PRESSIdeas April 2019 issue

vol-19 Issue- 04 April 2019

Issue 04, 2019

drupa Global Trends Report...........................10 Mailroom control technology.......................14 QIPC scores ‘important hit’..............................17 HP Indigo 12000 HD debuts..........................18

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Heidelberg launches boxuni.........................22 ThermoFlexX Woodpecker Nano.................24 Ricoh at FESPA 2019..........................................48

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Contents FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK............................................................................................................................................................................................................6 International Prinect Software User Days 2019....................................................................................................................................................................8 6th drupa Global Trends Report shows global print in good health overall..........................................................................................................10 Siris Capital Group to acquire EFI ..........................................................................................................................................................................................11 Imprimerie HLN expects to double revenue with Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106..........................................................................................12 KSM Superclean extends support for Contact Cleaner..................................................................................................................................................13 Mailroom control technology gets a custom conversion..............................................................................................................................................14 Q.I. Press Controls closes PrintPack India with two new partners..............................................................................................................................15 Mathrubhumi records tremendous growth in readership............................................................................................................................................16 QIPC scores ‘important hit’ with Times of India ................................................................................................................................................................17 HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press debuts in Kerala.........................................................................................................................................................18 CARTES at Xeikon Cafe 2019 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................19 Asian Packaging Conference 2019.........................................................................................................................................................................................20 comes to India ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................20 Heidelberg launches web-to-pack platform with Xianjunlong Colour Printing...................................................................................................22 ThermoFlexX Woodpecker Nano ...........................................................................................................................................................................................24 Cosmo Films launches CPP High Barrier films...................................................................................................................................................................28 Avery Dennison launches On-Metal RFID solution..........................................................................................................................................................28 VINSAK USAR 430 to have live demo at Gulf Print Pack 2019......................................................................................................................................29 Xeikon reinforces Asia Pacific presence with Nielsen appointment..........................................................................................................................29 China’s Top Print installs OMET XFlex X4..............................................................................................................................................................................30 Drip-Free Dispensing solution.................................................................................................................................................................................................30 Kodak completes Flexographic Packaging Division’s sale to Montagu....................................................................................................................31 DuPont introduces Cyrel DLC for corrugated printing...................................................................................................................................................31 Xaar at Print China 2019.............................................................................................................................................................................................................32 Personalised Medicines are a step closer with Xaar 1201 printhead ........................................................................................................................33 Global Organic Food sales break USD 100 billion barrier..............................................................................................................................................34 IndustriALL Global Union..........................................................................................................................................................................................................35 Are your UV inks properly cured? ..........................................................................................................................................................................................36 Blackstone to acquire Essel Propack......................................................................................................................................................................................37 The Label & Packaging Innovation: World-premieres and breakthrough technologies live ...........................................................................38 Shanghai Hengze’s transition from Letterpress to Flexo...............................................................................................................................................40 United Caps to attend ProPak Asia 2019 for third consecutive year .........................................................................................................................41 Roland DG set to inspire at FESPA 2019...............................................................................................................................................................................42 Kornit unveils Avalanche Poly Pro system ..........................................................................................................................................................................44 Agfa at FESPA 2019......................................................................................................................................................................................................................45 Ricoh at FESPA 2019....................................................................................................................................................................................................................46 Drytac adhesive media solutions across the floor at FESPA.........................................................................................................................................47 Advertisement-cum-beautification.......................................................................................................................................................................................47 MÉTROPOLE creates life-size 3D cartoon characters using Massivit 3D..................................................................................................................48 Siegwerk plans new Blending Center in Bangladesh .....................................................................................................................................................49

Jasmeet D. Editor & Publisher (jasmeet@pressideas.com) Vineet K G. Associate Editor (vineetkg@pressideas.com) Jasvinder S. Sub-Editor (jasvinder@pressideas.com) Jacob George Marketing and Sales (jacob@pressideas.com) M.S. Mukundan Advertising and Sales Southern and Western India (aims@pressideas.com) Graphic Designer Anil Kumar

Networking/ Hardware Consultant Sukhdeep Singh USA Correspondents Tensi M., Preeti European Correspondent Rimi, Yadhu Morphine Production Thomas K Alex

PRESSIdeas April 2019 Vol. 19, Issue 04 Printed by Jacob George and published by Jasmeet Singh on behalf of PRESSIdeas Publishing Pvt Ltd. Printed in India at Hues and Colors 363, Industrial Focal Point, Phase-IX Mohali, and published at PRESSIdeas, 437-A 1st Floor, Industrial Area, Phase-2 Chandigarh-160002 (India) Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied.

All material supplied is compiled from sources believed to be reliable or solely an opinion of the authors. PRESSIdeas is not responsible for any steps taken based on the information provided herewith.

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April 2019

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FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK Dear Readers, The 6th drupa Global Trends Report shows global print in good health overall while confirming that Europe and Australia enjoyed steady growth, whilst Asia, the Middle East and S/C America were cautious and Africa was in decline. As per the latest report, the global figures remain positive overall. The Packaging market thrives, but there are clear signs of increasing caution in the Commercial market and Publishing remains subdued, with the encouraging exception of the books market. We have a report on this for you giving you the key points.

HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press has debuted in Kerala. Early technology adopter, SUVI Color Sport has installed the first HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press at their Changanacherry plant. The new machine offers a new level of quality for Indigo LEP-based digital photo production and features new HP Indigo HDFM screening technology for smoother, moiré-free prints with increased detail.

In the newspaper printing realm, the recent PrintPack India delivered Q.I. Press Controls (QIPC) two new users of its innovative measuring and control equipment for the printing industry. Two existing partners also chose to intensify their cooperation with QIPC. During the exhibition for the Indian printing and packaging industry, the Dutch supplier received orders from Uchitha Graphics Printers, Lovely Offset Printers, Quarterfold Printabilities and Navneet Education Limited.

Besides, QIPC won big order from media major TOI. It will automate the manroland REGIOMAN press in Bangalore facility. QIPC has also announced new orders from Malayala Manorama and The Printers House.

In acquisitions & mergers, EFI has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of Siris Capital Group in an all-cash $1.7 bn transaction. Kodak has completed its Flexo Packaging Division’s sale to Montagu. Blackstone is going to acquire Indian packaging

major Essel Propack by committing up to $460 million to buy a majority stake.

In new appointments, Xeikon reinforces its Asia Pacific presence with appointment of Klaus Nielsen as Director for the region. Mr. Nielsen joins Xeikon from Heidelberg where he held the role of Managing Director in India from 2007 to 2018.

In major technological breakthroughs, Heidelberg had the world premiere of its cloud-based web-to-pack platform ‘boxuni’ at Print China.

ThermoFexX Woodpecker Nano is a breakthrough technology in Flexo LAMs plate imaging. Avery Dennison has launched its latest range of On-Metal UHF RFID solutions for tagging products that traditional RFID technologies find challenging. The newly launched heat sealable CPP films

by Cosmo Films are High Barrier films that also offer high hot tack and low seal initiation temperature. From May 13 to 16, hubergroup will present its patented solution for determining the curing degree of UV inks. Kornit’s Avalanche Poly Pro system features new game-changing Kornit NeoPoly Technology that prevents dye migration.

In innovative use of printing technology - as part of the International Cartoon Festival of Angoulême, MÉTROPOLE, a Francebased specialist in event management, digital printing, and large-format 3D printing, has produced five life-size characters using its Massivit 3D printer – to the delight of commuters and festival-goers. RPC has designed a bespoke 4 litre HDPE bottle featuring a system that dispenses AdBlue drip free. It provides a dripfree, smooth and glug-free dispensing method. And don’t miss on the Xaar 1201 printhead, which is proving instrumental in helping Nottingham-based research organisation, Added Scientific, establish the suitability of inkjet printing in the manufacture of personalised pharmaceutical pills, where dosages could be tailored to individuals on an industrial scale. Enjoy all this with our regulars in the April 2019 edition of PRESSIdeas.

- Jasvinder Singh, Sub-editor

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April 2019

International Prinect Software User Days 2019 - Optimization of the overall system in focus.

“The Prinect User Days 2019 aim to show print shops ways in which they can use Prinect to optimize the overall efficiency of their company and thus make full use of the possibilities offered by digitization.” – Jürgen Grimm, Heidelberg

Key Notes : > “Moving from feature to successful usage”: Make full use of the potential of digitization. > Communication platform for Prinect users provides space for exchange of experience and expert discussions. > More than 300 participants expected worldwide.

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Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg), with the steady development of its Prinect workflow, is driving digitization in print shops to meet customers’ needs for maximum automation and transparency.

At the same time, the company is thus underpinning its technological leadership in the area of workflow.

On the other hand, no one knows the print industry’s challenges and how to best meet them with Prinect, rather than the Prinect users themselves. However, it is often not easy for customers to keep a complete picture of the true performance of their workflow system.

This is exactly where the international Prinect User Days 2019 start with the motto “Moving from feature to successful usage”. They will be held on May 14th and 15th in English and on May 24th and 25th in German in the Print Media Academy in Heidelberg.

The event aims to help users leverage Prinect, not just in individual functions, so the workflow optimizes the overall system in print shops in terms of productivity and transparency.

Various presentations and keynotes will demonstrate

how crucial for print shops the recruitment of young talents is to make full use out of the potential of digitization, how to make the change of an MIS system successful, and beyond where the areas of applications of toner and inkjet digital printing technologies are. In addition, all newly added Prinect functions will be presented and explained in a series of workshops. In total, around 300 participants are expected from around the world.

“The Prinect User Days 2019 aim to show print shops ways in which they can use Prinect to optimize the overall efficiency of their company and thus make full use of the possibilities offered by digitization,” says Jürgen Grimm, Head of Software Solutions at Heidelberg. “For all Prinect users, they are traditionally the best communication platform to learn more about the latest innovations and talk to other international users and experts.”

A few places are still available on both dates. Further information on registration and the event is available to interested parties at Prinect User Days 2019 website.

6th drupa Global Trends Report shows global print in good health overall The 6th drupa Global Trends Report shows that the global print industry as a whole is in a stable condition.

Globally 40% of printers stated their company economic condition was ‘good’ in 2018 versus 13% who described their condition as ‘poor’, the rest were ‘satisfactory’. This gives a positive net balance of 27%. For Suppliers the positive net balance was 19%.

Both groups remain optimistic with c.50% expecting things to be better in 2019.

Conditions vary between regions and between markets. So North America continued to enjoy strong growth in 2018, Europe and Australia enjoyed steady growth, whilst Asia, the Middle East and S/C America were cautious and Africa was in decline. The 2018 results reflect the established pattern in most regions, although the decline in the Middle East and S/C America appears to be worsening.

The Packaging market thrives as does Functional, but there are clear signs of increasing caution in the Commercial market and Publishing remains subdued, with the encouraging exception of the books market.

Europe and Australia enjoyed steady growth, whilst Asia, the Middle East and S/C America were cautious and Africa was in decline.

Key Notes : > Global figures remain positive overall, with some regions and markets doing much better than others. > Political and economic concerns for the future cloud otherwise positive prospects for the majority. > The 6th report has been published.

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Sabine Geldermann, Director drupa, Messe Duesseldorf, commented, “The report shows that with a little more than a year to go to drupa 2020, the global industry is in robust health overall. Clearly, there are significant differences in prospects across different regions and markets as demand rapidly changes with economic conditions and evolving uses of print. That is the real value of this drupa Global Trends series. It allows readers to track those trends over time and identify how printers and suppliers alike can best invest to secure a strong future within the industry.”

The findings come from the 6th major annual survey issued last autumn to the drupa Expert Panel of senior decision takers recruited from printers and exhibitors at drupa 2016 and run by Printfuture (UK) and Wissler & Partner (CH). Over 600 printers and 200 suppliers participated with all regions well represented.

Richard Gray, Operations Director at Printfuture stated, “Most panel members are positive overall about the future, despite very clear concerns about the economic and political prospects for 2019 and beyond. It is striking that many show an increasingly confident grasp of how to exploit the rapidly changing

opportunities for print, as the wider markets make increased use of digital communications.“ Most printers make money despite huge pressure on margins by increasing revenues through raising utilisation while keeping overheads as stable as possible. Globally we even saw a small increase in prices, despite substantial increases in paper/ substrate prices. Suppliers also saw revenues and prices rise globally but with an even sharper decline in margins.

Conventional print volumes continue to decline but slowly. In 2013, 23% of printers reported that Digital print was more than 25% of turnover. In 2018, the proportion of printers had increased to 29%.

Nevertheless, Sheetfed offset remains the most common form of print technology, present in 66% of all printers. Sheetfed offset volume continues to grow

pressideas/ commercial printing

Siris Capital Group to acquire EFI Definitive agreement to acquired EFI in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $1.7 billion.

Electronics For Imaging, a global player in customer focused digital printing innovation, has announced its entering into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of Siris Capital Group, LLC in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.7 billion. Siris is a leading private equity firm focused on investing and driving value creation in technology companies that provide mission-critical solutions and are facing technology transitions.

Approved by EFI’s Board of Directors, the terms include acquisition of all the

outstanding common stock of EFI for $37.00 per share in cash. The purchase price represents an approximately 45% premium over EFI’s 90-day volume-weighted average price ended on April 12, 2019. EFI will have the right to terminate the Agreement to enter into a superior proposal subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement. “We believe this transaction delivers superior and immediate value to our shareholders while providing us with a partner that can add strategic and operational expertise to our business,” said Bill Muir, Chief Executive Officer of EFI.

in Packaging but there was a clear decline amongst Commercial printers for the first time.

Web to Print volumes are climbing, but slowly. In 2014, 17% of participants with W2P installations reported more than 25% of turnover came from that source. By 2018, that proportion of participants had increased to 23%. Yet the proportion of printers with W2P installations is static – 25% in 2014 and 25% in 2018.

In terms of Capital Expenditure, 41% of printers spent more in 2018 than 2017, while just 15% spent less and expenditure grew in all regions except Africa. Those in Packaging and Functional markets were very bullish while those in Commercial and Publishing markets were more cautious. It was broadly the same pattern amongst Suppliers. For printers, Finishing equipment was the most common target in 2019, followed by Print technology and then PrePress/Workflow/MIS. As for Print technology, Digital toner sheetfed colour was the most common target for investment in 2019 for all markets, except for Packaging where Sheetfed Offset took first place. Yet the Packaging market saw a 5% growth in the proportion of SKU’s specifying digital print across all applications, except for Labels where the figure is already 40%.

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Imprimerie HLN expects to double revenue with Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 With maximum production speeds of 18,000 sheets per hour, the peak performance press can handle a wide range of substrates from 27 lb. offset to 32 pt. board.

Imprimerie HLN, a family-owned company specializing in book printing located in Sherbrooke, Quebec, increased their sales by 30% only six months into operation of the Speedmaster XL 1065P+L from Heidelberg. The highly automated XL 106 gives Imprimerie HLN the cost-effective solution they need to continue to expand their market share.

Superior and Easy-to-Use Technology Replacing an aging Speedmaster SM 102-4P, Imprimerie HLN expect to double their revenue by increasing capacity with their 5-colour Speedmaster XL 106 with perfector and coater. With maximum production speeds of 18,000 sheets per hour, the peak performance press can handle a wide range of substrates from 27 lb. offset to 32 pt. board.

Equipped with the latest “Push to Stop” technology, the Speedmaster’s jobs are autonomously changed over without operator intervention and will continue to print until the operator interrupts it.

Key Notes : > The new press is equipped with a long list of innovations. > “Push to Stop” technology, Prinect Pressroom Manager, and Prinect Inpress Control 2. > Together, the innovations provide autonomous production – improve makeready times while reducing waste.

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The new press is equipped with a long list of innovations including “Push to Stop” technology, Prinect Pressroom Manager, and Prinect Inpress Control 2, which together provide the autonomous production needed to help improve makeready times while reducing waste. “The ease of use and new technology on the press is really what’s going to set us apart from competition,” said Robert Cote, co-

owner of Imprimerie HLN. “You can’t even compare the XL 106 to the SM 102 – it’s far superior.”

Equipped with the latest “Push to Stop” technology, the Speedmaster’s jobs are autonomously changed over without operator intervention and will continue to print until the operator interrupts it. This software system reduces the number of operating steps during a job change and enables all operators to achieve uniform results.

With Prinect Inpress Control 2 on the press, the Speedmaster can handle even the most complex job changes at the fastest speeds possible. With this technology on the press, the Speedmaster XL 106 delivers the first measuring result in less than 60 sheets.

Best Investment in the Imprimerie HLN’s History This isn’t the first piece of Heidelberg equipment that impressed Imprimerie HLN. Back in 2009, they bought a Speedmaster CD 102-5+L at drupa, which they still qualify as the best investment in the company’s history. As the world’s most popular range

pressideas/ commercial printing

of machines in the 70x100cm format, the CD 102 provides flexible processing of a large variety of jobs and materials. The easy-touse CD 102 offers short makeready times and an attractive price/performance ratio – maximizing the profit potential of its output.

Alongside the XL 106 and CD 102, the company also has POLAR cutters and Stahlfolders. The company also uses Saphira consumables including blankets and ink foils.

“All of Heidelberg’s equipment and consumables work well together, which is why we choose to partner with Heidelberg,” said Cote. “If anything ever goes wrong, service is always there to help us, which is one of the reasons why we keep partnering alongside Heidelberg.”

from graphics to shipping, Imprimerie HLN produces a wide range of printed materials including books, brochures, calendars, etc. on any type of paper. Their mission is to offer their customers personalized printing services at a superior quality and a competitive price.

Imprimerie HLN of Sherbrooke, Quebec has been meeting their customers printing needs since 1977. Offering a complete print service

KSM Superclean extends support for Contact Cleaner KSM Superclean launches support program for other makes of Contact Cleaning Machines. optimal efficiency by restoring equipment to ‘like new condition’. We have over 20 years experience in the contact cleaning field so we have an intimate understanding of the applications and processes where our rollers are used. The surface of the contact cleaning roller is crucial to their performance so all our rollers are engineered to the most exacting quality standards to guarantee maximum efficiency when removing contamination.”

KSM Superclean provides high performance contact cleaning and contamination control technology. The company has recently announced that it now provides high quality spares, contact cleaning rollers and consumables for many other makes of contact cleaner, regardless of age.

Contact cleaning machines are used across a wide range of industries including electronics, labels, printing, glass, cleanrooms and converting to remove contamination down to the micron level to improve performance, increase yields and reduce waste.

David Westwood, sales and marketing manager at KSM Superclean said: “By supplying spare parts, rollers and consumables for many other makes of contact cleaner including our own make, companies can extend the life of their equipment and be assured it is operating at

KSM has also introduced a roller re-coating and regrinding service which means that the life of existing rollers can be extended and costs reduced as the original shaft and fittings can be re-used.

Under the Superclean brand, the company’s portfolio of products remove surface contamination at the microscopic level from a wide range of materials used in critical processes in a number of industrial, process and manufacturing environments.

By effectively removing contamination, yields can be increased, defects eliminated, wastage reduced and profitability increased.

Key sectors for KSM solutions are Printed Circuit Board (PCB) electronics; label printing, cleanrooms, automotive and industrial glass, industrial screen-printing and industrial film and paper converting.

In 2017 KSM became part of the Rainbow Technology Systems group of companies.

Rainbow is an innovative design, manufacturing and consumables supply company based in Glasgow. Its projects range from bespoke process automation solutions to the supply of consumables to a wide range of industries.

David Westwood, Sales & Marketing Manager of Rainbow Technology Systems, said: “Our mission is to provide customers with the best value contact cleaning solutions world-wide by offering superb price performance. A huge factor in this is being able to call on Rainbow’s extensive in-house expertise in product design, manufacturing and chemistry.”

The product range includes: custom web & sheet cleaners; manual cleaning kits; adhesive rolls; replacement cleaning rollers; adhesive floor mats; hand-held cleaning rollers; and IPA wipes.

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Mailroom control technology gets a custom conversion RCS Group makes transition to Ferag’s new technology.

Milan-based RCS Group (Rizzoli Corriere della Sera) is one of Italy’s largest media groups and operates several printing centres that supply the country with newspapers such as the Corriere della Sera and the Gazzetta dello Sport sports daily, known for the pale pink paper used for printing. Twelve to fifteen years after installation of the mailroom technology currently in use in Pessano, Padua and Rome, it was now time to adapt the control electronics in particular to today’s state of the art – a major project that took place in 2018.

“The biggest challenge was to assure that bundle formation and dispatch would keep on going at every stage of the conversion. This was a massive effort in terms of the amount of rewiring alone. All the pusher modules were replaced as well.” - project manager Kurt Mettler, Ferag

Key Notes : > Technology transition – effortless and without disruption to daily production. > Converting just some of the mailroom lines enables RCS to increase spare parts inventory. > The project lasting around five months completes to the customer’s satisfaction.

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RCS Quotidiani SpA, RCS Group’s newspaper production company and a Ferag user since the 1990s, operates its largest printing facility in Pessano on the northern edge of metropolitan Milan. Further printing plants supply the Northeast of the country from Padua, for example, while the capital and its suburbs are served from Rome. Between 2004 and 2008, all locations were equipped with new Ferag mailroom technology as part of a format change of the Corriere della Sera and Gazzetta dello Sport, which for the Italians meant bundle formation, topsheet production and conveyor segments up to the loading ramp.

Exact retrofit schedule After repeated hardware upgrades over the years, RCS Group began evaluating comprehensive new control technology for the mailroom in 2015. In 2017, an exact schedule was defined for retrofitting the production lines to differing degrees.

Pessano, for example, uses six folder deliveries. Four lines used for processing the Corriere della Sera lead to a total of six Ferag MultiStack (MTS) compensating

stackers. Two somewhat newer paced conveyor lines for Gazzetta dello Sport are each equipped with three MTSs. Like virtually all newspaper publishers today, RCS Group’s retrofit strategy had to take into account how the production lines are likely to be used in the future. In Pessano, for example, two lines were not upgraded and two other lines had their PRA-PC control units upgraded to PRA+ with new control over topsheet production and inkjet addressing.

For the two latest lines, however – which also have separate bundle dispatch – both the LineMaster (LIM) line control and the old bundle conveyor line control (Dispatchmaster, DIM) were upgraded to the current PKT2 standard. MDS – the mailroom data server – and the superordinate IDS system were also replaced in Pessano.

Conversion during ongoing production Kurt Mettler, Ferag project manager for the RCS retrofit: “The biggest challenge was to assure that

pressideas/ newspaper

bundle formation and dispatch would keep on going at every stage of the conversion.

This was a massive effort in terms of the amount of rewiring alone. All the pusher modules were replaced as well.”

Rewiring was necessary because the current version of the PKT2 plate chain conveyor works on a completely new principle: it first scans the bundle topsheet and only then

queries the database on how to handle it, in other words where it needs pushing off the chain. For this purpose one or more cameras were mounted (and triggered) above the plate chains. The current bundle transport control software is capable of processing with both operating principles.

By converting just some of the mailroom lines, RCS was also able to increase its

spare parts inventory for the unchanged technology.

“Effortless transition” The entire project lasted around five months and was completed to the customer’s satisfaction. RCS Group management praised Ferag’s great efforts at making the transition to new technology “effortless and without disruption to daily production”.

Q.I. Press Controls closes PrintPack India with two new partners Orders from Uchitha Graphics Printers, Lovely Offset Printers, Quarterfold Printabilities and Navneet Education Limited.

PrintPack India delivered Q.I. Press Controls (QIPC) two new users of its innovative measuring and control equipment for the printing industry. Two existing partners also chose to intensify their cooperation with the Dutch supplier. During the exhibition for the Indian printing and packaging industry, the Dutch supplier received orders from Uchitha Graphics Printers, Lovely Offset Printers, Quarterfold Printabilities and Navneet Education Limited.

Sivakasi will be equipped with an mRC-3D system for colour register and cut-off control.

The system will optimise Lovely Offset Printer’s production process and guarantees high quality printing. Rakesh Dave, managing director of QIPC India: “Both Uchitha Graphics Printers and Lovely Offset Printers are new printers that will use our systems. I am very pleased that they are going to work with us after hearing positive stories from other users.”

PrintPack India took place at the beginning of February 2019 and exhibited no less than 509 different suppliers. The six-day fair was also the opportunity for QIPC to maintain relations with the most important players in the Indian printing and packaging market and to tap into new contacts at the same time. Although the fair focuses on the Indian market, visitors from 82 different countries were present in New Delhi.

Quarterfold Printabilities In addition, two well-known QIPC partners opted for new automation systems.

Quarterfold Printabilities invests in an mRC-3D system for colour register and cut-off control for its TPH Orient press in Mumbai. “We opt for consistent print quality,” says Ashwin Bajaj director at Quarterfold

Printabilities. “We are already a satisfied user of QIPC systems in two locations and are very satisfied with the performance. Rakesh Dave: “Quarterfold Printabilities was already convinced of our systems. They will not be disappointed”.

Navneet Education Limited The last order that PrintPack 2019 won for QIPC came from a partner QIPC has been working with for almost a decade: Navneet Education Limited. The Gandhinagar-based print shop will have access to a new mRC-3D colour register and cut-off check system for its Harris M300 press. “We would like to maintain our long-term relationship with QIPC for several decades to come,” says Rameshbhai Patel maintenance manager of Navneet Education Limited. “QIPC delivers proven, reliable systems.”

Uchitha Graphics Printers It resulted in four new orders for QIPC. Uchitha Graphics Printers was looking for a way to make its production quality more consistent and increase efficiency. “We had already heard a lot of positive feedback about QIPC’s systems,” says Manohar Prabhu, director atUchitha Graphics Printers.

“We expect to achieve our goals with this new installation. On the TPH Orient press in Mumbai, an mRC-3D system for colour register and cut-off control will be installed.

Lovely Offset Printers The positive stories of other QIPC users were also the reason for Lovely Offset Printers to choose Dutch measuring and control equipment. The Harris M600 press in

April 2019

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pressideas/ newspaper

Mathrubhumi records tremendous growth in readership Q1 IRS 2019 findings show growth of 11.22 lakh additional readers for the Malayalam publication.

Kerala’s formidable media group Mathrubhumi witnessed record growth in the number of readers, according to IRS (Indian Readership Survey), amongst the two main publications in Malayalam, Mathrubhumi has achieved the highest growth. According to the report of the first quarter, IRS 2019, Mathrubhumi has got 11.22 lakh, additional readers. The total number of readers for Mathrubhumi reached 1.30 Crore.

The growth of Mathrubhumi within the time frame is 9.5 %, the other newspaper has a growth of 9.3% with this its ranking has surged to 11th spot in the country in AIR list.

Mathrubhumi is the 4th largest circulated regional language newspaper, even in digital media, it has shown an incredible growth among the young readers aged between 20-49 yrs. has shown a growth of 9 % with an addition of 6.6 lakh readers. In terms of male and female classification of readers, the newspaper has about 7.55 lakh Male readers (12%) and 3.7 lakh of female readers (6.6%).

In the New Consumer Classification System (NCCS AB) Mathrubhumi achieved 10 % growth with an additional 8 lakh readers.

An Upward trend in Periodicals The survey findings also illustrates that the periodicals published by Mathrubhumi have achieved commendable growth in the time period considered in the survey.

Mathrubhumi periodicals has shown growth rate in readership such as Minnaminni – 55 % ( A weekly in Malayalam for kids), Star & Style – 42% ( Magazine covering film, fashion, and lifestyle), Yathra – 40 % ( Travel magazine), Mathurbhumi Azhchapathippu ( Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly) – 21% , Sports Masika – 19 % ( sport magazine), Arogyamasika – 18 % ( covers health), Thohzhilvartha – 17 % ( employment paper), and Grihalakshmi – 15 % ( exclusive magazine for women of Kerala).

Arogyamasika retained the top spot in the list of health magazines published in India, three of the first ten language publications in India belongs to Mathrubhumi.

The IRS Q1 2019 data released by the Media Research Users Council ( MRUC) showed dailies adding 1.8 crore additional readers

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since IRS 2017 and magazines increasing readership by 90 Lakh together taking the total number of readers in the country up from 40.7 cr to an impressive 42.5 crore.

According to the survey India has 384 Mn active internet universe.

Mathrubhumi caters to a huge readership with its 16 editions, including from Dubai & Qatar, a books division, and 11 periodicals running the gamut from culture to entertainment. Built on strong journalistic ethics and high aesthetic outlook offering multi-platform, multigenerational experiences, Mathrubhumi is not only a fast growing publishing house of repute but also a corporate entity in the mass communication industry. It has struck deep roots in the hearts of every Malayalee household through various engaged entertainment platforms mainly print, radio (Club FM), television (Mathrubhumi News & Kappa TV), online (Mathrbhumi.com) & digital.

The Group bags 2 awards at Abby Awards 2019 Mathrubhumi Group had a rich haul of 2 awards at the prestigious 14th edition of Creative Abby Awards 2019 jointly organised by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising club, at The Grand Hyatt, Bambolim.

Mathrubhumi bagged silver under Best Marketing of a printed magazine for Arogyamasika World Heart Day campaign and silver for the Best promotion of a CSR / cause related marketing initiative in a traditional or online space for its Revive for Kerala campaign.

In total, 23 Publishers Abby Awards were awarded this year

by Abby’s, of these, 3 are Gold, 9 are Silver, and 11 are Bronze.

Day 1 at Goafest 2019 kicked off true to tradition with the lighting of the inaugural lamp by Group CEO & MD - Viacom18, Sudhanshu Vats,Mr. Ashish Bhasin - President of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), Mr. Nakul Chopra, Chairman - Goafest 2019, Shashi Sinha - Chair of the Awards Governing Council, ABBY Awards 2019, Vikram Sakhuja - President, The Advertising Club, and Jaideep Gandhi - Chairman Industry Conclave.

Speaking on this occasion Mr M V Shreyams Kumar, Jt Managing Director, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing said, “This in indeed a condign recognition from the industry. For a 96 yrs old Malayalee media house in the forefront of all progressive movements in Kerala, and dedicated to excellence in authentic content and fidelity in production, yet another feather in our cap. We are both humbled and honoured to acknowledge these awards on behalf of all our constituents, without whose support, it would not have been possible to scale these heights.”

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QIPC scores ‘important hit’ with Times of India Besides Indian newspaper major, Times of India, QIPC also achieves important orders from Malayala Manorama.

Rakesh Dave, managing director of Q.I. Press Controls (QIPC), did not shy away from the big words after winning a new order from Times of India. He spoke of “one of the most important hits in India”. The Dutch specialist in measuring and control equipment for the printing industry is allowed to automate the manroland REGIOMAN press in Bangalore of the leading Times of India group again. QIPC also announces new orders from Malayala Manorama and The Printers House.

Increasing market share According to Rakesh Dave, the Times of India order offers “golden opportunities” for QIPC. “Within the Times of India group there are many manroland presses. Our market share in India will increase again and everyone in the country can see that the market is ready for our IDS-3D system. The IDS-3D system (16 cameras) for closed-loop colour control is installed in Bangalore on a manroland REGIOMAN press. In addition, the mRC-3D system (12 cameras) for cut-off control is added. Times of India relies on this to solve an operational problem it had, but above all to deliver consistently high quality print products. The constant support of QIPC’s high quality technical service is an added advantage.

High impact The fact that Times of India has decided

to reinvest in QIPC’s systems is also proof of the group’s satisfaction with its previous cooperation. In fact, an IDS-3D colour control system had already been installed at the Sahibabad printing works. “This is one of the most important hits ever for QIPC in India,” says Rakesh Dave. “Most of the major newspaper groups are located in the south of the country. This installation will have a major impact on all these groups.

Malayala Manorama Besides Times of India, Malayala Manorama and The Printers House also decided to invest in the automation of QIPC. Malayala Manorama does this for its printing company in Palakkad. An mRC-3D system for colour control (2 cameras) and cut-off control (2 cameras) is installed. “We have been working with QIPC since 2011,” says Shibu George, Deputy General Manager at Malayala Manorama. “Because of the intelligent and reliable systems, we have no doubts about investing QIPC systems at other locations. QIPC is very bold and shows with its excellent support and service that it is all about long-term relationships.

The Printers House Finally, QIPC also provides the colour register and cut-off check for a new The Printers House press. On a TPH Orient press, 4 mRC-3D cameras for colour register and 2 mRC-3D cameras for cut-off control will be installed. The Printers House thus increases the productivity and accuracy of its presses.

At the same time, the degree of automation increases.

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digital printing

HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press debuts in Kerala Early technology adopter, SUVI Color Sport installs the first HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press at their Changanacherry plant.

HP has installed the first HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press at SUVI Color Spot, one of the leaders in photo printing industry. SUVI Color Sport, an early adopter of technology has installed the device at their plant in Changanacherry, Kerala.

Introduced this year at Consumer Electronic Imaging Fair (CEIF), the HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press helps in increasing productivity by offering a new level of quality for Indigo LEP-based digital photo production. Additionally, the device also uses the new HP Indigo HDFM screening technology for smoother, moiré-free prints with increased detail.

“Our long association with HP has enabled us in achieving a double-digit growth over the years, setting a new benchmark for our business in the entire Kerala.” - Mr. Wilson, SUVI Color Spot

Key Notes : > First installation of HP Indigo 12000 HD at SUVI Color Spot. > Offering a new level of quality for Indigo LEPbased digital photo production. > New HP Indigo HDFM screening technology for smoother, moiréfree prints with increased detail.

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A. Appadurai, Country Manager, Indigo and PageWide Web Press, Graphics Solutions Business, HP Inc. India, said, “The focus of offering photo printing solutions revolves around smooth and supreme photo printing quality. HP offers advanced printing solutions which have enabled our customers and photographers to clock in good growth within a short span of time. Our journey with SUVI Color Spot started 7 years ago with the HP Indigo 5500 and we have been since then associated with them through various installations; the latest one being the HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press. With this latest installation, we look forward to having a continued

association and help them raise the photo print quality benchmark for their customers” Commenting on this, Mr. Wilson of SUVI Color Spot said, “The innovations in the photo printing segment at HP were key considerations when we bought the HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press. Our long association with the company has enabled us in achieving a double-digit growth over the years, setting a new benchmark for our business in the entire Kerala. We always look forward to innovate our products for our customers using the state-of-theart technology at offer with the HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press.”

HP Indigo 12000 HD – Digital Press for premium sheetfed photo quality • The High Definition Imaging System for the B2sized HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press doubles image resolution for sharper, smoother, finer print, enabling print service providers to surpass offset quality and open new digital possibilities in high-end wedding albums, photo books, holiday cards, and calendars.

• Reinvents wedding photo quality with extended colour gamut with the introduction of special colours “Vivid Pink & Vivid Green”

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•

Helps to lower environmental impact with silver-free technology, CO2 neutral manufacturing, and consumables recycling

The wide portfolio of the HP Indigo digital processes aims to provide solutions for

transforming photo production to digital from silver-halide processes. Photo production on the sheetfed HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press is supported with silver halide quality photo cut print production with photo papers from Felix Schoeller, supreme quality coated papers from Fedrigoni, B2-sized sheetfed

laminating solutions. The printing solution is supported by the dedicated photo inks, such as HP Indigo ElectroInk Light Black, Vivid Pink, Vivid Green, Light Cyan and Light Magenta, for more professional and innovative photo products on HP Indigo presses.

CARTES at Xeikon Cafe 2019 During Xeikon Café 2019, Cartes label machines exhibits GT and GE series. waste minimization, the possibility to save all parameters for a quick re-call, low power consumption and energy regeneration thanks to IGBT technology.

It can be configured with the following units: Flexo Printing and varnishing, Semirotary die-cutting and Laser die-cutting.

Overlamination & cold foil applications are also available.

At the recent Xeikon Cafe 2019, Cartes Label Machines exhibited its innovative GT series in the configuration GT364WSHR (flexo varnishing and printing – silk screen printing - hot stamping – semi rotary diecutting). It also exhibited the GE series in the configuration GE362WL (flexo varnishing and printing – dual LASER for die-cutting and converting).

The Cartes GT 360 Series is an innovative series of modular label machines. The combined machines are very appreciated by the label producers as they can fulfill different applications in a single production cycle, creating labels of the highest value.

materials and the high precision at every speed, the GT Series offers to the label market many new features and many options of configuring with Hot stamping, Silk-screen printing, Embossing, Flexo Printing and varnishing, Flat-bed die-cutting, Semi-rotary die-cutting and Laser die-cutting.

Besides, overlamination, Cut off window system, double sided adhesive tape applicator and many other options are also available.

Gemini Series Digital Finishing solutions

Cartes has developed an innovative solution ILC - Invisible Laser Cutting. It is now possible to die-cut dark printed labels avoiding the typical unsightly “white edge”.

With the ILC system there are no limits in processing materials with extremely thin liners (a few micron thickness) including films, die-cutting and stripping “impossible shapes” or even linerless materials like IML labels.

The Laser Converting Unit ensures constant power and cutting quality, reducing management and maintenance costs.

The CE160 series constitutes a Multifunctional, versatile, efficient and compact machines. CE 160 series can combine units of: Hot stamping, Embossing and Flat bed die-cutting.

Customers can visit Cartes’ Moglia (Mantova, Italy) plant to see the machines in live production environment.

The Gemini series represents the new frontier in digital converting: versatility, performance,

The technologies applied to the GT Series machines make them considered one of the best options for finishing as well as for fulfilling complete high value labels with the maximum economy.

In addition to the strength, the quality of the

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Event Preview

Asian Packaging Conference 2019 comes to India Titled SHIFT_019, the 17th edition of Asian Packaging Conference will be held in New Delhi, India for the first time.

Happening from 8 to 9 May 2019 at Novotel Aerocity New Delhi, SHIFT_019 is Asia’s premiere labels and packaging conference. The two-day conference will be filled with enlightening presentations, thoughtprovoking discussions and networking opportunities, with the aim to transform print and packaging businesses. The conference will feature table-tops from leading and supporting manufacturers to showcase the latest product and developments for the labels and packaging industry.

“Supported by leading packaging suppliers and associations, the conference will be filled with the latest information to help any company in packaging production grow in the coming years.” - Paul Callaghan, chairman of Packaging & Print Innovation Asia.

Key Notes : > The conference theme for the upcoming event has been set at: Investing for Sustainability & Financial Returns. > To feature tabletops from leading and supporting manufacturers to showcase the latest product and developments for the labels and packaging industry. > SHIFT_019 celebrates the 17th edition of the Asian Packaging Excellence Awards.

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Each year, the conference attracts business owners and suppliers, packaging printers, converters, brand owners and designers. Organised by Asia Print Awards Management (formerly known as AFTA), the conference was similarly titled SHIFT_018 in last year’s edition. This year, the same thread was continued with SHIFT_019.

Investing for Sustainability & Financial Returns

Past editions have been held in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. For the first time ever, the event will be held in India to highlight the rapidly growing packaging market in India. In addition, delegates from past year’s event have signalled their interest and support for the destination.

The conference theme for the upcoming event has been set at: Investing for Sustainability & Financial Returns. According to organisers, there will be about 20 international speakers lined up to present at the conference. The conference this year aims to adder two of the most pressing issues faced by today’s print packaging business owners: sustainability and returning on investment (ROI).

“Asia, and especially India, has been tapped to lead the growth of the packaging industry through to 2025,” said Paul Callaghan, chairman of Packaging & Print Innovation Asia. “Supported by leading packaging suppliers and associations, the conference will be filled with the latest information to help any company in packaging production grow in the coming years.”

The topics and speakers that have committed to presenting include Tim Klappe, MPS; Alfred Ulli, BOBST; David Jones, Alphasonics; Hayato Kashiwagi, DIC Inks; K. Panthala Selvan, Pressman Solutions &Idealliance South Asia; Tom Orbien, Prime Blade; Anuj Sahni, Windmoller & Holscher; Giuseppe Sauli, Uteco; Supachai Theravithayangkura, Flint

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Group; Klaus Nielsen, Xeikon; Thayer Long, Association for Print Technologies; Isaam Lutfiyya, Baldwin Vision Systems; Andy Yarrow, Kornit Digital; Steve Smith, Kodak; Gururaj Kirsur, DuPont Advanced Printing; Nick Price, HP Inc.; Markus Amendt, Kaspar Walter.

There will be more speakers added to the lineup in the coming weeks leading up to the conference.

Conference Partners Announced Every year, SHIFT_019 form partnerships with established trade bodies and associations to cultivate dynamic knowledge building and networking opportunities. This year is no different.

The 17th edition of the Asian Packaging Conference will be supported and endorsed

by Association of Label Printers & Suppliers (ALPS), Indian Printing, Packaging and Allied Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (IPAMA) and Bombay Master Printers Association (BMPA). In addition, Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech) will also make a repeat cooperation. APTech has supported the event for the third consecutive year.

17th Asian Packaging Excellence Awards 2019 SHIFT_019 celebrates the 17th edition of the Asian Packaging Excellence Awards. The annual competition recognises and honours packaging excellence for the Asian region.

The competition is open to companies involved in the production of packaging industry.

There are 26 categories divided into three segments of Flexography, Rotogravure and Labels. A new category of Mockup/Sample Production has also been inducted following requests from last edition of the awards.

winners have already been determined. Over three days, an international, independent jury of industry experts examined each submission anonymously within preestablished criteria. Judges for Asian Packaging Excellence Awards this year are print veterans: Willem (Wim) Swiggers, Phee Boon Eow and Ben Kwok.

Winners will be unveiled and recognised during the Gala dinner at SHIFT_019.

Organisers are excited to announce that

ALPS is a society of label printers, suppliers and printing professionals in India with the main goal of bringing all label technologies on a single platform. Founded in 1988, IPAMA is an independent organisation serving the needs of the printing, packaging and allied industries in a rapidly changing marketplace. BMPA was formed in 1955 in Mumbai, and is a well networked association of print providers, pre-press, pre-media specialists, post-press and converting, package printing, agencies, alongside suppliers. APTech, formerly known as NPES, is a US organization dedicated to supporting the entire global printing value chain.

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Heidelberg launches web-to-pack platform with Xianjunlong Colour Printing World premiere at Print China – cloud-based web-to-pack platform “boxuni” delivers quick, simple, and cost-effective customized packaging.

Heidelberg, together with one of China’s leading packaging manufacturers, Xianjunlong Colour Printing, based in Shenzhen, has launched the world’s first web-to-pack platform -boxuni- and digital production solution for designing and ordering customized folding cartons. The platform connects packaging designers, print buyers, and producers with unparalleled efficiencies and leverages unrivaled software and technical capability from Heidelberg with Xianjunlong’s strong footprint in the Chinese packaging industry. As the first boxuni production partner, Xianjunlong has implemented a fully integrated web-to-pack production line – from cloudbased online platform to printing on a Heidelberg Primefire 106 and postpress operations. Heidelberg showcased this online platform at its booth at the Print China trade show from April 9 to 13 in Guangdong.

“By investing in a Heidelberg Primefire 106, Xianjunlong is underlining the importance of our industrial digital printing system for implementing new, data-driven business models.” Professor Ulrich Hermann, Heidelberg

Key Notes : > Launch of complete web-to-pack platform and production solution in China. > Printers, designers, and end customers benefit in equal measure. > Xianjunlong uses Heidelberg Primefire 106 for new digital business model in growing packaging market.

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boxuni: Printers, designers, and end customers benefit in equal measure from new web-to-pack platform Heidelberg contributes its software know-how surrounding Prinect and its extensive experience in the printing of high-quality folding cartons. In this way, the company brings the interests of packaging

designers, end users, and packaging printers together on one platform. Designers currently have online access to around 12,000 folding carton designs, with more being added all the time. This makes designing packaging that is tailored to their requirements a quick, simple, and cost-effective process. As for packaging buyers, they can order packaging designs online – customized if necessary and also in the shortest of runs – which Xianjunlong then produces fully automatically and ships. A Primefire 106 from Heidelberg – China’s first industrial digital printing system in B1 format – starts by printing the packaging that has been designed and ordered online. Once the folding cartons have been printed, postpress operations are carried out on a digital coating/foil stamping system and a die-cutting machine from Heidelberg partner Masterwork Group.

Xianjunlong thus offers a complete production chain for digital packaging printing.

Heidelberg – digital ecosystem pioneer Heidelberg is also leading the way when it comes to creating a digital ecosystem for the packaging market in China’s print media industry. The next step is to give print shops the opportunity to link their products and services to this platform. For the first time, it

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will then be possible to use a cloud-based platform to produce folding cartons in a standardized, highly automated process with wide coverage in China.

“It’s the first time for the company that we’re working together with a customer to invest in a new business model, which will drive further growth in the packaging market. We are intending to generate added value for the various industry stakeholders by creating a digital ecosystem. And by investing in a Heidelberg Primefire 106, Xianjunlong is underlining the importance of our industrial digital printing system for implementing new, data-driven business models,” says

Professor Ulrich Hermann, Management Board member and Chief Digital Officer of Heidelberg.

Open house at Xianjunlong showcases complete value chain for digital packaging printing

“We’re expecting the boxuni web-to-pack platform to revolutionize China’s packaging market. In the future, designers, print buyers, and printers will all benefit from a highly automated, standardized process that will ultimately eliminate the need for correction cycles and coordination processes. We’ll use this digital business model to ensure the Primefire is used to its full capacity on a cost-effective basis,” adds Mr. Zhuang, Xianjunlong Colour Printing management team member.

Heidelberg and Xianjunlong organized an open house to coincide with Print China.

Trade show visitors who made the trip to the packaging manufacturer’s factory, which is located a two-hour drive away in Shenzhen, were able to see a complete, integrated value chain for digital packaging printing – from creating a potentially customized folding carton and entering orders in the web-topack platform to printing on a Primefire 106 from Heidelberg and performing postpress operations to finish print orders ready for shipping. Heidelberg and Xianjunlong expect over 1000 visitors attended the open house.

“China is the world’s largest market for folding carton production. It is worth over 30 billion euros and is growing at an annual rate of around 5 percent,” says Stephan Plenz, member of the Heidelberg Management Board responsible for Digital Technology.

“China in particular is seeing a growing demand for short runs and even more customized packaging of very high quality, the perfect fit for the Heidelberg Primefire 106. We consider this the next step in a trend that will create further impetus for growth in the highly promising digital packaging printing segment,” he concludes.

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ThermoFlexX Woodpecker Nano Breakthrough technology in Flexo LAMs plate imaging Unique Surface Micro Structures for Flexographic Printing Plates.

ThermoFlexX Woodpecker Nano 2000 surface screening technology is a breakthrough technology in Flexo LAMs plate imaging and can be used on all digital Flexo plate brands. Imaging systems manufacturer ThermoFlexx has introduced a new surface screening technology for its flexo plate imagers, which offers higher solid ink density and smother laydown. Here is a detailed article on this technology which is straight forward to install, offers stunning print quality and much more.

Introduction

With Nano, considerable improvements in ink laydown as well as halo effects (around positive text and trailing edge voids) are noted. Dot definition is much improved with pre-mature bridging eliminated.

Key Notes : > Can be used on all digital Flexo plate brands. > Offers higher solid ink density and smother laydown. > Working with 2000dpi image files still provides excellent quality flexo print results.

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The flexographic printing market was valued at $164 billion in 2017. This is forecast to grow between 2-3% annually. This growth depends on continual improvement. Advances in print quality enable flexo to win business from traditionally ‘high-quality’ print mediums, for example rotogravure and offset litho.

However improving efficiencies in these technologies makes this a worthy challenge. Digital print continues to emerge in flexo’s core markets. As digital technologies evolve, competitive volumes are under constant challenge. Of course this must apply to many industries but the key targets for the continued growth of flexo are: • Constantly improving print quality • Continual cost reduction through improved efficiency • Faster turnaround, reduced pre-press time through higher productivity

Relevant Background – Flexo Ink Transfer Challenges A large proportion of the flexo market is the printing of flexible packaging on transparent or white films. Popular examples include polypropylene, polyethylene and polyester. Millions of tons of these substrates are converted into flexible packaging. To be competitive, high printing speeds are required.

Specialist wide-web presses, most often use solventbased inks and run around 400m/1000ft per minute on multi-ton orders for continuous rolls of these printed substrates. Given the demand for higher

quality of printing on these packaging products, good ink transfer, giving smooth opaque coverage particularly in solid areas, is an extremely important challenge. In theory an ‘ascending’ surface tension or energy chain (‘surface-energy’ for solid items as in anilox, plates and substrate and ‘surface-tension’ for liquids, the inks) should give the best possible coverage. Some even specify this within a tight tolerance of ‘Dyne-levels’. However, in practice, measurement methods vary, substrate energy levels can change with age, plate properties can change due to processing variances etc. Also, even if the ascending chain is stale and within tight tolerance, perfect transfer isn’t always guaranteed! So, it was recognised that more ‘help’ from flexo plate technology could be available to assist ink transfer and contribute immediately to a better overall print quality. Hence the development of Surface Micro Structures (SμS) in modern flexo plate making.

The first attempts at microstructures in solid areas really stem from the observation that the shadow tones, 90% and up on a screened plate, may in some cases actually print a higher solid density than the 100% areas. Line screens as high as the imaging and developing technologies would allow, typically film negative exposed and solvent washed-out flexo plates with a 90% ‘plate-cell’ in solids at line-screens of up to 400lpi, enjoyed some limited success.

Engineered structures built into the plate surface are also available. However it is established that super-fine patterns, typically with a screen frequency of 1400lpi and up, are far more effective. The ability to create and control such surface structures with a laser imaging system, and to hold supre fine arrays firmly on a finished flexo plate, provides much greater performance.

Enabling Technology – Flat Top Dot Now common, ‘Digital’ flexo plates were introduced in the 1990’s. A Laser Ablatable Mask (a carbon ‘LAMs layer’) was applied to the surface of the plate

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replacing the need for a film negative. Laser imaging systems could remove or ‘ablate’ the mask and create fine patterns and screens. The main complications of making a film and applying it to the plate for main UVA exposure, namely poor film contact and light scattering, were avoided. This brought a step-change to flexo plate production, enhancing quality, reliability and ease-of-use.

The downside of this technology was that oxygen present during main UVA exposure that was previously excluded by the film, contributed to a loss of detail in the finished plate. This is often referred to as ‘dot-loss’ or ‘dot-sharpening’.

As such, ‘dot-loss’ did not impair the quality of digital plates as it could be easily counter-acted by a ‘bump-up’ curve applied usually at the RIP stage to ensure that a suitable small but stable minimum dot was help on the finished plate. Well controlled small ‘round-top’ dots gave very fine printed results. This new level of possible fine highlight dots further improved flexo print quality. To give a scale of the ‘dot-loss’, a typical solvent-washout flexo plate with 150lpi line-screen tones would need 6-7% ‘bumpup’ in the image file (subject to UV intensity) to keep the smallest dots retained consistent and strong. This means that at ‘standard’ resolution (2540dpi), dots smaller than 12 pixels in size would be completely washed away by processing. At 4000dpi dots would need to be above 20 pixels at the file stage to survive through to the finished plate.

In 2008, Eastman Kodak launched the ‘Flexcel NX’ technology. This utilised a special film negative, referred to as a ‘Thermal Imaging Layer’ or TIL. The TIL once imaged is then laminated to a flexo plate before UVA main exposure. This eliminates the problem of oxygen presence during main exposure. All fine details are retained on a finished plate meaning that no, or a very small (<1%) bump up is necessary.

Furthermore, it was found that extremely small structures or patterns could be applied to the print surface of the plate and held through the solvent wash-out process. These ‘Digicap’ patterns were found to substantially improve solid ink density and Flexcel NX became generally considered the benchmark of flexo plates for highest quality print.

Of course this isn’t a perfect solution. The

extra expense of the TIL, the extra process step of laminating it to the plate and the premium cost of the plates and higher process wastage all make a tempting ‘target’ for LAMs plate and equipment manufacturers to aim at.

Alternative ‘Flat-Top-Dot’ (FTD) technologies that worked with LAMs, usually giving users a far greater choice of plates, quickly developed and continue development to this day. Lamination of foil main-exposure, starving of oxygen by elimination (usually with positive nitrogen pressure) and main UVA exposure with high-power LEDs have all enjoyed varied technical and commercial success.

Furthermore, manufacturers of flexo plates managed to develop effective FTD plates with an oxygen barrier layer ‘built-in’. Such plates can be exposed with normal UVA lamps or ‘tubes’.

Even with the relatively high-cost of LEDs that emit the correct wavelength for digital flexo plates (370nm) it is LED technology that seems to be gathering momentum. Costs for higher poser modules reduce as capacity increases. Initial cooling problems have been over-come. It seems that LEDs provide cost-effective, efficient and stable solutions for FTD flexo plate making. Such solutions

leave the user an open choice with multiple manufacturers providing a good choice of appropriate flexo plates.

To recap, a normal LAMs layer flexo plate with standard (tube) main exposure and solvent wash-out retains a minimum dot (within a dot array, rather than isolated – which is a further challenge) with a diameter of around 50 microns. Thus a significant ‘bump-up curve is required to keep small dots on the plate.

Effective Surface Screening, to emulate the successful Kodak Flexcel NX, needs to hold single pixels in the range of 5-6 microns in size on the finished plate. So, it can easily be seen that Flat-Top-Dot technology is a critical, essential and unavoidable component of applying fine Surface Micro Structures to LAMs layer (‘digital’) solvent wash-out flexo plates.

It is also worthy of note that even though FTD in-the-plate was developed to be exposed with normal UVA tubes, owners of LED exposure frames often combine these plates with LED exposure for ‘extra-fine’ dots and micro structures.

Flexcel NX Vs LAMs Digital Plates It is interesting to observe that Kodak Flexcel NX continues to be considered by many the benchmark of flexo plate printing quality. Image input image files at a standard

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2400dpi resolution are normally used.

In competition Esko applies various surface patterns in the workflow during the RIP stage.

By far the most popular of these patterns is ‘MCWSI’, a single pixel pattern. This indeed continues to be a ciritical component of the new ‘Crystal Screens’. As the micro-structure is applied in the RIP, higher resolution files of 4000dpi are utilised in combination with the CDI imager’s ‘HD Optics’ capability.

Applying these single pixel patterns to LAMs layer plates is itself a challenge. A ‘boost’ function is applied when laser imaging to clear the mask layer adequately (to allow enough UVA during main exposure to hold the patterns) and maintain reasonable production speeds.

See below a comparison of ‘addressability’ of the two technologies at the resolutions they are typically utilised at. Detail retained on the finished flexo plate will depend on the plate and processing, particularly mainexposure. However, good practice using the

latest equipment (as detailed in the previous section) will result in very similar structures being held on the finished plates.

Conclusion: Although, no specific research has been completed to our knowledge, comparative experience tends to back up anecdotal evidence that finer patterns give superior results (smooth opaque ink solid ink transfer) from the range of relatively high-line screen anilox required to give high quality fine line and tone flexo printing.

Woodpecker Nano Surface Micro Structures – A Technological Breakthrough for LAMs Flexo Plates After developing ThermoFlexX imaging systems to reproduce surface patterns applied in the RIP (already persent in the input TIFF or LEN file), we went on to develop our own finer surface patters. The course of this extensive R&D led to the conclusion that, with the continuing improvement of plates and processing equipment, a different

approach producing finer structures was possible. Woodpecker Nano utilises the high resolution ThermoFlexX optics, usually used to output 5080dpi image files. Careful and accurate laser beam control allows repeatable and stable implementation of these fine screens. It has been established that an input file resolution of 2000dpi gives an optimum surface micro structure output for this optical path, already in place in most ThermoFlexX large format imagers.

Working with 2000dpi image files still provides excellent quality flexo print results.

Files are dramatically reduced in size. Fast transfer and storage of files all becomes an easier proposition contributing to production efficiency. Very importantly, high imager productivity is maintained.

LAMs Layer Technologies – Woodpecker Nano v Esko MCWSI Woodpecker Nano Surface Micro Structures are applied by the imaging engine at the output stage meaning that expensive RIP options are not required. No additional RIP step is necessary and patterns do not need to be decided or controlled at the Studio artwork stage.

Inherently finer achievable surface patterns certainly improve solid ink density and smoothness compared with standard plates or even other lower frequency structures. In addition to SID improvements, half-tone dot screens are greatly enhanced by reducing or even eliminating ‘dot-bridging’ effects that further limit flexo print quality. Nano’s perfectly symmetric Surface Screen Patterns from 2000dpi and above are fine enough that the need for a protection border or ‘Edge Definition’ (a different pattern) around halftone dots or fine details is unnecessary.

These finer structure arrays reduce the risk of damage particularly on small half-tone dots as they fit closer-together for more uniform dot sizes. Dot and fine detail edges are more predictable as there is no ‘one line off, one line on’ effect in the image. Furthermore the close and uniform structure greatly reduces the risk that the surface pattern will interfere with the main dot line-screen and cause moiré effects. Being able to run full range dot-screens or vignettes is very advantageous as it avoids the need to use a ‘fade-out’ or ‘protection border’. Both of these functions can give protection for

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Dot definition is much improved with premature bridging eliminated.

Supporting Technology – RIP Super Cells

small dots but the transition from screened to solid dot is almost impossible to hide in all images without a screen break often visible somewhere. Such problems make the screening settings ‘object based’ thus more decisions required at the RIP stage.

Fine Nano screening allows simple output giving optimum results for every job with no decisions required or variants to consider.

Further precision laser beam control allows the smallest highlights to be reproduced with Nano screens in conjunction with no or very low bump-up curves. ThermoFlexX Automatic Calibration delivers meticulous beam timing and intensity, another important component of precise Nano screens. Precision ‘tuning’ with the Auto Calibration system provides the platform to make fine Nano patterns consistently, between each imaging head and from engine to engine. Although Nano works very well with good Hybrid (AM/FM) half-tone screens it is usually possible to achieve excellent results with conventional AM screening.

Woodpecker Nano – Printed comparisons with standard flexo plates The microscope pictures below show how Woodpecker Nano screening can address common flexo ink transfer problems. These examples were printed at the DFTA using solvent based inks on a white PE. Importantly a common ‘standard’ plate is used, Flint ACE 114. Main UVA exposure is with a flint NExT LED frame. SID without Nano is 1.52, with Nano 1.68. Note the considerable improvements in ink laydown, halo effects (around positive text and trailing edge voids).

After many years of the promotion of ‘High Definition’ technologies in flexo plate making, using higher resolutions typically 4000dpi and up, it is sometimes difficult to accept that lower resolutions can provide the necessary image quality. Remember though that Flexcel NX has become the flexo quality benchmark working with standard resolution 2400dpi files. Also note that Woodpecker screens give higher (optical) resolution and finer structure array output from a 2000dpi input file that WSI at 4000dpi. In short a higher resolution file is unnecessary for fine surface micro structures. So, the remaining concern for users may be the possible restriction in print quality by limited ‘grey levels’ available at lower resolutions?

Popular theory goes that the human eye can typically detect 256 distinct shades thus if a process colour image is screened with less than this available then a ‘lower quality’ may be perceived.

10.25% Super Cell shade is required it can be achieved by making ¾ of the dot 10% and the other ¼ 11%. Super Cell RIPs are now standard in the flexo industry. More than a 1000 grey levels are available from any Super Cell RIP with, for example a 2000dpi input file and a 175lpi line screen.

Summary – How does Woodpecker Nano Contribute to Flexo Key Targets?

Improving Print Quality • •

• • •

Reducing Costs • i. ii.

Before Super Cells a calculation with image resolution against available grey-levels could be made: Number of grey levels = (file or device resolution/screen frequency)2 +1 For example, a 2400lpi image file with a 175lpi screen has (2400/175)2 +1 = 199 grey levels.

So, a 2400lpi file can’t give a good quality image screened at 175lpi?

Smoother higher density solid ink transfer Ability to achieve target SID with reduced volume/higher line-screen anilox for dot-gain control and finer highlight dots Eliminates dot bridging and tonal jumps Reduces or eliminates typical flexo ‘halo’effects in solid type Reduces or eliminates ‘Trailing Edge or void’ effects

• i. ii.

Saving ink costs More efficient ink pick-up and transfer from low volume anilox Choice of using lower cost less pigmented ink and still achieve target densities and quality Saving press costs Greater ability to run combined (tone/ solid) plates Increased tonal range (hence colour gamut) makes fixed colour palate more viable thus saving set up times

Faster Turnaround • Plate imaging with highest productivity • No extra RIP steps or decisions • Smaller image files, faster to process and transfer

Industry experience clearly says it can!

In the early 1990’s, to address this and moiré problems RIP developers started using ‘Super Cells’, resolving dot sizes and angles by combining various numbers of screens dots together to form a larger cell. In this way dot sizes could be resolved to a far greater level than previously available.

The drawing below shows simple how Super Cells may work to add grey levels. In this example, if there is no intermediate dot size between 10 and 11 % available, then if a

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Cosmo Films launches CPP High Barrier films The newly launched heat sealable CPP films also offer high hot tack and low seal initiation temperature.

Cosmo Films has recently introduced a cast polypropylene (CPP) film for packaging applications requiring high moisture & oxygen barrier and high hot tack properties.

chocolates, and ice-creams. Available in a range of 20 to 30 microns, films are well suited for both adhesive as well as extrusion lamination.

The newly launched heat sealable CPP films also offer high hot tack (>600gf/inch over a range of 100-140 degree celsius) and low seal initiation temperature; enabling packaging machines to run at higher speeds.

As far as barrier is concerned, the films offer good moisture, oxygen, light and aroma barrier properties. The films offer an OTR and MVTR of<30cc/m2/day and <0.3g/m2/day respectively. The high barrier metallized films also offer high metal bond.

Speaking on the development, Mr. Pankaj Poddar, CEO Cosmo Films said, “We see more & more CPP being used globally as well as India as a choice material for packaging applications in food and agriculture owing to its high transparency vis-a-vis polyethylene and excellent sealing performance. Cosmo Films with years of experience in the polypropylene space has worked hard to come up with an extensive range of CPP films that it offers today both from functionality as well as monomaterialization standpoint.”

The films have been tested well for biscuits, cookies & crackers, snack food applications,

Cosmo Films is among the global leaders in speciality films for flexible packaging, lamination and labeling applications as well as synthetic paper.

Avery Dennison launches On-Metal RFID solution to enable 100 percent tagging of inventory and reinforces its position with quality accreditation from ARC. automated data-driven stores, optimizing stock levels, reducing waste and allowing for instant self-check-out, regardless of product type.

A range of UHF RFID tags designed for tagging challenging materials containing metal, foil and liquid has brought innovation to the heart of the consumer goods industry.

Avery Dennison recently announced the launch of its latest range of On-Metal UHF RFID solutions, specifically designed for tagging products that traditional RFID technologies find challenging. The new tags have been optimized for performance when applied to objects containing metal, foil and liquids, reflecting retailers growing desire for RFID to play a larger role in enhancing and automating supply chains and retail, especially in the food and beauty segments.

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Developed to address the need to tag 100 percent of inventory, On-Metal uses a unique inlay design and label construction to tackle performance limitations when applied to products that contain metal and liquid. Items such as foil cosmetic packaging, aluminium cans, metal tools or electronic goods can create interference between the tag and reader, making it challenging to achieve the performance read rates required in retail. The range features two inlay designs, which vary in size to accommodate required read rates typically beyond three meters.

On-Metal will further support RFID’s central role in enabling the next-generation of

Francisco Melo, vice president and general manager, Global RFID at Avery Dennison said, “The ability to tag 100 percent of inventory enables a truly smart retail supply chain. Increasing visibility helps companies reduce waste, improve efficiency and deliver an enhanced consumer experience — principles that apply across multiple sectors.”

Avery Dennison will be demonstrating its OnMetal Solution at RFID Journal LIVE!, from April 2-4, 2019.

Avery Dennison has also announced its recent certification from Auburn University’s ARC Program for the design and manufacturing of RFID inlays, gained after an extensive audit. This valuable independent mark of quality certifies the company’s products and solutions and reinforces its dedication to customers, partners and users across Avery Dennison facilities.

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VINSAK USAR 430 has live demo at Gulf Print Pack 2019 VINSAK unleashes its full potential by offering USAR 430, VIS 1200, Lombardi, Iwasaki and other partner products at the show. speeds up to 300 meters per minute. It is backed by powerful software and features a HMI display for easy job set-up and single window operation.

VINSAK unleashed its full potential at the recent edition of Gulf Print Pack that took place from 15th to 18th April 2019.

The printing solutions expert from India showcases VINSAK USAR 430 (Modular Slitter Re-winder) including VIS 1200 inkjet system for variable data printing and visitors experienced the live demo of the machine.

VINSAK USAR is an excellent solution for buyers looking for affordable but efficient slitter and re-winder with upgradable options of Die-Cutting, VDP and 100% inspection system. With all major components driven by servo motors, the equipment can deliver

Recently VINSAK also introduced VINSAK USAR with Variable cold foiling & digital varnish, the details and more information about which was also available at the booth.

VINSAK Roll lifter and VINSAK TTR (Table Top re-winders) are other equipment that caught interest of show visitors.

Mr. Nicola Lombardi, (Marketing head) & Mr. Giovanni Perego (International Sales head) was present to talk about the power and capabilities of Lombardi Flexo Press.

VINSAK has been partners with Lombardi for years now and has very strongly showcased and sold the European perfection of flexo.

Lombardi has launched Wide Web Flexo press of 850mm width and the press is also available up to 1 meter.

VINSAK also represents Iwasaki from Japan.

With Iwasaki’s intermittent-drive flexo press IF330 and TR2 UV offset printing machine, VINSAK offers Offset printing solution to the Middle East and India.

Austrian based SPG Prints has recently chosen VINSAK as their new partners in the MEA region. With this alliance VINSAK will jointly offer pre-press solution to the customer along with press and post press that it already offers, covering the entire spectrum of printing process.

Visitors also explored wide information on product rage like Rhino by Pantec for flatbed embossing & hologram in-setting systems, Petrel Security inks and Radus hologram applicator, RFID tag encoding and print personalization for smart products.

Xeikon reinforces Asia Pacific presence with Nielsen appointment Regional expertise underpins commitment and drives growth strategy.

Xeikon has appointed Klaus Nielsen as Director Xeikon Asia Pacific to continue to drive growth in the region and capitalize on expanding market opportunities. In his new role Mr.Nielsen will oversee Xeikon’s ongoing growth in the APAC region (Greater China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand).

This appointment enables Xeikon to manage the fast moving growth and demand in this region for greater brand creativity and consistency with its broad portfolio of versatile and innovative print production capabilities.

Nielsen will also build on existing successful partnerships and seek to establish additional collaborations.

Mr Nielsen joins Xeikon from Heidelberg where, since 1996, he has held various roles including Business Unit Manager (India), Project Manager (Australia), National Sales Manager (New Zealand) and Product and Marketing Director (Korea). He also held the role of Managing Director in India from 2007 to 2018.

“I am looking forward to sharing my years of experience from working in this very exciting region and promoting the benefits that Xeikon’s digital print portfolio can deliver,” states Mr Nielsen. “As brands embrace short-run, digital, fast turnaround print they can enjoy greater product versioning and focused targeting to elevate visibility.”

“We are delighted to welcome Klaus into his new role where he will continue to drive growth in this buoyant market,” states Benoit Chatelard, Xeikon President and CEO. “With his wealth of experience and years of knowledge he is perfectly placed to support the regional demand for brand integrity and consistency. Xeikon’s portfolio enables enhanced packaging print production capabilities, greater versioning for languages, legislation and product options. It also helps deliver flexibility, quality and creativity while addressing developing trends.”

Xeikon is a division of Flint Group. In 2015, Xeikon joined Flint Group to create a new “Digital Printing Solutions” division for the leading global print consumables and solution provider to the packaging and print media industries. Flint Group develops and manufactures an extensive portfolio of printing consumables – range of conventional and energy-curable inks and coatings, pressroom chemicals, printing plates and equipment, printing blankets and sleeves, and pigments and additives for use in inks and other colorant applications.

Mr Nielsen is married with two children.

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China’s Top Print installs OMET XFlex X4 “It is a very functional machine with a high degree of efficiency with its inline capabilities.” - Mr Wang DaXun, GM, Chengdu.

With digital, gravure, screen and offset printing capabilities in-house, Chengdu company Top Print I-Labels Technology has now added narrow web flexo in the form of an OMET XFlex X4 line. Part of a group of companies with headquarters in Singapore, the Chengdu facility, which opened in 2013, is complemented by plants in Suzhou and Chongqing, which overall employ 80 people.

General Manager at Chengdu, Mr Wang DaXun, has built a highly successful business with an enviably high profit margin that is as indicative of the specialised nature of the work he does as much as the high degree of competence involved, especially in the anti-counterfeiting sector.

Asked about his choice of an OMET press, Mr Wang commented: “Of all the leading brands, both Western and Chinese, we found that OMET performed the best on filmic substrates, which together with its 440mm web width, gives it clear advantage over the other presses and us over our competitors!”

With a well-established user-base in China

(now more than 70 machines installed) and a good name for after sales support from its base in Suzhou, OMET has built an enviable reputation amongst those Chinese label printers looking for quality.”

Currently enjoying a high level of demand for its thermal transfer labels, which it is in the process of switching from gravure to flexo, Top Print is also growing its business in shrink sleeves for the liquor and food market sectors, and recently won an Award in the Asia-Pacific Japan region for this work. With the complex nature of many of its jobs, Top Print’s new OMET is often limited to running speeds of around 70m/min, but on easier work, Mr Wang says, it holds brilliant register at 190m/min and praises the press for its intuitive ease of operation. “Two or three days was all it took for our operators to learn how to run it commercially. It is a very functional machine with a high degree of efficiency with its inline capabilities,” he noted.

The eight-colour X4 is squeezed into Top Print’s compact production area – in fact,

the intention had been to install a 10-colour, but there was insufficient floorspace in the 1200sqm facility that is split over four floors.

But it is a high-spec press, with cold foil, twin die stations, web turn bars, and delam/ relam facility, which will be able to work to full capacity in the company’s new 6,000sqm factory that is planned.

With demand for labels growing fast, Mr Wang is looking at cooperative investment opportunities in western China. “The local Chengdu market needs more investment in new technology to satisfy the needs of the brand owners who are requesting ever more complex labels,” he explained. It might have taken China a long time to awaken to branded goods, but they are catching up at the speed of light, and Mr Wang will need all of his 30 years’ experience in the printing industry if he is going to grow the company fast enough. The new factory and his new OMET give him the perfect launchpad.

Drip-Free Dispensing solution A system that automatically dispenses when inserted into the filling hole allowing smooth and glug-free dispensing.

Designed by RPC Design, the bespoke 4 litre HDPE bottle provides a drip-free dispensing method for AdBlue, which reduces Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) exhaust emissions and needs to be poured through a separate filler hole.

The brief for the pack was to create an original and eye-catching design that was easy and safe to use. The resulting bottle features a distinctive shape which ensures all the liquid drains from the pack, while the ergonomic handle aids the pouring process.

As the liquid can be corrosive, effective non-drip dispensing was essential. The dispensing nozzle’s three injection moulded polypropylene components create a system that automatically dispenses when inserted

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into the filling hole. For smooth and glug-free dispensing the design allows air to pass back into the bottle and automatically shuts off when the nozzle is withdrawn to avoid spillages. The nozzle incorporates a dust over-cap to prevent contamination and an integrally moulded tamper evident band.

When the nozzle is inserted into the tank, the outer shell slides back and opens the dispensing hole and air return hole. The liquid can then pass into the tank easily without glugging. As the nozzle is withdrawn, the outer shell slides back over the dispensing hole, pushed by integrally moulded plastic springs. This cuts off the

flow and stops drips.

The pack is made from similar materials and can be easily separated for recycling at the end of its life.

“We wanted an ‘ultimate’ pack for AdBlue that both protected the product while being completely consumerfriendly,” comments Kevin Morgan, Brenntag’s Commercial Director. “We are highly delighted with the solution from RPC.” The Brenntag AdBlue bottle received a Highly Commended in the Consumer Convenience category at the UK Packaging Industry Awards.

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Kodak completes Flexographic Packaging Division’s sale to Montagu New company Miraclon to meet packaging industry needs with KODAK FLEXCEL Solutions.

Eastman Kodak Company and Montagu Private Equity LLP have recently announced the completion of the sale of Kodak’s Flexographic Packaging Division (FPD).

Now part of Montagu’s portfolio, the division operates as a standalone company known as Miraclon. As previously announced, Kodak’s flexographic leadership team has transitioned as part of the deal and will continue to directly manage this business.

remaining outstanding term debt.

Over the past five years, FPD has grown and thrived within Kodak and become a significant player in the package printing industry.

“Closing this sale was a priority for Kodak, and I’m proud we were able to execute on this plan and leverage a home-grown asset,” said Jim Continenza, Executive Chairman of Kodak. “This is one of many steps we

Proceeds at close were approximately $320 million, which included the gross purchase price of $340 million less agreed indebtedness, other items, and delayed proceeds related to a deferred close entity.

are taking to increase our financial stability and focus on generating cash for our shareholders.”

Kodak remains committed to the print industry and delivering products and services that meet the evolving needs of printers. Following this transaction, Kodak will continue to focus on the demonstrated growth areas of SONORA environmental plates, enterprise inkjet, workflow software and brand licensing.

The net proceeds from the transaction will be used by Kodak to reduce outstanding term debt. The Company expects to refinance the

DuPont introduces Cyrel DLC for corrugated printing The new plate by DuPont delivers improved ink coverage while minimizing crush.

DuPont Advanced Printing (DuPont) recently announced the commercial availability of the newest addition to the award-winning DuPont Cyrel® plate platform, the DuPont Cyrel DLC. Cyrel DLC is an innovative soft digital plate that uses a new polymer formulation developed especially for the corrugated market. Its low durometer is designed for better printing on lower quality recycled and thinner liner corrugated board using waterbased inks.

said Jeff Francis, Graphics Division Manager at Dynamic Dies in Holland, Ohio. “This new plate seemed almost too good to be true.”

Delivering the ink from the plate to the substrate in a way that provides excellent solid ink coverage, while not crushing the board with over-impression, has been a challenge – but is now achievable with the Cyrel DLC plate. Edge crush test (ECT values) are kept virtually unchanged after printing.

Key features that benefit corrugated printers include: • Superior solid printing allows for lower volume anilox, which can help provide greater ink savings • Increased press impression latitude • Virtually no board crush with over impression • Better barcode accuracy • Excellent positive and reverse print areas Cyrel DLC is now available for sale.

“The DuPont Cyrel DLC plate significantly improves solid ink coverage on recycled board which presents more of a challenge to print on than virgin board stock,” said Bob Hannum, Corrugated Segment Manager – North America, DuPont Advanced Printing.

“Feedback from early customers is that not only is DLC performing better than standard durometer sheet and liquid plates, but also against competitive soft durometer sheet plates.”

“Cyrel DLC has been one of the most unique advancements we can offer our customers,”

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Xaar at Print China 2019 Coaso Printers showcases the versatility of the Xaar 1003 printhead at the show. optimised. This delivers uniform print quality across all printheads in a print bar, and at different greyscale levels.

Xaar’s unrivalled TF Technology ink recirculation, ensuring ink flows past the back of the nozzle during drop ejection at the highest flow rates in the industry, is also included within the Xaar 1003 printheads.

TF Technology keeps the ink in constant circulation, preventing sedimentation and subsequent blocking of the nozzles during jetting – and guaranteeing that the printhead operates reliably even in the harshest industrial environments.

Alongside this, High Laydown (HL) Technology helps the Xaar 1003 printhead to produce dimensional effects that deliver additional impact to a range of print applications.

At the recent Print China exhibition that took place from 9th – 13th April, the spotlight was on the Xaar 1003 printhead. At the Guandong show, COASO Technology (previously known as Kingstar) showcased three digital printers which used the Xaar 1003 on its booth.

Launched at Print China was the iCueJet 370 for cold foiling applications. This new printer joins COASO’s two other printers, the iCON C60 for colour printing bottle caps and Presto 370S for single pass printing of variable data. Integrated into three printers for quite different applications, the Xaar 1003 clearly

demonstrates its versatility and is therefore enabling COASO to open up new business opportunities.

The Xaar 1003 printhead offers printer manufacturers and end users several unique technologies from Xaar which deliver the high-quality print and reliability demanded.

These include XaarGuard, which provides additional protection to the nozzle plate, thereby dramatically reducing the frequency of maintenance; also incorporated is Tuned Actuator Manufacturing which ensures that actuator performance in each printhead is

“With the Xaar 1003, our printers produce excellent results. The unique TF Technology in the printhead has enabled us to develop different systems for a wide range of applications, ensuring high print speed while maintaining excellent print quality,” comments said Mr Xu Qun Bo, Deputy General Manager of COASO. “Each printer incorporates the Xaar 1003 printhead and operates with the ink supply system developed by us. The printhead’s print quality and reliability make it the ideal choice for this range of industrial applications and we believe it will fast become the first choice in the market,” concludes Mr Xu Qun Bo. Covering over 140,000 m2 and with over 1,200 exhibitors, Print China – one of the most influential industrial printing shows in China – displayed the latest technologies in the printing industry to a global audience.

“Our advanced TF Technology ensures the Xaar 1003 delivers exceptional print quality, unrivalled reliability and high production up-time,” says Gerard Winn, Senior Product Manager at Xaar. “The printhead has been adopted in many different industrial applications globally and we are very pleased to see COASO choose it for their first digital projects.”

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Personalised Medicines are a step closer with Xaar 1201 printhead Helps research organisation in creating tailored dosages for individuals on industrial scale. significant time-savings in unit process times from inkjet printing when compared to traditional manufacturing methods with no issues or interaction with the API in the Xaar 1201 printhead or impact on the printhead’s life.

“The Xaar 1201 is ideal for a wide range of industrial applications including Advanced Manufacturing due to its ability to print fluids with a range of viscosities, reactivity and conductivity,” says Mike Seal, Business Development Manager, Advanced Manufacturing, at Xaar. “This pilot project has demonstrated the Xaar 1201’s versatility for pharmaceuticals and how inkjet printing is proving itself to have the potential to drive innovation as well as efficiencies in many areas of 21st century life.”

The Xaar 1201 printhead is proving instrumental in helping Nottingham-based research organisation, Added Scientific, establish the suitability of inkjet printing in the manufacture of personalised pharmaceutical pills, where dosages could be tailored to individuals on an industrial scale.

Building on research conducted by the University of Nottingham, where excipients (everything but the active pharmaceutical ingredient [API]) have been developed, Added Scientific initiated a project with its collaborators Xaar and AstraZeneca to look at the long-term scalability and suitability of inkjet printing in dispensing APIs. The project was funded under the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’s Medicines Manufacturing Challenge, with support from Innovate UK. “Inkjet printing offers the ability to digitally control the printing with its precision placement of tiny droplets a few picolitres in size and the capability to place multiple materials to create complex multi-functional objects in 2D & 3D,” comments Craig Sturgess, Research Manager for Added Scientific.

to answer questions pharmaceutical companies have around the suitability of inkjet printing in dispensing APIs at a scale that made both manufacturing and economic sense.”

Utilising the Xaar 1201 printhead with one of the formulations developed at the University of Nottingham, the project evaluated the impact on the API as well as the printhead’s ability to operate in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions whilst also determining if the formulation had an effect on the printhead life. Alongside these experimental trials, data from conventional tablet manufacturing from AstraZeneca was evaluated against inkjet printing process times.

Results from this pilot project found that, in production trials of 1000 dosage forms manufactured in batches of 100, there were

“These are exciting times,” concludes Craig.

“Our project has clearly shown that printing personalised medicines – with all their advantages of dose and design freedom – is no longer just a theory, but a scalable and economic reality for pharmaceutical companies and we look forward to extended trials to confirm these findings.”

Xaar is a globally renowned developer of digital inkjet technology. It designs and manufactures printheads as well as systems for product decoration and industrial 3D Printing which use its inkjet technology. The independent inkjet technology company has over 25 years of know how.

Funding for the project was provided under the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’s Medicines Manufacturing Challenge, with support from Innovate UK.

“Trial research carried out previously has shown that inkjet offers a real potential for printed medicines. This project was designed

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Global Organic Food sales break USD 100 billion barrier New research by Ecovia Intelligence shows that global sales increased by 6% to USD 105 billion last year. organic food sales in the country. It is one of a growing number of retailer private labels that generate over USD 1 billion sales.

Worldwide organic food & drink sales surpassed USD 100 billion for the first time in 2018. According to a new report titled Global Organic Food & Drink Market Trends & Outlook, the largest markets for organic products are in North America and Europe.

The combined revenue share of these two regions is 90%. Although sales remain concentrated in the ‘western world’, the share has declined from 97% in 2005. A number of countries with a strong tradition of exporting organic crops are now developing strong internal markets; these countries include China, India, and Brazil.

In terms of country markets, the US has the largest market for organic food & drink, comprising about 45% of global sales. The German, French, Italian and Canadian markets are the next largest. In terms of market share, Denmark leads with almost 14% share of retail food sales. The highest spenders of organic products are in Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Austria.

Rising consumer awareness of organic products and widening availability are two major drivers of global growth. Distribution of organic foods is increasing in supermarkets, discounters, drugstores, pharmacies, and the catering & foodservice sector. Organic ingredients are being used in a growing number of European and North American foodservice establishments. Chained outlets, including McDonald’s and Pret A Manger, are also making commitments to organic product sourcing.

Retailer private labels are wielding great influence in the organic food industry. All leading food retailers in North America and Europe are marketing organic foods under private labels. Coop Switzerland is most successful with its Naturaplan brand; housing 2,500 products, it accounts for over 40% of

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Taking a historic perspective, organic is a major success story in the sustainable products industry. Organic products were first introduced in the 1990s; retail sales increased from a few billion dollars to USD 18 billion in 2000, USD 59 billion in 2010, and now over USD 100 billion. In spite of this meteoric growth, the market share of organic foods remains below 1% in countries outside Europe and North America.

According to Mr. Amarjit Sahota (Founder of Ecovia Intelligence, formerly known as Organic Monitor) who has been tracking the global organic products market for over 20 years, there are many challenges ahead. The first is demand concentration: organic agriculture is now practiced in 181 countries, however the bulk of sales are from the affluent countries. Organic is perceived as a rich man’s luxury in many parts of the world. Another challenge is growing number of national and private organic standards; almost 100 countries now have national standards. Outside the major ‘organic trading blocs’, there is no harmonisation of organic standards and very few equivalency agreements.

There is also growing competition from the growing plethora of sustainability schemes and ethical labels. Organic remains the premier and dominant eco-label in the food industry, however adoption rates for many agricultural commodities are lagging. For

instance, over a quarter of all coffee and cocoa grown is now certified according to a sustainability scheme. Organic’s share has been overtaken by other schemes, such as Fairtrade, UTZ Certified and Rainforest Alliance. The challenge is to maintain organic’s pole position in an increasing ‘labelised’ food industry.

An update on the global organic food & drink market, as well as sustainability schemes and eco-labels, will be given at the following events :- Organic Food Masterclass: Future Evolution (8 May, New York) - Sustainable Foods Summit Europe (13-14 June, Amsterdam) - Sustainable Foods Summit Asia-Pacific (2-3 September, Bali)

The Sustainable Foods Summit The aim of the Sustainable Foods Summit is to explore new horizons for eco-labels and sustainability in the food industry by discussing key industry issues in a high-level forum. The 11th European edition will be hosted at the Radisson Blu Hotel Amsterdam on 13-14th June 2019, whilst the 3rd AsiaPacific edition will take place in Bali on 2-3rd September.

The Organic Food Masterclass (organised

by Ecovia Intelligence) will take place at Park Central New York on 8th May 2019.

Ecovia Intelligence (formerly known as Organic Monitor) is a specialist research, consulting & training company that focuses on global ethical product industries.

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IndustriALL Global Union Global unions launch safety campaign in pulp, paper, graphical and packaging sector on Workers’ Memorial Day 28 April 2019. than anyone one else,” said Leeann Foster, IndustriALL Pulp and Paper Working Group Co-Chair.

Similar international mobilizations will be conducted in September/October 2019 around the Right to Act (commonly known as the Right to Refuse Unsafe Work Without Punishment); and focusing March/April 2020 on the Right to Participate, culminating with Workers’ Memorial Day 2020.

Workers’ Memorial Day, observed by unions across the globe on April 28 of each year, is a day dedicated to remember those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew the struggle for safe jobs. Worldwide, each year more than 380,000 workers die tragically at work and another 2.4 million die from workrelated illness.

Workers in the pulp, paper, graphical and packaging sectors, represented globally by IndustriALL Global Union and UNI, are using this 2019 Workers’ Memorial Day to kick off a year-long campaign around the three fundamental worker rights needed to make work safe: (1) The Right to Know – workers must know the hazards and risks in their workplace (2) The Right to Act (commonly known as the Right to Refuse Unsafe Work Without Punishment) (3) The Right to Participate in the safety programs and structures that manage safety in the workplace. Each of these Rights will be highlighted with action by workers across the global pulp, paper, graphical and packaging sectors.

May and June 2019 will focus on a Worker’s Right to Know. Current Right to Know laws typically focus on a worker’s right to know the hazardous substances and dangerous chemicals they work with, but workers have the right to much more information on dangers at work. Workers require:

- Information on all workplace hazard information, including dangerous chemicals and materials but also hazardous tools, equipment, work processes and the way work is organized; - An accurate evaluation of hazards. Where gaps in knowledge exist they should be filled.

- Hazard and risk assessment done with workers’ participation: the only people with the moral authority to assess a risk are those who must face it.

- This means industrial hygiene surveys belong to workers. Toxicology studies belong to workers. Ergonomic surveys belong to workers.

The pulp, paper, graphical and packaging sectors are extremely dangerous, with a number of fatalities and even more life altering injuries occurring across the globe annually. Transparency with workers on information relating to their health and safety and employer engagement with workers and their unions is fundamental to address loss of life and limb in the industry.

The two international unions, IndustriALL Global Union and UNI bring together unions on all continents across these four industries.

“We invite the global pulp, paper and packaging sectors to work with workers and their representatives to fully facilitate the right to know and by doing so build safer and healthier workplaces,” said Joaquina Rodriguez, President, UNI Graphical and Packaging.

“All health and safety standards exist because of trade union action and we invite the pulp, paper, graphical and packaging industries to share information and build safety programs together with their workers who know the work and its hazards better

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Are your UV inks properly cured?

- hubergroup provides a reliable, science-based answer.

While UV inks are gaining popularity and offer a high-speed curing process, it has been difficult to quickly and definitively determine whether the print is properly cured. Due to the lack of reliable methods, most operators check curing quality subjectively using physical tests such as wiping, scratching, or a thumb, as well as chemical characterization. However, the curing degree affects hardness, robustness, migration behaviour, and the ability for further processing of an ink film – in effect, improper curing negatively affects the usability and quality of the printed product.

Determining the curing degree of UV inks poses a challenge to press operators around the world. To solve this problem, hubergroup, one of the leading international specialists for printing inks, has invented an innovative technique: “NewV cure”. From May 13 to 16, hubergroup will present this sciencebased, patented solution for determining the curing degree of UV inks as well as its EuPIA compliant UV ink portfolio in Nürtingen, Germany, at the IST UV Days 2019.

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“Our new science-based approach provides an easy and objective evaluation of UV curing within a few minutes,” says Dr Carina Sötebier, Head of Central Analytical Lab at hubergroup.“To determine curing level of UV inks, we use a test liquid and an electronic test device. By testing a predefined extract, NewV cure can identify the quality level of a printed product.”

Manager UV at hubergroup. “It will help to reduce waste and rejects due to incomplete curing and increases security in packaging production. As our previous tests were very successful, we are excited to present first results with NewV cure to IST UV Days attendees.”

“With NewV cure, we end all subjective methods of curing determination and create a new standard for quality management in UV curing,” adds Roland Schröder, Product

Visitors to IST UV Days will see the first measuring results and learn more about NewV cure as well as hubergroup’s EuPIA compliant UV ink portfolio.

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Blackstone to acquire Essel Propack - commits up to $460 million to buy a majority stake in Indian packaging major.

markets and well-positioned to benefit from consumption growth across categories.

This investment follows Blackstone’s longstanding belief and track record in the B2B2C sector.”

Blackstone has recently announced that private equity funds managed by Blackstone have entered into a definitive agreement with Ashok Goel Trust to purchase a majority stake in Essel Propack Limited (“EPL”), one of India’s leading global specialty packaging companies and the largest global manufacturer of laminated tubes.

Ashok Goel Trust and its affiliates currently hold 57% of EPL. Blackstone will pay a purchase price of INR 134 per share to acquire a 51 % shareholding from Ashok Goel Trust. As per the Takeover Code in India, this transaction will trigger a mandatory open offer for a purchase of additional 26% shares of the company and the acquiring entity has released a public announcement to the stock exchanges. The open offer price has been fixed at INR 139.19 per share. Based on the open offer subscription, the purchase price consideration will vary between INR 2,157 crore and INR 3,211 crore (or, approximately $310 million - $462 million). Ashok Goel will retain a minority stake in the company. The sale is expected to complete in the coming months, subject to customary closing

conditions and approvals.

Founded in 1982 and currently employing over 3,158 people, EPL, through its 20 state of the art facilities across 10 countries, manufactures 7 billion tubes annually. EPL’s clientele includes marquee global brands in the oral care, beauty, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. EPL’s last twelve months revenue as of December 31, 2018 was INR 2,642 crore ($380 mm), registering 10% year on year growth against industry growth of 2%.

Amit Dixit, Senior Managing Director and Head of Private Equity in India at Blackstone, said: “We are excited to partner with the management team and support EPL’s customers with continued investments. EPL has decade-long relationships with marquee global customers and a track record of product innovation. Leveraging the ongoing industry shift to laminated tubes and EPL’s leadership position in oral care, our plan is to accelerate growth in fast-growing end categories such beauty, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. EPL is a leader in emerging

Ashok Goel, Chairman and Managing Director EPL, said: “It has been a wonderful journey for me leading EPL to a position of global leadership in specialty packaging especially laminated tubes. Today, EPL is a partner for leading global customers across sectors and geographies through sharp focus on innovation, sustainability and agility. As we embark on the next trajectory of growth at EPL, Blackstone brings deep expertise in packaging space globally with senior team of highly experienced professionals with a proven track record of creating value. I see Blackstone as a partner with the same values, culture and ethos. The company’s management team is excited to welcome Blackstone.”

Morgan Stanley acted as the exclusive financial advisor to the sellers and its affiliates. PWC, Khaitan & Co and Baker McKenzie acted as advisors to sellers and its affiliates. KPMG, Trilegal and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett acted as advisors to Blackstone.

Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. It has asset management businesses, with $512 billion in assets under management and has been investing in India since 2005.

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The Label & Packaging Innovation: World-premieres and breakthrough technologies live New digital solutions make their mark at BOBST Label & Packaging Innovation event.

Revolutionary innovations will help converters and brand owners to transform packaging production. Time to market, colour control and food safety are redefined by BOBST and its REVO Partners.

The Label & Packaging Innovation event 1-4 April 2019 attracted more than 600 customers, brand owners, industry suppliers and journalists. Demonstrations spanning across BOBST, Mouvent and the REVO team partners showed several world-premieres and breakthrough technologies live.

The DigiFlexo innovations presented by BOBST and its twelve REVO partners, along with Mouvent digital inkjet printing, fulfilled brand owners’ needs and solved converters’ challenges. “The game-changing solutions will set a new course for the industry’s future”, said Stephan März, Head of Business Unit Web-fed, Bobst Group “BOBST innovates and collaborates with premium partners in label & packaging. This helps us to be agile and proactive towards the fast changes happening in our industry.”

“The number of working equipment on-show was impressive. Visitors could participate

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in hands-on demonstrations of inter-linked equipment and complete workflows,” added Dan Pulling, EMEA Business Development Manager HD Flexo&Color at ESKO. Each of the event’s three main themes of time-to-market, colour consistency and food packaging safety was presented to visitors. Live demos showed how to achieve labels & packaging production faster, consistently, safely, and with greatly reduced use of resources via new design concepts, workflows and use of digitalization.

BOBST introduced two revolutionary innovations relating to flexo inking and colour matching: Ink-on-Demand (IoD) and DigiColor.

- The IoD inking system replaces conventional inking reservoirs with a single rubber pipe that dispenses 30 grams of ink to the print unit. The system eliminates ink trays and chambered doctor blades.

- DigiColor, the solution for REVO Extended Color Gamut (ECG) printing takes the IoD concept one step forward: the hue of the ink

dispensed to the print unit can be digitally adjusted by mixing a darker and a lighter shade of each colour in the proportion required to match the target Delta E value during printing. The digitalization of the process gives converters and brand owners the certainty of matching Delta E at any speed, on any substrate, with any operator, anywhere in the world. The IoD and DigiColor technologies were demonstrated on a BOBST M5 DigiFlexo press.

- Closed loop and traceability on BOBST DigiFlexo technology was a world premiere.

It combines Esko WebCenter platform managing production specification, approval and project life cycle, X-Rite ColorCert colour communication system, AVT SpectraLab inline spectral measurement and monitoring, and PantoneLive digital brand colour management assets. It is a fully digitized and connected workflow enabling the traceability of every item of packaging, from the original file, to the press, to job validation and storage of the digital data generated from the final printed job. This solution was presented live on an M6 DigiFlexo Press for flexible packaging.

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The BOBST DigiFlexo presses in demonstrations were equipped with all the latest technologies developed by the REVO partners: patented GTT 2.0 anilox rollers

by Apex International delivered consistent ink laydown for uniform color consistency; workflow automation on colour and register

by AVT guaranteed digital control of colour and print quality and on-the-fly adjustment capabilities; flexo plates by DuPont enabled 120L/cm print quality.

A range of new technologies addressed the safety of food packaging. The new generation of low migration UV inks by Flint Group integrated into the REVO process, provides food-safe compatible printed samples. These are certified by the UV monitoring system by GEW, which allows the unique safety traceability of every meter of printed substrate.

UPM Raflatac introduced new food label substrates that support product safety and legal compliance.

According to Michael Paulin, Factory Manager, Lexit Group, Sweden: “It was a dream come true with REVO. Now we are able to print a difficult CMYK and Pantone label, knowing that the result will be the same in the printing press as the proof.”

“Our jobs set up very quickly, and the colours hit our customer signed-off Match prints most every time. For repeat work, our consistency is exceptional from run to run,” said Paul Polewko, Production Manager and Technical Director, Revere Group, USA. At the event, visitors discovered the recently opened REVO Academy, installed in Bobst Firenze’s new 1000sqm Competence Center.

The equipment encompasses the ESKO Crystal CDI 4835 XPS ECG separation and imaging and Kongsberg X20 cutting table, and X-Rite I1Io scanning table. The REVO Academy is open to converters worldwide to test and get trained on the turnkey ECG solutions. From the new file, in just one hour, it is possible to print the new job on press including plate making, plate mounting and press set up.

Mouvent, the digital printing competence center of the Bobst Group, presented its LB702-UV high productivity digital label press in a 6-colour set-up (CMYKOV) for the first time, showcasing digital ECG and spot colour printing matching DigiFlexo ECG colours.

As one brand owner put it seeing his jobs printed live in front of him, “You’re spot on!”.

Converters were very impressed with the

uniquely high production speeds of 100 m/ min reached during the live demonstrations, without compromising on the 1.200x1.200 Lpi print quality of Mouvent digital Inkjet heads.

Instant job changes and especially real-time live customization left attendees amazed.

“It was a great opportunity for us to present the unique features and simplicity of our digital solutions to such a high class audience, and the strong interest shown by visitors is the best sign that we’re on the right track with our offer,” summed up RetoSimmen, Mouvent’s Chief Business Officer.

In a nutshell, the Label & Packaging Innovation event demonstrated how digitalization, automation and connectivity help converters to better serve their clients.

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Shanghai Hengze’s transition from Letterpress to Flexo The Chinese label manufacturer leverages Asahi AWP-DEF water-washable Plates to deliver exceptional quality and stability. start to finish of the run. With the Asahi AWP™-DEF flexographic process plates, we do not experience this phenomenon and our overall quality has been greatly improved.”

Chinese label manufacturer Shanghai Hengze Printing Company has adopted Asahi AWP-DEF water-washable plates with Clean Transfer Technology to boost quality and improve its competitive positioning.

The company also uses Asahi’s AWP2530 AA plate processor to ensure the utmost in quality and stability of its plates.

The company was founded in 2001 as a letterpress shop producing labels for products in daily use among the Chinese population. Hengze has an annual output of 75 million yuan (11.1 million dollars) and 48 employees who are dedicated to delivering excellence for the company’s customers.

Shanghai Hengze offers complete end-toend services under one roof, from product design and prepress to the finished product, enabling a high level of customization and personalized service for its customers.

Shanghai Hengze was looking for a solution to improve its overall quality. Mr. Li Xiaocheng, founder of Hengze, said, “With letterpress, the limitation of printing equipment structure and the ink transfer process result in a difference in color from

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“We introduced flexographic printing to our business in 2013,” Mr. Li added. “We conducted extensive research into the best flexographic plate solution with assistance from Professor Yin Jinhua, an expert in the industry, with multiple tests using solvent-based and water-washable plates from a variety of manufacturers. The final result was our choice of Asahi AWP™-DEF water washable plates with Clean Transfer Technology, and the performance of these plates in practice has validated that we made the right choice.”

Clean Transfer Technology plates from Asahi Photoproducts such as its AWP™-DEF plates have been specifically engineered to transfer all remaining ink to the printed substrate. This is due to the plate’s lower surface energy. Clean Transfer Technology plates do not need to be cleaned as often as conventional digital solvent plates. Reduction of plate cleaning stops creates a significant productivity improvement as well as more consistent quality.

Shanghai Hengze cites five primary reasons for selecting Asahi AWP-DEF plates: - These plates deliver a much smaller dot gain than the solvent-based plates that were tested. Because solvent does not completely evaporate from plates during processing, a certain amount of dot deformation results.

- The surface tension of the AWP-DEF plate is more closely matched to the UV inks Hengze is using, meaning that the optimum amount of ink being transferred to the substrate is achieved more quickly than with solventbased plates, resulting in faster time to market and less waste.

- AWP-DEF print quality is better than the two other washable versions tested. The other washable plates use polymer rubber, which cannot deliver the fine dots Hengze’s quality work demands.

- The AWP-DEF plate has a high surface

flatness and minimal deformation during printing, making it easier for the press operator to maintain high quality throughout the run.

- AWP-DEF plates can reduce gear mark, and have obvious advantages when compared with the other plates tested.

Hengze chose to use the Asahi AWP-2530 AA plate processor since its analysis showed that it offers superior performance when compared to domestic alternatives. The processor also includes a dryer, exposure and post exposure unit that is stable with a low error rate. It does a good job of washing out the plate, resulting in steep printing dot shoulders. The analysis also found that the AWP™-2530 AA plate processor consistently delivered plates with a uniform thickness.

“All of these characteristics add to the overall quality of the combined solution,” Mr. Li concluded.

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United Caps to attend ProPak Asia 2019 for third consecutive year Announces inauguration of new Malaysian plant to better serve Asian markets as part of its ‘Close to You’ strategy.

United Caps, international manufacturer of caps and closures, is attending ProPak Asia for the third consecutive year. The show is scheduled for 12 to 15 June in Bangkok.

United Caps will be located in the French Pavilion, Hall 103, Booth 22. The company is also celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2019.

During the show, UNITED CAPS will offer briefings on its new manufacturing plant in Kulim, Malaysia, which will be fully operational in June 2019.

“At ProPak Asia 2019, we will be showing a number of products specific to the Asian market,” said Benoit Henckes, CEO of United Caps. “We are also proud to announce the inauguration of our brand-new Malaysian plant as part of our CLOSE TO YOU strategy.

The new plant, which is already operating ahead of its official launch in June, is key to continuing to improve our support of the Asian market. This proximity enables us to shorten delivery times and focus on products that are the most relevant to this important market region as demand for our products continues to grow.”

On Display United Caps will exhibit a wide range of offthe-shelf and bespoke products at the show; including its Infant Nutrition, Agrochemical and SMARTER closure lines: •Agrochemical Closures: Highly-secure, UNapproved closures are used in the packaging of liquid and powdered herbicides, insecticides, pesticides and fungicides. This includes a unique moulded and patented tamper evidence (TE) band that sets the standard in Europe and the U.S.; a dedicated selection of child-resistant closures that combine child resistance with TE; and standard caps that enable safe and efficient transportation when containers are stacked.

•Infant Nutrition Closures: As the market reference for snap caps and scoops for tins of infant milk powder for more than 70 years, United Caps continues to develop and improve its line of infant nutrition closures.

This includes our popular PROTECSCOOP flip-top hinged closure whose innovative

design allows one-handed preparation of infant feeding bottles. Its contamination-free foil-sealed chamber protects the included scoop until use, and an integrated hook keeps the scoop handy for further use.

•SMARTER Closures: With an estimated US$460 billion in counterfeit goods worldwide, counterfeit prevention has significant economic benefits, including protection of jobs and the prevention of deaths caused by counterfeit drugs. Two different anti-counterfeiting solutions will be on display at the show: QR+ technology, a combination of a QR code and secure fingerprint that helps brands enhance consumer confidence; and holographic engraving integrated into a closure, forming an intrinsic and irremovable security feature, providing immediate verification with no need for additional scanners or other equipment.

“We’re also developing several exciting new products.” added Henckes. “If visitors

would like an opportunity to shape the next generation of closures for infant nutrition, and would like to take part in line trials, we want to talk to them! They will have the chance to be among the first to benefit from the latest innovations from United Caps”.

80 Years Young Reaching our 80th anniversary is a significant milestone that United Caps will be celebrating throughout 2019. “Our long heritage in continued success in this business is a powerful endorsement of the level of knowledge and expertise we have been able to accumulate over the years,” Henckes remarked. “Our legacy is one of progress, but we are certainly not resting on our laurels. We are looking ahead to continued and significant innovation during our next 80 years with a platform designed to continue our growth and progression. We are excited for what comes next!”

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Roland DG set to inspire at FESPA 2019 - to inspire with newly launched products and its widest ever portfolio of cutting-edge digital print solutions.

Roland DG Corporation, supplier of digital print technologies with more than 35 years’ manufacturing expertise, is showcasing brand new and exciting solutions at FESPA Global Print Expo 2019. The award-winning new TrueVIS VG2 Series printer/ cutters and VersaUV LEF2-200 UV-LED printer will be demonstrated live on the Roland DG booth (Hall A5 Booth H10). In addition, the booth will feature Roland’s most extensive portfolio of innovative technologies, reflecting the digital print pioneer’s industry-leading role as a key player across a broad range of markets, including sign, textile & décor, industrial and retail.

“Our theme at FESPA, ‘What Matters To You Inspires What We Do’, reflects our commitment and approach to truly customer-focused product development, delivering the very best technology which our users can put their trust in.” - Gillian Montanaro, Roland DG EMEA

Key Notes : > Award-winning TrueVIS VG2 Series and VersaUV LEF2200 UV-LED printer to demonstrate live. > Visitors will be challenged to decide ‘Is It Real Or Printed?’ > On display will be wide-ranging portfolio of Roland’s most popular digital print solutions.

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Taking pride of place on the booth will be Roland’s latest technological innovation: the new TrueVIS VG2 Series. This duo of printer/cutters – VG2-640 (1625 mm) and VG2-540 (1371 mm) – builds on the brand’s impressive heritage of digital desktop technology and represents the next generation of inkjet, featuring over 40 exciting enhancements to set the new industry standard in wide format print.

TrueVIS VG2 is already an award-winner and delivers a host of significant user benefits, including new TR2 ink, new Orange ink for an incredibly wide colour gamut and superb colour matching capabilities, six-

hour outgassing for high-quality same-day finishing , and an enhanced workflow powered by VersaWorks 6 RIP software.

The on-booth TrueVIS VG2 Discovery Zone will inform and inspire visitors, demonstrating how the TrueVIS VG2 can help them to be the very best in their business.

Profitable personalisation opportunities with the new VersaUV LEF2-200 For FESPA visitors exploring the profitable world of personalisation, the Roland booth will also feature the brand new VersaUV LEF2-200. This latest addition to the VersaUV LEF flatbed printer family inherits the series’ renowned ability to print amazing graphics and life-like textures, including premium finishes such as simulated embossing, onto a vast array of rigid and flexible materials up to 100 mm thick.

Visitors will be challenged to decide ‘Is It Real Or Printed?’, with interactive demonstrations showcasing the VersaUV LEF2-200’s amazing versatility and ability to print authentic finishes on materials, including PVC and plastics, canvas, wood, leather and fabric.

Gillian Montanaro, Head of Marketing, Roland DG

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EMEA, comments: “We’re really excited to bring to FESPA some of our very latest technology innovations, shaped and developed by the needs of the market and our customers. Our solutions give print professionals a winning edge in what is a competitive market, enabling them to capitalise on unlimited opportunities.

Our theme at FESPA, ‘What Matters To You Inspires What We Do’, reflects our commitment and approach to truly customerfocused product development, delivering the very best technology which our users can put their trust in.”

Explore the exciting potential with Roland’s diverse product portfolio The booth will also display an exciting and wide-ranging portfolio of Roland’s most popular digital print solutions, including:

VersaUV S-Series UV-LED printer The VersaUV S-Series represents true choice and production flexibility with an impressive range of configurations and sizes to suit production environments and requirements of all types. This versatile and innovative range of flatbeds and belts prints stunning quality graphics, photographic images, textures and embossed effects onto virtually any substrate or object, rigid or flexible, up to 200 mm in height and 100 kg/sqm in weight.

It is ideal as a next step for existing users of benchtop UV printers, for businesses with ambition looking to enter the world of UV printing, or for those with more ‘industrial’ scale requirements.

The robust flatbedsare ideal for direct print onto rigid substrates and objects, while the belts offer the option to print flexible, roll-toroll or rigid materials and items, meaning there is a VersaUV S-Series for everyone.

VersaEXPRESS RF-640 8 Colour eco-solvent printer Be stunned by colour on the Roland booth.

Offering the widest colour gamut in its class

for durable outdoor graphics, the RF-640 8 Colour is the ideal choice for print service providers looking to deliver head-turning, high-impact applications that exceed their clients’ colour expectations. The RF-640 8 Colour printer features CMYK plus Light Black, Red, Green, and Orange ink for stunning quality prints, super-accurate colour reproduction capabilities and impressive outdoor durability.

LD-80 laser foil decorator

Ideal for matching corporate brand colours, with the RF-640 8 Colour up to 99% of Pantone®+ Solid Coated is within gamut .

The RF-640 8 Colour also represents superb value for money, and is priced to be the industry’s most affordable 8-colour printer.

Be inspired by amazing Roland users

Texart RT-640M multi-function textile sublimation printer Following its preview at FESPA in 2018, Roland’s latest ground-breaking addition to the popular Texart dye-sublimation range, the RT-640M, will be in action on the booth. With unique printing capabilities, the RT-640M makes it possible to print directly onto polyester-based fabrics and onto dyesublimation transfer paper with the same device, using the same ink and RIP. Delivering an unparalleled price-performance ratio, the RT-640M’s direct printing capabilities make it ideal for businesses that want to print double-sided items, such as flags and banners, and it offers textile print suppliers a truly versatile digital dyesublimation print solution. Sign makers, promotional goods companies, and apparel and interior décor suppliers can all deliver agilely across a wide range of applications.

Discover a world of high-value product customisation with the compact and userfriendly LD-80 laser decorator. Add text, logos and graphics in a variety of metallic and holographic foils for premium, ondemand personalisation of off-the-shelf gifts, and products including fountain pens, smart phone covers, stationery and cosmetic accessories.

Graphics professionals visiting the Roland booth will also have the chance to explore exciting new opportunities and learn how other customers have succeeded with Roland’s technology. The Roland Hero Awards in 2018 celebrated the Roland community’s amazing creativity, entrepreneurship and ingenuity. On the booth, videos featuring Roland’s spotlight Heroes will be screened alongside a gallery of insightful customer stories, so come and be inspired, pick up some tips for your own business and discover ways to get the very best from your technology.

Montanaro concludes: “We’re excited to showcase a range of fantastic solutions at FESPA and to continue to build on our close connections with the graphics community – we’re very much looking forward to welcoming everyone to our booth and demonstrating the exciting and profitable ways in which Roland technology can benefit their businesses.”

FESPA Global Print Expo 2019 takes place in Munich, Germany, from May 14thto 17th2019.

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Kornit unveils Avalanche Poly Pro system Kornit Digital reinvents Industrial Polyester Printing – New game-changing Kornit NeoPoly Technology prevents dye migration. design, run size, substrate or labour.

Kornit Digital, a global provider of digital textile printing innovations, unveiled its gamechanging Kornit NeoPoly Technology, which is the industry’s first digital, industrial process for high-quality printing on polyester.

Polyester is the second largest category in the overall T-shirt market, it is key in the sport segment, and is growing in the athleisure and functional apparel segments. Currently polyester is printed predominantly by analog solutions, which creates major technological, cost and sustainability challenges.

The new ground-breaking Kornit NeoPoly Technology addresses these challenges with a new process and ink set implemented in the renowned Kornit Neo Pigment process.

Kornit’s new process handles polyester applications without compromising on

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The breakthrough technological innovation is achieved by an innovative ink set and a physical and chemical process specifically developed for low temperature curing, and polyester enhancing functionalities developed to maintain fabric characteristics and provide superior fastness. This unique process prevents dye migration on polyester.

The inks are Oeko-Tex and Eco-Passport certified and do not contain PVCs or other toxic ingredients.

The first system equipped with the Kornit NeoPoly Technology is the new Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro, a member of Kornit’s world-class reliable, highly productive industrial platform. The single-step Poly Pro is the perfect system for the industry, enabling easy and cost effective short-runs and ondemand printing on polyester garments.

One of Kornit’s first customers to embrace the NeoPoly Technology is DTG2Go, a Delta Apparel, Inc. company and leader in the direct-to-garment printing and fulfillment marketplace. “With our business serving the discerning active wear and performance apparel markets, we see increasing demand

for personalized, decorated polyester garments,” comments Deborah H. Merrill, Delta Apparel, Inc.’s CFO and President, Delta Group. “We are excited about the new opportunities the Avalanche Poly Procreates for our business. Through DTG2Go, we can now deliver individualized and small-run prints on a variety of polyester fabric types at the quality levels our customers demand.”

The new Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro unveils at Kornit’s Discover events on April 3-4, in the New York Metropolitan area, on April 11-12, in Duesseldorf, Germany and April 15-17, in Hong Kong. The system will also be publicly shown and demonstrated in Fespa Munich, CITPE China and ITMA Barcelona.

Omer Kulka, Kornit’s VP of Marketing and Product Strategy, commented, “Kornit is on a mission to reinvent the garment and textile printing industry with game changing technologies for growing market segments.

We continually work to break technology boundaries, so that our customers can innovate and open new markets and new business opportunities, while being more operationally efficient. The new NeoPoly Technology is further proof of this innovation and reinvention mission.”

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Agfa at FESPA 2019 - to demo its JetiTauro H3300 LED flagship at FESPA 2019.

The award-winning JetiTauro H3300 LED inkjet printing engine will be the centerpiece of Agfa’s FESPA booth (May 14-17, Munich), combining outstanding image quality with impressive productivity and cutting-edge automation. Other live demos on the booth: the Anapurna H3200i LED printer, and the latest version of Agfa’s Asanti workflow solution for sign & display.

Since its introduction last year, the hybrid JetiTauro H3300 LED has proven a global sales success, with users praising its superior image quality and outstanding productivity.

Agfa’s flagship was awarded the Product of the Year award in the ‘Roll-to-Roll UV (over 80 inches)’ category by the American Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) last autumn. On top of that, the JetiTauro H3300 LED won Gold in the prestigious Canadian Printing Awards for most progressive inkjet printing process.

Extreme productivity. Extreme quality.

JetiTauro H3300 LED embodies ‘Extreme productivity. Extreme quality’ which is Agfa’s theme for its range of digital printing solutions. Vibrant, smooth and detailed images printed at exceptional speeds characterize this hybrid workhorse. In addition, it boasts four levels of automation, so PSPs can configure the engine to their specific needs. Next to the manual loading and unloading, semi-automation, and full automation modes, the JetiTauro H3300 LED offers a master roll-to-roll configuration that

enables large printing shops to combine high-end roll and board applications with a single high-productivity UV inkjet printer.

Featuring outstanding resolution of 635 x 1200 dpi in all print modes, the engine produces prints up to 3.3 m (130 inches) wide at speeds up to 453 m²/h (4,876 ft²/h).

It is the only UV inkjet system to support single or dual master rolls for uninterrupted, unattended operations.

The Agfa booth will also showcase another SGIA Product of the Year award winner: the Anapurna H3200i LED, which won in the UV Hybrid ($100,000-$500,000) category.

This 3.2m hybrid printing engine is ideal for a variety of uncoated rigid media and roll media applications. The 6-color engine also includes white ink to print spot colours or to print on transparent material for backlit applications. At FESPA, the Anapurna H3200i LED will operate in dual roll-mode.

Best cost of ownership Agfa’s award-winning engines not only excel in print quality and productivity. They

also offer the best cost of ownership thanks to their ink consumption levels, which are the lowest in the industry. In addition, their LED curing lamps offer an impressive list of ecological and economical benefits.

Next to the actual engines, there will be plenty of stunning and inspiring reallife applications on the Agfa booth, demonstrating how print jobs are only limited by designers’ creativity.

Colour consistency At FESPA 2019, Agfa will also demo the latest version of Asanti, its smart automated production hub and workflow tool for Sign & Display companies. Asanti streamlines workflow processes and offers print producers outstanding print quality and colour consistency.

New to Asanti 4.0 is the support of the G7 method, a device-independent set of specifications for achieving accurate colours and thus visual similarity across all print processes. The G7 method outlines easyto-follow guidelines for implementing ISO printing standards and additional metrics.

Asanti’s new G7 support is part of the software’s integrated colour management wizard.

Visitors will also be able to attend demos of the Asanti StoreFront web-to-print software, and of the data exchange solution PrintSphere.

Agfa will be exhibiting in Hall B4 Booth L10 (east entrance) at the trade fair center (Messe) Munich, Germany.

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Ricoh at FESPA 2019 - to demonstrate its production versatility and creativity with Vibrant applications.

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•

Visitors to the Ricoh stand at FESPA 2019, Munich Messe, May 14 to 17, will encounter colourful creativity on a wide range of substrates. They will also be able to appreciate how they can harness Ricoh solutions to boost their businesses.

“We are redefining what print can do. A wide range of samples will demonstrate the spectrum of options presented by our versatile portfolio of systems and solutions,” states Graham Kennedy, Head of Industrial Print Business Group, Ricoh Europe.“With the ability to print on anything from glass, wood and acrylic to cartonboard, we are able to fully support industrial printers and print service providers as they endeavour to deliver a greater range of high quality capabilities.”

Among the applications on show are the: • Media kit box of samples including plywood, Corex, Forex, DiBond, aluminium, vinyl and glass, printed by the Ricoh Pro™T7210 UV flatbed printer.

• Spot colour artwork and texture samples, using white and clear varnish, on acrylic, Forex and DiBond, printed by ProT7210 and the recently announced Ricoh Pro TF6250 UV flatbed printers.

• Rhino cutouts produced CMYK on Xanita Board by the ProT7210 and cut to shape.

• Coasters printed CMYK onboard suitable for beer mats by the ProT7210 and ProTF6250 and then cut to shape.

• Acrylic blocks reverse printed CMYK

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•

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+white onto 20mm acrylic blocks by the ProT7210 and ProTF6250.

Brochure stand printed on Xanita Board by the ProT7210 and ProTF6250 and cut to shape.

Metallic coasters printed CMYK +white by the Ricoh Pro L5160 roll to roll latex printer onto Kernow metallic self-adhesive vinyl, cut to shape, resin domed and applied to coaster bases.

Window graphics printed CMYK +white by the ProL5160 onto DryTacVizi print optically clear.

Various media samples printed by the ProL5160 showcasing different print speeds.

The Ri 1000, the newest addition to Ricoh’s expanding Direct to Garment printer range, launches in Europe at FESPA. We will be demonstrating its ability to print directly onto white polyester fabrics. Visitors can also explore DTG applications such as aprons,

sweatshirts, polo shirts and wine bottle bags.

Ricoh will be working with a range of brands such as Fruit of the Loom, SG and RTP Apparel.

On show, too, will be food packaging produced by the Ricoh Pro C7200x sheetfed digital colour press. Ricoh Pro Print toners have recently received the Smithers Pira Certificate of Conformity assuring EU food packaging legislation compliance.

Ricoh company ColorGATE’s Production Server V10 will be driving multiple and diverse inkjet devices on the stand, highlighting how it can maximise operational efficiency, output integrity and colour consistency.

Ricoh’s partnership with Antalis will be firmly in evidence at FESPA thanks to the wide range of flexible and rigid substrates that the company is providing for printing purposes.

pressideas/ signage

Drytac adhesive media solutions across the floor at FESPA Visitors will see Drytac SpotOn Floor 200 specialist floor media in use across the show floor – literally.

The forthcoming FESPA event will showcase a multitude of products from Drytac – international manufacturer of self-adhesive materials for the large format print and signage markets – allowing visitors to experience them across the event space.

Taking place across six halls of the Messe Munich in Germany from May 14th to 17th, FESPA Global Print Expo 2019 is the premier professional wide-format print exhibition in Europe, covering a large range of industries and applications. As such it is the ideal environment for a presentation of Drytac’s extensive product portfolio.

Delegates will be able to see Drytac SpotOn Floor 200 specialist floor media in use across the show floor – literally, as it will be used for the official FESPA floor graphics – and an impressive selection of Drytac products in four spaces on the Drytac booth (Stand A5G40). These four distinct areas will comprise an application space to show how Drytac products are used for real-world projects; a

retail shop area with live demonstrations of the graphics being changed each day; an interior decor gallery; and a hospitality zone with food and beverage applications.

Drytac ReTac Textures, a stunning range of embossed wall graphics products, will also be put to creative use in Printeriors 2019, FESPA’s interactive visitor experience displaying interior and exterior decor applications. And at a faster pace, Drytac Polar Cast film will be used by OKI for its live car wrap demonstrations (Stand A5-F10).

In addition, HP (Stand A5-F30), Epson (Stand B5-G10), Roland DG (Stand A5-H10) and Ricoh (Stand B4-K31) will all feature Drytac products and media on their booths. These leading print manufacturers choose Drytac materials for their quality and applicationspecific features, so this four-pronged showcase is the perfect opportunity for visitors to experience Drytac products with several popular technologies and workflows.

Hayden Kelley, CEO of Drytac, comments: “Drytac products will be on display literally across the show floor at FESPA Global Print Expo 2019: as the official FESPA graphics provider; on the booths of international brands HP, Epson, Roland, Ricoh and OKI; for car wraps; interior design applications - and much more. FESPA caters for a huge variety of wide-format markets - just like Drytac’s product portfolio - making this show the ideal showcase for us.”

FESPA visitors can meet the team at their booth (Stand A5-G40).

Advertisement-cum-beautification Toray decorates City Bus to raise awareness about Job Opportunities.

TTCE is currently seeking people for following positions: • Press operator, Graphic Division, • Electrician, Graphic Division, • Weaving Machine Operator, Textile Division, and • Weaving Machine Technicians, Textile Division.

In a unique initiative, TTCE beautifully wrapped a city bus with message raising awareness and visibility for the company.

Both divisions Graphics and Textile of Toray Textiles Central Europe s.r.o. (TTCE) in Prostějov, Czech Republic, joined together

to create a unique bus wrap for a city bus with a ceremonial bus launching held on 11th March at the company premises. Mr. Masayuki Hirata, Managing Director of TTCE, delivered an official speech at the launching.

He said, in part, “Our team created the beautiful designs for this bus in collaboration with FTL who runs the City buses. We did this both to help beautify the city and to raise awareness and visibility for our company. We are currently hiring! And we hope this bus will help us in our recruiting efforts.”

TTCE offers salaries and benefits commensurate with other companies in the area, including contributions to employees’ statutory pension insurance; special tariffs from mobile phone operator O2; and subsidized lunches in the company canteen. “We also have a very exciting work environment with lots of innovation happening in our respective industries,” Mr. Hirata added. ““I would like to make TTCE a more attractive company. We look forward to seeing our bus on the City streets and hope

April 2019

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pressideas/ signage

MÉTROPOLE creates life-size 3D cartoon characters using Massivit 3D MÉTROPOLE adorns French train station with 3D comics characters using Massivit 3D at International Cartoon Festival.

As part of the International Cartoon Festival of Angoulême, MÉTROPOLE, a Francebased specialist in event management, digital printing, and large-format 3D printing, has produced five life-size characters using its Massivit 3D printer – to the delight of commuters and festival-goers.

Thanks to its unrivaled printing speed of up to 35cm (14”) per hour and its two printheads, the Massivit 1800 3D printer has enabled MÉTROPOLE to meet the extremely tight deadlines set by the festival organizers.

Franck Bondoux, the festival’s President, explains: “Only the Massivit 3D printer, deployed by MÉTROPOLE, could have pulled off this feat in terms of turnaround time. Our life-size statues were ready onsite on the opening day of the festival, creating just the wow effect we had been aiming for.”

MÉTROPOLE testifies to the capability of Massivit 3D printers to produce large format 3D objects at great speed. “It took less than four weeks’ work – eighty hours of printing plus 200 hours of assembly, sculpting and painting – to create the five comics characters displayed at Angoulême station” says Denise Zanet, Associate Director at METROPOLE, who is thrilled with the buzz and delight the statues have sparked at the station.

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April 2019

Appeal and complicity across generations It is no surprise that the statues were placed at Angoulême station –the world’s comic book capital, the destination of many festivalgoers and comic fans. “These life-size characters at the train station create a real sense of complicity for travelers. The statues have an ultra-realistic finish, totally bringing them to life. Comic fans find themselves immersed in a playful, joyous and comforting world”, Franck Bondoux adds, pleased with this decision.

Comics characters brought to life as statues have always held great appeal. “Comic fans love getting up close and personal with their

favorite characters. This creates a strong bond both for children and the young at heart, who reconnect with their childhood emotions. No doubt lots of selfies with our statues will show up on social media”, Franck Bondoux concludes.

Blake and Mortimer, Spirou and Seccotine, as well as ‘Le Fauve’ – the festival’s mascot and trophy for competing authors – will continue to wow travelers at Angoulême station for a long time to come.

Massivit 3D’s proprietary Gel Dispensing Printing (GDP) technology leverages the company’s unique, instantly-curing printing gel, Dimengel, to quickly and cost-effectively produce lightweight, hollow 3D-printed models up to 1.8m (6ft) high.

pressideas/ signage

Siegwerk plans new Blending Center in Bangladesh The new state-of-the-art Blending Center to further strengthen Siegwerk’s local footprint in South Asia.

Siegwerk, global supplier of printing inks for packaging applications and labels, has announced plans for a new Blending Center in the Dhaka region, in Bangladesh. The center is expected to start operation in the fourth quarter of 2019. With this expansion, the company significantly strengthens its domestic business in the country while extending its position across the overall Asian region.

Siegwerk has been supplying inks to printers in Bangladesh since the mid-nineties. “We have established a very good customer base with sustainable growth in Bangladesh. We now want to get closer to our customers supporting them more effectively with individually formulated ink solutions which match their local printing requirements,” says Ashish Pradhan – Director Siegwerk Bangladesh and CEO - Siegwerk India.

Presently, inks are imported from Siegwerk’s plant in India. Going forward, the new center will blend solvent- and water-based inks, as well as UV and conventional offset inks directly in Bangladesh. “The new Blending Center will enable us to make our products and solutions even more accessible to local customers and enhance our service

capabilities across the country, while strengthening our leadership position,” adds Pradhan. Subsequently, the company will be able to reduce lead times and provide Bangladesh customers with the highest global technology expertise directly in their own country.

The new center will be a toluene-free environment. This means, toluene, or any raw materials containing toluene, will not be used as intentionally-added ingredients at all. All produced inks will be compliant with global regulatory and brand owner requirements to ensure products are safe for the end-use packaging applications.

With its global production and service network Siegwerk offers customers a consistently high level of quality worldwide.

The basic colours and varnishes are therefore manufactured in a standardized process at 15 dedicated Siegwerk “Centers of Excellence” around the world. The raw materials and intermediate products are as close to identical as possible, laying the foundations for consistent product quality.

Blending Centers in more than 30 national subsidiaries worldwide ensure that Siegwerk printing inks are subsequently tailored to

meet individual customer’s requirements – in time and with the desired performance.

Siegwerk employs some 5,000 people worldwide in more than 30 country organizations and is headquartered in Siegburg near Cologne.

Events Calendar PackPlus 2019

Converting Show 2019

Date: 28 AUG -19 to 31 AUG - 19 Venue: Pragati Maidan New Delhi

Date: 28 AUG -19 to 31 AUG - 19 Venue: Pragati Maidan New Delhi

SupplyPlus 2019

CartonTech 2019

Date: 28 AUG -19 to 31 AUG - 19 Venue: Pragati Maidan New Delhi

Date: 28 AUG -19 to 31 AUG - 19 Venue: Pragati Maidan New Delhi

PackSol 2019

drupa 2020

Date: 28 AUG -19 to 31 AUG - 19 Venue: Pragati Maidan New Delhi

Date: 16 JUN -20 to 26 JUN-20 Venue: Dusseldorf Germany

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