Fespa World Editor’s letter If 2006 has been a busy year for FESPA and its member Associations, 2007 promises to be even busier! The successful launch of FESPA Digital Printing Europe during 2006 is due to be followed by possibly one of the most exciting FESPA exhibitions ever, in June, together with the second FESPA World Expo India show in Dehli, in December. For full details on both these and the other events which FESPA have in the pipeline, turn to page 22. In addition, the FESPA Projects Committee, under the leadership of Chris Smith, will be continuing to support members’ activities throughout the coming year, whilst Chris reports on some of the events he attended during the Autumn, on page 14. And although the report on the FESPA General Assembly – pages 48-51 - reveals, that at present, some Associations are faring better than others, Marcus Timson’s review of SIOTEC’s meteoric rise on page 20, may well provide some interesting ideas for other Associations to copy. When not busying themselves with visits to exhibitions and other Association events, screen and digital printers will face the challenge of assimilating all of the information relating to important new regulations. Following Paul Rankin’s summary of RoHS and WEE in the last issue is an article on REACH, which threatens to have even more bearing on printers’ profitability in the next year or two. Read all about it on page16. The FESPA Digital Printing Awards 2007, featured on page 26, will culminate in during the early part of the year and will no doubt highlight many new and innovative applications. It is possible that one of these might highlight the remarkable capabilities of a new rigid substrate, Re-board. Introduced by the Swedish company Design Force, it is exceptionally strong and durable but considerably lighter than any of the current alternatives and seems likely to revolutionise the graphics sector over the next couple of years. To get in on the act early, turn immediately to pages 28-31. Our own Michel Caza is back on the road again and provides us with edited highlights of his recent trips to visit printers in Russia, Turkey and Bulgaria, where the level of innovation that they are employing in their businesses amazed him. Read his report on pages 38-41. FESPA World also has a new innovation it is very proud off. A new web link, www.digitalpublishingcompany.co.uk/activemagazine/welcome/FE, enables readers to browse through the magazine on the Internet. This new facility, in conjunction with the downloadable PDF facility already provided, via www.fespaworld.com, thus offers both the enjoyment provided by the ‘flick factor’ or the ability to print out articles for a more in-depth scrutiny. Call it our Christmas present to you! The only thing left to do then, on behalf of the whole FESPA team, is to wish everyone a very prosperous, productive and above all, profitable New Year!
NEWS ROUND-UP
4 SUPPLIER NEWS
Published by FESPA Ltd Editorial office FESPA Association House 7a West Street Reigate, Surrey RH2 9BL Tel: +44 1737 24 07 88 Fax: +44 1737 24 07 70 E-mail: info@fespa.com www.fespa.com Publisher Marcus Timson – Group Commercial Manager Tel: +44 1737 24 07 88
Editor Val Hirst Tel: +44 1623 88 23 98 E-mail: val@valhirst.demon.co.uk Graphic Design Bate Brand Communications 8 St Leonard’s Square, Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 0AR Tel: +44 1491 835835 www.batebrand.com
BREAKING THE BARRIERS The Swedish company Design Force has introduced Reboard, a novel new material, which is set to revolutionise the display graphics sector
8 PRODUCT NEWS New launches and Innovations
14 CHRIS’S COLUMN What’s happening within the Associations
16 REACH How the new regulations will affect Screen and Digital printers
20 MAX POWER! How the new regulations will affect Screen and Digital printers
32 PERFECT PARTNERS Inca is the printer manufacturer behind Re-board
33 FIRST OF A KIND Augend Technologies enters into the industrial inkjet arena
INFORMATION
34
FESPA’s regular guide to shows and events
38
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Michel Caza describes how the printing sector is faring in Russia, Turkey and Bulgaria
22 FESPA NEWSLETTER Events for 2007 and beyond
26 FESPA DIGITAL PRINT AWARDS 2007 The latest update on the competition
PERSONAL CHOICE
Printers explain their selection of equipment
21 DIARY DATES
Val Hirst e-mail: elford@btconnect.com Advertising Michael Ryan – Group Sales Manager James Ford – Sales Manager Tel: +44 1737 24 07 88 Fax: +44 1737 24 07 70
28 INNOVATION -
The latest news from around the industry
56 FESPA CONTACT LIST Fespa World The membership magazine of the Federation of European Screenprinting Associations Issue No.46 Winter 2006
SPECIAL FEATURES
MAIN FEATURE
42
BEAUTIFUL BRATISLAVA
A report on The FESPA General Assembly 2007
AND FINALLY…
58 In this issue Peter Cornelis of Augend Technologies is in the hot seat
52 THE PETER KIDDELL COLUMN In the issue Peter explains the ISO standards
Printing The MANSON Group Ltd Reynolds House, 8 Porters Wood Valley Road Industrial Estate St Albans, AL3 6PZ Tel: +44 1727 848 440 www.manson-grp.co.uk
Fespa World. Designed by Bate Brand Communications. Printed by The Manson Group Ltd. Editorial photographs supplied courtesy of the companies they feature. The publishers accept no responsibility for any statement made in signed contributions or those reproduced from any other source, nor for claims made in any advertisement. Fespa World is available to individuals who qualify within the terms of a controlled circulation and by subscription.
FESPA WORLD WINTER/06 3
NEWS ROUND-UP – SUPPLIER NEWS
Full steam ahead for Fillink
Generic wide format inkjet ink manufacturer Fillink Technologies SA used the Visual Communication Italy exhibition to announce further company and product developments. After another year of exceptional growth, which has seen Fillink become the number one generic ink supplier in most European countries, it has developed and manufactured a range of versatile new UV inks, which will be available imminently. Fillink is also set to supply UV ink, specialised technical support and equipment for the NUR Expedio wide-format inkjet production press, which will be followed up next year by product and support for the VUTEk PressVu. In addition, Fillink has also introduced an alternative ink solution for the Roland Advanced Jet AJ-1000 Printer, which, claims Managing Director, Esmeralda Desart, “will enable the Roland Advanced Jet to operate
as a small version of some of the leading super wide-format inkjet printers, whilst using inks and producing prints that are comparative in price.” She says: “We are committed to enabling this via a bulk ink system, with inks selling at €30 per litre. This will benefit users tremendously by reducing the cost per m2 from €6 to €1 per print.” Fillink continues to enjoy success in Italy through Sintesi, which operates in tandem with DGVision who are responsible for covering the North of the country. Fillink has also just expanded its distribution network further with the appointment of SesomaSericomex Group as its exclusive distributor for the Nordic and Baltic regions – extending the company’s global reach to include Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. For further information, please contact: www.fillink.eu.com
RFID Smart Labels breaks new ground in London The recent RFID Smart Labels Europe Conference and Exhibition broke new ground and revealed how the subject has moved on. The 350 delegates from 30 countries, who assembled in London, rated speakers from San Francisco International Airport and Manchester Airport Group to be particularly interesting. These speakers both 4 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
described RFID markets that have come from nowhere, including baggage tagging and people tagging, which help to reduce queues and improve safety and accuracy. Another new market, drug tagging, was also covered, this being primarily for anticounterfeiting. For further information visit: www.idtechex.com
HP to drive digital HP has created a dedicated Graphic Arts division, designed to help it drive the adoption of digital printing and to bring ground-breaking technologies, new business opportunities and outstanding print quality to the expanding Graphic Arts sector. The new division, part of HP’s Imaging and Printing Group, seeks to bring together a huge portfolio of digital print solutions to help HP customers capture new business opportunities with high-growth applications from stamps to billboards, enhanced by a complete range of industryleading end-to-end solutions. The new organisation, encompassing Designjet large
format printing, HP Scitex wide format printing, HP Indigo digital offset presses and HP Specialty Printing Systems, will be led in Europe by Santiago Morera, Vice President and General Manager of the Graphic Arts Business for the Imaging and Printing Group in EMEA. He will be supported by Francois Martin, EMEA Graphic Arts Marketing Manager, Manel Martinez, Large Format Printing Business Manager for EMEA responsible for the combined HP DesignJet and HP Scitex businesses, and Marc Schillemans, Business Manager for HP Indigo. For further information please visit: www.hp.com
Universal Glossy Canvas wins prestigious DPI award 2006
3P received its second DPI Product of the Year award in succession with its canvas products. Universal Glossy Canvas (IQ-IJ109) from 3P InkJet Textiles Corp was awarded the DPI (Digital Printing and Imaging Association) Product of the Year 2006 in the Fabric category, following its simultaneous launch of the new material at the recent SGIA Show in Las Vegas and Photokina at Cologne.
Ergosoft Corp. printed the winning print with its RIP software TexPrint Version 12 on Canon's 60" Image PROGRAF iPF9000 with the new 12-colour pigment system using 3P's Universal Glossy Canvas. Last year the same award went to 3P's Studio Canvas (IQ-IJ 111) in combination with Mimaki and Ergosoft Corp. For further information e-mail: elkegrotmann@3pinktextiles.com
SUPPLIER NEWS
Sakuri celebrates 60th Anniversary Ryuta Sakurai, Managing Director of Sakuri the Japanese press manufacturer, was in London recently to help the company celebrate its 60th anniversary with an Open House exhibition of high-tech presses. For the first time, Sakurai’s West London showroom played host to existing and potential customers of both offset and screen printing presses. Mr Sakurai commented: “Our OL 66SD and OL 75SD offset series set new standards for print quality in the multi-colour SRA2 and B2 markets. And, for the first time, one of our market leading screenprinting presses was also in action. Both ranges signify our commitment to ongoing R&D in the market for print, where quality expectations continue to rise at a time when prices are coming under increased pressure.”
Ryuta Sakurai, MD of Sakuri with FESPA’s Michael Ryan.
Succession assured for Lüscher Hans Lüscher, until now proprietor and president of the board of directors of Lüscher AG in Leutwil, has recently transferred the majority holding in his company to the Austrian investment company PAInvest in order to secure the succession for his company and its employees. Since 2000, Lüscher’s turnover has increased from €16 million to €36 million. An associated company of the Austrian Global Equity Partner (GEP), PAInvest has a majority holding in medium-sized businesses in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Wilhelm R.
Tschol, director of PAInvest, took over the position of President of the Board from Hans Lüscher, who continues to serve on the board of directors. Lars Janneryd who was previously the member of the board responsible for sales and marketing, is retiring. Kurt Steidle has been appointed Managing Director. In his last position with Kodak he was responsible for the company Kodak Polychrome Graphics in Austria and Switzerland. Based on his previous responsibilities for the development, production and quality control of the Newsetter thermal platesetter, he
brings much experience in the Computer-to-Plate sector. Lüscher has informed its distributors and customers that the current production range will be retained and that service and support will continue within the present framework. Further, those products currently under development will be brought to market on schedule. PAInvest has stated that it intends to support the strong growth that Lüscher AG has achieved thanks to the quality of, and demand for, its products. For further information visit: www.luescher.com
FESPA WORLD WINTER/06 5
SUPPLIER NEWS
Redeveloped site for Sun Chemical
In Brief Dalim Software has entered into an agreement with NEXT Solutions (Mijdrecht, The Netherlands) to distribute its software in The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. NEXT Solutions will be fully responsible for the sales, integration and support of Dalim Software's full suite of software.
Jeff Biggs, Managing Director of Colourgen and Simon Goldsack, Sales Manager for ColorSpan confirm Colourgen's exclusive distribution of the ColorSpan range in the UK.
New UK Colorspan distributor Colourgen, the UK-based specialist supplier of digital printing solutions, has been appointed the exclusive distributor for the ColorSpan 9840UV, MacDermid ColorSpan’s new industrial grade UV-curable
Fillink Technologies SA has appointed Henry Maya as East Coast and Latin America Sales Manager for its subsidiary company, Fillink America. The
6 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
flatbed printer. The printer recently won the ‘Product of the Year’ award at the SGIA 2006 Show in Las Vegas in the Flatbed Rigid Substrate Output Device category. Colourgen will also distribute MacDermid ColorSpan’s
complete range of printers, including the DisplayMaker 72UVR, 72UVX and 98UVX flatbed inkjet printers. For further information visit: www.colorspan.com
Appointments Henry Maya
Sun Chemical has created the UK’s most modern and automated supply location for sheetfed and UV inks, varnish and consumables by redeveloping and modernising its South Normanton National Distribution and Customer Service Centre. The £1.8 million expansion includes the installation of three dispensers to handle UV and conventional inks and will help to guarantee the efficiency, accuracy and repeatability of special blends. The South Normanton site in Derbyshire also has additional capacity for planned expansion. The investment further consolidates two production centres, which had operated in close proximity since Sun Chemical’s acquisition of Gibbon Inks and Coatings and Coates Lorilleux. For further information visit: www.sunchemical.com
role will see Maya assume responsibility for overall business growth across the territories, as well as for the development of Fillink’s rapidly expanding distributor network. Maya previously worked for Ultraflex Systems Inc, where he was Latin America Sales Manager, responsible for developing business throughout the continent and NUR, where he managed the ink division for NUR America.
Compose System has appointed Kevin Caughtry to the position of Sales Manager, UK and Ireland. Caughtry, who has taken over the UK sales and marketing responsibility for Compose System in Europe with a specific remit to expand its sales channel and dealer network, has previously held a number of senior positions at MCSi (Mitsubishi), Konica Corporation, DuPont, and most recently, Punch Graphix.
NEWS ROUND-UP – PRODUCT NEWS
Océ’s double launch to benefit display graphics
Océ, has completed the launch of the Océ CS9000 range, which offers superior print quality, speed and ink economy. The range, which consists of the Océ CS9065 and Océ CS9090, high quality printing systems, produces output with an outdoor durability of up to three years. The printers feature Océ VariaDot Imaging Technology, which enables a printhead to produce dots with variable drop sizes, versus
printheads using fixed dot technology. There are significant savings to be made using this system with the CS9000 range using up to 35 percent less ink, than other machines in its class, typically achieving cost savings of up to 25percent. Both machines offer true 720 x 720 dpi resolution at print speeds up to 13 m2 (140 ft2) per hour in production (four-pass) mode. In high speed (two-pass)
mode, print speeds up to 22 m2 (245 ft2) per hour can be achieved with a resolution of 360 x 720 dpi. Top print speeds of up to 42 m2 (452 ft2) per hour can be achieved at 360 x 360 dpi resolution. The Océ CS9000 Series can be used in conjunction with either low-solvent or eco-solvent inks and are ideal for producing indoor and outdoor point-of-sale signage, vinyl and textile banners, vehicle graphics, exhibition displays, window graphics and more. The system also has an optional filter to remove solvent fumes, and optional heater units for the eco solvent printers The Océ CS9090 completes the CS9000 range, following the unveiling of the Océ CS9065 at Océ OpenHouse 2006 in March. For further information visit: www.oce.com
Océ Sneak Preview Océ has recently launched the Océ Arizona 250 GT, an advanced printing system, which, it claims, will set a new standard for the fast-growing graphic arts market, and enable companies to significantly improve the image quality of their outdoor advertising and banner applications. The Arizona 250 GT, which has been developed by Océ’s research centre in Vancouver, enables ink droplets to vary in size and density, thus creating superior near photographic images. It will be commercially available early in 2007. For further information visit www.oce.com
New film provides brilliant graphics 3M’s range of digital printing films has been further extended with the introduction of 3M Scotchcal Series IJ 25. Developed specifically for use in conjunction with most popular inkjet printer platforms, this 0.10mm calendered monomeric pvc film is suitable for a broad range of short- to medium-life sign and graphics applications involving flat surfaces. The film incorporates a number of notable design and production characteristics, including the excellent adhesion provided by the powerful pressure-sensitive acrylic adhesive, even at high ink laydown, without compromising the film’s fast removal capability. The grey-pigmented adhesive also demonstrates an outstanding ‘no show through’ capability, even when the graphics being applied are superimposed over existing 8 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
imagery. Available in white/gloss and white/matte formats, the film can be easily applied and removed from glass, metal, rigid plastics and can be used without lamination in both interior and exterior applications. Typical applications for
Scotchcal IJ 25 include shortterm advertising and graphics promotions involving, for example, general signage, fleet marking on box-shaped vehicles, exhibition panels and shop window and product displays.
For further information, including specific ICC printer profiles and available warranties, telephone 01344 857 850 or visit the 3M dedicated website www.3m.com/uk/graphicsolu tions
PRODUCT NEWS
New release with wider appeal
The recently released single, “Come on Sheffield United”, written and performed by “Big Sister” has become a recording ‘first’. Released by ASB Ltd, on its Blades Record Label, it has earned itself the distinction of being the first CD to be printed in Braille. Now, for the first time, people with visual impairments will be able to identify which CD they have in their hands. Despite the (DDA) Disability Discrimination Act currently in force, it has not previously been possible to include Braille on many items, including CD’s. ASB
has become the first music company in the world to remedy this defect. There are various ways to produce Braille, the most common of which, the embossing technique, can’t be used on items such as CD’s. Various companies have tried to perfect printed Braille, but have failed to meet all of the exacting Braille standards demanded by the Institutes such as the RNIB. The basic requirement is that the height of the Braille should be 500 mcn. The only technique that fulfils this criterion was developed by Professor John Davidson and is marketed by The Production Agency, based in Sevenoaks, Kent in the UK. This technique facilitates the printing of Braille on to literally anything. Using this system, the shape and texture can even be altered to suit people with desensitised fingertips, a common side effect of diabetes. The Braille can also be printed in colour, to further assist those with some residual sight. Bob Holt, the founder of The Production Agency and also a director of ASB, is also an internationally known commentator on printing techniques. When he began to appreciate the positive benefits that printed Braille could add to music products, which are, for obvious reasons, often very important to those with serious visual
Innovation
impairments, he decided to do something about it. Happily, the co-directors of ASB, Adjei Amanning and Selwyn Korklin, were in total agreement with Bob’s plan and decided to launch this innovation with the release of the Sheffield United single. Big Sister, a duo that comprises of Elouise and her brother Tom, were equally enthusiastic. The song was produced and typically, Sheffield United also added its support, hosting a press conference at the ground. The positive response has been extraordinary. ASB will include a Braille option on all future releases and want to encourage all other record companies to do the same. For further information e-mail Bob Holt at: bh@theproductionagency.com
Bulk inks for Vipers Mutoh Europe has announced the availability of BIS, a new bulk ink system, which will be marketed as an option for its Viper digital transfer and Viper TX direct textile printers. The Ink System has been developed for speed-intensive volume-oriented Mutoh Viper and Viper TX printer users, who require a highend, high-volume ink delivery and refill system offering long unattended printing capabilities, along with minimum user intervention. BIS for Viper (TX) exists in two models: a four-bottle system and an eight-bottle system. The fourbottle model can be used for Viper (TX) printers set up in four colour ink configuration, whilst
the eight-bottle model can be used for two x four, six or eight colour ink configuration. Each BIS inkbottle has a total capacity of 4.3 litres and can be refilled during printing. BIS does not require any extra floor space as it can be easily installed in-between the printers’ leg supports. It comes complete with eight permanent ink supply cartridges, which are fitted into the Viper /Viper TX printers’ cartridge slots. Each cartridge offers electronic and mechanical overflow and each ink supply tube has its own filter pump, which will prevent dust particles from reaching the print head, thus avoiding head obstruction. A constant ink level is maintained inside each
permanent ink cartridge to guarantee a steady pressure inside of the print head, ensuring consistent print quality. Mutoh’s BIS for Viper / Viper TX also comes complete with stand-alone system monitoring software, facilitating installation, configuration and operation of the system. This enables the operator to control all aspects of its operation directly from his PC. Mutoh’s Water-Based Disperse
Dye inks (C, M, Y, K, Lc, Lm) are available in one litre, five litre and 25 litre bottles. The company is also marketing a similar ink refill system for its Spitfire 65, Spitfire 90 and Spitfire100 mildsolvent printers, in combination with Spitfire mild solvent bulk inks, available in bottles of one and five litres. For further information visit: visit www.mutoh.be
FESPA WORLD WINTER/06 9
PRODUCT NEWS
A revamp for SoftRIP
Wasatch Computer Technology has launched version 6.0 of its Wasatch SoftRIP family of products, which provides existing users with powerful tools that will enable them to work more efficiently, whilst also providing new users with an easy interface that they can learn and use immediately. The company developed this latest version of its popular software package following discussions with users about their optimal RIP workflows, in order
to provide precisely what is needed. The resulting SoftRIP interface makes it easy for different users to work with the software in the way that feels most intuitive to them and enables them to carry out all of their typical daily tasks without ever leaving the software’s main screen. That makes it easy for most users to complete their work in the RIP quickly, whilst still maintaining deeper level advanced tools for printing and colour experts.
New features include Direct-toLayout, for those who like to view all of the images in a production so that they can plan their print run efficiently; Job-Based processing, to streamline file preparation for individual RIP preparation and print and Server-Based workflow, so that the RIP can be managed from the Master Queues Manager and receive files to RIP from separate networked workstations. Existing SoftRIP users with an active service contract will be able
to upgrade FREE of charge and upgrade invitations will be sent to qualified users by email. For further information Tel: (800) 894-1544 and (801) 575-8043; Fax: (801) 575-8075. or visit: www.wasatch.com.
Window appeal for less Hexis S.A. has launched a new economy version of its popular micro-perforated window films The MICRO4 is a see-through window film featuring full colour graphics capability on the outside whilst maintaining one-way visibility from within. It can be printed on both solvent and ecosolvent inkjet printers and is suitable for use with vehicle and building applications.
Made up of a 100µm vinyl film carrying a black solvent-based adhesive, MICRO4 has 68:32 perforation pattern, with 65 percent of the film available as printing surface and 32 percent for see-through vision. This perforation pattern provides a sufficiently large area for highresolution colour prints whilst maintaining sufficient internal visibility.
Ideally suited for short-term promotional applications, where cost efficiency is a priority, MICR04 is available in standard roll sizes of 30m or 90m long with a width of 1370mm. Data sheets and samples are available from Hexis directly or its local distributors. For further information visit: www.hexisgroup.com
Xaar extends ink approval
PanoRama now M1 certified
Xaar has approved Fujifilm Sericol's Color+ XV ink for use with its successful XJ-128/40W and XJ-126/50 inkjet printheads. The combination of Fujifilm Sericol's high-performance pigmented solvent inks and Xaar's piezoelectric technology offers a consistent and flexible inkjet solution for sign and specialty graphics printers. Developed specifically for wide-format digital printers, the Color+ XV inks use high-quality pigments blended with
PanoRama self-adhesive window film from Continental Grafix now offers the advantage of an additional fire retardant certification, bringing it up to M1 status, following tests carried out by an independent French institute (CSTB). Continental Grafix has already achieved the distinction of becoming the first supplier of a window film with B1 certification, which makes it suitable for applications in public buildings and at major sporting
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specialised solvents to produce brilliant colours. The inks also feature superior light fastness and adhesion to a wide range of uncoated materials. In addition, they have been formulated for rapid drying times without the application of heat – for example, typical drying times for the inks on vinyl are 60 seconds at 40 °C. For further information visit: www.xaar.co.uk and www.fujifilmsericol.com
events. However, in order to satisfy all current safety regulations, the company also applied for the French M1 standard, in order to broaden the scope of application to encompass its use in exhibition construction. For further information visit: www.continentalgrafix.com
PRODUCT NEWS
Open House! Two recent open days celebrated the advantages of Spühl Ag’s Virtu printers
Over 100 industry professionals recently enjoyed an opportunity to witness the inner workings of printer manufacturer Spühl Ag at close hand, when they were invited to an Open Day at the company’s new Wittenbach facility. The event, which also enabled the visitors to mix informally with Spühl’s 200 employees and 60 apprentices, featured a demonstration of Spühl’s Virtu RS 25 and Virtu RS 35 printers, as well as the latest product developments from Spühl’s innovation partners, Alcan
Composites, Versaidag-Indutex, Onyx Graphics, Color Concepts and 3M. A special guided tour of the JIT production facility, which is equipped with modern machining centres, all of which are produced by Spühl in-house, proved to be such an inspiration for many visitors, that they left determined to streamline their own factories in a similar way! One of Spühl’s most valued customers, Christinger Partner AG who specialise in screen, offset and digital print, recently held a press event at its Swiss factory to celebrate the fact that it has become the first large
The James Bond poster that decorated Christinger’s print production hall.
From left to right: Mr. Schawalder (Spühl AG), Toni Fricker and Karlheinz Kaiser (owners of Christinger) holding the ISO Certificate issued by ugra.
12 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
format digital printing company in Europe to be accredited with the Process Standard Offset ISO 12647-2, a colour standard that is rapidly becoming the benchmark for colour quality. Christinger’s proud owner, Karl Heinz Kaiser commented: "This standard enables us to print a job on any of our 11 digital printers, secure in the knowledge that an identical high print quality will be achieved on each of the machines.” There is no better illustration of this than the James Bond poster featured here, which Christinger recently produced as part of the promotional campaign
supporting Casino Royale, the new James Bond film starring Daniel Craig. The poster, which formed part of the decorative effects in the company’s new print production facility, enabled guests to examine the quality at first hand. For further information visit: www.sphul.ch
NEWS ROUND UP – CHRIS’S COLUMN
Chris’s Column Chris Smith’s regular round-up of all the latest FESPA and Association activities
Roberto Possarrelli with samples of his work.
Since the last edition I have attended quite a few events organised by Associations with support from the FESPA Projects Committee and I’m delighted to report on them. My travels began at the end of September, with a meeting of the Swedish Association in Visby, Gotland where I had an opportunity to speak about FESPA projects and to learn about the association’s plans for the future. During my visit, I was the recipient of wonderful hospitality from my Swedish colleagues and also had a little time to look around Visby, a truly remarkable medieval town. I am indebted to the Swedish Association for their kind invitation. My next stop was Warrington, in the north of England, where the DSPA had organised a seminar (the first of two) with sessions entitled ‘The Evolution of Screen and Digital Print’ and ‘Screen v Offset Lithography - the Truth behind the Hype’. Nazdar provided two speakers, the first of which, James Macdonald, confirmed that inkjet is the dominant digital technology, with inks gradually moving from aqueous to eco-solvent and solvent based. It was interesting to note that, contrary to popular belief, eco-solvent does not necessarily mean ecologically friendly; rather it means economical. We were also reminded that solvent inks come under the PG6/16 rule, which means that if you use more than five tones in 12months, which is easy to do, you must inform your local authority. The next speaker was Keith Ramsey, who spoke about the evolution of the screen process. Keith opined that screen has lost 23 percent of its traditional market to digital and offset over the last 10-years and thus those who use combined processes have an obvious advantage. After lunch, Trevor Tordoff (of KBA) 14 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
explained why the latest presses, such as KBA’s Rapida 205, are, under certain conditions, providing a viable alternative to both screen and digital technologies. Capable of printing on to paper, board and corrugated on substrates up to 1.49m x 2.00m, and up to 1.6mm thick, at speeds of up to 9000 sheets per hour, this is a powerful machine. And, although the Rapida is expensive, it enables users to successfully compete for traditional screen work where the volume is in excess of 250 copies. To conclude, Production Link’s Bob Holt encouraged delegates to ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ whilst offering lots of useful advice for sales people when approaching print buyers. He thinks that print has a great future, but that we must be enthusiastic. For further information visit www.dspa.co.uk A Siotec recruitment meeting took me to Pisa during October and I was delighted to see 91 people (mostly printers) attend
an interesting and, at times, fairly vocal meeting held at the Calamidoro Hotel. It is clear that Italian screenprinters are suffering just as much as those in the rest of Europe. Issues ranging from the threat from digital (and litho), to price pressure from customers were all raised and discussed throughout the day. However, it was clear that Italian men (and women) remain passionate, not just for ‘amore’, but for screenprinting too, which was the main reason for this gathering. The trip also gave me an opportunity to speak about FESPA projects and to explain
CHRIS’S COLUMN
Bill Appleton.
how FESPA can support many initiatives financially, including e-learning, which should now be available in Italian. Whilst in Pisa, I also had an opportunity to visit Gruppo Possarelli (a group of printing companies run by Roberto Possarrelli) – a clever and entrepreneurial screen printer based close to Pisa who has an incredibly clean and efficient factory where he prints leather, decals, vehicle graphics, motor parts, injection mouldings and much more. If you would like to learn more about this fine printer, a detailed report is available on the FESPA website at www.fespa.com, whilst information on Siotec can be found at www.siotec.it The Hungarian Sign Show in Budapest was my next port of call and although this seminar was somewhat low on numbers, the quality of the presentations during this one-day event, more than compensated. Organised by Maygar Szitanyomók Szövetsége, of the Hungarian Association, the varied programme, mainly delivered by Peter Kiddell, included three presentations. The first, ‘A digital future’ looked at how digital printing is likely to affect our lives, whilst the second comprised an overview and demonstration of the FESPA supported e-learning course, which is currently being translated into seven languages. The third, entitled, ‘How to avoid problems’, really got the group involved, as Peter covered the elementary issues that so many screenprinters overlook. This presentation was scheduled to last one hour, but due to the considerable number of questions asked, it was extended into a two-hour session and, were it not for the fact that the exhibition was closing Peter would have happily gone
on for longer! To round this event off, there was also a presentation on certified PDF (made by the Hungarian Enfocus distributor) and I was once again able to speak about FESPA projects. The Hungarian Association, Maygar Szitanyomók Szövetsége, is currently building a website but you can contact it by e-mail at mszsz@vnet.hu
as well as bio-medical engineering, RFID printing, proactive displays and special effects printing. This was followed by a presentation on Automotive printing, very relevant in this developing country where Volkswagen, Peugeot and Kia have all recently opened factories. Peter’s final presentation focused on the FESPA e-learning course that has also been delivered in Hungary.
Peter and I then travelled to Piestany in Slovakia to meet up with another old friend, Bill Appleton of Autotype, for a two day seminar - the second Slovakian event supported by FESPA. A joint venture organised by the Czech and Slovak Associations, this attracted over
Bill’s four presentations were ‘Choosing the right stencil for the job’, followed by ‘Basic colour theory and colour management’, ‘Print sequence effects in process colour printing’ and ‘The Screenprinter’s press side companion’ all of which helped delegates get to grips with the complexity of the topics covered. Although all were interesting, the one that provoked the most debate was print sequence. Bill had overseen a project at Autotype where seven print sequences had been used: CYMK, KCMY, YMCK, MCYK, MYCK, YCMK and CMYK. Using the new technology of the Autotype Capillary ‘CP’ stencil, the objective was to gather scientific data and compare the colour reproduction with that achieved digitally. Students had printed all sequences and Bill invited the delegates to discuss the results and draw their own conclusions. Members will find this and all of the other presentations in full, in the members’ area of the FESPA website. After his fourth presentation, Peter thought he had finished, but as the Enfocus distributor was unable to attend at the last minute, Peter willingly stepped up to the rostrum again and delivered a brilliant dissertation on Certified PDF, which he managed to make totally comprehensible! The speakers, Zuzana and myself were all presented with gifts from the two Associations and a special presentation
Peter Kiddell.
30 delegates, including visitors from Poland and Hungary. Peter and Bill delivered a varied programme, comprising a total of eight sessions. As previously, Zuzana Orolinova was our translator and once again, demonstrated her considerable linguistic expertise, as she undertook all translations with consummate ease. Peter’s first presentation was on industrial printing and provided an intriguing sneak preview of a future that will include printing on to electronics, glass, ceramics, leather and even concrete,
FESPA WORLD WINTER/06 15
ASSOCIATION NEWS
was made to Bill Appleton, who was delighted to accept the first Slovakian copy of the Autotype Moiré Handbook, on behalf of its author, Professor Steven Abbott of Autotype. This has been printed with support funding from the FESPA Projects Committee. The Slovak association can be found at www.sietotlacovyzvaz.sk and the Czech association at www.sietotlacovyzvaz.sk My final visit was not, in fact, a FESPA supported project, but the 30th Anniversary Dinner of the Association of Finnish Screen Printers, which has undergone a complete transformation during 2006 and established itself as the main association for screen and digital printers in Finland. A total of 69 people attended the bash, which was held at a delightful hotel in Hämeenlinna. We enjoyed a splendid feast in a magical setting and, during dinner, a troubadour serenaded us, before we danced the night
The Group Stencil Seminar.
away. After all the hectic activity during October, it was a joy to spend a relaxing evening in such pleasant company! The Finnish Association can be found at www.suomenseripainoliitto.fi
Well that’s all this for this month. If you would like your National Association to organise similar events, please contact your Association secretary. Their contact details can be found at the back of this magazine.
REACH and the future for the Chemical Industry The new REACH regulations will have an enormous impact on Digital and Screen Printers. Here, in a series of questions and answers, Paul Machin details the changes and reveals the potential effects. Why is the future of the Chemical Industry important to digital and screen printers? The world is made up of chemicals and that includes humans as well as anything used by them. If the Chemical Industry is restricted as to what it can use, this will have a direct impact on the products that can be produced and sold. This, in turn, will have an adverse effect on the development of new markets where digital printing can be utilised. It will also affect inks and screen making products that are currently in use in the traditional screen process industry. 16 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
What are the typical chemicals used by printers? Let us examine some of the equipment that is used. All digital printing operations rely heavily upon a computer. Circuit boards, transistors and other electronic equipment used to make up the motherboards and other components use inks, solder and plating resists; keyboards have marking inks. All these inks require specialised chemicals to impart specific properties necessary for their performance. The computer and ancillary equipment are manufactured from various
plastics that require monomers and other additives in their manufacture. Another important subject involving chemicals is that of the consumables that are used. Digital inks are manufactured from pigments, resins, solvents and other additives. The substrate may be plastic; this could have a siliconised liner. Alternatively, the substrate could be paper. The latter needs a number of chemicals to produce the desired product. Often there is a need to apply an adhesive backing. These are just a limited selection of the chemicals that
are needed by the digital printer. Computers are widely used for screen process image generation. The vast majority of chemicals used by digital printers are also utilised in the screen process. While many of the screen making and reclamation products make use of well-known chemicals, their application is industry specific and these will require registration with the suppliers. Even simple products such as bleach and White Spirit will come under scrutiny.
It is important that we only use safe chemicals; surely therefore we need to test them to make sure that is correct? There are many arguments for taking such an approach. This was the guiding principle set out in the REACH Directive. However, testing costs a considerable amount of money especially the type specified by the REACH Directive. It will mean that many chemicals that have been used for decades without any adverse effect to man or the environment, will have to undergo rigorous testing just to prove what experience has already shown. This testing can run into millions of Euros for an individual chemical. This cost has to be recovered. It will have to be paid for by the customer and that will include the printer and the consumer.
What is REACH? It is the acronym for the:
Registration of manufactured and imported chemical substances;
Evaluation of some of the registration dossiers;
Authorisation for use of substances of very high concern and the restriction of;
Chemicals. Why was REACH needed? It is only since 1981 that all NEW chemicals have had to be tested before they can be sold within the European Union (EU). Prior to 1981 there was very limited toxicological testing. There are approximately 100,000 existing chemicals that were sold before 1981 and which will now need to be tested.
What will be the likely effect of REACH? This EU Directive will have a greater impact upon the Chemical Industry and all the downstream users, for example engineering companies, ink manufacturers, computer fabricators, digital and screenprinters etc than any other 18 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
piece of legislation that has been issued. The testing and authorisation will involve substantial expense and manpower resource throughout industry. The EU has stated the estimated cost for downstream users (e.g. engineering companies, digital and screenprinters, etc.) will be Euro 3 billion; also 1 – 2% of all substances will be withdrawn from the market. This information is provided by an organisation that is endeavouring to downgrade the predicted adverse effect. According to a survey published by the German SMEs organisation, Einsprunch, that supplies the chemical industry, 20 – 40% of low volume chemicals will disappear. Many of these low volume chemicals have very specialised uses, particularly in the ink manufacturing industry. There have been various estimates that the overall cost of REACH will be Euros 2.3 – 10 Billion. However, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth will be pleased because industry will have to pay for all the testing and bureaucracy and many chemicals will be withdrawn. Also, any articles (e.g. printed objects etc.) that are imported into the EU will NOT be affected. Therefore non-EU manufacturers and printers in China and India, for example, can ignore these requirements.
Since it is predicted that REACH will cost a lot of money, what did industry do to try and change it? There was a draft Directive issued by the EU. It was 1328 pages long and published in small type size. Many hours were needed to comprehend the ramifications of this Directive. Machin Consulting along with other organisations such as CEPE put forward suggestions, objections and recommendations for change. Apart from the direct response to the consultation document, Machin Consulting sought changes
through political contacts. The consequences were presented to Martin Callanan a MEP who sits on the Committee reviewing this Directive. Some concessions were obtained, in particular those relating to downstream users; these will have a positive effect on the costs involved.
Having accepted that REACH will be implemented; when will it commence? There will be a staged introduction. Manufacturers and importers will have to register the sale of any chemicals within the EU. For individual chemicals that have an annual TOTAL sale within the EU exceeding 1000 tonnes; registration will be required by 2008. The registration dates for annual sales between 100 – 1000 tonnes will be 2011; for 10 – 100 tonnes, 2014; and for 1 – 10 tonnes, 2019. That may appear to be a long way ahead. However, many of the chemicals, and in particular the organic solvents and pigments used in the production of inks and plastics, will belong to the group of chemicals that have annual sales exceeding 1000 tonnes per annum. This will mean printers could be affected as soon as the Directive is operational.
What is involved? Where annual sales exceed 10 tonnes per year, a registration dossier must be produced. As part of the registration dossier the manufacturer or importer must conduct a Chemical Safety Assessment (CSA), showing that the chemical can be used safely for all identified uses throughout the chemical life cycle. The chemical life cycle will have to cover all uses of the substance on its own, in preparations and in articles or products. In order to satisfy registration requirements, it will be necessary to undertake specified testing to determine the effects on humans and the environment. As far as exposure of the chemical to humans, it will be necessary to
provide information as to the impact on ingestion of the substance, both short and long term; the consequence of inhalation of the chemical as well as the effect of exposure to the skin. The environmental impact of the chemical will also have to be determined. This will include the result of emissions into the atmosphere; what happens if the chemical is deposited into land-fill and the effects when it is released into the aquatic environment. Consideration will be needed not only with respect to discharge to the sewage system, but also the outcome of contact with fish and other aquatic species, such as daphnia. The manufacturer and importer must also declare that the Risk Management Measures (RMM) are implemented for their own manufacturing process and that these have been communicated to downstream users for downstream identified uses. These RMM are the process and emission control measures necessary when handling or using that chemical; the correct personal protective equipment that must be used; the good hygiene measures that must be in place and the proper disposal of that chemical. To find out the potential repercussions and what you, as a FESPA member should do, look out for the next article in the series in the Spring issue of FESPA World
EVENTS
Association Spotlight In the first of a series highlighting the work of different associations, Marcus Timson reveals how SIOTEC managed to go from zero to 95 members in a single year!
Max Power! Italy is an important country. Not only is it a top 10 global economy, it is also a creative epicentre, as I was reminded on a recent visit to Milan. Naturally, this is also true of its burgeoning screen and digital printing sectors. So it is even more amazing that, until a year ago, Italy did not have a National Association for screen and digital printing. I first met Massimo Poli, during my second week at FESPA and I decided then that it would be interesting to relate how the Italian Association, SIOTEC, went from its inaugural meeting last December, when it had precisely zero members, to a thriving association with 95 members in the space of a single year! Whilst chatting to Massimo, or Max, as he prefers to be known, I realised that his success to date is far from random. In fact, Max had a very carefully thought out plan which could be referred to as the “Four Ps’
1. Plan! The first meeting took place on 17th December 2005 for the purpose of devising a strategy and deciding how it would be carried forward. Max assembled 20 “cornerstone” industry people who were invited to contribute their ideas and suggestions. What this highlighted was that a formal constitution was vital as people’s opinions differed widely. 20 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
Just as importantly, this meeting provided an opportunity to designate different roles and set a firm target for the coming 12 months. Despite their different views, all of these original members agreed that an Association was a good idea and shared a desire to get it up and running. Once agreement was finally reached and a strategy had been put in place, there was a proper focus for the collective energy and enthusiasm.
2. Passion! Of course, Italy is a passionate country! But wherever you are, passion for your product attracts and impresses! The enthusiasm and excitement generated by an association fills a new member with confidence and assurance. More than anything else, serious business people fear missing out on an advantage that their competitors might have! And if you aren’t a member of your national association, there is no doubt that you are missing out! All associations face the challenge of proving their value to their members. But in times of great change, associations are the guiding light, the place to go for information and support. The passion they can convey both attracts members and provides them with a reminder that they are part of a great industry and that they really ought to play a proper part in making it better!
Max also did something which enabled him to use his energy in a really focused way. He identified the 50 top companies and called them! It’s simple, but effective. He then set about planning a series of events, which encouraged them to get involved with SIOTEC. This proactive approach has produced impressive results.
3. Perception! Vision, enthusiasm and engaging with the market is, however not quite enough. You still have to prove that Association membership offers a tangible value. The old adage, “do as you always do and get what you always get” is true. Max asked his members what they wanted and then provided it! He thus proves the Association’s value. Even if you are running an association that has been in existence for a long time, you can still start a new campaign, to re-brand and re-position it, as this gives you an opportunity to refresh your focus and direction as well as providing a reason to approach potential members with something new and interesting. When its membership rises above 100, SIOTEC will be able to lobby government more effectively and the perception and value will increase even more. The more policy makers know about our industry, the more likely they are to take our
views and requirements into account and we will be also be in a better position to guide our members and deliver superb value for their membership money. Perception amongst the market is that SIOTEC is a dynamic and progressive organisation that is doing important things for the industry, which encourages everyone to find out more.
4. Perseverance! Of course, running a new association, like any new venture, demands energy and enthusiasm and an ability to keep going when the going gets tough. I think we should all realise and accept that running an association isn’t easy. Focus on new membership, as this adds weight and power to your organisation as well as providing extra value for your members. The more you provide for them in all areas, the more likely they are to renew when it comes to asking for their membership fees the following year. To summarise, SIOTEC now has the critical mass, the support of the industry’s key players and a sense of direction. Its next challenge is maintaining membership and delivering value whilst still growing. I look forward to watching SIOTEC move up to the next level…. For further information on Siotec visit: www.siotec.it
Diary dates for 2007/8 Graphispag 2007
Euro Reklama Outdoor Expo 2007
FESPA 2007
Fespa World Expo India 2007
19th-25th February 2007 Venue Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain Organiser: Graphispack Organisation Tel: +34 93 233 20 00 www.graphispag.com
27 – 30 March 2007 Poznan, Poland Organiser: MPT Tel: + 48 61 869 2419 e-mail: reklama@mtp.pl www.reklama.mtp.pl
5th – 9th June, 2007 Messe Berlin, Germany Organiser: FESPA Tel: +44 1737 229 727 Fax: +44 1737 240 770 e-mail: info@fespa.com www.fespa.com
7th-9th December 2007 Pragati Maidan New Delhi, India Organiser: FESPA Tel: +44 1737 229 727 Fax: +44 1737 240 770 e-mail: info@fespa.com www.fespa.com
RFID Smart Labels USA 2007 20th-21st February, Marriott Copley Hotel,Boston, MA, USA Organiser: IDTechEx Tel: +1 305 572 7831 Fax: +1 305 572 7854 e-mail: s.lee@idtechex.com www.smartlabelsusa.com
Reklama Polygraf
Visual and Graphic Symphony
ISA Expo 2007
21th – 23rd February 2007 Hall 5/Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles, Paris Organiser: Semp Tel: +33 1 48 55 05 49 www.semp-france.fr
April 11th-14th Mandalay Bay Hotel & Convention Centre Las Vegas, Nevada Organiser: International Sign Association Tel: + 1 703 836-4012 Fax: + 1 703 836-8353 www.signsexpo.org
CTS Forum 2007 22 – 23 February 2007 Venue: Lindner Congress & Hotel, Frankfurt, Germany Organiser: Antje Wessels Marketing Tel: +49 71 41 44 35 110 e-mail: info@antjewessels.de www.esma.com
FESPA Directors Summit 22 – 23 March 2007 Venue: Geneva, Switzerland Organiser: FESPA Tel: +44 (0) 1737 240788 www.fespasummit.com
28 – 30 March 2007 Prague, Czech Republic Organiser: MIP Group AS Tel: +420 602 641 813 e-mail: hachova@mip.cz www.reklama-fair.cz
Sign UK & Digital Expo 2007
Sign España 2007 18-20 October, 2007 Ifema venue, Madrid, Spain Organiser: Reed Exhibitions Iberia Tel: +34 93 452 07 22 Fax: +34 93 451 66 37 www.sign-viscom.com
SGIA '07 24th–27th October, 2007 Orange County Convention Centre Orlando, Florida, USA Organiser: SGIA Tel: +1 220 313 489 Fax: +1 703 369 1328 e-mail: Sylvia@sgia.ord www.sgia.org
Fespa Digital Printing Europe 2008 1st-3rd April 2008 Geneva Palexpo Geneva, Switzerland Organiser: FESPA Tel: +44 1737 229 727 Fax: +44 1737 240 770 e-mail: info@fespa.com www.fespa.com
1st-3rd May, NEC, Birmingham, UK Organiser: Faversham House Group Tel: +44 (0) 20 8651 7155 Email: alex.howard@fav-house.com www.signuk.com www.digitalexpo.co.uk
If you would like your event to feature on this page, please send full information via e-mail to Val Hirst at val@valhirst.demon.co.uk
FESPA WORLD WINTER/06 21
FESPA NEWSLETTER
FESPA BERLIN
FESPA 2007 - A Vital Exhibition Experience 5th – 9th June • MesseBerlin • Germany Corporate sponsor:
Platinum sponsors:
It is no surprise that for screen and digital printing companies, the exhibition experience is pivotal to business planning and decision-making. After all, where else can you see such a broad collection of live demonstrations of the latest equipment and materials? However, as important as this is, the ‘exhibition experience’ is not limited to merely walking the halls and surveying the latest machinery. Many visitors regard the other elements of exhibitions – the networking opportunities, seminars and workshops – as being equally important when making choices about how to move their businesses forward.
What will feature at FESPA in 2007?
taking space in Berlin, as well as long-time FESPA exhibitors, who are opting for larger exhibition stands than ever before. Around 15percent of the exhibitors will be new FESPA exhibitors, and this is partly attributable to the size and reputation of the show, as well as to the development of the industry itself. The show will also be welcoming more digital exhibitors than ever before, along with suppliers offering expertise in prepress and print workflow, such as software and RIPS. Visitors can look forward to the unveiling of all of the latest technological advances, as well as enjoying a packed agenda that will include a free educational seminar programme featuring some of the main authoritative figures in the screen and digital industries. FESPA will also be hosting award ceremonies to recognise and reward creativity, as well as a revamped Gala Night.
Two textile and garment decoration halls
FESPA 2007 will occupy 11 halls at Messe Berlin, and will be the biggest FESPA exhibition to date. The level of interest from exhibitors so far has been nothing short of phenomenal - by November last year, seven months out from the show, the amount of exhibition floor space sold was already equivalent to the total sold for FESPA 2005. The FESPA exhibition team is therefore confident that it will achieve its target of 600 exhibitors covering 34,000m2. Equipment manufacturers use FESPA 2007 as the international arena to introduce new technologies and products to the marketplace and encouragingly, a large number of first-time exhibitors are 22 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
The show will provide the perfect showcase for the textile printing and garment decoration sectors, thus adding another dimension for visitors. In fact, two halls will be packed with new ideas, products and solutions, complete with a live showcase section, which will have its own look and feel. The size of this area is impressive, so much so, that it is predicted that it will be the largest event of its kind in Europe. Exhibitions Director, Frazer Chesterman explains, “This important sector of the show really adds colour and dynamism to the whole visitor experience. Nearly 5,000 people came to Munich to see products and services for textile and garment decoration, so it makes sense to give this
area its own individual style and layout. We look forward to seeing how this enhances the show experience for visitors in 2007”. Premier content from leading speakers including Scott Fresener, live demonstrations from Corel and other leading industry brands, will be adding a quality educational focus at the event and offer a further visitor inducement.
FESPA Special Effects FESPA 2007 will also be used as the launch pad for one of FESPA’s main projects for the coming year, the “FESPA Special Effects” book. This project, which represents a huge undertaking, will feature the 23 different ink effects that can be achieved with screenprinting, in a high quality presentation book. FESPA believes that the book will be instrumental in raising the profile of screenprinting and the amazing special effects that can be achieved will undoubtedly inspire creative people to demand that such techniques be used in their own marketing campaigns. The book will initially be distributed free to all FESPA Associations and sponsors and to the top designers, agencies and print buyers in each member country. Along with the original FESPA Awards and the new FESPA Digital Printing Awards, the “FESPA Special Effects” book further recognises excellence and helps and encourages print service providers to promote and showcase their capabilities to their customers.
FESPA NEWSLETTER
The FESPA Future FESPA Digital 1st-3rd April 2008 Geneva, Switzerland
FESPA World Expo India December 7th-9th 2007 Good exhibitions stimulate, educate, inform and entertain and FESPA World Expo India 2005 offered all of these qualities. So much so, that both exhibitors and visitors have demanded that the event be repeated in 2007. The show, which illustrates FESPA's commitment to supporting India’s market and SPAI, the national association in India, attracted 10,000 visitors and 110 exhibitors, but FESPA confidently expects a bigger, better and even more inspirational event in 2007.
FESPA Digital Printing Europe 2006 was another stunning launch event that took place in Amsterdam, last May and provided the perfect opportunity for visitors to learn about and invest in, the latest technology. Digital innovation continues unabated and a large percentage of stand space for the 2008 event has already been booked. Geneva Palexpo is a state of the art, high tech venue in a stunning and extremely accessible location as the exhibition centre is adjacent to the airport!
The Asia-Pacific region is dynamic, exciting and lucrative and boasts a mixture of developing and rapidly maturing economies, together with a growing middle class population with money to spend. All this is great news for the imaging sector as the market is increasing in both size and sophistication. The venue, BITEC, which is
located close to the new Bangkok International airport, is a sparking venue with superb facilities that make it the perfect choice for a professional FESPA event. Bangkok is an impressive international City with a population of eight million people and offers easy access to the rest of the Asia-Pacific region. Naturally, FESPA will be working closely with the Thai Screen Printing & Graphic Imaging Association as well as its partners at BITEC and the Thai Exhibition & Convention Bureau to produce a FESPA event that optimises the opportunities available in this wonderful region. For further information on all of these shows visit: www.fespa.com
moving. By the same token, suppliers and manufacturers often look to their own customers, the screen and digital printers, to provide general industry intelligence. Very often they are so far removed from the buyer of their customers’ products that their knowledge of the graphics sector is hazy or worse, outdated. We feel that by providing the opportunity for representatives from all of the different market sectors to get together in an informal setting, where they can exchange opinions and ideas, everyone will end up with a much clearer view of what will be needed in the future and the industry as a whole will benefit.” The Summit, which will last for two days, will take place at a prestigious venue on the shores of Lake Geneva, to provide guests with a suitably inspiring environment. As well as more informal discussion periods there will also be a series of workshops and presentations
covering such topics as ‘green’ issues, education, marketing and industry research. Frazer Chesterman continues: “As an Association with an established European presence, which is now expanding all the time, we feel that FESPA is ideally placed to chair a meeting of this kind and hope that it might provide the national associations with a blueprint that they can replicate in their own countries in order to open the channels of communication between all those who are active within the printing sectors in whatever capacity.” Initial response to the project has been enthusiastic, with several leading players already declaring their support. Frazer Chesterman concludes, “I am very excited indeed about this development, and hope that it will become a much anticipated annual event.” For further information visit: www.fespa.com
FESPA World Expo Asia-Pacific 27th-30th November 2008 Bangkok, Thailand
Setting the Future Agenda
FESPA Directors Summit March 22-23 • Geneva 2007 In line with its policy for continuous innovation, FESPA is planning a brand new initiative, which will come to fruition during April this year. It plans to stage a special Summit meeting, which, for the first time, will bring together some of the major European buyers and specifiers of printed graphics, the people who run top screen and digital printing companies and representatives from the industry’s leading manufacturers and suppliers. The summit, which is the brainchild of FESPA Exhibitions Director Frazer Chesterman will provide a forum where all of these leading industry figures can discuss their idea and hopes for the future. Frazer Chesterman explains: “Through running the FESPA shows I have come to realise that very often, each sector of the industry acts in isolation, with screen and digital printers relying upon their own clients to provide them with information as to how and where the graphics sector is
24 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
FESPA 2007 5-9 June 2007 Berlin www.fespa2007.com
The largest global event for screen, digital and industrial printing Corporate sponsor
Platinum sponsors
To register for your FREE visitor entry badge please visit www.fespa2007.com
FESPA DIGITAL PRINT AWARDS 2007
Entries Galore! The response to the FESPA Digital Print Awards Europe 2007 has been enthusiastic to say the least and the judging panel now has the unenviable task of selecting the winners. Val Hirst reports
One of the main objectives behind the Fespa Digital Print Awards Europe 2007, which are being supported by HP, was to create a suitable vehicle for the exchange of ideas for digital printing, from both the viewpoint of the print service provider and of the increasingly wide range of print buyers. Entries were invited from all commercial and industrial print service providers, in association with other parties involved in the creation of digital print projects, such as designers, studios, advertising agencies, advertisers, and end-users and, judging from the number and level of entries received, the original objective has been more than met. “The response we have received so far, indicates a high level of interest throughout the whole of Europe,” reports Nigel Steffens, FESPA’s General Secretary, adding, “We initially received registrations from 25 different countries, from as far afield as Macedonia in the South, to Finland in the North, many of whom have entered stunning projects which 26 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
illustrate how digital printing solutions can be imaginatively used to enhance the broad gamut of commercial applications.” Certainly, he feels that the judges will have a difficult, but hugely enjoyable task when they meet shortly to decide upon the winners. FESPA’s Michel Caza will chair the judging panel, which will comprise editors from some of the key digital printing magazines throughout Europe, together with acknowledged experts in digital printing. The jury currently includes editors Andrea Bötel, Druck & Medien, representing Germany; Peter Ollen, AGI, for the Nordic countries; Claude Douat, InfoSeri, in respect of France; Melony Rocque, Image Reports, on behalf of the UK and Republic of Ireland; Michael Seidl, Print & Publishing, for Austria and East Europe; Alain Vermeire, Graphiques Nouvelles/Grafisch Nieuws, for Benelux; Lorenzo Villa, Italia Publishers, in relation to Italy, Turkey, Greece and last but not least, Agustin Torres, ProDigit@l, for Iberia.
They will be joined by Tony Smith, Creative Director of the London Office of Publicis, one of the World’s largest and most influential advertising agencies and Christian Duyckaerts, a FESPA Board Member and the Technical Director of Print & Display, Belgium. As previously mentioned, all entries will be celebrated in a special Prize Book which will be published after the competition and widely circulated amongst printers, advertising and design agencies, advertisers and industrial manufacturers. It will also feature all of the winning projects and hopefully, provide its readers with much future inspiration, as well as showcasing all of the latest design trends from across Europe. Nigel Steffens comments: “The prize book will also provide a useful point of reference for young people entering the industry, regardless of whether they are involved in the commissioning or production of printed graphics, by highlighting all of the best examples of the digital
printers’ art.” He continues: “As well as encouraging and rewarding printing excellence, the competition has been designed to help to further enlarge the digital market by encouraging the medium’s imaginative use and further stimulating industry manufacturers and suppliers to introduce innovative new products to broaden the scope of possible applications. Whichever way you look at it, we believe that it is a win-win situation.” The awards, which number 32 in total, will be made on both a category and regional basis, with a Platinum Award being presented to the winner of each of the eight main categories and gold, silver and bronze awards going to the top three winners in each of the different regions, regardless of category. Judging will take place after Christmas and the winners announced in the next issue of FESPA World magazine. For further information please visit: www.fespadigitalprintawa rds.com
INNOVATION
Breaking the Barriers Although manufacturers always claim that their products are ‘unique’ and ‘innovative’ they very seldom are. However, these are adjectives that can be justifiably applied to Re-board, a new lightweight substrate made entirely from paper, which is all set to revolutionise the graphics sector. Val Hirst reports
If you ask any POP or signmaker what qualities they would like to find in a substrate, they will probably reply that they want something that is both strong and lightweight, water resistant and durable, whilst also offering a surface suitable for printing. Some may also stipulate a fire rating, so that it can be used in the widest possible range of applications. And, if they are ecologically minded, they might just ask for it to be recyclable too. Up until now, they have had to settle for just some of these desirable qualities, but shortly, such compromises will no longer be necessary. This is because Kurt Aldén, the founder and Managing Director of the Swedish company Design Force, has invented an eminently versatile new material, which ticks all of the right boxes. Kurt Aldén has spent most of his working life in the display sector, and set up his own company, Aldén Brothers 28 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
Packaging Ltd, in 1984. Four years later, the company became affiliated to SCA Pakacking, who later acquired it outright, changing the name to SCA Display. Kurt continued as Managing Director until 2002, during which time SCA, who specialise in the production of screenprinted POP and Display material, grew rapidly, employing 128 people. But although for many years Kurt enjoyed the challenges it offered, he eventually began to feel that too much of his time was spent on the administration and general managerial duties that are par for the course in big organisations. He says: “I decided that it was time to flex my entrepreneurial muscles again - I really wanted to get back to the sharp end and to experience the buzz that comes with being creative. I also wanted to design an ecologically-friendly material that could be used for the broad spectrum of display applications, as I strongly believe that we
have now come to a point where we can’t simply go on replacing and discarding without considering the environmental impact this will have on future generations.” Kurt left SCA Display in 2002 to set up Design Force and now, four years of intensive research and development later, it has introduced Re-board, a paper substrate with a patented sandwich construction. Comprising different layers of Kraftliner, a special water-based sealant and a lot of air, Re-board is a totally recyclable substrate, which features a unique slanted ‘honeycomb’ centre. Designed to be used in place of particle board, plasterboard and MDF, Re-board combines an impressive strength with a low weight – it is between 70- 85% lighter than either particle board or MDF, thus providing enormous benefits in relation to handling and transportation. Available in sheet sizes of up to 6sq. metres and a
INNOVATION
choice of thicknesses from 6mm right up to 100mm, Re-board has already been used for the production of an impressive number of POP displays, exhibition graphics, wall panels and, perhaps most surprisingly, furniture. In fact, the centerpiece of the Design Force Board Room is a vast table and matching chairs with a convincing wood grain finish, which have all been crafted from Reboard! Re-board can either be digitally printed, or used with a selection of different, heat applied foils that simulate wood grains, metallics or any one of a host of similar decorative effects. Thereafter, the material is cut into the desired shape on an Esko Kongsberg cutter. The Kongsberg machine can also be programmed to cut halfway into the Re-board sheet, thus creating the facility to fold the material. This means that even the largest 6sq.metre panel can be folded down to a more manageable
size. Once the panel is erected, there is no trace of the fold on the printed or foil decorated surface, making Re-board an ideal choice for large-scale exhibition graphics. Kurt produces several pictorial examples of many ‘live’ applications, which range from the simple to the highly complex and include a wide range of POP displays, some of which also feature integral LED screens, exhibition stands and graphics, together with more permanent in-store fittings. Re-board is also being used instead of flexible substrates to provide a new variant on the ubiquitous roll-up display, since it can be folded to offer the same high level of portability, whilst also providing an altogether more robust and professional looking structure. Some of the applications are really imaginative – my personal favourite is a giant Re-board box, containing a Smart Car. Part of a promotional campaign which is located in
a shopping mall, it is a life sized version of a toy car in a gift box! Kurt remarks that some of the applications simply couldn’t have been achieved with any other material. He says: “They would either have been too costly to produce, or too difficult and labour intensive to transport and assemble.” He adds that portability offers enormous advantages: “A lot of the expense of exhibitions for example, is down to the fact that build-up and breakdown is so time consuming and expensive. However, with Re-board it is possible for one person to erect and dismantle a stand and although Re-board graphics can be re-used many times, when they have reached the end of their useful lifespan, they can simply be disposed of.” He also explains that as Re-board’s use has become more widespread, Design Force has also sourced a wide choice of different fixings, fastenings and trims. “Because there has never been anything like ReFESPA WORLD WINTER/06 29
INNOVATION
board before, we have had to commission all sorts of special finishing items to complement it,” he says. Kurt continues: “It has always been my aim that Re-board should be used to create new applications. Rather than simply replacing other materials, I want advertising agencies and designers to really let their imaginations run riot and to come up with lots of exciting new projects.” However, at present, Design Force is focusing on the sign, exhibition, POP, display and furniture sectors, although Kurt freely acknowledges that there are many other areas where it can be used equally successfully. In fact, I should think that very few of the people who visit the Design Force factory could resist making useful suggestions, which probably explains why Kurt has the slightly careworn appearance of someone who is being constantly bombarded by ideas from all sides! This becomes even more apparent later, when a visit to the factory floor reveals pallets made from Re-board. Kurt demonstrates their lightness by simply picking one up and raising it above his head in one smooth movement. Similarly, Re-board has also been used to make giant reels for industrial cable. But perhaps one of the most intriguing future uses is the one that is now being hotly pursued by the various aid agencies. Kurt discloses that, following an experiment carried out by students at a 30 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
local university, Re-board may be used in the future to provide temporary dwellings for disaster areas. These will take the form of a simple, one room, single storey structure, which is made from preformed, laminated Re-board and delivered direct to site on a pallet, which then becomes the building’s foundation. Aluminium clips will fasten all of the sides together, whilst sturdy straps can be used to secure the structure firmly to the ground. Kurt says: “The students erected a Re-board house in a nearby wood and actually lived in it for a time, to prove its viability. They found that it offers many advantages over the tents that are more usually provided. On the purely practical side, it has better water resistance and, because it is raised above the ground, far better insulation. Re-board also carries a fire rating, so it is possible to use some kind of portable heating device too. But just as importantly, a more permanent structure, with its own door, provides its occupants with a greater level of privacy and security.” This makeshift home, which is big enough to house four people, measures l0 metres sq, weighs just 150kg and costs between E350 to E500 Euros to produce. It is extremely durable - tests have shown that the door can be opened and closed more than 30,000 times – something that would take around l0 years of normal usage to achieve! But this and other equally exciting applications will probably have to wait a
while. Somewhat regretfully, Kurt admits that at present, the demand for Re-board far outstrips his capacity to produce it. He names several well-known multinational companies who have already beat an enthusiastic path to his door, only to be turned away disappointed. He says: “Tempting though they are, If we took up any one of these commissions, they would use everything that we can currently produce, “which is why Kurt is working hard to expand the Design Force production facility. Up until now, the company’s Norrköping factory has simply produced the sheets from material supplied, but following the delivery of a new machine, which Kurt has co-designed in collaboration with Design Force’s local equipment suppliers, Pivab Machinery Ab, Design Force will be entering into a more comprehensive manufacturing process and production will be significantly ramped up. At the time of my visit, the factory was being extended in order to accommodate the new patented equipment, which took over a year and a half to design and will churn out around 10 million sq.metres of Reboard per year. Kurt is also in the process of setting up a comprehensive worldwide distributor network. These companies are likely to be substrate suppliers already operating within the display graphics sector, and as Kurt believes that the demand for Reboard will increase as time goes on, they will eventually need to have their own
INNOVATION
manufacturing facilities too. Kurt explains: “When a distributor is selling more than 150,000, sq. metres of Re-board per year, it will be time for them to acquire in manufacturing equipment of their own, so, with this in mind, I am particularly looking for companies who have the wherewithal to undertake this sort of future investment”. In addition to this, Kurt is also planning to appoint a series of License Holders in each country. These companies will probably be screen and/or digital printers who are already supplying the full gamut of display graphics to their clients. They will have free access to the current Design Force data base, which offers more than l,000 pre-designed Re-board structures that can also be further customised to suit the precise requirements of individual clients. License Holders will need to acquire the equipment recommended by Design Force, in terms of software, printer hardware – Kurt favours Inca’s Columbia, Columbia Turbo and Spyder machines and a Kongsberg cutting table, together with ancillary equipment such as varnishing and sealing machines. Design Force, or one of its designated distributors, will supply License Holders with Re-board in the required quantities on a just-in time basis. Kurt comments: “One of the benefits of Re-board is that it can be made pretty much on demand, so that it isn’t necessary for companies to keep large
stocks ‘just in case’. Rather, they will be able to order whatever they need, when they need it and of course, they will also be able to call upon us for all the help and assistance they require to ensure that their customers get the best possible products.” Design Force has already appointed its first three distributors: Atlas Digital in Greece, Schneider Grafiska AB in Sweden and Re-board B.V. in Holland. These companies are further complemented by the appointment of the first two License Holders: Skylt & Butik in Sweden and Graphic World in Holland. Kurt is also looking at providing a limited standard range of self-assembly products for on-line ordering and thinks that this scheme will work particularly well when it comes to the provision of furniture, a niche market that has been inspired by the Re-board shelving units, desks and tables that are currently in use at the Design Force factory. Obviously, the whole Re-board undertaking has required some serious funding and Kurt counts himself lucky to have attracted the patronage of paper and packaging giant Stora Enso, who have been quick to spot the remarkable potential of his novel invention. He says: “Stora Enso has been very helpful not only in financial terms but also because we have been able to take advantage of its extensive R & D facility. We are in the process of patenting every part of the Reboard manufacturing process and the
machinery that we are using to produce it.” But grateful though he is to Stora Ensa, Kurt is sensible of the fact that big companies often have a quite different agenda for new products than those who invent them, which is why he has restricted Stora Enso’s share in the company to a mere 30 pecent. He says: “Whatever else happens, I want to be in control of what happens to Re-board in the future, how it develops and where it is used. I am in the happy position of being able to do this because I want to – I have enough money, so financial success is not my main aim any more. I’ relish the challenges involved in producing products that push the boundaries of design creativity whilst causing as little damage to the planet as possible. To me, that is a very exciting and satisfying thing to do.” For further information on Design Force visit: www.designforce.se
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INNOVATION
Perfect Partners One company who has an especially keen interest in Re-board’s future success is Inca Digital Printers, who is hoping to become the printer manufacturer of choice for all future Design Force License Holders. Thinking about it, it isn’t really surprising that Design Force and Inca feel such an affinity, as in many ways, the two companies share a similar heritage. Inca’ Digital Printers’ Managing Director, Bill Baxter has the same entrepreneurial spirit as Kurt Aldén and is equally passionate about his company and its products. Formally established at Drupa in 2000, Inca really came into being two years previously, when Bill, together with other colleagues from technology consultancy Cambridge Consultants, were asked by customers if they could design a machine capable of printing packaging material at the end of a production line. The result was a prototype inkjet printing system that was shown at Ipex in 1998 and received an enthusiastic response from the show’s visitors. Since then, Inca has introduced a series of UV flatbed inkjet printers, including the Eagle, the Columbia, the Columbia
Turbo and the Spyder, to become one of the leading manufacturers of digital technology and employing over 160 people at its Cambridge headquarters. Since being acquired by the Japanese-based Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Co. Ltd. In 2005, itself one of the World’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of equipment to the printing industry, Inca has further enhanced its facility for the meticulous research and development which has become its hallmark. Kurt Aldén, who describes Inca as being, ‘a company that we could trust’, explains that when he was first looking at equipment on which to digitally print Re-board, he considered a number of different machines. However, the Inca Columbia was the one that really stood out, in terms of print quality and speed, but perhaps more importantly, Kurt was also impressed by the understated
Inca Spyder 320 The Inca Spyder 320 system uses an Inca print module, jetting the smallest drops in its class to provide crisp print quality with genuine production performance at 600 sq.ft/hr. Its flatbed design features a dedicated 126” x 63” vacuum table, pin registration system and precise drop placement allowing lenticular 32 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
claims made by Bill Baxter. He says: “Whilst other companies were promising fantastic quality, even at the highest speeds, Bill was much more cautious. In fact, if anything, he downplayed the Columbia’s capabilities to a level which, to me, sounded much more realistic. In fact, the Columbia has consistently delivered more than we originally expected. It is a very stable machine, which works around the clock when necessary, with the minimum of hassle. And, if ever there have been any glitches, Inca has been quick to remedy them. In the end, this level of service, plus Inca’s almost intuitive understanding of what we require from the printer, has been much more valuable to us than the more cavalier promises of other manufacturers.” Kurt is so convinced of Inca’s superiority that he is recommending that all License holders invest in an Inca Columbia, Columbia Turbo or
Spyder. He says: “Of course we can’t compel the purchase, but although these three machines all offer different features, they provide all of the elements necessary to produce products of a sufficiently high quality.” Design Force and Inca has thus developed a mutually beneficial business partnership, whereby Inca has committed to providing competitive prices coupled with fast service for all Design Force License Holders. Kurt concludes: “One of the benefits of being a Design Force License Holder is that all of the preparatory research and development has already been completed. Companies who join us, will thus have immediate access to the best equipment, as well as our extensive data-base of different designs and on-going help and advice, all of which should enable them to make maximum profits in the minimum time-span.”
Inca Columbia Turbo
printing, for example, to be achieved with ease. A variety of configurations are available: a four colour, a six-colour and a low cost model, as well as the new white version. The modular approach of the Spyder range enables users to modify the specification to suit changing business needs.
First launched in 2004 and still arguably the world’s fastest digital UV flatbed printer, the Columbia Turbo prints onto rigid or flexible material up to 40mm thick and 126” x 63” in size, producing high quality, repeatable results at speeds up to 1,720 sqft/hr. The Columbia Turbo also uses Fujifilm Sericol Uvijet inks that provide an ultra-wide gamut using automotive grade pigments with the highest light fastness rating to ensure print longevity. The Uvijet ink system is designed to print onto almost anything from
paper to board to a wide range of plastics using Inca proven technology to control droplet formation and accuracy. For further information on Design Force visit: www.designforce.se For further information on Inca digital Printers visit: www.incadigital.com
INNOVATION
The first of a kind
Luc Teblick and Peter Cornelis, two dynamic Belgian entrepreneurs with years of experience in the graphic arts and sign sectors, have announced the launch of a new company and moreover, one which will send shock waves reverberating throughout the industry! Augend Technologies is the first company to develop and market a unique digital highend industrial wide-format press, the Augend F16. This new machine uses solvent-based ink technology and prints on anything from standard stock rolls to completely finished cut-sheets and is thus ideally suited to the production of eye-catching and colourful billboards, bus shelter posters, scaffolding and building graphics. The new company is built on a foundation that was successfully established by Infiniti Europe, a firm launched by Teblick and Cornelis in 2003, which quickly became the leading provider of customised, high quality Infiniti wide-format printers in Europe. Assembled in China, these printers are fully optimised in Belgium to ensure quality engineering and parts that match European standards. Today, over 200 such printers, sold under the Xplorer, Xpert, Xterius and Xtream brands, are installed across Europe and supported by Augend Technologies’ service and technical support teams. Teblick and Cornelis chose the name Augend, based on the Latin word augendum, meaning a thing to be increased, because in mathematics it is the name for the first element of a sum. The name Augend thus refers to the first-to-market innovation and productivity of the new Augend F16 press. Luc Teblick, Managing Director, comments: "The word augend best describes the strategic mentality that will be at the cornerstone of Augend Technologies. We aim to be the first company to introduce a high-end industrial wide-format digital press that is the first of its kind, while also dramatically increasing productivity and quality through automation. Since we are so close to the customer and development ourselves, we will be able to fulfill market demands very quickly and in a very flexible way."
Augend Technologies reflects the dynamic progression of a carefully planned corporate growth strategy that first began in 2003, when the founders established a strong track record of delivering affordable, high quality wide-format printers and earning a reputation for excellent service and support in the process. "Our present-day success was built on a high standard of customer support and we will honour this commitment to quality with Augend Technologies. Our installed base of wide-format printers is evergrowing and their users will profit from our even greater servicing capabilities," states Teblick. The release of the Augend F16 is pending and represents a methodical research and development cycle. The founders listened carefully to their existing customer base and closely analysed the wide-format inkjet printing market. They identified opportunities in developing a printing system that maximised full automation and high throughput combined with superior quality – key assets in an environment dictated by high labour costs and demanding customers. Applying their technical background, international experience and entrepreneurial savvy, Teblick and Cornelis developed the Augend F16, an innovative digital wide-format industrial press – destined to be the first in its kind in the industry. Luc Teblick continues: “We have identified a target group of customers who currently cannot currently find a wide-format inkjet solution which matches their requirements for speed, automation and high output. The Augend F16 is already creating waves with beta-testers and the feedback is positive." Following the re-branding of its wideformat range Augend Technologies will continue to sell, support and service the existing product range of large format inkjet printers through its dedicated network of distributors across Europe. Manufactured in China to Augend Technologies’ technical specifications, the printers are optimised to European standards when they arrive in Belgium, and are fine-tuned to match a customer's precise requirements. According to Augend, the result is a superior quality product that offers the best of both worlds. In accordance with the change of the company name, these printers will be re-branded as the Augend Xplorer, Augend Xpert, Augend Xterius and Augend Xtream. For further information visit www.augend.eu. FESPA WORLD WINTER/06 33
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Personal Choice Our regular series which highlights why companies select the equipment they use.
The press was officially put into production by one of SP Group’s key customers, Jane Abbott, Print Production Manager at Marks and Spencer.
Redditch-based POS specialist, SP, part of St Ives Group, has now officially launched its KBA Rapida 205 press. Designed to complement SP’s existing screen, litho and digital production capabilities, the new KBA UV press will allow the leading retail specialist to further enhance its total fulfilment offering to the retail market. The KBA Rapida 205 litho press will allow SP to provide alternative production methods to its customers for a range of POS, delivering increased print quality, improved efficiencies and reduced lead times for a better customer experience. The overall project investment is calculated at £4.5 million, which also includes the installation of a state of the art Screen CTP system, all in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. “The new press will allow us to further broaden our service offering to the retail marketplace,” said Mark Lockley, Joint CEO, SP Group. “In a constantly evolving industry, SP has always maintained its position at the forefront of technological 34 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
change and this installation is a reflection of the markets’ changing expectations, especially for POS applications where high quality, large format graphics are increasingly becoming the accepted standard. As well as opening up initial employment opportunities on the press floor, the ramp up of production will positively impact other areas of our business and significantly streamline our workflow.” With the ability to print onto paper and plastic substrates up to 2.05m wide and 1.2mm thick (corrugated up to 1.6mm max), as well as many other specialised substrates, the KBA Rapida 205 is the widest litho press in its class. Featuring five towers and offering CMYK plus special colour, the new press also includes an inline coating and drying unit to aid speed, and its quick drying UV inks provide adhesion to a wider range of substrates, further enhancing production flexibility. For further information visit: www.kba-print.de
Nottingham based large format specialist, Viva Imaging Ltd, has installed the UK’s first DuPont Cromaprint 22-UV, rigid and flexible large format digital printer. Marking a further move into digital production, the new 2.2metre printer, which uses DuPont colour management technology, has enabled Viva to increase productivity and expand its product portfolio, helping the company to stay competitive and target traditional screenprint applications. John Watson, Managing Director, Viva Imaging comments, “The new DuPont Cromaprint 22UV has taken our business to the next level. With our previous laser image writer, we were losing business to other digital printers who could undercut us and meet very tight deadlines. By installing our direct-to-substrate printer, we have been able to reduce costs and provide the same high quality print on a far wider range of substrates. This has not only made us more competitive, but it has also significantly expanded the opportunities to service new markets, including POP and instore graphics.” Installed earlier this year, the Cromaprint 22UV is supporting Viva’s varied client base of advertising agencies, design companies and a host of direct customers, including many high street names and furniture store IKEA, and is being used to produce a range of indoor and outdoor applications, including exhibition graphics, POS, external signage and banners. Viva report that the Cromaprint 22UV’s six-colour capability plus white, has been a great benefit; by maximising the DuPont printer’s wide ink gamut with its Cromanet colour server, Viva can not only produce vibrant graphics, but can also ensure
INSTALLATIONS
consistency of colour across many rigid and flexible substrates including vinyl, wood, ceramics, metal and plastics – ideal for new markets, including interior decoration. The Cromaprint 22UV is a complete inkjet digital printing system made up of all DuPont components – next generation patent pending extended gamut UV Curable ink technology, an all new DuPont Cromanet CS (colour server) providing RIP, spectral colour management, and production workflow tools - installed with DuPont service and support. The total package is specifically designed to meet the high volume and high-speed production needs for digital printing on to the widest variety of rigid and flexible media. As further demonstration of its commitment to customer service, Viva has introduced an online digital print service. By enabling customers to order print and upload digital artwork directly to a Viva print portal, it has been able to streamline job ordering and further improve workflow efficiencies. John Watson comments, “We are extremely pleased with our Cromaprint 22UV. Since installation, the increase to our business has been phenomenal and the opportunities to grow further are mindboggling. We may need a second machine to keep up with demand!” For further information visit: www.dupont.com As the name implies, Big Image Systems specialises in the printing of large images on fabric and other flexible materials. The company, who has production facilities in Stockholm, Sweden, and Berlin, provides finished printed material to clients all over the world, whilst also carving out a special niche for itself as a supplier of theatre backdrops. One of Big Images’ many extraordinary features is that it builds its own airbrush machines. Currently there are five such machines in use, the largest being 12m wide, with a further four of 5m wide. In addition, it has wide format solvent inkjet machines including the Durst 350R roll-toroll UV inkjet. Andreas Skantze, President of Big Image, says: “Quality is always our first priority and the Rho 350 impressed us from the outset. We wanted a UV machine and the Durst was the only one on the market that produced the quality and productivity we needed. Also, we like many of its features,
particularly the skip-white function and its overall ease of use. It is very operator friendly, requiring only one person to change even the largest media rolls and the software is both easy to use and fast. We have already been experimenting with different media – to date we have tried 26 different materials! And, most of the results have been excellent. In fact, if Durst were to build a 5m UV printer we would buy one immediately!” For further information visit www.durst-online.com The first of the new model THIEME 5000 XL series screen-printing machines to be commissioned in the UK is a key component of the major programme of expansion and reorganisation just completed at Southampton’s Appleton Signs. The three-colour, automatic THIEME 5060 UV line has pole position in the 20,000 sq ft printing hall, which has been opened by Appleton Signs at its new HQ and production complex Twice the size of the company’s previous premises, the 40,000 sq ft complex has not only provided the company with space to upgrade and enhance its facilities, but also to co-ordinate all of its diverse print and sign production equipment under a single roof. Established almost 40 years ago, the family firm has grown, in one direction, to become a multi-skilled, multi-disciplined manufacturer of corporate, retail, safety and wayfinding sign systems, as well as a major supplier of printed vehicle livery graphics and banners. In a parallel direction, it has become one of the south of England’s biggest retail POP display producers with a blue-chip clientele. Tailor-made for the automated production of very large-format PoP display and packaging media, Thieme 5000 XL series machines are geared specifically to provide optimum production capacity with minimum manpower. Users are said to be able to sustain a 95 percent level of operational availability at all times and to limit set-up to less than five minutes per print station. Although based largely on the hugely successful THIEME 5000 model, XL machines employ a number of reconfigured key components – including the squeegee control, operational mechanism and gripper design – to deliver the twin advantages of optimum flexibility, for frequent job changing, and high precision, for perfect quality multi-
colour printing at high printing speeds. As a result, they can print on substrates up to 10mm thick and delivers 3,000 m of multi-colour output per hour. Modular in concept, Thieme 5000 XL lines can be configured with from one to four print and dryer stations and built in sizes up to 2000 mm x 3050 mm. Appleton Signs opted for a three-colour UV line because, as Luke explained, this offers the greatest operational versatility. The company’s MD, Luke Appleton concludes: “Most of our POP work is in five or six colours, so two passes are needed in any event. With make ready on the THIEME being so fast, this poses no problem at all. This is a real productionline machine, ideally suited to our shortish runs and quick job changeovers, yet delivering consistent top quality at all times.” For further information e-mail sales@thiemekpx.co.uk
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Manchester-based specialist large format printer, GBM, is the first company in the UK to invest in the L端scher JetPrint 3530 UV flatbed printer for large format digital printing. Supplied by systems integrator Turning Point Technologies, the versatility of this new machine will enable GBM to satisfy a variety of new applications, including banner production, rigid and soft building wraps and vehicle liveries. "When we carried out our market research into suitable printers, we were specifically looking for quality and accuracy," comments Paul Towers, Sales Director, GBM. "We did consider other printers, but the L端scher JetPrint was able to maintain its excellent quality while printing faster at 97m sq per hour at high resolution, and at 3500 x 3050mm maximum format, wider than any of its competitors. We can tile up to five jobs on the machine simultaneously and offer great value for money at the same time." Originally a repro company, GBM was established over 30 years ago to support premier companies in the North of England. Today clients include UCI cinemas, Harvey Nichols and Cotton Traders. As well as specialising in largeformat and lenticular printing, the company works closely with the Lowry Museum providing perfect copies of Lowry originals to customers on demand. GBM also offers a design service, a photographic end-to-end facility, prepress, screen, digital print finishing and distribution services to a wide range of well-known retail companies and brands locally and nationally. The L端scher JetPrint 3530 UV is a versatile large format printer that can print on virtually any rigid or flexible substrate. Using environmentally friendly UV inks and featuring a cost-effective and highly productive workflow, it is simple to operate. It can be used in conjunction with a wide range of rigid and flexible substrates. Paul continues, "TPT gave us the opportunity to see the JetPrint in action at Hediger in Switzerland, a company that produces backdrops for television studios across Europe, as well as printing transparencies for lorries, fixed superstructures, passenger vehicles and buses. This gave us great ideas to branch out into different sectors in the future". For further information visit: www.t-point.co.uk
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On the road again Industry guru, Michel Caza resumes his travels to visit screenprinters in Eastern Europe and is pleasantly surprised by what he finds…….
Above and below; Midi Print’s printing facility.
RUSSIA At the beginning of July and following many problems relating to visas and travel plans, my wife Therese and I were finally able to visit Russia and catch up with my dear friend and former pupil, Artem Nadisravilli, who runs Midi Print, one the biggest screen, offset and digital companies in Russia. Midi Print was first established in 1995 by Artem, a Georgian jazz-rock musician from Tbilisi, and two of his partners, having all moved to Moscow during 1990. Artem is also the President of the Russian Screen and Digital Printing Association, which is, of course, a member of FESPA. The name of the company originates from the combination of two names: Miles Davis and MIDI (Musical Instruments Digital Interface). Of course this is a very unusual name for a Russian company and
the fact that Midi Print also fields its own football team who play twice a week in a local league, makes it even more unusual! Midi Print, which currently enjoys a turnover of five million Euros, specialises in POP, signs and graphic printing, using screenprinting, UV offset and digital printing technologies. It also prints T-shirts. Its 7,000-m2 Moscow factory is located on a huge industrial wasteland of some 20,000 m2, which Artem intends to rehabilitate for future expansion into the area of fine art reproduction. The first thing you notice is that the factory is very well guarded, with security cameras and staff who are hired to guard it day and night. The Chechen problem is still a big issue here and the fear of both criminal activity and gang pressure is ever present. Of the company’s 150 staff, 65 people work in the printing section, which
encompasses prepress, screenprinting, textile printing, offset and digital and 60 in the finishing and mounting department, whilst 25 people look after sales and administration. The print department, which is currently spread over three different levels, will soon be grouped together more logically in a new area of the site, with printing taking place at ground level and screening on the first floor. Prepress and sales and administration will remain in the original part of the plant. The production is based on six lines of screenprinting presses, including an automatic and semi-automatic flatbed, a Svecia 70 x 100 cm cylinder press, plus two carousels, one digital press and one UV offset press 50 x 70 cm in size. This will soon be enhanced with a MHM 80 x 120cm five colour carousel for printing
Artem Nadisravilli (centre) with partners.
Stencilling.
T-Shirt printing.
38 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
The dry offset press.
Nodar, the Technical manager.
The new MHM five colour carousel printer.
Some special applications.
plastic and paper sheets and a 210 x 350 cm digital UV printer, that will add a facility for white and spot colours. CTS will also be added to the screening department to partially replace the traditional film. When I ask about the importance of R&D, Artem responds: “We see this as a very important function. As it is our aim to become one of the top companies in Russia and the surrounding countries, we do everything we can to promote both quality and productivity, including investment in the latest technologies. We were one of the first to acquire the Cazaway system, which facilitates screenprinting in four colour halftones of 150 lines/inch and 58 and 90/inch for bigger images.” Naturally the R & D department has also spearheaded the company’s entry into some niche areas, such as electroluminescent, special inks and the use of special effects, in the graphic, sign and textile markets. Artem goes on to say that in Russia, an average print run is 50 when printing digitally, 2,000-3,000 when screen-printing and around 5,000 to 50,000 when using offset. I ask him about the rules regarding the
environmental impact of the printing processes and he tells me that Midi Print uses 15 percent solvent inks and 85 percent UV inks when screen and digitally printing. Of course, when it comes to offset printing, the proportion rises to l00 percent UV inks. We move on to finishing and Artem confirms that everything, including: die cutting, laser cutting, vacuum forming, mounting, and packing, is done in house to ensure quality and client confidentiality. With regard to Midi Print’s future development, Artem assures me that the fine art printing and editing department will soon be producing original screenprints, reproductions and posters, all of which will be shown in an on-site gallery. He comments: “As you know, I love art and I feel that it represents a huge potential market in Russia. And since other people, namely yourself, have successfully managed to combine both POP and fine art reproduction under one roof, there is no reason why we shouldn’t be able to manage it too!”
The vacuum forming department.
The digital printing and laminating department.
Artem and Therese Caza study fine art reproductions.
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TURKEY A few months ago, I made a new friend when I spoke at a UV Printing Workshop held in Greece, and explained how water based UV inks could be used to replace plastisols in four colour process textile printing. Samir Sadikoglu, the plant manager of a T-shirt printing company in Turkey, helped me to solve some of the problems we had with the equipment and, when he suggested that I spend a few days at his factory in Istanbul to provide consultancy and help train the staff in the use of the new technology, I agreed with alacrity. I must confess that I was expecting the company for whom Samir works, ETF, to resemble most other T-shirt printing factories that I have visited, but actually, I couldn’t have been more surprised! Instead of the smallish concern of my imaginings, I found a vast, modern plant, of around 13,000m2 in size. I also found a team of guards, both at the entrance to the industrial park and outside the plant itself. But whilst in Moscow the guards were protecting the factory’s security, here it was more to do with political problems. The huge factory was very clean, both inside and out and fully equipped and I quickly realised that, in addition to printing the T-shirts, ETF also manufactures them from the raw cotton fabric. The company, which employs 400 people, processes 25,000 T-shirts a day and the plant is divided into four different departments. There is a sewing department, which includes cutting and ironing; a prepress and printing department, a packaging department and a sales department.
ETF Plant.
Sculptures in the enttrance hall.
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Printing presses & Printing Manager Cengiz Kaptan.
The ETF Sewing room.
Samir & Can.
The Ironning room.
The printing department is managed by Cengiz Kaptan and as most T-shirts are printed in anything from one up to seven colours, making up to l00,000 colours a day in total, he is a very busy man! ETF has seven lines of M&R multicolour carrousels, which for the most part, use the new plastisol inks, without PVC and phthalates and water based inks. However, there is the possibility that in the future, this will change to UV water based inks, which is the reason for my visit! In the main, ETF operates a two-shift system, but there are several possible combinations, such as one, two or even three shift patterns, according to the needs of the different departments and customer requirements. Some parts of the operation are very labour intensive according to Production Manager Samir. I met him and the General Manager, Can Dikmen in the pleasant offices where Can’s wife, Sanem, also manages the sales and marketing department. When I asked about the wages for workers in this kind of manufacturing business. they explained that the salaries range from between 250 and 300 Euros per month, plus the usual employer’s contributions, which in Turkey, as in other countries within Europe, is relatively high. In addition, the workers enjoy the bonus of a proper lunch – the company has a huge canteen, which prepares around 450 meals a day. The Prepress department has all the latest equipment with regard to both Mac and PC, including imaging and digital proofing and also has a screen department based on the CTS inkjet system. In addition, it uses traditional screenprinting
equipment. Including about one thousand self-stretching Newman Roller Frames! One of ETF’s most important aims is to improve the quality and reliability of its product, particularly as it has to satisfy the exacting demands of international companies producing sports clothing. That is why quality control is very important and also why ETF enters several Awards Competitions, such as those run by FESPA and SGIA. It has also been experimenting with 3-D printing for which there is much demand from customers. In process colour printing, photographic images are becoming increasingly popular. ETF wants to produce in 150 lines/inch (60/cm), which is another reason for my visit. I really hope that this company will succeed because in view of all of its investment, coupled with its undoubted energy and drive, it certainly deserves to!
Control & packing.
BULGARIA Incredible is the only word to describe Top Print in Sofia! In all of my travels I don’t think that I have ever seen such a clean and well-equipped small plant. In the west, we proudly boast about our top quality levels, our sophisticated prints, high technology and super cleanliness, but as I am discovering, we have a lot to learn from these so-called primitive companies in Eastern Europe! This visit followed hot on the heels of the surprise that had awaited me in Istanbul and came about as the result of another consulting job, following the UV workshop in Greece. As well as being astonished by the plant, I also have the pleasure of meeting with the appropriately named Top Print’s big boss, Ivaylo Metrov, the Plant Manager, Hristofor Chernev and the Prepress Manager, Nikolay Nicolov or Ivo, Fory and Nicky as they begged me to call them! Top Print’s fully air-conditioned factory is located very close to Sofia’s airport because this small company specialises in producing decals, small displays and diverse graphic products for export to the Middle East and African countries. Films are created in-house, whilst imaging is outsourced. Screen tension is achieved on Sefar’s latest machines, using fabric from Sefar and NBC, whilst coating, which takes place on a Harlacher machine, controlled drying, exposure and developing are also carried out, under almost perfect conditions, in-house. With the exception of a manual carrousel, which complements the services offered to customers, and Roland’s Soljet Pro Z V-SC-545 print and cut machine, everything is output on a fully automatic cylinder press from SPS, which works in two shifts. The production, mostly on paper, adhesive decals and thin PVC, in sizes of either 50 x 70 cm or 70 x 100 cm, runs at a speed of between 1,800 and 2,200 sheets per hour. The German Improinkmaster provides automatic screen washing and reclamation, whilst finishing is either outsourced or dealt with in another part of the plant.
The commendable ethos of the company, according to Ivo is, quite simply, “to be the best, not just in Eastern Europe but throughout Europe!” To achieve this Top Print makes a point of using the best substrates and UV inks, whilst always on the look-out for superior products. Ivo explains: “The reason you are here Michel, is to help us to produce 200 lines/inch (80/cm) or even finer when running four colour process and also to tell us how we can improve our methods and equipment to reach the highest quality levels. This is sometimes difficult to discern when you are based in a country which doesn’t always have immediate access to either the latest information or products.” This, of course, is nice for me to hear, but what a challenge, when so many
Fory – Michel – Niky and Ivo, “the Boss”.
Screen reclaiming and tension.
Nikolai, the “Macintosh master”.
Screening.
Printing on SPS.
Measuring proofing in 200 lines/inch.
Top Print produces T-Shirts too!
screen printers elsewhere in Europe don’t want to aspire to more than 75 or maybe 100/inch, claiming that it is too difficult! Even my very clever and qualified friends in the UK, who engage in complex research relating to the sequence of printed colour, stay within this range of dot count! Why then is it that we are outflanked by a small Bulgarian screen printer who thinks nothing of screenprinting high quality graphics for a cosmetic company, in 200 lines/inch? Perhaps we should simply forget about screenprinting being an outmoded technology and concentrate on demonstrating that it can be at least as good as offset or digital printing in terms of image quality and resolution. Certainly, my Bulgarian friends prove that it is quite possible, providing you use very good equipment and have sufficient motivation, determination and, most importantly imagination! Top Print is happy to accept that it needs to combine very high screen tensions with the creation of its own ICC profiles and, if in the process, it needs to change some of its equipment and use new inks and substrates even when they are not yet distributed locally – then so be it! All three companies certainly provided me with food for thought and I hope that they will provide all screen and digital printers with similar inspiration.
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FESPA GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2006 - ASSOCIATION REPORTS
Beautiful Bratislava! This year’s FESPA General Assembly took place in the beautiful city of Bratislava, which is one of the youngest capital cities in Europe. Previously known as Pressburg or Pozsony it was one of the most important cities in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and populated by a mixing pot of various nations and nationalities. Located on the banks of the River Danube, Bratislava is enjoying something of a renaissance and is now regarded as the political, cultural and economic centre of Slovakia. It was therefore the perfect venue for an assembly which brought together Fespa’s 32 members and associate members from throughout Europe, the Far East and Australia.
As previously, the Assembly provided each of the Associations with the opportunity to provide an update on their countries’ economies and their own progress during the past year. However, this year FESPA introduced a new innovation in the form of an interactive workshop. The delegates were split into four different groups, to discuss the following topics: • What does the FESPA brand mean for you and your members? • What does FESPA do for you and your members today and how would you like it to evolve? • What services do you want FESPA to deliver for you in the future? After much lively debate, the day culminated in a general meeting of all delegates, which 42 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
considered the views aired and points made during the day and discussed ways in which this information could be used to make FESPA an even more effective organisation in the future. Nigel Steffens, FESPA’s General Secretary says: “Not only did this session encourage delegates to really think about what they expect from FESPA, it also provided us with a great deal of very useful feedback which we can now use constructively.” Unsurprisingly perhaps, most delegates wanted FESPA’s assistance in recruiting new members to their Associations and there was much discussion as to how this could be best achieved. The final conclusion was that FESPA needs to clearly define its organisational structure and objectives so
that people recognise the full extent and scope of its activities and regard it as being much more than just an exhibition. Nigel Steffens concludes: “All of the delegates seemed to enjoy the exercise and at the end of it were much clearer in their own minds about what they expect from FESPA. Whilst we already provide many of the support services discussed, it was very helpful to identify how this can be fine tuned and supplemented to provide members with even better value for money in future.” The General Assembly also elected the Ukrainian Screen and Digital Printing Association (USDPA) as its 28th full member. USDPA was represented at the Assembly by its Secretary, Mr Olexiy Vlasenko.
The Baltic States As the Baltic States’ membership of the EU has coincided with the rapid growth of digital technology, many market segments have gone straight over to digital without progressing through screenprinting, notably the large format advertising sector. Screenprinting is, however, holding its own when it comes to the production of sales literature and special effect printing and in Lithuania especially, screenprinting is still the premier method of textile printing. Generally, competition is fierce, since there are now many small companies engaged in pricecutting. However, the Baltic States Association feels that there is great potential for the growth of screenprinting techniques within the burgeoning industrial sector. All screen and digital printers within Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have now been informed about both the Association’s activities and those of FESPA via e-mailed newsletters and although, to date, the response hasn’t been overwhelming, particularly with regard to small and medium sized companies, some larger companies have helped to formulate a draft plan of Association activities. These include a members’ meeting, the changing of the
Association’s statutes, an educational seminar and the organisation of an educational programme for colleges. In addition, the Association plans to launch a website to further promote itself and its activities.
Australia The Australian Association reports that the screen sector remains in a similar position to last year, with some areas in steady decline, due to the ongoing shift towards digital technology coupled with fierce pricing pressure from global competitors. SGIAA’s major event for the year was its conference at Coolum on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, which included an excellent forum featuring both international and Australian speakers discussing the latest industry trends and innovations. Planning is now well underway for the SGIAA 2007 Australasian Screen and Digital Awards, which are open to all Australian and New Zealand companies. It will culminate in a gala evening to be held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre on Friday 20th July 2007. The Association’s future aims include strengthening collaborative relationships with other trade associations who serve the screen and
digital sectors and, to this end, it will continue to work closely with FESPA, SGIAA, and the ASGA.
Austria Although the Austrian printing sector experienced zero growth during 2005, this was an improvement on the previous year when it reported an 11 percent loss. Forecasts for 2006 predict zero growth, but analysts are forecasting a 10 percent market growth within the next five years. Digital printing continues to grow in popularity, with growth of 25 percent expected over the next five years. Screen printers are continuing to prosper and are also adopting digital technologies, although large format printing is not quite as over-hyped as previously. The Association’s activities include helping media group Verband Druck & Medientechnik to organize the Dataprint exhibition in Linz during 2007. It will also be hosting a series of seminars at the show, which will be promoted in its “Das Österreichische Grafisches Gewerbe” magazine.
Belgium There are currently around 2480 printing companies in Belgium, of which approximately 900 are Febelgra members. Mostly one-man businesses, these companies account for 13,338 jobs and generated a total of €3,197,177,000 during 2005. Of this total, 35 percent was generated through domestic trade, with exports accounting for €1,264 million and imports €1,095 million. With regard to the screen and digital sectors, Belgium has seen the emergence of hybrid companies, which offer all aspects of screen and digital printing and, in some cases, even offset printing. Last year saw at least three mergers between screen-printing/digital or offset printing companies. And others are positioning themselves as full service companies, even changing their names to underline their evolving status as all round suppliers. Larger screenprinters have to field the increasing competition from companies who have installed UV flatbed inkjet printers; in the last year seven such machines have been installed in Belgium. Outdoor media, in the form of billboards and building wraps are becoming increasingly popular methods of advertising and are generating FESPA WORLD WINTER/06 43
ASSOCIATION REPORTS
more business for roll-to-roll printers, with five superwide format machines being installed in Belgium during 2005. During 2007, Febelgra is planning to organise a digital printing event, in association with FESPA’s Special Projects initiative, which will feature several leading digital suppliers and provide an opportunity for both members and nonmembers to meet and discuss the evolution of digital printing.
Bulgaria The Bulgarian screenprinting sector is prospering as far as textile printing, label printing, transfer production, advertising billboards and packaging is concerned and digital printing is also becoming an increasingly popular technology. During the last year, many new digital printing companies have sprung up and there are also an increasing number of digital suppliers. Unfortunately, there is less enthusiasm for membership of the Association, which to date, has only 10 paying members, although a further 85 companies are registered. Accordingly, the Association will be working very hard to recruit new members during the coming year. Over the past 12 months it has focused on helping to strengthen relationships between printers and suppliers, consulted with screen printers, advised on training and hosted seminars.
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Czech Republic
Croatia
This year the Association of the Czech Republic celebrated its 15th Anniversary with a series of events As well as a special commemorative day in honour of the anniversary, the Association organised its seventh Congress, which included a specialist programme for screenprinters. Representatives of the Association also took part in the seminar held in Poznan, Poland and in May, it organised a group trip to the FESPA Digital Exhibition in Amsterdam. However the main thrust of its celebrations took place during October, when it combined a professional screenprinting seminar entitled, Comparison of traditional and new screenprinting technologies'’, with a full programme of ancillary events, where the emphasis was firmly on fun. Held in the pleasant surroundings of the Hotel Hamonia in Svabov near Batelov u Jihlava, more than fifty participants competed to complete a series of different screenprinting tasks, ranging from the highly complex to the simple, coupled with more lighthearted games. Another noteworthy event was the result of the Czech Association’s collaboration with the Screenprinting Association of the Slovak Republic, which culminated in the Slovakian seminar which had Bill Appleton and Peter Kiddell as speakers.
Croatia is currently facing big economic changes, which are having an effect on the graphics sector. With many companies finding it difficult to raise sufficient capital to invest in new equipment, leasing is becoming a popular option. Pricing is now very competitive in the offset and digital markets, due to the increasing number of companies who are offering these services, although screenprinting continues to hold its own, possibly because, as a process, it demands a higher level of skill and experience and competition is thus weaker. A positive development involves the provision of government finance for an environmentally friendly waste and disposal scheme, which will enable the small Croation Association to help its members keep up with all of the latest regulations. During the last year the Association has organised and sponsored a workshop that focused on environmental protection and run a hugely successful seminar in association with FESPA, which also helped it to double its membership. At its annual assembly, the Association passed general regulations relating to screenprinting, whilst also hosting a demonstration of Enfocus software. During the coming year it will introduce its membership to the BE EFFECTIVE publication, translate the e-learning project into Croation, compile a list of
bad payers and promote the Croatian version of Michel Caza’s Friendly Planet manual.
China (CSGIA) China’s printing industry has grown at an annual rate of 10 percent during the period 1999 – 2004, with the total production value amounting to Y332.67 billion in 2005, compared with Y280 Billion in 2004, and accounting for two percent of GDP. The screenprinting sector has enjoyed an annual growth of 15 percent since 2000. Textile printing and industrial printing applications have enjoyed similar levels of growth. According to statistics, the output of digital printing increased by 16 percent in 2005, due in part to the fact that China now has the world’s largest outdoor advertising market, with digital printing accounting for more 54 percent of the total production in this area. During the past 12 months, CSGIA has established a “Screen Printing and Graphic Imaging” department in association with a Beijing school, and is running a threeyear course for 100 students. It has also completed its second industry survey, which will provide much useful data as regards equipment, capacity and market demands as well as giving a forecast for screen and digital printing over the next five years.
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Finland Benefiting from the buoyant Finnish economy, screen and digital printing grew by two to three percent in 2005, growth that has continued during 2006. Many companies are now investing in digital printers and some have even acquired large format flat bed printers. This year, the Finnish Screenprinting Association, which celebrates its 30th anniversary, has retained most of its members and, in order to assist future recruitment, has decided to change its name to The Association of Finnish Screen and Special Printing. At the same time, with the help of the FESPA Projects Committee, it is revamping its corporate identity, website and database. This follows a reorganisation that took place earlier in the year and lead to the association being run independently by its secretary, Regina Aas. Activities during the year have included the organisation of special trips to the FESPA Digital Show in Amsterdam for over 100 visitors; the translation of the E-learning course into
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Finnish and the implementation of a course designed to cover certified PDF, which will be held in Helsinki, Turku and Tampere. In addition, the Association has held eight regular meetings, including its annual General Spring- and Fall Assemblies and training events in colour management, health and safety issues, price setting and cost calculating. It has also published and distributed a further two issues of its own magazine, SERITIETO.
France The French graphic industry as a whole, which contributes a total of one half a percent to the country’s annual turnover, is a manually based industry, which, none the less, has seen the total number of participants decrease by two percent since 1993. The rate of average annual growth in terms of turnover currently stands at 1.1 percent. The French Association reports that the pressing issues facing the screen and digital sectors at present are the need to resolve environmental problems and to enhance the
sector’s overall image. During the past year, the Association, who has recently moved premises to share a building with the Association for offset printers, has worked on the institution of six professional qualifying certificates related to specific activities in screen and digital printing. These will be awarded to employees when they pass an exam designed to test their capabilities. It has also extended the scope of its annual general assembly to include technical conferences dealing with such issues as environmental controls and training. This innovation was deemed to be so successful that it will be repeated at next year’s assembly. The Association has also launched a new website and is working hard to organise new forums, one of which will take place at a French trade show, and promote its training objectives, which can be adapted to suit the needs of individual companies. Finally, it is working on the production of an environmental logo for screen and digital printing.
Germany Although there are no specific statistics relating to the screenprinting sector, the economic situation of the German printing industry as a whole showed further improvement in 2005. After a moderate first six months turnover, production increased to the highest level for five years during Autumn 2005, with the industry achieving a total turnover of €17.1 bn During the last year, the Association has worked with the Federal Guild of Screen Printers and the German Printing and Media Federation (bvdm) to revise the examination for the master craftsman's diploma. The draft document has been submitted to the Federal Ministry of Economy and Technology for final approval and it is expected that it will come into force by the end of this year. It has also provided a new member database on its website which will enable potential customers to select the most suitable screen or digital printer in their area, as well as providing members with a networking
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opportunity. In addition, the Association has provided technical information on pad printing which is designed to help users achieve the best effect from this process
Greece The Athens-based Hellenic Screen Printing Association (HEL.SPA), which was originally formed in 1977 and now has 82 members from all over Greece, aims to promote the advantages of screenprinting. To this end, it holds many get-togethers in its offices, which enable members to exchange news, views and information, and is also an active member of the Athens Chamber Of Small and Medium Sized Industries. During the past year the Greek economy has stabilised and screenprinters, despite having to contend with a flood of cheap imports from Eastern Europe, are holding their own and are also beginning to invest in digital technology, in order to become more competitive. This year the Association participated in two successful Greek exhibitions; Syskevasia, a show designed to highlight general packaging and Epigrafica, which focuses on the graphic arts.
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Italy An improving Italian economy has benefited screen and digital printers, although the increased cost of ink, substrates, and transport has somewhat impacted upon their profits. Established only this year, SIOTEC, the Italian Association represents the interests of screen, digital and pad printers, as well as signmakers. It currently has a board of ten members, plus 53 associates, many of whom are limited companies employing an average of 14 people. SIOTEC has already forged relationships with the leading Italian trade journals and has also set up its own website. In addition, it has published a promotional brochure that was distributed during the Viscom Italy trade show and is also being mailed to all the relevant companies in Italy. SIOTEC has hosted its first Technical Seminar and, with the help of the FESPA Projects Committee, intends to hold two further such events shortly. It is also planning to offer regional training courses to its members, financed by public funds and supported by its supplier members. Another initiative is its collaboration with a leading Italian software provider to provide a new business package, which will enable members to manage and cost their work more efficiently and profitably.
Norway
Portugal
The screenprinting sector remains stable and, according to the Norwegian Association, things are progressing reasonably well, with those companies servicing niche markets enjoying the highest levels of profitability. Digital production continues to influence the market and many screenprinters have now invested in digital equipment in order to increase their production capacity. The Association, which currently has 45 members, held its 45th General Assembly in Oslo, last February, which included a visit to Denmark where members had the opportunity to visit NS System. Presently the Association are translating the E-learning course into Norwegian.
The digital sector in Portugal is growing, with the formation of some new digital companies, whilst, at the same time, the demand for screenprinting is decreasing, with the loss of some established players. Many screenprinters are now choosing to adopt digital methods, and sales of digital equipment have greatly increased over the last year. The Association reports that environmental issues remain a continuous concern and it plans to collaborate with a specialist partner in order to achieve environmental certification (ISO 14001 and ESMA). It is also collaborating with various government bodies in a project entitled PMEmas, which will enable small and medium size companies to obtain EMAS certification.
Poland In the past year the Polish Screenprinting Association has focused on increasing its membership. Last Spring it hosted a successful multi-topic conference during the Euroreklama graphic and advertising exhibition. This two-day marathon, which included lectures that were simultaneously translated into Polish and English, attracted over 70 delegates, and several new members, many of which come from the digital sector. The Association has also been busy translating the Elearning course into Polish and plans a full supporting promotional programme when the translation is complete and ready for publication. During the coming year, it plans to recruit further new members, enhance its methods of member communication and organise more seminars, including one at Euroreklama 2007.
Romania In the run-up to its membership of the EU in January, the Romanian economy has been booming and accordingly, both the screen and digital sectors have profited from this growth. Many screenprinters are now investing in digital equipment in order to expand their services and to remain competitive. At the same time, the number of small companies continues to grow, as they are able to use simple screen or tampo printers and/or digital presses. In preparation for joining the EU, many companies have already expressed interest in acquiring all of the appropriate quality and environmental accreditations in order to compete effectively throughout Europe. The Romanian Association has continued to promote FESPA events and its website now attracts visits from member and non-member companies, eager to take advantage of the information it provides there.
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The Association also reports that a screenprinting school in Ploiesti offering a six-month diploma course in screenprinting will complement the existing Printing College in Timisoara.
Serbia Serbia is in the midst of a period of democratic and economic transition and both screen and digital printing are benefiting from this general climate of growth and prosperity. Textile printing is enjoying a particular boom at present and digital printing is set to grow in line with the economy of the region. But although companies are keeping up with all of the latest technological developments, their future profitability depends on them becoming more efficient and productive. The Serbian Association has enjoyed a very busy year. Its seminar in Belgrade opened up many new avenues and it is now collaborating with Serbia’s National Employment Service in a bid to help retrain the unemployed as screenprinters.
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Slovakia
Slovenia
The main activity organised by the Slovakian Screenprinting Association during 2005 was a two day screenprinting course organised in collaboration with the FESPA Projects Committee and the Czech Screenprinting Association, which attracted more than 30 participants from within Slovakia and further afield. This year, the Association, which now has 19 members, helped to promote the FESPA Digital exhibition, and arranged for a group of its members to attend the show, during which it hosted an informal get together for Slovak and Czech visitors on the FESPA stand. One of the Association’s main aims is to forge relationships with other Associations and to this end, it has held two joint meetings with the Czech Association this year. It also sent a representative to the Euroreklama exhibition in Poznan and the accompanying seminar organised by the Polish Screen and Digital printing Association. Its cooperation with the High School of Arts in Trencin, also continues, with the Association providing consultation and presentations on screenprinting matters.
In 2005 there were 595 companies operating within the Slovenian graphics sector, comprising of eight large companies, employing 1534 people, eight medium sized companies employing 1019 people and 579 smaller companies employing 2255 people –4808 people in total. This total doesn’t take account of those working in a graphics capacity within other industries. The total income in the domestic market amounted to €355 million, with a further €12.6 million coming via exports. At present, no specific data exists in relation to the screen and digital sectors, although it is clear that the number of smaller and specialised companies is increasing. Digital printing has become increasingly popular over the last few years and there has been substantial growth in the demand for large format digital prints, largely from customers requiring outdoor advertising and POP. As with the rest of Europe, competition is fierce, particularly from places such as the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary, where labour costs are much lower. Since the quality of Slovenian printing is high, most of the larger companies derive some of their income from
exporting to Western Europe and conversely, although domestic demand is increasing, prospective customers often choose to source suppliers from other countries. Price remains the dominant factor when selecting a supplier and it is therefore essential that Slovenian companies continue to hone their skills and invest in the latest technology in order to become as flexible and productive as possible. The future of the graphics industry will also be influenced by the introduction of JDF (Job Definition Format), which makes it possible to track jobs from start to finish and to control costs and pricing with greater accuracy. Over the past 12 months, the Slovenian Screenprinting Association has helped to run a series of events relating to screen, pad and digital print held by the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce. These have focused on technological developments and the preparation of tender documents for international projects. In addition, it hosted the 3D Print Forum during the FESPA Digital exhibition, which focused on the 3D printing process and included presentations and lectures. Currently, the Association is preparing to exhibit at the Graphic and Packaging Fair in
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Celje at the beginning of 2007 and continues its collaborations with the Slovenian Chamber of Craft as well as actively collaborating in the development of ISL Pronto, which it will be promoting to all of the other national associations.
Spain According to the Spanish Association, the screen and digital sectors have experienced a modest increase in growth, although the ‘price war’ continues and training, environmental and other issues still need to be properly addressed. With regard to its activities, the Association recently had a stand at the Spanish Screen Printing Exhibition in Madrid and has initiated its fifth Screenprinting training plan, which now offers more than 50 courses in screenprinting and general management. It has also continued to provide the Spanish translation for FESPA World Magazine. In addition, it maintains the official Commercial Register authorised by the Concurrence Office and completed and promoted its Terms and Conditions Of Sale for the Spanish Screen Printing Industry. Other activities include the distribution of the Spanish Screenprinting Book and iReport on the Spanish Industry, whilst also compiling data for its ongoing industry survey, which provides quarterly reports on the state of the screen and digital sectors. The Association is currently organising a series of forums covering various screenprinting applications, such as graphics, textiles etc. which will provide screen and digital printing companies with an opportunity to get together and discuss all of the issues relevant to them. Another initiative concerns an Export Plan, designed to help Spanish companies take
advantage of the government subsidies available when they export their products. A further achievement has been the publication of the Guide of Spanish Screen and Digital Printing Companies, which provides potential customers with a comprehensive listing of screen and digital printers, together with information on the services they offer. Finally, the Association has also achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification this year.
Sweden In recent years, as with the Swedish printing industry as a whole, the screenprinting sector has suffered from a lack of demand, but happily, this situation now seems to be reversing in line with the recovery of the Swedish economy. In 2005 the average screenprinter enjoyed a profit margin of two percent. The Swedish Association, which has 88 members, has had a busy year and has launched a number of new initiatives. The first of these, a project entitled ‘The BrainOffice’ is designed to help members work their way through the morass of current legislation with the minimum of fuss. Each member has received a binder in which to collect the material produced by The Brain-Office, together with its first offering, which relates to quality and environmental issues. Further content will be added at the end of this year and at the beginning of 2007 and the work of the Brain Office will remain ongoing. The Association also continues to publish its members’ newspaper, ScreenPressen, three to four times per year, in which it reports on all of its activities. As usual it has hosted two large members meetings and continues to run and promote its successful Poster Project, which was originally
implemented to provide students of Art and Design with a better understanding of screenprinting, but has since become something of an institution.
Switzerland The Swiss Association report that the past year has, once again, been full of changes and innovations in the screen and digital printing sectors, the most important of which is the growing trend for companies to market themselves as all-round ‘graphic providers’. It also reports that there is now much co-operation between screen and digital printers. On a less positive note, there have been business casualties this year, with some long established printing companies closing. Association activities include collaborating with other graphic associations to improve education and training and, although the Association’s newsletter “Seripost” is no longer published due to increasing costs, members can find all of the information they need by visiting the Association’s revamped website at www.vsds.ch
United Kingdom In the UK, margins are still being squeezed and most screenprinters have had a really difficult year, unless they are serving a niche market or offering value added products. Industry suppliers are finding conditions equally tough. Digital printing has again improved enormously in quality and speed, but here too, margins are under pressure. The UK Association report however, that there is some evidence that industrial screen work is returning to the UK from the Far East, as well as some garment printing. Over the last 12 months the Association’s website has greatly benefited from the FESPA funding which financed
its revamp and it is now receiving upwards of 600,000 hits each month. This has lead to the Association selling some limited advertising space on the site to raise further revenue for ongoing improvements. The Association’s annual awards event, held at the end of 2005, was very successful, attracting a record attendance and providing excellent publicity for the sponsors. Although postponed for 2006, the awards will reappear in 2007 and will be organised by a professional company in order to broaden their scope and appeal. The E-Learning project is also going from strength to strength and will soon be available in eight European languages. With regard to member recruitment, the Association recognizes that it needs to reinvent itself somewhat in order to appear an attractive proposition to the new, younger companies who have very different needs from those of previous members. To this end, it plans to hold a series of seminars around the country and will also initiate market research, surveys and other information gathering exercises in order to position itself to gain maximum impact.
Ukraine The Ukrainian Digital Printing Association, which was only formed this year, reports that many Ukrainian printing companies are now purchasing digital equipment, as they believe it provides a better return on investment. Previously, many companies have over extended themselves buying expensive screenprinting equipment, which they then found themselves unable to pay for, leading to many bankruptcies. One of the Association’s first duties this year was to arrange for a group visit to the FESPA Digital exhibition in Amsterdam. FESPA WORLD WINTER/06 51
PETER KIDDELL
Regular columnist Peter Kiddell suggests that screenprinters could increase their productivity and profitability if they would only go
A standard or a dream?
PETER KIDDELL
COLUMNIST
52 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
How many screen printers reading this are aware of the ISO standards that have been produced for the process? It may be that you know that they exist, but do you know what they say or where to find them? This article is not for the experts in the field, but rather for those of us for whom a spectrophotometer is a dream! There are three standards specifically for screenprinting produced by "International Organization for Standardisation" (ISO): They are:
ISO 2846-4: 2000 Graphic Technology – Colour and Transparency of printing ink sets for fourcolour-printing. Part 4: Screen Printing
ISO 12637-5: 2001 Graphic Technology - Multilingual terminology of printing arts. Part 5: Screen Printing terms
ISO 12647-5:2001 Graphic Technology - Process Control for the manufacture of half-tone colour separation, proof and production prints. Part 5: Screen Printing. They can be purchased online at www.iso.org and you can see by their suffixes that they were created in 2000 and 2001. These standards are coming up for review, but there is unlikely to be any change for at least two years. Some recent work carried out by FOGRA in Germany has demonstrated that they are closer to hitting the target than some people have considered possible. To be able to reproduce four colour process images accurately and consistently, it is necessary to observe strict process control. These standards are a good starting point. As with all international standards, there are always compromises along the way, but the standards are substantially applicable and certainly a
hundred times better than the traditional colour lottery. Although the standards apply to Solvent Based Ink. Water Based and UV Curing Ink, they are only truly relevant to Conventional UV Curing ink as Solvent Based Ink, Water Based and Water Based UV all alter on the stencil, due to the evaporation of solvents and water. If it is possible to stop this evaporation by enclosing the stencil and ink then the changes will be minimised. With a few exceptions, Conventional UV Curing Ink is the only ink system that does not suffer from the effects of evaporation. It is, however, sensitive to temperature changes and should be brought up to its working temperature to perform at its best. ISO 2846-4: 2000 is the starting point of Four Colour Process Printing. It specifies the actual colour and transparency of Cyan, Magenta, Process Yellow and Process Black ink. The other crucial factors are the colour of the substrate, its surface finish and its absorbency. ISO 2846 covers these aspects and it is aimed at ink manufacturers who use its structure to arrive at inks that will meet the standards. The measurements of colour (colorimetric values) are on the basis of L* a* b* taken from the CIE Lab colour space. L* Lightness (0 absolute Black 100 is absolute White) a* Red Green axis b* Yellow Blue axis
PETER KIDDELL
CIELAB COLOUR SPACE There are )E (Delta E) values that state the deviation acceptable from the stated point on the L*a*b* colour space. In terms of colour, many screenprinters would normally just measure density. The density measured could be right, but the colour could still be wrong. This is why ink manufacturers aim to produce a colour that is within the tolerances of the standard, so that when the printer comes to measure the density, the colour will also be correct. Transparency is also an element of the standard, as it is the ability of ink to transmit and absorb light without scattering. Several ink manufacturers have produced ink sets to the standard, but invariably printers have not shown a great deal of interest in them, preferring to manipulate their normal ink range to suit the finished print that they require. Printers are generally unaware that the pigments used in offset inks are different to those used in UV cured screen printing inks and also solvent based screen printing inks. They all have different colour characteristics and light fastness. Solvent based screen inks are the best in terms of light fastness, UV curing screen inks next and the least light fast are offset litho inks. When it comes to colour matching prints produced using different printing processes, the screenprinter is always going to be struggling. It has previously been suggested that offset litho pigments should be used for screen printing inks, the aim being to reduce the problem of colour matching with litho, but the effect would be to lose some of the vibrancy of screen printing inks and they would not be as light fast. The ISO 2846-4: 2000 standard, even though it has not been widely used, employs screenprinting pigments. If you feel there is some degree of confusion in screenprinting inks, that is nothing compared to digital printing inks, where the possibility of arriving at a standard is unlikely, as machine suppliers wish to provide their own label inks and may consider standardisation a potential threat to own brand products.
ISO 12637-5: 2001 is a standard that states the technical terms to be used in the text of a standard dealing with screenprinting standards. It appears to be somewhat old fashioned in its language, but it is close enough to be interpreted by a reader of the standard. ISO 12647-5:2001 is the standard that is the most useful to the printer. It deals with: • Colour separation where it states the minimum density of the emulsion on the photopositive • The screen ruling over which the standard is applicable • Typical screen angles for different types of dots • Colour L* a* b* co-ordinates of both primary and secondary colours • When the dot shape should link within the tonal range • The image size tolerance • The tone value sum • Grey balance tone values. • Tonal range that can be printed • Likely dot gain/loss curves to give a guide to calibration of the digital files used in producing separations Printers may well deviate from these values to achieve a specific effect, but knowing why these values are chosen is even more important than the value itself. Having the right set of angles can go some way to reducing that killer moiré, as can dot shape and knowing where the dots link up helps the printer avoid banding. Of course, image size tolerance helps registration and all resulting faults caused by miss-registration. This tolerance has to include repeatability at the image setter, as well as changes caused by the effects of varying ambient conditions on the size of the photopositive. The tone value sum (TVS) is the value obtained by adding together the percentage dot areas for all four separations (yellow, magenta, cyan and black) in any single defined area of the image. If you are trying to match another printing process, this may need to be lower than the 300% minimum specified. Grey balance is the interpretation of a grey scale that is created from the combination of magenta, cyan and yellow
at specific tonal values. A process colour will always have some level of contamination by the other two colours. This contamination will have an effect on Grey balance. The aim is to produce a neutral grey. Using Grey balance your eyes can quickly detect if there is any colour cast in the neutral area. In this respect, the eyes become the most sensitive instrument for checking Grey balance.
GREY BALANCE EXAMPLE Then the standard deals with how the print looks. The substrate has to be a specific white, as should the proof, with a close match with regard to levels of gloss. The level of gloss on the final product will greatly affect the look of the print and should be considered at the proofing stage. To take the measurements for this standard, you will need a spectrophotometer to measure the L* a* b* co-ordinates and this test should be carried out in a way that conforms to ISO 13655. The International Colour Consortium (ICC) has reservations about ISO 13655. These reservations are that polarising filters on instruments should not be used and that the printed sheet should have a white backing rather than black, when measuring. Polarising filters reduce the light scatter from a colour. Even though they correct a characteristic of a printed ink film, what the human eye sees is scattered light and acceptance of a colour is, in the end, what you see, not what you should see. There are three colour gamut’s indicated in the standard; Class 1, Class 2 and Class. 3. Class 3 is normally used for Point of Sale where high saturation is required. Here the concentration of the pigment is higher than Class 1. This in turn affects the secondary colours, Red, Green and Blue, that are created by overprinting Magenta + Yellow, Cyan + Yellow, Cyan + Magenta respectively. Printed in the sequence Yellow, Cyan and Magenta. In reality Class 1 is a dull colour (low saturation) and it is very difficult to achieve with screenprinting. One could ask, why remove one of the real benefits of screenprinting - its inherent vibrancy? FESPA WORLD WINTER/06 53
PETER KIDDELL
Example of Colour Gamut
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
The standard also gives what would be considered a suitable reproduction of tonal range for the two stated screen (line) rulings. Screen Ruling 20 lpcm / 50.8 lpi 20 lpcm / 101.6 lpi
The figures given for these two ink types are the best and worse case and do not take account of the change in the Solvent Based Ink during the print run, due to evaporation and the differing performance of the ink because of changing ambient conditions. The standard also provides an indication of the dot gain/loss along the tonal range for different ink systems. These are the print characteristics of a typical printing system. The data provided should be used as the basis for creating the calibration for the original separations. The actual calibrations will be dependant on the whole printing system. These measurements are taken using a densitometer from the control strip that is a 30 lpcm/ 76.2 lpi round dot. The aperture of the densitometer should ideally be 5mm, so the area it samples is sufficient to provide a good statistical result. The minimum aperture is 3.5 mm.
54 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
Solvent Based Inks Tonal Range % 6 to 95 10 to 90
Typical ISO Dot Gain Curves Solvent Based
UV Curing
To get the full picture you will need to purchase the ISO 12657-5: 2001 standard at approximately €45.00 and ISO 12647-5: 2001 at €40.00. This investment is well worthwhile. However, the standards do need careful reading and to put them fully into practice you may need to talk very nicely to your ink supplier! Don’t forget that you will need the instrumentation to take the measurements. The standards state what is considered by industry specialists to be a target to aim for, but they do not say how you go about achieving that target. That is down to strict process control and consistent setting and operating procedures. Without these, the standard is as much use as a chocolate teapot!
UV Curing Ink Tonal Range % 3 to 96 8 to 92
We are in business to make a profit by satisfying a customer’s needs. The key issue is consistency in all aspects of the process. If you are producing a campaign using different processes on a whole range of substrates, your client will want the same “look” on each item. To achieve this, you will almost certainly have to adjust one or more of the printing processes. This may take you outside the tolerances of the standard. The key is to know what you have done and to maintain that adjustment throughout the print run. FESPA has a Standards Committee that is reviewing the standards and looking to work with FOGRA, ISO, suppliers, printers and other organisations to spread best practice throughout the industry. This is a very complex area with many competing influences and you have to applaud FESPA in its endeavour. In the end, whether a print is fit for purpose comes down to a subjective decision, because we are not measuring solid colours. What we are looking at in process colour printing, whether it is four, six or ten colours, is an optical illusion and the juxtaposition of the process colours creates this illusion. Maybe we should remember this when we become extremely pedantic about the topic.
INFORMATION
FESPA ‘contact list’ The following list of Telephone, Fax and E-mail numbers will help you when you need to contact a colleague in FESPA.
FESPA board
Telephone
Fax
Hellmuth Frey – President
49 408 50 40 21
49 408 504 930
hfrey@frey-siebdruck.de
Anders Nilsson – President Elect
46 493 130 40
46 493 121 20
anders@gamlebyscreen.se
Ricardo Rodriguez Delgado – Past President 34 914 85 28 70
34 916 73 1972
rrd@panorama-sa.com
Michel Caza
33 1 34 67 16 79
33 1 34 67 28 89
michelcaza@aol.com
Lascelle Barrow
44 207 537 42 00
44 207 531 12 77
las.barrow@amartin.co.uk
Gyorgy Kovacs
36 28 51 66 15
36 28 51 66 16
mszsz@vnet.hu
Enrico Steijn
31 79 343 5353
31 79 343 5354
enrico@imaba.nl
Christian Duyckaerts
32 34 57 90 20
32 34 57 03 81
Christian@pnd.be
FESPA secretariat Kurt Sperisen – International Ambassador 41 44 910 5150
41 44 910 3866
kurt.sperisen@bluewin.ch
Nigel Steffens – General Secretary
44 1737 22 97 22
44 1737 24 07 70
info@fespa.com
Frazer Chesterman – Exhibition Director 44 1737 22 97 26
44 1737 24 07 70
frazer.chesterman@fespa.com
Val Hirst – FESPA Magazine Editor
44 1159 81 81 99
elford@btinternet.com
44 1623 88 23 98
Chris Smith – Projects & Member Services Manager 44 1737 22 97 20
44 1737 24 07 70
chris.smith@fespa.com
Mandy Goldfinch – PA to Nigel Steffens
44 1737 22 97 23
44 1737 24 07 70
mandy.goldfinch@fespa.com
Michael Ryan – Group Sales Manager
44 1737 22 97 27
44 1737 24 07 70
michael.ryan@fespa.com
James Ford – Sales Manager
44 1737 22 83 54
44 1737 24 07 70
james.ford@fespa.com
44 1737 24 07 70
marcus.timson@fespa.com
Marcus Timson - Group Commercial Manager 44 1737 22 97 25 Susan Hamer – Operations Manager
44 1737 22 83 52
44 1737 24 07 70
susan.hamer@fespa.com
Lorraine Harrow – Marketing Executive
44 1737 22 83 50
44 1737 24 07 70
lorraine.harrow@fespa.com
44 1737 24 07 70
claire.goodchild@fespa.com
Claire Goodchild – Operations and Sales Assistant 44 1737 22 83 53 Sarah Willcox – Accounts Manager
44 1737 22 97 24
44 1737 24 07 70
sarah.willcox@fespa.com
Mirela Agolli – Accounts Assistant
44 1737 24 07 88
44 1737 24 07 70
mirela.agolli@fespa.com
Secretaries of FESPA national associations
Telephone
Fax
E-mail / Website
Christian Handler
Austria
43 15 12 66 09
43 15 13 28 26 19
verb.druck.u.medientechnik@aon.at
Kristine Zakalovska
Baltic States
371 750 11 41
371 750 11 42
kristine@sesoma.lv
Jan de Brabanter
Belgium
32 2 512 36 38
32 2 513 56 76
jan.de.brabanter@febelgra.be
Evgeni Ivanov
Bulgaria
359 608 400 35
359 608 4 00 35
ett@mbox.contact.bg
www.druckundmedientechnik.or.at
www.febelgra.be Mirjana Bjelan
Croatia
38 51 45 52 327
38 51 45 52 327
mirjana.bjelan@zg.htnet.hr
Evzen Sanc
Czech Republic
420 487 71 27 12
420 487 72 63 55
evzen_sanc@volny.cz
Finn Obbekaer
Denmark
45 63 12 70 00
45 63 12 70 80
fo@ga.dk / www.ga.dk
Regina Aas
Finland
358 40 5674385
www.sitotisk-serigrafie.cz regina.aas@suomeseripainoliitto.fi / www.suomenseripainoliitto.fi Julie Chide
France
33 144 086 422
Torben Thorn
Germany
49 611 80 31 15
49 611 80 31 17
tt@bvdm-online.de / www.bvdm-online.de
contact@gpsf.fr / www.gpsf.fr
Kimon Papas
Greece
30 210 52 39 41 6
30 210 52 48 23 7
papath@ath.forthnet.gr
Janos Buranyi
Hungary
36 28 51 66 15
36 28 51 66 16
mszsz@vnet.hu
Massimo Poli
Italy
39 02 71 04 05 98
39 02 71 09 24 46
segretario@siotec.it / www.siotec.it
Cees Koedijk
Netherlands
31 20 5 43 55 56
31 20 5 43 55 35
zso@kvgo.nl / www.zso.nl
Jon Halvorsen
Norway
47 33 07 15 30
47 33 07 15 31
halvorsen@hortensadvokatene.no / www.serigrafer.org
Michal Kridel
Poland
56 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
48 12 296 03 85
48 12 656 01 32
biuro@ssp.com.pl / www.ssp.com.pl
INFORMATION
José Carragosela
Portugal
35 12 18 49 10 20
35 12 18 43 87 39
geral@apigraf.pt / www.apigraf.pt
Marius Codirla
Romania
40 722 28 21 22
40 264 59 71 39
viking@mail.dntcj.ro / www.arsitd.homestead.com
Artem Nadirashvili
Russia
74 95 232 99 65
74 95 365 38 96
info@midiprint.com / www.rspa.ru
Dusan Golubovic
Serbia
381 11 2180 047
381 11 631 164
sitologika@beotel.yu
Ludovit Bartos
Slovakia
42 1 32 74 43 589
42 132 74 30 434
info@sietotlacovyzvaz.sk www.sietotlacovyzvaz.sk
Edo Sternad
Slovenia
386 1 565 72 50
386 1 568 45 78
edo@ib-procadd
Pablo Serrano
Spain
34 91 307 74 44
34 91 307 76 08
pserrano@aspack.es / www.asibnet.org
Else-Britt Lindeborg
Sweden
46 87 62 68 17
46 86 11 08 28
else-britt.lindeborg@grafiska.se www.screentryck.org
Susie Matti
Switzerland
044 837 10 40
044 837 10 42
Ibrahim Demirseren
Turkey
90 212 212 41 16
90 212 212 41 07
sekretariat@vsds.ch / www.vsds.ch ared@ared.org.tr / www.ared.org.tr
Olexiy Vlasenko
Ukraine
380 567 900093
380 567 900094
usdpa1@gmail.com
Michael Turner
United Kingdom
44 1737 24 07 92
44 1737 24 07 70
info@dspa.co.uk / www.dspa.co.uk
91 250 248 0786
info@s-p-a-i.org / www.s-p-a-i.org
FESPA Associate Members Mr Bhargav Mistry
The Screenprinters Association of India 91 250 248 0998
Mr Clem Johnson
The Screenprinting and Graphic Imaging Association of Australia
Mrs Pei Guifan
The China Screenprinting and Graphic Imaging Association
0061 02 8789 7362 0061 02 8789 7387 clem@reidindustrial.com.au / www.sgiaa.asn.au + 86 10 6401 5007 + 86 10 6403 4996 peiguifan@csgia.org Mr K Chaiyaboon
The Thai Screenprinting and Graphic Imaging Association + 66 2509 66 53
+ 66 2509 66 54
contact@thaiscreenprinting.or.th / www.thaiscreenprinting.or.th
Other associations Mike Robertson
SGIA
1 70 33 8513 35
1 70 32 73 04 56
miker@sgia.org
List of advertisers
Magazine coupon for ordering Fespa World
Aeroterm ..................................................................................................................33
All members of FESPA receive this magazine every three months free. If you are not a FESPA member and wish to order a copy, the annual subscription for four copies, including postage, is €63.00. Please complete the following order form to ensure your copy for the future. The magazine is published in English. Full translations in German, French and Spanish are available on www.fespaworld.com to members and subscribers. I enclose my cheque for €63.00 payable to FESPA for issues 47, 48, 49 and 50. Future issues: Issue 47 March 2007, Issue 48 June 2007, Issue 49 September 2007, Issue 50 December 2007
BASF
............................................................................................................................19
Basler Lacke ............................................................................................................36 CST ................................................................................................................................37 FESPA 2007 ............................................................................................................25 Fimor
........................................................................................................................ 49
Gandi Innovations ..........................................................................................49 Glassman..................................................................................................................55 HP Scitex ..................................................................................................................17 FESPA Digital Print Awards FESPA India
......................................................................27
..........................................................................................................45
J TECK ........................................................................................................................21 KIWO ..........................................................................................................................47 Marabuwerke
..............................................................Inside
Name
Front Cover
Mimaki ................................................................................Inside Back Cover Nazdar
(Block capitals please)
Company
..........................................................................................................................7
Saatichem......................................................................Outside Back Cover
Address
Saatiprint ..................................................................................................................11 Thieme ......................................................................................................................23 VFP ................................................................................................................................13
Photocopy this sheet and send by post or Fax to: M. Goldfinch, FESPA, 7a West Street, Reigate, Surrey RH2 9BL, UK, Tel: +44 1737 240788 Fax: +44 1737 240770
Tel: Fax:
FESPA WORLD WINTER/06 57
AND FINALLY‌
Fespa World quizzes Peter Cornelis, one of the founders of Augend Technologies Q. Since many of our readers will not have heard of your company, can you tell us a little bit about its formation and activities to date?
A. Originally known as Infiniti Europe, we are a Belgian company founded more than three years ago. Initially our main activity was the marketing, design, distribution and sales of a comprehensive range of Chinesemade, wide and super-wide digital inkjet printers and to this end, we established a distributor channel throughout Europe. This year, we decided to change the name of the company to 'Augend Technologies'. We offered a broad range of solvent-based digital printers in different widths, ranging from 1,6m to 3,3m, which can be positioned in different segments of the digital market. The evolution of quality needs and expectations has pushed us into the higher segment of this market and we decided to extend our portfolio with a new range of higher end digital printers and a digital press.
Q. Do you believe that the industrial sector is the next big thing as far as printer manufacturers are concerned and which applications are you particularly targeting?
A. Yes!
Since inkjet will be the dominant printing technology in the coming years, we aim to become an important player in this area. Our engineering department is constantly improving its technologies for applications not yet accommodated by digital printing. We are aiming our new F16 at the billboard market, but our next goal will be an offset machine, once the new print heads arrive in 2007 or 2008. We will then introduce printers suitable for the publishing sector and are also looking at labelling and packaging, since they are increasingly being used as
58 FESPA WORLD WINTER/06
marketing tools.
Q. Is there a greater
Q. What modifications do you
opportunity for profitability in the industrial sectors and if so, could you explain why?
have to make to standard inkjet technology to suit the different demands of this sector?
A. Inkjet and print head technology is arriving at the point where it can be used as a replacement for offset printing and from 2008, continuous inkjet should be able to take over from traditional printing techniques. At present our engineers' are focused on producing machines that challenge screenprinting, by offering better quality, speed and automisation. We are currently working on a flatbed inkjet that uses UV ink that dries instantly when printed on thick substrates such as tiles, boards and glass etc.
Q. Do you feel that graphic companies will be able to adapt to take advantage of these new opportunities?
A. Since sales will mainly take place in the higher end markets and to end-users with highly qualified resources, we can't imagine that these companies won't be able to adapt! Since markets are rapidly changing the specialist companies are also evolving and seem eager to move forward. Of course, Augend Technologies commits to educating its distributors, by regularly providing them with technical, sales and marketing training programs.
Q. What new skills will your customers have to assimilate?
A. Since new machines offer new sales opportunities, the graphic companies need to be aware of the following issues: - Return on investment; - Use of the machine; - New print head technologies and how to use them.; In all of these cases, we have a solution in one of our training programs.
A. When going to the high-end markets and selling machines such as our digital press, greater profitability is a given!! Both the end-user and the manufacturer will have bigger profits due to higher volumes and continuous production. Quantum discounts are easily manageable and, by using jumbo rolls on the digital press, paper-loss is reduced to an absolute minimum!
Q. The machines formerly distributed by Infiniti-Europe, are manufactured in China and although this offers significant cost advantages, do you believe that the quality standards are good enough?
providing the lowest possible operational overhead cost.
Q. Will Augend Technologies be using Chinese manufacturing facilities for its industrial inkjets?
A. We will continue to offer the Xterius, Xplorer, Xpert, and Xtream wide format digital printers that are built in China according to modified specs, formerly defined by Infiniti Europe. Our new offering, the Augend F16, represents a recordbreaking innovation in the European print industry. It is a next-generation solvent based industrial inkjet press that is true technology powerhouse. Positioned for the very high-end outdoor printing market, it excels at generating publicity materials such as full colour billboards and advertising posters and has been developed and built in Belgium with precision-made components and engineering that is fully optimised for the market. A comprehensive network of service and support has been established to ensure customer satisfaction.
A. Infiniti-Europe evolved from being a distributor of Chinese designed machines (OEM based) to a vendor of machines that are specially adapted for the European quality standards (ODM), and into a full service sales and marketing organisation, which sells machines built to tour own specification in two different factories and by two different manufacturers in China. We believe that our quality standards are eminently suitable for companies operating in Europe and America!
Q. Many people will be
Q. Are there any other benefits
Q. Do you anticipate spending
apart from cost?
A. Cost of ownership is one thing. Operational cost and service is another, and in the long run, certainly the most important. Therefore, the Augend Technologies team works closely with the customer, provides excellent service and responds quickly to the ever- changing quality expectations of the market. Our newest product, the Augend F16, is a full-fledged inkjet printing system that can be operated by a single person, thus
interested to see your printers in action. Which exhibitions do you plan to attend next year?
A. For the coming year, as in the past, we intend to exhibit at all of the major European shows, including FESPA 2007.
the rest of your working life within the digital sector and if not, which other areas inspire you?
A. If you mean the digital printing sector, the answer is definitely yes, since document and image reproduction has become and will remain digital. The enabling technologies and the communication paradigm, however, may change and if they do, we will see what comes next! Peter Conelis, thank you!