurement technology, color density and layer thickness detection, register and image recognition at a high frequency and extremely high substrate speeds of up to 18 m/s.

Laserline Improves Productivity and Saves Cost for Offset In line vanishing

Rapid Press established in 1989 as a commercial printer with offset and silkscreen printing facilities is today a Key player in the print industry serving most FMCG Companies. From a modest one printing machine they are now equipped with Digital printing, Large Format printing and in house Pre Press and Post Press like Folding, saddle stitching, perfect binding etc.

Providing quality service with high print standard has always been Rapid Press commitment, thus Rapid Press adopted colour management in their workflow and is always on the lookout for improvement on quality and service.

Before Contitech approach Rapid Press to introduce ContiTech’s laserline service and products. Rapid Press was using Offset Blankets and Photopolymer plates for their offset in line water base vanishing. It was very time consuming to cut design onto the blankets, and both Offset blankets and Photopolymer plates would not last long on the press. Set up time was also long (about half hour). On top of all these it was almost impossible to produce fine details on vanishing with Offset blankets and photopolymers.

When Mr Henry Leong and Mr. Maurice Jow, Directors of Rapid Press learns of ContiTech Laserline, they were keen to test it out, and a set of goals were put on the table for ContiTech to achieve.

The aim of this test was to achieve 1. Long lasting plate for offset vanishing 2. Capable of reproducing fine details 3. Easy handling 4. Cut down set up time 5. Reduce cost.

ContiTech took the challenge and proceeded with the test. The results was mind blowing. The CSX laserline materials that was used for this application achieved all the set goals and even exceeded the expectation on the life spend of the plate. The very one single CSX vanishing plate was able to last on the press for all the different design variants and still able to be use for reprints. This works out to millions of print runs per CSX plate, on top of this, the set up time was cut from half hour to 10 min.

Conti Laserline CSX material not only save cost for Rapid Press but also help them to be more productive.