Print Innovation Asia 10 2020

Print INNOVATION

Asia

Magazine

Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia Pacific since 1985 Issue 8 2020

COMING SOON!

A new approach to business in the Printing/Packaging/Textile industry The world changed forever in 2020, and the industry must evolve with new ways to get the job done. Industry Online Network will give you the tools to stay informed, reach your market and thrive in a changed business. Pre-register and as we get closer, we will update you when we launch. Industry Online Network — the key to your future success.

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PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS: 2020

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It’s “Business Unusual” for Kornit Digital Nanaholy to Acquire EFI Cubik S1400 Single-Pass Inkjet Printer How far can we go doing business using video calls Fuji Xerox PIXI rebrands as Innovation Print Awards Combining UV inkjet and dry toner technology perfectly Printed On The Jet Press 750S: SoulKind A New Independent Magazine RGB Printing – And It Does Work!

"Print products and our senses" Getting a taste for it These are Difficult Times Large format and industrial print in Asia Pacific showing signs of recovery Data-Driven strategies for sales and marketing Impremia IS29: great technical capabilities and responsiveness "Remote Fitness Check" helps Chinese customer Over 100 Rapida printing units in operation at Parksons Packaging New press drives business at Shinkosha Printing Label Printing: Hot and cold foil applications My Press, Thailand. - A story of quality and perfection Anti-microbial and antiviral coating option after successful trials Securing Supply Chains with Printable Sensors In-plant Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Gains 25% Increase In Production & Higher Quality Apressia CTX132: Absolutely the Right Decision Astronauts Urine and Moon Dust – the Perfect Combination for 3D Printing?

News from around Asia and the world

Issue 9 2020

Print INNOVATION

Asia Magazine

Published by Asian Print Awards Management Pte Ltd 65 Chulia Street #46-23 OCBC Centre Singapore 049513 Print Innovation Asia Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia Asian Print Awards Packageing Excellence Awards Label and Packaging Conferences Publisher

Paul Callaghan paul@printinnovationasia.com

Editorial

Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com Editor Sha Jumari sha@printinnovationasia.com Packaging Sales

Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com

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It’s “Business Unusu As the world get accustomed to the “new normal”, industrial textile is showing signs of recovery. We catch up with Andy Yarrow, President for Kornit Digital Asia Pacific, and chat about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the growth of digital textile printing in the region.

1. How has Kornit been doing to cope in recent times? How has Kornit been able to support your customers?

We moved pretty quickly to a mantra of “Business Unusual”: changing our marketing focus to more online activities, intensifying our use of social media platforms and of course as

With regard to how we support our customers, we’ve retrained some of our Field Service Engineers in the region to be able to better support our customers remotely, and also crossedtrained them to assist the applications team in our Hong Kong demo facility, as the number of requests for sample prints has exploded in recent times.

These are typically expensive countries to manufacture in, but with the previous reliance on China and current geopolitical issues, many countries are looking at other options closer to home.

China on the other hand is continuing to grow and focus on their domestic market, so the movement across the board for Asia Pacific is pretty significant.

3. Globally, what factors are contributing to this growth?

The global megatrends that Kornit has been speaking about for the past 18 months are contributing to the growth.

The trends include self-expression, sustainability, and of course, for our customers the ‘retail meltdown’ that is driving customers to spend more online. The fact that people have been locked indoors for months has absolutely accelerated this.

customers couldn’t travel, we’ve done a huge amount of video demonstrations.

There isn’t a day goes by where Skype, Teams, or Zoom aren’t used for a discussion! It’s actually been a great help to have all this great technology available to us as we completely rebuilt our China sales team, and have remote customers and Kornit staff across the region, so the only way to really connect with them is via Zoom. It’s not ideal, but we would be in a very different place without it for sure.

From a business perspective we are obviously living in uncertain times, so being creative with how we put deals together, being more flexible with payment terms, etc., has really helped.

2. According to a new IDC report, not only is industrial textile showing signs of recovery, Asia Pacific is contributing a lot to that growth. What are your thoughts on that?

For sure there are huge changes across the entire planet, not just in Asia. What we are seeing in Asia Pacific is movement into - what at least for Kornit - are less traditional manufacturing hubs, such as Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

These are markets that we didn’t really spend a huge amount of time focusing on before.

We also see that customers in Australia and Japan are looking to re-shore.

Typically everyone is connected to a gadget these days, which makes it very easy to quickly order something online.

It’s pretty common knowledge that especially in the United States, many of Kornit’s customers are focused on e-commerce. Combine this with huge numbers of people staying at home, and some of the current world events and causes, such as the US election, the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, plus coronavirus, people are ordering more and more garments to express themselves and make a statement.

Of course, we also made the announcement recently about the acquisition of Custom Gateway which is enabling Kornit users all around the world to connect with each other, and most importantly their customers.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

ual” for Kornit Digital Custom Gateway is going to be a great solution for our customers in Asia Pacific.

Generally most of our customers operate a B2B type of business, so this has clearly been affected by COVID-19.

I genuinely believe that with Custom Gateway we will enable Kornit customers to take their businesses B2C and on to the next level; putting themselves front and centre and enabling business transactions from anywhere in the world.

Andy Yarrow, President for Kornit Digital Asia Pacific

4. Recently we spoke with Indonesia’s Nonek Clothing on their Kornit Storm HD6 upgrade.

How about an update on your major markets in the Asia Pacific region?

China is well and truly back to work, and we are making great progress there.

Japan is a little more reserved and is still picking up, but the market there is pretty conservative as we know. We have seen several of Kornit's global strategic partners expanding into Japan, so it's clear that the market remains key for us, we just need to be patient as it recovers.

Australia had a great surge of business recently, which we are really excited about. South East Asia markets like Indonesia and The Philippines are recovering and getting back to work slowly, and as I said, we’re seeing some great movement in Vietnam which is very exciting for us. That’s the great thing about Asia Pacific, all the markets are so diverse it keeps us on our toes.

We are seeing success in Australia, Japan, China, Vietnam, India and others. We will let you know about those as soon as we can, for now I am keeping quiet (for once).

5. Any last messages?

Ronen Samuel, our CEO, talks a lot about the “inflection point”, and despite all the terrible things that are

happening across the globe we can genuinely see the positive impact that COVID-19 has had on the textile industry’s shift from analogue to digital.

The global megatrends of selfexpression, sustainability and the shift to e-commerce have really accelerated this transition, and we believe that Kornit is positioned perfectly to enable our customers to take full advantage.

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Nanaholy to Acquire EFI Cubik S1400 Single-Pass Inkjet Printer Innovative wood decoration technology set to increase production throughput and flexibility for Nanaholy Furniture (International) Group

affecting the natural properties of the wood. In addition to their effectiveness for furniture and interior flooring, the mineral inks are also a good choice for outdoor applications as they have an excellent lightfastness in comparison to other UV ink options.

EFI reported the first sale in China of its innovative wood decorating system, the EFI™ Cubik S1400 single-pass digital inkjet printer, to Zhejiang Nanaholy Furniture Group Co. Ltd. Headquartered in Longyou RosewoodLand, Zhejiang Province, Nanaholy is the largest furniture manufacturer in China, with 620,000 square meters (6.67 million square feet) of manufacturing space and an extensive research and development department.

The Nanaholy brand is well-known in China, having been recognized as one of the top 10 furniture brands in China’s furniture industry multiple years in a row. This acquisition further cements Nanaholy’s leadership position by adding high-quality, direct-to-wood digital staining for the manufacture of furniture door panels and similar products.

“Previously, we were using multipass UV inkjet for printing on doors and other wooden materials,” said a Nanaholy spokesperson. “This technology was unable to keep up with

our production requirements. With the EFI Cubik S1400, we will be able to increase our production capacity, giving us the ability to rapidly meet customer demands while still leaving room for growth.”

High-end, fast productivity with a 1.4-m print width The EFI Cubik S1400 is an industrialclass decoration system for flooring, doors, panels and furniture. It has up to 12 ink stations that decorate wood with a natural look, even on rough surfaces.

The Cubik S1400 has a printing width of 1.4 meters (55 inches) and can run at speeds up to 60 linear meters (197 linear feet) per minute.

Unlike conventional analog wood decoration processes, the printer can produce high volumes of decorated product on demand with reduced setup times – with no printing plates to create and no need to keep finished inventory in stock.

Nanaholy’s Cubik S1400 printer will use EFI mineral inks, which provide consistent, high-quality staining without

The EFI Cubik S1400 with mineral inks is a fast, ideal solution for staining hardwood, veneers and plywood, and users can avoid the time and expense of applying primer to boards prior to running them through the printer.

Nanaholy’s new digital printer is expected to be in operation by the end of 2020.

EFI Cubik technology gives furniture, flooring and other wood product manufacturers the ability to easily adapt to new trends in interior design, enabling quick responses to market demands for customization.

In addition to digital staining using mineral inks, Cubik technology is also available with UV LED inks, which give users the ability to print stunning, high-resolution graphics, photographic images, and vivid colors on wood surfaces for highly decorative indoor applications.

“We are very pleased to be partnering with Nanaholy in bringing EFI Cubik technology to China,” said Evandro Matteucci, vice president and general manager, Packaging and Building Materials, EFI. “Nanaholy’s new EFI Cubik S1400 will significantly increase production capability and bring increased innovation and versatility to China’s furniture industry.”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

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How far can we g using video calls "I'm not affraid of business challenges", people use to tell me, then along cam the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. Now in 2020, remote working and video chats have largely become the norm. Almost 100% of business travel was halted in response to the outbreak, and further clamped down by a series of border closures and travel restrictions worldwide. While the ones that are open you think three times about traveling there..By Publisher Paul Callaghan Meanwhile, remote meetings using the likes of Microsoft Teams, SKYPE, Cisco and Zoom have made many question if business travel will ever fully return to the shape and scale of pre-pandemic days.

However, research published by Harvard University this month suggests that business travel will remain in the ascendancy because of its ability to spread ‘knowhow’.

Knowhow is different to “information and codified knowledge that exists in books, computer files, graphs and algorithms,” the Ivy League university shares.

Instead, “knowhow only exists in brains, and moves very slowly from brain to brain through years of experience.”

“Moving knowhow quickly involves moving brains,” and that’s where

business travel comes in – and will remain strong, Harvard believes.

Business travel builds economies Beyond the expansion of ‘knowhow’ across the globe, payment card data supplied by Mastercard and analysed

by Harvard also demonstrated that business travel had a positive impact on GDP in both travellers’ origin and destination countries.

The data showed that if Australia stops sending business travellers abroad – as it’s now largely doing by way of closed borders and travel bans – this would most heavily affect New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, the United Arab Emirates, Philippines and Sri Lanka, in that order.

If you look at Singapore and its 4 airport terminals, 2 of which have

shut until such a time that travel is on the rise again, then add in the hotel situation that heavily relies on business travel, the picture just looks worse and worse.

Then you include Bangkok airport and its favourite status as a convention and exhibition hub, I think you get the picture.

In fact, looking at Australian business travellers heading overseas, they are responsible for 0.09% of total global GDP. While that number may not sound significant, it places Australian travellers just behind those from Singapore and China in terms of global economic worth. Australia itself also heavily benefits from inbound business travellers from overseas.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

go doing business

By analysing the same data, the researchers at Harvard claim that Australia’s economy is 9.6% larger than it would have otherwise been if business visits were more closely in line with population, as they are in many other parts of the world.

Of course, with borders remaining closed, inbound business travel remains at a practical standstill – Getting back to online business, it works because we make it work, we have no choice, but from my experience in this industry, looking back to in person meetings, unlike a video chat, I hang up its over, I don’t have the opportunity to invite them to dinner, have a beer at the bar

and talk shop, get to know what the person is really like.

So I know we will be traveling again one day soon for business, but only when we have a vaccine and travelers are being injected. I bet some countries will have it on their visa on arrival card , a section to tick to say you are vaccinated against COVID-19, this before they let you pass immigration, or for that matter before you even board your flight. Yes the world has changed forever, but I’m still a believer in that some, not all meetings should be done face to face, gone

I think gone will be the day runs for a one hour meetiung flying from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok to Jakarta etc, these will be done with Video calls for sure.

Until business travel is back, I’m sitting working from home and dreaming of that fantastic aircraft food at 39,000 feet, looking forward to the immigration ques on arrival, then the taxi arguments and finally living in hotel rooms. Bring it on PLEASE…

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Fuji Xerox PIXI rebrands as Innovation Print Awards The annual awards programme is now open for entries.

Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific announces the reborn PIXI Awards for 2020. The 13th edition of the awards programme is now known as Innovation Print Awards (IPA).

Winning applications will be showcased in the Fuji Xerox Future Edge customer engagement centre in Japan and across the region at Graphics Communications industry events.

Winners will also have the opportunity to self-promote, as the applications will be published in the annual Innovation Print Awards Winners Book.

All winning entries, with the exception of Australia and New Zealand, will be automatically entered into the Asian Print Awards.

This annual competition recognises innovation and excellence in digitallyprinted pieces from users of Fuji Xerox solutions across the region.

This competition is open to printers, designers, clients and corporate inplants.

The 2020 rebranding aims to realign with the evolution of digital technology.

“Initially the PIXI programme focused on xerographic imaging, but as times have changed so has digital technology,” said Mutsuki Tomono, Corporate Vice President, Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific.

“The Innovation Print Awards focuses on just that, your innovation with the new and the old to make graphic communication more powerful than ever.”

Another change this year is in the reduction of categories. Each year, the awards committee revisits the categories before hosting the programme. There

are 16 categories this year, versus 24 for the 2019 edition.

2020 Innovation Print Awards is open for entries from 10th August until 9th November. There is no limit to the number of entries and submissions can be entered into more than one category if they meet multiple criteria.

All entries will be closely examined by an independent panel of expert judges that are not associated with Fuji Xerox.

Key judging criteria includes print quality, innovation, the appropriate use of digital technology, business effectiveness, and the overall aesthetics of the entry in selecting each category winners.

Each year, the competition receives entries from Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

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Combining UV inkjet and dry toner technology perfectly Before he started Premier Markings, Gary Moody gained over 20 years of experience as a label salesperson. He sold labels from his office; production of labels was done by other companies.

Premier Markings started in 2008. It started as a digital printing company and that was a deliberate choice. With his expertise, and with the trends in the market of labels, industry veteran Gary realized that if he were to start his manufacturing capability it had to be with digital printing.

to buy a Xeikon 3030 in 2013. Gary comments: “Originally I was going to go for an HP labels press, but when I went to visit the Xeikon office in Chicago, the people there convinced me and gave me the sense that they would help me make it happen. Looking back now they really did!”

There was no place for a flexo press in the concept Gary’s Premier Markings.

The company started with a low volume tabletop label printer, ideal for very short run labels of 500 pieces.

Soon it became clear that a productive high-quality printing label press was needed to make the company a success.

After researching the supplier market thoroughly, Premier Markings decided

From start-up to a reference in digital labels As a small company and a purely digital shop, Premier Markings was able to adapt faster to the changing trends in the market for labels. This gave the company as a newcomer an edge over existing, bigger, flexo-oriented label printers. Gary made another very specific and smart decision: he opted to

hire IT people for his company rather than label savvy people.

Gary: “Employees that can work with and understand computers easily are crucial for companies these days. This is even more so for digital label printing companies and I was convinced it was easier to train IT people about labels than the other way around. I’m absolutely sure that helped us a lot.”

After a learning curve, demand requests and accelerating productivity measures, Premier Markings realized they needed a second press. This would make them more productive because they would avoid many substrates changes on the press.

A second Xeikon 3030 came in. Soon even those presses were nearing capacity so one of the Xeikon 3030 presses was upgraded to a Xeikon 3300, which basically doubled its capacity. Gary further noted, “That is very unique with the Xeikon dry toner series of presses, you can start with an entry level press and then upgrade on site when the business grows and you have extra funds to invest.”

The introduction of UV Inkjet In January 2020, the Xeikon PX3000 UV inkjet machine replaced the Xeikon 3030. Gary was considering buying an inkjet press for 2 years. The speed of inkjet was appealing, and the print quality was better than he expected.

Gary: “It was a tough decision to choose what type of inkjet press to go for as there are alternatives to the Panther (PX3000) from Xeikon.

Eventually, an impressive demo at the Xeikon Chicago Innovation Center as well as knowing the certainty of having the very reliable Xeikon team at hand

DIGITAL PRINTING SOLUTIONS LIKE NO OTHER Ready for the next turn.

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As truly direct and dedicated printing technology specialists, we believe you should deal with your challenges in your very own way. That is why we offer a wider range of digital technologies for a wide range of applications. From wine labels to wall decoration; from toner to inkjet – how can we help you to make your business ready for the next turn? www.xeikon.com

Direct. Dedicated. Digital.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

14 The substrate the labels need to be printed on and the production planning basically defines what press a label is printed. Finishing is being done offline on GM equipment Finishing is done offline on a Xeikon solution. Many of the jobs produced are matte laminated, even the UV inkjet labels. Gary: “Over the years we have constantly grown double digit on a yearly basis. The first years we grew over 30% a year. Our business model is delivering a service that our customers need, we listen to and deliver what our customers require, most labels are delivered in 2 to 3 working days.”

Gary mentions the variety of labels he produces: ”A typical digital job is rotating warning labels; a product that has different warning messages or pictures. Different pieces of the same product on the shelf need to show different warnings. I don’t see how you could possibly print that on a flexo press. made the difference, and we opted for the Xeikon PX3000. Furthermore, the fact that the PX3000 uses the Xeikon X-800 as digital front-end was a big factor too. It is an invaluable tool in our business to make the most of digital printing and the fact that all our presses are driven by that same front-end is a big advantage. So today Premier Markings is running a Xeikon 3300 and a Xeikon PX 3000.”

UV inkjet versus dry toner electro photography Originally, Gary thought that inkjet was the future for everything, but Premier Markings learnt it is not that simple.

Both dry toner and UV inkjet have their benefits. Yes, dry toner has benefits in terms of food-safe toner compliance and UV inkjet labels are very durable, but Premier Markings points at other aspects too. Gary compares the presses as follows: the dry toner press is a very consistent machine, but it requires more maintenance. The inkjet press needs less maintenance but is more vulnerable.

The labels look different and each technology has its forte in terms of printing quality. So how to decide what job to print on UV inkjet and what job to print on dry toner

electrophotography (EP)? First there is the label stock factor. Some substrates only work properly on dry toner, like estate or wine label stock, stock that has a structured surface. Matte BOPP is another substrate which Premier Markings only runs on dry toner.

Other substrates simply work better on inkjet, for instance chrome substrates based on PP. Apart from these considerations, longer runs go on the Panther. Then, if the UV inkjet press still has excess capacity, all other jobs that can be printed well on the Panther will be printed on UV inkjet.

Why customers buy labels from Premier Markings Premier markings has a website to promote their business, but most of their customers come to them via word of mouth. Premier Markings prints a whole range of different labels. Over the years they’ve become the Go-To Site in the Toronto-area for craft beer labels. They print a lot of nutraceutical labels and labels for the cannabis industry. Lately, due to COVID-19, a lot of hand sanitizer labels were printed. Labels are sold to customers without actively making the distinction between UV inkjet or EP.

Another job example Gary notes: “200,000 peanut butter jar labels 2x9 inch on the Xeikon 3300; We ran a job of 1,000,000 labels on the Panther. My flex printer colleague could not realize this job in 3 days, so we did it on the UV inkjet press. Two years ago, this flexo label printer produced more labels for us than Premier Markings printed for his customers. Last year that changed.

He knocks on our door to print jobs digitally quite frequently, while we need his flexo capability less and less. This evolution will only continue in the years to come.” We have the flexibility to run all sorts of labels in different quantities in much less time.

Successful in label printing Premier Markings is a prime example of a shop being very successful in label printing by being agile, innovative and knowing when the trends shift - doing it the right way. It is a purely digital label printing shop with 11 employees. Since its start, the company has experienced double digit growth every year. It perfectly combines dry toner EP technology and UV inkjet technology.

Gary: “Premier Markings is very happy with Xeikon. Our business is very profitable and thanks in part to Xeikon and its team.”

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

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Printed On The Jet Pres A New Independent Mag Produced with support from Fujifilm, and printed on the Jet Press 750S, SoulKind is the brainchild of Chris Boulton, an experienced Cheltenham-based photographer and Jamie Rudd, a creative director and brand consultant.

“We wanted to do something purely for the love of it,” says Jamie. “Something not diluted by committee or by commercial concerns. Chris and I have only known each other for a few years, but we have a lot in common and we’d both long-loved the idea of creating a high-quality magazine to express some of our ideas and creativity. Our challenge had been trying to find our niche – a focus to theme the magazine around.

“In the end it was a tragedy that gave the pair that focus they’d been searching for. “In July 2018 I was involved in a life-changing car accident,” says Jamie.

“It almost cost me my life, and as I started out on the long, hard road to recovery, it crystallised in my mind what I wanted our project to be about: tales of human endeavour and exploration, but closer to my heart – resilience.

Finding out how endeavours, no matter how big or small can make us feel alive again. How exploration can enable us to experience everything our wonderful planet has to offer, and how, with the right mindset, we can be resilient and

overcome trauma to thrive again.”

So Jamie and Chris began approaching, photographing and interviewing inspirational people from different walks of life, from adventurers and explorers to endurance athletes. Why, and how, do they do what they do?

What drives them? What inspires them?

In the magazine’s first issue, eleven interviewees open up and talk about what they’ve achieved, and the mindset that took them there. Individuals who have tested their own mental and physical limits, not just once, but over and over again.

David Lemon walked the Zambezi, alone, from source to sea, aged over 60.

Lucy Shepard, not yet 30, has completed countless polar expeditions and extreme alpine treks. Endurance athlete Sean Conway ran, swam and cycled around the entire coast of mainland Britain and set a new world record time cycling across Europe from Portugal to Russia. Eleven names. Eleven lives.

Hundreds of extraordinary adventures.

And why a magazine?

“News is cheaper, more up-to-date and more accessible online,” says Chris.

“So print needs to be about much more than mere information. Print is for those important stories you want people to reflect on. The photographs and the words are equally important elements and quality print brings them together in a tangible way and makes reading an immersive experience that can’t be replicated on a screen. I used to run a print business myself and I’ve followed developments in digital print technology in recent years with great interest. It is these advancements that make a magazine like ours – which is produced in relatively short runs at

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

ss 750S: SoulKind gazine

“I WANT TO LOOK INTO YOUR SOUL” SAID PHOTOGRAPHER CHRIS BOULTON AS HE STARED DOWN THE CAMERA LENS AT HIS SUBJECT; 70-YEAR-OLD ADVENTURER DAVID LEMON. THE PHOTO, PART OF A SHOOT FOR NEW INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE, SOULKIND, WAS ULTIMATELY TO GRACE THE COVER, AND BOULTON’S INSTINCTIVE PHRASE, IN THE MOMENT, WAS TO SPARK THE IDEA FOR THE MAGAZINE’S TITLE.

exceptionally high quality – possible.

Fujifilm’s Jet Press 750S is one of the best examples out there of a new kind of press that can deliver ultra-high quality print in run lengths ideal for our magazine – and we’re delighted that Fujifilm shares our vision and is supporting us in getting this first issue published.”

A spokesman for Fujifilm Graphic Systems EMEA explains why Fujifilm

is supporting the project: “As humans, we need to be inspired – we thrive on stories of courage, perseverance and overcoming impossible odds. When we agreed, in late 2019, to help support SoulKind launch its first issue, we couldn’t have known what a different place the world would be now. But the current situation means we need stories like this more than ever. Ten years ago, this magazine could not have been made. You could have printed

something ultra-high quality in large volumes, or compromised the quality to print shorter runs more flexibly in response to demand, but you could not have both. Digital print technology, and more specifically the Jet Press 750S, has made this kind of high-quality, shortrun creative content possible, and Fujifilm is proud to have been at the forefront of that seismic technological shift.”

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RGB Printing – And It Does Work!

The Swiss artist and printer Lorenz Boegli developed a method to print RGB. With this revolutionary technology completely new opportunities open up for the printing industry.

We all know that RGB cannot be printed. This colour space is designed for screens and other self-lit systems.

For printing purposes, there’s CMYK and this is how the world works. But is this still true? What is when an artist and printer, named Lorenz Boegli, developed a way to print RGB? Because that is what he actually did! And the result is a fantastic and innovative new printing technology.

RGB vs. CMYK Until now, it has not been possible to bring the multi-faceted and luminous RGB colour space onto paper or other substrates in a single printing process.

As an additive colour system, RGB is reserved for luminous media such as screens or beamers. RGB are light colours, colour perception is created by mixing light. This is why it is also

called an additive colour model. The more colour is used, the brighter the picture becomes. If you use all three basic colours 100%, you get white.

CMYK, in contrast, is the subtractive model. It is composed of the three colours cyan, magenta and yellow as well as the key colour black, which are printed on a (usually) white background.

The more colour is applied, the darker the result will be. The key colour is necessary because 100% application of cyan, magenta, and yellow does not produce a true black, but only a dark brown.

„In 2013, by using red, green and blue Spectraval pigments from Merck on a black background, I succeeded in creating white by overprinting the three primary colours of the additive colour mixture. This succeeds thanks to reflective pigments in the colours,” Boegli stated.

In the meantime, Merck and Boegli have further developed the technology and made it available for common printers.

RGB printing with Spectraval™ works on conventional printing equipment, so it can be incorporated into standard screen, gravure, or flexo processes.

An Innovative New Printing Method

The four key work processes are:

Boegli’s RGB print, however, is printed on black paper and blends into brilliant white. This is possible thanks to reflective pigments in the colours.

The image file is separated in CMYK and placed in the negative. In this way the colours red, green and blue are obtained.

For the screen production, a fine screen raster is chosen for maximum colour application.

For printing, the special colour pigments are mixed in high concentration in conventional screen printing varnishes.

During the printing process itself, a low printing speed is important to ensure the ideal alignment of the individual pigments.

For the presentation of the new RGB printing technology at drupa 2016 Merck cooperated with STAINER, which produced 3 mm thick 2750 x 1875 mm aluminium composite panels for an RGB exhibition wall. For this purpose, the aluminium panels were first pre-printed in black using screen printing and then printed with red, green, blue and silver-white using the RGB printing technique with the provided motif.

An increasing number of areas are now turning their attention to RGB technology as the impact of additive printing literally catches the eye of companies and customers.

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

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"Print products and Getting a taste for it We perceive the world through our five senses: Seeing, touching (feeling), tasting, hearing and smelling. In the last two blog posts, we dealt with the perception of printed matter through the senses of seeing and touching. But can you also taste, hear and smell print products? Absolutely. Be inspired by the possibilities.

“Did you enjoy your meal?” you will be asked in a restaurant. If you answer the question in the affirmative, your sense of taste has triggered positive feelings in you. How does the sense of taste actually work?

Historically, the sense of taste – a socalled proximity sense – was vital for survival. Our ancestors used it to test whether food was edible. For example, they preferred to stay away from bitter and sour tasting plants because the taste indicated that they might be poisonous.

The X factor from edible paper Put simply, the sensory cells of the taste organ are located on the tongue. We can distinguish between five flavors:

sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (named after the discoverer, it stands for savory-spicy). So far, so good.

And what does this sense have to do with printed material? The answer is, at hand, or on the tip of your tongue: Edible paper is available in a wide variety of flavors. The paper can even be printed with food coloring.

Edible printed matter is guaranteed to cause a surprise. Be it with or without an imprint: Who can resist the temptation to check the advertised edibility of paper and let the taste melt in their mouth? Anyone who has acquired a taste for this description can put it to the test: You can buy edible paper at many kiosks and major retailers.

Prick up your ears We also perceive printed material by hearing. For example, most people find the sounds they make when browsing newspapers, magazines or books pleasant. The reason for this is simple: Most of us have known the sound since our childhood. It's familiar to us and arouses positive feelings.

Many miss these sounds when using the digital counterparts to newspapers, magazines and books. State-of-the-art technologies also enable the graphic arts industry to integrate additional acoustic elements into print products, thereby rewarding the so important sense of hearing.

Children's books with sounds Above all, children's books producers are increasingly focusing on incorporating as many sensory

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d our senses" strips have been known for a long time in advertisements in women's magazines. In combination with scratch-off ink, scented coatings are enjoying growing popularity and are increasingly being used in mailings or as test strips on all kinds of products (for example, on the packaging of scented sticks or laundry perfume).

The trick is simple: The odor is released by rubbing or applying pressure to the partially or fully printed microcapsules containing fragrances. When these microcapsules burst open, they give off a fine scent of fresh apples, delicate roses, oriental amber, Christmas aniseed and much more.

experiences as possible – in addition to visual and haptic effects, acoustic stimuli also encourage reading and contribute to a better understanding. Children and toddlers thereby experience in a playful way what the cow pictured in the little book sounds like, for example. A piece of cloth may even simulate the feel of its fur. The more perception levels are addressed, the greater the learning effect and fun. After all, let us be honest, we adults also enjoy books that appeal to several senses.

Electronic finish in advertising Technological advances are making it possible to produce and sell cards with sound effects at a reasonable cost. For example, the stands with a huge selection of greeting cards always feature cards with sound effects. The surprise effect is guaranteed because the experience when opening the card arouses joyful emotions. The ideas are

becoming increasingly unusual.

While the same "Happy Birthday" song used to ring out from practically every card in the past, many more songs have been added in the meantime, and there are already cards with a built-in chip on which you can load your own voice message or song –much to the delight of the recipients. The advertising industry is also taking advantage of this desirable effect. For example, by using electronically refined packaging solutions that make for a surprising appearance. Imagination knows no bounds.

A fine thing Last, but not least, printed material is also perceived by the nose. In actual fact, in the graphic arts industry, the sense of smell can also be processed in printed products with the appropriate technological aids and machines. Scent

Scented coatings have an impact Scented coatings arouse pure emotions and guarantee that advertising does not degenerate into a bog-standard matter. The use of printing coating is common in some industries. For example, the cosmetics industry uses scented coatings in its packaging, and car dealerships use them in their brochures to simulate the scent of leather seats. The world of fragrances is almost infinite. Many more ideas are conceivable and are waiting to be implemented.

The conclusion: We perceive the world through our five senses. And all senses can be addressed with print products.

I wish you every success in your implementation!

by Ronald Reddmann - Muller Martini

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

These are Difficult Times We are in the middle of some difficult times to say the least.

Rather than ponder that point, I’d like to come to the heart of the problem. I’ve had a lot of time in isolation to think about this, so I have sharpened my pencil and put my thoughts down. I’m a little rusty but here we go. By Publisher Paul Callaghan What do we do? We need to answer that question in an immediate, urgent basis: What do we do right now?

and every level of society in between, this level of confusion and anxiety is not new.

attacks and the resulting tailspin in the economy; the dot com crises, and several others.

We also need to answer the question in a strategic, ongoing way. What do we do this week, this month, this year?

How shall we wisely and prudently arrange our activities – not just for this moment, for the next few months, maybe a year or more, who knows?

Now, it may be new for you.

Depending on your age, this may be your first encounter with life that hasn’t gone according to your plan.

I’ve seen my business so devastated that I had to tell my staff that I could no longer make payroll. I got to the point where, no cash in the bank and no prospects for new business, I almost closed my office door - almost!

Ultimately, as we sort through our lives, as we think about our careers and guide our businesses, we need to confront and answer that question.

Confusion It’s easy to be confused. First, we have all these competing responsibilities: spouses and children, extended family, neighbours, business associates, employees, customers, vendors, our communities, and the country you live in as a whole. If we are not careful, we can flit from one responsibility to another without making an impact on any.

In addition, we have all the media, including all the global cable networks, the traditional media, and social media, trade media, all shouting at us with everything from heavily tainted, agendadriven broadcasts, to silly solutions dreamed up by simple-minded social media contributors. It’s easy to allow ourselves to flounder in the fog created by unlimited media messages.

I have lived through many similar circumstances. In addition to three major financial reverses in my life, I have lived through the oil embargo in the 70s; Jimmy Carter’s malaise and inflation in the teens; the 911

Before I offer a solution, let’s take a bit of a mile-high view. We have been here before. In your country, as individuals,

But it certainly isn’t unique for many of us.

In all of this, I have learned some lessons and gained some wisdom that may be helpful to you. I have some advice to give regarding guiding your family, shepherding a sales force, and directing business through these difficult times.

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I want to focus on that which should be the top priority.

A Word About Focus I was once asked by a seminar participant if I could reduce my advice down to one word. “I can’t reduce it to one word,” I said, “but I can reduce it to three: Focus, focus, focus.”

What is focus? Here are a couple of dictionary definitions: 1. A point at which rays (as of light, heat, or sound) converge or from which they diverge or appear to diverge 2. A central point, as of attraction, attention, or activity: 3. A center of interest or attention.

The easiest way to understand it is to think of the camera in your smartphone.

When you take a picture, you focus on something and take a picture of that.

Note that focus requires something to be the center of your interest. You need to center in on an object. In photography, that thing becomes the object of your attention and the point on which you focus.

The principle applies in business and our personal lives as well. Focus requires a thing on which to focus.

Without a thing to focus on, our efforts and those of our businesses will become easy prey to distractions, limited attention span, and unlimited opportunities, and we’ll lurch from one urgent attraction to another, expending energy and money with little return to show for it.

When we focus, we stick to one thing at a time and apply our resources – time, energy, money, and emotions – to accomplishing that thing.

“The spontaneous tendency of our culture is to inexorably add detail to our lives: one more option, one more problem, one more commitment, one more expectation, one more purchase, one more debt, one more change, one more job, one more decision.

We must now deal with more ‘things per person’ than at any other time in history.”

It’s easy to be distracted — to flit from one superficial use of your time and energy to another. At the end of the day, you discover you have been incredibly busy and accomplished nothing of substance.

The solution to competing responsibilities, multiple opportunities, and a tidal wave of ‘things per person’ is to develop the discipline of regularly stopping and deciding which you should focus on first.

The antidote for distraction is focus.

Prioritizing

It is a discipline. That means that you do it, even if it doesn’t feel good, even if you have other things to do, even if it interrupts your routines, you still do it. You understand that it is worthwhile and that it will produce a future of greater impact and fulfilment.

So, how do you decide what you should focus on? That brings us to the discipline of prioritization. Not everything that presents itself to you is of equal importance. Many of the challenges and opportunities are just not worth your time.

“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”

There is a body of knowledge having to do with the processes, tools, and techniques used to prioritize, both individually and in groups. For now, the simple solution is to set aside some time (hard to imagine much less than

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26 30 minutes) on a regular basis, and, in that time, rationally and mindfully think through the answer to this question: What should I focus on first?

In the systems that teach salespeople and sales leaders, they recommend a monthly review and prioritization session. A monthly formal, disciplined prioritization session fits with our schedules. We’ve found it to be, from experience with thousands of people, a useful time schedule. Thirty minutes to an hour, once a month, on a regular, formal disciplined basis, will keep you focused on the most important things.

You can, of course, repeat the process for smaller time increments: weekly, daily, even hourly. In our time management training, we teach salespeople to use a variation of that

question several times in the course of a day. That variation is this: “Am I doing right now the most effective thing I can do?” If the answer is no, change it, and focus on that which is more effective.

In these incredibly challenging, difficult times, what should we focus on first?

What should be our highest priority?

You Now, before you accuse me of promoting selfishness, let me explain.

Because of the nature of our difficult times, you must be at the top of your game. If you are going to be an effective leader, if you are going to guide your family, if you are going to shepherd a sales force, if you are going to be effective in your career or profession, if you are going to direct a business through these difficult times – you can’t afford to be operating at less than 100%.

If you don’t take care of yourself, you will do an injustice to all those around you who are depending on you.

Here are some ideas to help you.

1. Control the input into your mind.

It is easy to become obsessed and overwhelmed with hundreds of daily messages of gloom, doom, and pending trauma. As those messages take hold in our brains, they produce feelings of fear, dread, and anxiety. You will not do anyone any good if you are operating out of fear or anxiety.

So, stop that at the source. Take control of what comes into your head.

Don’t watch the news. Stop reviewing the stories on your cell phone news apps.

The best way to prevent the negative from taking root in your brain is to substitute positive thoughts for the negative. So, find sources of positive, affirming thoughts and substitute them in place of the time you would have spent.

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I once changed the trajectory of my career by creating a packet of index cards, on which I printed positive thoughts.

advice to ‘sharpen the saw.’ The saw is you, sharpening it means to hone your skills, advance your competencies, and gain new knowledge.

2. Surround yourself with likeminded people.

3. Exercise daily.

I know, you are thinking, “Where did that come from?” The answer – from experience. We have all read about the positive impact exercise can have on us.

From my experience, a good workout session can clear your mind, flood your body with endorphins, release lots of tension, and fill your stores of emotional and physical energy. It’s a discipline that will help keep you at the top of your game.

The times are too perilous to go it alone. On the other hand, you can’t afford to waste your time with people who will bring you down or suck the energy and strength out of you.

So, find a group of people who you can meet with regularly. Encourage each other, learn from each other and support each other.

Most cities have group meetings like this regularly (yes, they will meet virtually too.) In addition, there are national companies that organize and administer local groups. Do a Google search.

Now is the time to take that management training course you’ve been eyeing.

Now is the time to read those books that have been recommended to you.

Focus on improving your skills or gaining new competencies so that you will be more effective and of greater value to your employer and to the people who are looking to you.

Remember Steven’s Coveys great

4. Increase your giving.

This is another one of those concepts that are outside of the mainstream.

You’ll find this interesting and radical.

In every one of my most challenging financial crises, I increased my giving.

There is something about giving that helps put your situation in perspective.

No matter how dreary and depressing your situation is, there are multitudes of people who are worse off. When you step up and intentionally give, you acknowledge that. You take a lifeaffirming action that recognizes your place in the greater scheme of things and demonstrate faith in the future.

It is a fear-demolishing, futureaffirming action that reveals you as a leader and influencer who has the strength of character to take confident action.

5. Proactively plan for the future.

Now is the time to make those proactive plans for the future, to revise your personal and organizational mission and vision statements, and to visualize and articulate your view of what you can become in the future.

There is something about a wellconceived vision statement that attracts and compels people and energy, that says to the world around you “It doesn’t matter what is going on right now. That’s just a bump in the road.

We are going to become something significant just down the road a bit.”

Once you have articulated that positive, impactful future, you can harness your personal and corporate energy, your people, your emotional power to creating that future. You have provided, for yourself and those around you, a vision of a future that will keep you positive and engaged.

This situation will pass, but you have to come out of it stronger and continue moving forward You will know what to focus on first!

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Large format and industri showing signs of recovery New IDC industrial printer tracker highlighting impact of COVID-19 on large format printer and industrial print markets reveals signs of recovery The new Worldwide Quarterly Industrial Printer Tracker from International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that industrial printer shipments were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis on a worldwide basis in the second quarter of 2020 (2Q20).

The industrial printer market, comprised of the Large Format, Packaging & Label, Direct-to Shape, Direct-to-Garment, and Industrial Textile printer segments, saw worldwide shipments decline 46.8% year over year in 2Q20.

That said, the report also revealed that the Asia Pacific region has showed the start of a recovery in the second quarter, with shipment growth compared to Q1 in the direct-to-shape, industrial textile, large format, and label & packaging segments.

Industrial Textile printer shipments contracted just 7% compared to 1Q20, with growth in the Asia Pacific region offsetting declines in other regions.

The Kornit Presto is an advanced single-step solution for direct-to-fabric printing. The Kornit Presto eliminates the need for external process steps, and allows for high-quality printing on an extraordinarily broad variety of fabric types and applications. The Presto is used for multiple fabric types in industrial applications for fashion, textiles to home dĂŠcor. The Kornit Presto is able to print 450 square meters per hour. The Kornit Presto does not consume water in the printing process, making it an environmentally friendly solution for direct-to-fabric textile printing.

Worldwide, shipments in the directto-garment segment declined just over 20% in 2Q20 compared to the first quarter. Shipments in the direct-toshape segment declined by over 26% in 2Q20 compared to 1Q20. Label & packaging unit shipments declined 12.5% in 2Q20 compared to the first quarter. Large format printer shipments

declined almost 25% worldwide in 2Q20 compared to 1Q20.

The EFI VUTEk 5r+ is the most technically advanced five-meter LED roll-to-roll printer on the market. The superwide, roll-to-roll printer offers the highest image quality at the highest rated throughput speeds along with the highest range of options, to give the lowest total cost of ownership.

"With much of the world still in

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ial print in Asia Pacific y The EFA+ by MPS is a fully automated multi-substrate flexo press that is designed for label production and flexible packaging printing on various substrates. The EFA+ has a high level of automation and ease of operation, enabling operators to maximize press performance.

shutdown or just starting to come out of shutdown at the end of the second quarter, no segment or region was spared," said Tim Greene, research director, Hardcopy Peripherals at IDC. "While our research indicates many global manufacturers are rethinking supply chains to meet resilience and sustainability goals, those are longer-term initiatives. Shipments and hardware revenue across the large format and industrial printer market have declined due to nearterm challenges such as government

shutdowns and capital budget cuts."

Looking ahead, IDC expects both units and shipment value will stabilize in the second half of 2020 as the different geographic regions go through different phases of recovery.

2021 is still expected to be a recovery year as IDC anticipates economic recovery and supply chain digitization to drive investments in more flexible manufacturing technologies such as industrial printing solutions.

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Data-Driven strategies for sales and marketing Equipment manufacturers and their reseller partners continually review their strategies, programs and services aimed to increase customer satisfaction, reduce interventions and identify sales opportunities, especially in these ever-changing times.

In the data-driven world we live in – with skyrocketing growth in digital processes, wireless technologies, online data storage – it allows us to harness that data and incorporate analytics for more informed and efficient development of strategies that impact your priorities.

Recently, we introduced Memjet Cloud Services (MCS) – a new suite of applications to enable innovative ways for our OEM partners to support and deliver new services to customers. In addition to technical monitoring and remote troubleshooting of devices to help drive customer satisfaction, we also expect MCS to enhance sales and marketing strategies.

The Power of Digital Let’s think about the metric of ink usage alone and how you could harness the data to develop sales and marketing strategies and tactics to improve your business.

First, monitoring ink usage per job helps to calculate cost per print to be used to support sales efforts, marketing programs and more.

Now, what if you monitor ink usage per customer and you see a drop in ink usage from a customer? You could

react quickly to collaborate with the customer on a program to enable more pages and ink. This data would also tell you which customers are more lucrative to ensure you take care of them, and also which might need additional programs to support growth.

Diving deeper, the ink usage per machine at a particular account can help generate sales discussion on press utilization and consumables forecasting. Tracking ink usage can also trigger new ink pricing models.

For example, a customer with high ink

usage might get a better price on the ink if they used a certain amount of ink or even ink per page, per month.

Other uses of this data could include the ability to: See if a press/printer is running close to full capacity to trigger a sales visit on interest of purchasing additional equipment or an upgrade.

Create different kinds of business models using clicks or rebates, and other unique ways to help drive customer growth.

Review uptime statistics to generate sales & marketing training and product support materials to enable preventative service.

There are many ways to harness the power of data outside of the technical support department. We are excited to see how our partners and their customers may utilize this information to grow sales opportunities and increase customer satisfaction.

By: Dave Gelvin, SVP Customer Success at Memjet

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WHY PRINT JUST PACKAGING WHEN YOU CAN PRINT THE WHOLE PACKAGE. 33

Personalized High Quality Graphics

1600 DPI For Exquisite Detail

Revolutionizing the Package Using Memjet modular printing technology, OEMs can build solutions to print amazing packaging corrugate, flexible, label, and folding carton - bringing the power of customization, personalization, and shorter runs to every brand.

See our packaging solutions at memjet.com/packaging

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Impremia IS29: great te and responsiveness Kyoeido Printing has followed one principle: "Provide better solutions for customers." The company originally worked to solve customer problems as a monochrome printing firm. It brought color printing in-house when it became clear that demands were increasing. In 2018, Kyoeido invested in an Impremia IS29 29-inch Sheetfed UV Inkjet Digital Printing System.

We talked with President Toshinaga Hagiwara and Katsuyuki Tsuchida, Acting Chief of the Production Section of the Business Department, regarding the background and impact of this installation.

"Since 'a machine that is not running becomes a burden' was the perspective of my predecessor, the company could only print monochrome work." So says Kyoeido Printing President Toshinaga Hagiwara. "Previously, we expanded by specializing in monochrome jobs that other companies did not want to run.

Therefore, the only offset equipment that we had was one- and two-color half-size presses, and we outsourced all color work," Mr. Hagiwara explains.

"When we began thinking of taking color jobs, we attended a Komori open house to examine the acquisition of

an A-size four-color press. There we encountered the Impremia IS29," he says.

When Hagiwara saw the Impremia IS29, he was amazed by a press that was different from other digital machines in every respect -- engine, mechanism and quality.

"With UV curing, printed sheets can be immediately sent to postpress.

Moreover, we can print with offset quality. In addition, I became very interested in the Impremia IS29's distinctive ability to print with high quality on Lezak paper, which has a leatherlike texture. I felt that the system would be a very good fit for our company and that it would be relatively easy to train our operators, so we decided to invest in the Impremia IS29," says Hagiwara.

Meeting the diverse needs of customers had been a challenge: "We could not print on any paper size larger than A3 with the liquid-toner digital printer that we had all along. But with the Impremia IS29, we could eliminate outsourcing and print posters and packaging larger than A3. The result of installing the Impremia IS29, both in terms of quality and needs, is that we can provide our clients with stable high-quality printing," Hagiwara explains.

Magical front-back register accuracy and wide color gamut When Hagiwara thinks about the factors that influenced his selection, he reflects on the machine's features that serve dual purposes: "The Impremia IS29 provides a wider color gamut than offset printing and can also handle color proofing. Our company does a lot of business with clothing brands, and

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echnical capabilities

Toshinaga Hagiwara, President and Representative Director high-level color proofing is required.

I think most color proofing is done on-press; in other words, most color proofing is performed on an actual press, which is expensive. Using the Impremia IS29, we can get the target color right away."

In addition, deep down Hagiwara feels that he doesn't want to inconvenience the sales staff: "Simply put, with our previous workflow, the salespeople were saddled with a lot of processes.

They went to get the job, then checked the color proof at another company, and then took the color proof to the customer. If the customer decided to go ahead, then the salesperson had to take the color proof to yet another printer for production. We have been able to significantly shorten that workflow."

'The Impremia IS29...is creating our company's future' How does the pressroom look at this

machine, now in operation for six months? Katsuyuki Tsuchida, Acting Chief of the Production Section of the Business Department, thinking back on the period immediately after installation, says: "Preparation for operating the Impremia IS29 started with understanding the difference from our existing machine.

The wide color gamut and being able to run the Impremia IS29 in RGB mode are totally different from our previous equipment. I think customers appreciate the bright, vivid color and the depth attainable in photos. The excellent front/back register accuracy and the short preparation time are big advantages. Papers that we used

to outsource such as Lezak and Vent Nouveau can be printed beautifully.

Our customers are very pleased with these results" "Now we are producing an original color guide on the Impremia IS29 using many DIC and Pantone colors on coated, matte coated and highquality paper. Salespeople are using this in making proposals to customers.

With the Impremia IS29, graphic expressions without using special colors are possible. Our strategy makes use of this advantage," Mr. Tsuchida explains.

Hagiwara's outlook on the future is confident: "Both in size and paper quality, the range of compatibility is broad. Moreover, we can produce packaging. For example, when we want to produce a box in which the customer's product fits perfectly, the Impremia IS29 can provide many choices.

Rather than contributing to profits, this instead raises the customer's expectations of our technical capabilities and responsiveness. And this, in turn, leads to new business. The Impremia IS29 thus handles the work that is creating our company's future."

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"Remote Fitness Check" helps Chinese customer As early as mid-February, Heidelberg China set up the WeChat channel "Against CoV" to provide their customers with even more online services during corona times.

The Messenger service WeChat - with an average of over 960 million daily users - is of great importance for communication in China. With its wide reach, WeChat is an excellent tool for Heidelberg China to stay in close contact and be there for customers even in difficult times. Thanks to its easy access, customer inquiries can be collected and answered quickly, and customers benefit from efficient online services - for example, by conveniently registering for the "Remote Fitness Check" of their machines.

One of the first customers to use the Remote Fitness Check offered free of charge by Heidelberg China was Zun Yi Kuai Li Color Printing Co, Ltd. (Kuai Li) in Zunyi, an important industrial center located in the south of the People's Republic of China.

A Speedmaster CS 92-4 has been in operation there since 2015 and has now been thoroughly tested online. Kuai Li's Production Manager, Mr. Tu, is very happy with the course and results of the Remote Fitness Check: "Preventive measures are the key. Just like people, machines need regular inspections so that we can detect and solve hidden problems in time. Not to mention the fact that Heidelberg's Remote Service is such a convenient and efficient tool for us," says Mr. Tu. The Remote Fitness Check first examines and analyzes the electronic components, the operating status of the machine, the status of the peripherals, the logs of previous error messages, and all maintenance logs. In the case of the Speedmaster CS 92, the entire online check ran smoothly and was completed in just over 20 minutes.

"The Heidelberg engineer sent me a final report the next morning and explained it in detail over the phone,

Kuai Li’s GM Mrs. Peng Qianhong and Deputy GM Mr. Peng Qianbiao reminding us to pay special attention to the condition of some motors and circuit connections. The report also showed that we had done a good job in maintaining our press, which made me quite proud", Mr. Tu said. This positive experience is being shared by more and more customers: regular and systematic inspection of their equipment and machinery is an effective way of detecting potential faults, reducing or even preventing unnecessary downtime and its negative effects on production.

According to Ms. Peng, General Manager of Kuai Li, her Speedmaster CS 92 is the first of its kind in Zunyi and fits perfectly with the demands of the local commercial printing market even in these difficult times: "Normally, we receive many orders for various promotional materials for

supermarkets at this time of year.

This year, more than 90% of our orders were for leaflets and posters for the fight against COVID 19".Kuai Li has gradually returned to normal operations during the past months.

Now all the employees are already back in action - with the confidence that after the Remote Fitness Check of their machine they are well prepared to get back to full speed.

The "Against CoV WeChat Channel" has successfully completed its task with 110 customer enquiries that were processed within three weeks. So well, in fact, that a further channel with even more useful functions for future customer enquiries is already in the works.

We print your world

We combine inks and substrates, so that ingredients become an experience.

Because printing is our world.

Contact your agent to learn more.

Koenig & Bauer (SEA) Sdn Bhd +603 7885 8860 digitalsalescenter@koenig-bauer.com

koenig-bauer.com

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Over 100 Rapida printing unit s in operation at Parksons Packaging • Rapida 76 boosts sheetfed offset press fleet • Rapida sheetfed offset technology valued for ist high productivity • Production focus: folding box production

Parksons Packaging is one of the biggest packaging solutions providers in India.

Alongside its headquarters in Mumbai, the company, which is overseen by chairman Ramesh Kejriwal, operates five ultramodern production plants at locations all over the subcontinent.

Only recently, a newly installed Rapida 76 was commissioned. This means there are now exactly 101 printing and finishing units from Koenig & Bauer in production for the Indian packaging giant.

The first Rapida sheetfed offset presses started arriving at the company in

2005. At the time, Parksons Packaging was looking for presses to handle UV production. The Rapida 105 with its facility to switch dryer modules between multiple installation points was the industry yardstick in those days, not only at Parksons, but indeed for UV production throughout India.

Later, Rapida 106 models joined the line-up – seven-colour and eight-colour presses and others in double-coating configurations. At the beginning of 2020, the company purchased its first Rapida 76 – in a six-colour version with coater and extended delivery.

It was two years ago that Ramesh Kejriwal, Parksons Packaging (centre), signed the delivery contracts for three seven-colour Rapida 106 coater presses, two of which feature DriveTronic SPC and QualiTronic ColorControl. Here in the photo (left to right): Aditya Surana from IndoPolygraph Machinery, with Dietmar Heyduck, Bhupinder Sethi and Sascha Fischer, all Koenig & Bauer Sheetfed

Faced with changing market demands, Parksons Packaging decided that it needed to install a half-format press alongside its medium-format Rapidas.

The combination of high production speeds and a small footprint tipped the scales in favour of the Rapida 76.

No less important were the short job changeover times – especially when using DriveTronic SPC – and an enlarged sheet format.

Fast job changeovers and high production speed The capacity to disengage individual inking units, a feature unique to Rapida presses, also caught Ramesh Kejriwal’s attention: “We can already prepare the unused printing units for the next job while the press is still running the current production job. And as an extra bonus, that also reduces wear on the rollers.“ Kejriwal is equally impressed by the high productivity of the other Rapida presses: “DriveTronic SPC allows job changeover times to be shortened by 30 to 40 per cent. And the number of jobs which we handle on the new presses has increased by 30 to 35 per cent.“

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production plants are located in Sricity and Guwahati.

On average, it can be said that each new Rapida is able to replace two older models. In addition to the high speeds, waste is also reduced. Parksons is very satisfied with the presses, the print quality and the installation and commissioning process. This is reflective of the fast and comprehensive service provided by Koenig & Bauer sales partner Indo-Polygraph Machinery. And so, with each new press, the company is building up a full package geared to the most important criterion for any type of production technology: Performance.

Folding cartons in all dimensions All Parksons Packaging plants place their focus on folding carton production. The corresponding jobs can be assigned to a total of 22 offset production lines, 13 of them from Koenig & Bauer, and one digital line.

Nevertheless, there are differences between the individual plants and their specialisations. Digital and screen printing are based in Daman, together with the production of pharmaceuticals packaging. Pantnagar is specialised in packaging with highquality cold foil finishing. And Chakan produces beverage cartons. Additional

This nationwide base allows Parksons Packaging to supply a wide range of packaging products to customers in all corners of the country. Domestic production is complemented by a global export business. The product portfolio includes, among other things: Mono cartons, litho-laminated cartons, liner cartons, transport and retail packaging, shelf-ready displays, promotional and gift packaging, a broad spectrum of custom packaging, beverage cartons and blister packs.

One of the company’s specialities is an ingenious slider pack design.

In 2019, Parksons Packaging recorded a turnover of around â‚Ź150m ($167m).

Almost 18,000 different articles are produced, and approx. 100,000 tonnes of paper and board are processed every year. More than 1,700 employees work in plants with a production floor space totalling almost 100,000m2 (1,075,000sq.ft).

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New press drives business at Shinkosha Printing It didn't take long for Shinkosha Printing Co., Ltd to enjoy the fruits of their smart investment. No sooner than the new ROLAND 708 press commenced full production production efficiency increased twofold.

The positive trend continues, much to the satisfaction of Mr. Shintaro Fukuda, the company's president.

“This is not a surprise to us at all,” Mr. Fukuda said “because high quality printing and short lead times are once again guaranteed by Manroland's world leading sophisticated printing technologies”.

Founded in 1919, Shinkosha is a wellknown book printer in Japan. With more than a century’s history in the industry, the company specializes in printing scientific and medical books, periodicals and dictionaries – all of which require highly stable and consistent print quality. As Shinkosha attaches great importance to print quality and productivity, the company received two awards from the CIPPI (International Print Production Innovation) Awards in 2009 for “Most innovative use of process automation technology in an implementation” and “Best Process Automation Implementation — Asia/Pacific”.

How does Shinkosha maintain their high reputation?

“We've learnt from more than 100 years in the industry, that adopting the world’s advanced printing technology is the answer” Mr. Fukuda said.

Manroland has been a partner of Shinkosha for more than four decades and, according to Mr. Fukuda, has played a very important role in the steady development of the company.

Its cooperation with Manroland started in 1978 when it acquired its first Manroland press. Since then, Shinkosha – which is based in Shibuya, Tokyo – installed additional ROLAND presses each time market demand increased.

The new printing machine a ROLAND 708 Evolution is equipped with a wide range of automatic functions including InlineColorPilot and IntegrationPilot 2.0.

DirectDrive Technology It can reduce make-ready time by up to 60% compared to a conventional sheet-fed offset press, as the directly driven plate cylinders allow all printing plates to be changed simultaneously.

InlineColorPilot This is an automatic color control system that helps the operator to maintain the color consistency throughout the

print run. It scans a sheet within 12 seconds and adjusts the color within 2 seconds; it automatically measures and regulates ink density in the press during production. The results? Improved print quality and productivity, reduced waste rate of substrates and increased ecological efficiency.

IntegrationPilot 2.0 With IntegrationPilot 2.0, job preparation and machine scheduling can be carried out centrally in the office. Moreover, the press can be integrated in the print shop workflow optimized by CIP3 hot folder or the JDF interfaces. Consequently, errors in the work processes are identified early and thus eliminated. So it helps the company to reduce its make-ready time by up to 25% by automatic color presetting and lessens waste by up to 25%. “Thanks to IntegrationPilot 2.0, we are now able to network among the three machines. My 20 year dream of automation, visualization and remote monitoring has come true” said Mr. Fukuda.

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

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Label Printing: Hot and co Foil is an embellishment process used in the printing industry to make labels and products more distinct and attractive to the customer. The process can also be used to apply security features.

Application of foil can be done offline on a specialized finishing machine, but it’s more common to have it done inline during the printing process.

Three methods are used for hot foiling: - Rotary foil unit - Semi-rotary - Flatbed - Rotary Rotary foil units are common for the application of foil and can be either oil or electrically heated.

is too hot it can lift the foil. This is commonly wrongly perceived as a lack of sufficient pressure and the printer applies more pressure rather than raising the temperature.

Foil temperature can also vary depending on the brand - the manufacturer should specify the ideal temperature. A temperature between 180 and 220 degrees Celsius is common.

Semi-rotary This process of foiling allows more

These units can be a combined with embossing or die-cutting, or the unit can be used separately, though not on all machines. There’s a heated, removable bed that holds the foil plate and both base and top plate come together to provide the pressure required to transfer the foil.

This yields the best outcome of all three processes due to the contact time and evenly distributed pressure on substrate and foil.

Flatbed foiling offers cheaper tooling, but the press speed can be restricted by the way in which the unit works. Speed is also dependent on the unit you have.

Security Foiling Hot or cold foiling is a great tool for security printing with either micro embossing or printing.

There’s also a great range of specialized foils, from holograms to custom designs, that can be printed in register to help stop or impede counterfeiting of products.

This label was printed using the ABG Bigfoot flatbed unit on an MPS press.

Consisting of a round brass cylinder engraved with the image, the unit needs to be handled and stored with care, as repairing a damaged cylinder is expensive.

The rotary foil process provides good results on most substrates, but porous substrates can be challenging, as the contact time between the foil and the substrate is considerably less than for semi-rotary or flatbed foiling processes.

Temperature is a factor that is sometimes overlooked; if the cylinder

precise adjustments in pressure due to the design and function of the unit.

Cold Foil The cold foil application process is relatively new compared with hot foil but offers the same look using a different process.

The semi-rotary unit doesn’t need to change the cylinder size to change the format/print length. Plates are commonly made from magnesium and offer quick changeover times, making them in many ways more efficient than rotary foil units.

This is done by using a flexographic printing unit which applies an adhesive using a heavier anilox; the foil meets the substrate at the nip point before passing under the UV lamp. Different thicknesses of adhesive are required depending on the image and image size, e.g.: for broad areas, a lower line count is needed.

Flatbed This is the oldest method of foiling and the simplest in function and changeover.

For smoother substrates, less adhesive may be required than if the substrate is porous. Pre-coating can help the foiling process. A high lamp power

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old foil applications

may be needed for coloured foil and the distance between the application of adhesive and contact with the foil should be as short as possible.

Foil construction Foil is made up of three layers: the carrier (polyester film), the foil colour (a metallic-based pigment), and the release coat (the adhesive activated by heat for the hot foil to be transferred to the substrate).

Cold foil has the same carrier and colour pigment layer, but the release coat is a thermoplastic primer layer or a wax-free or silicone-free layer which will adhere and transfer to the substrate.

Summary This is a quick snippet on foil and the different types of applications that can be used for hot or cold foiling.

There’s a lot to know and learn about this subject. Here I’ve gone through

some of the very basics of foiling for those with little or no knowledge of the foiling process.

By Kane Marsh Kane Marsh is Regional Printing Instructor Asia Pacific with MPS Systems Asia, providing training on MPS' narrow web flexo presses and specialized label applications. Kane has direct print experience on multiple presses in a range of printing technologies including flexo, gravure, offset, screen and a variety of applications.

color your process

Perfect spot colors & brillant images with software instead of expensive inks.

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My Press, Thailand. - A stor How label printer My Press is boosting cost efficiency and sustainability Two used printing machines, seven employees and a bank loan – these were the humble beginnings of My Press Co. Ltd. a few decades ago. Today the company ranks among the topnotch food label printers in Thailand.

And with the latest investments in Heidelberg innovations, which boost cost and resource efficiency by 90 percent, My Press has improved profitability once more.

When Somsak Amonpitak started out his printing company My Press in Bangkok, he had only little money but big visions. Thus the first two presses he purchased were from Heidelberg: a T-Offset and an MO press, both used.

“I trusted the expertise of Heidelberg as a world leader to develop cutting edge technology at a faster pace than

anyone else in the market. I have used presses from other brands but none of them could meet my standards,” says Somsak Amonpitak.

His uncompromising strategy has clearly paid off: The company has grown steadily. Its nearly 300 employees work two shifts in prepress, press and post-press. 80 percent of the production volume is exported.

Although competitors try to gain market share by offering their products at a lower price, Somsak Amonpitak is confident: “Quality comes first. If you don’t meet the high demands of your customers, cheaper price is not an issue”, he says.

To serve customers’ needs profitably, My Press currently has 9 presses at its

disposal: One Speedmaster CD 102-4 and 8 Speedmaster XL 75 (two sixcolor, two five-color, three four-color and one five-color with double coating unit), all equipped with command panel in the local Thai language.

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ry of quality and perfection “I trusted the expertise of Heidelberg as a world leader to develop cutting edge technology at a faster pace than anyone else in the market.”

Somsak Amonpitak MyPress, Thailand

Increasing sustainability and profitability The cooperation with Heidelberg, however, extends beyond machines.

“Thanks to the broad portfolio of Heidelberg that covers all aspects of sustainable printing and packaging, our customers are on the safe side regarding the environmental standards their products need to comply with”, points out Somsak Amonpitak. For instance, Saphira Eco represents the widest range of eco-friendly consumables for the whole production chain and fulfills the strictest environmental protection criteria of the printing industry.

In addition, the highly automated presses and numerous Prinect applications such as the two latest investments, Prinect Image Control 3 and the Wallscreen on the central control station Prinect Press Center , enhance sustainability and cost efficiency even further. For example, the company can avoid several hundred metric tons of paper waste per year and has minimized CO2 and VOC emissions.

“Push to Stop” boosts productivity by 90 percent By implementing the digital Prinect

Workflow into which all machines are deeply integrated, My Press uses Heidelberg’s Push to Stop technology to bring Industry 4.0 level of automation into its pressroom.

Software-based job preparation greatly reduces manual touchpoints, so jobs can be changed over with minimal operator intervention.

“Due to streamlined and standardized processes, we have driven down our costs and increased speed and accuracy tremendously.

Make-ready times have been cut by 80 percent. A job

change takes just 10 to 15 minutes”, says Somsak Amonpitak. Also, setup waste has been reduced dramatically.

Depending on the job, now only between 100 and 300 waste sheets are generated compared to almost 1,000 waste sheets with the old press.

A great deal of these savings is due to Prinect Image Control 3. During make-ready, the spectrophotometric color control system checks the entire print image, back and front sheet, by comparing the setup value with the target value, such as the desired spot

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colors in the job PDF. It will detect even slightest deviations (i.e. dot gain) and indicate them to the operator who can decide if they are within the tolerance range for the OK sheet.

Alternatively, the system automatically will send the adjustments straight to the press, which in turn corrects the ink zones accordingly. Color fluctuations during the production run are also automatically corrected. Prinect Image Control 3 creates detailed quality reports for each job as proof of consistent production for the customer and for internal analysis. All parameters such as CIE L*a*b* values, densities, and tonal values are saved and can be used for repeat jobs.

Doubling throughput of spot color jobs My Press has installed three units of the color measurement system. Each unit controls three presses at once. “ Prinect Image Control saves us about 1 million baht a month (approx. 30,000 USdollars)”, states Somsak Amonpitak.

“We’ve increased our throughput from between 7 and 10 jobs per day to up to 18 jobs per day. Some days we can process even 22 jobs.” Consequently, output per shift and machine reaches

now up to 100,000 sheets. That totals 30 million sheets per year which is three times as much as presses from other manufacturers would produce.

The color measuring results are displayed on the new Wallscreen of each Prinect Press Center. My Press has installed this user-friendly device at six Speedmaster presses. They provide the press operators with the job information – i.e. production plan, make-ready data - they need to monitor and speed up the production process.

As operators can easily navigate through the job list and prepare each job in advance, throughput is greatly improved.

Value-added services for smart packaging printing “We know we can rely on Heidelberg as the perfect solution provider for growing our business and enjoy a highquality service from a single source”, states Somsak Amonpitak. Heidelberg helped train the staff to reach a new performance level in daily operations, including better management of raw material, job calculation and scheduling.

Simultaneously, the consumption of resources such as paper, electricity, and ink has been minimized.

“It is the power of technology which enables us to stay ahead of the competition by using a smart production platform”, says Somsak Amonpitak. Thanks to Push to Stop My Press has systematically increased overall equipment effectiveness and cost efficiency as well as production capacity. To expand these benefits even further, the company just purchased another Speedmaster XL 75 equipped with Inpress Control 2.

The inline color control system brings the press up to color whithout the need to stop the press or to pull sheets while continuously checking the quality during the press run. “The Heidelberg concept of a smart print shop helps us to more easily adapt to the fastchanging requirements in international markets and stay competitive in the era of digitalization. It enables us to simplify our operations and optimize the entire value chain while ensuring maximum production quality”, resumes Somsak Amonpitak.

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Anti-microbial and antiv after successful trials Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400, developed by Epple Druckfarben AG in Germany, was tested on a wide range of Jet Press printed products at Fujifilm’s Advanced Print Technology Centre in Brussels.

Inks and coatings developer Epple Druckfarben AG has produced a coating to dramatically reduce the chances of bacteria or viruses being passed from person to person via printed media. Now commercially available, the new water-based varnish, Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400, has undergone a rigorous testing process, including tests on Jet Press printed products at Fujifilm’s Advanced Print Technology Centre in Brussels.

The coating has been proven to be effective in killing up to 99.9% of bacteria. This makes it ideal for use on everyday printed products that are handled by multiple people, such as playing cards, magazines, food menus and packaging of all kinds – including pharmaceutical-based packaging and selected plastic films.

Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400 contains elementary silver-nanoparticles (Ag0) firmly anchored in the varnish film.

When activated by moisture – such as when they are touched – the silver-

nanoparticles release positively charged silver ions (Ag+), which significantly reduce the number of bacteria and viruses on the surface of the varnish.

The effect is constant and longlasting because the silver-nanoparticles themselves are not released and can’t be rubbed off from the dried varnish, and because the coating is water-based, it is also very environmentally friendly.

“Epple is well known for its innovations in the field of ink systems, and Finishfit

Microbe Protect 2400 is another unique addition to our product portfolio,” says Helmut Fröhlich, Product Line Manager at Epple. “This coating is suitable for a range of substrates, and we are continuously testing it with other ink types and printing processes.”

Fröhlich was clear on their decision to approach Fujifilm for the initial testing of the coating: “Being one of the leading companies in inkjet printing, Fujifilm was the logical choice for

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viral coating option

testing Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400.

They suggested the testing should be undertaken on the Jet Press and it quickly became clear as to why.

“Unlike some other digital printing processes, the Vividia inks used by the Jet Press produce a smooth, neutral surface that is ideal for both aqueous and UV based coatings. We were impressed to see that the high quality print work produced by the Jet Press is further enhanced by the crucial, invisible protection that Finishfit provides.”

At Fujifilm’s APTC, numerous tests were carried out – both on freshly printed samples, and with prints that were several days old. It proved equally effective on both. Taro Aoki, Head of Digital Solutions, Fujifilm Graphic Systems EMEA says: “The Jet Press

has always been about maximising flexibility and adaptability for its users.

and Energy as part of the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs.

Over the years we’ve continually pushed the boundaries, offering an expanded colour gamut, food safe inks and the ability to print to a huge range of standard offset stocks. So it’s fitting that Jet Press printed products were the first to be tested with this groundbreaking new coating that offers print businesses enormous reassurance as we all continue to manage the risk of living with Covid-19 in society.”

When they began work a year-and-ahalf ago, none of its creators could have known just how much the perceived importance of the product would grow. “During the development phase, the acute significance of the product in the degree of urgency could not be foreseen,” says Stefan Schülling, Member of the Epple Executive Board responsible for Sales and Finance.

“Now we are extremely pleased at the timely offering – further evidence of our innovative leadership.”

The end result of 18 months of development, and the first product in a planned Microbe Protect 2400 series, Finishfit was created in conjunction with the renowned nanoscale research company RAS AG, Regensburg as well as with state funding from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs

“Every sector must throw its full innovative power behind curbing the present and future pandemics”, adds Helmut Fröhlich. “Finishfit Microbe Protect represents an important first step.”

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Securing Supply Chains with Printable Sensors Chromatic Technologies, Inc. (CTI) creates printable thermochromic ink to help ensure the safety of pharma products and vaccines. The printable sensors will make it easy to keep track of the products’ condition and authenticity.

With COVID-19 still affecting everyone’s daily life, the world is feeling the consequences of staggering production and unreliable supply chains in every aspect of their lives.

But nowhere is it more significant than it is with pharmaceutical and medical products. After the shortage of face masks, ventilators and other medical equipment has been averted, people are focussing on preparing secure and reliable supply chains for the vaccine.

Now, Chromatic Technologies, Inc. (CTI) has created an innovative technology to help monitor the product’s condition. With BlindSpotz, the company has created printable sensors that can be easily used on packaging for products like vaccines or insulin.

Ensuring Safety with Thermochromic Ink Keeping the supply chain for pharmaceutical and medical products

stable and secure has always been an especially challenging task: Not only do producers and suppliers need to maintain the cold chain, they also have to prevent tampering and ensure the authentication of the products every step of the way. CTI’s new offering can help address those challenges by detecting temperature changes like freezing, thawing and gradual warming, as well as tampering and even authentication. The BlindSpotz indicators signal a temperature divergence from a certain range with a change of color, showing the product has been jeopardized.

The All-Rounder The sensors aren’t only an impressive solution to a long standing problem, they are also very viable, as there is no special equipment needed: BlindSpotz indicators can be printed across all print formats, including those that require solvent-based inks, involve printing on metal decoration, and high-speed offsets. A future technology that can be implemented with today’s devices.

Abiding to many customers‘ requests, the inks are also free of Bisphenol A, F, and S. CTI Product Director Barry McCann is very proud of their groundbreaking technology, saying, “the combinations of ingredients and manufacturing techniques to make something like a BlindSpotz technology work and pass all other requirements make it as much art as chemistry. Most

companies probably don’t want to make the investment required to serve a niche market like this.”

Although similar solutions already exist, BlindSpotz is a lower-cost option to competing technologies. Being printed in-line with the usual printed packaging materials, such as labels, wraps and film barriers, delivered through an ink, it can be done for a tenth of the cost of many other devices.

In Development While the technology is already very versatile, CTI is still working on other applications. Right now, BlindSpotz is available in paste and liquid ink formulations,supporting inline techniques with digital printing, such as coating units with plates and aniloxes, while digital and inkjet versions aren’t generally commercialised yet. Their goal is to extend product varieties to include: freeze, thaw, warming, and hightemperature alerts, freeze and heat tamper alerts, security or authentication alerts, cold chain compliance indicators, and high-pressure pasteurization indicators for food applications.

At this point, color options range from standard signal color, such as green-to-yellow and charcoal-to-red, to invisible-to-fluorescing colors for special authentication inks. Upon customers’ request, CTI will also be able to develop new color schemes.

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In-plant Pharmaceutical M Increase In Production & Ontario, CA pharmaceutical supplier expands upscale packaging output with latest investment • Popular nasal and sinus care product packaging delivered on its new Rapida 105 sheetfed press • Investment in inline UV process streamlines onepass efficiency • Expansion of new products generates millions of more boxes and inserts

Pharmaceuticals. Lining shelves in grocery stores, drug stores, mass merchandisers, club stores and sold by druggists and other additional medical distributors, NeilMed’s products are expertly printed and packaged under tight regulations at its in-plant facility in Ontario, CA near Los Angeles.

When consumers are faced with nasal and sinus illnesses like stuffy nose, allergies, chronic sinus conditions, excessive nasal mucus, common cold and flu related nasal symptoms, most likely they’ve purchased popular overthe-counter products from NeilMed

“As our business continues to grow and expand, we faced increasing demands for additional speed, quality, and production. We needed to add more firepower to our pressroom and chose a new modern automated Koenig & Bauer Rapida press to

“We’ve built our business over the past 10 years by producing millions of boxes of our packaging in-house with our workhorse press—a Koenig & Bauer Rapida 104 41-inch nonUV press,” says Dr. Ketan C. Mehta, NeilMed’s founder.

produce our boxes and inserts at our Ontario facility. We’ve invested millions of dollars in our pressroom as well as our bindery with new die cutters and folders to make our production process as efficient as possible. Our new Koenig & Bauer Rapida 105 press is a key component to our workflow.”

What has the firm gained with its new Koenig & Bauer press?

Al Khan, the manager of the production department, sees a noticeable difference from its existing Koenig & Bauer press to its sleek new sophisticated model.

“Since the installation of our new Koenig & Bauer press, we’ve increased production by a wide margin---25%,” says Khan, “and we’ve experienced a decrease in our makeready time. The press is working very well.”

Its double-digit gain in production can be attributed to the completely automated features on the new press.

Dr. Ketan C. Mehta, MD founder of NeilMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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Manufacturer Gains 25% Higher Quality NeilMed currently has over 40 over the counter products for nasal and sinus care, ear care, first aid and baby care. With a small team of extremely dedicated, loyal and hardworking leadership group, NeilMed continues to formulate innovative ideas to market. In addition, diversification plans include the introduction of surgical devices for hospital and emergency rooms.

Ketan C. Mehta, MD and Nina Mehta, founded NeilMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in January 2000 from Dr. Mehta's medical office and in a short span, has over 500 employees. NeilMed is the largest manufacturer and supplier of LVLP (Large Volume Low Pressure) saline nasal irrigation systems in the world.

Previously, NeilMed had to run its boxes twice: first through its Rapida 104 and then a second pass through a separate offline UV machine to achieve a high gloss and protective coating, all of which was time consuming.

Another winning feature is the CIPLinkX feature on the new Rapida 105. This capability allows the press to communicate directly with the CIP3 prepress system, via CTPLink, which drastically reduces the plant’s makeready time.

Quality is the biggest impact But the biggest impact of operating the new Rapida press, says Khan, is in the increased quality of the firm’s elaborate packaging. Each box is embellished with a bright blue kettle that is UV coated along with other important messaging on the box along with a photo of Nina Mehta, who co-founded the company.

It’s imperative that each box, sitting side-by-side on store shelves, maintains color consistency and reflects the quality of the product inside. Having the Koenig & Bauer ErgoTronic Color

Control automatic color measuring system on its press, says Khan, provides the operator with the measurement, control, and monitoring of ink densities and L*a*b* values through its ErgoTronic camera that is constantly measuring registration.

Khan speaks highly of the service and support offered by Koenig & Bauer, in which local service technicians ensure complete satisfaction and operation of the new press, along with the attention received from his sales manager Marcus Schoen.

“From an in-plant perspective, printing our own packaging is much better than outsourcing to another printer,” says Khan. “We’re able to save money, ensure that our packaging is of a high quality, monitor our workflow, and give us the flexibility to make changes to our packaging.”

Flagship products are NeilMed SINUS RINSE and NeilMed NasaFlo Neti Pot which are available in most stores in the U.S., Canada, and thirty other countries.

The NeilMed brand of products helps alleviate common nasal and sinus symptoms in a simple, safe, effective and affordable way. The company supplies millions of products to end users through various trade channels. NeilMed’s headquarters and manufacturing facility is based in Santa Rosa, California, USA. In addition worldwide offices and warehouses are located in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Hong Kong, Japan, Sweden, Mexico, Singapore and India.

The company also works with distributors to supply products in numerous countries all over the world in countries such as Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Norway, Hungary, Ireland, Malaysia, Kuwait, Lebanon, South Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan.

NeilMed supplies its products to dozens of distributors in multiple countries.

The unique business model has been a very strict vertical integration for achieving precision and fast execution at all levels.

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Apressia CTX132: Absolutely the Right Decision Manufacturing and marketing learning materials such as notebooks, pencil cases and erasers, with its main efforts going into the production of the 'Japonica Workbooks,' notebooks for elementary school pupils, Showa Note Co., Ltd. in 2017 marked the 70th anniversary of its founding by starting construction of a new plant, which was completed the following year.

For the new plant, Showa Note planned to install a line for perfect binding, and in September 2019, the company installed an Apressia CTX132 Programmable Hydraulic Clamp Cutting System.Yasuo Kawasaki, Executive Director of Showa Note, explains, "We decided to make better notebooks for our customers, items with perfect binding that open up easily. With the installation of the

perfect binding machine, a cutting system was required."

"The factory manager liked the Apressia CTX132 when he saw it at the Komori booth at IGAS. Then he visited a printing company that had installed the system and saw it operating. I also went to see a demonstration at Komori's Tsukuba plant. Because of the declining workforce, investing in the Apressia

CTX132, which saves labor through automation, was absolutely the right decision."

To promote innovation in moving from the old to the new plant, a setup was devised to not only create a coherent flow from printing to binding and packing but also to improve the stationing of personnel.

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Section Chief Koichi Maeda, who oversees the Apressia CTX132 on the floor, explains: "When the printed sheets stacked on the lifter are moved to the jogger, a sensor raises the lifter

by that amount. You can take the sheets without bending over. Next, when the foot button on the cutting system side is pressed, the sheets are automatically moved from the jogger to the cutting

system and then cut in three directions while being turned automatically. The sheets are slid manually from the cutting system to the unloader, and when the button is pressed, are automatically

loaded onto the pallet. Trim waste is efficiently discharged through the duct of a transparent vacuum-driven pipe that we built ourselves."

School notebooks are B5 size in finished format and cutting of the covers will be changed from six-page to three-page vertical imposition with the new binding system. Mr. Kawasaki says the changes have led to increased in-house production and greater cost savings.

Mr. Maeda says, "Although the amount of in-house work is increasing, I have the impression that the number of employees needed is decreasing. With the previous cutting process, three of us were in charge of one cutting machine. One person placed the sheets from the pallet onto the jogger, and one handled cutting. The third person loaded cut sheets onto the pallet. With this cutting system, one person can do the work singlehandedly."

Kawasaki highlights the Apressia's impact on worker safety and health: "The Apressia CTX132 is

structurally designed to prevent workers from touching the blade, and from management's standpoint, we appreciate the high level of safety. We also expect health benefits from the new cutter. Scenes of moving heavy

piles of paper are much fewer, and thus the physical load on workers' back and legs is reduced. I think the Apressia CTX132 is an indispensable machine, and in the future, we will produce notebooks of even higher quality."

color your process

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Astronauts Urine and Moon Dust – the Perfect Combination for 3D Printing?

In 2024, NASA plans to fly to the moon again but this requires a special surface on the lunar base. To build it, only two things are actually needed, but they are quite unusual: urine and moon dust. This blog article shows how 3D printing turns it into building blocks for a moon base.

Astronaut urine and moon dust as a potential 3D printing material for a moon base? Yeah, you read that right!

Researchers from Norway’s Østfold University College found out that these materials are capable to withstand enormous weights while retaining its structure when used to form samples in a 3D printer. They even survive repeated freeze-thaw cycles without breaking. But let’s take a closer look at the habitat moon first.

Life on a Celestial Body The next NASA team on the moon is going to land at the lunar South Pole.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to simply settle on the lunar surface and they can’t take many materials with them to build a station because the transportation from Earth into the Outer Space poses many challenges.

The transport of three apples into space, which weigh about 450g, for example, costs about 10,000 dollars. A reasonable solution is therefore to build a lunar station that can be constructed with materials that exist on the moon itself.

Furthermore the astronauts need a safe habitat to protect them from extreme temperature fluctuations from negative nine degrees Fahrenheit to negative 313 degrees Fahrenheit. Besides, they must be shielded from the impact of micrometeorites and radiation.

The expedition is part of NASA’s Artemis program with the goal to find and use resources on the moon to allow long-term exploration. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine explains that Artemis aims for a permanent presence on and around the moon, unlike the Apollo program. However, as already explained, this project requires materials found on the moon and those that the astronauts already have with them.

Concrete Mixed out of Moon Dust and Human Urine A new study published on February 20, 2020 in the Journal of Cleaner Production investigated the potential for using moon dust – also known as regolith – in combination with human urea to create building blocks that can be printed with a 3D printer.

In an interview with Digital Trends, Professor Anna-Lena Kjøniksen leader of the research project explains: “[In our work] we are utilizing lunar regolith, a.k.a. moon dust, in combination with sodium hydroxide and water, to make geopolymer concrete […] that [does] not utilize ordinary cement. It is desirable to use this on the moon since it is horrendously expensive to bring anything up from Earth. Since water is in limited supply on the moon, we need to add something to reduce the amount of water we need to gain good flow-properties for 3D-printing building structures.”

Urea is an abundant source useful for breaking hydrogen bonds. Thanks to these properties, it can help to reduce the viscosity of the moon dust concrete, making it softer and more pliable before it has fully cured. The structure of the material is therefore very suitable for 3D printing.

In the next step Kjøniksen and her team will test if they can use the material’s ability for 3D printing in a vacuum and the concrete’s ability to stop irradiation.

“If we manage to develop a geopolymer concrete that can be 3D-printed in a vacuum and still give the desired mechanical and radiation shielding properties, we hope they will test it in space in the future,”

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

59

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

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

60 Heidelberg’s 2020 training year kicks off despite Covid-19 The training year at Heidelberg started on 1 September 2020. Despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, another 99 young men and women are embarking on their training or dual study courses at one of the company’s four sites in WieslochWalldorf, Brandenburg, Amstetten, and Ludwigsburg.

The focus is on production-related careers, such as training as a mechanic,

Here, too, digitization is playing a key role. For example, the dual study course in Digital Media/Media Management and Communication covers technical principles for e-commerce and mobile applications, followed by planning media projects, media research, and media automation.

The Business IT course teaches key business management and information technology skills. All the dual study courses center on participants developing their own ideas and trying them out in practice at the earliest possible opportunity.

in September 2021.

School grades are not the only deciding factor when it comes to a training place at Heidelberg. Just as important are applicants’ social skills, personality, and attitude to their career.

A full range of information about vocational training at Heidelberg and the application portal can be found on the company’s website.

In light of demographic trends and the ongoing digital transformation, the company is planning to progressively increase the number of training places in the years ahead. With primarily older employees retiring in the medium term, Heidelberg will continue to need trainees with an interest in various information technologies and exciting careers in a digital production environment.

The company currently employs around 300 trainees at its four sites, approximately 230 of whom are based at the largest site, Wiesloch-Walldorf.

CGS ORIS introduces new software versions

mechatronics engineer, electronics engineer, or logistician. Digital learning content utilizing cutting-edge technologies is becoming increasingly important as digitization spreads throughout all areas of the company and new digital business models come to the fore. Practical examples include the use of augmented reality technology during service and maintenance work on presses, for instance. This trend applies across the board, to commercial specialties and dual study courses in all disciplines, as well as to technical and IT-related careers.

Great interest in dual study courses The popularity of dual study courses is growing ever higher, and not just because they integrate theory and practical projects in the company.

“We invest in up-and-coming talent, and as the world market leader in sheetfed offset presses we offer the best opportunities for highly skilled training, which then generally leads on to a permanent employment contract,” said Prof. Rupert Felder, Head of Human Resources at Heidelberg.

“This year, as in previous years, we took on practically all our newly qualified trainees, as we need young people with their ideas and passion – an important investment in the future of Heidelberg.”

In light of demographic trends and the ongoing digital transformation, the company is planning to progressively increase the number of training places in the years ahead. With primarily older employees retiring in the medium term, Heidelberg will continue to need trainees with an interest in various information technologies and exciting careers in a digital production environment.

The company currently employs around 300 trainees at its four sites, approximately 230 of whom are based at the largest site, Wiesloch-Walldorf.

Applications are already being taken for training and study courses starting

Color management specialist CGS ORIS is introducing its latest software versions. There are lots of changes to discover!

The color server and the proofing software have a completely new look with flat, very clear icons and the user interface has been arranged in an optimized manner for a simplified overview. This is also supported by a new colored status info, additional information can be activated about printers, queues, jobs and other processes to have all important details present at a glance.

In addition, the user is now able to make many adjustments within the programs and it’s now possible to completely customize the software to their own needs and requirements.

This makes working within the software even more intuitive - especially for new users its now even easier to get started – and workflows are streamlined enormously.

A nice enhancement is the option to switch between different modes, like light, classic and dark mode (see picture).

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

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

HIGHLY AUTOMATED

EF SYMJET The hybrid printing solution

Our focus is on you, your operators and your results.

We are driven, driven to improve your results.

We design our presses to enhance the talents of your operators.

DIGITAL

EXL-PACKAGING The mid web packaging press

MID-WEB

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

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

62

But that is not even the half of it: "In addition to graphic-based improvements, it was of great importance for us to implement innovative features that generate added value for our customers and which are, from our point of view, trend-setting", Marcus Brune, Product Manager at CGS ORIS. The usage, editing, and also prediction of spectral color data and the optimization of spot colors play a central role here. Among others, this was applied in the simulation of overprinting spot colors. More will be announced shortly, the company promises.

Other functions for example relate to the creation of user-defined test charts for all supported measuring devices, the media-relative adjustment of the substrate white point, and scheduled printing.

In addition, new hardware is also supported, including the latest Xrite EyeOne generation and the new Myiro from Konica Minolta. New Canon, Epson, and Mutoh printers have been implemented.

Konica Minolta’s AccurioWide inks achieve Greenguard certification Konica Minolta announced it has achieved GREENGUARD Gold Certification for its AccurioWide inks in a move that underpins its commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

For decades, Konica Minolta has been committed to sustainability across its global operations. Its environmental action plan, Eco Vision 2050, sets ambitious goals to reduce its carbon

footprint and preserve the planet, while enabling customers to do the same.

Products receiving the GREENGUARD certifications are scientifically proven to meet some of the world’s most rigorous third-party emissions standards, helping to reduce indoor air pollution and the risk of chemical exposure.

In addition to maintaining low indoor emissions, Konica Minolta’s AccurioWide UV LED inkjet inks for sign and display printing offer the following benefits: • Wide colour gamut and high colour vibrancy for dynamic results that impress and inspire • Versatility to print on rigid or flexible media with accuracy and excellent adhesion to broaden the scope of possible applications • Lowest ink consumption per square foot – the lowest on the market GREENGUARD certification is

provided by UL, a global safety science company that promotes safe, secure and sustainable living and working environments for people by the application of science, hazard-based safety engineering and data acumen.

Miraclon announces judging panel for Global Flexo Innovation Awards The judges for this year’s Global Flexo Innovation Awards, hosted by Miraclon, have been announced. The panel comprises eight flexo industry influencers and technical experts who bring vast experience from every segment of the flexographic value chain. Each judge’s area of expertise offers a unique take on the judging criteria, which will mark each entrant against their show-stopping creativity, transition to flexo from another print process, print production workflow efficiency and commitment to sustainable print.

COLOUR DIGITAL PRESSES Reap the Benefits of Productivity, Versatility, and High Quality

The imagePRESS C910 Series is a true, light- to mid-volume production press that incorporates advanced technologies to help print establishments achieve amazing results—all in a small footprint.

Outstanding Productivity

Amazing Quality

Brilliant Versatility

• Production speeds of up to 90 ipm • Maintains rated speed on uncoated stocks up to 80 lb. Cover • 7,650-sheet1 feeding capacity with up to six different sources2 • Wide array of productive Canon and third-party in-line accessories2

• 2400 x 2400-dpi print resolution utilizing the unique R-VCSEL imaging technology • Intuitive calibration process that uses internal sensors to measure test patches • Translucent CV Toner produces vibrant images on a wide variety of stocks • Multi D.A.T. helps to achieve consistent color across long runs automatically

• Supports stocks up to 130 lb. Cover2 • Runs a variety of envelopes and long sheets2 up to 51.2” • Helps achieve highly accurate and consistent registration, even on large and heavy stocks • Meets ENERGY STAR® standards and rated EPEAT Gold

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

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

64 Joining this year’s independent judging panel are: Laurel Brunner (UK), Consultant and Journalist for Digital Dots, Verdigris & Spindrift; Matthew Daniels (UK), Artwork Excellence Innovation Manager at Unilever; Stefano d’Andrea (Italy), Industrial Graphic Expert; Kai Lankinen (Finland), Executive Partner & Co-Owner of Marvaco Ltd; Sebastian Longo (Argentina), President and Managing Director of Fotograbados Longo S.A; Ken McGuire (US), Research Fellow at Procter & Gamble; Jason Goode (Australia), Packaging Manager at Reece Group; and Dr. Chip Tonkin (US), Chair – Department of Graphic Communications at Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design & Graphics.

Chairing the judging panel, after being a judge for the first awards in 2018, will be Christopher Horton, former Senior Vice President of Southern Graphics Systems (SGS) who has had a distinguished career in graphic services, having founded Advance Printing Products, Inc. (APP) in 1988.

He then became a senior executive within Southern Graphic Systems, Inc. when the two businesses merged in early 2001. Christopher was instrumental in the company’s growth to become a global graphic services provider before he retired from SGS in 2015. He still remains active in graphics services and provides business optimization and exit planning consulting services.

Emma Schlotthauer, Chief Marketing Officer at Miraclon, commented: “Across the flexo printing marketplace, there are a host of innovative companies who are driving technological enhancements throughout the production process, even in unprecedented times like these. At Miraclon, we want more than ever to honor the talent and innovation in the industry that is driving flexo forward.

That’s why we’re returning this year with the second Global Flexo Innovations Awards to place a spotlight on companies using flexo to expand their business horizons. Through the awards, we’re not only celebrating these companies and sharing their inspirational stories, but we’re also connecting like-minded individuals to

create a valuable global network. We’re excited to be strengthening that network with this year’s awards program.”

“Without our independent judging panel, our Global Flexo Innovation Awards are not possible. We are thrilled to be welcoming nine judges to our panel this year, each who have a vast experience and unique perspective of the flexo print industry. Collectively, they are ideally qualified to recognize the entries that have made the most significant impact across the packaging value chain and we look forward to hearing their choices and revealing the winners,” Schlotthauer concluded.

Launched in 2018, the Global Flexo Innovation Awards were introduced to recognize companies at the forefront of the transformation of the flexographic printing industry. Looking beyond print quality and technical execution, which is expected to be of the highest caliber, entrants are challenged to demonstrate how flexo printing and KODAK FLEXCEL NX technology, with their own innovative approach, has been used to achieve outstanding results throughout the whole production process, from design, to production efficiency and commitment to sustainability.

The Global Flexo Innovation Awards will be open for entries in September 2020. For more information on the Global Flexo Innovation Awards program, 2020 judging panel and 2018 winners visit www.transformingflexo. com.

Integration of AI into On Demand Workflow Kodak and PerfectPattern GmbH, a specialist in innovative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for

manufacturing industries, announced a new agreement by which Kodak will take a license for the source code of PerfectPattern’s sPrint One software.

This will allow Kodak to further develop the version of sPrint One used in the KODAK PRINERGY On Demand Workflow. The latest agreement extends the successful partnership which began between the two companies four years ago with an official announcement at drupa 2016.

The special licensing arrangement will enable Kodak to integrate sPrint One’s AI based functionality more closely with the innovative, cloud based PRINERGY On Demand Workflow for an even more streamlined print job preparation. sPrint One is already the engine for the optional KODAK Dynamic Print Planning Service for automatic, optimized job ganging and press planning in a single processing step, taking account of numerous printer-specific parameters. The tighter integration of sPrint One into PRINERGY On Demand will help printers achieve even more highly automated workflow processes, greater production efficiency, even lower production and material costs and hence improved profitability.

“This step will enable PRINERGY On Demand to utilize innovative AI technology more easily and more directly than ever by providing an integrated platform with Industry 4.0 and automation features unmatched throughout the printing industry,” commented Todd Bigger, Vice President, Software, Kodak Print Division. “At the same time, it will strengthen Kodak’s portfolio of high performance, cloud-based workflow solutions, which printers can tailor precisely to their unique needs.”

5th INTERNATIONAL PACKAGING AND PRINTING EXHIBITION FOR ASIA

22- 25 SEP 2021 BITEC • BANGKOK

www.pack-print.de

325

National Pavilions and Groups

leading exhibiting companies from

from Germany, Taiwan, Thailand, China and Singapore

30

countries and regions

International Visiting Delegations

More than

19,000

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

trade visitors from

63

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

I

Messe DUsseldorf / Organizer of:

packaging industries

For enquiries:

Within Thailand:

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

Overseas:

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

Jointly organized by:

8* au1Aumsuss,il'irurllna

THE THAI PACKAGING ASSOCIATION

The Thai Printing Association

f Messe Diisseldorf Asia

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

66 New software release for automated print file preparation: prepress suite expanded with powerful features • Reduce file sizes significantly through image referencing • Automated creation of hemstitches • Use of file properties for dynamic workflow routing and Variable Data Printing The last few months have made one thing quite obvious: in order to emerge stronger from crisis situations, it is essential to be able to rely on automated processes in unforeseeable situations and to intervene flexibly and quickly in print production.

OneVision, the specialist for automation solutions in print data preparation, has considered these aspects, among others, when further developing its prepress software Asura over the past months and has equipped it with three new, powerful functionalities.

Shorter processing times by reducing file sizes through image referencing In the field of direct mailing or dialog marketing, but also in the production of books, brochures and other print products, images are often repeated in files. This causes unnecessarily large file volumes. With the new "Embed recurring images only once" function, identical images are embedded only once. For all other occurrences, "Reference XObject" elements are being created that reference the embedded image. This allows file sizes to be significantly reduced and processing times of subsequent systems to be accelerated.

Automated creation of hemstitches makes large format printers and sign manufacturers work more efficiently Hemstitches are mainly important in wide format and textile production.

The new module "Add Hemstitches" adds hemstitches to supplied print data. The print image can be flipped on all sides or white space can be added. The required sizes can be set individually. For double-sided printing, the motif can be chosen between front and back. Print data are therefore perfectly optimized for production requirements.

dynamic generation of proof sheets.

In addition, the file properties enable routing within the workflow and hence ensure a dynamic, smooth file preparation.

With the new release, OneVision Software demonstrates again that its now more than 3,000 customers worldwide receive major new features regularly – at least twice a year – that enable printers, publishers and other print service providers to automatically produce error-free, high-quality print files and ultimately increase their job profitability.

Workflow routing and Variable Data Printing (VDP) through file properties

Flint Group unveils Sustainable Supply Model

Print service providers send their customers proof sheets of prepared print files for print approval. This is intended to avoid costly and time-consuming reprints. With the improved functionality of the VDP module, colors and fonts contained in the print file can be used as properties.

This information can be used in many different ways including for the

Sustainable Supply Model for a Transparent & Ethical Supply Chain Revealed by Flint Group Packaging Inks in New White Paper A commitment to demonstrating robust ethical management is at the heart of an innovative Sustainable Supply Model implemented by Flint Group Packaging Inks.

In a new white paper unveiled by the company, an ambition to achieve transparent and sustainable supply conditions for the print and packaging supply chain is outlined.

Arno de Groot, Vice President of Procurement for Flint Group Packaging, said: “We have a strong sustainability vision embedded in everything we do at Flint Group Packaging Inks. However, this can only be truly realised if we extend our commitments to our stakeholders

Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

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Printing Innovation Asia Issue 9 2020

68

and suppliers located around the world. The rigorous standards we set ourselves should also be applicable to those with whom we partner, so that our supply chain is transparent and aligned in achieving sustainable business practices and processes.

“Our Sustainable Supply Model is built on the principles of strong ethical management and, within our Packaging Inks business, we have aligned our strategies and operations to that of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact in relation to management of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.

The Sustainable Supply Model complements the objectives set within the Compact and is intended to extend our approach to sustainability and ethical responsibility across our supply chain.”

The recently published white paper explores four key initiatives that have been developed as part of the Sustainable Supply Model. These include: a Supplier Selection Process, which sees potential new suppliers undergo checks and financial assessment to ensure appropriate trading capability is in place; a Sustainability Performance Assessment to compare supplier performance against 10 UN Global Compact principles.

And some of its sustainable development goals; a Health Safety & Environment Review to assess delivery processes and compliance to local and international packaging and labelling legislation; and a Quality and Regulatory Assessment, which considers compliance with regulatory requirements according to product, service, market and geography.

Potential suppliers are provided with a score and if all parts of the Sustainable Supply Model have been

effectively addressed, can begin working with Flint Group Packaging Inks.

To find out more about Flint Group Packaging Inks’ sustainability strategy, the new white paper can be downloaded from the company’s website here: https://flintgrp.com/ en/divisions/packaging-narrow-web/ sustainability/ Toyochem launches Biodegradable Polyurethane Adhesive Toyochem Co., Ltd., a member of the Toyo Ink Group of Japan, has developed a new series of biodegradable pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). Marketed under the Cyabine series of polyurethane PSAs, the newly developed product is suitable for materials for the packaging industry. It can also be used in construction, agriculture and other industries where the use of biodegradable or recoverable materials are preferred.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in reducing plastic waste, in particular with regard to the development of biodegradable materials that reduce the use of petroleum and its negative impact on the environment. In many countries, industrial waste generated from fields such as civil engineering, forestry and agriculture need to be recovered or decomposed naturally without imposing a burden on the

environment. While the base paper or film substrates used in recovered products are biodegradable, the additives such as adhesives traditionally used to coat or treat them are not, resulting in disposal issues.

In response to this issue, Toyochem researchers in Japan developed a high performance biodegradable PSA based on an innovative biodegradable polymer design.

In addition, by using plant-derived raw materials, the new Cyabine adhesive achieves a biomass content on a dry weight basis of up to 45%. This means the product can reduce CO2 emissions throughout the lifecycle of the newly developed product, without compromising on adhesive performance.

According to Toyochem, after use, the adhesive waste can be digested by soil microorganisms and converted over time into substances, such as carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen and methane gas, thus helping to reduce landfilling and further close the circular loop on plastic waste.

Moreover, the new PSA system demonstrates biodegradation rates of 60% or higher after 60 days. When combined with other biodegradable materials used in a wide range of products, it helps to improve the overall biodegradability of these products (see illustration).

The biodegradability of the new Cyabine PSAs has been confirmed under controlled composting conditions as prescribed by the Japanese Standards Association’s JIS K 6953-1, the equivalent of the international standard ISO 14855-1.

It is currently available in Japan with a worldwide release to follow in the next few years.

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Quality Printer?

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

* This Year due to COVID-19 the 2020 Judging will be done in Australia with the Awards held in December in Asia

16

th

FREE ENTRY FORM DEADLINE 5PM NOVEMBER 3RD 2020 3 Windy Hill Drive, Mulgrave,3170 Victoria, Australia

SINGAPORE - THAILAND - INDIA - MALAYSIA - JAPAN - HONG KONG - CHINA - KOREA - TAIWAN - VIETNAM - INDONESIA - SRI LANKA - PHILIPPINES - CAMBODIA - MYNAMAR The annual Asian Print Awards was founded to recognise outstanding achievement in the print and packaging industries across Asia.

With more than half the world’s population represented in this fast growing area, communication in the form of printed matter links Asia’s diverse cultures. It is imperative that such print achievements do not go unrecognised, especially among the population base that Asia enjoys.

The Awards are judged on a wholly quality-oriented set of criteria to ensure that fair play is enacted at all times.

The Independent Judging Panel comprises highly qualified personnel from within Asia and around the world. The independent judging panel has no knowledge of the actual entrants details. ALL ENTRIES ARE NUMBER-CODED. Entries must be commercially produced work.

The Asian Print Awards is the only regional print quality competition of its kind in Asia. Supported by leading industry-supply companies, any progressive quality print house should enter and prove that they are the best - by winning the Gold, Silver or Bronze award. Proving pride in quality awareness is what customers love to see. It’s not just empty words, you can prove it.

Categories 1-8 : Offset Printing Only

20. Digital Labels

1. Calendars – any format

21 Digital - Outdoor Billboard

2. Sheetfed Magazines

Categories 22-26 : Specialty Categories

3. Book printing – less than 4 colours

22. Multi–Piece Productions and Campaigns Any substrate or print process: Multi–piece Production must be 3 or more items such as folder, leaflets, ring binders, inserts, envelopes including their contents.

Campaigns must be 3 or more items with a consistent theme produced during the year by the same printer for the same client.

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

Categories 9 - 21 : Digital Printing Only

9. Book Printing 10. Calendars 11. Personalised photo books – any format.

12. Posters 13. Showcards & Point-of-Sale material 14. Digital Magazines

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

24. Innovation / Specialty Printing The entry must exhibit any innovative and/ special application of machinery, process, substrate or finishing.

A short description must be provided for the judges, detailing reasons for entry into this category.

25. Company Self Promotion Any item printed to promote a product or company involved in the graphic arts industry. Self promotion cannot be entered into any other Category.

26. Judges Special Award (A job that catches all the Judges’ attention)

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

Best in Digital Award

19. Digital Packaging Best in Offset Award

* This Year due to COVID-19 the Judging will be done in Australia The Awards will be held in December in Asia

Best Use of Colour Award

FREE ENTRY FORM ASIAN PRINT AWARDS 2020

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

SECTION A (This will not be shown to judges). Please fill the form in capital letters.

Entered by (company name): ______________________________________________________________________________________ Contact Person: ________________________________________________ Email______________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: __________________________________

Country________________________________

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

Signature over printed name_____________________________ Name_____________________________________________________

SECTION B Production information to be shown to judges

( tape this securely to the back of your entries)

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

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

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

Any Embellishment (foil stamping etc) __________________________________

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

This Year due to COVID-19 the Judging will be done in Australia

The Awards will be held in December in Asia ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

Send all entries to: APAM Pte Ltd, 3 Windy Hill Drive, Mulgrave,3170 Victoria, Australia Email: paul@printinnovationasia.com Additional entry forms can be downloaded at www.printinnovationasia.com Please note that entries are non-returnable unless a self addressed courier pack is supplied.

www.xeikon.com