VOL. 17 ISSUE 177 MF-02-1824692 SEPTEMBER- OCTOBER 2020
Middle East Print Communication Magazine
ME PRINTING INDUSTRY MARKET STUDY 2020 CONDUCTED JOINTLY BY CANON AND ME PRINTER KSA: SARAWAT PRINTERS & PUBLISHERS STRAIGHT TALK WITH MUHAMMAD ABDUL AZIZ AL-GHAMDI
UAE: UNITED PRINTING & PUBLISHING ONE ON ONE WITH SUNIL PANDITA
ىف ظل الدفاع عن معرض دروبا
MEPrinter September-October 2020
PRINT IS HERE TO STAY
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Contents Contents 2021
News
Case Study
Label Expo
Saudi Xerox strikes the Right Cord With Iridesse, the Most Desirable and Sustainable Digital Press
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Striking the Right Chord in Saudi Arabia
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Success Story Aspire Printing Chooses EFI VUTEk FabriVu 340i Fabric Printer with Inline Fixation
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Joseph Graphics Invests in EFI Pro 32r+ Roll-to-Roll LED Printer
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Interviews Sarawant Printers & Publisheres: Online Communication is Helping us to Become more Customer Oriented
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Packaging is The Future
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UPP Sees Huge Potential in Security Printing
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Exclusive Interview with Zeid al Jehni, General Manager at Heidelberg Middle East
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Cover Story Print is here to Stay
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Interviews Exclusive: One on One with Ronald Van Den Broek, Mimaki’s General Sales Manager
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Straight Talk with Epson
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The Middle East is an Attractive Market for us
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Printing must be Smart
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Drupa
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Vol. 17 Issue 177 MF-02-1824692 September- October 2020
Editor's Note
MF-02-1824692 The Comprehensive Monthly Magazine Dedicated To The Graphic Arts Industry Print Professionals In The Middle East
Vol. 16 17 / Issue 177/ 172/ July - August 2019 September- October 2020
VOL. 17 ISSUE 177 MF-02-1824692 SEPTEMBER- OCTOBER 2020
Middle East Print Communication Magazine
Covid 19 has disrupted the way we live and the way we work. Publishing industry has also suffered. However, when it comes to the publishing industry, the crisis seems to yield a mixed bag of results. Lockdowns across the world increased the demand for books while at same time printed magazines are navigating through troubled waters trying to stay afloat. In such a backdrop ME Printer magazine felt the need to rethink its editorial policy and the way it communicates with the readers. As a first step we have decided to replace ME with Middle East in our logo to show our commitment to the region’s print industry. We are focusing more on our website and social media to reach out to our usual and new readers. Our website now is filled with quality content including interviews with top industry players as well as latest news and views in the world of graphic arts plus industry related videos. Our Arabic website is now up and running. You now have a choice of language and you can read the content in Arabic. Our Arabic website is centered around regional content while at the same time you can also find translations of our top material from English website. In this issue you will find a number of impressive interviews with top notch international and regional printing authorities including Claus Bolza-Schünemann, CEO, Koenig and Bauer, Zeid al Jehni, General Manager at Heidelberg Middle East, Rainer Hundsdörfer, CEO, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen and others. Our cover story is a recap of ME Printer and Canon’s joint and very first State of the Printing Industry Survey. This unique market study attempts to unveil the opportunities, challenges and market trends in the regional printing industry and more specifically the Gulf region. This includes UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. So welcome to the new Middle East Printer!
ME Printer FZE L.L.C P.O.Box: 502183 UAE Tel: +971 4 391 1210 E-mail: info@meprinter.com
Group Publishing Director
Morteza Karimian E-mail: karimian@meprinter.com
PRINT IS HERE TO STAY ME PRINTING INDUSTRY MARKET STUDY 2020 CONDUCTED JOINTLY BY CANON AND ME PRINTER
ME Printer Editorial Team Editor - English Alex Jahanabani Email: alex@meprinter.com
Editor- Arabic Fayza Ebrahim E-mail: arabic@meprinter.com
Technical Editor - English Section Rod Hayes Email: rod.hayes@me.com
OPINION PIECE IN DEFENSE OF DRUPE
HEIDELBERG
STRAIGHT TALK WITH RAINER HUNDSDÖRFER, CEO
The very first regional printing industry specific survey was conducted by Canon and ME Printer. You can read all about it in this issue of ME Printer. Our special coverage also includes informative tables and graphs.
Specialist Contributing Editors USA Frank Romano E-mail: fxrppr@rit.edu
UK - Laurel Brunner E-mail: lb@digitaldots.org USA - Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth E-mail: nhellmuth@flaar.org
Advertising Manager
Reji Matthews E-mail: meprinter@meprinter.com Classifieds & Subscription Tel: +971 4 391 1210 E-mail: info@meprinter.com
Printed by United Printing & Publishing LLC
ME Printer website now is filled with quality content including interviews with top industry players as well as latest news and views in the world of graphic arts plus industry related videos
Correspondence and advertising materials to be sent to meprinter@meprinter.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of the editorial content, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omission. Readers are requested to seek specialist advise before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances.
KOENIG & BAUER
ONE ON ONE WITH CLAUS BOLZA-SCHÜNEMANN, CEO
ME Printer Media Partner
News
EMIRATES AIRLINES INVESTS IN AN ALL - NEW EFI HYBRID PRINTER The state-of-the-art machine will print internal and external graphics for Emirates fleet of aircrafts
Stephen Jomartz: Regional sales Manager LFP, Dynagraph. Iqball Ismail: Manager Aircraft Apperance Center Emirates and Salaheddin Allan The EFI-Vutek 3M inks which make EFI printers the only UV printer in the market that boasts the 3M MCS warranty on 3M approved media are the reason Emirates selected an EFI printer.
Emirates will print internal and external graphics for their aircraft at a fraction of the cost of the previous equipment they used that could meet the stringent requirements for approvals for use with aircraft.
The industrial UV printer from EFI will also dramatically increase the in house capacity for printing enabling Emirates to produce more of their famous aircraft wraps in house and allow them to take on work for other Emirates depar tments outside of Aircraft Appearance. Iqbal Ismail the manager of the Aircraft Appearance Center at Emirates, pictured with Stephen Jomartz, Regional Sales Manager LFP at Dynagraph at the machine handover, commented that he was impressed with the speedy installation and comprehensive training provided by the Dynagraph engineers. On the machine they were pleased with the speed and ease of operations with the Fiery Software.
MEPrinter September - October 2020
SGI DUBAI LAUNCHES ‘E3 TALKS’ WEBINAR
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SGI Dubai, one of the oldest and most respected trade shows for the printing and signage industries, has launched a webinar series called E3 Talks – a platform to Educate, Empower and Enhance the print service providers and sign makers in the printing and signage industry. The core objective of this platform is to educate the sign makers on the various developments and trends in the industry and help them find ways of conducting their business more profitably. E3 Talks will be a monthly event happening digitally over the Zoom Webinar platform on the 4th or last Wednesday of the month. “The current COVID pandemic and its effect on the markets has created this urgent need to transfer knowledge from experts from the industry to the sign makers to
help them overcome this situation. With SGI Dubai being the leading Industry show in the region, we have been discussing this with the various stakeholders in the industry and have launched this non-profit initiative towards this purpose,” added Sharif Rahman, CEO, IEC the organisers of the SGI Dubai show. Two Speakers will be invited to present in each of these webinars, this is an opportunity to present their brands, latest innovations and also provide a generic update on the future of the industry. Each presenter will be given a timeslot of 30 minutes for the presentation and there will be a 20 minutes provision for questions and answers post the presentations. The brands that are interested in showcasing their innovations and industry insights on the ‘E3 Talks’
2021
platform are welcome to get in touch with the SGI Dubai team by emailing mohammad@iecdubai.com . “The attendees would include print service providers, sign makers from the MENA region. We will be inviting industry stakeholders locally, regionally and internationally through various means of communications and social marketing platforms. SGI Dubai will be promoting this webinar and its presenters across their platforms to generate more traffic towards this webinar,” added Rahman.
IN DEFENSE OF DRUPA Covid - 19 or Herd behavior? Started with Heidelberg and Xerox and the rest followed. Doesn’t that remind you of something? Herd behavior perhaps? According to Wikipedia “herd behavior” is the behavior of individuals in a group acting collectively without centralized direction. The philosophers Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche were among the first to criticize what they referred to as "the crowd" (Kierkegaard) and "herd morality" and the "herd instinct" (Nietzsche) in human society. Modern psychological and economic research has identified herd behavior in humans to explain the phenomenon of large numbers of people acting in the same way at the same time. To be fair there are valid arguments not to participate in drupa 2021; cost, Covid 19, uncertain economic outlook and the list goes on. But I believe we are all missing something, something precious. Drupa is entwined in the history and identity of global graphic arts industry. Perhaps no other industry is so dependent on a single mega exhibition. Sometimes we forget the cultural role of printing industry, in dissemination of knowledge and the importance it bares on our daily lives. Drupa has always been a platform to launch the disruptive technologies. From Linotype
and services on an exhibition space of over 160,000 square meters. And what an experience it was! There is no doubt those numbers will never repeat again. The world has changed and so did the printing industry. Maybe drupa also has to change and it will, but it must exist and be an essential part of our industry. It needs a collective effort from all of us to revive it and participate in it. Drupa organizers have already introduced the so called “Hybrid drupa”, a new online platform to offer exhibitors and visitors an additional channel for touching base with the sector, discussing trending themes and presenting product portfolios. Personally I believe this is a great strategy which strengthen the relationship between exhibitors and potential visitors. But it cannot replace the physical presence, the in-person meeting, strolling down the aisles of different halls watching machines in action. Hundreds of mechanical parts with the support of state-of-art software functioning harmoniously and in unison. It reminds me of a quote by the Italian poet, editor, art theorist, and founder of the Futurist movement Filippo Tommaso Emilio Marinetti, “Idealists, workers of thought, unite to show how inspiration and genius walk in step with the progress of the machine, of aircraft, of industry, of trade, of the sciences, of electricity. “ So hail to an event that shaped the history of an industry, an industry that revolutionized modern world. And I rest my case.
Drupa is entwined in the history and identity of the global graphic arts industry. Perhaps no other industry is so dependent on a single mega exhibition
MEPrinter September-October 2020
machine, to CTP, and DI press, all premiered first at drupa. It happens every 4 years like Olympics. And we all wait with anticipation to attend the next one. However, even before Coronavirus starts to wreak havoc across the world some argued, whether all that time, cost and energy that goes into every four-year event is really worthwhile for most of the participants? Maybe not for all but for most of the participants it was a wonderful and exciting experience. After the drupa 2020 was cancelled and moved to 2021, companies started to have second thoughts. The webinars popped out here and there and companies liked it. It is cheap and they are able to target the whole world. Now every week another company (the big brands) announce their withdrawal from drupa and rest of us are amused. Who will be next? It has become a perverse guessing game. Death knell sounds louder and louder, with each company pulling out of drupa. When I look back to millennial drupa (2000) the sheer numbers seem to me staggering and aweinspiring. Over 428,000 trade visitors from 171 countries strolled down the halls of Messe Dusseldorf, 200.000 from overseas. More than 4,100 journalists (including yours truly) were summoned to this Olympic games of paper and ink industry from all over the globe. Almost 2000 exhibitors from 49 nations, displayed their products
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Case Study
SAUDI XEROX STRIKES THE RIGHT CORD WITH IRIDESSE, THE MOST DESIRABLE AND SUSTAINABLE DIGITAL PRESS
IMPRESSIVE OPTIONS
MEPrinter September - October 2020
The new Xerox machine strikes the right chord with printers in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia who want to offer something extra to their customers
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The year 2018 was a turning point in digital printing industry. It gave us Xerox Iridesse, the first 6 colour digital press in the world. This machine is a clear manifestation of digital revolution in full swing. Digital printing offers something that traditional offset cannot. It is fulfilling a pressing need for high value applications and Iridesse can effectively produce personalized, variable data, or TransPromo documents. Today there is a growing demand in our region, for high-value print applications incorporating CYMK+ as well as multiple embellishments with additional colours such as gold, silver, clear and white to produce eye catching printing items including banners, posters, marketing collaterals and much more. Iridesse redefines digital printing with award-
winning Color FLX Technology, which layers CMYK with up to two Specialty Dry Inks in one single, incredibly productive pass – all while maintaining “spot on” registration from color to color. Being a 6 colour press The Xerox Iridesse is capable of printing inline embellishment in one pass. This is the first dry toner press available with six colour printing stations in the world. The extra colour units are placed before and after the CMYK in the laydown sequence and can easily be changed. This machine is ideal for print businesses looking to take their services to the next level of productivity, image quality and substrate latitude. This digital beast churns out beautiful printed products with a speed of 120 A4 page per minute and it is compatible with all paper weights from 52 to 400 gsm. The recommended production volume is up to 475000 pages per month. While other presses may RIP at the same level, the image pipeline that feeds data to the Iridesse engine is unique, delivering 4 times more information to the press than competitive digital systems do. The combination of 1200 x 1200 x 10-bit RIP rendering and 2400 x 2400 x 1-bit print imaging yields unrivaled Ultra High Definition (HD) detail for smooth, beautiful gradients and tints, impeccable fine lines, and unprecedented small text. The press boasts Xerox EX-P 6 Print Server Powered by Fiery.
The machine also comes with an impressive array of options including high capacity feeder which extends paper capacity up to 8,000 sheets with four additional trays in two feeder stations. When used with the Inserter option, this provides a total of 8 pick points and 12,500 sheets for printing at rated speed. Xerox Crease and Two-sided Trimmer Creates a professional high-quality look and feel with added durability for documents that get repeated use. The trimmer is programmable for up to five customized creases which offers huge flexibility to printers enabling them to produce a fully bled booklet or sheet. Iridesse raises the bar in the digital photo and printing world with high-value inline capabilities that allow customers to combine stunning imagery and options to alternate with four specialty colours, namely, gold, silver, clear and white, along with the ability to print on media up to 13 x 47.2 inches or 1.2 meters.
HIGHLY SUSTAINABLE
The International Association of the Deinking Industry, (INGEDE) has awarded Iridesse a score of 100/100 for deinkability which means the paper used in the machine is recyclable. This is particularly good news for sustainability-minded printers that do not want a large quantity of their output one day contributing to landfill.
STRIKING THE RIGHT CHORD IN SAUDI ARABIA
Globally Iridesse proved to be a huge success, however in kingdom of Saudi Arabia the new Xerox machine particularly strikes the right chord with printers who want to offer something extra to their customers. Afan Printing and Packaging was the first member that joined the Iridesse Club in Saudi Arabia. Mr. Abdullah Al Moallam is the CEO of the company and under his leadership, the Dammam based digital printing press boasts some of the finest minds in the franchising market, as well as franchisees who have successfully made the Afan Printing and Packaging corporate vision work for themselves. The Company is one of few that have a complete fleet of digital, offset and packaging equipment. On the reasons behind his recent decision to buy Iridesse Mr. Moallam said:” Our partnership with Saudi Xerox goes back to more than 15 years and during 2018 we had the objective of enriching our digital printing portfolio, so we decided to make a breakthrough in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by purchasing the new Iridesse. Machine’s beyond CMYK capabilities were the main driving force behind our decision.” He added:” The Covid-19 Pandemic has affected the whole world. It also had impacted our productivity. However, we were able to manage
the crisis and soon we were back on our feet again. Having the digital printing capabilities from Xerox helped us a lot as well.” Afan Printing and Packaging is specialized is high quality short run printing including books, colour reports, magazine, catalogs, business cards, invitation cards, flyers, brochures and packaging. Mr. Moallam, is optimistic and believes despite all the existing uncertainties there are opportunities for printing during post Covid era specially banners and flyers to promote safety measures and social distancing protocols. He also says that Covid 19 has accelerated the shift from offset to digital. “There is a healthy demand for short run, high quality digital printing in Saudi Arabia. Our strategic alliance with Saudi Xerox and the go to market strategy will also help us educate the market and make it responsive to high quality products and special effects, which now can be delivered beautifully with Iridesse. We are counting on that and we are sure of the success especially in presence of our strong partner in digital printing, Saudi Xerox.” Concludes Mr. Moallam.
DIGITIZATION IS THE FUTURE OF SAUDI ARABIA
According to Mehmet Sezer, general manager of Saudi Xerox, the company has been offering the full array of Xerox products and
Mr. Abdulla Al Moallam- CEO @Afan Printing and Packaging
services ranging from workplace assistants, workflow solutions and managed print services in the KSA market. “Digitization is the future of Saudi Arabia and we are actively working with our customers to help them transform their organizations with our solutions”, explains Sezer and adds:” Digital transformation encapsulates the essence of moving from a ‘physical’ or ‘analogue’ world to a ‘touchless’ or ‘digital’ one across the print industry.”
ABOUT SAUDI XEROX
Mehmet Sezer, General Manager- Saudi Xerox
MEPrinter September-October 2020
Mehmet Sezer, General Manager - Saudi Xerox
Saudi Xerox is the representation of Xerox in Saudi Arabia. It was established in 1986, with business lines that include providing solutions to improve business processes, automation and printing technology through an innovative vision of maximizing productivity and efficiency to create a better work environment. Saudi Xerox offers the full array of Xerox products and services ranging from workplace assistants, workflow solutions and managed print services in the KSA market. We address global and local market challenges consistently together in alignment with Xerox global standards.
Digitization is the future of Saudi Arabia and we are actively working with our customers to help them transform their organizations with our solutions
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Succes Story
ASPIRE PRINTING CHOOSES EFI VUTEK FABRIVU 340i FABRIC PRINTER WITH INLINE FIXATION
MEPrinter September - October 2020
The Qatari based printing powerhouse to take on the 2022 FIFA World Cup Printing Projects
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Aspire Printing, one of the latest members of Aspire Zone that has already made its mark in Qatar, completed an extensive tender process to find a dye-sublimation printer. The printer will be used to take on the large projects expected
in the lead up to and during the FIFA World cup in 2022. Important factors were quality, speed and cost of operation. The Company chose the EFI™ VUTEk® FabriVU 340i printer from Middle East reseller Dynagraph as it beats the competition in every area. The EFI VUTEk FabriVU 340i is a 3.4m dye-sublimation printer with inline fixation that can print to a maximum speed of 500 sqm/hr. It
can also print production image quality at 250 sqm/hr and POP high quality at 165 sqm/hr. Inline fixation saves time from the standard twostep process of taking the prints to a separate calendar for fixation, giving the customer a much better workflow. With the lowest cost of operation in the market due to the highyield medium viscosity Ink, high resolution of 2,400dpi, printheads with 4 levels of greyscale and an ink recovery system that recovers 95% of the ink lost during purging, the VUTEk FabriVU wins on cost per sqm and quality. This brings the number of VUTEk FabriVU units in the Middle East to six with installations already in Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
Mudassir Ahmed Khan, Manager Large Format Printing Joseph Graphics and Stephen Jomartz, Regional Sales Manager LFP, Dynagraph, at EFI experience centre in Belgium, January 2020.
JOSEPH GRAPHICS INVESTS IN EFI PRO 32r+ ROLL-TO-ROLL LED PRINTER The EFI Pro 32r+ is Company’s first “next generation”printer shipped to the Middle East Joseph Graphics, the UAE's leading sign and graphics company, who were amongst the pioneers of large format digital printing in the UAE, have chosen the EFI™ Pro 32r+, which was released in November 2019, for their 3.2m roll- to-roll printing requirements. Joseph was comparing many brands and doing an extensive technical evaluation for their first UV LED 3.2m roll-to-roll printer and were drawn to the EFI Pro 32r+ as it incorporated EFI's next-digital generation technology, which places it firmly ahead of all other brands in the UV LED-curing printer market. Mudassir Ahmed Khan, Joseph's head of their large format printing department, visited the EFI Customer Experience Centre in Belgium in
January along with Stephen Jomartz, Dynagraph's regional sales manager, for a technical presentation of the printer as it was going to be the first EFI “next generation printer” unit shipped to the Middle East. One of the main things to be tested along with print quality and speed was the EFI claim that not only did their technology have the most competitive ink price, but that it was able to get a yield of approximately 140 sqm for every litre of ink, which is dramatically better than the competition who achieves 60 to 90 sqm per litre of ink. Printing a set of test files brought to the centre by Joseph, the EFI Pro 32r+ delivered 142 sqm per litre in a live test. Another important factor was the fact that EFI is the only UV printer
Visit inkjet.efi.com/ vutek or scan the QR code below for more information.
MEPrinter September-October 2020
manufacturer that develops and produces their own ink. Graphics produced with the EFI Pro 32r+ are covered by the 3M™ MCS™ Warranty when printed with EFI - 3M co-branded inks on 3M selected media. This will enable Joseph to move jobs that required the 3M™ MCS™ Warranty away from more expensive technologies, which was the only option available previously. When rolls are loaded, you only loose 30 cm on the leading edge, compared to 1.5 to 2m on most UV printers. This can save a busy printshop thousands of sqm of media a year. EFI's bulletproof reliability and the EFI Fiery® digital front end (DFE), which allows for ripping up to 5 times faster and higher colour control than other DFE’s on the market, helped close the deal for EFI and Dynagraph.
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Interview
ONLINE COMMUNICATION IS HELPING US TO BECOME MORE CUSTOMER ORIENTED Exclusive interview with Muhammad Abdul Aziz Al-Ghamdi, CEO of Sarawat Printers and Publishers
Muhammad Abdul Aziz Al-Ghamdi, CEO of Sarawat Printers and Publishers
ME‌Printer September - October 2020
At the moment we are studying the opportunities to diversify into new areas specially package printing
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Sarawat Printers and Publishers is one of the biggest and most respected printing companies in KSA. The company is a one stop shop for a variety of printing jobs including books, booklets, manuals, catalogs, newsletters, brochures, exclusive boxes, shopping bags and much more. Sarawat boasts three plants in and around Jeddah and offers the full range of print and value-added services to Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region and beyond. To find out more about challenges the company faced during the Coronavirus pandemic and their plans for the future we talked to Abdul Aziz Al Ghamdi, CEO of the company who is with the company since its inception. Here are the excerpts: What are the concrete measures you are taking to protect employees, in the light of Coronavirus challenges? The Corona epidemic has altered all aspects of our lives. But praise Allah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had been one of the first countries which was able to apply preventive measures to stop the spread of the epidemic. Current situation also forced everyone to adhere to these measures. Both private sector companies and governmental institutions were required to impose regulations that would protect their
employees and the employees were asked to respect the social distancing and other protective measures. The measures we adopted are showing concrete positive results for everyone. Our employees were able to keep the machines running while also observing social distancing protocols. We also decided to reduce the working time to 6 hours per day. Once the situation improved, the pace of work returned to normal. How did the Coronavirus affect your production capacity? Reduction in working hours, as well as decline in demand from government and business sectors for printing products, had a huge impact but we never went below 60% capacity. There was also a considerable cut back in our long-term contracts. All these had a significant negative impact on our revenues. Do you think the epidemic will force or encourage printing houses to resort more to automation and rely less on labor? working remotely is showing positive results in some areas of operation, especially when you are dealing with new customers. We realized that our reputation that had been built over the years now precedes us. Our clients trust us and that makes it easy for us to handle some part of the whole cycle of print process and to communicate with customers using automation and workflow. We had valuable experience in operating our business remotely. On the other hand, modern digital machines also played an effective role in processing orders and supporting customers. We have also linked our digital equipment and offset machine using a single automated workflow. This initiative streamlines the whole operation in the printing house. Do you believe that the Coronavirus pandemic, which seems to be with us for some time, will change the media landscape in your country? Publishing industry in general and newspapers in particular are the sectors of the print industry that were hit the hardest by the pandemic. Some of the newspaper
were even forced to close down. As for newsletters, their volume has decreased to 50% or less. Publishers have no other choice but to reduce expenses in order to be able to mitigate the crisis and ride the storm until the situation is back to normal. How much you rely on Internet for receiving and processing orders? Based on our 40 years of experience in printing industry, we still believe in face to face communication with our clients on daily basis. However, we are increasingly relying on Internet to communicate with our customers online. Online communication is also helping us to become more customer oriented, especially during lockdown. But we still maintain direct communication with our customers. Have you downsized due to pandemic? Our decision regarding reducing headcounts depends largely to the economic situation. Since COVID 19 negatively affected the volume of our business, we were forced to cut cost and let go some of our employees. However, we have always invested in training for our employees. Most of them are multitasked and can operate several machines and handle multiple operations and processes. What is your plan for future investments? Which area of printing has the greater potential for investment? Mostly packaging printing. At the moment we are studying the opportunities to diversify into new areas specially package printing. Did you invest in new printing equipment recently? We have invested in digital printing and added large format digital printer from Canon to our fleet of machines as well as other digital kits equipped with UV technology. Thanks to our new digital equipment machines we are able to meet our customer demands for short run high quality print products. we are also able to boost our digital printing production capacity to meet the growing demand of our customers. We have established a separate company for our digital printing operation as well.
PACKAGING IS THE FUTURE Power Print in Dubai has high hopes for the future Power Print is an award winning top print service provider in Dubai. Zahir Hassan has been running the company successfully since 2004. The company offers a wide variety of print jobs including brochure, catalogues, point of sale material, merchandising packaging, promo boxes, carrier bags and much more. The company also handles overseas printing projects. The company is very well known for the quality of products they offer. However, like many other printing companies in the region Power Print has been affected by Covid 19. In order to find out how a successful commercial printer in Dubai dealt with the pandemic we talked to Zahir Hassan. Here are the excerpts: What measures have you taken in order to protect your employees while still managing day to day activities of the print house? Employees are made aware of current tough market situation in the aftermath of pandemic which requires a different approach wherein survival is the key. With this view point every employee is made to understand that their basic necessities of living along with their dependents are only to be prioritized. Once they were convinced of this scenario they were asked to accept revised salary structure along with reduced working hours. In which way does the Corona virus affect your business? Reduced business and its subsequent impact on to day to day operation of the company. Dubai's economy is tourism driven.
The sharp decline in tourism due to pandemic have dented its economy to a great extent. Nevertheless, I am positive that it is a temporary phenomenon as authorities here are very much watchful about the business conditions with effective precautionary and corrective measures to curtail this adverse impact. Last time we spoke you said you were planning to invest more in packaging printing equipment, have you installed packaging printing production equipment recently? As packaging is the only future for printing industry, diversifying in to this segment is the best solution for Power Print to continue providing print related services to the market. We have recently inducted a box making machine whereby we increased our production capacity for hard case boxes to a greater extent. As Power Print believes in impactful printing we are trying to establish a niche market wherein bespoke packaging is serviced. Do you think the pandemic will force or encourage printers to opt for more automation and rely less on manual labor? Automation has been a priority for printers since long as it would give multiple benefits in the form of quality and quantity which are driving forces behind a successful printing business operations. Pandemic made printers to realize its importance and somewhat force them to adopt this in to their business.
Do you believe the Corona pandemic which it appears to be with us for some time will change the media landscape in Dubai? Dubai has resilience to confront any tough situation that jeopardize the business environment. We have witnessed this in the past and this pandemic too would succumb to Dubai's tough combating measures. Are you relying more on the Internet for receiving and processing orders? Internet is present and future way of living. As such physical interaction is limited and is widely being replaced with virtual transaction methods. Internet is faster, cost effective and flawless hence it definitely is the way forward. Have you reduced your work force because of pandemic? Yes, mostly in back office area. It is long overdue as most of our back office work is automated and to some extent subcontracted. As for the production we have fine-tuned our workforce with close watch on machine operators and is being focused on replacing manual workforce with slow integration of automation in to the production process system.
Packaging is the only future for printing industry, diversifying in to this segment is the best solution for Power Print
ME‌Printer September-October 2020
What is your plan for future investment? Which area of printing do you believe has more potential for investment? As our focus is on building bespoke packaging we will focus more on to integrating digital and offset to achieve our target products. This would be implemented both in printing and post press segments.
Zahir Hassan- Managing Director of Power Print Dubai
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Interview
UPP SEES HUGE POTENTIAL IN SECURITY PRINTING
Sunil Pandita
MEPrinter September - October 2020
Right from the start, UPP kept close watch on the spread of virus and took necessary precautions
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United Printing and Publishing (UPP) which boasts a wide range of printing equipment from prepress to postpress is one of the biggest printing companies in the Middle East. UPP formerly known as Emirates Media Incorporation (which was established in early 70’s as part of the Abu Dhabi Media Company) is an ISO certified company with an ambitious agenda. The company is a major newspaper and commercial printer. However, during past years the company made big investment in security printing equipment and solutions. Their premises in Al Shahamah, built in 2006, is very convenient as far as the distribution of newspaper is concerned. It's strategically located between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The UPP’s card production facility, which kicked off in 2013 now is a profitable part of the company, boasting state of the art equipment and with the capacity to produce 200,000 finished personalized cards an hour. UPP has an impressive lineup of webfed and sheetfed presses including a range of Komori, KBA, Heidelberg and Manroland sheetfed as well as Rotoman 65, KBA Compacta 215 commercial web and
KBA Continent, Orient Super and Manugraph Hiline newspaper web offset presses. For finishing and post press operation an arsenal of top of the line diecutting, thermal and cold lamination, perfect binding and inserting equipment and hard case cover line for book productions from major manufacturers such as Kama, Heidelberg, Horizon, Kolbus, MBO and Muller Martini make UPP a one stop shop for a wide range of printing enquiries. The company also boasts a Kodak NexPress 3500SW and HP Digital wide format printers. Like so many other businesses UPP also had to deal with the challenges of Covid 19. To find out more about the current state of the company and its future plan ME Printer talked to Sunil Pandita, UPP’s production manager. Here are the excerpts: What measures have you taken in order to protect your employees while still managing day to day activities of the print house? Right from the initial days of Pandemic originated from Wuhan, UPP kept close watch on the spread and took necessary precautions like compulsory face mask at work place, social distancing, factory sterilization, travel restriction. This all started during early March 2020. This helped us to create awareness in our staff and eventually resulted in running our factory without any stoppage till date. In which way does the Corona virus affect your business? Covid did impact the overall business and UPP also faced drop in revenue. This mainly happened in certain sector of business mainly commercial printing. Last time I spoke with Mr. Nouaimi (CEO of UPP) he said UPP is planning to invest more in packaging printing equipment,
have you installed packaging printing production equipment recently? Not yet, there has been discussion around this project of late. Newspaper industry was already struggling before Covid 19, as the biggest newspaper publisher in UAE, how do you see the newspaper industry evolving in the UAE? Yes, Newspaper printing have been on the edge for last decade or so and Covid has further pushed it back. Newspaper might remain here for some more years, but the focus is definitely on the digitization of the dailies and publishers do need to work fast on the same to remain in the race. Do you believe the Corona pandemic which appears to be with us for some time will change the media landscape in Dubai? Media over the years have seen a drastic changes and will continue to evolve. Covid pandemic has opened up opportunities for media industry globally. Back in 2013 your security printing operation was about to kick off, now after 7 years how has this part of business evolved, has it become a profitable enterprise for you? Yes, Security printing has evolved over the years and we see a huge potential in this business in future. What is your card production capacity and what kind of smart cards you are producing? We do commercial, financial, Retail, ID cards etc. Our capacity is to produce approximately 200,000 finished personalized cards an hour. Have you reduced your work force because of pandemic? No, Covid 19 haven’t had any impact on our work force. What is UPP's plan for future investment? Which area of printing do you believe has more potential for investment? There are discussions happening on various fronts: digitization and packaging do have potential for future.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ZEID AL JEHNI, GENERAL MANAGER AT HEIDELBERG MIDDLE EAST Saudi Arabia boasts one of the top twenty economies in the world, and the largest economy in the Arab world and the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is part of the G20 group of countries. The country has always been an attractive market for manufacturers of printing equipment including Heidelberg. The German giant has a very strong presence in the kingdom. Nevertheless, Covid pandemic has rattled the economies all over the world and rich countries were not immune to its devastating effects. In order to find out more about the printing industry situation in the Kingdom we sat down with Zeid al Jehni, General Manager at Heidelberg Middle East. He says despite the shattering effects of Coronavirus customers of Heidelberg in KSA will conclude their investment by the end of 2020. In your opinion how damaging was Coronavirus crisis for the printing industry in Saudi Arabia? The Covid 19 Pandemic had a devastating effect in all aspect of life. Business was no exception. The luck down of people movements and shut down of almost all types of businesses was particularly damaging to the printing industry in Saudi Arabia and worldwide. A notable exception to this rule was the packaging industry. Almost all our packaging customers maintained a high level of production outputs to meet the demand of the food and the consumer’s industries.
How did Heidelberg in Saudi Arabia handle the situation? We in Heidelberg Saudi Arabia have had our full management team engaged in Managing the crisis. We had an emergency operating plan drawn and implemented very early on. We have adapted our policies and procedures, our work habits, our staff and our resources (logistics and manpower) to ensure our employees’ health and safety, our customers minimal disruption to their production and our spare parts and consumables’ availability. The major Challenge we faced was securing permissions for our engineers to travel and service our customers during Curfew hours, and securing opening of our stores for spares and goods delivery. Do you feel the printers in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region still have an appetite for new investment? Actually, yes I do. We are still in discussion with our customers who had plans to invest in this DRUPA year 2020. We believe that many of those investment plans will be
concluded before the end of this year. Heidelberg pulled out of Drupa do you think now with drupa out of picture regional events such as Gulf Print or Saudi Print are more important than ever? No, I don’t. I think that now is the time to adapt innovative approach to products’ exhibiting. Regional shows will never replace DRUPA. They are too small to handle such big display of products and exhibitors. Do you have plans for any virtual events for your customers in Saudi Arabia? Our plans will be in line with our principals’ plans in this arena. What was Heidelberg's contribution to mitigate the Coronavirus crisis in Saudi Arabia? Heidelberg was instrumental in extending its support to us and our customers in the area, kept the smooth flow of needed parts for our service department, the service hot line was very helpful in supporting our customers and engineers. We also took advantage of online connection of our machines at customer sites with Heidelberg factory to carry out needed diagnostics whenever the case required.
Regional shows will never replace DRUPA. They are too small to handle such big display of products and exhibitors
MEPrinter September-October 2020
Do you think The effects of Covid 19 Pandemic will force printers in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Middle East to rethink the way they do business and try to diversify into other areas of the printing industry? Obviously, the Pandemic will force many businesses to rethink the way they do business, Printing industry is no exception. Business will review their processes and work habits in order to adapt better practices to achieve positive results, reduce costs and increase efficiencies. In
addition, I think many printers will evaluate diversifications within their domain. Be it into packaging, label printing, Digital and display areas.
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Cover Story
PRINT IS
HERE TO STAY Canon and ME Printer ME Printing Industry Market Study 2020 identifies opportunities and challenges of regional printing industry post Covid-19
MEPrinter September - October 2020
The report was based on responses to an online survey conducted by ME Printer on behalf of Canon
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The ME Printing Industry Market Study 2020 conducted jointly by Canon and ME Printer, attempts to unveil the opportunities, challenges and market trends in the regional printing industry and more specifically the Gulf region. This includes UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. During a webinar hosted by Canon ME and ME Printer magazine on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 the results of the joint study and an indepth overview of the print market and the current state of the industry during COVID-19 were revealed. Included Sunil Pandita, Director of Production, United Printing & Publishing; Alex Jahanbani, Editor of ME Printer; and Ayman Aly, Senior Marketing Manager, Canon Middle East The industry-first study also supports print service providers looking to implement an informed
and sustainable business strategy based on their customers’ requirements in a post-COVID world. Shadi Bakhour, B2B Business Unit Director, Canon Middle East, said: “With the onset of the pandemic and the lockdown, we knew that there is going to be an impact on the print. There was already a change in motion with the natural progression brought forth by digital trends and new print sectors emerging, but we believe the change was accelerated by COVID-19 and put the industry on a path where transformation was now a necessity. Our objective is to support the print industry in the region, and conducting the Canon ME Printing Industry Market Study
2020 early on allows businesses and stakeholders in the sector to make solid strategic decisions and capitalise on the opportunities that are now available based on these new insights.”
METHODOLOGY The report was based on responses to an online survey conducted by ME Printer on behalf of Canon, between June and July 2020. The survey was sent to printing presses, service providers and key industry stakeholders, and brand owners. ME Printer asked survey respondents a series of questions in order to gain a better understanding of the current market conditions for the print industry and the demand for print services today.
Dramatic shock Most of the industries have suffered a dramatic shock with demand and business confidence decimated due to Covid-19 and print industry is no different. The print industry is facing lot of challenges including non-availability of financing options, major competition from online media, crowded marketplace in the offset printing space etc. Gaining insight into and delivering the right investment decisions can be challenging, but it is a process and the more input and information, the better. Ensuring you have the right business model that delivers profitability and sustainability is something that needs to be looked at again as the economy starts recovering after months of lockdown across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic The printing industry also needs to look at options for process improvements, which can open up new opportunities. Additional challenges that call for a revised review of your business model include:
Business Environment: It is profoundly more complex and industry conventional boundaries are fading. Technology is bringing competition into your backyard and you have the opportunity to similarly follow.
Competition: Today the basis of competition is increasingly based on capabilities and knowledge.
Value Creation: The valueadded potential of many businesses is shifting toward knowledge, systemic innovation, and service-based activities.
Extended Enterprise: Virtual integration, partnerships, strategic alliances and joint ventures, part of the extended enterprise, are becoming common parts of competitive strategies. Companies that get investment right will inevitably capture the most profitable opportunities, clients and markets. Companies that
don’t will be left to compete on unfavorable terms and smaller returns. With this research, Canon and ME Printer hope to provide you with a better understanding of cumulative trends impacting the print industry. There are many common issues faced by organisations across the industry, clearly some organisations are dealing with these challenges better than others.
Key Findings (print service providers)
. Packaging
ME‌Printer September-October 2020
sector is showing the stabilizing effect in the printing and packaging arena. Wide format graphics, book printing and commercial printing. Sheet-Fed digital printing are other areas which look promising . printing & packing industry feels that Covid-19 has had moderate to significant impact on their business. Still they feel there would be opportunities in KSA and UAE once the COVID-19 phase is over . Significant numbers of Businesses (64%) wants to diversify into new areas of printing & packaging with 30% respondents planning Investment in machinery in the near future
The joint Canon and ME Printer webinar concluded with a panel discussion with the participation of Sunil Pandita, Director ProductionUnited Printing & Publishing, Alex Jahanbani, Editor ME Printer and Ayman Aly,Senior Marketing Manager- Canon Middle East
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Cover Story . Non-existent financing options
ME‌Printer September - October 2020
The print industry is facing lot of challenges including non-availability of financing options, major competition from online media, crowded marketplace in the offset printing space
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remains one of the top business challenge for the business . Packaging, labels, security printing and cut-sheet digital print are the major job segments to witness growth . Cloud-enabled workflow services were adding value to the overall workflow according to printers using workflow for estimation, print management using workflow tools help in controlling costs and adding value. . Financial support to purchase new digital equipment, access to printing/graphics templates and free software libraries are major factors cited by small local print service providers limiting their plans to move more towards digital printing equipment. Despite sharp decrease in demand for printing still a large portion of all types of information is printed. The web is now more dominant than ever but print still matters and this is the essence of this survey. Among all sectors of printing, packaging reigns supreme. The findings of this survey in general and the graph in this slide in particular are more or less attuned to global graphic arts trends, except perhaps commercial printing which boasts more opportunities in our region
comparing to developed western countries. According to a recent report published by Smithers Pira in 2020 print for packaging is valued at almost $447 billion, with print output of 11.4 trillion A4 prints equivalent. There are huge untapped opportunities for digital printing to penetrate packaging and label printing market. Next stop is digital inkjet printing which is an essential part of large format printing. Based on figures presented by Smithers Pira. In 2020 Inkjet printing market is valued at $80.4 billion, which is equivalent to 932 billion A4 prints. Smithers Pira forecasts this growth will continue post Covid pandemic. Printers and
converters will spend $3.9 billion on new inkjet equipment, up from $2.9 billion in 2015. There is no doubt that Covid -19 has shaken our industry to the core and we all are trying to adjust to new realities. For signs and graphics industry, COVID-19 has posed a major challenge, but there are also opportunities. Governments and health authorities are using videos and graphics to promote social distancing and how to properly wash your hands. Floor stickers, billboards and other large format printing material have been used for this cause. Also, interactive shop signs and restaurant touchless menus also creates opportunities
activities including packaging and label printing.
Key Findings (Print buyers)
. The
for large format printing. It seems that large format printing will be able to recover quickly. On the other hand, the services and products that signs and graphics offer to public is very valuable and sometimes lifesaving. In terms of expansion plans of machinery and facilities, 64% of respondents want to diversify into new areas of printing & packaging. 40% of participants want to explore new markets to cover the reduction in demand due to the pandemic. Investment in machinery is planned in the near future according to 30% of the respondents. Packaging, labels, Commercial printing, security printing and book printing are the major job segments that will witness growth and respondents view this as their main revenue streams No surprises here. The demand for packaging and labels is growing and will increase. Security printing is also promising. However, the commercial printing is also encouraging and should not be overlooked.
We are not seeing much diversification into other print related services yet. 71% of respondents are still focused on their core offering and want to consolidate their position, 29% feel diversification is the only way to stay afloat in this pandemic hit market. Traditionally commercial printers were keen to diversify and become a one stop shop for their customers. Commercial printers are now offering a wide range of products and added value services including graphic design, web to print and fulfillment, database management. Many offset printers are also using digital equipment for short run printing and other services. For commercial printer, diversification meant adding services and products which complements their core offering. Covid pandemic strengthened this strategy and they prefer not to get out of their comfort zone for time being. On the other hand, some printers also feel they have to shift to other more profitable printing
office print industry is facing immense uncertainty due to Covid-19 and it is not going to be business as usual. Hence, we wanted to understand how printing will be impacted post covid-19 in the workplace. . Device-as-a-service adoption among brand owners is only going to go up as it helps them access the latest technology, control cost & unburden IT. . Majority of marketing dollars will move towards online marketing with mobile centric contents. offline media to be optimized will be used on case to case basis. This means more focus will be on short-run ondemand printing and end of bulk printing. . Managed Print Service and its importance post Covid-19. 60% of the respondents have not evaluated the importance of MPS . Printed marketing communication as a channel, is it still relevant even though brand owners feel that printing budgets will decrease. . Paperless trends in office post Covid-19: It looks more like “less paper “than paperless office. . Sustainable printing solutions going forward: Majority of brand owners feel the need to shift to sustainable printing solutions.
With this research, Canon and ME Printer hope to provide a better understanding of cumulative trends impacting the print industry
ME‌Printer September-October 2020
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Cover Story
The office print industry is facing immense uncertainty due to Covid-19 and it is not going to be business as usual
MEPrinter September - October 2020
We wanted to understand the opportunities available going forward. Majority of respondents feel shop signage’s, floor stickers & product labels being the top 3 opportunities followed by large
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poster printing, point of sale printing & POS displays in the retail printing market. Printed marketing communication as a channel, is it still relevant. 69% of respondents
feel print to be still used for major company or product announcements. 57% feel attractive packaging would be the future for print. 19% feel that print as a marketing communication channel will reduce. Does printing play a role in brand’s success, we wanted to understand and 43% respondents feel that printing play a very important role and 40% feel it is important. 17% rate printing’s role as moderate in the success story of the brand. The graph in this slide is an ironclad proof that printing still do matter to companies and they will use it for their day to day activities. 65% feel more marketing dollars will move towards online marketing with mobile centric contents as it is much easier to measure. 52% of respondents feel offline media will be optimized and be used on case to case basis. This means more focus will be on short-run ondemand printing and end of bulk printing. Digital printing for packaging productions: 72% respondents still don’t use digital printing for packaging productions.
Sustainable printing solutions going forward. 53% feel the need to shift to sustainable printing solutions in the months to come whereas, 34% don’t have any plans to shift. Another 13% are still undecided. Brand owners are very serious about sustainable practices when it comes to printing and this will affect their relation with printers. Printers should take note of that. 55% of brand owners feel the need to integrate print with augmented reality, QR codes & NFC
tags. 25% of respondents don’t have any plans and another 21% are still undecided.
Conclusion The requirement for brand enhancement/ differentiation/ customization in this competitive environment is growing hence, printed packaging is seeing attraction from the printers and we foresee investments moving in that direction. Brand owners are still optimistic that printing of essential
ME‌Printer September-October 2020
documents will happen and print management & cost control using workflows will be more and more adopted by companies to cut costs and improve efficiency. With demand for long runs shrinking and short runs with variable printing gaining popularity, print vendors need to ensure better market penetration by supporting printers through offering finance s o lutio ns/d ev ice -as-a - s e r v ice and helping them with necessary training/providing free templates plus access to software libraries.
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Interview
3D PRINTING WILL TRANSFORM SIGNAGE INDUSTRY Exclusive: One on One with Ronald van den Broek, Mimaki’s General Sales Manager
MEPrinter September - October 2020
Home textiles and technical textiles are experiencing extensive growth and are expected to further increase in the near future
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Drupa is not the only big graphic arts show that has been postponed. Other trade events including Fespa had to follow suit due to ongoing pandemic. Fespa will take place in fall, but many vendors including Mimaki couldn’t wait that long. So the company held its own Virtual Press Festival, from March 24 until May 1. Mimaki is also focusing on 3D printing big time. The company recently introduced a new large format 3D printer, Mimaki 3DGD-1800 (with GD standing for Gel Dispensing). The machine can produce hollow objects up to 1.8 meters in height in about seven hours. In light of these new developments ME Printer talked to Ronald van den Broek, Mimaki’s General Sales Manager to find out more about company’s plan for the future and post Covid strategy. What concrete steps Mimaki is taking to protect environment? At Mimaki, we make sure that we follow safety guidelines and that our products are certified according to local standards and regulations. Our sublimation inks, for example, are certified with ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX, which proves that there is no harmful effect to humans or the environment in which the textiles are treated using the inks. Recently, we also introduced new eco-cartridge for our 600ml SS21 inks, which can be reused to reduce plastic waste. Furthermore, we work with our partners and other manufacturers to provide environmentally conscious solutions for our customers. Our distributor in the UK, for instance, runs a solvent cartridge recycling scheme. In April, we announced our upcoming collaboration with BOFA to design
Ronald van den Broek, General Sales Manager EMEA, Mimaki Europe
a custom air purifier unit for one of our wide-format solvent machines to promote an even safer work environment. What was and is Mimaki’s contribution to the fight against coronavirus? Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we at Mimaki have been working hard to ensure we maintain communications with our customers and support them through this difficult time. Under normal circumstances, we would be interacting with our customers face-to-face at events, instead we have set up a series of virtual events to help keep the industry connected and thriving. In fact, our virtual Mimaki Live events have been exploring ways in which printers, whether they specialize in textiles, large format, 3D or signage, can keep their business going and even be reinvigorated during these trying months. In addition, in the aftermath of COVID many of our customers, such as Italian printer Energiapura, are utilizing Mimaki’s printers to quickly produce face masks to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. We are at their side, determined to support and help them overcome
this challenging time. You are offering a wide range of printers in different format and for different applications including 3D printing, which areas of applications have a better prospect and a faster growing rate: textile, decor, 3D printing……? Based on the evolution of the market, as well as on the direct feedback from our customers during our virtual live events, we would say that home textiles and technical textiles are experiencing extensive growth and are expected to further increase in the near future. The same applies to the soft signage and retail signage spaces, as they retail units begin to re-open. We also see 3D printing experiencing a lot of growth over next few years, with its ability to produce stand-out, interactive signage and models quickly and easily. We believe that 3D printers such as Mimaki’s 3DGD-1800 have great potential in transforming the signage industry. Wide format and signage are playing important role during ongoing Covid pandemic. They are even classified as “essential”, do you see more opportunity for
Mimaki in signage industry in post Covid era? Certainly, despite the reduction in retail signage, COVID guidance signs are one such example of how signage is being widely used during the crisis. Post-COVID, I imagine that retail will want to keep their displays flexible, as things slowly get back to normal – and this is where Mimaki’s digital printers can help provide swift and easy signage printing. Packaging has largely been immune to the effects of Coronavirus, does Mimaki have plan to get more involved in the different areas of packaging industry including printing on corrugated board? Our UV printers are capable of printing on corrugated board, even though these are mostly used for producing custom packaging, mock-ups, or a small run. While the packaging industry is interesting for us, as of now we do not have any plans to get more involved in this market. But if we do, we will definitely let you know. Ghent Workgroup (GWG) recently launched new specification for sign and display in order to solve the problem of apparent resolution and actual resolution and enable graphic arts professionals to create, process and exchange high quality print files for a wide variety of applications, do you think this initiative and initiatives similar to this help large format industry to find common ground? Definitely. LFP is such a multilayered industry that covers a large variety of products, from banners and exhibition displays to vehicle wraps and window graphics. Therefore, standardization and guidelines are required to help companies set clear expectations of quality and consistency for their customers.
levels. This ensures that products of these inks are acceptable to use in environments like schools and healthcare facilities.
What are recent developments in ink, many thought the death of solvent ink is imminent but that hasn’t happened yet, Why? Solvent is here to stay as it is the most affordable and proven option out there for signage graphics. Other inks will co-exist with solvent and, at the end of the day, it depends on the business needs of each printing company. This is because other inks, such as UV-curable inks, offer different properties compared to those of solvent, which can be suitable for printing companies looking for a more sustainable option or printing on more varied materials.
Unlike other parts of industry like textile or packaging, there have not been very many earthshaking product announcements in the wide format space, why? I partly agree with this statement because the wide format space is quite saturated. The textile industry, on the other hand, is experiencing a shift toward digital printing technology because more than 90% of global textile production is still done via conventional techniques. With that being said, there are still announcements within the wide format sector that are worth noting, such as recent ink developments. UV-curable inks, for example, are getting more popular and accessible than ever. Another game-changing development in wide format is the introduction of new tech such as 3D printing. We’ve recently announced the Mimaki 3DGD-1800, a large-scale 3D printer. With the introduction of this machine, our customers can now combine 2D and 3D printing to create one-of-a-kind signage – for example: they can print a 3D model of a car bumper, wrap it with printed vinyl and mount it on a billboard to make it appear as if a car is coming out of the ad. The creative possibilities are endless!
Does the term Eco solvent represent just a marketing gimmick or is it truly Ecological or maybe economical rather than eco logical? It depends on how each company chooses to communicate this to the masses. In our case, Mimaki’s eco-solvent inks produce less VOCs compared to the solvent ones and they do not require any special ventilation facility. However, our solvent inks, such as the SS21 and BS4, are certified GREENGUARD Gold, meaning that they pass strict health-based criteria for additional chemicals and VOC emissions
We also see 3D printing experiencing a lot of growth over next few years, with its ability to produce stand-out, interactive signage and models quickly and easily
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They also help printers to work toward improving their workflow productivity and efficiency – and eventually to print with confidence.
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Interview
STRAIGHT TALK WITH EPSON
Shihab Ahmed Zubair, Epson’s regional Sales Manager
MEPrinter September - October 2020
Label printer was one range of products that experienced growth during Coronavirus crisis
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There is no doubt within world of digital printing Epson is a powerhouse. The company is a major manufacturer of printers as well as projectors and industrial robots. As part of our ongoing interview series with top managers of global graphic arts companies we caught up with Shihab Ahmed Zubair, Epson’s regional sales manager. During our extensive Q&A session Zubair offered a rather clear picture of Epson’s portfolio as well company’s post Covid recovery strategy. In January, Epson launched its first industrial direct to garment printer. First of all, why did it take Epson so long to enter this market and does Epson plan to focus more on this market? Epson actually entered this market back in 2003 when we launched the Monna Lisa 160B Inkjet Textile Printer, which was jointly developed in collaboration with leading Italian textile manufacturing equipment manufacturer, Robustelli S.R.L., now part of our Group. The new release is not only a culmination of our longstanding experience in the field but also the first of many products that we aim to introduce for this important market segment. What about soft signage and textile? Following the launch
of Epson’s first fluorescent ink, dye-sublimation, textile printing solution in 2019, are there any plan in the works to launch new products for textile printing? While Epson launched the first Dye-Sublimation printer in 2012, we were already a major contributor to the segment, as most of the major players in the market at the time were utilizing our print head technology as part of their own solutions. In that same year, the company decided to enter the market with two new products, the F6000 and F7000, which were the first in the industry to be fully manufactured by a single vendor. And from that time, we continued the development of our range and with the launch of the F9400H, Epson’s first dye sublimation printing solution, we are now able to highlight two genuine fluorescent inks — yellow and pink. These bring bright and vivid colors to the production of sportswear, workwear, and fashion items. We’re continuing to work on new products that will bring a host of other features to the table, including higher productivity and the capability to print at bigger sizes. What is Epson’s strategy to engage with its customers during post-COVID recovery? Over the course of the ongoing global crisis, we continued to engage with our customers, remaining in constant dialogue throughout. As part of that engagement, Epson conducted several training sessions with our clients, highlighting different ways they could use our technologies to keep their operations moving, while at the same time generating new business and introducing novel solutions that would enable them to meet the demand in the market. We will continue to work closely with our clients to build and implement an effective post-COVID-19 recovery plan together. Please explain how COVID 19 impacted Epson and what was Epson’s contribution to the healthcare industry to overcome
the crisis? Did Epson also manufacture masks? Like many other industries, we were affected by both the lockdown and the economic impact of the ongoing global crisis. Factories and partners around the world helped with production of face visors and masks. As part of our efforts to generate new business during this difficult time, we discovered a new opportunity within the creative mask manufacturing space with many of our F-Series products being utilized to produce customized face masks. Recently Epson launched a number of portable label makers, do you see many opportunities in this market? Label printers was one range of products that experienced growth during this crisis. This was due to the increasing need for customized colored, short run labels, as well as a need for effective mobile solutions such as our portable label makers. In particular, our on-demand ColorWorks label printers have been used to support labelling for the growing take-away food business and also in labelling for gels and hand sanitizers. In which way Epson is involved in augmented reality technology? Epson launched its MOVERIO Smart Glasses in 2011, and the technology is now in its third generation of development. The glasses have found real case uses in the commercial environment as well as in tourism and leisure. Here are some examples: - Remote technical assistance. Epson’s Moverio Augmented Reality smart glasses are now used widely in remote assistance, a demand that has grown in recent years, where the glasses deliver better productivity, lower costs, improved customer service and – importantly – a much reduced carbon footprint. There ae users now in pharmaceuticals (Marchesini), rubber manufacturing (Saargummi), railway manufacturing (Siemens), food
and drink (SIG) and packaging (Comexi). - Remote marketing and selling using Moverio (VW Group - Audi Cars) which was implemented in 2019 but illustrates how Epson’s technology is helping to provide additional and unforeseen benefits in these changed times. We expect the use of the glasses in remote selling to grow postpandemic. - Providing better tools (offering line of sight) for both commercial and recreational drone pilots - Enhancing visitor experiences across the arts, entertainment, and tourism industries. - Improving industrial workflows to reduce human error, minimize travel cost, and increase safety across operations Epson is a company offering a wide range of products, including wearable and robotics however the general perception is that Epson is basically manufacturer of printers, do you believe there is more to be done to change this perception? To date, our portfolio of printing solutions represents around two thirds of our company’s revenue. It is an area of our business that we continue to refine further, particularly with the original Micro Piezo Inkjet technology, where we aim to achieve higher productivity, better environmental performance, and deliver a sustainable printing ecosystem. In addition to our printing division, we have focused our efforts on achieving innovation in two other areas of business: Projectors: Perhaps not fully appreciated is the fact that Epson is the market leader in projectors – in
terms of volume and value share – a position it has held globally for 18 years running. Epson’s unique proprietary 3LCD technology delivers bright, vivid, natural-looking color images. We are continuing to expand our high lumens offering, and our ultra-short-throw projection technology is increasing used in corporate and educational environments. Industrial Robots: Another lessor know fact is that Epson is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of robots and has been the global market share leader in SCARA robots for eight consecutive years with an extensive lineup of SCARA models for a wide range of applications. Many manufacturers including Epson organized virtual shows to display their new products, do you think that virtual shows eventually will replace exhibitions such as drupa in near future? These virtual events are important and will continue to grow post pandemic but I don’t think they will ever fully replace the main industry events, especially within the commercial and industrial printing segment. We find that many of our customers prefer to touch and feel the final product, which then provides them with a better understanding of the total solution. So, I think DRUPA, FESPA, SGI, and EgyStitch will always be there and will remain crucial venues for us to showcase our latest offerings. Coronavirus crisis disrupted many norms and standard practices, as far as manufacturing is concerned. Do you think Epson will adopt a whole new approach towards manufacturing and what kind of products will the company want to launch to market? Will we see more environmentally friendly
Epson launched its MOVERIO Smart Glasses in 2011, and the technology is now in its third generation of development
MEPrinter September-October 2020
products? Even before the advent of COVID-19, sustainability was central part of Epson’s vision as an organization. In 2008, the company announced its Environmental Vision 2050, a new initiative that highlighted our environmental goals leading up to 2050. With immediate effect, we began focusing our efforts on achieving the goals set out by our organization’s leadership. Our efforts to reduce the environmental impact of our products has resulted in the creation of new designs featuring increased productivity, production process and product energy efficiency, resource efficiency, as well as eliminating the use harmful and hazardous substances typically found in traditional printing solutions. - Compact, lightweight, energyefficient Epson products that are designed for long life and easy recyclability and have a lower environmental impact across their life cycles - Epson produces attractive products engineered for easy maintenance and chemical safety There is a certain cautious optimism within the printing industry, because the commercial and industrial activities are picking up in some countries including China. Do you also see more activities in our region following the COVID-19 crisis? I believe in such a crisis there will always generate new opportunities, particularly with small and medium businesses. For our part, we’ve seen an uptick with our textile and signage solutions as well as increased interest with digital labeling products across the region. And to maximize these developments, Epson is always keen to provide our clients with the latest innovations and solutions that address the challenges faced by our customers in this situation.
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Interview
THE MIDDLE EAST IS AN ATTRACTIVE
MARKET FOR US Exclusive interview with Claus Bolza-Schünemann, CEO, Koenig and Bauer
MEPrinter September - October 2020
Uncertain times Mr. Schünemann, don’t you think so? Yes, but after all any kind of disease or virus is a huge challenge and we have to live and cope with it. However, my belief is some of the measures taken were completely overdone and others are fairly okay. Having said that I believe the Coronavirus crisis will change international business and also our lifestyle dramatically, unlike any other disease or virus that hit us during the last 50 or 100 years. It’s not the Spanish flu of course, but it’s all over the world. And as you already said the uncertainties are quite large.
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As one of the biggest player in global printing industry Koenig and Bauer has been choosing its path wisely. The company started diversifying into different sectors of printing industry since many years ago and the company is now offering a wide range of printing equipment for offset, digital, security, flexible packaging as well as metal printing. Koenig and Bauer’s focus on packaging could be a winning formula to survive the ongoing Coronavirus crisis. In order to find out more about company’s plans for the future and its view on current pandemic we talked with Claus BolzaSchünemann, CEO of Koenig and Bauer. Schünemann has served the company for 28 years, which included nine years as CEO and President. He is an engineer and full of passion about graphic arts industry. Here is the full interview which was done through remote video conferencing.
Unlike a number of big manufacturers who believe the era of mega exhibitions is over you have decided to participate in drupa, do you believe exhibitions such as drupa are still relevant? I personally believe so. There is no question that there are fewer exhibitions around the world than the past. However, we do actually believe that showing technologies and solutions for the graphic industry in a general Exhibition has an extremely broad view. We do have in-house exhibitions, but we only show what kind of technology Koenig and Bauer has to offer to the market. In an exhibition you have the opportunity to see all or most of companies who are active in the printing world under one roof and this is a great advantage. And I think this is also a charming part of the exhibitions such as drupa for the customers who are visiting the show. They have the possibility to see not only printing presses from several suppliers but also all the solutions around it. Therefore, I think very large exhibitions that are being held once in a while such as China Print or drupa are still attractive. However regional exhibitions with few exhibitors are not viable anymore. Many have died and don’t exist anymore. They just became too small and therefore I think that the large ones are still very popular. For Koenig and Bauer particularly participating at drupa is to show a new technology or face to face meeting is more important? Many companies now are using virtual events and webinars to present their new technology. You know, at the very end people do business and we are in the investing industry. We don’t manufacture cars or refrigerators, which can be easily sold via
Internet. It’s long-term partnership. Customers are with us and we are with customers. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, after all I am 64. I’m allowed to be that way. But at the very end, I think the personal contact, the trustworthy long term relation is essentially very important, especially for the kind of business we are in. Recently you introduced Rapida 106 X, as well as Rapida 76 as brand new presses. However, it seems that both are classic Rapidas with all the bells and whistles and options that were already available and a trendy news design, do you believe sheetfed offset still has the ability to surprise us? It’s certainly not a completely new equipment. It’s a constant continuous development and evolution of the existing ones. There’s no question. The iron is almost the same. The purposes are the same, of course like a new car, you find many components from the prior series. This is normal, but you will find several digital features in our new machines as well. You can run the press from your smartphone. From an operational point of view there is new software application, a big new wall screen which is very easy to operate. There are some new and highly automated hardware features as well, such as fully automated plate supply which operates like a
commercial newspaper press. So there are many new features but the machine at heart is certainly a Rapida 106. So you don’t think we can label a new sheetfed offset press as revolutionary or disruptive technology anymore? No, it’s not a disruptive development. It’s a sheefed industrial press with proven technology for 24/7 use, highly automated, full of function. But at the very end, it must be a workhorse for our customers. You mentioned due to Covid 19 Koenig and Bauer will be focusing more on remote services and Visual PressSupport, do you believe customers also embrace this new strategy or they have no other choice anyway? I think the good part of Covid -19, if there is any, is that we learned lots of things can be done virtually, like our interview right now. In the old days You would have to travel six hours by plane to meet me in person. This now works extremely well and certainly will change the way we communicate with customers. Maybe we don’t have to send three experts in the future to customer premises, one would be enough and the rest can be done online. This is a dramatic change. For example, last week we fully commissioned a machine in Asia only via internet. We did
the commission work, software loading, start of the machine. 95% of the work we did virtually through Internet and video camera. We had only one, I would not even say expert, on site and it really worked well. Now customers are more and more willing to accept that we help and offer them service work remotely. The same printers before would not allow us to have internet access into their machines. Everybody was afraid the data would be compromised. This attitude has dramatically changed during last six months. Due to Coronavirus crises sales are naturally down and all companies are struggling what measures you have taken to mitigate the crisis? We took a number of measures. From first of April on we do short hour work. We have about 1000 people who are not working full time and it is mostly paid or subsidized by government to avoid that all the companies release employees by the thousands of by the millions. Luckily most of the European countries do the same thing. Countries such as Switzerland, Austria and Check Republic to name a few. However, the situation is completely different in the US. They immediately fired their employees and therefore their unemployment rate is sky high. So what we did is certainly of value. Having said that, this cannot go on
Maybe I’m oldfashioned, but I think personal contact is essentially very important, especially for the kind of business we are in
MEPrinter September-October 2020
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Interview
MEPrinter September - October 2020
I think the good part of Covid -19, if there is any, is that we learned lots of things can be done virtually
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forever. And we are not the only one who are facing these challenges. It is the same for Airbus or other manufacturers as well. In midterm the revenue of all companies will go down and I think everybody has to find its way on how to reorganize, to restructure, reduce workforce or whatsoever. If the economic hit from Covid continues the outcome would be what I just mentioned. Even if Covid should disappear in six months, we will not be back to normal within the next 12 months. This will not happen. Prior to the Pandemic Middle East has been a growing market for Koenig and Bauer, is Middle East market still attractive for you? Yes. Definitely. No question about that. We are fully active wherever we can. Sometimes it is very difficult to physically meet the customers. We do many things virtually. We launched Koenig and Bauer live webinar back in June. It was extremely successful. And many visitors from the near East, the Far East and Middle East signed up to watch the event. So we have no drawbacks from the Middle East. Not at all. It’s a good market for us and we certainly keep penetrating it. Don’t you think pandemic proved that big manufacturers
need to have a strong local presence and more investment to train local service men to handle maintenance and repair job locally plus a well stock of spare parts rather than relying on German staff? Don’t you think this is a better option right now? This is not an option, this is reality. we do have hubs around the world where we have mechanical and software experts. These hubs are located in areas where we have a lot of customers. For example, in Southeast Asia, in China, in the USA, and in Mexico. These hubs help us to offer services locally and to avoid having to fly experts always from Germany which is costly and also time consuming. This was a big help during Covid in US. Thanks to 160 employees in US we could do service work in that country. Otherwise we would have had no chance to interfere and offer our services in the US during pandemic. And we will stick to this policy. I think it’s also important for our customers. We have big printers around the world who are asking for local support, people available for very quick service and therefore we have implemented this policy many years ago. Despite all the digital possibilities we continue offer service through our local partners. We now have more than 200 people in China. They’re doing
mainly commissioning and service work, something we cannot do from Germany. Have you had lots of order cancellation due to Covid? I’m aware of only one single order. We have certainly postponed deliveries because we were not able to carry out the delivery or send experts for example from Germany to Denmark three months ago. This just didn’t work. We stopped major installation in the US, Mexico, Spain, Egypt and Indonesia. But we’re slowly going back to normal. So it was mainly a delay and as I said, except for one machine there was no other cancellations. Do you consider Koenig and Bauer financially healthy? Yes. We have no financial issues or shortages at the moment. You know, we always treated our shareholder fairly bad. We always tell them get over profits in the company. But you asked for a loan from the government? Yes, we did ask for a loan. It’s not finalized yet. It is mainly for security reasons since we do not know how the world will develop, will we be back to normal in the next 6,12, 0r 18 months, will Covid stay with us for another three years? Nobody knows the answers to these
questions. That’s why we applied for loan. Do you think Covid crisis somehow is forcing printers to go fully automated and implement end to end workflows, something that they were reluctant to do before pandemic? Definitely yes. I think in the past printers did not have the necessity to opt for full automation. Today is different. Printers are facing lot of pressure commercially. So I think they are obliged to operate as lean as possible using efficient workflows in their printing environment. Also unlike the old days for printers is now easier to accept certain standards in our industry. In the past everybody was looking for his own homemade solutions and therefore standardized workflows were not available or unaffordable and I think this mindset is changing right now. When we look at sheetfed offset printing market we see commercial printing is declining but package printing is even stronger than before, does this trend mean that your presses also are targeted for package printers rather than commercial printers? Definitely. As far as sheetfed is concerned our core business is packaging not commercial printing. Two thirds of our presses are being used for package printing. With the increase in population packaging is also growing. The world needs more food and more packaging due to increased health standards as well as higher demand for online shopping. Commercial printing is declining while packaging is on the rise. That is why we are focusing so much on packaging.
You have diversified into several branches of printing
industry. Your product mix now includes equipment for flexible packaging, metal printing and so on and so forth, don’t you find it difficult to be involved in all these different printing technologies and conduct research and development? Well. You know I’m an engineer and I think it’s joyfully to deal with all these different baskets and you know at the very end, and I said this many times, the core concept of what we do is to apply the ink on a substrate. It doesn’t matter if it is a banknote or a beer can or flexible packaging or folding carton or a corrugated box. They are not identical but many process are extremely similar and therefore if we build paper web transport system or a transport system for flexible packaging, there are not too many differences. In the processes, yes, there are many, but from the engineering, the machine building, the software, and the drive technology aspects they are very similar. Therefore, I think it’s very good to have all these applications in the printing industry. Because if one segment doesn’t perform well in the market another one can replace it. So I think we have a good product mix. Do you think after the Coronavirus crisis is resolved one way or another, our industry will be able to rebound quickly? No. It won’t be a fast recovery. No. I guess it will take many years for our whole industry to come back to pre Covid level.
The Middle East is a good market for us and we certainly keep penetrating it
MEPrinter September-October 2020
What about digital printing? You are also offering digital presses. Do you think the growth rate of your digital presses will be higher than your offset machines in future? Well, the crystal ball would be nice here. But seriously speaking, no. We are investing since 10 years in digital printing technology. we started with the Rotajet in 2011. We
showed the first prototype at drupa. We had many improvements. The print quality today is absolutely outstanding, phenomenal and however it is still fairly expensive process. Total cost of ownership is higher than a conventional offset. Digital printing today and even in one, two or three years down the road will still remain costlier than conventional offset printing. If the digital print service provider is not able to ask or to receive the extra cost from his customer, I think it is very difficult for digital to expand its markets. I am not saying to survive. There are always applications which can be done beautifully with digital printing. But for mass market, for the food industry, for your cornflakes boxes I really don’t see the benefits of digital printing. Personally I would not pay a single cent more for my cornflakes in the morning if my name is printed on the box. As long as this doesn’t happen digital will not substitute the really competitive offset printing. It’s beautiful if you order a photo book for your personal photos. In this particular case you don’t care if it costs 10, 15 or 20 dollars because it’s for you. It’s fully personalized. Digital is ideal for very small copy counts or for individualized advertising when your customer is willing to pay for the variability you offer and I think this is why both worlds really make sense.
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Interview
PRINTING
MUST BE
SMART An Exclusive Interview with Rainer Hundsdörfer, CEO Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Past few months have been a roller coaster of events for Heidelberg. They made big announcements, some of them shocking, but it seems that the company, which still is the biggest press manufacturer in the world is on its way to financial stability. In order to make sense of Heidelberg’s recent controversial decisions we decided to talk to the man at the helm of the company and here is what he had to say:
MEPrinter September - October 2020
The market for print products remains stable with a worldwide print volume of more than 400 billion Euros annually
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Is Heidelberg financially healthy at the moment? Yes, we are. We are making rapid progress with the transformation initiated in November last year to increase profitability, competitiveness, and safeguard the future. Following the financial stabilization through the retransfer of €380 million from the trust assets of Heidelberg Pension Trust e.V. in March 2020 and the decision to divest from loss-making activities by the end of 2020, significant structural measures are now being implemented. We have already agreed with the works council on socially responsible solutions for the reduction of around 1,600 jobs worldwide. In June, a new operating model was launched which, with fewer management levels, leaner processes and a significantly improved customer focus, enables more efficient management of the profitable core business. Overall, the action package is designed to
improve Heidelberg’s profitability by € 100 million. We also believe that the program will strengthen our position in the ongoing difficult market environment. We are in the process to sell the Gallus Group in Switzerland, which operates in the label sector, to the Swiss company benpac Holding AG. The agreed purchase price of € 120 million will generate earnings in the mid-double-digit million Euro range in the current financial year. The next milestone in our ongoing financial stabilization and transformation process is the pay back of the remaining amount of € 150 million on the existing highyield bond (HYB), which has a term to maturity until 2022 and a coupon of 8 % p.a. We will make the payback before maturity in September 2020. The pay back will be funded from cash reserves and will unburden the financial result by approx. € 12 million per year. This gives us leeway for future investments and to shape the future of our company. We’re thus giving our liquidity a big boost, which will be particularly helpful during the coronavirus crisis. Overall, the company is thus financially more stable than it has been for years. History has not been kind to Heidelberg when it comes to digital printing. Back in 2000 was Nexpress project, which didn’t go anywhere and now
Primefire, which was supposed to be Heidelberg’s big break into digital printing, so what seems to be the problem? The Primefire is the best product in this segment at the moment. However, we had no choice but to realize that the market for it has not developed to date as we expected. We therefore decided to abandon production of the Primefire. This is the only sensible decision from an entrepreneurial point of view, given the fact that this segment is quite simply unprofitable. Continuing production would ultimately be at the expense of our profitable and world market-leading core business, since we would no longer be able to provide all the technological developments our customers need. The big press manufacturers have been diversifying since at least two decades ago, venturing into different areas of printing such as flexible packaging, security printing and so on and so forth, do you think at the moment Heidelberg product mix is a right one for the current state of the graphic arts market? Our focus now is the interests of our customers and their needs and a clear focus on our core business. Our core business remains printing. We support our customers in packaging and label printing as well as in commercial printing
throughout the entire process – from the offer to the invoice as a solution provider. In other words, along the entire value-added chain. Heidelberg is currently the only company in the industry that is able to do this as a global technology leader. Based on the customer’s needs, we can put together an offer that perfectly meets his individual requirements. Our customers look at the added value of digital offers for the printing process. Because “printing” must be “smart”. And Heidelberg offers exactly that. Because with our Smart Print Shop, we digitalize printing. The Smart Print Shop thus forms the backbone of our digital solutions. In future, we will therefore be systematically continuing to digitize processes, with a focus on operatorindependent performance. It seems that Covid 19 will be with us for some time, how will this pandemic affect Heidelberg’s plan and strategy for next few years? Heidelberg is addressing the right issues and is doing so resolutely, leaving no stone unturned. Based on our strong core business, we’re placing the company on a sustainably profitable footing, which will give us a bright future. We are and will remain the industry’s technology leader. And as a fullservice provider, we are and will remain a strong partner supporting our customers. We’re focusing on the things that give our customers what they need.
Offset will be the number one choice for package printers for many years to come, but within commercial printing sector offset is losing ground, where does that leave Heidelberg now that you have also decided to pull the plug on digital? We serve packaging, label, and commercial printing customers in sheetfed offset. Postpress opens up huge potential for industrialization, connectivity, and robotics. We are also working on this with our partners MK Masterwork and Polar. In the digital printing segment, we will henceforth be concentrating on the Versafire for commercial printing. Alongside this strong core, we want to continue to dedicate ourselves to the topic of the Smart Print Shop and artificial intelligence, and to further drive the associated digital transformation in order to support our customers in improving their operational processes with the right technology. The packaging market is systemically relevant for key industries such as the food industry or the health sector, especially in times of Covid-19. Moreover, our consumer behaviour has continued to change during the crisis. Most of us increasingly ordered online and cooked at home during the lockdown, as company canteens and restaurants were closed. Our packaging customers had to adapt their production of household packaging to the increased demand in order to avoid delivery bottlenecks and empty supermarket shelves. Heidelberg is already the largest supplier to packaging printers. In financial year 2019/2020, half of our sheetfed offset press sales were generated in this segment. We sell as many printing units for
the packaging market alone as our largest competitor overall. We also enter into long-term partnerships with strong partners. With MK Masterwork, for example, we are supplementing our range of products in packaging printing with highly attractive finishing machines that are required. 2020 Q1 is almost over, is the order intake satisfactory considering the current dismal economic situation? As expected, the first quarter was heavily impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic, as was the case in almost all industries and especially in export-oriented mechanical engineering. The consistent implementation of our transformation program is helping us to emerge stable from the crisis. Financially we are in a solid position, the portfolio streamlining is progressing, and our cost efficiency measures are already showing initial positive effects. At the same time, we feel that the market is gradually coming back and, as a result, we are recording rising order intake again. Significant signs of recovery from the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic became apparent in the last month of the reporting quarter: order intake rose by around 27 percent compared to May in June. The positive trend in new orders continued at the beginning of the second quarter in July, with new orders exceeding the June figures. With our market initiatives, we are consistently focusing on the demands of our customers in these challenging times. We are confident that we will continue to score points with the right offers and solutions. A normal sale cycle for sheetfed press is between 6 to 12months, so due to Covid 19 have you experienced many order cancellations from last year? We are still in discussion with our customers who had plans to invest in this drupa year 2020. We believe that many of those investment plans will be concluded before the end of this year. You have decided not to participate in drupa and other major international exhibitions instead you will be focusing
We’re well on the way to becoming a digital, softwarebased company, and the current crisis underlines the necessity to make even more rapid progress now
MEPrinter September-October 2020
Heidelberg is aggressively downsizing in order to become profitable and also to ensure cashflow, but due to Covid 19 it is almost impossible to control cashflow and predict the cost of restructuring, is it really possible for Heidelberg to have a fair assessment of the future? Heidelberg’s future is not primarily about size and growth at any price, but rather a focus on profitability. This will lay the foundation for us to benefit from a recovery of the markets with our realignment. Our goals are clear, as are our priorities for the coming months. By implementing the realignment, we are making Heidelberg weatherproof, securing liquidity,
strengthening equity, streamlining structures and organization, and consistently increasing our profitability. We will also drive forward the necessary cultural change within the company. The aim is to systematically implement the transformation of Heidelberg into a flexible modern medium-sized company with flat hierarchies and entrepreneurial action at all levels.
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Interview efficiency (OEE), which represents the actual added value when compared to purchasing individual components.
MEPrinter September - October 2020
Heidelberg’s future is not primarily about size and growth at any price, but rather a focus on profitability
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on digital and local event, next year Gulf Print will be held in Dubai, which perfectly fits the description of a local event, will you be participating in Gulf Print? Heidelberg Middle East does not plan to participate in Gulf Print next year. Does Heidelberg consider Middle East as a growth area? Heidelberg considers Middle East as a growth area especially in the packaging, label and specialty printing. What is Heidelberg’s digital strategy after Primefire? Digital printing is only one part of the digitization process in our industry. Our software solutions provide the greatest leverage for digitization of the printing process. This is only possible with the appropriate software, therefore our future investments will focus on end-to-end digitization and an integrated system solution for the machines, software, consulting, and service. Our goal is to be the partner of our customers and help them to better manage the complexity introduced by short runs, and increase their profitability. To do this, Heidelberg looks at the production process as a whole, but focuses on its core business, which is sheetfed printing, both with offset and digital technology. We already have integrated the Versafire successfully into our Smart Print Shop concept. Do you still believe digital printing provides growth
opportunity for Heidelberg? The termination of the Primefire 106 project does not mean that Heidelberg is abandoning digital printing, nor digitization. We are still in the arena of digital printing and we will strengthen our digital transformation processes. Heidelberg today has probably the most extensive inkjet know-how among European manufacturers, and it is an asset that we want to exploit for our existing digital solutions. The OEM relationship with Ricoh, for example, will continue and we will strengthen our Versafire family. Does Heidelberg’s subscription model work only for big companies or small and medium printers can also benefit from it? We’re well on the way to becoming a digital, software-based company, and the current crisis underlines the necessity to make even more rapid progress now. Our contract business is a cornerstone of our future success. We know our customers have very different needs. Print Site Contracts are available in the form of lifecycle agreements or subscription agreements. Customers have a choice of four packages with different scopes of services and methods of payment. They range from a “Lifecycle Smart” contract that includes services and consumables to a “Subscription Plus” package that covers consulting, training, service, consumables, Prinect software, and equipment solutions. All four packages aim to maximize customers’ overall equipment
Heidelberg stopped the production of very large format presses which seems to be somewhat unexpected because offset printing has always been Heidelberg’s forte, what happened? The situation with the Speedmaster XL 145 and the Speedmaster XL 162 is similar to the situation with the Primefire 106. The very large format presses are built on the most modern and high-performance platform on the market, designed not only for formats 6 and 7, but also for format 8. Several formats should therefore be covered by one platform. However, the markets have been increasingly developing towards format 6 in recent years, which means that no profitable business is possible with the large platform at the prices in this market segment. The announcement to drop Primefire and the VLF offset presses had a detrimental impact on printing industry everywhere including the Middle East, on top of it downsizing creates more uncertainty, does this mean that Heidelberg is no longer interested to be the biggest press manufacturers in the world? I underline that Heidelberg is and will remain the industry’s trendsetter and innovation leader.We’re focusing on the things that give our customers what they need and generate sufficient added value for us. That means our profitable core business. We’re resolutely setting a fast pace and, if we keep it up, our strong brand, our profitable core business, our innovative strength, and our positioning in growth markets will ensure we have a bright long-term future. Our customers are becoming aware of the added value of digital solutions for the printing process – because printing has to be smart. And that’s exactly where Heidelberg comes in, digitizing printing with our Smart Print Shop. That makes the Smart Print Shop the backbone of our digital solutions. In the future, we’ll therefore systematically continue digitizing processes with a firm focus on optimum performance no matter
who is operating the equipment. In an interview you said global print market has a relatively constant volume of 400 billion Euros, how did you come up with that number? The market for print products remains stable with a worldwide print volume of more than 400 billion euros annually. While the overall print volume continues to grow in the emerging markets, print service providers in the industrialized nations are exposed to a very dynamic and rapidly changing market environment. The increasing substitution of publishing products and commercial products by the Internet and the effects of demographic change on the purchasing and reading behavior of the population are leading to a decline in the corresponding revenues. Varneshing and individualization, on the other hand, increase the value of the individual print products. Packaging and label printing is also growing. This can be seen especially in the times of the Corona Pandemic where packaging is system relevant. All in all, this then balances out on a global basis.
One of the great initiatives of Heidelberg was offering data that was collected through thousands of connected Heidelberg machines throughout the world, the so called “heat maps”. This initiative has a lot of potential for the future, however how reliable the data is and do you think it has a potential to become a universal initiative by inviting other manufacturers to join Heidelberg and share their data? With the Print Media Industry Climate Report we have our finger on the pulse of our customers. The weekly climate in the print industry was developed to support print shops during the Corona pandemic in particular. It is important for
all participants in the printing industry to understand which market segments and countries are currently most affected. The basis for this added value is the extensive data pool of our cloud, to which almost all newly delivered presses are connected. Heidelberg analyzes data from some 5,000 connected presses worldwide to produce the Print Media Industry Climate Report and tell its customers about significant market developments so they can better respond to the crisis. We publish this information without access restrictions in order to set an example for the industry and are happy to exchange information with printing associations and partners worldwide. Together we are mastering this crisis. https://w w w.heidelberg.com/ global/en/products/pmi_climate.jsp Now that Heidelberg sold Gallus to benpac some printers asking who will be responsible for services and support, since benpac doesn’t have Heidelberg’s vast sales and support network especially in the Middle East? How long the transition of responsibilities from Heidelberg to benpac regarding Gallus will take? Heidelberg Middle East has been the sales and service partner of Gallus in the region for the past two decades. It has excellent availability of local industry expertise in terms of consulting, spare parts, consumables and engineering service. They have enjoyed a vast market share and installed base in the region. Heidelberg will continue to work with Gallus to serve its’ customers and installed base in the region.
Our focus now is the interests of our customers and their needs and a clear focus on our core business
MEPrinter September-October 2020
In which way IoT and industry 4.0 is influencing printing industry and Heidelberg’s approach to Print industry? In 2000, as a pioneer among printing press manufacturers, Heidelberg developed the Prinect Smart Print Shop basic software to turn comparatively limited functional machines into intelligent machines. Since 2008, we have been networking our intelligent machines in order to continually improve print operations and service with the help of production and status data. To this end, customers are integrated into the Heidelberg cloud with its unique data treasure. This data treasure is the prerequisite for the success of our new subscription model. The Smart Print Shop is also based on networking and intelligent data evaluation. This includes the Heidelberg Assistant, which customers use to automatically monitor and schedule their production and material supply. We went into production with
the most intelligent and most automated Speedmaster in the 70 x 100 format in April this year – the new Generation 2020, and by doing so are consolidating our market shares of up to 70 percent in the industrialized markets. Following the overwhelming success of Push to Stop at the drupa 2016, we have invested a great deal in advancing the idea of the Smart Print Shop and in taking Push to Stop to a new level. Software development, of course, plays a key role in this. Heidelberg, however, has also heavily invested in press technology, closing automation gaps, further optimizing subprocesses, and developing new applications. With our flagship, the Speedmaster XL 106, we have defined the term Peak Performance Class in the industry. With our new Speedmaster generation, we offer our customers outstanding conditions to fully exploit the possibilities of modern, digital offset printing.
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مقابلة
ىف ظل الدفاع عن معرض دروبا .. لقد بدأت موجة اإلنسحاب من معرض دروبا، مــن جانــب كبــرى الشــركات مثــل ،هيدلبــرج وزيروكــس وتبعهــم ىف ذلــك بــاىق الشــركات؟ وهــذا بالطبــع يدعونــا إىل التســاؤل ،هــل هــذا يعبــر عن ســلوك القطيع؟ فوف ًقــا لويكيبيديا فإن "سلوك القطيع" هو سلوك األفراد داخل مجموعــة معينــة ،حيــث يتصرفــون بشــكل جماعي دون توجيه مركزي .وقد كان كال من الفيلســوفان ســورين كيركيجــارد وفريدريــك نيتشــه من أوائل من أنتقدوا ما تم تســميته ب"الحشد" ،حيث أنتقد كيركيجارد مصطلح " أخــاق القطيــع" وأنتقــد نيتشــة مصطلــح "غريــزة القطيــع" .وقــد حــددت األبحــاث النفسية واالقتصادية الحديثة سلوك القطيع عنــد البشــر لشــرح ظاهــرة التصــرف من قبل أعــداد كبيرة من األشــخاص بنفــس الطريقة، يف نفس الوقت. ولكى نكون منصفين ،هناك بعض األسباب المقنعــة لعــدم المشــاركة يف معــرض دروبــا 2021منهــا ،عامــل التكلفــة ،ووجــود أزمــة كوفيــد ،19وبعــض التوقعــات اإلقتصاديــة الغيــر مؤكــدة وغيــر ذلك من األســباب .ولكن جميعا علــى الجانــب اآلخــر ،فإننى أعتقــد أننا ً نفتقــد شــيئًا مــا ،وبالطبــع هــو شــيئا ثميــن. فمعــرض دروبا يعتبــر جزء ال يتجزأ من تاريخ وهويــة صناعــة فنــون الجرافيــك العالميــة. وربمــا ال توجــد صناعــة أخــرى تعتمــد علــى معــرض ضخــم واحد .ومع ذلك فإننا ننســى أحيانًــا الــدور الثقايف لصناعة الطباعة يف نشــر المعرفــة واألهميــة التــي توليهــا يف حياتنــا اليومية. كما أود أن نذكر أن معرض دروبا مازال يعتبر بمثابــة منصــة إلطــاق اإلبتــكارات المزعزعــة والعنيفــة ىف ســوق الطباعــة ،فقــد تــم إطــاق كل مــن الماكينــات التاليــة ،لينو تايب ،وســي يت يب ،ودي آى بريــس ألول مــرة مــن خــال معــرض دروبــا .والمعــرض يحــدث مــرة كل 4ســنوات مثــل دورة األلعــاب األولمبيــة ،ثــم نظل جميعنا منتظرين قــدوم الدورة القادمة من هذا الحدث الضخم ىف حالة من الترقب. ومــع ذلــك فقبــل أن يبــدأ فيــروس كورونــا يف إحــداث الفوضــى يف جميع أنحــاء العالم فقد جادل البعض حول ما إذا كان كل هذا الوقت والتكلفــة والطاقــة التي تســتلزم للتجهيز إىل هذا الحدث الذى يعقد كل 4سنوات تستحق
يعتقد بعض الناس أنه ال شيء أقل من حدوث معجزة يمكن أن ينقذ معرض دروبا .وهذه المعجزة حا يمكن أن تكون لقا ً أو تدخال إلهيا .لكن الحقيقة هي أن معرض دروبا ىف وضع أن يكون أو ال يكون. MEPrinter September - October 2020
هــذا العنــاء بالنســبة لمعظــم المشــاركين أم ال؟ فربمــا ال يتــم طــرح هــذة التســاؤل مــن جانــب الجميــع حيــث أن تجربة المشــاركة ىف المعرض بالنسبة لمعظم المشاركين كانت مميزة ورائعة. وعقــب إلغــاء معــرض دروبــا 2020وتأجيــل موعــد إقامتــه إىل ،2021ظهــرت النــدوات الشــبكية بكثــرة وأعجــب بهــا الكثيــر مــن الشــركات ،فهــذة النــدوات منخفضــة التكلفة ويمكــن ألى شــخص علــى مســتوى العالــم حضورهــا .واآلن ىف كل أســبوع تعلــن شــركة أخــرى (مــن العالمــات التجاريــة الكبــرى) عن إنســحابها مــن معــرض دروبا .وهــذا ما جعلنا نتســائل من الذى ســيعلن إنسحابه أيضا ىف المــرات القادمــة؟ وبالطبــع فــإن هذا الســؤال يحمــل ىف مضمونــه ضــررا بهــذا الحــدث العمــاق ،الن اإلجابــة عنــه تشــمل إنســحاب الشــركات الكبــرى مــن هــذا المعــرض الــذى يعتبــر مــن أهم المعــارض العالمية ىف مجال صناعة الطباعة. فعندمــا أعــود بذاكــريت إىل الــدورات الســابقة مــن معــرض دروبــا ،وبشــكل خــاص دورة المعــرض الخاصــة بعــام ،2000فإننــى أتذكر أعــداد المشــاركين المهيبــة والمذهلــة التــى كانــت تحــرص على الحضور .فقــد كان هناك أكثــر مــن 428000زائر تجاري من 171دولة يتجولــوا يف قاعــات مركــز المؤتمرات ميســي دوســلدورف ،منهــم 200.000زائــر وافــد من جميع أنحاء العالم .وقد قامت إدارة المعرض بدعــوة اكثــر مــن 4100صحفــى (بمــا فيهــم أنــا شــخصيا) لحضــور هــذا الحــدث العمــاق الخــاص بصناعــة الــورق والحبــر مــن جميــع أنحــاء العالــم .وقــد قامــت أكثــر مــن 2000 شركة بعرض المنتجات والخدمات والحلول الخاصــة بهــا علــى مســاحة عــرض تزيــد عــن
160.000متر مربع .وبالتاىل فمن المؤكد أنها كانــت تجريــة فريــدة من نوعهــا ومن الصعب أن تتكــرر هــذة األعــداد مــرة أخــرى .ولكــن من المؤكــد أن العالــم قــد تغيــر وكذلــك تغيــرت صناعــة الطباعــة .وربمــا يتعيــن على معرض دروبــا ً أيضــا أن يتغيــر ،ولكــن ىف كل الحــاالت يجــب أن يكــون موجــودا وأن يكــون جــز ًءا أساس ـ ًيا مــن صناعتنــا ،فــا شــك أنهــا بحاجة جميعــا إلعــادة إحيائهــا إىل جهــد جماعــي منــا ً والمشاركة فيها .وعلى ذلك ،فقد قدم منظمو معــرض دروبــا بإطــاق مــا يســمى ب"دروبــا المختلــط" وهي منصة جديدة على اإلنترنت لتزويــد العارضيــن والــزوار بوســيلة إضافيــة للتواصل مع األقسام ،ومناقشة الموضوعات الشــائعة وتقديــم مجموعــات المنتجــات الخاصــة بهم .وأنا أعتقد أن هذة إســتراتيجية رائعــة وناجحــة تقوي العالقــة بين العارضين والــزوار المحتمليــن .لكنهــا ال يمكــن أن تحــل محــل الحضــور الفعلــى ،واالجتمــاع بشــكل شــخصى بين جميع الحاضرين ،والتجول يف ممــرات القاعــات المختلفة ومشــاهدة اآلالت أثناء العمل والمئات من األجزاء الميكانيكية المدعمة بأحدث البرامج وهى تعمل بتناغم وانســجام .ويذكــرىن هــذا المشــهد بالشــاعر اإليطــايل ،والمحــرر ،وأحــد واضعــى النظريات، ومؤســس الحركــة المســتقبلية ،فيليبــو توماســو إميليو مارينيتي ،وهو يتحدث قائال، "يتحــد المثاليــون والعامليــن يف مجال الفكر إلظهــار مــدى ســير اإللهــام والعبقريــة بخطــى متوازنة مع تقدم اآلالت والطائرات والصناعة والتجارة والعلوم والكهرباء". وأود أن أختتم حديثى لكم بهذا القول" :تحية للحــدث الــذي شــكل تاريــخ صناعــة الطباعة، تلــك الصناعــة التــي أحدثــت ثــورة عظيمة يف العالم الحديث".
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مقابلة
مقابلة حصرية مع زيد الجهني ،المدير العام لدى هيدلبرج الشرق األوسط حرصنا على تخفيض نسبة توقف العمليات اإلنتاجية الخاصة بعمالئنا إىل أدىن حد ممكن، باإلضافــة إىل حرصنــا علــى توافــر قطع الغيار والمــواد االســتهالكية الالزمــة للعمليــات اإلنتاجية. وكان التحــدي الرئيســي الــذي واجهنــاه هــو الحصــول علــى أذونــات الســفر الخاصــة بمهندســى شــركتنا وخدمــة عمالئنــا خــال ســاعات حظــر التجــول ،وكذلك تأمين عملية فتــح مســتودعاتنا الخاصــة بقطــع الغيــار وتسليم البضائع.
MEPrinter September-October 2020
تفتخر المملكة العربية السعودية بإعتبارهاه واحدة من أفضل عشرين اقتصادًا يف العالم، وكذلك أكبر اقتصاد يف العالم العريب والشرق األوســط .كما أن المملكة العربية الســعودية هــى جــزء مــن دول مجموعــة العشــرين. ولذلــك فهــى سـ ً ـوقا جذابــا لشــركات تصنيــع معــدات الطباعــة بما يف ذلك هيدلبــرج .ذلك العمــاق األلماين الــذى له حضور قوي داخل الســعودية .ومــع ذلــك ،فقــد هــزت جائحــة كوفيــد -19كافة االقتصــادات يف جميع أنحاء العالــم ،حتــى البلــدان الغنية لــم تكن بمنأى عن آثارهاه المدمرة .ومن أجل معرفة المزيد عــن وضــع صناعــة الطباعــة يف المملكــة، فقــد تحدثنــا مــع زيــد الجهنــي ،المديــر العــام لــدى هيدلبــرج الشــرق األوســط .وقــد ذكر ىف حديثــه "علــى الرغم مــن اآلثار المدمــرة التى حدثــت ىف أعقــاب فيروس كورونا ،فإن عمالء هيدلبــرج داخــل المملكة العربية الســعودية سيختتمون استثماراتهم بشكل طبيعى مع نهاية عام ."2020
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ىف وجهــة نظــرك ،ما مدى ضرر أزمة فيروس كورونا على صناعة الطباعة يف السعودية؟ مــن المؤكــد أن وبــاء كوفيــد -19قــد أحــدث تأثيــرا مدمــرا يف جميع جوانــب الحياة ،بما ىف ذلــك جميــع األنشــطة التجاريــة والمجــاالت الصناعيــة ،فهــى أيضــا ال تعتبــر إســتثناء مــن المجــاالت التــى أثــرت عليهــا االزمــة .كمــا أن توقف الحركة بشكل عام وإغالق جميع أنواع األعمال قد ألحق ضررا خاصا بصناعة الطباعة يف المملكة العربية الســعودية وجميع أنحاء العالــم .وقــد كان االســتثناء الملحــوظ مــن هــذه القاعدة،هــى صناعــة التعبئة والتغليف حيث أحتفظ أغلب عمالء التعبئة والتغليف عال من المخرجات اإلنتاجية لدينا بمستوى ٍ
وذلــك لتلبيــة الطلــب علــى المــواد الغذائيــة والصناعات االستهالكية. هــل تعتقــد أن تأثيــرات وبــاء كوفيــد-19 ســتجبر دور الطباعــة ىف المملكــة العربيــة الســعودية ،والكثيــر مــن االماكــن األخــرى يف الشــرق األوســط علــى إعــادة التفكيــر يف الطريقة التي يمارسون بها أعمالهم ،وأيضا محاولــة التنويــع بيــن المجــاالت المختلفــة التــى يعملــون بهــا وتنــدرج تحــت صناعــة الطباعة؟ مــن الواضــح أن الوبــاء ســيجبر العديــد مــن الشــركات علــى إعــادة التفكيــر يف الطريقــة التي يمارســون بها أعمالهم ،وســوف ينطبق ذلك على صناعة الطباعة أيضا ،فهى ليست اســتثنا ًء .فســوف تراجع الشــركات عملياتها وعاداتهــا الخاصــة بتنفيــذ العمــل ،وذلــك من أجــل إعتمــاد أســاليب أفضل لتحقيــق نتائج إيجابيــة وتقليــل التكاليــف وزيــادة الكفــاءة. باإلضافــة إىل ذلــك ،أعتقــد أن العديد من دور الطباعة ســتقوم بتقييم التنوعات الموجودة داخــل مجالهــا ســواء كان ذلــك يف صناعــة التعبئــة والتغليــف أوطباعــة الملصقــات ،أو المجاالت األعالنية والرقمية. نود أن نتعرف منك ،كيف تعاملت هيدلبرج يف السعودية مع الوضع الحاىل؟ نحن يف هيدلبرج بالمملكة العربية السعودية لدينــا فريــق إداري كامــل مكلــف بــإدارة هذة األزمــة .حيــث كان لدينــا خطة تشــغيل طارئة تــم وضعهــا وتنفيذهــا يف وقــت مبكــر ج ـدًا. فقــد قمنــا بتكييــف سياســاتنا وإجراءاتنــا، وعــادات عملنــا ،وموظفينــا ومواردنــا بمــا ىف ذلــك الخدمــات اللوجســتية والقــوى العاملة لدينــا لضمــان صحــة وســامة موظفينــا ،كمــا
هــل تشــعر أن دور الطباعــة داخــل المملكــة العربية السعودية ومنطقة الشرق األوسط ال تزال لديها الرغبة يف البدء ىف إســتثمارات جديدة؟ يف الواقــع ،نعــم .ونحــن مــا زلنــا يف نقاش مع عمالئنا الذين لديهم خطط إستثمارية ،والتى تــم إســتعراضها يف معــرض دروبــا .2020 ونعتقد أنه سيتم االنتهاء من العديد من هذه الخطط االستثمارية قبل نهاية هذا العام. ىف إطــار إنســحاب هيدلبــرج مــن معــرض دروبــا ،هل تعتقد اآلن أن األحداث اإلقليمية مثــل معــرض الخليــج للطباعــة والتغليــف أو معــرض الســعودية للطباعــة والتغليــف، أصبحــت أكثــر أهميــة مــن أي وقــت مضــى وخاصة مع خروج دروبا من الصورة؟ ال أعتقــد ذلــك ،حيــث أن هــذا ،هــو الوقــت المناســب العتمــاد أســلوب مبتكــر لعــرض المنتجــات .كمــا أن المعــارض اإلقليميــة لــن تســتطيع أن تحل محل معرض دروبا .فهي تعتبــر صغيــرة ج ـدًا وال يمكنهــا إســتيعاب هــذا العــرض التقديمــى الكبيــر للمنتجــات والعارضين. هــل لديكــم خطــط ألي أحــداث افتراضيــة لعمالئكم يف المملكة العربية السعودية؟ ســوف تتوافق الخطط الخاصة بنا مع خطط األطراف الرئيسية يف هذا المجال. ما هى مســاهمة هيدلبرج يف التخفيف من أزمــة فيــروس كورونــا يف المملكــة العربيــة السعودية؟ لعبت الشــركة دو ًرا أساس ًيا يف تقديم دعمها لنــا ولعمالئنــا يف المنطقــة ،وحافظــت علــى التدفــق الســلس لألجــزاء المطلوبــة لقســم الخدمــة لدينــا ،وكان الخــط الســاخن للخدمــة مفي ـدًا ج ـدًا يف دعــم عمالئنا ومهندســينا .لقد استفدنا ً أيضا من اتصال أجهزتنا عبر اإلنترنت بمواقــع العمــاء مــع مصنــع هيدلبــرج إلجراء التشخيصات الالزمة كلما تطلب األمر ذلك.
زيرواكس السعودية تقدم ماكينة الطباعة إيريديس األكثر مبيعا ً وإستدامة ىف سوق الطابعات
الجاف ،متوفرة بستة وحدات طباعة ملونة، وذلك على مستوى العالم .حيث يتم وضع وحدات األلوان اإلضافية بشــكل متسلســل قبــل وبعــد النمــوذج اللــوىن الــذى يســتخدم ىف معظــم الطابعــات ،ىف حيــن أنــه يمكــن تغييرهــا بــكل ســهولة .ولذلــك تعتبــر هــذه اآللــة مثاليــة لشــركات الطباعة التــي تتطلع إىل نقــل خدماتهــا إىل مســتوى متقــدم مــن اإلنتاجيــة مــن ناحيــة جــودة الصــورة ومجال الطبقات السفلية. ينتــج هــذا الوحــش الرقمــي منتجــات مطبوعــة بســرعة 120صفحــة من نوع A4 ىف الدقيقــة وهــو متوافــق مــع جميــع أوزان الــورق مــن 52إىل 400جــم/م .2ويصــل حجــم اإلنتــاج الموصــى بــه إىل 475000 صفحــة شــهريًا .وعلــى الرغــم مــن أن الطابعــات االخرى تحتوى على برنامج RIP الذى ينتج بنفس المستوى فإن خط إمداد الصــورة الــذي يغــذي البيانــات إىل محــرك طابعــة إيريديــس فريــد مــن نوعــه .حيــث أنه يقدم معلومات أكثر بمقدار 4أضعاف مما تفعلــه األنظمــة الرقميــة المنافســة .ويتــم الجمــع بيــن معالج الصور الرقمية × 1200 10 × 1200بــت RIPو × 2400 × 2400 1بــت بجودة منقطعة النظير وفائقة الدقة، وذلــك للحصول على تدرجات ألوان ناعمة وجميلــة وخطــوط دقيقــة ال تشــوبها شــائبة، وكذلــك نــص صغيــر لــم يســبق لــه مثيــل. ومــن الجديــر بالذكــر أن المطابــع تفتخــر بخــادم الطباعــة زيروكــس EX-P 6المدعــم بواسطة منصة فيرى. خيارات رائعة: تــأيت الماكينــة ً أيضــا مع مجموعــة رائعة من الخيــارات بمــا يف ذلــك وحــدة التغذية عالية
الســعة ،ممــا يســمح بزيــادة حجــم الــورق حتــى 8000ورقــة ،وذلــك مــع أربعــة أدراج إضافيــة يف وحــدات التغذيــة .وىف حالــة إستخدام الماكينة مع خيار إدراج فإن ذلك يوفــر إجمــايل 8نقاط اختيار و 12500ورقة للطباعــة بالســرعة المقــدرة .وتعمــل أداة التمويج وأداة القص المزدوجة على إنشــاء مظهــر وشــكل إحتــرايف عــايل الجــودة مــع توفيــر إســتدامة إضافيــة للمســتندات التــي يتــم اســتخدامها بشــكل متكرر .كمــا أن أداة القــص قابلــة للبرمجة بما يصل إىل خمســة ثنايــا ممــا يوفــر مرونــة كبيــرة للطابعــات ىف إنتاج الكتيبات أو اللوحات. تعمــل ماكينــة الطباعــة إيريديــس على رفع مســتوى المقاييــس والمواصفــات يف عالــم الصــور والطباعــة الرقميــة ،وذلــك مــن خالل إمكانيــات مدمجــة عاليــة القيمــة متاحة بها، حيــث تتيــح للعمــاء الجمــع بيــن الصــور المذهلــة والخيــارات المتعــددة بهــدف التبديــل بيــن أربعــة ألــوان مميــزة ،أالوهــي الذهبــي والفضــي والشــفاف واألبيــض،
MEPrinter September - October 2020
كان عــام 2018نقطــة تحــول يف صناعــة الطباعــة الرقميــة ،حيــث تــم طــرح ماكينــة الطباعــة زيرواكــس إيريديــس ،وهــى أول طابعــة رقميــة مــزودة بســتة ألــوان علــى مســتوى العالــم .وهــذة الماكينــة تعــد دليــا جليــا علــى أن الثــورة الرقميــة تتقــدم كل يــوم بشــكل واضــح .ومــن الجديــر بالذكــر أن الطباعــة الرقميــة تقــدم شــيئًا ال تســتطيع طباعة األوفست التقليدية أن تقدمه ،حيث أنهــا تلبــى اإلحتياجــات اآلنيــة للتطبيقــات المرتفعة القيمة على سبيل المثال ،يمكن لماكينة الطباعة إيريديس أن تنتج البيانات الشــخصية والبيانــات المتغيــرة وكذلــك مســتندات الرســائل الترويجيــة للشــركات على اكمل وجه. واليــوم يوجــد طلــب متزايــد يف منطقتنــا علــى تطبيقــات الطباعــة عاليــة القيمة التي تتضمــن النمــوذج اللــوىن المســتخدم ىف معظــم الطابعــات باإلضافــة إىل العديــد من الزخارف ذات األلوان اإلضافية مثل الذهبي والفضــي والشــفاف واألبيــض .وذلــك مــن أجــل إنتــاج مطبوعــات عاليــة القيمــة مثــل الالفتــات والملصقــات والمــواد التســويقية وغيــر ذلك من هــذة العناصرالمطبوعة .لقد عملت ماكينة الطباعة إيريديس على إعادة تعريــف الطباعــة الرقميــة باســتخدام تقنيــة color FLX الحائــزة علــى عــدة جوائــز والتــى تحتــوى علــى طبقــات مــن النمــوذج اللــوىن الــذى يستخدم ىف معظم الطابعات مع إثنين من األحبــار الجافــة المتخصصة يف مســار واحد. ولذلــك فــإن هذة الماكينــة تعتبر منتج ذات إمكانيات متقدمة وغير مسبوقة ،حيث إنها تقــوم بالطباعــة مــن تلــك األلــوان المتعــددة مــع الحفــاظ على المــكان المحــدد للطباعة. كمــا تتميــز زيروكس إيريديــس بقدرتها على طباعــة الزخرفــة المضمنــة ،وذلــك ىف مســار واحــد .وهى تعتبــر أول طابعة تعمل بالحبر
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دروبا يف ســوق االمتيــاز ،باإلضافــة إىل أصحــاب االمتيــاز الذيــن نجحــوا يف جعــل رؤية شــركة خليج آفان تعمل لصالحهم. وحول أســباب قرار الشــراء الذى تم إتخاذه مؤخرا بشراء ماكينة الطباعة إيريديس ،قال الســيد عبــدهللا المعلــم ،الرئيــس التنفيذي للشــركة “تعود شراكتنا مع شركة زيروكس عاما ،وخالل عام السعودية إىل أكثر من ً 15 2018كان هدفنــا هــو إثراء محفظة الطباعة الرقميــة الخاصــة بنــا ،لذلــك قررنــا تحقيــق إنجــازا كبيرا على مســتوى المملكة العربية السعودية من خالل شراء ماكينة إيريديس الجديدة وكانت قدرات الماكينة التي تتجاوز وجود النموذج اللوىن المســتخدم ىف معظم الطابعات هي القوة الدافعة الرئيســية وراء قرارنا بالشــراء” .وأضــاف“ :لقد أثرت جائحة كوفيــد -19علــى العالــم بأســره .كمــا أثــرت علــى إنتاجيتنــا ،ومــع ذلــك ،لقــد تمكنــا مــن إدارة األزمة ،وسرعان ما وقفنا على أقدامنا مرة أخرى .وقد ساعدنا ىف ذلك بشكل كبير امتــاك إمكانــات الطباعــة الرقمية المقدمة من شركة زيروكس.
ذلــك إىل جانــب قدرة الماكينة على الطباعة بمساحة تصل إىل 47.2 × 13بوصة أو 1.2 متر.
MEPrinter September-October 2020
درجة عالية من اإلستدامة: منحــت الرابطــة الدوليــة إلزالــة األحبــار ماكينــة الطباعــة زيرواكــس إيريديــس درجــة 100/100ىف إمكانيــة إزالــة األحبــار ممــا يعنــي أن الــورق المســتخدم يف الماكينــة قابــل إلعــادة التدويــر .ومــن المؤكــد هذا خبر جيــد وبشــكل خــاص للطابعــات للطابعــات التــي تهتــم باإلســتدامة والتــي ال تريــد أن تهــدر كميــة كبيــرة مــن إنتاجهــا اليومــى يف مكب النفايات.
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الضــرب علــى الوتــر الصحيــح يف المملكــة العربية السعودية: لقــد حققــت ماكينــة الطباعــة إيريديــس حــا كبي ـ ًرا علــى المســتوى العالمــى نجا ً ولكــن يف المملكــة العربيــة الســعودية ،فــإن ماكينــة زيرواكــس الجديــدة تضــرب علــى الوتــر الصحيــح بالنســبة الطابعــات التــي ترغــب يف تقديــم شــيء إضــايف لعمالئهــا. وكانــت مطبعــة خليــج آفــان أول عضــو ينضــم إىل نــادي إيريديــس يف المملكــة العربيــة الســعودية .كمــا تفتخــر المطبعــة الرقميــة التــي تتخــذ مــن الدمــام مقــرا ً لهــا بوجــود بعض من أفضل العقول الموجودة
نبذة عن مطبعة خليج آفان: مطبعــة خليج آفــان هى إحدى دور الطباعة المتخصصــة يف الطباعــة عاليــة الجــودة قصيــرة المــدى بما يف ذلك الكتب والتقارير الملونــة والمجــات والكتالوجــات وبطاقــات العمــل وبطاقــات الدعــوة والنشــرات والكتيبــات والتعبئــة والتغليــف .وبالنســبة للســيد عبــدهللا ،فهــو متفائــل ويؤمــن بــان
هنــاك فــرص إلنتعــاش صناعــة الطباعــة خــال حقبــة مــا بعــد كوفيــد -19خاصــة ىف مجــال طباعــة الالفتــات والنشــرات الخاصة بتعزيز تدابير السالمة وبروتوكوالت التباعد االجتماعــي .كمــا أن تحالفنــا اإلســتراتيجي مع شركة زيروكس السعودية وإستراتيجية االنتقــال إىل الســوق المســتهدف مــن خالل قنوات محددة من شــأنها أن تثقف الســوق وتجعله مســتجي ًبا للمنتجــات عالية الجودة والمؤثــرات الخاصــة .وقــد أختتــم الســيد حسين حديثه “نحن نعتمد على ذلك ونحن واثقــون مــن النجــاح خاصــة يف ظــل وجــود شريكنا القوي يف مجال الطباعة الرقمية أال وهى شركة زيروكس السعودية”. نبذة عن زيرواكس السعودية: زيرواكــس الســعودية هــي ممثــل لشــركة زيرواكــس العالميــة يف المملكــة العربيــة الســعودية .وقد تأسست يف عام ،1986مع خطوط أعمال تشمل تقديم حلول لتحسين العمليــات التجاريــة واألتمتــة وتكنولوجيــا الطباعــة مــن خــال رؤيــة مبتكــرة لتعظيــم اإلنتاجيــة والكفــاءة لخلــق بيئــة عمــل أفضل للشــركات الســعودية .وتقــدم زيروكــس الســعودية مجموعــة كاملــة مــن منتجــات وخدمات زيرواكس التي تتراوح بين األجهزة التــى تعمــل بمثابة مســاعدي أماكن العمل وحلــول ســير العمــل وخدمــات الطباعــة المدارة يف سوق المملكة العربية السعودية. ُ كمــا أن الشــركة تتصــدى لتحديــات الســوق العالميــة والمحليــة باســتمرار بمــا يتماشــى مع معايير زيرواكس العالمية.
دراسة كانون تكشف عن اإلسراع بوتيرة التغيير يف مجال صناعة الطباعة على المستوى اإلقليمي
MEPrinter September - October 2020
ال شــك أنه ىف الفترة المقبلة ،ســوف تصبح فــرص األعمــال التجاريــة متاحــة بشــكل أكبــر ،وذلــك على مســتوى كال مــن المملكة الســعودية واإلمــارات العربيــة المتحــدة ، حيــث أنهمــا يعتبــروا أكبــر ســوقين للنمــو، وذلِــك ىف ظــل إســتمرار المنطقــة ىف مرحلــة التعاىف من وباء كورونا المستجد. وقــد حــددت دراســة ســوق الطباعــة لعــام 2020التــى تــم إجراؤهــا مــن قبــل شــركة كانــون الشــرق األســط الــرؤى المتعارضــة حــول اإلســتدامة ،وذلــك بيــن الشــركات التجارية ومقدمي خدمات الطباعة. حيــث يوافــق الغالبية العظمى من مقدمى الخدمــة (بنســبة )69٪علــى إســتمرار إســتخدام الطباعــة لعمل اإلعالنات الخاصة بالشركات الكبرى و المنتجات. باإلضافــة إىل أن 64%مــن شــركات الطباعة قد أعربت عن رغبتها ىف التنويع يف المجــاالت الجديــدة التى تندرج تحت مجال صناعة الطباعة والتغليف والتعبئة. كشــفت الدراســة الخاصــة بســوق صناعــة الطباعــة لعــام 2020التــى تــم إجراؤهــا مــن قبــل شــركة كانــون الشــرق األســط ان صناعــة الطباعــة تمــر بنقطــة تحــول ،وأن وبــاء كوفيد -19قــد عجل من حاجة مزودي خدمــات الطباعــة إىل إحــداث تحــوالت فيمــا
يخــص أهدافهــم ونموذجهــم التشــغيلي، وكذلــك التطلــع إىل وســائل جديــدة لتنويــع عروضهم. كشــفت كانــون الشــرق األوســط عــن نتائج الدراســة خــال النــدوة الشــبكية التــى تــم عقدهــا بتاريــخ الثالثــاء 25أغســطس ،2020حيــث تــم إســتضافة هــذة النــدوة بالشــراكة مــع مجلــة .Me printerوقــد
أقــرت الدراســة بتنــوع اآلراء بيــن الشــركات التجاريــة ومقدمــي خدمــات الطباعــة حــول تطــور صناعــة الصناعة ،ولذلــك فهى تهدف إىل إقامة حوار وثيق حول هذه القضية بين المجموعتين .كما أنها تعطي نظرة متعمقة عــن الفــرص والتحديــات وأحــدث اتجاهــات الســوق علــى مســتوى المنطقــة ،وخاصــة داخــل دول مجلــس التعــاون الخليجــي،
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األخبار
MEPrinter September-October 2020
وذلك ىف أعقاب أزمة كورونا. وتدعــم هــذة الدراســة األوىل ،التــى تــم إجراؤهــا ىف مجال صناعــة الطباعة ،مقدمى خدمــات الطباعة الذيــن يتطلعون إىل تنفيذ إستراتيجية عمل مستنيرة ومستدامة بنا ًء علــى متطلبــات عمالئهــم يف عالــم مــا بعــد كوفيد.-19 وقــد ذكــر شــادي باخــور ،مديــر وحــدة المعامــات التجاريــة بيــن الشــركات لــدى شــركة كانــون الشــرق األوســط ” مــع بدايــة الوبــاء والتوقــف التــام للعمــل ،علمنــا أنــه ســيكون هنــاك تأثيــر علــى ســوق الطباعــة. وقد كان هناك بالفعل تغيير يف الحركة مع التقــدم الطبيعــي الــذي أحدثتــه االتجاهــات الرقميــة وقطاعــات الطباعــة الجديــدة الناشــئة ،لكننــا نعتقــد أن هــذا التغييــر قــد تــم التعجيــل بــه بســبب أزمــة وبــاء كورونــا، حيــث وضــع الصناعــة علــى مســار أصبــح التحــول فيــه ضــرورة .وبشــكل عــام ،فــإن هدفنــا هــو دعــم صناعــة الطباعــة يف منطقة الشــرق االوسط .كما إن اجراء هذة الدراسة الخاصة بسوق صناعة الطباعة لعام 2020 من قبل شركة كانون ىف وقت مبكر يسمح للشــركات وأصحــاب المصلحــة يف هــذا القطاع بإتخاذ قرارات اســتراتيجية حاســمة وكذلــك اإلســتفادة مــن الفــرص المتاحــة ىف الفتــرة الحاليــة بنــا ًءا علــى هــذه الــرؤى الجديدة “. وقــد تــم إجــراء هــذة الدراســة يف الفتــرة مــن يونيــو 2020حتى األســبوع األول من يوليو ،2020علــى كال مــن ،مقدمــى خدمــات الطباعــة وكذلــك الشــركات التجاريــة داخــل اإلمارات العربية المتحدة والمملكة العربية الســعودية والكويــت والبحريــن وســلطنة عمان وبالد الشام. ومــن بيــن البلــدان التــي شــملتها الدراســة االســتقصائية ،كان هنــاك إجمــاع من جانب أصحــاب المصلحــة علــى مســتوى الصناعة
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علــى أن الفــرص التجاريــة ســتصبح متاحــة يف الغالــب يف المملكــة العربيــة الســعودية واإلمــارات العربية المتحــدة باعتبارهما أكبر ســوقين للنمــو ىف ظــل تقــدم المنطقــة ىف مرحلة التعاىف من وباء كورونا المستجد. وقدد ركزت الدراسة على اآلراء المتعارضة بيــن شــركات الطباعــة والشــركات األخــرى، وذلــك فيمــا يتعلــق بموضــوع اإلســتدامة. حيــث أنــه ىف الوقــت التــى تنتــوى فيــه 53٪ مــن الشــركات اإلنتقــال إىل حلــول الطباعــة المســتدامة يف األشــهر المقبلة ،تعتقد 40٪ من شركات الطباعة أن التسعير هو مصدر قلق كبير لها وبالتاىل ،فهى لم تستثمر بعد يف المنتجــات المســتدامة لتلبيــة الطلــب المتزايد. كما أنه مع اعتماد اللوائح البيئية التنظيمية بشــكل دوىل ،وذيــادة ضغــط الوبــاء علــى الحكومــات والشــركات التبــاع ممارســات األعمــال المســتدامة ،ســيتعين علــى مقدمــي خدمات الطباعــة يف نهاية المطاف االســتثمار يف التكنولوجيــا المســتدامة، وذلــك إذا أرادوا أن يظلــوا قادريــن علــى المنافســة يف الســوق .ومــن الجديــر بالــذك، أن هــذه الرؤيــة تعتبــر فرصــة لتضييــق الفجــوة بيــن شــركات الطباعــة وعمالئهــا يف المستقبل القريب. كمــا تتضمــن بعــض التحديــات التــي أشــار إليهــا مقدمــو خدمــات الطباعــة الحــد األدىن مــن خيــارات التمويــل أو إتجاهــات العــرض والطلب الغير المستقرة .ومع ذلك ،يشعر 21٪فقط من الشركات بأن عملية التحول الرقمــى تمثــل تحديًا كبي ًرا لهم ،وهذا يشــير إىل أن الصناعــة قــد تبنــت بالفعــل هــذا اإلتجــاه مــع موافقة غالبية مــزودي خدمات الطباعــة علــى أن خدمــات ســير العمــل الرقميــة الممكّنــة مــن إســتخدام الســحابة تضيف بالفعل قيمة إىل سير العمل العام. وترتبــط هــذه الــرؤى التى تتعلــق بانخفاض
حجــم ســوق الطباعة واإلنتقــال نحو الحلول الرقميــة بالعــدد الكبير من مقدمى خدمات الطباعــة الــذىن يمثلــوا ( ،)64٪ممــا يشــير إىل أنهــم يخططــون لتنويــع أعمالهــم المطبوعــة يف مجــاالت جديــدة للطباعــة، حيــث أن 30٪يخططــون لالســتثمار يف اآلالت الرقميــة الجديــدة يف المســتقبل القريب ،من أجل تحقيق هذا الهدف وتلبية متطلبــات العمالء المتعلقة بطباعة كميات قليلة من المطبوعات. وىف إطــار هــذا الســياق الخــاص بظــروف صناعــة الطباعــة ىف الوقــت الحــاىل ،تركــز هــذة الدراســة علــى مــا تــم مالحظتــة مــن قبل الشــركات فيما يخص إنخفاض أعمال الطباعــة التــى تتــم داخــل مقــرات العمــل والمكاتــب ،وذلــك ىف ظــل خطــط العمــل مــن المنــزل ،حيث يعتقــد 35٪من مقدمى الخدمــة أن اإلنتقــال نحــو الرقمنة أمر ال مفر منــه .كمــا توافــق الغالبيــة العظمــى بنســبة 69٪مــن مقدمــى الخدمات ،على إســتمرار اســتخدام الطباعــة إلعالنــات الشــركات الكبرى أو المنتجات. وينطبــق هــذا ً أيضــا علــى الوســائط غيــر المتصلــة باإلنترنــت حيــث يــرى ٪ 52مــن مقدمــى الخدمــات أن مــواد التســويق المطبوعــة التقليديــة ،بالرغــم مــن أنهــا ال تــزال مناســبة ،إال أنــه يجب أن يتم تحســينها واســتخدامها علــى أســاس كل حالــة علــى حــدة ،وذلــك وفــق إلتجــاة المســتهلكين نحو التســوق عبــر اإلنترنت ىف الفتــرة الحالية ،كم أنــه يجــب التركيــز علــى حالــة الطلــب قصيــر األجــل ىف ســوق الطباعــة .وهنــاك جانــب آخــر ركــزت عليــة الدراســة وهــو ان قطاعــي التغليــف والملصقــات قــد شــهدوا إرتفاعــا ملحوظــا ىف حالــة الطلــب بســبب ارتفــاع نشاط التجارة اإللكترونية .ومن ناحية أخرى، تعتبــر كال مــن طباعــة رســومات الجرافيــك ذات التنســيق العريــض والطباعــة التجاريــة والطباعة الرقمية التى تعمل بنظام التغذية بالــورق مــن المجاالت التي يمكن أن تنهض من جديد بعد إنتهاء ازمة كورونا. ومــن الجديــر بالذكــر ،أن هنــاك العديــد مــن المقتطفات المتعلقة بدراسة سوق صناعة الطباعــة لعــام ،2020والتــى تــم إجراؤهــاه من قبل كانون الشــرق األوســط .ومع ذلك، أعتقد أن الفكرة الرئيسية للدراسة ،هي أنه على الرغم من تضاؤل حجم سوق الطباعة والجانــب األعظــم منــه ،إال أن الــدور الجديــد لــه ســيصبح أكثــر تركي ـ ًزا وســوف ُيســتخدم بشــكل أكثــر ذكا ًء وذلــك مــع اإلنتقــال إىل التقنيــات الرقميــة والطلب علــى المنتجات األكثــر إســتدامة .وممــا ال شــك فيــه ،أن مقدمــى خدمــات الطباعــة أصبحوا يف نقطة تحــول ،ومــن ثــم يتعيــن عليهــم تكييــف أعمالهــم للتعامــل مــع اتجاهــات الســوق الجديدة وضمان استمرارية األعمال.
مقابلة حصرية مع عبد العزيز محمد الغامدى ،الرئيس التنفيذى لشركة سروات للطباعة والنشر تمثــل صناعــة الطباعة والنشــر جزء هام من الصناعــات القائمــة داخــل المملكــة العربية الســعودية .وىف أعقــاب أزمــة كورونــا قــد تأثــرت العديــد المؤسســات العاملــة بهــذا القطــاع ،باإلضافــة إىل مواجهتهــا العديــد مــن العقبــات والتحديــات التــى كان مــن الصعــب التغلــب عليهــا أو التكيــف معهــا من وذلك من أجل حفاظ هذة المؤسسات علــى موظفيهــا ومعــدل اإلنتــاج لديهــا. وتعتبر شــركة ســروات للطباعة والنشر من الشــركات الفريدة التي تمتلك خبرة علمية وعمليــة أهلتهــا لقيــادة ســوق الطباعــة يف المملكــة ،وقــد كان لنــا مقابلــة مــع االســتاذ عبد العزيز محمد الغامدي ،الرئيس لشركة ســروات للطباعــة والنشــر .نســتعرضها لكم فيما يلى:
كيــف أثــر فيــروس كورونــا علــى حجــم عملكم؟ كان لخفــض وقــت العمــل وكذلــك تــدين الطلــب مــن القطاعيــن الحكومــي واالعمــال علــى منتجــات المطابــع اثــر كبيــر وهــذا ادى بــدوره اىل تــدين حجــم االعمــال يف كل مناحــي الحيــاة وبذلــك تاثــر الوضــع بمــا اليقــل عــن 60%من الناحية اإلنتاجية ومن
هــل تعتقــد أن الوبــاء ســيجبر أو يشــجع دورالطباعــة علــى تبنــى المزيد من الحلول األتوماتيكيــة واالعتمــاد بشــكل أقــل علــى العمل اليدوي؟ كانــت تجربــة العمــل عــن بعــد يف بعــض التخصصــات ذات أثــر جيــد وخاصــة يف التعامــل مــع العمالء الجــدد الذين ليس لنا سابق تعاقد معهم ،حيث وجدنا أن خبراتنا الســابقة والسمعة الحســنة التي بُنيت عبر السنين أدت إىل أن يسعى العميل للبحث عمــن يثــق بهــم يف أداء أعمالــه .ولهــذا كان لدينــا تجربــة جيده الكتســاب اعمــال جديدة عن بعد ،كما كان إلســتخدام األالت الرقمية الحديثــة دورفاعل يف تنفيذ االعمال الفورية ودعــم العمــاء بأغلــب إحتياجتهــم ،كمــا اننا نســتطيع إكمــال االعمــال االخــرى حســب االنظمــة المعتــادة وذلــك يرجــع اىل تكامــل المنظومــة بيــن آالت طباعــة االوفســت والطابعات الرقمية ايضا. هل تعتقد أن جائحة كورونا الذي يبدو أنها ســوف تســتمر معنا لبعض الوقت ســوف تغير المشهد اإلعالمي ىف بلدكم؟ فيمــا يخــص عالــم الطباعــة فقــد تأثــرت الطباعــة اإلعالميــة والصحف بشــكل خاص ومنهــا مــا تــم إغالقــة ،امــا فيمــا يخــص النشــرات الدورية فقد انخفظت كمياتها اىل 50%او أقل ،وذلك حتى يتمكن الناشرون مــن تقليص مصاريفهم لحيــن إنتهاء األزمة وعودة الحياة إىل طبيعتها مرة أخرى. هــل تعتمــد شــركتكم بشــكل أكبــر علــى اإلنترنت لتلقي الطلبات ومعالجتها؟ بحكــم خبرتنــا التــي تزيــد عــن 40عــام يف هــذا المجــال نعتمــد علــى العمــل اليومــي المباشــر مــع العمــاء بواســطة مســؤيل المبيعات ،وكذلك فإننا نمتلك قاعدة كبيره يف التعاملنــا مــع عمالئنا بواســطة البيع عبر اإلنترنــت ،وهــذا بــدوره قــد خفــف عنــا أعباء التنقــل اىل العمــاء اثنــاء االزمــة والحجــر، وكذلك اإلحتكاك المباشرمع العمالء. هــل قمتــم بتخفيــض نســبة العمالــة الموجودة لديكم ىف أعقاب جائحة كورونا؟ تنخفــض نســبة العمالــه مــن وقــت الخــر حســب االوضــاع االقتصاديــه ،وبســبب ان الجائحة قد أثرت بشــكل ســلبى على حجم االعمــال ،فــكان فمــن الضــروري خفــض
بعــض المصاريــف وخاصــة العمالــة التــي ممكــن االســتغناء عنهــا .كمــا أن هناك ميزة بنيناهــا بشــكل ســايق ىف شــركتنا وهــي أن اغلــب الموظفيــن يمكنهم تشــغيل اكثر من آلة وبالتاىل فإننا النجد اي مشكله يف عملية اإلنتاج.
Muhammad Abdul Aziz Al-Ghamdi, CEO of Sarawat Printers and Publishers
مــا هــي خطتــك لإلســتثمار المســتقبلي؟ ومــا هــو مجــال الطباعــة الــذي تعتقــد أنــه يحتــوي علــى فــرص وإمكانــات أكبــر لالستثمار؟ الفــرص التــي نــرى انهــا التــزال تســتقطب المســتثمرين هــي التوســع يف االعمــال الخاصــة بمجــال طباعــة التغليــف والتعبئة، ولهــذا فإننــا نــدرس الخطط الالزمة للتوســع يف هذا المجال بشكل اكبر مما ننتجه االن. هــل قمتــم باإلســتثمار ىف معــدات طباعــة جديدة ،ىف الفترة السابقة؟ لقــد قمنــا باإلســتثمار ىف مجــال الطباعــة الرقميــة ،حيــث أضفنــا إىل شــركتنا آالت مســطحة خاصــة بالطباعــة الرقميــة مــن شــركة كانــون ،وكذلــك العديــد مــن اآلالت الحديثه التى تســتخدم ىف الطباعة الفورية، التــى تعمــل بتقنيــة التجفيــف الفــوري الشــعة اليــويف .وذلــك كان لــه دور كبيــر يف تلبيــة إحتياجــات العمــاء الفوريــة ،ولهــذا قمنــا بزيــادة الطاقــة االنتاجيــة ايضــا الالزمــة لهــذا المنتــج مــن أجلموائمــة ذيــادة الطلب، كمــا إننــا أنشــانا لــه قســم متخصــص تحــت اسم شركة مستقله ،والحمد لله تنمو عليه الطلبات يوما بعد يوم.
MEPrinter September - October 2020
مــا هــى اإلجــراءات التــى حرصتــم علــى إتخاذهــا لحمايــة الموظفيــن مــن فيــروس كورونــا ،ىف ظــل ضــرورة اإلســتمرار يف إدارة األنشطة اليومية؟ إن وبــاء كورونــا قــد إكتســح جميــع جوانــب حياتنا يف غفلة من جميع دول العالم ،ولكن بحمد هللا كانت المملكة العربية السعوديه مــن اوائل الدول التى إســتطاعت أن تطبق االجرات االحترازية وذلك لمنع انتشار الوباء بين مواطنيها من المقيمين او السعوديين. كمــا أنها فرضت علــى الجميع االلتزام بتلك اإلجــراءات ،وكان لزامــا علــى مؤسســات وشــركات القطــاع الخــاص .االلتــزام وفــرض االنظمــة التــي تحمــي موظفيهــا ومجتمعهــا مــن هــذا الوبــاء .وقد ُفرض علــى الموظفين اإللتــزام بمعاييــر الحمايــة مــن التجمعات او اإلختــاط وكذلك فــرض التباعد اإلجتماعى، وقد كان لذلك ولله الحمد النتائج االيجابية الملموســة علــى الجميــع ،حيــث حافظنــا علــى موظفينا من تفشــي الوبــاء بينهم ،مع اســتمرار العمــل بالمطابــع وخفــض وقــت العمل اىل 6ساعات يوميا ثم تدرج الوضع بالعمــل اىل ان عــادت وتيــرة العمل للوضع الطبيعــي مــع االلتــزام بالتعليمــات التــي تصدرهــا الجهــات المخنصــة بمتابعــة هــذه الجائحة.
جانــب كســب األعمــال الجديــدة ،باإلضافــة إىل خفــض الكميــات التــي تجــري تحــت عقــود طويلــة األجــل وبهــذا تــدىن الدخــل اىل مستويات كبيرة.
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دار صناعة الطباعة الجديدة ىف الشرق االوسط
بمحتوى عاىل الجودة يشتمل على مقابالت مع كبار ممثلى صناعة الطباعة باإلضافة إىل أحدث األخبار Me Printerتحظى مجلة والمستجدات واآلراء ىف عالم فنون الرسوم التصويرية وأيضا مقاطع الفيديو ذات الصلة بالصناعة.
ال شك أن جائحة كوفيد -19قد عرقلت مسار حياتنا وجميع أعمالنا الجارية ،بما ىف ذلك صناعة النشر .وإذا تحدثنا عن هذة الصناعة سنجد أنها قد تأثرت بشكل كبير عن طريق مجموعة مختلفة من تداعيات هذا الوباء .فقد أدت عمليات دار صناعة الطباعة الجديدة ىف الشرق االوسط اإلغــاق يف جميــع أنحــاء العالــم إىل زيــادة الطلــب علــى الكتــب ،وذلــك يف نفــس الوقــت التى تحــاول فيــه المجــات المطبوعــة البقــاء ىف هذة المياه المضطربة بهــدف أن تظل واقفة على بالحاجة إىل إعادة التفكير يف ME Printerقدميها .وىف إطار هذا السياق ،قد شعرت مجلة سياســتها التحريرية والطريقة التي تتواصل بها مع القراء .وكخطوة أوىل من جانبنا ،فقد قررنا إضافة كلمة "الشرق األوسط" إىل شعارنا إلظهار التزامنا وإهتمامنا بصناعة الطباعة يف منطقتنا. وىف الفترة الحالية ،نركز بشكل أكبر على مجلتنا األلكترونية المتاحة من خالل موقعنا على اإلنترنت وأيضا على وسائل التواصل االجتماعي للوصول إىل قرائنا المعتادين والجدد .كما يمتلئ موقعنا اإللكتروين اآلن بمحتوى عايل الجودة ،يشتمل على العديد من المقابالت مع كباراألطراف الفاعلة يف صناعة الطباعة ،باإلضافة إىل آخر األخبار واآلراء يف عالم فنون الرسم التصويريــة ومقاطــع الفيديــو ذات الصلــة بالصناعــة .ونــود أن نذكــر أن موقعنــا المتاح باللغة العربية يعمل اآلن بشــكل منتظم ومســتمر ،ومتاح لدى أى مســتخدم أو قارئ اختيار اللغة المناسبة له ،وقراءة المحتوى باللغة العربية .حيث يتمحور موقعنا حول المحتوى اإلقليمى ويمكن للقارئ اإلطالع على النسخة العربية المترجمة ألهم المقاالت واألخبار المنشورة على موقعنا األلكتروىن الذى يحرر باللغة اإلنجليزية. ســتجد عزيزى القارئ يف هذا العدد عددًا من المقابالت الهامة الغنية بالمعلومات مع كبار الشــخصيات المســؤولة رفيعة المســتوى ىف مجال الطباعة الدولية واإلقليمية مثل كالوس بولزا شــونمان الرئيس التنفيذى لشــركة كوينج & باويير ،وزيد الجهني المدير العام لشــركة هيدلبرج الشرق األوسط ،وراينر هوندسدورفر الرئيس التنفيذي لهيدلبرجر دروك ماشينان واآلخريــن .كمــا أن قصــة غالفنــا هــي خالصة االرتباط بيننا وبين شــركة كانون وأيضا الدراســة األوليــة الخاصــة بصناعــة الطباعــة .حيث تحاول هذه الدراســة الفريدة للســوق ،الكشــف عن الفــرص والتحديــات واتجاهــات الســوق يف صناعــة الطباعة اإلقليمية بشــكل أكثــر تحديدًا يف منطقة الخليج ،حيث تشمل اإلمارات والسعودية وعمان والكويت وقطر والبحرين .فمرحبا بكم يف دار صناعة الطباعة الجديدة ىف الشرق االوسط!
MEPrinter September-October 2020
معرض إس چى آى دىب يطلق ندوة شبكية تحت عنوان "محادثات "E3
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أطلــق إس چــى آى الــذى يعتبــر أحــد أقــدم احترامــا المعــارض التجاريــة وأكثرهــا ً لصناعــات الطباعــة والالفتــات " وهــى تعتبــر منصــة لتعليــم وتمكيــن وتحســين E3اإلعالنيــة سلســلة نــدوات عبــر اإلنترنــت تسمى ب"محادثات مستوى مزودي خدمات الطباعة وصانعي الالفتــات اإلعالنية يف مجال صناعة الطباعة والالفتات. والهــدف األساســي مــن هــذه النــدوات هــو تثقيــف صانعــي الالفتــات حــول التطــورات واالتجاهــات المختلفــة يف " E3الصناعــة ومســاعدتهم علــى إيجــاد طــرق إلدارة أعمالهــم بشــكل أكثــر ربحيــة .كمــا ســتكون "محادثات حدثًــا شــهريًا يتــم إجــراؤه رقم ًيــا عبــر منصــة زووم ويبينــار ىف اليــوم الرابــع أو ىف األربعــاء األخير من كل شهر. وقــد أضــاف شــريف رحمــن الرئيــس التنفيــذى لشــركة دىب الدوليــة للمعــارض،
2021
قائــا "مــن المؤكــد أن جائحــة كوفيــد-19 قــد أدت إىل خلــق هــذه الحاجــة الملحــة، والتــى تتمثــل ىف نقــل المعرفــة مــن الخبراء ىف مجــال الصناعــة إىل صانعــي الالفتــات اإلعالنيــة وذلــك لمســاعدتهم علــى التغلــب علــى هــذا الوضــع .وبإعتبــار معــرض إس چــى آى دىب هــو المعــرض الصناعــى الرائــد ىف المنطقــة ،فإننــا قــد ناقشــنا هــذا األمر مع مختلف أصحاب المصلحة يف هذة الصناعة كمــا إننــا أطلقنــا هــذه المبــادرة غيــر الهادفــة للربح لتحقيق هذا الغرض". كما ستتم دعوة اثنين متحدثين لتقديم كال من هذه الندوات التى ستقام عبر اإلنترنت، وهــذه تعتبــر فرصــة لتقديــم عالماتهــم
ً وأيضــا تقديــم التجاريــة وأحــدث االبتــكارات تحديــث عــام حــول مســتقبل الصناعــة. وســيتم منــح كل مقــدم فتــرة زمنيــة مدتهــا 30دقيقــة للعــرض التقديمــي وســيتم تخصيص 20دقيقة لألســئلة واألجوبة بعد العــروض التقديميــة .كمــا ســيتم الترحيــب بأصحــاب العالمــات التجاريــة المهتميــن والــرؤى الخاصــة بعــرض ابتكارتهــم بالصناعــة عبر النــدوات ،للتواصل مع فريق معــرض إس چــى آى دىب عــن طريــق البريد اإللكتروين mohammad@iecdubai.com التاىل: وقــد أضــاف رحمــن "مــن الجديــر بالذكــر أن الحضــور ســوف يشــتمل علــى مــزودي خدمــات الطباعــة وصنــاع الالفتــات مــن منطقــة الشــرق األوســط وشــمال إفريقيــا. وسنقوم بدعوة أصحاب المصلحة يف مجال الصناعــة ،المحليين واإلقليميين والدوليين مــن خــال وســائل االتصــال المختلفــة ومنصــات التســويق االجتماعــي .وســوف تقوم إس چى آى دىب بالترويج لهذه الندوة عبــر اإلنترنت وكذلك الترويج لمقدميها من خالل وســائل االتصــال المختلفــة ومنصات التســويق االجتماعــي لجــذب المزيــد مــن الزوار نحو هذه الندوة.
المحتـويــات
MF-02-1824692
مقابالت 33
مقابلة حصرية مع زيد الجهني، المدير العام لدى هيدلبرج الشرق األوسط
المجلة الشهرية الشاملة المخصصة لمتخصصي الطباعة يف صناعة فنون الجرافيك يف الشرق األوسط السنــة السادسة عشرة /العدد / 177سبتمبر ا كتوبر 2020
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قصص نجاح 34
زيرواكس السعودية تقدم ماكينة الطباعة إيريديس األكثر مبيعا وإستدامة ىف سوق الطابعات
اإلنجليزى للمجلة أليكس جهانباىن البريد األلكتروىنalex@meprinter.com : محررة الموقع العرىب للمجلة فايزة إبراهيم البريد األلكتروىنarabic@meprinter.com : مدير النشر للمجموعة مرتضى كريميان karimian@meprinter.com هيئــة التح ــرير المحرر -القسم اإلنجليزي editor@meprinter.com
المقالة الرئيسية 36
دراسة كانون تكشف عن اإلسراع بوتيرة التغيير يف مجال صناعة الطباعة على المستوى اإلقليمي
أخبار 38
مقابلة حصرية مع عبد العزيز محمد الغامدى ،الرئيس التنفيذى لشركة سروات للطباعة والنشر
المحرر التقني – القسم العريب د .جورج نوبار سيمونيان goujy@dircon.co.uk المحرر التقني – القسم اإلنجليزي رود هايز rod.hayes@me.com المختصون المشاركون يف التحرير فرانك رومانو (الواليات المتحدة) fxrppr@rit.edu لوريل برونر (المملكة المتحدة) lb@digitaldots.org د .نيكوالس هيلموث nhellmuth@flaar.org مدير اإلعالنات ريجي ماثيوس +971505475110 meprinter@meprinter.com اإلعالنات المبوبة واإلشتراكات +971 4 391 1210 +971 50 528 9267 info@meprinter.com توجه المراسالت إىل العنوان التايل: مجلة ME Printer ُطبعت يف مطبعة النسر للنشرص.ب وزّعت من قبل شركة النسر للنشر،502183 مدينة ديب لإلعالم بناية رقم ،9مكتب رقم 214 جميع حقوق الطبع والنشر محفوظة
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MEPrinter September - October 2020
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ME‌Printer September - October 2020
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