Quick Print Pro, December 2022-January 2023

Phil McMullin, Pro Graphics Head of Sales, Epson (UK) explains – see page 10

CONTACT

Quick Print Pro, Colourfast Group Ltd 36 Cheltenham Place, Brighton. BN1 4AB Tel: 01273 674321 Email: editor@quickprintpro.co.uk Web: www.quickprintpro.co.uk

EDITORIAL

Marina Peirce

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Nyree Groome

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER

Maureen Foulkes

CONTRIBUTORS

Lara Groome, Andrew Foulkes, Rebecca Leach and Dan Tester.

FEATURES

Peter Foulkes

DIGITAL IMAGING & PHOTOGRAPHY

Martin Christie

MAGAZINE PRODUCTION Dean Cook www.magazineproduction.com

DISTRIBUTION Subscriptions printed at Colourfast plus PYO (Print Your Own) file distribution and eZine available on Issuu

Quick Print Pro (QPP) — ISSN: 2050-5140 — is published monthly by Colourfast Group Limited, 36 Cheltenham Place, Brighton. BN1 4AB. A company registered in England Number: 2517164. Entire contents within this publication Copyright © 2022 Colourfast Group Limited. Quick Print Pro is an independent publication and not affiliated with any manufacturers or suppliers. QPP Quick Print Pro celebrates 24 years in publishing the professional print trade’s favourite magazine, formerly known as CSN Copy Shop News. Sharing best practice through both print and digital media, QPP magazine is in front of 36,000 quick print pros each month. Each day the live web version is updated with the hottest stories in frontline printing, including news, views, new products and suppliers information. Avid readers include Digital Printers, Commercial Printers, Copy Shops, On-Street Instant Printers, In-House Print Room Managers, FM and Conventional printers specialising in On-Demand, Short Run, Variable Printing, CRDs (Corporate Reprographic Departments), PSPs (Print Service Providers), Graphic Arts Businesses, Sign Suppliers and CAD Bureaus. QPP is available online and on your desk. www.QuickPrintPro.co.uk

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PRINT NOW FINISHING IN HOUSE WITH VIVID

Aura Print invested in a VeloBlade Volta 64 digital die-cutting system from Vivid Laminating Technologies to bring die-cutting in-house. Huddersfield, West Yorkshire based commercial printer wanted the flexibility to be able to produce die cut products in-house and used to outsource close to 100 die-cut jobs a month, and while the quality was always great, the turnaround time and added cost to customers hindered it.

Liam Smith, director of Aura Print, said: “We’ve always found Vivid’s print finishing systems to be the next step up from consumer solutions. The VeloBlade Volta 64 digital die-cutting system was the perfect stepping stone for Aura Print to be able to offer great quality finishing in-house to our customers. With the VeloBlade Volta 64, we can now die-cut over 90% of jobs with faster turnaround times and lower cost for our customers making die-cut business cards more reachable for more customers.”

“Additionally, we have also switched to kiss cutting all stickers on the VeloBlade and the system has opened the doors for us to produce bespoke packaging. Which has really come in handy given how much customers are taking us up on custom playing cards.”

“We’re now able to produce accompanying playing card boxes all designed to the customer’s specification. This is something that would’ve been difficult with traditional die cutting but the ability for unlimited prototyping on the VeloBlade, without having to create form after form, all but solved those old problems.”

“Overall, the support we’ve received from Vivid has been top notch (or ‘reyyt good’ as we say in Yorkshire). The Vivid service engineers have bent over

backwards to make sure we’re always running smoothly. From the initial training to after sales support, when our team had questions about setting up work, Vivid has been there to enable us to grow our business,” Mr Smith concluded. www.vivid-online.com

BOBST DIGITAL MASTER 340 FOR BERKSHIRE LABELS

Berkshire Labels, a UK manufacturer of high quality and innovative self-adhesive labels, sticker sheets and shrink sleeves has signed an agreement with BOBST for the purchase of a BOBST DIGITAL MASTER 340 label press, a fully digitalised and automated production line.

The agreement is the first between the two companies and reflects the growing demand for BOBST’s new hybrid solutions in the labels industry. The DIGITAL MASTER 340 is the latest in BOBST’s All-in-One, All-Inline portfolio. It offers printing, embellishment and converting in a single pass, with perfect integration between the UV inkjet digital engine, the flexo and converting modules.

“We believe the hybrid approach offered by the DIGITAL MASTER 340 will bring significant benefits to our company, with greater efficiency, speed, product offerings and enhanced uptime.” said Paul Roscoe, Managing Director and Owner of Berkshire Labels. “Having looked at inkjet for some time now and reviewing the marketplace, I believe the DIGITAL MASTER 340 is the perfect machine to complement our existing Digital Department whilst also sitting nicely next to our modern fleet of servo Flexo Presses. We have ambitious plans for growth, and we believe the DIGITAL MASTER 340 will play a fundamental role in helping us to achieve that.”

Running at up to 100 m/min (328 feet/min) in four or six colours plus optional digital white, the DIGITAL MASTER 340 bridges the gap between traditional digital and flexo machines. It enables flexibility, fast turnaround with exceptional 1200 dpi quality. The modular architecture allows each customer to configure the exact machine they need – from a digital only version to highly customised configuration – integrating all modules available in inline flexo. It also provides the possibility to be upgraded on-site at a later stage.

Berkshire Labels has invested in a DIGITAL MASTER 340 configuration with twin flexo units, with lamination and cold foil capabilities, inline die cutting. The company is at the

STATIONERS’ INNOVATION EXCELLENCE AWARDS

A revolutionary way of creating spare parts for everything from warships to washing machines won the prestigious Innovator of the Year award at the Stationers’ Company Innovation Excellence Awards 2022.

The Xerox ElemX 3D printer uses liquid metal to produce parts on demand, where and when they are needed, reducing costs and avoiding supply chain disruptions.

The Master of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, Ms Moira Sleight, said: “The Company always welcomed innovation and is as keen to do so today as it was nearly 600 years ago when it embraced William Caxton’s printing press.”

Behind her in the Company’s historic 17th century Great Hall, Caxton looked down from his stained glass window as she continued: “Innovation is so important not just for business growth but also for improving the lives of thousands, if not millions, of people.”

Since its formation in 1403, the Company has moved from quills and parchment to Caxton’s press and now to the 21st century age of digital communication. “It is entirely appropriate that the cutting edge world of 3D printing should have so boldly captured the attention of our awards judges,” Ms Sleight added.

“They felt that the Xerox process, which can produce urgently needed parts in hours instead of weeks, is truly a potentially disruptive innovation just as Caxton’s press was.”

Xerox UK Managing Director Darren Cassidy, whose company is based in Uxbridge, Middlesex, said: “This award really matters to us. It is so important to get such prestigious recognition and it will inspire everyone at every level of our team.”

The Xerox ElemX printer is different because it uses aluminium wire rather than powder to produce droplets of molten metal which, guided by a computer, builds up layer by layer to produce a precise replica of parts which can range from a ship’s valve to an exhaust nozzle. It is already used by the United States Navy to produce parts at sea, saving time and money, and has countless land based applications, too.

Introducing the presentation ceremony, awards committee co-chair Jill Jones thanked Mathys and Squire, Picon and Hobbs the Printers for their support for the event and went on to say: “Innovation leads to survival in a rapidly changing business world.” Her co-chair, Professor Linda Drew, said: “Innovation creates

Customer Experience: Cengage Learning, which offers students 24/7 access to thousands of textbooks, courses and digital products.

Marketing including Communications: Class Professional Publishing for CFR Plus, an app which guides first responders attending medical emergencies.

Product Design: TTS for Kitt the Learning Companion, a desktop robot which allows children to access personalised resources and record evidence of learning.

Service Development: Ricoh UK for Ricoh Supervisor, which analyses real time data to help businesses get greater efficiency and cost savings from their printers.

Start-Ups: A-dapt International for their Adaptive-media Interview Coach, which guides young people in the skills and confidence needed in job interviews. www.stationers.org

PRACTICAL STEPS AND IDEAS TO MITIGATE THE ENERGY CRISIS

Compass Business Finance are working with businesses to provide cash flow support, helping them to face both the energy crisis and the rising cost of raw materials. The SME Confidence Tracker Survey, reported that 79% of SMEs [are saying] that the current economic climate is worse than during the pandemic.

Mark Nelson commented, “We’re seeing businesses being forced back into survival mode, again, many of whom are having to take urgent action to navigate their way through a whole host of critical issues. Following the mini budget, businesses have been provided with some short term relief, however, many of our customers are looking for longer term solutions.”

Compass has put together a discussion paper on mitigating the energy crisis, looking at practical steps and ideas for managing businesses through the crisis and to advance towards their sustainability goals, including examples from RMC Digital and Browns Print.

Speaking about their solar project, Nicole Spencer, managing director of RMC Digital, said, “Our energy costs this summer were half what the usually are, and although we had originally estimated a five year payback, rising energy costs have meant that the return on investment has been much quicker.

If your business is in need of cash flow support, funding to become more energy efficient, or to invest in sustainability projects, it’s worth talking to your finance provider as soon as possible. Funding support is available through the Recovery Loan Scheme, and local grants, as well as tax benefits such as the Annual Investment Allowance and the Super Deduction, however, all of these are time limited. To see the discussion paper visit www.compassbusinessfinance.co.uk/news

Caslon

IFS FINISH+BIND 360 SHOW SMARTER BOOK PRODUCTION

IFS put the spotlight on responsive book production technologies at its recent two day finish+bind360 event. UK book sales increased 7% in 2021 and this trend is expected to grow as interest and demand for books continues. To enable print service providers to respond flexibly to this opportunity the well attended finish+bind360 event highlighted fresh technologies and software designed to support new production capabilities and elevate current operations.

finish+bind360 focused on a smart and efficient workflow for short-run soft cover book production starting with Horizon iCE LiNK, the folding of A4 and A5 signatures on the iCE FOLDER AFV-566FKT, and the lamination of book covers on the Foliant Taurus 530 NG B2 Laminator with jogger.

The folded signatures were fed as book blocks into the Horizon iCE BINDER BQ-500 with the laminated covers automatically fed, slit, and creased with cover and book block barcode matching for 100% integrity. Bound books were then stacked in the Horizon SS-800 stack stream unit and conveyed in-line, with indexing, and via the Horizon EL-300 elevator lift unit to the Horizon ICE TRIMMER HT-300 with BF-P300 Pusher Feeder with barcode reader. Single books and stacks of books were trimmed at production speeds up to 1,500 books/hr (five book stacks). Also demonstrated live was the trimming of books

has been more than two years since we last had an event at IFS in Hemel Hempstead. It was great to see and speak with real people, face to face, and in front of such amazing technologies that will help them navigate their way through challenging trading conditions.”

He continues: “During COVID-19, book sales increased and were a life saver to many book producers. They are expected to continue to grow

SO WHAT RHYMES WITH 2023

Forecasting a trend is about as easy as picking the winning horse in The Grand National. Too many hurdles and worse, fences set taller than you and me. Fortunately, being a good guesser has helped in the past and now with the experience of age comes the ability to re-circulate past trends and claim them as new. So it should all be effort free in 2023.

Looking for both a 2023 error free and hassle free blogging place is now easy with a new trouble free self-publishing home for the best print blogs in print.

Say yessirree to becoming a pedigree 2023 publishee. Fill your report with potency for the print industry. Taking time to rhyme is not a 2023 necessity, rather more noteworthy, is that the content has the marketability to collectively offer more printability in 2023.

Timely New Year headlines collaboratively tested for 2023 will be taken seriously, and completely with print positivity.

If you missed finish+bind360 but would like to learn more, IFS will be following up the event with in depth customer demonstrations, application tests and samples.

The next finish+bind360 event in 2023 will showcase different finishing and binding solutions focused on keeping customers’ competitive and profitable. www.ifsl.uk.com

You are cordially invited to innovatively become a 2023 PR genie, successfully using a variety of marketability. The best prose in the best place to dance of it. www.BestBlogsInPrint.co.uk

BLOG OF THE MONTH

THE PROBLEM WITH EDITING PDFs

So you have a PDF file on the screen and wish to make changes. Easy, yes? Well, not really. DEAN COOK from The Magazine Production Company offers why applying changes within a PDF file isn’t such a great idea. Since the late ’90s, I have only supplied compliant-PDF files in commercial printing — back then, I often encouraged prepress departments to use this new-found pain-free format — helped by correctly constructed artwork.

presented with requests to edit, make changes, move assets, or resize supplied PDF artwork. In the vast majority of cases…read more here. www.bestblogsinprint.co.uk/blog/the-problem-with-editing-pdfs www.BestBlogsInPrint.co.uk

Top Bloggers Rights this month go to Dean Cook at The Magazine Production Company. One of his blogs, ‘The problem with editing PDFs’ has been showcased on Quick Print Pro’s Best Blogs In Print. The stats add up to Dean being awarded the print industry top blogger of the month accolade.

MIMAKI FULL-COLOUR 3D PRINTING AT FORMNEXT 2022

Mimaki demonstrated its latest solutions at Formnext 2022 last month in Frankfurt, Germany, designed to break new ground for full-colour 3D model makers.

Mimaki - trail blazers for 3D printing in exceptionally accurate, high quality colour — is presenting its newest innovation, Pure Clear ink MH-110PCL. The clear 3D printing material delivers improved transparency and negates any yellow tint, allowing artists, product designers, architects, and medical professionals to 3D print accurate models with transparent features.

The MH-110PCL clear material is intended for use with Mimaki’s flagship UV curable, full colour 3D printer, the 3DUJ-553. When mixing MH-110PCL with any one of the Mimaki 3DUJ-553’s over 10 million colours, 3D model makers can also create translucent colour materials. This expanded creative possibility for designers or increased true to life accuracy for the medical and architectural industries, is what Mimaki aims for when developing its 3D solutions.

“We’re constantly looking to push the boundaries of what is possible when it comes to developing our technologies, and our solutions for 3D printing are no exception,” explains Mark Sollman, Sr. Product Manager at Mimaki Europe. “We have channelled our expertise in high quality, true colour reproduction into these products so that our customers can break new ground when it comes to 3D model production. An example of someone who is doing just this is 3D specialist and renowned Japanese artist, Taketo Kobayashi. A collection of his vivid, intricate works can be seen for the first time at Formnext on our stand, and these perfectly demonstrate the beauty and creativity that can be achieved when innovative technology meets expressive art.”

Mimaki’s latest 3D printing system, the Mimaki 3DUJ-2207, will also be printing live on the stand and powered by Mimaki’s 3D Print Prep Pro cloud based software, designed to streamline and optimise 3D model production with increased automation. Intended to simplify the 3D printing process, the software platform helps user prepare and finalise their 3D files before printing. This cutting edge subscription based software autocorrects file errors and optimises 3D data used in 3D printer modelling, ensuring that the final 3D printed objects look exactly the same as the ones visualised on the screen.

The models printed on the Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 will then be finished with the Mimaki 3DCS-322 — an intelligent support materials removal unit developed in collaboration with AM Solutions.

This end to end solution not only enhances and automates the 3D printing process, but it makes it more affordable. Its attractive price performance ratio is enabling more entrepreneurs, model makers and designers to enter the creative world of full colour 3D printed model production.

BRINGING ANOTHER DIMENSION TO DIGITAL ARTWORK

Taketo Kobayashi’s art juxtaposes the beauty, culture and the lessons of the past with a passion for driving change and desire for humanity to learn and grow in the future.

Having lived through the Tōhoku Tsunami in 2011 which caused the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Kobayashi knows all too well how fragile our lives and circumstances are, how we can take simple joys for granted and how important it is that we build a better future. He believes that while technology can often be seen as the enemy in the pursuit of this goal, it can in fact be a tool that is used to change our thinking and create new, positive outcomes that make the world a better place. It is this theory that he aims to illustrate in his artwork.

By taking inspiration from the ancient Jōmon civilisation, a time in history when the people were believed to live peacefully and spiritually, Kobayashi wants to use 3D printing to bring their thinking and his messages to the next generation. Working with Mimaki technology, Kobayashi’s latest pieces evoke feelings of the exquisite serenity of the past, whilst also conveying his activist message. The colours and transparent elements of his pieces are so crucial to his artwork and the possibilities enabled by Mimaki technology ensure he achieves the maximum intended impact of every model.

“Visitors to Formnext should not miss Kobayashi’s important and inspiring art and see how robust, cutting edge technology can be used to make something very delicate and beautiful. The models deliver a powerful message for the future, but also show perfectly how our solutions have been designed to put colour at the forefront, unleashing creativity and opening doors for new thinkers in various industries to produce something different, and possibly even game changing, with full colour 3D printing,” says Sollman. www.hybridservices.co.uk

NEW MIMAKI TS330-1600 DYE SUBLIMATION PRINTER

Mimaki has added the TS330-1600 sublimation transfer inkjet printer to its headline ‘330 Series’ platform. Enabling both volume production and high image quality printing for the textile and dye sublimation industry, and equipped with new functions to improve stable operation, the TS330-1600 can achieve a print speed of 69sq m/h in high speed mode, with its fastest mode reaching up to 135sq m/h.

An improved take-up system featuring dual motors distributes the load and increases the power, enabling stable winding of printed paper even for long runs, and new heaters enhance the paper transport through the device. With a retail price of £23,995, which includes Mimaki’s TxLink4 dedicated textile RIP software, along with a standard MBIS bulk ink system, the TS330-1600 has optional add ons to further increase efficiency. These include a larger 10kg ink tank supply unit which reduces ink costs compared to the standard 2L ink pack and allows for longer continuous printing, as well as a mini jumbo roll unit to load large quantities of transfer paper and further reduce running costs.

The TS330 is one of three models that make up the Mimaki 330 Series, developed to offer mid to high end printing models, focusing on premium image quality and high productivity. The 330 Series includes the JV330 solvent printer, the CJV330 printer/cutter and the TS330 dye sub model, and all

three feature ‘Mimaki Weaving Dot Technology’ (MWDT), a Core Technology that changes the order of ink droplet placement depending on the printing conditions. ‘Mimaki Remote Access’ (MRA) is also incorporated across the series, improving ease of use by allowing users to remotely access the machine and check the operation status.

The Mimaki TS330-1600 dye sublimation printer is available now through Hybrid’s network of authorised reseller partners. For more details, visit www.hybridservices.co.uk or call 01270 501900

By Phil McMullin, Pro Graphics Head of Sales, Epson (UK) Ltd

The post-pandemic world is presenting a wealth of opportunity for the digitally printed wallpaper market.

As we increasingly return to many of the elements of our former lives, while adopting some new ways of working, organisations are considering how to create attractive spaces to welcome us back.

Retail environments are looking to tempt customers into their refreshed stores and corporate office environments are seeking to create thriving workspaces. Then there are those of us who have been stuck at home that now want to do something really special within our own environment.

All three of these present a huge increase in the opportunities for bespoke wallpaper and décor production.

At the same time, brands, businesses and consumers have become adept at using digital print to create unique and impactful communications, promotions, and products.

Now they are increasingly turning their attention to the creative possibilities that digitally printed, customised, wallpaper offers.

Everybody is looking for something different. Something exclusive. Something that is added value.

Customisation and personalisation with digitally printed wallpaper, that makes short print runs and print on demand economic and viable, can deliver this.

The result is the creation of the perfect environment for market growth in both decorative wallpaper and functional advertising. I discussed the opportunities and growth markets more here www.youtube.com/watch?v=hES0s79hLSM

We also spoke to two thriving designers to get their thoughts on this here www.youtube.com/

watch?v=kC4x03rvH0o and here www.youtube. com/watch?v=zZLsBupR5uQ:

For Charlotte O’Reilly, Founder and Head Designer of luxury interiors brand Charlotte Jade, the biggest opportunities are presented by commercial clients and interior designers. She explains: “I think people want to put something different in hospitality spaces. Generally, they have the space to do it. I think a lot of people are putting designs on ceilings now which is really unique. They are also looking for something a little bit different in their homes. We have started doing a lot of large scale wall murals which are printed on a wide width. Just to kind of immerse people and take them to a different place.”

Katja Behre, Creative Director of unique wallart design agency Elli Popp adds: “For me where digital printing has always been the big big winner is that I never had any limitations to the colours, the textures and the size. I just love the fact that I have got total freedom.”

The quality, flexibility and freedom digital technology delivers is vital for creatives.

Charlotte states: “My designs are very detailed and I like to capture all the textures in pencil. Digital print is essential for me because it allows you to capture every detail. It also allows me to add colour to my very monotone drawings which are brought to life with digital printing.”

Katja adds: “To me digital print has totally opened up the way I am creating my designs and the scale to which I can produce my designs. What I am most excited about is the technology which gives the colour consistency and to get the vibrant colours out of my patterns and to also be able to make the changes in a quick instance and know that what I want to achieve is going to come out of the machine. When I am abroad on holiday I can snap away at a landscape and know I can use it in an instant in design. I am not limited to the amount of colours to be used, the amount of layers, the amount of

textures. Everything is possible.”

Responding to these drivers are the latest technology developments in digital printing focusing on the production of highly customisable, durable print, that:

• Supports the production of wallpaper for one or many walls.

• Eliminates the need for an expensive screen or cylinder required for analogue wallpaper production.

• Allows the use of fast drying ink for quick application.

The technology’s ability to deliver vibrant on demand results enables designers to be more creative. Crucial too is high quality, accurate, colour consistent, quick drying and scratch-resistant print. This is something Epson’s first resin ink large format printer, the SureColor SC-R5000 can produce on a wide range of substrates. Its odourless water-based ink means printed applications can be used in sensitive environments such as schools, hospitals, and hotels. The inks, combined with uncoated media, also support sustainable production and recyclability for a more environmentally conscious process than was previously possible.

Other Epson solutions suitable for wallpaper production include the SureColor SC-S606710L with is sophisticated substrate handling system for class leading performance and the SureColour SCS60600L that offers increased productivity through innovative, high-capacity 1.5 litre ink pouches.

All components of these systems are manufactured by Epson to ensure consistently high quality construction and durability. They combine low maintenance, and fast print speeds with no loss of quality. Epson Edge Print Software, Epson Edge Control Dashboard and access to over 250 ICC profiles help enhance productivity.

To discover the opportunities that wallpaper printing can offer, contact us www.epson.co.uk.

NEW MUTOH XPERTJET 1682SR PRO SIGN & DISPLAY PRINTER

Mutoh Europe has unveiled the XpertJet 1682SR Pro (64” – 1.6 m) high productivity twin head sign and display printer targeted at long term outdoor/indoor sign and display and commercial print applications. The new XPJ-1682SR Pro carries two AccuFine HD print heads, each with 3200 nozzles, a new weaving algorithm and Mutoh’s genuine VerteLith RIP software to deliver a significant improvement in both print quality and print speed. The XPJ-1682SRP is ideally suited for high productivity environments, delivering high quality production speeds up to 35 m²/h. The new printer also integrates automatic alignments to ensure uninterrupted production and consistent quality.

Particularly interesting to users is that the printer will be launched with Mutoh’s new MS51 quick dry CMYK inkset. Mutoh MS51 inks fulfill the requirements of today’s sign professionals with regards to indoor and outdoor signage applications, yet do not require health and safety pictograms and are also gBL free. As such they can be used in office, home and retail environments. Compared to traditional sign and display inks, they offer the same colour gamut, excellent gloss preservation and weather resistance, abrasion and chemical resistance with UV durability up to three years without lamination. There is also no additional printer maintenance required.

Mutoh MS51 inks are also GREENGUARD Gold certified. Certification was obtained for the category Wallpaper, which means that output can be used at full room coverage, even in sensitive environments such as schools and hospitals. Engineered and manufactured in Japan, the XPJ-1682SR PRO brings together the very best of Mutoh proprietary technologies for drop accuracy and therefore print quality:

• Mutoh’s new AccuFine HD extra wide 3200 nozzle print head technology

• i-screen weaving, Mutoh’s fourth generation Intelligent Interweaving technology

• Mutoh’s genuine VerteLith RIP software

These technologies have been designed to work seamlessly together to give users the most accurate drop placement in the industry and they are all on-board the new XPJ-1682SR PRO. The new print head guarantees improved droplet quality, along with more accurate drop positioning. The i-screen weaving algorithms as implemented in the firmware of the Mutoh Pro class engines exploit the increased droplet quality to suppress banding even more. The VerteLith proprietary Mutoh screening, called Clear Tone, employs the improvements to the printer and print head to deliver even better gradients and released in January. The printer will be marketed by Mutoh Europe throughout the EMEA business area through its existing network of certified distributors.skin tones, even in four colour setup, free of any noise.

Key fact is that users will gain significant quality and speed advantages over the previous models in all production print modes.

The XPJ-1682SR Pro twin head printer is an addition to Mutoh’s existing XPJ1341SRP and XPJ-1641SRP single head models

For more info on Mutoh EMEA and its products, visit www.mutoh.eu

EASY CUT STUDIO SUPPORT FOR MIMAKI PLOTTERS

EasyCut Studio, a leading developer of sign-making and specialty graphics solutions, has announced that its market acclaimed vinyl cutting software has been fully tested and can be used with Mimaki vinyl cutters including the newly Released CG-AR series and the CG-SRIII series. For users, this provides the assurance that the latest version of Easy Cut Studio software will seamlessly integrate with their Mimaki cutting plotter. Mimaki is proud to offer a range of vinyl cutter plotters that can meet a wide range of application needs. The CG-AR Series is the entry model of roll to roll and sheet fed cutting plotter with improved cutting performance, compatibility with a wide range of cutting materials, and enhanced usability. The CG-SRIII Series of roll based cutters are available in three widths. These models feature continuous crop mark detection for precise contour cutting.

Easy Cut Studio provides the ability to cut any shape and font with your Mimaki cutting plotter and support file format including SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, and so on. The software include key features such as Image vectorisation, rhinestone and contour cutting workflow, which enhance the performance capabilities of the Mimaki cutting plotters. Easy Cut Studio is currently available for all Mimaki CGAR series including CG-60AR, CG-100AR, and CG-130AR, As well as all new Mimaki CG-SR series models including CG-60SRIII, CG-100SRIII and CG-130SRIII. All Easy Cut Studio users will benefit from the introduction of new OS support, which now includes macOS Monterey, macOS 13 Ventura and Windows 11. Additionally, new cutter models and drivers have been added. In addition to an impressive list of existing devices, users can now use V5.020 to drive Silhouette Cameo 4 Plus, MagicTransfer, JiaChen and Vevor KI series cutters. The new version also comes out with more effects, some other fixes and improvements as well.

“Software has to be fast, reliable, and easy to use in today’s printing and cutting environment, Easy Cut Studio is an innovative software solution that is constantly evolving to better meet our customers’ needs.” said Eric Lee,

Some of the new features included in Easy Cut Studio v5.020:

• Adds support for Mimaki CG-AR series cutting plotter.

• Adds support for Mimaki CG-SRIII series cutting plotter.

• Adds support for Silhouette Cameo 4 Plus cutter.

• Adds support for MagicTransfer cutter.

• Adds support for JiaChen cutter.

• Adds support for Vevor KI series cutter.

• Improved image tracing algorithm.

• Several new effects have been added, including Symmetrical Mirror, Bridge Warp, Drop Shadow.

• Added the “mirror H” and “mirror V” options for Graphtec cutter.

• Fully compatible with the newly released macOS Ventura and Windows 11. More details can be found at www.easycutstudio.com

Product Manager at EasyCut Studio. “The tools, technology, intuitive interfaces and workflows for everyday use in Easy Cut Studio are designed for the modern user, and continue our vision in providing superior software solutions to print and cut businesses worldwide.”

PIXEL PROPHET GETTING THE FULL PICTURE

This column grew out of a small feature about digital cameras sometime around the turn of the century, which may sound like ancient history to many readers. But it is very relevant to put today’s technology and its use in some sort of perspective.

Back then, the copy industry was coming to terms with the move from analogue to digital. What changed was that it had an electronic memory and a picture scanner, which meant the image could be saved and stored, as well as be adjusted.

Early digital cameras were often odd looking, sometimes bulky, or more like matchbox gimmicks, and not very impressive in quality until manufacturers realised they had to make them look, and perform, more like the film cameras customers were familiar with.

Our first digital camera was actually a demonstration model provided by Epson, introduced on the eve of the 21st century, that started to look more like a traditional camera and featured a 2.11 megapixel CCD to capture a 1200x1600 pixel-sized image.

At the time, I was still shooting on film, so it was helpful to work with both and compare the pros and cons. On quality, 35mm celluloid won hands down, obviously, but then you still had to process it and scan it to use it in digital printing, and you could only shoot 36 images before changing the cassette. On the other hand, the digital camera could take a lot more pictures at a time, but then there were issues with storage, battery capacity and buffering, which is the delay in processing information with large files in the camera.

At the very least, the evidence was enough to convince the editor that this was no longer a gimmick but a technology that deserved a regular review in these pages to keep pace with developments that might directly affect the print-on-demand shop. The rise of the instant image was looming.

As a photographer, it made me aware that I had to take digital photography seriously as customers would rapidly demand faster turnaround and flexibility, as well as more output for less money. And the technology would only get better.

One of the things I quickly realised was that the copy shop was often faced with things that could not be copied by traditional means — anything too big, three-dimensional or too fragile to be pressed on the glass. The digital camera, with a scanner and a memory, was, in effect, a portable copier. All that was needed was for the quality of the output to improve.

Input quality was always available as the optical performance of lenses has been perfected over hundreds of years, from the first telescopes to the latest cameras. You could view the craters of the moon from thousands of miles away, for example. It just needed the electronic processors that translated and remembered that detail and colour to catch up.

So I bit the proverbial bullet and bought my first proper DSLR. D stands for digital, and SLR for single lens reflex, a conventional camera method of using a moving mirror and prism to give a perfect sighting directly along the lens to the viewfinder. When the shutter is pressed, the mirror moves to expose the light-capturing element

— previously light-sensitive film, now electrically charged sensors. It was secondhand but in good condition, bought from a respected high-street dealer. It was 6mp which was state of the art at that time, but less than would be used in a modern phone.

Twenty years on, I have just bought my sixth DSLR, now 36 megapixels, and the basic mathematics doesn’t even begin to do justice to the performance and quality of the images produced. In comparison, my original, now forty-year-old Nikon FM2 film camera still takes pictures of exactly the same quality as it did all those years ago. That’s because both optics and film had reached a development plateau, and improvements were comparatively minor. Today, four or five years make an immense difference in technical development. But, of course, hardware and software go hand in hand, and developments in one would be squandered without the evolution of the other.

While Adobe’s move to a continual subscription was not popular with many users, it has enabled regular updates, including the major October one, and

This is a story of generations. It’s only appropriate at this time of year that we take a little time to review where we have got to and how we got here. Martin Christie inks up his quill…

Twenty years of pixel escalation from 6 to 12 to 24 and finally 36 megapixel. Size does matter!

among the fine-tuning of tools and features, both Photoshop and Lightroom include synchronisation with the latest model camera and lens. So when either interrogate one of my digital files, they not only know when it was taken and what settings I used, but which lens and even which focal length was selected. That way, they can make slight perspective adjustments to allow for any optical distortion. That will become important when I move onto composite images and merging of adjacent files because something that may look straight on the monitor may not be so to the software or sometimes quite the opposite.

The concept of stitching together smaller images to make one big one is not new and has been used to create panoramas for years. But in a broad landscape, one or two trees too many or less makes little visual difference. On something with detail, like a map however, or a piece of fine art, it is vital to have the pieces match accurately. Unfortunately, the limitations of the file size of early digital cameras meant that images could only be blown up so big. While I attempted manual stitching of multiple images, it was a fairly frustrating exercise. It was often impossible to blend in the parts because they were slightly skewed and even a different shade of the same colour. Think of a jigsaw where not all of the pieces exactly match, and you can get the idea.

One of the reasons for even thinking about composite files was how far you could stretch existing pixels. Early doors, some thought you could magically reproduce digital files without any loss of quality and make a small file capable of being enlarged to any size. But just how big and how good very much depended on the quality and content of the original file.

This remains the case as now, with AI assistance Adobe, among others, has image enhancement that can increase the pixel count up to four times. But as mentioned in previous columns, like a lot of electronic wizardry, sometimes this works well, and sometimes it doesn’t. Inevitably the quality of the input dictates the quality of the output. This applies to everything that comes to us across the counter on a daily basis, as sadly, we have no way of forcing quality control over our customers’ products, even though they expect the highest standards in ours. And a large proportion of those offerings now comes from the ubiquitous mobile phone, the popularity of which, and the hyped performance claims matched only by price, have resulted in this tidal way of mediocre media that hits us daily. I must admit to being a bit cynical when the first press release reached us some twenty years ago about one manufacturer putting a camera in their phone. I guess few of us could predict how popular they would become. Don’t get me wrong, the smart

device is an incredible piece of kit and quite capable of capturing some impressive images. But the point-and-squirt practise of most users does not produce the best results or even begin to justify the actual capabilities of the phone.

Occasionally you get a good picture taken with a good camera. Still, often it’s been passed on and mashed by mail or social media so that it no longer reflects the real quality of the original. I will, in those cases, advise the customer to try and source the actual camera file rather than print a poor imitation. It makes sense because it’s your printing that will always take the blame, not the photography!

And it’s on that point, as I am using photography more and more rather than large format scanning, you have to come to terms with the fact that it’s a hard sell to people who don’t know, or until they see the results. After all, apart from all the apparently impressive cell phone specifications, almost everyone knows someone who has a very good camera and can do it cheaper. Some may have learnt their lesson the hard way by getting Uncle Ernie to do their wedding photographs instead of employing a professional photographer. Still, most people seem to be sold on the idea that it’s the camera that takes the pictures, not the two decades of experience and technique, plus more than a few bobs worth of additional equipment.

The issue with scanning as an alternative is that very few organisations outside of the British Museum have a very large flatbed because of space and cost, and roll-fed ones are fine with plans and the like but not so good with fine print or obviously anything more than a few millimetres thick.

So, high-resolution photography comes into its own, but it has to be mated with perfect

lighting so that the various sections can be merged perfectly by the software. Contentaware is brilliant these days, but it still has its limits if your pieces don’t match closely enough. Similarly, any optical distortion by using a zoom lens or moving the distance between the camera and the subject can make a big difference. That’s where the lens calibration mentioned earlier comes in.

For lighting, it needs to be very diffused and flat, so there are no highlights and shadows typical when using daylight alone or direct artificial lights. Then there is setting the correct colour balance for the lighting you are using so that you get the best representation of the original colours.

Moving up to a higher resolution camera means more detail in each image, and therefore it can do a better job with fewer slices — so even less room for error matching them. So far, it seems to put a little less strain on the computer memory resources as although the files are much bigger, piecing four of them together is easier than juggling six or eight as I used to do.

Digital photography is still largely underused in the print shop, perhaps because it is seen as an alien culture which is strange because we have to deal with it indirectly daily. I had an advantage coming in with a photographer’s background, but I still had to learn, and to coin a phrase, it ain’t rocket science. So while I can’t teach you everything about photography in this column, I can at least prompt you to think, and perhaps when you next have to tell a customer, ‘sorry, we can’t do that’, start to find out if you could. Investing in the kit is comparatively cheap compared to other bits of machinery around the studio, and there’s plenty of how-to-do-it tutorials online for the basics. You could even drop us an email for tips!

The original painting is over 1.5m square, textured and with a heavy wooden frame — you would struggle to get it on a flatbed even if you had one big enough!

JOHN BRUNO XEROX PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Bruno joins the team following Steven Bandrowczak’s promotion to Chief Executive Officer earlier this year. In this role, John will partner closely with the CEO and leadership team to shape the company’s global strategy and will be accountable for operating model advancements to improve company performance. He will also oversee global offerings, service delivery, marketing, manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, information technology, and Xerox’s IT services business unit.

“John brings decades of business, technology and operations leadership experience at Fortune 500 companies across a wide range of industries that are applicable to the direction we’re taking Xerox,” said Steven Bandrowczak,

chief executive officer at Xerox. “John’s expertise will help advance our client centric operating model and enable us to create an even better overall customer experience.”

Bruno comes to Xerox after seven years with Aon, where he most recently served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer of Data & Analytic Services. Throughout his 30-year career, John has held senior leadership positions with NCR Corporation, United Parcel Service, Cisco Systems, Merrill Lynch, and Goldman Sachs, among others.

“I’m honoured to take on this role and partner with Steve and this talented leadership team as Xerox’s President & Chief Operating Officer,” said Bruno. “I look forward to working with all of my new Xerox colleagues worldwide to ensure we are innovating operationally to delight our customers and deliver the current and future essential workplace technologies they expect from Xerox.” www.xerox.com

STEVE BILLOW NEW FUJIFILM DIMATIX PRESIDENT

FUJIFILM Dimatix, a global manufacturer and supplier of piezoelectric, drop-on-demand industrial inkjet printheads, has announced the appointment of Steve Billow as President. With deep expertise in inkjet technology, Billow will target new growth opportunities, and lead the development of new environmentally sustainable products and innovations from concept through commercialisation.

“We are delighted to welcome Steve to the FUJIFILM Dimatix family in this very important

executive leadership position,” said Martin Schoeppler, chief executive officer, FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc. “Steve’s breadth of knowledge and extensive experience with inkjet technology coupled with his team building strengths will help our organisation pursue new avenues while driving growth and continued success in this market.”

Prior to joining FUJIFILM Dimatix, Billow most recently served as president at Desktop Metal where he led through innovation—reinventing the way engineering and manufacturing teams produce metal parts, from prototyping through mass production. Previously, he was Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at EFI Inkjet Solutions for eight years and was also the CTO at Jetrion where he set technical strategy and direction and developed packaging and label printers. As Inkjet CTO at EFI Manchester, Billow led the successful development and launch of the company’s

FEDRIGONI GROUP INTENTION TO ACQUIRE PAPETERIE ZUBER

The Fedrigoni Group has signed an agreement with Papeterie Zuber Rieder, aimed at joining forces and creating the first global player in premium papers for wine and spirits. The execution of binding documentation, and the completion of the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Papeterie Zuber Rieder, remain subject to the consultation of the works council of Papeterie Zuber Rieder.

This partnership would represent another important step for Fedrigoni Group on its consolidation path as an undisputed global manufacturer of premium wine and spirits papers, as Zuber Rieder would benefit from Fedrigoni’s production capabilities and international network to continue its growth.

Papeterie Zuber Rieder’s shareholders, Alain Martz and Luc Gaillet, would both maintain a strategic role in order to support the integration into the Fedrigoni Group and the future development of the company by leveraging their experience. Alain Martz would retain an executive role as General Manager

breakthrough inkjet printers for a broad range of diverse markets. Prior, Mr. Billow was employed at Eastman Kodak for over 20 years in numerous R&D roles at various facilities in several countries where he guided the development of printheads, print engines and Inkjet systems.

“I am thrilled to join the FUJIFILM Dimatix team as the company continues to expand its products and partnerships into new markets” said Billow. “I look forward to collaborating with our teams to provide new innovative and environmentally sustainable solutions that will enhance the printing systems worldwide.”

Billow holds a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from University of Rochester, NY and a Master of Science in Engineering Management, System Design and Management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. www.dimatix.com

of Zuber Rieder, while Luc Gaillet would keep a non-executive role as a member of the board.

“We are very pleased to announce our intention to acquire Papeterie Zuber Rieder - comments Marco Nespolo, CEO of the Fedrigoni Group - Their marked specialist skills and proprietary technologies will allow us to supplement our already rich product portfolio both for papers for luxury packaging and those for high end wine and spirits labels, where we want to consolidate our position as the leading global player. This future transaction once again shows that we are determined to pursue a constant global strategy of growth, both in specialty papers for all creative applications and in premium self-adhesive materials, in order to better serve our customers worldwide”.

Great satisfaction has been also expressed by Luc Gaillet and Alain Martz, respectively Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Papeterie Zuber Rieder – “Zuber Rieder and its people could not find a better ‘home’ to grow, consolidate and face new challenges. The Fedrigoni Group is a century old industrial company like Zuber Rieder, with ambitious international development goals, to which we will be pleased to give our contribution”. www.fedrigoni.com

KONICA MINOLTA EMBRACE DIGITAL PRINT TO STAY AHEAD

Jon Hiscock, Head of Production & Industrial Print at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd says…

IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR TO T HE UK ECONOMY

With a turnover of £11.6 billion and a Gross Value Added (GVA) contribution to the UK economy of £4.8 billion (Source: Smithers Pira from ‘UK Printing Facts & Figures’ Britprint.com), print delivers a considerable impact. The same research shows the print industry employs around 105,000 people in 7,400 companies and — remarkably — the UK is the sixth largest producer of printed products in the world (printed matter contributed £580 million to the UK’s balance of trade in 2020).

Looking at GVA as a % of turnover for UK manufacturing industries, print is the third highest contributor. Clearly the print industry remains a vital one, but to remain competitive and to adapt to a changing landscape of market demands print companies need to continue evolving.

A natural progression

save considerable time, labour resources and money. The ability to add value with embellishment in-house reduces the turnaround time of print jobs, removes outsourcing cost and enables the product to be sold at premium.

This versatility and flexibility are also major benefits when it comes to standing out from the competition. A business can rapidly reduce order and production times by automating and optimising workflows, ensuring there are no unnecessary delays and that customers can have faith in rapid turnaround times.

THE RIGHT PRODUCTS AT THE RIGHT TIME

Digital print has taken the industry by storm, presenting a revolution not only in the way print products are produced but also in the way print companies manage their operations, from design to implementation and logistics. There are enormous benefits in terms of productivity, efficiency, versatility, sustainability, creativity, and agility that simply can’t be ignored if your business is to thrive and deliver for the evolving needs of your customers.

The world has changed significantly since the start of the pandemic. The way people live and work has been transformed and this has had a direct impact on print requirements. Along with the highest level of service print companies must combine flexibility, innovation and value, and digital print is perfectly suited to this customer centric approach.

The digital print revolution began before the pandemic and the global market for packaging was worth a staggering £17.7 Billion ($18.9 Billion) in 2019 (Smithers Future of Packaging Long-Term Strategic Forecasts to 2030), and it continues to grow by 10.9% each year.

The move to digital print shouldn’t be an unwilling one though, this is a technology revolution which is here to help your business, not to cause you and your team a headache and stress! Digital technology enables businesses to be more productive, completing more jobs in the time available and spending less time calibrating machinery, or fine-tuning production jobs and more time fulfilling customer orders.

One of the great benefits about digital production print is the ability to produce fully finished output very rapidly. By automating the inline printing process, additional processes (such as applying a separate label) are avoided and thereby

It is also important to recognise the impact innovative high-quality packaging and promotional materials have on the customer experience. Research from The Foil and Speciality Effects Association (FSEA) whitepaper — ‘The impact of high-visibility enhancements on shelf presence: A second study’, shows that packaging with speciality printing has an over 46% higher quality perception. Foil enhanced packaging increases attraction by an incredible 250%.

In a world that is addicted to screens a tangible interaction with physical printed products can make a big impact. Print has a longer-lasting lifespan (it won’t just disappear from a screen) and eyecatching and highly tactile embellishment techniques and digital varnish technologies ensure print grabs the attention of consumers. Equally, laser die cutting is a major production innovation that is trending, enabling further scope to produce truly outstanding and highly bespoke print products.

There are also considerable benefits to combining online content and offline printed material. For example, techenabled interactive packaging and print

…print industry employs around 105,000 people in 7,400 companies and — remarkably — the UK is the sixth largest producer of printed products in the world…

marketing can include links to social media, QR codes and interactive games. Using this approach on a packaging box or a label enables mobile users to connect with brands in a more engaging way, by spring boarding a customer to a dedicated microsite for example.

SUSTAINABILITY AND REDUCTION OF WASTE

The print industry has sometimes been unfairly tarnished with a reputation for being wasteful and lacking in environmental objectives. However, between 2005 and 2020, European forests grew by 58,390km2 (an area larger than Switzerland) and 73.9% of paper is recycled compared to just 17.4% of ICT waste (Source: Paper’s Place in a Post-Pandemic World, Two Sides, www. twosides.info). The ICT industry also accounts for 2.5-3% of greenhouse gas emissions, whilst print and paper products are just 0.8%.

Due to the accuracy of the process, digital print is an excellent way to minimise wastage, especially when combined with recycled materials from sustainably managed sources. With the ability to recycle many print products again, this is a media that is very well placed to minimise its environmental impact.

Many CO2 targets are focussed on initiatives such as lightweight packaging, recyclability, and anti-plastic initiatives which significantly reduce any waste. There are concerted efforts being made across the industry to reduce wastage, even during machine set-up where digital technology helps to reduce wasted prints and the unnecessary consumption of any chemicals used during the process.

With businesses and consumers demanding greater environmental awareness, and at the same time rising costs for raw materials, there is greater pressure than ever for the commercial and industrial printing sector to scrutinise any waste. By decreasing manual processes and automating production steps, digital print efficiently reduces materials usage and reduces waste, ensuring it will be a prominent factor in maintaining sustainability moving forwards.

REVITALISING PRINT

Print is not going away — it is evolving, and digital is an essential part of this. Inevitably some printed products are being replaced by images on a screen, but print has a vital part to play in making a big impact with colour, personalisation, and highly tactile and attractive embellishment. Naturally there are also key areas (such as packaging) where there is no competition and digital print is just as important here as well.

The ability to do digital embellishment, to automate processes, and to do things like wide-format, high-speed-ink, and to do it in a way where we can really embolden the print, packaging and labelling experience for customers is going to be the way of the future.

The pandemic has seen print transform from commodity to quality, one-size-fits-all to customisation. This is an exciting time for the print industry, there are huge opportunities to be grasped and the momentum will only continue to increase — you just need to make sure you embrace the right digital print technology to fully embrace the potential on offer.

www.konicaminolta.co.uk/en-gb/campaigns/ignitingprint-possibilities

FEDRIGONI TOP AWARDS, THE 2022 WINNERS

Beauty, expression, sustainability and innovation. Extraordinary works from all over the world carefully selected by a jury of experts to enhance the design and hard work of those who use Fedrigoni papers and self-adhesive materials and turn them into unique jewels. An explosion of creativity at the prize giving ceremony for the winners of the Fedrigoni Top Awards 2022, who were announced during a ceremony at the 3 Mazarium in Paris. 100 of the best works in the competition were on show in a hall in the prestigious Parisian location.

Designers, printers, editors and brands presented their projects made with Fedrigoni specialty papers and self-adhesive materials: high quality objects that were judged on the basis of the graphic project, functionality, quality of technical execution and appropriate use of the materials, with special attention on the environmental impact.

There were five prize categories: the winner for Packaging was “Nibbo Bean to Bar Chocolate Packaging” (China); second place went to “Romaniello” (Italy) and third place went to “Please & Thank You cosmetics” (UK). Special mentions go to “21 Beauty” (China), “Champagne Bollinger B13” (France) and “Chaumet 2021 Mooncake boxes” (France).

The winner in the Labels category was “Terra viva” (Italy), followed by “Woven Whisky” (UK) and Paraje Dondellas (Spain). Special mention for “Xamorfos” (Italy).

The first prize for Publishing was awarded to “IMPRESSIONS” (France) and the second and third went to “The Quest for Universality” (Czech Republic) and “Gotico-Antiqua” (made in Germany). Special mentions for “Design and the Wondrous” (France) and “Improvisation” (France).

The winner in the new Large Format Communication category was “Recalling” (Indonesia) followed by “Italianate Palazzo in England” and “DJ Console”, both made in Italy.

The winner for Corporate Communication was “Sueño lo que soy” (Spain). Coming second was “Diptyque: Coffret 60 ans” (France), and third “Organic Texture Box” (Italy). Special mentions go to “Modulation 2021-2022” (France) and “Valentino make-up kit” (France).

“Social Determinism through the City Of God”, made by Samuel Friedrich Schmidt, a student at the Ecole Cantonale d’Art of Lausanne, won recognition for the new “Research” section. This is a pilot project conceived to bring out the creativity of the designers of the future coming from universities throughout the world.

The winners were selected by a jury of experts, consisting of Silvana Amato (editorial graphics with over thirty years of experience specialising in cultural sector projects), Ivan Bell (graphic designer founder of Stranger & Stranger and a global expert in labels for the spirits sector), Simon Esterson (Art Director of Eye Magazine and Pulp), Laurent Hainaut (industrial training designer and founder of ForceMajeure Design), Jiaying Han (multiple award-winning founder of Han Jiaying Design & Associates and one of the most influential people in his country according to Forbes), Fanette Mellier (veteran of French print design who makes atypical works mainly in the cultural sector) and Marion Trossat (purchasing and packaging development manager at Interparfums Paris, a company that has a worldwide exclusive to develop, produce and distribute perfumes and cosmetics from prestigious brands).

“The Fedrigoni Top Awards was also a showcase for creativity, quality and inspiration this year. Seeing our materials take shape and be transformed into real works of art makes us very proud - declares Marco Nespolo, CEO of the Fedrigoni Group. We want to tell stories of excellence with the Top Awards, stories that we can be inspired by, bringing to light the trends in the dynamic design and graphics sector. Thanks to the new Research section, we have explored innovative projects from the world of the university, which is always rich in ideas and has such a desire to experiment. This way, we can examine new trends and, at the same time, give students the chance to interface with the world and its professional dynamics. Entries for the next edition of the contest will open again soon”. www.fedrigonitopaward.com/it • www.fedrigoni.com

GET READY FOR CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS CANVAS

Remember, remember that from November it is a great time to start planning your Christmas range to ensure you have stock to meet demand. QuickPro canvas frames make affordable, desirable Christmas gifts, enabling you to easily produce profitable canvas wall art! With QuickPro frames you can make professional canvas wall art for your shop and online customers and even sell them as DIY kits. Either way they make lovely Christmas presents! All you need is a wide format inkjet printer, a stapler and some scissors! QuickPro frames are the easiest way to create beautiful wall art. With an average assembly time of just two minutes and no specialist skills required, anyone can make a QuickPro canvas! It’s so simple, just print, cut, staple and fold. Order your QuickPro starter pack today. View the full range of QuickPro sizes and watch the video to see for yourself just how quick and easy it is to use QuickPro frames to produce highly desirable, cost effective gifts. www.ashgrovetrading.com • 01779 470606

CHRISTMAS CARD ENVELOPES

It’s under four weeks to Christmas and if you’re printing Christmas cards for your customers, friends and family now is the time to get your envelopes. Denmore Press stock a wide variety of colours, finishes and styles (including translucent and butterfly closures if you’re feeling extra fancy). Denmore offer white ink digital print personalisation. For an extra special touch you can even use a handwritten font. Buy blank for stock or benefit from 20 years of experience in printing high quality envelopes with a speedy seasonal turnaround.

www.denmorepress.co.uk • 01224 828585 • 0207 378 8001

WTTB EXPANDS ITS MERCHANDISE RANGE…

Online print platform WTTB is expanding its offering – which is great news for its customers wanting to grow their businesses. WTTB has added to its already extensive range of products with a whole host of new merchandise, all of which can be personalised. That should be of huge benefit to reseller customers as well as businesses which want to create bespoke corporate gifts. Along with acrylic blocks – suitable for awards – WTTB has a number of different kinds of mugs, mouse mats, coasters, canvas prints and photo blocks which can all be personalised. This range has now been extended to include aprons, snow globes, card packs, phone cases and bespoke journals.

ROUTE1 PRINT CHRISTMAS HUB IS LIVE

More than just festive print products, look out for the very helpful elves creating artwork and delivering business support. www.route1print.co.uk/ christmashub#!#christmas-support-hub

New Merch For New And Existing Customers: Add more products that you don’t produce in-house or at print volumes you would rather out source. When customers get personal add their logos, images and/or text to mugs, tote bags and hi-vis vests — more products enroute.

Check out the latest Route1 Print blog about screen printing and how the new merchandise will be printed. More stuff to your stocking… www.route1print.co.uk/merchandise-clothing/hi-vis-vests www.route1print.co.uk/merchandise-clothing/mugs www.route1print.co.uk/merchandise-clothing/tote-bags

Promote a more sustainable Christmas with Route1 Print. Free Next-Day Delivery • Free 30-Point Artwork Check •Trade Customers Only • White Label Packaging www.route1print.co.uk • 0114 294 5026 • sales@route1print.co.uk

NEW SOLOPRESS 2023 CALENDAR RANGE

Solopress know how important it is to put your brand in front of your audience. That’s why calendars that stick around all year are such a popular choice. Now offering more creative options for 2023 including a great choice for your customers including desktop and year planning wall calendars.

New Year calendar options promise to start 2023 in the right way! Stapled Wall Calendars • Full page imagery • Easily hangs on walls • Choice of papers stocks • Wall Planners • The year at a glance • Add industry events • Year-round exposure • Desk Planners • Invaluable office item • Useful gift for clients • Great brand placement • Want to get started straight away on 2023 Calendars? • Download easy-to-use templates: www.solopress.com/free-artworktemplates/calendars/. Free UK Next Day Delivery • Quality Assured • Low Prices www.solopress.com • 01702 460047

WTTB always offers a huge range of individualised Christmas products such as personalised wrapping paper and advent calendars and this has now been expanded to include tree ornaments, card packs and baubles now available — and to make the process even easier to use, WTTB has created a dedicated Personalise Me Service, where users can get help with everything from design to adding in customers’ names on to products.

Louise Stephenson, Managing Director of WTTB which is part of Precision Proco Group, believes the new items will be well received.

“We are always looking at ways of helping our customers grow their businesses and giving them a wider selection of merchandise to offer is a great way to do that, particularly as we head towards the

busiest time of year,” she said “It’s also a great way for companies wanting to give a personalised gift to their customers to do that in an imaginative and memorable way.”

“This year, with all the challenges businesses have been facing, it’s more important than ever before that everyone maintains customer loyalty and these products are a cost effective way of achieving that.”

These are the first tranche of products on offer by WTTB, which will also be adding new items throughout 2023.

All products are available at www.wttb.co.uk with information on the personalisation services available at a dedicated page: www.wherethetradebuys.co.uk/ personalisation-services

The NEW Morgana DigiFold Pro XL, with its cost efficient vacuum top feeder, is an easy to use automatic paper creasing and folding system that eliminates unsightly cracking on digital stock.

Built with our unique, open design, the suction feeder handles stock sizes from 210 – 1300mm in length, useful for applications, such as covers for landscape booklets, book covers for oversized perfect bound books, multi-panel brochures and many other applications made from these long sheets. An additional static crease option can be installed to enable the full range of crease and perforation options.

Running efficiently to fold up to 6,000 A4 sheets per hours and in crease only mode up to 7,500 sheets per hour, making this is our most productive creaser/ folder to date. www.plockmaticgroup.com

NATIONAL LITERACY TRUST BRIDGE WRITING GAP WITH COMIC BOOKS

The National Literacy Trust, Beano Studios and sustainable paper brand REY® areworking to reach thousands of Year 6 pupils across the United Kingdom through the Comics Rule! Summer Writing Challenge to tackle falling levels of writing competency.Pupils leaving primary school achieving expected writing levels on their SATs dropped from 78% in 2019 to 69% in 2022.

Lacking vital literacy skills, like writing, doesn’t just affect success at school but can hold a person back at every stage in life, locking them out of job opportunities, affecting their physical and mental health and life expectancy. With a third of 11 year olds in England leaving primary school without the writing skills they need, the National Literacy Trust and REY are determined to reach pupils at this critical juncture in their education journey as they transition from primary to secondary school.

“Summertime literacy initiatives can help vulnerable children, improve engagement with education and ease the transition from primary to secondary education. Our recent writing research revealed that one in two children and young people say that they write to be creative. Linking to this, it found that opportunities for writing for creativity, mindfulness and social connection are enablers for children and young people’s writing. This is why creative, immersive writing projects like the Comics Rule! Summer Writing Challenge are so important, and I thank REY paper and Beano for their generous support,” said Tim Judge, Head of School Programmes at the National Literacy Trust.

The Comics Rule! Summer Writing Challenge seeks to enable pupils to explore their creativity through fun writing activities that take the emphasis away from spelling, grammar and punctuation and let their imaginations run wild. More than12,000 free resource packs,including activities, paper, pens and Beano magazines, went to200 primary schools for use over the summer.These brilliant activity packs and teaching materials are still available to teachers and children

to download for free from the National Literacy Trust website.

Since 2021, more than 22,000 Comics Rule! Summer Writing Challenge packs have been distributed to schools running summer catch-up sessions to improve writing attitudes and boost literacy skills, including the contribution of 195,000 sheets of REY paper.

“We were delighted to partner with the National Literacy Trust again on this important initiative. Our goal is to encourage children to have fun with the writing and design of comics and allow their imaginations to run wild. The impact of the pandemic is still being felt in the classroom, and we are glad to help children improve their literacy skills in the transitional period between primary and secondary school,” said Antony Mackie, country sales manager, United Kingdom and Ireland for Sylvamo, produces which REY. www.rey-paper.com • www.literarytust.org.uk

The Frankfurt book fair saw book lovers from all over the world come together. What a great opportunity to take a look at two very special publications, reflecting two culinary philosophies that are fundamentally different, yet similar in principle: The Asado grill cookbook ‘Asado –Ursprünglich Grillen über offenem Feuer’ and the Ayurveda book ‘Karma Food’. With one a celebration of meat and the other promoting the colourful world of veganism, the two books could not be more different at first glance. However, PERGRAPHICA has helped create books that have one thing in common: the impressive synergy between optics and haptics with a mouthwatering effect. PERGRAPHICA, the premium design paper from Mondi, a global paper and packaging manufacturer, convincingly supports a multi-sensory reading experience.

TOP OF THE RANGE BBQ COOKBOOK

Asado BBQ recipes take meat enthusiasts on a journey to the art of grilling, South American style. Adi Bittermann, Franz Größing, Jürgen Kernegger and Leo Gradl - the four ‘asadores’ - are all fired up about the project. The rugged beauty of grilling over an open fire is reflected in the rough haptics of the natural coloured PERGRAPHICA Natural Rough paper. Contrasting colours of charcoal, fire and ingredients whet the appetite for a juicy Asado steak. The cover illustration itself was clearly engraved using a heat based tool, as though the book itself was just fresh off the grill!

Experience Asado cookery live: https://vimeo.com/524243109

KARMA FOOD: A DECLARATION OF LOVE FOR PLANT-BASED COOKING

Cooking is a lifestyle and a philosophy at the same time. Adi Raihmann, the creator of ‘Karma Food’, understands this. In his book, Ayurveda, vegan and vegetarian cuisine come together to form a colourful whole, inspired by the colours, aromas and intense flavours of India. With PERGRAPHICA High White Smooth, this zest for life is reflected on every single page of this cookbook. A premium design paper, it makes the brilliant colours shine, whilst the soft haptics pick up on the natural aspect of plant-based cooking.

The colourful world of Karma Food: https://vimeo.com/524164828

The high image quality of both books perfectly demonstrates the excellent printability of PERGRAPHICA, with both the ‘Smooth’ and the ‘Rough’ variants offering impressive print quality.

FIRED UP ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY

In order to blend content and form and create a unique reading and cooking experience, all creative forces must work together, including the authors, publishers, print production, graphic designers and experts from Mondi and its partners. Together, all participants have realised the vision with passion and positive energy, from conception right through to the perfect print result. www.pergraphica.com

WHAT COULD A GRILL AND A VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK HAVE IN COMMON?

EXPLORE • DISCOVER • EXPAND

We are pleased to announce that visitor registration for Printwear & Promotion LIVE! 2023 has now opened!

You can be a part of the UK’s only national exhibition dedicated to the booming garment decoration industry by heading online and registering to attend next year’s Printwear & Promotion LIVE! Registering online ahead of your visit will save you time on the day, allowing you to make the most of your time at the exhibition.

This year’s tagline of EXPLORE • DISCOVER • EXPAND, captures the essence of what the show is all about. These are often buzzwords that organisers, hear from visitors when they describe their own reasons for attending. A survey conducted after the 2022 exhibition revealed that a huge 77% of visitors attended the exhibition to find and source new suppliers, new equipment or new garments, thus exploring and discovering all in the same visit, while around 42% of visitors attended for educational purposes, with a view to expanding their own horizons!

FAMILIAR NAMES

The 2023 show aims to deliver more of what you have come to expect from the annual exhibition. Expect to see familiar names such as Amaya Sales UK, Ralawise, Xpres and Stanley/Stella all ready to showcase their new and exciting products to you. New names already signed up to exhibit for the first time include; BeSmart Pro, a manufacturer of custom made clothing, and Transworld Trophies, a supplier of trophies and awards.

Direct to film printing was definitely the main attraction at P&P

LIVE! 2022, with more than 15 exhibitors showcasing this up and coming method on their stands. This emerging technology was in its infancy at the exhibition in April, and a year on we expect more advancements in this market sector to be on display. News of what’s in the pipeline is currently under wraps, but we anticipate many exciting launches to be discovered when P&P LIVE! 2023 opens its doors in February.

At the time of writing there are over 100 stands on the floor plan, with exhibitors gearing up to help you develop and grow your business in 2023.

FEATURE AREAS

You can also expect to find a whole new line-up of speakers in the show’s two Seminar Suites; The Decoration Advice Suite and The Knowledge Centre. Topics covered will include everything from social media advice to tips on transfer printing. The timetables will be released towards the end of the year.

The exciting Video Wall also makes a return for 2023. Situated opposite a coffee area, visitors can take the load off their feet for a while and watch the latest promotional videos from key suppliers from across the industry.

You will find all of the latest news on the exhibition on the show’s dedicated website, as well as on social media. Join in the conversation using the hashtag #pandplive2023.

To register for your place visit www.printwearandpromotionlive.co.uk

SIGN & DIGITAL UK ANNOUNCES REGISTRATION OPEN

Sign & Digital UK (SDUK) has announced registration is open for its annual return to the NEC, Birmingham, with Roland DG, Epson UK, Premier, Hexis UK, The Magic Touch, Tecna UK, Vivid Laminating Technologies and swissQprint, amongst the brands confirmed for the show. 21-23 March 2023, NEC, Birmingham

The exhibition sees many returning exhibitors upgrading their stands. Supersizing exhibitors include Morgana Systems, Soyang Europe, Trotec Laser, Graphtec GB, WorksThing, Very Displays,

Automatic Letter Bender UK, TT Market Elektronik, Boxford Holdings, Ex-Cel Plastics, HPC Laser, Stanford Marsh l Plot-IT and Amaya Sales UK.

On rebooking Peter Wright, Managing Director, Amaya said ”after the huge success of SDUK22 we took the decision to upsize; to take more space to demo and display our kit and solutions, in fact it’s the biggest stand we’ve ever had at the show. SDUK is all about connecting with our customers and meeting new ones, and we wouldn’t miss it”.

Other exhibitors already confirmed to exhibit include D&K Europe, Global Erecting Sign Services, ITC, AXYZ Automation, Marabu UK, Clarity Software, and many more.

Jenny Matthew, Sign & Digital UK Event Director

said: “After a challenging few years it’s time to get back to doing what SDUK does best; creating a marketplace in which buyers and sellers can connect, learn and do business.”

Registration is open and anyone working in sign making, display solutions or digital printing should secure their free ticket. SDUK 23 is going to be a memorable one - watch this space for all the updates.

Sign & Digital UK will take place at the NEC, Birmingham from 21-23 March 2023 and is free to attend. Register at www.signuk.com

To enquire about exhibiting please contact the show team on 07968 301 374, or email signanddigitaluk@fav-house.com

ECO-FRIENDLY PRINT — GO SOLOPRESS GREEN

Protecting the environment is one of the core values at Solopress. Already committed to sustainable print production, the Solopress eco-friendly range goes even further. Solopress Green offers a choice of high quality print products which use sustainably sourced materials that are all carbon offset to help neutralise your customers impact on the planet. With the Solopress green range you can broadcast your commitment to the environment and make the switch today.

Offer your customers eco-friendly: Flyers and Leaflets; Folded Flyers and Leaflets; Postcards; Business Cards; Bookmarks; Greeting Cards. Free UK Next-Day Delivery • Quality Assured • Low Prices 01702 460047 • www.solopress.com

TWO SIDES GLOBAL ANTI-GREENWASH CAMPAIGN

Over 970 companies have removed misleading anti-paper statements. Since the campaign began in 2010, globally, Two Sides has successfully challenged over 970 organisations that subject their customers to repeated green-washing messages which are damaging to the paper, print and mailing industry.

With huge pressures on the economy; banks, telecom providers, utility companies and even governmental organisations are increasingly focused on switching their customers from paper to digital services to cut costs. All too often their customer communications attempt to mask these cost-saving efforts, justifying the switch with unfounded environmental marketing appeals such as “Go Green – Go Paperless” and “Choose e-billing and help save a tree.”

“Not only are these green-wash claims in breach of established environmental marketing rules, but they are hugely damaging to an industry which has a solid and continually improving environmental record,” says Two Sides Europe Managing Director Jonathan Tame. “Far from ‘saving trees,’ a healthy market for forest products such as paper encourages the long-term growth of forests through sustainable forest management. Many of the organisations we engage are surprised to learn that European forests have actually been growing by 1,500 football pitches every day.”

Globally, Two Sides has engaged over 2110 organisations making misleading statements about paper. So far, over 970 of them have removed such statements from their communications and Two Sides continues to engage and inform the remaining organisations. The organisations were located throughout Europe, North and South America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In Europe, to date, 630 companies have removed unsubstantiated claims about paper, including

“It remains vital that green-wash is challenged to ensure that the industry’s great environmental record is recognised and that the livelihoods of thousands of industry employees, as well as print, paper and postage volumes, are not damaged by the spread of misleading and opportunistic greenwash marketing,” Tame says.

Because of the huge reach of some of these green-washing organisations, their unsubstantiated claims have a damaging effect on consumer perceptions of paper and threaten a sector that employs over three million people in more than 120,000 European businesses. The financial impact of green-wash on the paper, print and mailing industry is of global concern if these messages continue without challenge. Recent research in Europe, conducted by Two Sides and Censuswide in 2021, found that in Europe alone, green-washing threatens the loss of €337 million

of value annually to the paper, print and mailing industry.

The Anti-green-wash Campaign continues to be a priority for Two Sides, and they will continue to urge companies to reject the use of unsubstantiated and misleading environmental claims about going paperless in all of their communications.

“We are grateful for the cooperation of the hundreds of organisations that have changed or eliminated green-washing claims from their messaging, and we are also thankful for the many industry stakeholders and members of the public who send Two Sides examples of green-wash,” Tame concludes.

Two Sides continues to actively challenge major organisations found to be misleading consumers by using environmental claims about the use of paper. Please send any instances of greenwash to greenwash@twosides.info. www.twosides.info

Lloyds Bank, RAC, Scottish Power, N Brown Group, HSBC, to name a few.

Produced

‘Constructing

the window mural – which was installed in Spring 2022 – was designed to recreate a Latinx visual universe, exploring gender identity, religious iconography and Latin American pop art. Latinx is a gender neutral term for people of Latin American cultural or ethnic identity in the US.

The project was the culmination of a three year process, with research having been carried out in Argentina, Mexico and the Latin American community in New York. As merits such a project, Bergero and printing partner Mimaki USA sought a high quality printable material that would do justice to the design.

Mimaki USA, a long term user of Drytac materials, selected Drytac ViziPrint Impress Clear for the project. Ernest Contreras, Print Solution Supervisor at Mimaki USA, said the use of this film meant the piece was able to take advantage of lighting from both inside and outside the venue.

He explains: “During the day, it created a striking wall art piece with the outdoor light shining in, and during the evening, it transformed the area with a

TAKING DIRECT ACTION

By Phil McMullin, Pro Graphics Head of Sales, Epson (UK) Ltd

One of the fastest growing sectors in the apparel industry is the Direct to Film (DTF) market. Agile operations are embracing the easy to adopt technology to access additional revenue streams.

For many their existing Direct to Garment (DTG) hardware can be made DTF ready with just a simple software update that allows the system to quickly, efficiently, and affordably, print directly onto film.

There is no need to invest in a separate printer to enter the DTF market. Free of charge upgrades unlock DTF functions for customers with DTG machines.

As a result, operations can add DTF to their service delivery in a responsive and cost effective way. It is not complicated and there is no requirement to switch out the ink.

This plug in and play DTF technology can be a quick and easy addition to any portfolio of services. Its ability to smoothly integrate into any existing DTG workflow ensures it can begin making an immediate contribution to the bottom line.

It supports an operation’s ability to say yes to everything. All services can be delivered without the need for additional investment. Just one, rather than two machines, is required – perfect for operations where space is at a premium.

The simple step by process achieves high quality results on a wide range of applications and textiles, including those that DTG or screen printing cannot manage.

Following the installation of the software and drivers production can begin immediately. It starts with the placement of the transfer film at top centre of the T-shirt platen with the matt side facing up. Marking the centre of the platen can help ensure greater accuracy.

The chosen artwork is then opened and the size and print quality is set. The layering method for DTF should be selected to automatically set the layers in the correct orientation for white and colour. Once printed the design should be dusted with print adhesive powder while checking every part of the design

“The ease of installation and removal of the graphics were very important aspects of the decision to use Drytac ViziPrint as the windows needed to be left clean after removal. Drytac has become a great partner for us as they offer such a wide variety of film solutions.”

The graphics were printed on a Mimaki UCJV300-160 UV LED roll to roll printer. Such was the impact of the installation that the project was awarded the SUNY PACC Prize and showcased at the Argentine Consulate in New York, as well as the Art and Design Gallery at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Anabella Bergero adds: “The piece was a public art display that generated an intriguing conversation between the inside and outside of the building, visible to those indoor viewers and pedestrians circulating the area. The mural caught the public’s attention for its colours, composition, and digital print technology.”

For further information, please visit www.drytac.com

is covered (this process should be completed in a well ventilated space). The transfer film should then be placed under a heat press or in a heat oven until the texture of the powder looks smoother.

The design can then be applied with the appropriate heat press using the correct settings or stored for later use. When applying, peel the film away gently after it feels cool to touch. Do not stop once the peel has started as this can damage the print.

With DTF, multiple designs can be placed on one sheet of film. This decreases the time spent going through the printing process for multiple items as they only need to be printed once.

Is it time to see how the flexible process could enable your operation to expand its portfolio of applications and enjoy greater production creativity smoothly and affordably?

More about Epson’s portfolio can be found here www.epson.co.uk/ verticals/business-solutions-for-professional-graphics/textile

The wide format division of printer manufacturer Mimaki has collaborated with creative professional Anabella Bergero to produce a striking window installation, printed on Drytac ViziPrint Impress Clear film.

for the

Identities’ MUSA exhibition in Miami, Florida,

BURNING HOT PRINT NEWS

us all the more aware of the magic that is all around us, when what was once a magnificent green, turns into glowing yellows, fantastic oranges and gentle browns.

Likewise, magic is in the serendipitous moments of creation. The right paper, the right laser, the right design coming together at the right time to create something remarkable.

Seeing is believing, Watch the text revealing magic video at the QPP demonstration suite www.quickPrintPro.co.uk

Print design that makes the cut: Graphische Revue

This exceptional magazine cover from Graphische Revue takes Pergraphica Mysterious Blue to a new level. The cover design showcases the unique colour transformation that occurs when laser engraving Pergraphica Colours. The special marriage between CO₂ laser finishing and this stunning paper surface leaves a lasting and outstanding impression that is truly unique.

SCODIX EMBELLISHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Scodix, the provider of digital enhancement solutions for the graphic arts industry, will be focused on economic, productive and sustainable embellishment at this year’s PRINTING United, including the debut of SHD — Smart High Definition — to its technology portfolio.

16 REASONS TO CELEBRATE CATCHING FEELS

The Pergraphica campaign Catching Feels won two prestigious awards, making that 16 awards won to date! The Mondi marketeers couldn’t be prouder that the beautiful look book that is the centrepiece of this campaign has received (and continues to receive) so much love from the outside world.

Looking for more inspiring design paper projects? Check out some of our favourite Pergraphica Mondi moments here www.mymondi.net

WATER BASE PAVEMENT

SIGN

“The economics of embellishment are more important than ever,” says Mark Nixon, Scodix VP Global Sales & Marketing. “Which is why Scodix has developed its range of enhancement presses to deliver fast ROI by being extremely productive and economic when producing complex and compelling enhancements. Sustainability is even more paramount and visitors to PRINTING United learnt that Scodix digital enhancement solutions, including our breakthrough SHD technology, use clean, eco-friendly processes – with no metals, no acid etch and low energy use.”

At PRINTING United, Scodix debuted SHD on the Scodix Ultra 6000 press. The updated digital enhancement system offers high definition imaging which delivers an accurate, economic, and sustainable alternative to traditional foiling for sheets up to B1 size. Smart High Definition also affords the users fine delicate details and micro fonts, giving clarity and definition to foiling. PRINTING United attendees had the opportunity to explore the cost effective, high quality solution for enhancement, reducing waste, boosting uptime, and shortening time to market.

Digital enhancement allows print and packaging service providers to offer customers increased flexibility and faster turnaround times when compared with traditional analogue metal foiling. As sustainable processes become increasingly essential to the industry, the environmental benefits are significant, including eliminating VOC emissions, removing the need for metal based stamps/clichés, chemicals, and solvents, and thus reducing energy consumption.

“This was a golden opportunity for brands to forge strong connections with customers through engaging, premium packaging with high quality enhancement,” comments Nixon. “Many companies already understand that, and now see how valuable the Scodix Ultra 6000 in particular is as a replacement press for traditional embellishment. We’ve clearly got the quality and economics in enhancing and enjoyed demonstrating that to visitors at the show.” www.scodix.com

Adding a pavement sign outside your business is a simple yet cost effective way of increasing your footfall.

✔ Unlike other pavement signs, the Water Base Pavement Sign has a hollow base which can be filled with water or sand to provide strength and stability for your outdoor signage.

✔ The display sign has a snap frame mechanism for easy poster updates.

✔ Built in wheels (except A2) and pull along handle provide easy movement.

www.ukpos.com 0161 516 3685

TOP UP YOUR CHRISTMAS PHOTO FRAMES!

Perfect for grottos and personalised gifts. Offer your customers personalised snow frame photo blocks, a huge choice for your insert sizes. Get personal with baubles, seasonal frames and snow globes. Visit Santa’s studio today to discover more! Free UK delivery on all orders over £100. Call the elf service line for assistance 0121 748 1784 or email: hello@my-accessories.co.uk www.my-accessories.co.uk

Watch as the deep Pergraphica Mysterious Blue takes on a beautiful turquoise shade in the behind the scenes video expose. No ink, just stunning, and somewhat magical results on the paper surface. Watch the magic happen.

ABBOT PRINT

T: 01442 867600

E: sales@abbotprint.com

W: www.abbotprint.com

Manufacturers of business stationery, books and pads.

ASHGROVE TRADING

T: 01779 470606

E: info@ashgrovetrading.com W: www.ashgrovetrading.com

Ashgrove is the UK’s friendly and personal specialist supplier of innovative products and solutions for cutting-edge digital printing and finishing techniques, making printers’ lives easier and making print better.

ATLANTIC TECH

T: +44 (0)1279 638 500

E: sales@atlantic-tech.co.uk

W: www.atlantic-tech.co.uk

Reliable Service & Support. The largest independent printer service and support provider in the UK, supplying an extensive selection of top brands including Azon UV Flatbed, Mutoh Roll to Roll Solvent and UV Flatbed printers. Proud to offer a national service and support for Solvent, UV and Latex printers from these leading brands: Mimaki, Ricoh, Azon, Roland, Mutoh and HP.

ART SYSTEMS LTD

T: 0870 224 2612

E: marketing@artsystems.ltd.uk

W: www.artsystems.co.uk

Colortac Scanners, HP Designjets, MakerBot 3D printers, Canon wide format printers.

BAKER LABELS

T: 01277 281900

E: sales@bakerlabels.co.uk

W: www.bakerlabels.co.uk

Baker Labels can handle exceptionally large or surprisingly short print runs and aim to have your order ready within four days of proof approval. The sales and customer service team can assist you in selecting the most appropriate material, adhesive and finish depending on the end use of the product.

CALF HEY DESIGN

T: 01484 542 795

W: www.calf-hey.com

Label manufacturer, trade-only, plain, printed, laminated, barcodes, numbering, one- to full-colour, we do it all, total label solutions at trade prices. Call for free sample pack.

CASLON LTD

T: 01727 852211

E: info@caslon.co.uk

W: www.caslon.co.uk

Business card cutters, Digital print finishing,, Finishing products and systems, Foiling equipment, Print finishing equipment and Thermographic equipment & supplies.

CJB PRINTING EQUIPMENT

T: 0116 2600777

W: www.cjbpe.co.uk

E: sales@cjbpe.co.uk

CJB Printing Equipment Ltd was formed in 1994 by two directors with over 40 years of combined experience in the printing industry. We are an independent leading supplier of a large comprehensive range of print finishing equipment. The company is now a substantial two-generation family concern with an ever-growing reputation for supplying quality new and used equipment.

COLOURFAST GROUP

T: 01273 674321

E: sales@colourfast.co.uk

Can print and deliver for you in Brighton.

DURAWELD

T: 01723 584091

E: sales@duraweld.co.uk

W: www.duraweld.co.uk

Manufacturer of presentation products to package, present and protect printed paper and multimedia. Ring Binders, Tabbed Dividers and Indexes, Files and Folders, Wallets, Polypropylene Boxes, Multimedia Packaging, Self Adhesives and Presentation Ring Binders. Customise to your requirements through screen or litho print, pockets and accessories. Quality service, competitive prices and fast turnaround.

ELMSTOK

T: 01945 463434

E: sales@elmstok.co.uk W: www.elmstok.co.uk

A leading worldwide supplier in document presentation systems and finishing equipment including Binding Machines and Supplies, Manual and Electric Guillotines, Laminating Machines and Supplies, Paper Drills and Punches, Folders, Booklet Makers and Shredding Machines.

FD SOLUTIONS

T: 0118 956 1740

E: sales@fdsolutions.ltd.uk W: www.fdsolutions.ltd.uk

GBC main UK dealer as well as nationwide distributors of all types of binding, laminating machines and supplies, including guillotines, paper drills, booklet makers, folding machines and cutting and creasing equipment. Nationwide Service cover offered on all finishing equipment.

FLEXPRESS

T: 0116 267 6269

E: admin@flexpress.co.uk W: www.Flexpress.co.uk

Trust, in any relationship, is paramount so you’ll find Flexpress provide a good, honest trade print service and keep our promises; this is how, since 1989, we’ve grown to become one of the most respected printers in the UK. Everything we do is produced by us right here in our own production facility using the very latest stateof-the-art equipment.

GFSMITH

T: 020 7407 6174

E: london@gfsmith.com W: www.gfsmith.com

Paper and card suppliers of prestigious printing and presentation media.

IFS INTELLIGENT FINISHING SYSTEMS

T: 020 8997 8053

E: info@ifsl.uk.com W: www.Ifsl.uk.com

A leading supplier of finishing equipment including the Horizon market-leading automated system range in many of the key finishing disciplines — including folding, perfect binding and saddle stitching. 35 years serving the digital and litho print industry.

LISTAWOOD PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS

T: 01553 818818

E: sales@listawood.com W: www.listawood.com

UK manufacturer of promotional products including mousemats, ceramics, liquid filled products, USB Flashdrives and magnets. 100% trade only.

LISTAWOOD TRADE SUPPLIES

T: 01553 818848

E: tradesupplies@listawood.com W: www.listawood.com

A one stop shop for consumables and equipment for dye sublimation and chromablast. Authorised distributor of Hix heat presses and parts.

THE MAGAZINE PRODUCTION COMPANY

T: 01273 911730

E: info@magazineproduction.com W:www.magazineproduction.com

Comprehensive cost-effective white label design, production and print solution for independent publishers. In-house company newsletters, brochures and magazines — we can send print compliant artwork back to you for printing for your customers.

MORGANA FINISHING SYSTEMS

T: 0800 1381 882 W: www.plockmaticgroup.com

Manufacturer of a comprehensive range of finishing products and systems. Booklet makers & Trimmers, Collators, Business Card Cutters, Creasers.

NCR PADS LTD

T: 0330 111 5040

E: lets.talk@ncrpads.co.uk W: www.ncrpads.co.uk

Bespoke printing in the UK for trade NCR pads, sets, books and continuous forms.

OCÉ IMAGING SUPPLIES

Wide format materials: 0800 623 623

Small format materials: 0800 212 943

Renowned supplier of copying and printing equipment to copy shops, carries one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive range of consumables, for both small and wide format machines, from A4 white paper to display graphic materials such as backlit films.

OKI SYSTEMS (UK)

T: 01784 274300

E: ukenquiries@okieurope.co.uk

W: www.oki.co.uk

PEN WAREHOUSE

T: 01252 400270

E: sales@pens.co.uk W: www.pens.co.uk Trade pen supplies.

PERFECT COLOURS

T: 0845 680 9000

W: www.perfectcolours.com

E: info@perfectcolours.com

HP Preferred Partner specialising in large and grand format printing and finishing solutions, supplying Durst, Jetix, HP, Canon and Epson LF printers. For more information or to book a free printer demonstration call or E: us.

PDC PRESENTATION SOLUTIONS

T: 020 8810 5770

E: sales@pdcuk.com W: www.pdcuk.com

PDC are the UK’s Coil/Spiral experts, we manufacture 45 coil colours in any length up to one metre, in diameters from 6mm up to 50mm and in a range of 45 colours. Call or E: for free samples and pricing.

PREMIER PAPER

T: 0121 313 1115

W: www.paper.co.uk

The Premier Paper Group is the UK’s leading independent paper merchant and through its business divisions and nationwide branch network, offers a great choice of products and services for professional print service suppliers.

Premier Paper deliver more than mere paper by providing first class services, sharing knowledge and information, they endeavour to become an integral and valuable part of quick print pros business.

RAFFLE TICKETS DIRECT

T: 01933 411332

E: sales@raffleticketsdirect.co.uk W:www.raffleticketsdirect.co.uk

One colour to full colour raffle tickets. Fast free express delivery. Cheapest prices in the UK at the best print quality. All tickets are glued within the stub (no metal staples used to fix books).

RENZ UK

T: 01707 270001, W: www.renz.co.uk

The leading manufacturer of punching and wire binding machines from desktop to fully automated systems. Largest UK supplier of spools and cut length wire.

ROUTE1 PRINT

T: 0114 294 5026

E: sales@route1print.co.uk W: www.route1print.co.uk

• Free Next Day Delivery • Free 30 Point Artwork Check

• Trade Customers Only • White Label Packaging

Route 1 Print are passionate about helping quick print pros. Offering dedicated account managers and a 10-second proofing tool, to white label packaging and unbranded sample packs, Route 1 Print is committed to making your frontline printing service easier.

SHARP ELECTRONICS (UK)

T: 020 8734 2000 W: www.sharp.co.uk

4 Furzeground Way, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB11 1EZ

SOVEREIGN (SOV PRINT LTD)

T: 01443 816414 W: www.sovprint.com

Sovereign are industry leading screen and digital print manufacturers of durable and bespoke Labels, Tags & Signage. We supply over 100 expertly produced products to industry, trade and commerce. Ranging from heavy-duty labels and stickers, to point of sale, machine fascia’s and high-quality bespoke signage.

STANFORD MARSH

T: 01905 458000 W: www.stanfordmarsh.co.uk

Official dealer for all main manufacturers, allowing us to supply best fit solutions for all users. Please visit our website.

SUPREME LABELS

T: 01924 402111

W: www.supremelabels.co.uk

Label Suppliers, Roll Labels, Laser Labels, Warning Labels, most formats available.

TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS SERVICES

T: 01474 747575 • 01376 433300

E: info@techxerox.com W: www.techbusserv.co.uk

Specialists in new and refurbished Xerox digital printers, Xerox consumables including toners and parts and reset chips.

MAGIC TOUCH (THE)

T: 01582 671444

E: sales@themagictouch.co.uk

W: www.themagictouch.co.uk

Supplier of transfer papers, colour laser printers and heat presses to open up exciting opportunities to print on a limitless range of products.

VIVID LAMINATING TECHNOLOGIES

T: 01530 510946

W: www.vivid-online.com.

Vivid offer a wide range of innovative and exclusive Laminating Systems ranging from Desktop to Wide Format Laminators. Visit the website to view the full range which also includes Binding and Print Finishing solutions.

XERETEC

T: 02380 574100

E: info@xeretec.co.uk

W: www.xeretec.co.uk

Xerox Technology, Document Consulting, Office Supplies

XEROX UK

T: 01895 251133

W: www.xerox.co.uk

Bridge House, Oxford Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 1HS The Document Company supply a full range of office equipment.

YOUR PRINT SPECIALISTS

T: 0191 256 6889

E: info@yourprintspecialists.co.uk

W: www.YourPrintSpecialists.co.uk

With an impressive portfolio of products to offer and a dedicated service team. Everything you require from wide format printers to the assisting software and finishing solutions. YPS are authorised suppliers of Mimaki, RolandDG, Epson, Flexa, Vivid, Drytac, Metamark and Toyo. YPS also offer training and support through Your Print Institute, a new initiative to help those entering the print industry gain skills and knowledge to help them succeed.

READERS’ SCRIBES SOMETHING TO SHARE?

HOLMES AND WATSON EXIT STRATEGY

After being locked in an impenetrable strongroom, a panicked Dr. Watson cries, “How are we to escape, Holmes?”

Calmly, the sleuth produces a small knife and a lemon, which he carefully cuts into small pieces. He then sticks the pieces of lemon on the wall in the shape of a door, and with a push creates a doorway. An astonished Watson asks, “How on earth did you do that, Holmes?”

“Lemon-entry my dear Watson, Lemon-entry!”

INSOMNIAC PRINTER

A QPP reader of some 25 years was having a terrible time falling asleep unless he was lying on a pile of archive QPP magazines. It turns out he had back issues.

DOGS AND MARINE BIOLOGISTS

What is the difference between dogs and marine biologists? One wags a tail, and the other tags a whale.

THREE THINGS TO PONDER

Why is it that if someone tells you that there are one billion stars in the universe you will believe them, but if they tell you a wall has wet paint you will have to touch it to be sure?

“I am” is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that “I Do,” is the longest sentence?

When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?

KICK CHRISTMAS OFF WITH THESE CRACKERS…

One Christmas Eve, Pete and Jane were driving their Russian friend Rudolph back to his house. The weather outside was frightful. Jane asked Pete, “Do you think that’s sleet or rain out there?”

“It’s rain, Jane,” said Pete.

“I think it’s sleet, Pete,” said Jane.

Rudolph chimed in, “It’s definitely rain, Jane.”

“No, I really think it’s sleet, Rudolph,” said Jane.

“Don’t argue with the expert, Jane,” said Pete.

“What do you mean, Pete?” asked Jane.

Pete replied, “Rudolph the Red knows rain, Dear.” Look Like More Rain Deer…

25 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS

Which of Santa’s reindeer has the worst manners? Rude-Olph!

How do Christmas angels greet each other? Halo!

What does Santa suffer from if he gets stuck in a chimney? Claustrophobia.

Why was the snowman rummaging in a bag of carrots? He was picking his nose!

What do fish sing at Christmas? Christmas Corals!

Who hides in a bakery at Christmas? A mince spy!

What’s a snowman’s favourite breakfast? Ice Crispies.

What do you call a greedy elf? Elfish

How is Christmas different after Brexit? No Brussels.

What kind of motorcycle does Santa ride? Holly Davidson.

What do Santa’s little helpers learn at school? The elf-abet!

What’s the difference between snowman and snowladies? Snowballs.

What is red, white and blue? A sad candy cane.

What do you get if you cross a duck and Santa? A Christmas quacker

Why was Santa’s little helper depressed? Because he had low elf esteem.

What do you call a blind reindeer? I have no eye deer.

What do they sing at a snowman’s birthday party? Freeze a jolly good fellow.

Someone took my friends Christmas tree. It’s not fir.

Who’s Rudolph’s favourite singer? Beyon-sleigh. What goes ‘Oh, oh, oh’? Santa walking backwards.

What’s Jack Frost’s favourite part of the school day? Snow and tell.

What’s Santa’s dog’s name? Santa Paws.

How did the bauble get addicted to Christmas? He was hooked on trees his whole life.

What do you call someone who doesn’t believe in Christmas? A rebel without a Clause.

What’s an elf’s favourite type of music? Wrap.

MORE, YOU WANT MORE?

What does Miley Cyrus have at Christmas? Twerky. Why did no one bid for Rudolph and Blitzen on eBay? Because they were two deer.

Mary and Joseph... now they had a stable relationship.

What will the King call his Christmas broadcast? The One Show.

What did Santa do when he went speed dating? He pulled a cracker.

Why don’t you ever see Santa in hospital? Because he has private elf care.

How did Mary and Joseph know Jesus was 7lb 6oz when he was born? They had a weigh in a manger.

AND HERE’S THE BEST (AND WORST) OF THE REST

What do you get if the Governor of the Bank of England and Kwasi Kwarteng pull a cracker? Lots of interest.

How did Harry Potter know what he was getting for Christmas? He was fluent in Parceltongue. At what famous place was Jesus born? Pret a Manger.

Why did Rudolph the reindeer have the complete works of Shakespeare on his top lip? Because his nose was well red.

What operating system do Advent calendars use? Windows 24.

What’s the only thing Santa hates more than political correctness? Elf and safety.

Woke up to see a touch of frost on the front lawn... Quite rude – I thought the DVD boxset was a good present.

Why won’t East Coast and West Coast rappers be having turkey together this year? Because they have beef with each other.

Why did Harry Styles fail at being Santa? Because he can only use the chimney in One Direction. How do you know Santa’s real? He’s from the grotto.

What is a bird’s favorite Christmas story? The Finch Who Stole Christmas.