Ahmedabad Road
SONORA is a favourite 11
Trendsetter at Supreme 14
SICURA Litho Pack by Siegwerk 16
Redex adds Revoria 18
Helping clients navigate ................................. 22
Hat-trick by Multiflex 23
BOBST Vision - A Reality 24
FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK 6
Ahmedabad Road Show of PAMEX 8
Kodak SONORA is a favourite with Offset Printers in India 11
ZipPrint transforms with KODAK technologies 12 Intergraf for Young students of the Print Industry! 13
Superior performance and strong service make Supreme go for Kodak Trendsetter from Insight 14
OPA releases Calendar 2023 15
Lecta’s 2023 calendar captures circles from natural surroundings 15
Siegwerk launches SICURA Litho Pack series 16
X-Rite offers eLearning classes designed to educate employees 17
Redex adds Revoria to transform photo album production 18
Shakti Printers upgrades with RICOH from Monotech Systems 19
Kuber scales its Digital Printing business with the new HP Indigo 20
Uflex CMD releases recyclability report on MLP 21
Price increase at Mitsubishi HiTec Paper 21
Lucky Graphics: Helping clients navigate the Printing Industry’s ever-changing landscape 22
Multiflex scores hat-trick at Asian Packaging Excellence Awards 23
BOBST navigates through challenges of 2022 24
“The Hybrid Poland” 26
Hunkeler names Daniel Erni Managing Director 28
ePac Flexible Packaging adds second UK facility 28
AWP-DAYS in Japan focuses on Advances in Flexography 29
Productivity expansion with KODAK FLEXCEL 30
GEW aids Ukraine printing house with Komori UV & LED upgrade 31
Gallus appoints Dario Urbinati as New CEO 32
Henkel Sustainability Days 2022 33
Vetaphone sets new record! 34
Hoffmann Neopac debuts fully metal child-resistant tins 34
Amcor strengthens position in Asia Pacific 35
Mondi to divest its packaging converting operations in Russia 35
Rocket Graphics installs EFI VUTEk 5r+ UV LED 36
Mimaki Europe appoints Takahiro Hiraki as new MD 37
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 December 2022 Vol. 22, Issue 12 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.
Lucky Graphics is a name we know for helping clients navigate the Printing Industry’s ever-changing landscape. “Our target is to remain the leading provider of pre-press printing solutions,” says Raghav Sachdev who shares his exciting journey with Lucky Graphics and plans ahead in our cover interview-based story.
The six-city promotional tour of PAMEX 2023 had its second stop at Ahmedabad. The event takes the message of ‘Convergence in print’ further to the grassroots of the printing fraternity. The conference concluded with over 100 delegates. Visitors explored the table-top exhibition, creating a complete networking environment in this beautiful industrial city of Gujarat. PAMEX is the flagship event of AIFMP. The organizers have planned and are organizing promotional road shows in six cities of India to reach the printers, converters, suppliers and brand owners from these areas and invite them to PAMEX 2023, which will take place from 27-30 March 2023 at BEC, Mumbai.
Kodak achieves significant milestone in India with KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. Sales volume of Kodak’s process free plates in the country has increased by 24% over the previous year. “We are confident that even more printers will want to benefit from the environmental and efficiency advantages of our process-free plates in the near future,” says Simon Gan, VP, Regional Sales, GCC/SEA, Kodak. ZipPrint transforms with KODAK technologies.
Apart from ZipPrint (Australia) taking advantage of robust plate making with Kodak CTP and KODAK SONORA plates for Process Free production, India’s Supreme Offset Press has installed a Kodak Trendsetter Thermal CTP. The CTP at Greater Noida facility has been provided by Insight Print Communications. Redex adds Revoria to transform photo album production. Insight has also installed Fujifilm Revoria PC1120 at Redex Photo Books, Kerala based Digital ColorLab. Redex Photo Books was founded in 2011 and since then offers array of services such as Creative Designing and Printing of Photobook/ Album, Calendar,Table Album, Album Box, Cover, UV Coating Printing, Engraving& UV Embossed.
Siegwerk has launched SICURA Litho Pack series – a new TMPTA-free UV offset series for paper, board and plastic substrates. With SICURA series, Siegwerk offers versatile, low odour UV offset inks and varnishes for paper, board and various plastic substrates.
Kolkata’s Shakti Printers has invested in RICOH Pro C7200X. the installation has been finalized by Monotech Systems.
Kuber, the first photo printing business in Uttar Pradesh has scaled its Digital Printing business with a new HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press.
Mitsubishi HiTec Paper is increasing prices for its entire range of coated speciality papers (thermoscript, jetscript, giroform, supercote, barricote) worldwide by 7 to 9% for deliveries from 1 February 2023. The company says the price adjustments are necessary to cushion the inflationary cost increases in the chemical, pulp and logistics segments.
Multiflex Polybags has won three 2022 Asian Packaging Excellence awards for packaging. The winning packaging products were all impressively printed on their SOMA 820 Optima CI Flexographic press.
At the heart of BOBST’s solutions in 2022 is BOBST Connect, bringing BOBST machine insights and digital services together in one cloudbased platform; Jean-Pascal Bobst, CEO of BOBST, reflects on the current year.
Polish Printing fraternity has one favourite - Mark Andy’s Hybrid solutions. ‘The Hybrid Poland’ tells about Mark Andy’s successful implementations of Hybrid Solutions in the country.
In new appointments, Gallus has appointed its new CEO, Dario Urbinati who succeeds Dr. Frank Schaum who will now head Heidelberg’s Print Segment.
There are other news about new records, appointments, tie-ups, expansions, events and innovations. Enjoy Reading the year-ending issue. Wish You All A Very Happy New Year 2023!
- Jasvinder Singh, Sub-editor1/2/5yrs. I am enclosing cheque/draft of
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PAMEX creates more buzz with 2nd Road Show in Ahmedabad.
The six-city promotional tour of PAMEX 2023 had its second stop at Ahmedabad, one of the fastest growing cities of India. The event held on 9th Dec 2022 at Hyatt, took the message of ‘Convergence in print’ further to the grassroots of the printing fraternity.
Printers Association and Anil Arora, President, PrintPackaging.com.
“PAMEX, the flagship event of AIFMP, is organizing promotional road shows in six cities of India to reach the printers, converters, suppliers and brand owners from these areas and invite them to PAMEX 2023, which is being held from 27-30 March 2023 at BEC, Mumbai.
The event, structured around a half-day conference and full-day table top exhibition, was organised by All India Federation of Master Printers and Ahmedabad Printing Press Association, in association with Print-Packaging.com Pvt. Ltd. The local bodies of Vadodara Master Printer’s Association, Maninagar Printing Press Owners Association, Printers Association Amdavad and Mehsana Printers Association extended their support to the Show.
The event was inaugurated by Raveendra Joshi, President, All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP); Anant Vishwanath Joshi, Vice PresidentWest, AIFMP; Tushar Dhote, Co- Chairman, PAMEX; Fallith Pandya, President, Ahmedabad Printing Press Association; Jignesh Shah, President, Vadodara Master Printers Association; Mukesh Padsala, President, Printers Association Ahmedabad; Hiren Parikh, President, Maninagar Printing Press Owners Association; Atul Pandit, President, Mehsana
“PAMEX, the flagship event of AIFMP, is organising promotional road shows in six cities of India to reach the printers, converters, suppliers and brand owners from these areas and invite them to PAMEX 2023, which is being held from 27-30 March 2023 at BEC, Mumbai. The NAEP award ceremony, co-located with PAMEX 2023is another industry attraction,” said Raveendra Joshi, President, AIFMP- the organisers of PAMEX. He also shared the details of the proposed AIFMP Bhavan, the Research & Training Centre for Graphic Communications, which is being planned at Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana.
The conference was attended by more than 100 delegates, who with other visitors, also explored the table-top exhibition, creating a complete networking environment. The participating companies at exhibition included Vinsak India, Omet India, Manroland Goss, Photokina Chemicals, Zhongke India, S Kumar Multi Products, Simplify Inc., Gebr. Becker India Vacuum Pumps, LineOMatic Graphic Industries, Unison Machinery, Gujarat Printers Directory and Print & Publishing.
:
> The six-city promotional tour of PAMEX 2023 has its second stop at Ahmedabad.
> The event takes the message of ‘Convergence in print’ further to the grassroots of the printing fraternity.
> The conference with over 100 delegates; visitors explore the table-top exhibition, creating a complete networking environment.
The conference started with a panel discussion on ‘Convergence in Print- The Way Forward’, led and moderated by Ranesh Bajaj, Vinsak India. The panellists who spoke about the application and need of convergence included Manish Desai, Mudrika Labels, Hyuma Mahadevia, Yamir Packaging, Mudresh Purohit, Surya Offset and Sanat Gandhi, Pelican Rotoflex.
Next was a presentation by Pawandeep Sahni of OMET India titled, ‘The Convergence Mindset- How to Encash on the Biggest Opportunity in Print.’ Sahni took the example of Apple and the launch of the first iphone that saw the coming together of a wide screen ipod with touch controls; a revolutionary Mobile Phone and a Breakthrough Internet Communication device in a single instrument to highlight how a convergence mindset can change a company’s fortune.
However, he cautioned, “It is imperative to combine convergence with apposite machine to create the difference and have the desired outcome.”
Ranesh Bajaj, Vinsak India, then took over the dais to talk about ‘Connected Packaging’. He introduced the word ‘phygital’ - the concept of using technology to bridge the digital world with the physical world with the purpose of providing a unique interactive experience for the user. “Digitizing the packaging of brands and products is important for authenticity, visibility and interactivity- resulting in brand protection, consumer interaction and efficiency,” he said. He also spoke about the importance of track and trace, which not only prevents customers from purchasing counterfeit items but also makes it extremely difficult for counterfeiters to mimic a packaging.
In his concluding remarks Tushar Dhote, Co-chairman, PAMEX, summed up the event by pressing the attendees to explore possibilities of applying convergence in their work areas and to also share case studies with team PAMEX.
The half-day conference was followed by a networking lunch and visit to the tabletop exhibition.
The next stop of the PAMEX promotional journey will be Pune where the conference and table-top exhibition will be held on23rd December 2022 at Hotel President. The event will be organised by AIFMP and The Poona Press Owners Association Ltd., in association with Print-Packaaging.com Pvt. Ltd. and supported by Solapur Mudrak Sangh, Kolhapur Zilla Mudrak Sangh, Pune District Master Printers Association and Printers Association, Ichalkaranji.
The six-city promotional tour of PAMEX 2023 had its second stop at Ahmedabad, one of the fastest growing cities of India. The event held on 9th Dec 2022 at Hyatt, took the message of ‘Convergence in print’ further to the grassroots of the printing fraternity.
The event, structured around a half-day conference and full-day table top exhibition, was organised by All India Federation of Master Printers and Ahmedabad Printing Press Association, in association with Print-Packaging.com. The local bodies of Vadodara Master Printer’s Association, Maninagar Printing Press Owners Association, Printers Association Amdavad and Mehsana Printers Association extended their support to the Show.
The event was inaugurated by Raveendra Joshi, President, All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP); Anant Vishwanath Joshi, Vice President- West, AIFMP; Tushar Dhote, Co- Chairman, PAMEX;Fallith Pandya, President, Ahmedabad Printing Press Association; Jignesh Shah, President, Vadodara Master Printers Association; Mukesh Padsala, President, Printers Association Ahmedabad; Hiren Parikh, President, Maninagar Printing Press Owners Association; Atul Pandit, President, Mehsana Printers Association and Anil Arora, President, Print-Packaging.com.
“PAMEX, the flagship event of AIFMP, is organising promotional road shows in
six cities of India to reach the printers, converters, suppliers and brand owners from these areas and invite them to PAMEX 2023, which is being held from 27-30 March 2023 at BEC, Mumbai. TheNAEP award ceremony, co-located with PAMEX 2023is another industry attraction,” said Raveendra Joshi, President, AIFMP- the organisers of PAMEX. He also shared the details of the proposed AIFMP Bhavan, the Research & Training Centre for Graphic Communications, which is being planned at Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana.
The conference was attended by more than 100 delegates, who with other visitors, also explored the table-top exhibition, creating a complete networking environment. The participating companies at exhibition included Vinsak India, Omet India, Manroland Goss, Photokina Chemicals, Zhongke India, S Kumar Multi Products, Simplify Inc., Gebr. Becker India Vacuum Pumps, LineOMatic Graphic Industries, Unison Machinery, Gujarat Printers Directory and Print & Publishing.
The conference started with a panel discussion on ‘Convergence in Print- The Way Forward’, led and moderated by Ranesh Bajaj, Vinsak India. The panellists who spoke about the application and need
of convergence included Manish Desai, Mudrika Labels, HyumaMahadevia, Yamir Packaging Pvt. Ltd., Mudresh Purohit, Surya Offset and Sanat Gandhi, Pelican Rotoflex.
Next was a presentation by Pawandeep Sahni of OMET India titled, ‘The Convergence Mindset- How to Encash on the Biggest Opportunity in Print.’ Sahni took the example of Apple and the launch of the first Iphone that saw the coming together of a wide screen Ipod with touch controls; a revolutionary Mobile Phone and a Breakthrough Internet Communication device in a single instrument to highlight how a convergence mindset can change a company’s fortune.
However, he cautioned, “It is imperative to combine convergence with apposite machine to create the difference and have the desired outcome.”
Ranesh Bajaj, Vinsak India, then took over the dais to talk about ‘Connected Packaging’. He introduced the word ‘phygital’ - the concept of using technology to bridge the digital world with the physical world with the purpose of providing a unique interactive experience for the user. “Digitizing the packaging of brands and products is important for authenticity, visibility and
interactivity- resulting in brand protection, consumer interaction and efficiency,” he said. He also spoke about the importance of track and trace, which not only prevents customers from purchasing counterfeit items but also makes it extremely difficult for counterfeiters to mimic a packaging.
In his concluding remarks Tushar Dhote, Co-chairman, PAMEX, summed up the event by pressing the attendees to explore possibilities of applying convergence in their work areas and to also share case studies with team PAMEX.
The half-day conference was followed by a networking lunch and visit to the tabletop exhibition.
The next stop of the PAMEX promotional journey will be Pune where the conference and table-top exhibition will be held on23rd December 2022 at Hotel President. The event will be organised by AIFMP and The Poona Press Owners Association Ltd., in association with Print-Packaaging.com Pvt. Ltd. and supported by Solapur Mudrak Sangh, Kolhapur Zilla Mudrak Sangh, Pune District Master Printers Association and Printers Association, Ichalkaranji.
Kodak achieves significant milestone in India with KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates.
Like everywhere else in the world, more and more offset printers in India are taking advantage of the efficiency, sustainability and cost benefits of KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. Kodak has now reached an important milestone in its process free plates business. Sales volume of Kodak’s process free plates in the country has increased by 24% over the previous year. This sales success was made possible by the combined efforts of Kodak’s direct sales and its Channel Partners in India.
There are many good reasons why more printers in India are joining the well over 6,000 users of KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates around the world: SONORA Plates drastically simplify and streamline the platemaking process and improve the sustainability performance of print
businesses. They completely eliminate electricity, water, developer, replenisher and gumming solution, and clean-out finisher associated with conventional plate processing. There isn’t any chemistry used; there is no plate processor in need of cleaning and maintenance; and there are also no waste chemicals or contaminated residual liquids to be disposed of. To sum up, the SONORA Plates help reduce waste on press.
“We are excited to have reached this very significant milestone with our SONORA Process Free Plates in India. At the same time, we are confident that even more printers will want to benefit from the environmental and efficiency advantages of our process-free plates in the near future. Therefore, we expect the enormous growth
Robust plate making with Kodak CTP and KODAK SONORA plates for Process Free production.
ZipPrint in Darwin, Australia’s Northern Territory capital is a forward-thinking commercial printer that enjoys an excellent reputation as a provider of an extensive portfolio of printed products. The company, which employs 12 skilled staff, offers creative services and graphic design in addition to printing and finishing. Together with sister company Asprint, based in Alice Springs, ZipPrint forms the Fats Printing Group. The group’s owner and Managing Director, Mark Teakle, has more than 30 years of experience in the printing industry.
ZipPrint produces in digital, wide-format and offset printing and recently decided to modernize its offset plate making with a CTP, workflow and plate solution from Kodak. “We have two B3 sheetfed offset presses, a 2 colour and a 4-colour press, for which we previously produced printing plates with a CTP device using polyester based silver halide plates,” explained Mark Teakle. “Today this technology is outdated, reliability of the device going forward, parts and plate media availability, its cost and service support for this system has become a concern, especially bearing in mind our remote location.”He was therefore looking for a highquality, efficient, and affordable new CTP solution. After a careful evaluation, ZipPrint chose a semi-automatic KODAK ACHIEVE T400 Platesetter and KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. A KODAK PRINERGY Evo Workflow subscription package, including KODAK PREPS Imposition Software, completed the investment.
By switching to Kodak’s high quality thermal plate imaging and KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates, ZipPrint now operates a cuttingedge CTP solution. It meets the quality and performance requirements of the print service provider and has taken the simplicity and eco friendliness of plate making to a whole new level. SONORA Process Free Plates are simply imaged on the ACHIEVE T400 Platesetter and can then be immediately put on press. ZipPrint has thus eliminated chemical plate processing and the corresponding consumption of electricity
as well as activator and stabilizer chemistry. “As there is no longer any chemistry to contend with, no plate processor in need of cleaning and maintenance means there are no exhausted chemicals or contaminated residual liquids to be disposed of and the aluminum plate itself now can be 100% recycled and we get cash back from that.”
With our new CTP solution and process free plates from Kodak we have significantly improved the sustainability of our prepress department and our operation as a whole,” said a delighted Mark Teakle. “Jobs can now move faster than ever from prepress to press which reduces turnaround times. We benefit from improved efficiency, print consistency and quality on press with reduced makeready and paper waste. What’s more, the metal-based KODAK SONORA Plates offer a run length capability that far exceeds
the polyester-based plates we previously used.”
Teakle is also impressed with the KODAK ACHIEVE T400 Platesetter’s stability, small footprint, ease of operation and low maintenance requirements. This external drum platesetter features Kodak’s light valve technology in its thermal imaging head, which delivers a higher quality and reliability than the Gaussian technology used in other vendors’ CTP devices.
Mark Teakle concludes: “Kodak has provided us with a truly smooth-running, state-of-theart plate making solution that meets all our needs and is characterized by low cost of ownership. We will unlock the full potential of the ACHIEVE Platesetter and SONORA Process Free Plates to the benefit of our wide range of clients and the environment.”
Applications open for Intergraf Young Talent Award 2023.
Are you a young person working or studying in the Printing Industry? Then we want to hear from you! The Intergraf Young Talent Award offers a chance to present your vision of print to an international audience. The winner will be awarded a cash prize of €3,000.The applications are open for Intergraf Young Talent Award 2023.
Since 2017, Intergraf has celebrated the ideas of young people in the European printing industry, providing a platform for the next generation of print professionals to share their views on the future of the sector. It is now accepting entries for the 2023 Intergraf Young Talent Award. Participants have to send their answers to the question “What is print’s place in a digital world?” before the deadline of 28 February 2023.
The entries will be judged by a panel of experts. The first-place entry will be shared with representatives from printing associations, companies, and suppliers. Although there can only be one winner, the top submissions will be made public on Intergraf website. Interested people can view some of the past entries to the Intergraf Young Talent Award on: www.intergraf.eu/ campaigns/young-talent-award.
Last year, Tom Maskill from the UK was awarded first place. He explained his views on the environmental performance of print: “Overall, the print industry is moving in the right direction to become a fully circular operation. I believe we must establish common standards for calculating and reporting on the environmental impact of
print. We must also educate our customers and the public on the true impact of print on the environment compared with other communication methods.” Tom presented his winning ideas at the Print Matters for the Future conference in Stockholm last May.
Entrants must be a young student, apprentice, or worker in print (maximum age 25) from one of Intergraf’s member countries.
All entries should be written in English and be 2-5 pages in length. The applicant can supply any other visual support she/he
deems necessary to present her/his idea.
Applicants to also include a short CV (maximum 2 pages).
Availability to present your entry at one of Intergraf’s events in 2023 is desirable, but not essential to win the award.
Entries to be sent to Beatrice Klose, Secretary General of Intergraf, by email (bklose@intergraf.eu) before the submission deadline of 28 February 2023.
Greater Noida based Supreme Offset opts for Kodak Trendsetter from Insight Print Communications.
Insight Print Communications has announced the installation of Kodak Trendsetter Thermal CTP at Supreme offset at their Greater Noida facility.
Supreme Offset Press, one of the leading offset printers of the region, incorporated in the year 1982 in Delhi. The company started with hand feed machines and manual printing and in 2005 relocated to Greater Noida region with expansion of their facility to a 30000 Sq. Ft. area and more than 100 employee working round the clock. Supreme has complete in-house facilities for designing, processing, printing, binding, fabrication of packaging materials etc. Equipped with machines like Heidelberg CP Tronic – 8 colour, web offset, online Heidelberg Eurobinder folding machine etc., the company has recently added Kodak Trendsetter thermal CTP with processor for the in-house printing plate production to handle complex jobs.
“There is no alternative to the Kodak CTP
for the superior performance and strong service and support from Insight Print Communications. All other options were ruled out by us as either the CTP were from brands that are unreliable or there was an issue with service support,” said Shivkumar, Owner, Supreme Offset.
“The competition is extremely stiff in the market and we need to have the edge in terms of quality and in turn achieve complete client satisfaction,” further adds Shivkumar.
Kodak Trendsetter gives throughput of 43 plates per hour at standard resolution of 2400 X 1200 dpi which can go high resolution option of up to 4800dpi. The Trendsetter CTP has a small footprint and a powerful thermal imaging head for maximum productivity with Kodak Sonora XP Process Free Plates. Fast throughput, reliability, and stable, high-quality thermal imaging of the Kodak Trendsetter CTP can help users exceed their customers’ expectations, efficiently and affordably.
“Quality with Kodak’s SQUAREspot imaging technology is proven world over. Inferior quality during plate making cascades into heavy wastage and losses during Printing and shouldn’t be ignored. Various technologies like temperature compensation and automatic laser alignment on contour areas will reduce unnecessary wastage, faster make ready and higher productivity on the press. We also found out that Kodak uses much less power consumption compared to competitive CTP options reducing our cost of operation,” said Girish Kumar, Supreme Offset.
“More than 1000 CTPs are running successfully in India and Kodak Trendsetter thermal CTP has prevailed over more than 2 decades. Many technologies like Violet and CTcP became popular for a short while – but no one could take the number 1 spot of Kodak. And with Sonora Process less plate solution – Kodak Trendsetter has left the competition far behind. Customers are still using CTPs bought 15 year ago and still feel no need to replace,” added Ajay Aggarwal MD & CEO at Insight Print Communications.
Contains information of printing and packaging industry’s activities.
OPA Calendar 2023 got released during AGM of Offset Printers Association recently. OPA Calendar is dubbed as Printers’ Jantri as it contains information of the activities relating to printing and packaging industry world over. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Manoj Kumar project in-charge said, it is the 17th edition of most popular OPA calendar being released today. Taking into consideration the popularity of the calendar this time the print order has increased. Copies of the calendar are distributed to the printing and packaging sector throughout India.
Prof. Kamal Chopra said, “We are thankful for the support being given by the industry
for this venture. OPA has been serving the printing and packaging industry for the last more than 34 years and has established a name not only in the country but in the world.
OPA has many firsts to its credit, all credit goes to the dedicated members and untiring managing team”.
2023 calendar captures circles from natural surroundings
Lecta’s 2023 calendar brings beautiful concentric images that are part of our daily life.
In its new 2023 calendar, Lecta highlights the apparent simplicity and formal perfection of the circle, a shape which surrounds us and is found everywhere: from a tiny atomic particle to our planet itself. A circle is the wheel that transformed daily life for our species, the spherical face of the watch that keeps time, the balloon that floats up into the sky and the point that dots the “i”.
Lecta’s calendar brings together a wide range of concentric circles in different sizes found in our natural surroundings. Twelve attractive, colorful, harmonious images with a common theme to accompany us in the new year.
Beyond the shape itself, the perfect circumference of the circle also suggests movement, unity and progress, objectives not only for Lecta but shared by everyone as we start a new year filled with challenges and goals. To accentuate the strength and detail of the photographs, Lecta has chosen semimatte coated papers from its extensive range of premium products for the publishing industry.
Siegwerk launches new TMPTA-free UV offset series for paper, board and plastic substrates.
Siegwerk, global provider of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels, has introduced a new UV offset ink series for the EMEA market for non-food packaging applications made of paper, board and plastic substrates: SICURA Litho Pack.
With its new SICURA Litho Pack series, Siegwerk offers versatile, low odour UV offset inks and varnishes for paper, board and various plastic substrates. The CMRfree series presents excellent deinkability properties and will replace the company’s bestselling SICURA Plast SP series going forward.
The new low odour product range follows the latest Siegwerk Exclusion Policy guidelines (based on the EuPIA Exclusion Policy) and thus is formulated without CMR Cat. 1 substances like Benzophenone. In addition, the new series is free of TMPTA (Carc. 2, not intentionally added) and PFAS/PTFE. “With the launch of our new SICURA Litho Pack series, we now offer customers in the EMEA region the next generation of UV offset inks and varnishes especially formulated for the use on cardboard and various synthetic substrates,” says Jerome Fumex, EMEA Customer Service & Product Manager Business Unit Sheetfed at Siegwerk. From coated and metallized paper and board to aluminum and plastics, the new low odour UV series has a great versatility of use with outstanding adhesion properties also suitable for the complex substrates of the luxury industry. “Besides, SICURA Litho Pack has an excellent deinkability according to the INGEDE 11 method, and thus contributes to an easier recycling of UV-printed packaging,” adds Fumex. Therewith, SICURA Litho Pack offers the same good deinking properties as SICURA Litho Pack ECO, a recently launched sustainable UV offset ink series for non-food paper and board applications made of more than
40% of renewable and vegetable-based components.
First users confirm an excellent press run stability and a high colour strength of SICURA Litho Pack. Next to a very good flowability and high ink transfer, Siegwerk’s new UV offset range showed a very stable ink/water balance even during long runs as well as a good film flexibility for postprocessing. The series requires low damp settings and impresses with a very good and sharp print quality. The product range contains standard process colors according to ISO as well as a wide color set for mixing systems. In addition, the prints can be overprinted with UV varnishes or lamination, for example with the company’s newly developed range of TMPTA-free flexo and offset OPVs, which is also available now.
Due to increasing safety concerns of brand owners, leading to the strict exclusion of certain substances and raw materials used for their products and packaging, there is a need to also adjust related ink and coating formulations. With its new SICURA Litho Pack series, Siegwerk now offers its
customers an enhanced UV solution based on state-of-the-art formulation technology, addressing the latest guidelines of brand owners worldwide. “The plan is that the new series will completely replace our previous UV offset series SICURA Plast SP by end of 2023 latest,” says Fumex. “Therefore, we paid attention to keep the exact same colorimetry on mixing bases to avoid any reformulation work for the existing recipes of our customers.” For all necessary process setups and calibrations, the company’s technical experts are available as usual to support a smooth changeover to the latest generation of Siegwerk UV inks.
Keeping product safety above all, Siegwerk takes necessary actions to formulate its products based on the latest EuPIA exclusion policy guidelines (based on the EuPIA exclusion policy). Its experts continuously work towards product safety and regulatory issues while enhancing the company’s formulations in terms of safety, health, and environmental protection. This also includes the substitution of substances and raw materials that are newly reclassified as CMR (Carcinogenic, Mutagenic and Reprotoxic).
X-Rite’s New Online Trainings help printers onboard new technology and employees.
X-Rite Incorporated and Pantone LLC, global colour science and technology experts, have announced new colour measurement and digital workflow eLearning courses specifically designed for printers and converters. Taught by X-Rite colour scientists and print application experts, this extensive library of courses and on-demand webinars helps new and experienced print operators improve their colour knowledge, implement innovative technologies, and leverage colour management best practices. eLearning courses, trainings, and webinars are available through the X-Rite Learning Center at https://www.xrite.com/learning-center.
“Whether you are looking to grow your colour management knowledge, onboard new employees, or learn best practices, X-Rite has the online training resources to help users learn at their own pace,” said Carlos Borda, Director Print and Packaging, X-Rite. “Print operators can learn from X-Rite color experts with decades of experience how to improve quality and efficiency by implementing color measurement equipment, software, and spectral data within each step of the design to print production process.”
Fundamentals of Color and Appearance (FOCA) - This six-module course explains the basics of colour theory and how to communicate both colour and colour differences. It covers the physics of colour, the role of lighting, spectrophotometers and colour data, how to view colour, and much more. This course is available through X-Rite and Coursera.
Going Beyond Density – Predictable, repeatable colour starts with a consistent process. This course focuses on achieving optimal process control on an offset press by moving beyond measuring just the density of solid inks and introduces tools and methodologies to help printers establish a more controlled press environment.
eXact 2 Training – Designed to help train new users and easily onboard employees, this course features 24 self-paced videos
that explain and demonstrate how to use the eXact 2 handheld spectrophotometer and ecosystem of software. The videos walk users through the device features and settings and explain how to take measurements, use colour libraries and profiles, leverage quality control and reporting software, and maintain the device.
ColorCert Press Operator & ColorCert QA Tools Operator Trainings – Designed for packaging and label print suppliers that work with brand quality control programs, these two courses help press operators and print personnel get up to speed quickly with ColorCert. The ColorCert Press Operator Training introduces users to the ColorCert 5.0 interface starting with how to launch the program and load a job, then takes a user all the way through how to analyze data, determine acceptability, and complete a job. The ColorCert QA Tools training covers how to use QA tools, create standards, measure trials, save and leverage data, and configure reporting.
In addition, X-Rite offers free on-demand webinars that range from 10 to 60 minutes in length and cover a variety of topics including print and packaging trends, color management tips, technology advances, and how to overcome common color challenges. Popular webinars include:
• Tips to Achieve Accurate Color on Flexible Packaging
• Simple Tools to Drive Efficiency for Your Offset Press
• Color Excellence for Digital Textile Printing
• Calibration and Profiling - Managing Unique Substrates and Backlit Materials
X-Rite on-demand webinars are available at https://www.xrite.com/learning-coloreducation/webinars.
Founded in 1958, X-Rite Incorporated is a global player in the science and technology of colour and appearance. With Pantone, X-Rite employs more than 800 people in 11 countries. The company’s corporate headquarters are located in Grand Rapids,
Michigan, USA, with regional headquarters in Europe and Asia and service centers across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. X-Rite offers a full range of solutions used by manufacturers, retailers, printers, and graphic design houses to achieve precise management and communication of colour and appearance throughout their processes. X-Rite products and services are recognized standards in the printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles and medical industries.
Pantone provides the universal language of colour that enables colour-critical decisions through every stage of the workflow for brands and manufacturers. More than 10 million designers and producers around the world rely on Pantone products and services to help define, communicate and control colour from inspiration to realization – leveraging advanced X-Rite technology to achieve color consistency across various materials and finishes for graphics, fashion and product design. Pantone Standards feature digital and physical colour specification and workflow tools. The Pantone Color Institute provides customized colour standards, brand identity and product colour consulting as well as trend forecasting inclusive of Pantone Color of the Year, Fashion Runway Color Trend Reports, colour psychology and more. Pantone B2B Licensing incorporates the Pantone Color System into different products and services, enabling licensees to communicate and reproduce certified Pantone values and improve efficiencies for their users. Pantone Lifestyle brings colour and design together across apparel, home, and accessories.
Insight Print Communications installs Fujifilm Revoria PC1120 at Redex Photo Books.
Redex Photo Books, Kerala based Digital ColorLab has announced the addition of Fujifilm Revoria PC 1120 in their state of art production unit. Redex Photo Books was founded in 2011 and since then offers array of services such as Creative Designing and Printing of Photobook/ Album, Calendar,Table Album, Album Box, Cover, UV Coating Printing, Engraving& UV Embossed. They offer full range of customized solution to diverse set of clients with deep understanding of technology and zest towards creativity and innovation.
Insight Print Communications has completed the installation last month and since then machine is running in its full capacity. Insight Print Communication has recently published the PR on soaring demand of this press and how it’s transforming photo album printing industry in India.
“We are specialized into photobook/album printing and for us quality of photo is critical in this segment and we wanted to stand out in the market. When we discovered about specialty colors in Revoria such as Pink, Gold, Silver and saw the output we got impressed. Using pink toner, smoother and beautiful skin textures can be produced. Print Quality is Very Good, No Grains, No Noise, Clear & Sharp Prints, Natural Skin Tone & Vibrant Colors with Pink,” Commented by Mr.Jaisal, Managing Partner at Redex Photobook Kerala.
Fujifilm Revoria PC 1120 presents impressive quality at speed of 120ppm offering customers beyond CMYK with specialty colours such as Gold, Silver, White, Clear, Pink to push creativity boundaries on different media. The press is 6 station hence two specialty colours can be used in a one go and the configuration is in a way that underlay and overlay can be done in a single pass unlikely 5 station press. Super EA Ecotoner produces smooth and beautiful photograph gradation, density, uniformity in figures and printed text without glare.
“Pictures tell us a story which words cannot. At Redex we strive to transfer the best memories of our customers onto a paper with a best quality. While producing best
photobooks for our customers we take care of both printing media and print quality and it was impressive to see Revoria press supporting all the different kind of medias like luster paper, high gloss, non tearable and many more.” Further adds Mr. Jaisal Managing Partner at Redex Photobook.
Few game changing features of Revoria press for Photo album printing industries are AI based photo quality optimization and automatic pink layer separation. For customers who handles large quantities of photography images and don’t have ability to retouch images in house can use these features to save time and minimize the post production. The AI automatically determines the scene for each photographic image and correct appropriately on print server, for example brightening the dull image and correct the image sharpness.
Automatic separation of pink layer helps to achieve more natural gradient and smoother skin tone can be produced. It also empowers
printers to reproduce vivid and eye catching orange and purple colours.
“We see that most photo prints are during Weddings only. Worldwide the situation is different, people order photobooks for multiple events like Vacations, birthdays and Anniversaries, events, remembering the year, moods, child growing years etc. Similar trend will also come in India and there is enough headroom for photo print business to grow and increase multifold from current levels,” added Mr. Ajay Aggarwal MD & CEO at Insight Print Communications.
Kolkata’s Shakti Printers invests in RICOH Pro C7200X; redefines the quality of commercial prints.
Monotech Systems has upgraded the production facility of Shakti Printers in Kolkata with the installation of a new RICOH Pro C7200X digital press. Shakti Printers is a complete commercial printing solution corner where clients from diverse clusters flock for print applications of all kinds.
Incepted around 15 years back, Shakti Printers is located near Baithakkhana Road at Sealdah in Kolkata. The company is known for fulfilling premium print demands of big corporate clients from different market and industrial segments. Shakti Printers provides complete print solutions, which include the whole range right from commercial digital printing up to digital large-format graphics.
“We are proud of having a facility with a complete portfolio of machines comprising a Konica Minolta AccurioPress C3080, an offset press, and a vinyl & flex printer. Now the portfolio has upgraded with the newly installed RICOH Pro C7200X from Monotech Systems with which we redefine the quality of our commercial prints,” said Anirban Das, Owner, Shakti Printers. He added, “With our complete machine portfolio, we fulfill every bit of our customers’ requirement—right from business cards to vinyl posters, all under one roof.”
Anirban continued, “We have diverse profiles of customers from different market segments. One segment is custom book printing. Some of the publishing conglomerates like S. Chand Group are in the list of our regular clients.” Shakti Printers is indeed a source for quality custom-printed books of all formats, either in hard cover or soft cover for several publishers.
With the installation of the new RICOH Pro C7200X, Shakti Printers has enhanced its on-demand book printing job. In this respect, Anirban mentioned that the digital press has opened the possibility to play with a range of special colours like White, Clear and Neon on book covers and other commercial print applications like inserts, pamphlets, ID cards, letterheads and others.
On choosing RICOH Pro C7200X over other digital presses, Anirban emphasized the
fact that this RICOH machine is made for diversifying the printing capacity. He informed that his first impression of the machine is its productivity, speed and advanced features like the fifth colour printing capacity. “With this machine we improve our turnaround times and boost printing capacity to another level,” he added. RICOH Pro C7200X is designed to deliver premium graphics up to 360 GSM at the speed of 85 ppm.
Anirban mentioned that their customers are now excited with the more colour choices they offer with the new RICOH press. “We appreciate Monotech Systems for such an
advanced and versatile digital press. After all, we are very thankful to the company’s whole team who helped us find such a machine and their cordial after-sales service.”
“RICOH is leaving its footprint in each region and our customers are vouching the quality and capability of the press. The trend is that most of the customers have either replaced their existing setup or added RICOH press for doing innovations and taking their production to the next level. We congratulate Mr. Das for joining the league,” says Ajeet Pareek, Business Head – Digital Products and Solutions of Monotech Systems.
First photo printing business in Uttar Pradesh to install an HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press.
Focused on enhancing print production standards, Kuber Digital has installed an HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press at the facility in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. The digital printing service provider catering to photography & general commercial print applications will utilize HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press to venture into the new big-size albums, Light Packaging, Gift Boxes, and Wedding Invites, Sheetfed Labels and Personalized Amateur Photo Books.
Providing freedom to innovate and create unlimited designs, the 29-inch HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press offers exceptional print quality, great productivity, and broad versatility to generate the widest commercial application range. The leader in print quality and color matching, it is equipped with intelligent color automation and Indigo’s liquid electrophotography (LEP) technology. HP Indigo ElectroInk has the widest digital color gamut, reaching up to 97% of PANTONE® colors and using up to 7 ink stations on press. HP Indigo 12000 digital press also features a 5th ink station for WHITE INK and SPOT colors, providing color accuracy that will further enable Kuber Digital to produce crisp linework, attractive images, and the finest digital prints in B2 size.
To simplify and automate production, HP Indigo 1200 offers HP Print OS which is an effective tool to ensure business productivity and measure performance. Utilizing this platform, Kuber Digital can manage daily production and take appropriate measures to improve operations and maintain its market reputation.
Sanjay Rastogi, Managing Director, Kuber Digital said, “To stay on top of the industry trends, we installed HP Indigo 12000 HD digital press, becoming the first printing business in Uttar Pradesh to address the growing demands of commercial printing solutions. We are extremely pleased with our long-standing partnership with HP over the past five years which has allowed us to make significant advancements in both the wedding photography market and the commercial printing sector. With HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press, we are looking forward to achieving further growth and
profitability through improved offerings in various categories including general commercial print, wedding cards, and personalized gift boxes. We are optimistic that our extended association will be fruitful and create a significant impact on our business.”
A Appadurai, country manager, Indigo and inkjet business solutions, HP India said, “Being a pioneer in providing the best-in-class digital press solutions for commercial, labels, and packaging printing, we understand the evolving needs of our customers and partners that demand highly crafted solutions. Our HP Indigo press has propelled the printing industry to reach new heights and empowered customers to innovate and customize as per the changing
requirements. To support the businesses of our partners, we at HP are dedicated to providing the best quality with the highest level of productivity. We are thrilled to partner with Kuber Digital and hope this partnership further helps them advance and grow with HP’s digital technology.”
Meeting the demands of the customer while pursuing the company’s sustainability goals, HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press has adapted effectively to exemplify its mission of providing customers with the highest print quality possible. The HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press is manufactured carbon neutral and offers reduced production waste. Indigo Ink is environmentally safe since it does not require any solvents, chemicals, or UV light.
Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, CMD, UFlex Limited, releases Report on Recyclability of Multi-Layer Mixed Plastics (MLP) at an Industry event on Sustainable Packaging.
Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman and Managing Director, UFlex Limited, recently released a report on recyclability of MultiLayer mixed Plastic (MLP) waste at an event organized and hosted by Plastic Packaging Research and Development Centre (PPRDC).
Plastics Packaging Research and Development Centre is a non-profit research and development center established by the Multilayer Plastics Films Sanitation Trust. PPRDC recently organized a one-day roundtable thematic discussion on “Sustainable Packaging and EPR Regulations” in Noida. The event agenda included a briefing by the PPRDC executives on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) norms and best practices on building a circular economy.
On this occasion, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, CMD, UFlex Ltd., released a study report on Recyclability of Multi – Layer mixed Plastics.
“At UFlex, we have always taken the lead in developing sustainable packaging solutions for our clients and for facilitating discussions with brand owners and regulators around recyclability of multi-layer mixed plastic waste. As a global leader in packaging, we have made significant investments in recycling facilities across our global locations to demonstrate the various applications of MLP waste. UFlex runs an advanced injection moulding facility at its Noida site and this was established to recycle granules and to demonstrate various possibilities to the moulding industry. Today, decorative, functional, engineering parts, household and office products, and hundreds of other articles are being manufactured with recycled granules at UFlex’s recycling facilities”, said Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, CMD, UFlex Limited at the launch of the study report.
“This report will help brand owners and recyclers to appreciate the technical processes, possibilities, and financial returns on recycling MLP waste. This will help brand owners fulfil their EPR responsibilities and play an active role in keeping plastic waste out of landfills. In a country like India, this could provide an impetus to MSMEs to establish recycling facilities and unlock the
value and potential of plastic waste. UFlex is more than willing to share best practices from their own recycling operations that have been running successfully for more than two decades”, Mr. Chaturvedi added.
As part of the roundtable discussion, members of PPRDC’s advisory council and industry speakers discussed a wide-range of topics including environmental problems brought on by the careless disposal of plastic waste, the role of the organised sector in the management of plastic waste, leading India to a circular economy – road map, and the challenges faced by brand owners in complying with EPR guidelines, amongst others.
Notable industry speakers included Mr. Mihir Banerjee, Secretary General, PPRDC & BIS & ISO Plastics Sectional Committee member, Prof. (Dr.) S. K. Nayak, VC, Ravenshaw University (Former DG-CIPET), Mr. Swapan K Ray – Hon. Secretary Indian Centre for Plastic
in The Environment, PPRDC Council member, Ms. Esha Sar, Chief Advisor South Asia, Alliance to End Plastic Waste, Mr. A Garg, A A Garg & Company and Consultant – EPR, Dr. Anomitra Chakravorty – KPS consultant & Impex Pvt. Ltd. and PPRDC Council member, Dr. Anup K. Ghosh, Professor Emeritus, Dep. Of Material Science and Engineering, IIT, Delhi and PPRDC Council member, Mr. Rajeev Dwivedi, Director TTRC BIS & ISO –Plastics Sectional Committee member and PPRDC Council member, Mr. Sumit Basu, Chief General Manager (Petrochemicals), Indian Oil Corporation Limited, and others.
Mitsubishi HiTec Paper is increasing prices for its entire range of coated speciality papers (thermoscript, jetscript, giroform, supercote, barricote) worldwide by 7 to 9% for deliveries from 1 February 2023.
The price adjustments are necessary to cushion the inflationary cost increases in the chemical, pulp and logistics segments. Customers will be contacted directly by the Mitsubishi sales team.
Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Europe GmbH is a German subsidiary of Mitsubishi Paper Mills Ltd., Japan, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of specialty paper.
The roughly 730 employees at Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Europe produce high-quality direct thermal, inkjet, carbonless, label and barrier papers for flexible packaging at two tradition-rich locations in Bielefeld and Flensburg. Each factory stands out for own base paper production, state-of-the-art production machinery and innovative coating technologies. Through its dense global sales network, Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Europe supplies a full range of specialty papers for many applications and printing technologies – and is a highly capable partner whenever customized coated paper solutions are required.
“Our target is to remain the leading provider of pre-press printing solutions,” says Raghav Sachdev who shares his exciting journey with Lucky Graphics and plans ahead.
Lucky Graphics is a reputed name in the Indian Printing space with a rich history of 44 years. When Raghav Sachdev joined his father Rohit Sachdev in 2005, Lucky Graphics was a well established name in the Indian Printing space. He stepped in to supplement his background in Providing Printing Solutions as well as to work with the company, deeply committed and professionally dedicated towards development.
Raghav shares his first days: “I joined Lucky Graphics in 2005 and my immediate plan was to create marketing collateral for the company. My plan was to gain a broad knowledge of the company’s products and how they were presented to the clients as well as how I could market them better. My focus was to understand the clients’ requirements. Within two months I was hired full-time at Lucky Graphics, which is where my career into Technical Sales began.”
made in less than 1 hour,” he adds.
The focus areas for Lucky Graphics are to drive better efficiency in their print operations by embracing technology and automation, as well as optimizing how they order their materials and manage supplies.
“We see all aspects of a concern when it comes to waste reduction, so we focus on inventory management with the goal of being more efficient with what we buy, how we use it and reuse it,” elaborates Raghav.
Lucky Graphics and Toyobo is a long association – it is a partnership between two companies that has been around for over 42 years. “I think the two companies have helped each other out to become the printing industry’s powerhouse that they are today,” states Raghav. Toyobo in May 2022 celebrated their 140 years.
“We see all aspects of a concern when it comes to waste reduction, so we focus on inventory management with the goal of being more efficient with what we buy, how we use it and reuse it.” – Raghav Sachdev
“It certainly is an exciting journey from the day one till today. Not only the industry has grown leaps and bounds, but the printing technology has too evolved in the last 20 years and it’s growing very fast,” adds Raghav.
Raghav has been responsible for R&D, product development and getting new technology in the market to ensure highest quality printing is achieved. The areas he looks after include technical sales, market research and business analysis.
> Raghav joins Lucky Graphics’ technical sales to present its products in a better way.
> Apart from Toyobo, Lucky provides various brands for diverse products as well as plate making equipment.
> Solutions that improve efficiency and save on wastage of materials and resources.
Lucky Graphics of today has a much more diverse client base with a much wider range of associated segments seeking out their products, according to Raghav. They, in fact were the first in India to introduce Toyobo Printight Water Washable nylo Plates for Letterpress Printing as well as Toyobo Cosmolight Water Washable Flexo Plates. They have various brands associated with them with regards to Plate Making Equipment as well.
When it comes to saving on wastage of materials and resources, Lucky Graphics does this by reducing the manual process undertaken. “This not only reduces wastage, but also increases efficiency and accuracy, saving our clients money,” stresses Raghav. “The Solution we provide, not only make it easier, but plates can be processed faster as well. Now Printing plates don’t require 3-4 hours to be made, it can be
Looking ahead, Raghav sees Lucky Graphics continue innovating and providing the best solution to the Industry. “The future should continue to be based on excellent reputation, growth strategies and wellmanaged resources,” he perceives.
Lucky Graphics and Toyobo have always conquered the competition with their innovative solutions.
“Toyobo - Cosmolight Water Washable flexo Plates
is the best solution and with latest QZ Series with years of R&D, we see much better result in printing and I am sure the product will exceed customers’ expectations, making it an edge above all,” asserts Raghav.
To capture the promising flexographic printing market and ensure customer satisfaction, Lucky Graphics has chosen to focus on the use of Water Washable Flexo Plates, which, says Rahav, are superior in terms of quality and durability. “Plates can be processed in less than 1 hour, which in term will save a lot of time & money for the customers. As a leading player in the flexographic printing market, we are committed to providing the best solutions for our customers. One of the main solutions we offer is an eco-friendly and waste-free production process reducing the carbon footprint as well – making the entire plate making process eco friendly for our customers,” Raghav describes.
“In terms of growth potential, the flexo printing segment is by far the most promising. This is due to the fact that Label printing technology is constantly evolving, making it possible to print faster and at higher resolutions. Additionally, Label printing is much more versatile than traditional printing methods, meaning that it can be used for a wider range of applications. As such, companies that are able to capitalize on this trend will be well-positioned for success in the future,” opines Raghav.
Revealing their target for next year, he says, “Our target is to remain the leading provider of pre-press printing solutions. We are focusing on new areas such as Label Printing, packaging and large format printing.” He further aims to expand their product offerings into new areas. Focusing on quality & customer satisfaction, Lucky Graphics is expanding its sales and marketing efforts to reach new customers in order to grow business.
“We’re committed on helping our clients navigate the ever-changing landscape of the printing industry. Whether it’s finding new ways to use digital printing technology or expanding into new markets, we’re here to help them succeed. We’ll be working with our clients to explore digital alternatives that can save time and money while still delivering high-quality results,” reveals Raghav.
Another key area of focus for Lucky Graphics, according to Raghav is environmental sustainability. “We want to help our clients implement green printing practices that will minimize their impact on the planet. This includes using recycled materials, investing in energy-efficient equipment, and reducing waste throughout the printing process.”
Committed to helping their clients stay ahead of the curve when it comes to emerging trends in the printing industry, Raghav says his company would be keeping an eye out for new technologies and applications on a regular basis and would be sharing their findings with their clients that could benefit their business.
Multiflex Polybags bags one gold and two bronze for products printed on their SOMA Flexo Press.
Multiflex Polybags has won three 2022 Asian Packaging Excellence awards for packaging. The winning packaging products were all printed on a SOMA 820 Optima CI Flexographic press.
Chennai based Multiflex Polybags is one of the leading flexible packaging producers of labels, pouches and polybags of India. The company prints a variety of multi-colour images, graphics, and designs on all types of LLDPE, HMHDPE, PP, BOPP, BOPA, CPP, and polyester films.
The Asian Packaging Excellence Awards dinner was held in Bangkok, Thailand following an intensive one-day annual SHIFT 22 Label & Packaging conference, sponsored by publisher Print Innovations Asia. The event attracted participants from almost all Asian countries. The theme of the event was ‘Let’s talk about the state of our packaging industry post-pandemic.’
Always a highlight of the year, the awards dinner showcased quality packaging companies who were awarded gold, silver, and bronze awards in the 2022 competition. The awards included 19 categories covering all print processes—including flexography— broken into wide web, mid web and narrow web, including a number of sub-categories based on substrate and reverse printing.
Of these, Multiflex Polybags received a gold medal in the narrow-web film flexo category, along with two bronze awards in the wideweb and mid-web flexo categories. Prepress and photopolymer plates were prepared by Multiflex’s long-standing prepress partner, VeePee Graphics India Pvt Ltd.
Rajendra Mehta, Director, Multiflex Polybags, has quoted in the past that their SOMA press, “is a must-have for every flexible packaging printer and converter, and the press which is power-packed in a compact space provides us an extra armor in our arsenal. The machine is very versatile in terms of material handling and enables quick job changeovers for shorter runs.”
Multiflex Polybags installed its 8-colour SOMA Optima CI Flexo Press in March, 2021. “The successful installation of a SOMA 820 Optima CI Flexo press at Multiflex, during the second wave of the pandemic, was an excellent achievement,” comments Suhas Kulkarni, SOMA Area Sales Manager. “We are very impressed with the designs Multiflex Polybags has printed on their SOMA press and are indeed very proud of the awards they have rightfully received. The designs are very representative of the fine work that can be executed on SOMA presses.”
2022 – The Year when the BOBST Vision became a Reality.
At the heart of BOBST’s solutions in 2022 is BOBST Connect, bringing BOBST machine insights and digital services together in one cloudbased platform.
Key Notes :
> Jean-Pascal Bobst, CEO of BOBST, reflects on the current year.
> Bobst – adding intelligence and software capabilities to make packaging production better than ever.
> The first subscription plan of BOBST Connect Essential made available on all BOBST machines as a standard supply.
“I would describe 2022 as very revealing. The response to the economic instability, local conflicts, the global supply chain challenges, human resource shortages, and the energy crisis made it clear to us, and to our customers, that a Vision is necessary for the business to be successful.”
BOBST’s industry vision is coming to life even stronger. 2022 was challenging but we navigated through it with confidence, and we helped our customers to do the same despite delays which caused some disruption. We have done our upmost to keep both the satisfaction and the intimacy with our clients at the highest level.”
Jean-Pascal Bobst, CEO of BOBST, is reflecting on the current year and his insights for the future of the packaging industry. A new reality is shaping local economical business relationships and the impact of connectivity, digitalization, automation and sustainability are becoming the cornerstones of packaging production.
A new era of truly connected solutions BOBST continues to deliver quality machines, but the company is now adding intelligence and software capabilities to make packaging production better than ever.
At the heart of BOBST’s solutions in 2022 is BOBST
Connect, bringing BOBST machine insights and digital services together in one cloud-based platform.
“With BOBST Connect, our customers get a factbased overview of the production performance, maintenance and process, and they can orchestrate it,” says Leonard Badet, Head of Group Technology at BOBST. “They benefit from accurate Overall Equipment Efficiency, get specific equipment data and get interfaces to connect to their existing software.”
The first subscription plan of this very powerful tool –BOBST Connect Essential – has been made available on all BOBST machines as a standard supply. This is a unique offer within the industry.
2022 saw the launches of several innovations, which exemplify the BOBST Vision. In folding carton, ACCUCHECK Recipe Management allows users to create and edit recipes remotely within the BOBST Connect platform and to send them on the production floor. In corrugated board, MASTERCUT 1.65 PER is the most versatile die-cutter on the market, a combination of tools and technologies that reflect and support our vision in terms of automation, connectivity and sustainability. In labels, the new DIGITAL MASTER series features modular and upgradable label presses that combine digital and flexo technologies in one single machine with
the highest level of automation and quality control to help customer protect their investment and reduce dependency on press operators.
One of the most promising announcements in 2022 came in flexible packaging. At K 2022, BOBST and its partners unveiled oneBARRIER – a family of sustainable recycle-ready flexible packaging solutions with excellent barrier qualities. This includes oneBARRIER PrimeCycle – a polymer-based mono-material, which is recycle-ready up to 98% while retaining excellent barrier qualities, making it a potentially groundbreaking development for sustainable packaging. And oneBARRIER FibreCycle, which is a full paper, mono-material, recycle-ready solution, developed in response to increasing demand in the industry for more paper-based packaging options.
“The samples we showed at K 2022 are the real industrialized solutions and are
commercially available solutions,” says Mr. Bobst. “With our partners, we made recycleready flexible packaging a reality already today.”
Remote and local assistance means BOBST is always at hand BOBST’s services went from strength to strength. Through a combination of remote assistance and excellent local presence, BOBST is ready for any eventuality and to help build better futures for its customers. And with an industry-leading presence of more than 30,000 BOBST machines installed all over the world, services are more important than ever.
BOBST continues to invest in its very large team of field technicians, reinforcing its team of more than a thousand BOBST experts with ongoing hiring and new training. This is complemented by state-of-the-art remote assistance.
To enable rapid response, BOBST opened a new logistics hub for Europe, Middle East & Africa, situated in Belgium in the heart of the European logistics network. This new hub will become the most automated and efficient logistics hub in our industry, and it will guarantee 95% parts availability for most product lines – so, more than 100,000 items under one fully automated platform.
And in a year of so many challenges for our customers, including price increases and supply chain instability, BOBST worked on three axes to minimize the crisis impact for our customers.
The company put in place a dedicated supply chain team with engineers, who followed up orders closely – machine by machine, issue by issue, to adapt the supply chain according to events. BOBST also sourced alternative suppliers to reduce order delays, especially for electrical and electronic parts. And the company also introduced a new way of assembling machines, improving the availability of main parts, especially the platen, and preventing delays for final order.
“We have executed on our vision relentlessly, and it has paid off,” says Mr. Bobst. “Looking ahead to next year, 2023 will be year of consolidation for the industry, but the journey ahead, together with our clients and partners, is defined. Our solutions will turn into tangible improvements for most of our machine portfolio. The packaging industry has a great future.”
– Mark Andy’s Successful Implementations of Hybrid Solutions in the Polish Market.
We’re very happy to see many hybrid Mark Andy presses as a first-choice solution of many label converters.As a person responsible for this market in Poland, I’m very proud about our latest sales results.”
- Przemyslaw Polkowski, Country Manager Mark Andy Poland
When digital presses first appeared on the market many years ago, they were assumed as a threat to conventional printing. However, market changes, developing technology and opportunities accordingly to the digital solutions have proven digital technology to be complementary solution rather than an alternative one. Many offset and flexo printers looking to grow and meet their customers’ needs, have decided to invest in digital presses. We are now seeing a similar trend with hybrid solutions. Mark Andy, as a leading manufacturer of such presses, which combine different printing and embellishment techniques into a single machine, has shown increases in the number of hybrid solutions sold year by year. Moreover, some of the company’s customers have decided to buy multiple hybrid solutions offered by Mark Andy, confirming maturity, flexibility and comprehensiveness of this technology. In terms of hybrid, Poland is one of the best-selling markets for the American manufacturer. To date, Mark Andy has delivered more than 30 toner- and inkjet-based hybrid solutions to Polish printers and converters, making the company number one among hybrid vendors in the country. The Polish market also has a significant share in the entire sales of Mark Andy’s hybrid solutions in Europe.
It’s happening again: once digital, nowadays hybrid
“Mark Andy’s top priority has always been following customers’ expectations and constantly changing market needs,” states Przemyslaw Polkowski, Country Manager Mark Andy Poland. “As the leading manufacturer of narrow-web presses and with more than 75 years of market experience, we have been conscious of many trends that affect the label market, including the growing popularity of digital printing. In 2017 we installed the first Digital Series and Digital One hybrid presses in Europe. What’s interesting, both pioneer implementations were realized at the Polish printing houses. Our hybrid offer has been constantly expanded and currently it covers two series of presses, based on inkjet and toner techniques.”
“At the beginning many customers were quite restrained to invest in this new technology,” Polkowski continues. “Some of them, especially those more conservative ones, had been using conventional printing for decades and didn’t even want to talk about hybrid and its opportunities. Despite this initial reservation, we’re now observing dynamic sales growth for hybrid solutions. Specific to the Polish
> The trend that we saw with digital presses is being observed with hybrid solutions.
> Poland is among the best-selling markets for hybrid as sales show an increase year by year.
> Specific to the Polish market, Mark Andy has already implemented more than 30 hybrid presses in the country.
market, we have already implemented more than 30 hybrid presses in this country. Moreover, in 2022 we have delivered second or third hybrid presses to the same customers, which is always a special occasion to celebrate. The current dilemma for many printers is not about whether to invest in a hybrid press but rather when to invest for it to be most profitable and impactful on further growth. According to recent market research, ordered by Pekao SA bank, production of the global packaging industry is worth approximately 1 billion USD. Almost 60% of global demand is generated by food and beverage industries. Production structure is dominated by two kinds of packaging: paper- and plasticbased – which cover approximately 70% of the industry’s sales. In this context, Poland is quite a significant market, holding at 3rd place in the EU in terms of packaging export. During the last two years our country has increased its export sales, dynamically affecting rapid growth of the whole national packaging industry. This includes 2020, a year highly affected by a pandemic crisis. Moreover, last year the Polish packaging market noted a dynamic recovery, including export. As a result, a positive balance of trade in packaging has increased four times since 2010. The above data also implies good results for the label market which is strongly tied with packaging. We see a lot of new investments in Poland, enabling further growth for our printers. We’re very happy to see many hybrid Mark Andy presses as a first-choice solution of many label converters. As a person responsible for this market in Poland, I’m very proud about our latest sales results” he explains.
Decreasing label runs, demand for new packaging and label designs, a need for renewing and diversifying, versioning, pressure on shorter delivery times and higher quality, growing number of smaller companies, and manufacturers ordering smaller runs – all these aspects have caused many printers to change their views on hybrid technology. It is becoming more well received as an appropriate response to all these challenges. This is true for both new players on the Polish label market, for whom hybrid was a starting point, as well as established companies with long traditions that had been based on conventional printing. Both these customer types have selected hybrid technology, appreciating its advantages and
benefits, especially concerning changes on the jobs market. “Hybrid presses enable maintaining current customers, but also getting new ones who have other needs,” says – Przemyslaw Polkowski. “Moreover, hybrid presses open completely new opportunities for their users. The investment in hybrid generates further growth for label converters and that’s why they really appreciate this technology. In many cases a hybrid press is a necessity in terms of production profitability. The majority of our “hybrid” customers are very familiar with the technology after its full implementation so they use the equipment in a full scale, with the highest uptime possible,” he adds.
The printers and converters who have decided to implement hybrid technology point out its key advantages and benefits; profitable production of smaller runs, ability to implement variable data printing, high quality and colour stability even in case of demanding jobs, printing and converting in one pass that makes a production more economic and convenient. In addition, according to users, hybrid presses can handle a wide range of substrates, a big advantage when it comes to creating an interesting label design. Przemyslaw Polkowski points out: “Hybrid presses enable manufacturing of labels to support expectations of the most demanding end users, including brand owners looking for premium products with many embellishment options and complicated designs. On the other hand, they also satisfy the customers who expect simple label design in diversified runs, something which has been historically unprofitable when produced in flexo technology. Among many non-typical substrates our customers mention e.g. structural papers for wine labels or so called highly absorbent papers.”
Polkowski continues. “Our customers point out a reduction in waste and energy as well as less time spent on job or design approval. All these factors generate significant savings in production – a very important issue for every converter.”
According to Mark Andy’s hybrid users, they achieve 50% (or even higher) reduction in waste generated during production of short and medium runs. They also underline energy efficiency of these presses as they need approximately 50% less energy than a conventional flexo press. Moreover, they generate a minimum amount of ink waste. All these factors are significantly important for the companies trying to operate according to sustainability policies.
“If any of the issues mentioned speak to the needs and expectations of your customers, or if these benefits can support your company’s future growth, let’s work together to create a roadmap of a possible investment in hybrid,” says Polkowski.
“We’ll start from analyzing your needs and your customers’ needs. Taking both into consideration, we will match an appropriate solution from our wide range of offerings, train your employees, advise and suggest how to use a hybrid to make it a very profitable solution. The sales process is just the start to our complex and comprehensive co-operation with customers. For many years Mark Andy has offered numerous options of support, supplying a package of practical information based on our long-term experience and numerous tests run internally and in a co-operation with customers. We also have a selection of videos on our YouTube channel which cover our gamut of press models, as well as case studies and customer testimonials. We invite you to do your research, then contact us if you’re
Daniel has been a major force in the company’s ability to increase sales, earnings and market share.
On January 1, 2023, Michel Hunkeler, CEO of Hunkeler AG, will hand over his position as Managing Director to Daniel Erni, Global Sales Manager and member of the Executive Board of Hunkeler AG. As delegate of the Board of Directors, Michel Hunkeler will continue to be involved in the strategic direction of the Hunkeler Group and work closely with the Executive Board.
Daniel Erni has been with Hunkeler since 2016. As Chief Sales Officer and member of the Executive Board he has been a major force in the company’s ability to increase sales, earnings and market share in recent years. This success was made possible in part by his excellent rapport with Stefan and Michel Hunkeler, as well as his highly effective relationship with the management, employees, customers and partners. Prior to joining Hunkeler AG, Daniel Erni held positions as managing director and sales manager in several other companies.
Daniel Erni will continue to report directly to Michel Hunkeler, who will in turn focus on the company’s strategic direction and support various stakeholders around the Hunkeler Group.
Expands into Sheffield with second sales and manufacturing location in the UK, will serve CPG brands.
ePac Flexible Packaging, one of the leaders in
custom flexible packaging, has announced it will be adding a second sales and manufacturing location in the United Kingdom. Adding to existing operations in Silverstone, ePac Sheffield will serve CPG brands of all sizes throughout Northern England, Scotland, and Ireland. When combined with existing sites in Poland, France, and the previously announced site in Innsbruck, Austria, ePac has comprehensive and growing coverage for the whole of Europe.
According to Johnny Hobeika, Managing Director of ePac Europe, “Since opening our first European plant in Silverstone in Dec 2019, we’ve grown steadily, not only in the UK but in regions across Europe. Our new sales and manufacturing location in Sheffield will get us even closer to our local and regional brands, as well as larger brands with a pan-European or global presence. Furthermore, we have recently launched ePacONE (One Network Everywhere), a proprietary cloud-based system that connects all 24 ePac locations across the globe, enabling our customers to have their jobs produced at scale, when they’re needed, where they’re needed. Additionally, with ePacConnect, our connected packaging solution, brands can discover new ways to enhance their communication with consumers.”ePac maintains its focus on sustainability and the creation of a circular economy. Customers are able to order to demand, reducing inventory and
obsolescence, with orders shipped within 5-15 business days (upon artwork approval). This dramatically reduces the amount of packaging that would otherwise end up in landfills. Through offering sustainable material options, and operating a printing platform that is all-digital, carbon neutral, and more eco-friendly than conventional packaging printing processes, ePac is at the vanguard of helping make the world become a more sustainable place.
Founded in 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, ePac today runs an interconnected network of 24 plants with over 50 digital presses located across the globe with a print capacity of 8 million linear feet per day, serving all sized brands everywhere. Offering a full complement of printing, laminating, and pouch-making services, ePac is a full-service provider focused on providing sustainable solutions on an environmentally friendly technology platform.
Asahi Kasei hosts unique VIP event in Tokyo.
Asahi Kasei, parent company of Asahi Photoproducts, one among the pioneers in flexographic photopolymer plate development, conducted a successful VIP event in Tokyo attended by AWP customers from 12 different countries, including Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Germany, United States, Korea, Thailand, and, of course, Japan. The event was designed as a combination of education and entertainment to express the company’s deep appreciation of the partnerships these attendees participate in. Attendees included flexo printers/converters, suppliers of hardware and software to the industry, and repro houses. Another goal of the event was to strengthen the relationships among the various partners who attended, with the ultimate goal of a stronger, more sustainable flexographic industry. The event was held from 7 to 11 October.
“This was our first attempt at organizing such a complex event,” said Miho Ohigashi of the Photoproducts Global Marketing Department. “Of course, we wanted to educate everyone on the latest AWP developments, including the achievement of Carbon Neutrality in partnership with the Carbon Trust for our AWP-DEW CleanPrint water-washable plates, and share with them how we are working on our Carbon Management plan to make them even more sustainable in the future. We also felt that a tour of the plant was important, so they could see for themselves the implementation of our technology in daily production. But we also wanted to introduce some socialising to the event and give our visitors an opportunity to experience first-hand important aspects of Japanese history and culture. The feedback we received was overwhelming, and as a result we plan to hold a similar event every year to broaden the understanding of the value of our sustainability efforts as they relate to the flexographic industry.”
Ms. Ohigashi noted that visitors were treated to a variety of unique Japanese cultural and historical elements, including soba noodle making, golf playing, tofu cuisine, visits to shrines and castles, a sumo tour, a Tokyo boat cruise, and, of course, generous doses of Japanese Sake.
Ronnapop Viratt, General Manager of CCL Thailand, commented, “Asahi Kasei’s AWPTM-DAYS totally demonstrated the Omotenashi way of hospitality, wholeheartedly looking after their guests. I fully believe they can be even more successful as they already have very highquality products and service in place, with more improvements to come.”
Asahi Kasai and its subsidiary, Asahi Photoproducts, have spent many years working toward a more sustainable flexographic industry and have set for the entire company the important goal to be Carbon Neutral by 2050. Achievement of carbon neutrality for the AWP-DEW CleanPrint water-wash flexo plates was a major achievement toward that goal. “Sharing the story of our sustainability journey, including the demonstration of our new AWP water recycling system, was also an important element to this event,” Miho Ohigashi
added. “We hope that sharing our story will encourage our industry to significantly reduce its carbon footprint.”
The event also included a panel discussion with full participation of all attendees on the topics of sustainability, the mutually beneficial relationship between flexo and digital printing, and the importance of automation.
Asahi Photoproducts Division’s first AWPDAYS in Japan was a huge success, with attendees from 12 different countries.
The discussions, held on the 30th floor of our Tokyo headquarters with a view over the Emperor’s palace, provided a lively opportunity for all attendees to contribute and interact.
Asahi Photoproducts was founded in 1973 and is a subsidiary of the Asahi Kasei Corporation, which has a century of operating history.
E-magen Broadens Its Horizon in the Flexible Packaging Market with KODAK FLEXCEL NX Wide System from Miraclon.
E-magen, a prepress company dedicated to providing high quality flexographic plates for producing on various packaging types, has spent the past 20 years positioning itself as one of Argentina’s prominent trade shops. Since switching from analogue to digital platemaking and installing its first FLEXCEL NX System in 2010, “it has enabled rapid and constant growth for the company,” according to Damián Petrola, Vice President of E-magen. So much so, that they have now replaced their mid-size system with a FLEXCEL NX Wide System at their new 1000m2 headquarters “to improve productivity, reduce waste, save time, and enable us to provide bigger FLEXCEL NX Plates for our growing amount of pet food and diaper packaging producers.” Petrola says satisfying the needs of their customers is top priority: “At a time where there are supply and economic pressures around the globe, we are showing our customers how FLEXCEL NX Plates can enable them to reduce waste and downtime, increase press speed and enjoy ink savings, maximizing their productivity and saving them money too. And with more and more of our customer base producing bigger packaging, the larger plates of the FLEXCEL NX Wide System reduce mounting and ensure consistency.”
He adds that the recent investment went hand in hand with the company’s relocation to bigger premises, which was built with the FLEXCEL NX Wide System in mind. “The new facilities were designed from the outset to maximize functionality and convenience for different areas of work. We have five floors that house our 40 team members, carefully laid out to provide an optimum working environment which in turns helps us reach our commercial objectives. Our new location also enables a very quick response time for deliveries to all zones in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan (AMBA), as well as fast dispatches across the rest of the country.”
Petrola explains that choosing the FLEXCEL NX System in 2010 was part of the
company’s strategic vision for a technology partner that could help them grow and stay at the forefront of innovation. “We knew that in order to give customers the best plate that will deliver the most consistently high results while bringing a wealth of productivity benefits to the press room, FLEXCEL NX Technology was the only system that could meet the high standards we set. We take this ‘only-the-best’ approach in everything we do – from technical advice, on press support, retouching and adaptation for prepress files, to high-quality plate production and even deliveries.
“The constant innovation and development of technology that enables us to get even more out of our current system is also aligned with our economical, technological and sustainability values,” he adds.
In addition to the productivity benefits its customers enjoy with FLEXCEL NX Plates, E-magen is also enjoying its own range of productivity benefits during plate production: “It’s become essential to reduce prepress and plate production times as much as possible without affecting the quality of the work, as the market is becoming more competitive every day,” says Petrola. “The FLEXCEL NX System is a reliable work horse that produces consistent results; allowing us to minimize waste and ensure fast turnaround.”
With the new system, E-magen can process plates up to 42€ × 60€ (1067 × 1524 mm). The company currently runs two production shifts where staff can process the maximum amount square meters of plates during this time. They also have the option of adding an extra shift to increase production capacity if necessary to meet production needs.
For the Vice President of E-magen, “the flexo market has vast potential for growth and we’re seeing an increasing number of jobs previously produced in gravure being switched to flexo. Thanks to FLEXCEL NX Technology, we can keep up with this trend through the service and plates we provide.”
E-magen has most recently also successfully completed the Miraclon Certification Program for KODAK FLEXCEL NX Plates. The program verifies and confirms the ability of FLEXCEL NX System users to meet international flexographic platemaking standards. It represents a feature set that drives industryleading efficiency, repeatability, and consistent quality in flexo plate production. Comprehensive data measurements and analyses are also carried out as part of the certification process.
Contributes a complete 40” UV & LED curing system for the Komori L640+C sheetfed offset press, free of charge.
GEW has come to the aid of a commercial printing works in Ukraine with the contribution of a complete 40” UV & LED curing system for the company’s Komori L640+C sheetfed offset press, free of charge.
Mikhail Gluhovski, Managing Director of Pryvatna Drukarnya, contacted GEW in early 2022, to request a quotation for the supply of the system. The printing works, based in Khmelnytskyi in Western Ukraine, had been forced to halt production in February 2022 so that they could instead provide humanitarian support to some of the many refugees that were fleeing the conflict in the east of the country. This included using their two restaurants and a gymnasium, which were normally used by staff and customers, to prepare up to 1200 free meals every day for refugees, and to accommodate up to 500 people every night. These resolute and tireless efforts were carried out night and day for almost a month, while the refugees’ need was at its peak.
In the meantime, Pryvatna Drukarnya had an urgent need to get back into production in order to be able to continue as a viable business. At that point, many other printers and businesses had ceased trading. Gluhovski had considered installing a UV curing system for some time before the outbreak of the conflict, and the time then seemed right to give his company a competitive edge by increasing its production throughput and reducing waste.
Gluhovski’s original request to GEW was not for financial assistance; it was merely that the UV system could be supplied to Pryvatna Drukarnya on preferential payment terms to enable them to take on the risk of investment in such difficult business conditions. It was at this point that GEW’s family owners stepped in and offered to supply the entire UV system free of charge, in recognition of the valiant work the company had done under such difficult circumstances.
The bespoke design of the UV system was then carried out over a period of several weeks. GEW’s customary site visit to
measure and inspect the press was not possible, so great care was taken to capture all of the necessary information by working closely with the customer through online video calls. Due to the very fast production speeds required from the Komori press, the UV system was designed with two high power mercury arc E4C lampheads in the machine delivery, and two GEW LeoLED lampheads in interdeck positions along the press. To mark the significance of this particular installation, the two RHINO cabinets that power the UV system have been designed and manufactured in the bold blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag.
The UV system has recently been successfully installed by Pryvatna’s own engineers, who were again in close communication with GEW’s installation technicians by video link.
Gluhovski wrote to Robert Rae, Managing Director of Sales at GEW, to explain their plight and to express his gratitude: “Everyone in our region opened their doors for those who have no home any more. At one time I had 13 people from Kharkiv, with two pets, living in my apartment. Of course, business is very difficult, but we are sure about our future: we’ve never been so consolidated and so strong before. Thanks to the goodwill of our European partners, we found an appropriate way to buy cardboard and consumables for new orders and to pay off debts at the same time. We are thankful to GEW and everyone who supports our country and our economy. This will let us to return our normal production volume and to start producing UV-printed packaging.” He concludes: “It is difficult to find words to
express our gratitude for such a decision.”
When GEW offered the UV system free of charge, Pryvatna Drukarnya immediately responded to say that they would in turn make a number of humanitarian donations to worthy causes in Ukraine. One beneficiary of their charitable activity was a family who had suffered particularly badly as a result of the conflict and had recently lost their home in the city of Adviivka in the Donetsk region of Eastern Ukraine, due to an enemy bombardment. They were forced to move in search of refuge and travelled over 1,000 kilometres west to the city of Khmelnytskyi, where they were rehomed through a local housing program and with financial sponsorship from Pryvatna.
Robert Rae comments: “All of us here at GEW were touched by the obvious generosity and dedication of the team at Pryvatna. It seemed a natural act that we should provide this system to them free of charge, to go some way to contribute and recognise their courageous efforts in the face of such adversity. It was also a pleasure to be able to help colleagues in our industry directly, rather than through an anonymous aid donation.”
Oleksander Bilyk, owner of Pryvatna Drukarnya, added his thoughts: “I was deeply touched and amazed by GEW’s proposal. My team and I are so grateful for this act of kindness, as not so many people in our times are willing to help not only by words, but by real action. From the whole staff of the company I say thank you GEW, for your generosity and kindness. God bless you.”
Succeeds Dr. Frank Schaum, who will now head HEIDELBERG’s Print Segment.
Gallus Group has announced the appointment of Dario Urbinati to the role of Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Dr. Frank Schaum, who will now head HEIDELBERG’s Print Segment. With 17 years of experience in the graphic arts industry and as its previous Chief Sales & Service Officer, Urbinati will continue to drive Gallus’ mission to turn the narrow web market towards a more sustainable and profitable future – providing revolutionary new technologies to achieve it, such as the recently launched Gallus One.
Urbinati comes to the role with significant experience of running label businesses, having served in senior positions with leading manufacturers around the world. Urbinati first joined Gallus in 2007, where he served nine years with the company – latterly as its Managing Director for Southeast Asia – driving growth and transforming the business and its culture. He then joined OMET China as its narrow/mid web Managing Director, before becoming Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for ACTEGA Metal Print, where he was instrumental in launching and then commercializing its breakthrough sustainable metallization technology.
Commenting on his new role, Dario Urbinati said: “I am honoured to take up the role of Gallus CEO. This is a fantastic, growing business with incredibly talented and committed people and, with the might of HEIDELBERG behind us, an exciting trajectory for the future. While our ongoing mission is to support the success of our customers in the field, our wider ambition is to provide dynamic technologies and services to secure the future of the narrow web industry.”
Dr. Ludwin Monz, HEIDELBERG CEO, comments, “Dario has been responsible for refocusing the business against a very clear vision for the future of labels. This has meant resetting the business in important areas by increasing customer service and support, boosting sales and marketing activities and much more. He has also introduced an ambitious sustainability program, with a landmark pledge to make our products carbon neutral by the end of 2022. Gallus is an important pillar in the Heidelberg Group’s packaging business, which offers long term growth potential and, importantly, shares our commitment to quality – and we are delighted to have Dario lead this business. I would also like to thank Dr. Frank Schaum,
previously the Gallus Group CEO, for his excellent leadership to date, and we are pleased that he will remain as Chairman of the Gallus board.”
Under Urbinati’s stewardship, the business is also building a ‘Gallus Experience Center’ in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Expected to open in Spring 2023, the new facility is part of his vision for realizing ‘the label industry of the future’. The new facility has been specifically designed to aid collaboration across the industry, inviting customers, brands and suppliers from throughout the entire ecosystem to meet and share solutions, as well as develop new ideas to help solve key industry issues and create new opportunities.
The event sets the agenda for truly sustainable packaging.
Henkel’s third Sustainability Days virtual conference once again proved an essential event for the global packaging and consumer goods industry. Held from November 30 to December 1, Sustainability Days 2022 brought together 1,500 attendees from 650 companies and 81 countries to discuss the industry’s response to urgent sustainability needs. Expert speakers from Henkel and companies such as Amcor, Covestro, Equanimator, Touch Design and CJ Korea addressed topics such as the circular economy, reducing the environmental footprint of products and packaging, and emerging regulatory challenges.
“In the face of rapid change, companies are facing a breadth of challenges in making their products and operations more sustainable,” explains Kathleen Burzycki, Vice President Marketing and Strategy Henkel Consumer Goods Adhesives. “The Sustainability Day program provided an opportunity for consumer goods companies and suppliers to learn about the latest developments and to engage with thought leaders and industry experts.”
Sustainability Days 2022 hosted four main content tracks: Circularity, which looked at areas such as sourcing of materials, supply challenges, and better packaging design; Footprint, which addressed the impact of both upstream and downstream operations and how best to measure these impacts and engage suppliers for responsible sourcing; Regulations and Reporting which looked at the global context, technology issues and the value creation opportunities and impacts, including tax and financial impacts; and finally, the Trends, Challenges & Opportunities track, which explored sustainability strategies, how to finance the transition, and automation of e-commerce packaging.
The comprehensive program included presentations streamed from Düsseldorf, Germany, Shanghai, China and Stamford, USA to cover a breadth of topics from both a global and regional perspective.
In his opening remarks to the virtual conference, Tilo Quink, Global Head of
Henkel Packaging Adhesives, described how Sustainability Days 2022 provided a vital opportunity for the industry to come together to meet the challenges of sustainability: “Climate change is not on the horizon. It is already upon us, and the urgency to act has increased. The task at hand is not to wait until the perfect solutions are available – rather we must take the steps we can now to bridge the gap while we continue to work tirelessly toward true sustainability in packaging and consumer goods.”
Quink explained how this urgency informed Henkel’s commitment to facilitate collaboration and the sharing of best practices: “To take real action, we need to bring as many partners to the table as possible. At Henkel, we believe that this means not just making our own business more sustainable, but also working to empower our customers and other stakeholders to be compliant with regulations and to meet their own sustainability goals. Working together means creating strategic partnerships across the value chain to make sustainable solutions as accessible and simple as possible for all stakeholders.”
At the conclusion of the conference, Grant Kupko, Project Portfolio Manager Henkel Tech Ventures and the event’s host, summarized: “Over the last two days, it became clear that people feel we are
reaching an industry singularity – a point where there is a growing awareness in industry, government, and manufacturing about the effects of sustainability and the opportunities to positive impact the environment by being sustainable today. When discussing the circular economy from design to recycling, a frequent topic was the importance of regulation as it can influence and impact every stage in this cycle. Another hot topic was quality – and materials used as inputs for recycling can impact quality.”
Kupko noted that by coming together as an industry, the participants at Sustainability Days 2022 had already helped to drive progress: “On behalf of Henkel, I would like to thank our partners and customers with all the knowledge and insight presented. Such discussions certainly inform the way we think and set our strategic goals and I’m sure many of you will have gained a similar benefit.”
Henkel operates globally with a diversified portfolio. The company with its strong brands, innovations and technologies provides solutions across industry segments including Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. The company employs about 53,000 people globally.
Danish surface treatment manufacturer, Vetaphone, reports another record year for sales.
Although travel became easier than in 2021, this year has brought other challenges for manufacturers in all sectors of the industry. Speaking for Vetaphone, VP Sales & Marketing Kevin McKell explained: “Despite ongoing trading conditions that have been testing, to say the least, we are proud of the way we have coped with delays and component shortages and managed to maintain our customary high level of customer support.”
Vetaphone has delightedly reported a record sales performance with its target for the year surpassing shortly into the final quarter. “The inherent reliability of our technology is a result of our commitment to ongoing R&D and it’s at times like this that it stands us and our customers in good stead,” added Kevin. The performance is a fitting tribute to the company’s founding father Verner Eisby, whose centenary occurred earlier in the year.
Supporting its bold decision in 2021 to forego trade shows as an exhibitor, the level of enquiries and sales this year has been at a record high across the company’s extensive portfolio of corona and plasma treaters. Vetaphone’s Showroom and unique Test Lab facilities at the company’s HQ in Denmark have allowed customers to have full demonstrations of the Vetaphone equipment, something that has been well received in 2022.
Marketing Director Jeannette Woodman explained: “We have taken the demonstration of our products a step further by having powered-up equipment in the showroom. This has not been possible until now and it offers new and exciting ways to showcase our technology and, in many ways, – be it as one-to-one online customer meetings, Masterclasses, or in person demonstrations.”
The Test Lab adds a new dimension by offering customers the chance to test the performance of substrates prior to a commitment to commercial production.
By adopting a more focused approach to the promotion of its technology and reaching a larger customer base, Vetaphone says it has made better use of resources. Jeannette
Woodman added: “We have an extensive product portfolio that spans a wide range of applications, and our customers are located all over the world. By analysing the different requirements of each industry sector and geographical region we can be far more specific in our marketing – so it now has a greater relevance to the intended audience.”
Following last year’s record sales total, Vetaphone has exceeded expectations with another bumper year with a strong presence in the global market for surface treatment.
Kevin McKell puts it into perspective: “We have a great team here that really pulls
DespitecomponentdelaysandshortagesVetaphone manufactured and sold a record number of corona and plasmatreatmentsystemsin2022
together when times are tough – and the record year we’ve have enjoyed is testimony to the hard work that has been put in across all departments from sales to production and support – everyone deserves credit!”
To keep kids and pets safe from packaging for cannabis edibles, pills and pouches at MJBizCon.
Hoffmann Neopac, a global provider of high-quality metal and plastic packaging for pharma, beauty and oral care, is launching a fully metal version of its child-resistant high barrier tins. The completely recyclable, mono-material CR Tins are ideal for a wide variety of dry and semi-dry cannabis products including edibles, CBD oils, creams, gummies and concentrates.
Samples of this novel sustainable packaging solution were displayed at the Hoffman Neopac AG Booth at MJBizCon in Las Vegas, November 16-18. To accommodate certain bulky products used in the cannabis sector – including large gummies – the new 70mm-diameter tins stand slightly higher than their predecessors, at 26.5mm in height. They have a capacity of 80-85ml. Hoffmann Neopac’s fully metal tins represent the next generation of the company’s existing CR Tins with plastic inserts. By converting to a fully
metal construct, the tins are not only more recyclable, but also help lock in freshness and provide protection from light.
Most importantly, of course, the CR Tins keep children and pets safe. The fully metal CR Tins feature a certified resealable lid, with an optional opaque lid available for edibles, pills and pouches. Both the lid and body of the tins can be decorated, allowing ample, flat real estate for both mandated safety instructions and permissible branding.
Hoffmann Neopac debuts fully metal childresistant tins
Largest flexible packaging plant; 590,000 sq. ft. facility’s automation, smart technology brings a number of firsts to China.
Amcor, one of the leading providers of packaging solutions globally, recently opened its new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Huizhou, China. With an investment of almost $100 million, the 590,000-squarefoot plant is the largest flexible packaging plant by production capacity in China, further strengthening Amcor’s ability to meet growing customer demand throughout Asia Pacific.
The new facility is expected to employ more than 550 people, who will produce flexible packaging solutions for food and personal-care products. The plant comes equipped with the first automated packaging production line in China. This, along with high-speed printing presses, laminators, and bag-making machines, can deliver doubledigit reductions in manufacturing cycle times.
Amcor is also deploying the first smart production and operation system in the Chinese flexible packaging industry, which includes smart laser scanners, light curtains, high-standard machine guarding
and multiple quality-control points. All key process equipment is also CE-certified to stringent European Union health, safety and environmental requirements. Other benefits of the new state-of-the-art facility are traceability throughout the production cycle, a climate-controlled production environment and low-carbon emission production.
“This investment is testament to our commitment to grow with our customers in China and throughout Asia Pacific by bringing the best of Amcor’s global expertise closer to them,” said Xin She, Vice President and General Manager of Amcor Greater China. “The world-class capabilities of our new plant are designed to enable us to exceed our customers’ expectations of quality, responsiveness and innovation.”
The plant features three labs with innovative testing and analytical capabilities to fully leverage the expertise from the recently opened Amcor Asia Pacific Innovation Center in Jiangyin, China, helping to accelerate the development of responsible packaging
solutions. The new Huizhou site also includes a number of sustainability features, including the latest regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTO) system to reduce harmful emissions, as well as a number of energy-reduction, heat-recovery, low-power consumption and rainwater harvesting systems to help reduce its carbon footprint and environmental impact.
Amcor develops and produces packaging solutions for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home and personal care, and other products. It works with leading companies around the world differentiates brands, and improves supply chains through a range of flexible and rigid packaging, specialty cartons, closures, and services. Amcor operations span 220 locations in 43 countries.
To sell three Russian packaging converting operations.
Mondi plc has entered into an agreement to sell its three Russian packaging converting operations to the Gotek Group for a consideration of RUB 1.6 billion (around €24 million), payable in cash on completion.
The three packaging converting operations comprise a corrugated solutions plant and two consumer flexibles plants, producing a range of packaging solutions for the domestic Russian market.
The Gotek Group is one of the leading Russian packaging producers and is headquartered in Moscow. It employs around 2,200 employees across its business.
The Disposal is conditional on the approval of the Russian Federation’s Government SubCommission for the Control of Foreign
Investments and customary antitrust approvals and is expected to complete in the first half of 2023.
The Disposal follows Mondi’s announcement on 4 May 2022 that, having assessed all options for the Group’s interests in Russia, it had decided to divest its Russian assets. The Disposal is not affiliated with the proposed disposal of Mondi Syktyvkar for which the approval of the Russian Federation’s Government Sub-Commission for the Control of Foreign Investments and customary antitrust approvals remain outstanding.
Mondi is a global packaging and paper producer, contributing by making innovative solutions that are sustainable by design. Their business is integrated across the value chain – from managing forests
and producing pulp, paper and films, to developing and manufacturing sustainable consumer and industrial packaging solutions using paper where possible, plastic when useful. In 2021, Mondi had revenues of €7.0 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.2 billion from continuing operations, and employed 21,000 people worldwide.
5m Roll-to-Roll Printer from CMYUK - Record business levels means additional EFI firepower for this Watford-based business.
new investment further increases its production firepower to service the robust growth and increased demand of the postCOVID business environment.
The EFI VUTEk 5r+ offers great image quality at high rated throughput speeds along with the upmost range of options providing users with the lowest total cost of ownership. It features several new innovations including a redesigned platform chassis for improved media advance, higher robustness, and sustainability.
A newly developed printing algorithm features pulse, temperature, voltage, and frequency, for higher density and overall quality improvement. Upgraded media handling accessories have been introduced, such as the 7.6 cm metal bar for improved 5-metre-wide media loading, while new optional features including the Winder Motorised Air Shaft handle media weights up to 400 kg at diameters of up to 50cm.
“It’s not just a super productive print machine. Its green credentials sit perfectly with our full company sustainability initiative. We are closing the loop of ‘first use’ eco materials through recycling print media and to further enhance this, we need the greenest machines available.
“We all need to reduce our carbon footprint and minimise any negative eco impacts. Having equipment that enables the use of planet friendly inks and substrates that requires less energy doing it, is part of that process,” says Antony Rider, Sales Director, Rocket Graphics.
The VUTEk 5r+ will join the company’s existing EFI equipment which includes an EFI VUTEk LX3 UV LED 3.2m-wide hybrid and EFI VUTEk FabriVU 340i in-line dye sublimation printer.
“Investing in the EFI VUTEk 5r+ was the obvious choice. For us, VUTEk printers have always delivered the 4 most important elements for a graphics business: speed, quality, reliability, and efficiency,” says Antony.
Rocket has a long-standing trusted relationship with CMYUK. “We have worked closely with CMYUK for well over 10 years now, and it has exclusively supplied all our VUTEk products and our wide format materials. They are pro-active, flexible, and competitive, we look forward to another ten years,” he says.
“2022 has been a record year for Rocket and 2023 will continue the trend. Not only have
we retained our pre Covid clients, but we have also won many new contracts and have teamed up with many new blue-chip clients.
“Fulfilment is a cornerstone of Rocket’s business and the sheer speed and superb print quality of the 5r+ will allow us to achieve this 100%. This is essential for when we have exhibitions and multiple events happening simultaneously, speed is of the essence. The leap in productivity provided by the VUTEk 5r+ allows us to confidently schedule in the significantly higher volumes that 2023 will bring,” says Antony.
The arrival of the printer will also enable the company to confidently handle the largest projects effortlessly.
Rocket Graphics has been strongly aligned with EFI products for many years. This, in turn, has enabled a seamless integration of the new VUTEk 5r+ printer into its already comprehensive equipment roster.
Says Antony, “Our upgraded production capabilities that are in lockstep with our existing and future eco-friendly initiatives will ensure that our growth will be underpinned by a compelling and robust competitive edge. We are ready for the opportunities that 2023 will undoubtedly bring.”
Also welcomes Ryosuke Nakayama as Executive Assistant to Hiraki.
Mimaki Europe has announced the appointment of Takahiro Hiraki as Managing Director. Hiraki joined Mimaki Engineering in 1997 as a sales representative for the Mimaki CF-series.
Over the next 20 years, Takahiro remained with Mimaki Europe, developing his expertise in the technology and advancing his sales career in various senior positions. As Hiraki’s career progressed, he became responsible for larger teams and Mimaki’s success in new and emerging markets as the company expanded its solutions.
In 2019, Hiraki joined the board of directors and was assigned management responsibility for Mimaki Europe. The appointment to Managing Director of the region this year reflects his commitment to the organisation and enthusiasm for this diverse, innovative, and successful part of the Mimaki business.
Hiraki is pleased to accept this latest challenge and exciting opportunity, and stated, “From very humble beginnings in a prefab building and one of only 180 employees selling cutting plotters and CAD plotters, my Mimaki journey has been one of industry innovations, technology
break-throughs and significant growth. My goal as MD for Mimaki Europe is to further develop relationships with our partners and customers to meet the evolving local needs of these businesses and take Mimaki Europe into its next phase of success.”
Mimaki Europe also welcomes Ryosuke Nakayama as Executive Assistant to Hiraki. Nakayama joined Mimaki Engineering in 2012 and during his 8 years at the company, has excelled in marketing, sales, and product management roles worldwide. Nakayama’s
extensive experience, expertise and diverse skillset will be substantial assets to the Mimaki Europe management team.
Hiraki succeeds Yuji Ikeda who commented, “In Hiraki and Nakayama, Mimaki Europe is adding two accomplished and highly qualified team members. I am confident that Hiraki will lead this newly bolstered team to achieve great things in the months ahead, despite the unprecedented and challenging situation we have all faced this year. I wish him and Mimaki Europe every success.”
PAMEX 2023
Date: 27 MAR -23 to 30 MAR-23
Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai
Screen Print India
Date: 13 APR -23 to 15 APR-23
Venue: Mumbai, India
DIGITAL CONVENTION 2023
Date: 16 MAY-23 to 17 MAY-23
Venue: Congress Center Süd Düsseldorf
Labelexpo Europe 2023
Date: 11 SEP -23 to 13 SEP-23
Venue: Brussels Expo Centre, Belgium
Labelexpo Asia
Date: 05 DEC-23 to 08 DEC-23
Venue: Shanghai New International Expo Centre SNIEC, China
All in Print China
Date: October 2023
Venue: New International Expo Center Shanghai
drupa 2024
Date: 28 MAY -24 to 07 JUN-24
Venue: Brussels Expo Centre, Belgium
