PRESSIdeas February 2022 issue by Jacob George

22 vol-22 Issue- 02 February 2022

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Vol.22 Issue 02, 2022

Halve Dryer Energy Spent...............................08 Packaging Ind. Decarbonization..................12 drupa’24 registration open.............................15 IoT: the only way forward................................21 Largest CTP system installation....................22

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Flexo marches with flying colours...............28 Cosmo Films sees huge growth...................30 Insight to distribute Scodix............................36

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Contents FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK .............................................................................................................................................................................................................6 Halve Dryer energy spent with Natgraph’s new Reel-to-Reel solution.........................................................................................................................8 Packaging Industry Decarbonization: Direction of Decarbonization in the Packaging Industry .................................................................... 12 drupa 2024 registration now open online ........................................................................................................................................................................... 15 The world moves from mass production to mass customization: Samir Gulve, EFI.............................................................................................. 16 Lifetime achievement award for Subhash Chander ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 Heidelberg increases operating profitability in third quarter ...................................................................................................................................... 18 15th PRINTPACK INDIA ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Media Expo to introduce brand-new category on ‘labelling’ ........................................................................................................................................ 20 IoT – The ‘only’ way forward for the Printing & Packaging Industry ............................................................................................................................ 21 19x3.5m configuration Kodak Magnus Q4800 is the largest installation ................................................................................................................. 22 ICQC 2022-2024 contest registrations open........................................................................................................................................................................ 23 Media veteran, Lee Kah Whye is WAN-IFRA Director for Asia ........................................................................................................................................ 23 Graphica Digital expands to high-quality B2 size digital printing with HP Indigo ............................................................................................... 24 Monotech installs Ricoh at Fumbh Packaging.................................................................................................................................................................... 25 SPS Enterprise strengthens capacity with RICOH PRO 5310S ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Monotech installs India’s first Ricoh Pro C9200 at Surat’s KCL Imaging .................................................................................................................... 26 ‘53% of Gen Z want brands to oﬀer personalised or customised products’ – HP Indigo-WARC report......................................................... 27

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

Labelexpo Europe announces new dates ............................................................................................................................................................................ 27 DuPont Calendar: Flexo marches with flying colours ..................................................................................................................................................... 28 Cosmo Films sees huge growth in the region, Ashok Jaipuria ..................................................................................................................................... 30 Esko: Enabling Customers Transform Businesses .............................................................................................................................................................. 33 GEW launches fully air-cooled UV LED curing system ..................................................................................................................................................... 34 Siegwerk’s Bhiwadi plant to become 100% Mineral Oil Free ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Insight to distribute Scodix solutions in India .................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Labelexpo Asia to take place in June 2022 .......................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Intercomo Doo invests in JETSCI KolorSmart+ ................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Avery Dennison acquires integrated RFID innovator TexTrace ..................................................................................................................................... 38 RICOH PRO 5300S at TN based New Annai Press .............................................................................................................................................................. 38

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

Colorjet India organizes online Training Programme ...................................................................................................................................................... 39

PRESSIdeas February 2022 Vol. 22, Issue 02 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.

February 2022

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FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK Dear Readers, The world moves from mass production to mass customization, says Samir Gulve, MD, EFI India. Recognizing the importance of rapid customization, differentiation and profit from lower volumes for print providers, he speaks about EFI’s latest offerings, market trends and more in an exclusive talk with PRESSIdeas in this issue. For Cyrel Solutions 2022 flexo calendar, DuPont used Esko CDI, DuPont Cyrel FAST 2000TD, Cyrel EASY EFX plates, Bellissima DMS screening, Esko Equinox and Edale FL5 press. It collaborates with iTekPackz for prepress and printing to come up with a beautiful calendar that highlights USP of flexo to an offset dominated segment. Incorporating ECG, cold foil, multiple embellishments and sheeting in a single pass, it showcases great versatility in a single product. Find about the the calendar, the flexo technology and DuPont Cyrel Solutions based on an exclusive talk with the company. In another interview Mr. Ashok Jaipuria, Founder, Chairman & Managing Director, Cosmo Films speaks in detail about the company’s key offerings, Indian market, growth plans and future course. In the next few years, they plan to become a major speciality player in the market. In an interaction, Arnab Maiti, - GM, Esko South Asia shares how Esko is enabling customers transform businesses. Other key stories this time include the one going into details of Natgraph’s recent launch – a new reel-to-reel drying and curing machine that reduces energy consumption by up to 50 percent. Movement toward a decarbonized society is gaining speed around the world. Most companies have responded to this movement and declared decarbonization and a commitment to carbon neutrality as one measure in their transformation and growth strategy. The printing industry is also feeling the effects of this general trend. For example, industry-leading brand owners in sectors such as daily necessities, foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals have begun moving to adapt. To learn more, just go through the pages about: Packaging Industry Decarbonization: Direction of Decarbonization in the Packaging Industry. On the installations front, 19x3.5m configuration Kodak Magnus Q4800 is the world’s largest CTP system installation. The system at WKS Group is a 62 feet long and 11.5 feet wide configuration. Then there are a line-up of Ricoh and other installations by Monotech Systems in India as well as in the overseas markets. Also find news about key industry events, new launches and Siegwerk’s Bhiwadi plant going 100% mineral oil free. Enjoy Reading!

- Jasvinder Singh, Sub-editor

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February 2022

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Halve Dryer energy spent with Natgraph’s new Reel-to-Reel solution High-performance drying equipment supplier for industrial print, Natgraph launches new reel-to-reel drying and curing machine that reduces energy consumption up to 50 percent. Built on their decades of experience in providing drying solutions for the most demanding applications, Natgraph has now come up with top-notch drying capabilities and amazing energy efficiencies for the Reel-to-Reel (R2R) coating and printing sector. The highlights of the new solution are its three key new features along with enhanced control and unique product design to reduce energy loss significantly. The new machine by Natgraph is capable of reducing energy consumption by amounts exceeding 50%. The industry is very well served by innovators and suppliers of UV curing technology but much less so for water and solvent drying options. This is the market segment that Natgraph continues to bring innovative, high-performance solutions to.

Natgraph’s Reel-to-Reel

“The new Natgraph Reel-to-reel dryer can not only be used in screen printing drying applications, but also for drying Flexographic or Gravure printing,” says Nidhi Gandhi, DirectorBusiness Development, Kunal Enterprise.

Reel-to-Reel refers to any process of applying coating, printing, drying/curing or performing other processes starting with a roll of a flexible material and re-winding after the process to create an output roll. When the rolls of material have been coated, laminated or printed and dried/cured they can be subsequently slit to their finished size on a slitter rewinder. Reel-to-Reel (R2R) processing is a process which is used widely across the globe. It has wide application possibilities including those in Rotary Screen printing, Flexographic printing, Slot Die Coating, Gravure printing and other Printing and Coating methods.

Energy saving

Key Notes : > Top-notch R2R drying capabilities and amazing energy efficiencies. > The dryers go into a low power hibernation mode when the press is in a standby or make ready condition. > Options include infrared, infrared pyrometer and intake filter to ensure clean air use in the process.

February 2022

Built on its decades of experience in providing highly efficient solutions for the most demanding applications, Natgraph’s latest R2R machine brings significant new levels of energy efficiency for coating and printing sector. The machines features excellent control and product design which enables remarkable reduction in energy consumption. • Three key energy saving features have been added to Natgraph’s new Reel-to-Reel machines reducing energy usage by amounts exceeding 50% leading to huge cost savings. • Air recirculation and optimized exhaust flow rates ensure that every kW of energy is efficiently utilised. • Natgraph’s Intelligent Energy Control System aligns dryer energy consumption with process activity. If the press, for example, is in a standby

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or make ready condition the dryers will go into a low power hibernation mode awaiting a signal to instantaneously recommence. Heat exchangers preheat the intake air using energy from the exhaust which minimises the new energy required to bring the fresh air up to temperature.

Jet Pack HP Main Heating Module - Features & Benefits • Stand alone unit ensures easy installation. • Main recirculation fan controlled by Variable Control Drives optimise energy used to match required performance of dryer. • Dedicated exhaust fan controlled by Variable Control Drives optimise process conditions for maximum efficiency. • Exhaust pressure monitoring to optimise performance. • Over temperature capillary thermostat prevents temperature overshoot. • Heat exchanger to recover energy from the exhaust air and used to preheat make up air.

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Estimated 6-8 kW energy savings. Power connection onto local isolator. Safety connection from external remote safety relay. Numerical labelling of all cables at termination points. Fast cool down feature, in the event of an unexpected web stop, the temperature is reduced very quickly to prevent unwanted web deformation. This greatly aids quick job changes requiring different process parameter. Air speed adjustable between 60 & 100% of maximum for improved control on air effects of webs used. Mild steel construction finished in RAL colours 7035 & 7037. Optional custom colours are available on request.

The machine features stand alone PLC for integration to the master PLC/GUI or Local independent HMI control of drying units. Available web widths range from 350mm to 760mm with option of custom formats available on request. Other options include: • Infrared – Six medium wave twin emitter fast response infrared lamps with variable % control. • Infrared Pyrometer – Non contact infrared pyrometer for monitoring web temperature with over temperature alarm. • Intake Filter – Intake air is filtered to ensure that clean air is used in the process.

Hot Air Delivery Hood - Features

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Hot Air Delivery Hoods easily mounted on customer frame. Easy installation to suit customer frame, idler and chiller rollers. High velocity air with variable control by Variable Control Drive. 130°C max temperature. Exhaust path optimised to recirculate the process air efficiently. Five metres of flexible high temperature hose for inlet and exhaust air. Custom lengths are available on request. Supplementary infrared is available.

Jet Pack E Main Heating Module - Features • Free standing construction. • Contains the main recirculation fan controlled by Variable Control Drives which reuses energy whilst maintaining optimal curing conditions. • Central ducting system to distribute to local heads. 1 metre sections. • Exhaust pressure monitoring to optimise performance. • Over temperature capillary thermostat prevents temperature overshoot. • Power connection onto local isolator. • Safety connection from external master safety relay (Natgraph = slave). • Numerical labelling of all cables at termination points. • Air speed adjustable between 60 & 100% of maximum for improved control on air effects of webs used. • Each base can support up to 4x Hot Air Delivery Hoods. Available options include Infrared. This includes, three medium wave twin emitter fast response Infrared lamps with variable %control.

February 2022

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Hot Air Delivery Hoods easily mounted on customer frame. High velocity air with variable control by Variable Control Drive. 130°C max temperature. Exhaust path optimised to recirculate the process air efficiently. Two metres of flexible high temperature hose for heating and exhaust air. Custom lengths are available on request.

Available web width range from 350mm to 760mm with option of custom wide web formats available on request.

IR Pack Infrared Delivery Hood - Features • Dryer Hoods easily mounted on customer supplied frame. • Six medium wave twin emitter fast response infrared lamps. • Fans mounted to infrared hoods to direct air to web for optimum performance. • Infrared controlled with variable power 0-10V controlled by External Machine.

For more information on Natgraph solutions, contact: Mr Kunal Gandhi - Joint MD, Kunal Enterprise (email: kunalgandhi@kunalenterprise. com. Office no 91-22-42105858, M 8879562232)

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Packaging Industry Decarbonization: Direction of Decarbonization in the Packaging Industry This article focuses on printing process, plant and supply chain transformation packaging industry. Solutions are proposed for productivity improvement, that is, decarbonization, in each area.

By increasing productivity and eliminating waste, it is possible to increase profits and decarbonize at the same time. Therefore, the printing industry appears able to achieve both increased profits and decarbonization.

Key Notes : > The printing industry is feeling the effects of decarbonization and carbon neutrality commitment trend. > Most companies have responded to this movement and declared it as one measure in their transformation and growth strategy. > Komori’s technology and decarbonization. Connected Automation concept turns printing plants into Smart Factories by connecting the entire printing process.

February 2022

Movement toward a decarbonized society is gaining speed around the world. Most companies have responded to this movement and declared decarbonization and a commitment to carbon neutrality as one measure in their transformation and growth strategy. The printing industry is also feeling the effects of this general trend. For example, industry-leading brand owners in sectors such as daily necessities, foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals have begun moving to adapt. To achieve their own decarbonization goals, they are asking stakeholders, including package printing companies, to cooperate and respond to their demands to reduce CO2 emissions. For the printing industry, decarbonization is already a familiar topic. Although decarbonization is a serious matter that must be addressed, many are concerned that environmental measures will impose extra costs. Is this true?

Will decarbonization increase costs? Up to now, environmental measures and improved profits have been considered contradictory. However, recent analysis has shown a different picture. As a specific example, we will explain the relationship between labour productivity and carbon productivity.

Caption(fig 01): From Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare “2016 Analysis of Labor Economy” (summary)

In this figure, the horizontal axis shows labour productivity, and the vertical axis indicates carbon productivity per ton of CO2 emissions. First, we can see a positive correlation between countries with high labour productivity and high carbon productivity. Switzerland, Sweden, and Germany are likely to have high labour productivity and high carbon productivity. This means they tend to reduce their CO2 emissions while being highly productive and profitable. Many

pressideas/ commercial printing

countries have already made progress in both productivity and decarbonization.

the printing industry appears able to achieve both increased profits and decarbonization.

Now, let’s look at the relationship between carbon productivity and return on assets (ROA) by industry. [Figure 2] This figure shows carbon productivity (horizontal axis) and ROA (vertical axis) in Japan. The transportation machinery and equipment manufacturing industry, which includes car makers, as well as the metal products manufacturing industry generate profits more efficiently than other industries and tend to have higher carbon productivity. Unfortunately, the pulp, paper, and paper products manufacturing industry, which is related to printing, at present has a low ROA and low carbon productivity. On the other hand, there is more upside potential than in other industries.

This article focuses on three areas of the packaging industry: the printing process, the printing plant, and supply chain transformation in printing. Solutions are proposed for productivity improvement, that is, decarbonization, in each area.

Opinion exchange forum with the younger generation regarding “long-term strategy as a growth strategy based on the Paris Accord” held on May 14, 2019 (tentative) (draft)

What is productivity improvement in the printing process? First, we will focus on the productivity of the printing process. In the printing industry, the demand for small-volume production and quick delivery is increasing. To increase productivity, presses that focus on higher printing speeds and shorter makeready times have the highest return on investment (ROI). The Komori Lithrone GX/G advance series presses deliver world class ROI. Improvements to the high-speed stability of the feeder, delivery, and Komorimatic dampening system have enabled stable, high-speed printing. The operating system has also been updated, and operator touchpoints have been significantly reduced. In addition, automatic job presetting in coordination with KP-Connect Pro dramatically reduces makeready time. With these improvements, the Lithrone GX/G advance series presses achieve critical productivity goals.

Decarbonization as the growth strategy; from materials of Professor Toru Morotomi, Kyoto University Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies/Kyoto University Graduate School of Economics From these examples, we can see that by increasing productivity and eliminating waste, it is possible to increase profits and decarbonize at the same time. Therefore,

This overall increase in productivity allows ‘downsizing,’ the consolidation of older technology into the latest technology with high production efficiency. For example, by consolidating three old presses with low productivity into two new presses with high productivity, greater production volumes can be achieved while significantly reducing paper waste and power consumption, resulting in higher profits and a major reduction in CO2 emissions. This kind of downsizing can only be realized with the performance of the Lithrone GX/G

advance series presses, which have greatly improved productivity.

Turning the entire printing plant into a Smart Factory There are many processes at the printing site, and with analog process management using job tickets and telephone calls, coordinating before and after processes and responding to changes in conditions is difficult, so there is a limit to raising overall productivity. In other words, to improve productivity on the printing floor, optimizing the entire process is more important than improving the productivity of individual processes. Innovation through Digital Transformation (DX) of the entire production process is the key to solving this problem. Komori’s Connected Automation concept turns printing plants into Smart Factories by connecting the entire printing process, which is fragmented into individual processes, using digital technology. KP-Connect Pro is the middleware that forms the core of this concept. Based on an open platform concept, KPConnect Pro is currently being connected to many manufacturers and vendors. Printing companies can then combine and connect not only new devices but also existing devices. When each process is connected digitally, the entire process can be visualized and optimized. Real-time information on operation enables bottlenecks to be identified and immediate action to be taken. This not only prevents losses but also leads to increased profits. KP-Connect Pro has already been installed in printing companies both in Japan and overseas, and in many cases it has significantly improved productivity and profitability. Komori believes that the digital transformation of the entire production process is already a real prospect and that its effects will be extremely significant. KP-Connect Pro has become a more practical system because its functions

February 2022

pressideas/ commercial printing

have evolved in response to the opinions of customers. In pursuit of the ideal form of digitalization of the printing process, we continue to make progress.

Seven colours can reproduce 88% of the Pantone colour palette (*1), and six colours can reproduce 80% of the Pantone colour palette.

As noted, Komori believes that if the productivity of the printing plant is improved, energy efficiency will be increased, which in turn will reduce CO2 emissions, thereby contributing to a decarbonized society.

Fixing the ink types eliminates the need for colour changes and roller cleaning, and the ability to numerically control colours dramatically reduces makeready time. When equipped with parallel control of advanced functions, plate changing, blanket washing, and pre-inking can be performed simultaneously, enabling more efficient changeover.

KP-Connect Pro will greatly contribute to the transformation of printing plants into Smart Factories.

Supply chain transformation in the printing industry One of the greatest challenges in package printing is the use of special colors. The makeready cost for color changeover and roller cleaning with special colors can be very high. Printing companies often must produce in large lots to meet budgets, and, for example, producing six months’ worth of products that are to be delivered once a month. However, if there is a change in the design midway, the inventory must be scrapped, resulting in a loss, which further drives up costs.

Minimizing makeready costs and implementing a production system that is profitable for small quantity runs is ideal. If printers can produce in small lots and deliver on a just-in-time basis, there will be no need to hold inventory, and inventory risk can be eliminated, and costs reduced drastically. This is Komori’s concept of supply chain transformation in the printing industry. Komori can provide two solutions for supply chain transformation. One is Smart Color, a technology that simulates the reproduction of special colors, and the other is the Impremia NS40 digital printing system. Smart Color reproduces a wide gamut of special colours using seven colors -CMYK+O (orange), G (green), and V (violet).

February 2022

Although the idea of process colour production of special colours has been around for a long time, it was thought difficult to implement in practice because it could not accurately and stably reproduce colours. To express a variety of special colours using a combination of dots, the printing press must have high-precision dot shape reproduction and highly stable water film control. Komorimatic uses a unique configuration of four dampening rollers and a reverse-slip system to form a uniform water film thickness in both the lateral and vertical directions, minimizing unevenness. The accuracy of the Komorimatic dampening system and the ink keys and the film thickness control system that precisely form the ink film thickness enable pseudoreproduction of special colours within ⊿E3. This technology leads to realizing Smart Color. * The effects of installation and improvement described herein have been estimated and measured under fixed conditions for the purpose of providing information for reference in making investment decisions

and are not a guarantee of actual effects. For ultra-small-lot package printing, the Impremia NS40 digital printing system offers the ultimate in makeready cost reduction. The Impremia NS40 is a digital printing system that enables ultra-small-lot printing and quick turnaround on B1 stock and delivers a printing speed of 6,500 sph. In addition to the features of digital printing that minimize the makeready process, the Impremia NS40 can reproduce 96% (*1) of Pantone’s special color palette using seven colors, making it the digital packaging printing machine for the future. It is capable of printing small lot jobs on demand, enabling operation without holding product inventory and without waste loss.

The direction of decarbonization in the packaging industry In April 2021, the Japanese government announced an ambitious greenhouse gas reduction target of 46% by 2030 (compared to fiscal 2013) amid growing awareness of environmental issues worldwide, accelerating the movement toward decarbonization of society. The printing industry, especially the package printing industry, is expected to be greatly affected by this. To achieve this goal in less than ten years from now, it is imperative to start decarbonization efforts now, and companies that fail to respond may face harsh criticism from brand owners and end-product consumers. As mentioned above, the key to the solution is maximizing productivity and eliminating waste to improve profits and ultimately achieve decarbonization. There is no contradiction between business and decarbonization, and, in fact, it is thought to be driving enhanced competitiveness in leading countries. *1: Pantone coverage figures are current as of September 2021 and are subject to change without notice.

pressideas/ commercial printing

drupa 2024 registration now open online Online exhibitor registration is now open at drupa website.

The international print and packaging industries will again meet at drupa, the world’s leading trade fair for printing technologies, taking place from May 28 – June 7, 2024, at the fairground in Düsseldorf, Germany. Online exhibitor registration is now open at drupa website. The exhibitor registration deadline is October 31, 2022. “drupa is the global meeting place for the industry and stands for innovations and trends,” emphasized Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf. “Here we will see what impact the mega trends sustainability and digitalization will have on processes, products, business models and the future of a constantly evolving industry.”

Focus on topics of the future drupa will showcase cutting-edge technologies along the industry’s entire value chain with a special focus on future and cross-industry technologies. Against this background, topics such as circular economy, automation, print/finishing 4.0, Artificial Intelligence, the platform economy and connectivity will play a central role in the conference program and at the special forums.

top themes digitalization and sustainability which drive the print & packaging industries, confront them with new challenges but also offer excellent opportunities. International faces represent the target group of drupa which is looking forward to networking in a fascinating atmosphere characterized by diversity. The organic structures stand for aesthetics, design and the beauty of nature. The new claim ‘we create the future’ underscores the clear commitment of the community to jointly and proactively participate in the continuous development and design of the sector. And it represents thought leaders as well as high-quality knowledge transfer.”

New exhibitor brochure sustainably produced drupa is equally committed to the topic of sustainability – which is also successfully reflected in the new exhibitor brochure. Using state-of-the-art technology as well as environment-friendly resources this brochure was produced in a sustainable and climateneutral way. The digital version can now be downloaded at drupa website.

Forums for interaction and dialogue At drupa 2024 there will once again be a high-caliber lecture program by top international speakers offering valuable knowledge to stay competitive. At the drupa

cube and at various touchpoints focusing on the segments Packaging, Textile and Sustainability participants will gain detailed insights into relevant topics and impulses for growth potential as well as the further development of their business models. Startups will be featured at “dna – drupa next age”, showcasing their innovative services and ideas to a highly international and interested audience.

Outlook on industry events Numerous international trade shows will also be held in 2022 as part of drupa’s global portfolio: printpack alger in Algiers (May 16 – 18), PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION (June 22 – 23), Indoprint in Jakarta (August 31 – September 3), PackPrintPlas Philippines in Manila (October 6 – 8), All in Print in Shanghai (October 11 – 15) as well as PackPrint International and Corrutec Asia in Bangkok (October 19 – 22).

New key visual and new claim drupa 2024 presents itself with a new, dynamic look and feel for the start of exhibitor registration. “The new motion design of our key visual combines classic graphic design with state-of-the art digital technology and is synonymous with dynamism, motion and especially with water as the most important resource on our planet,” explained Sabine Geldermann, Director Print Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf. “It also visualizes the

February 2022

pressideas/ commercial printing

The world moves from mass production to mass customization: Samir Gulve, EFI Samir Gulve, MD, EFI India, recognizes the importance of rapid customization, differentiation and profit from lower volumes for print providers. He speaks about EFI’s latest offerings, market trends and more in an exclusive talk.

Being at the core of technologies for printing and printed products, EFI has been providing solutions in several areas of printing and packaging from textiles, display graphics/ signage, home decorations to corrugated. In addition, the company boasts industry’s leading digital front end (Fiery products and applications) for the Indian Print industry. EFI India Managing Director, Mr. Samir Gulve highlights their leadership in the Indian industry: “EFI is synonymous with quality, performance, and ease of use. We continue to lead the markets along these dimensions by focusing maniacally on innovation. We focus on segments of market where these things are critical. Several Indian print providers are looking to expand and compete in the global markets where these aspects would be critically required.”

availability/uptime and performance, more simplicity and ease of use, less wastage (the industry generally operates with lean margins, so this is huge), more automation, especially over last couple of years due to labour shortages during this ongoing global pandemic and last but not least provide more flexibility in production line to help our customers innovate and customize.”

Speaking about the recent changes in its core segments, he says, “The overall trend across all areas could be summarized in a handful of directions viz; better productivity,

In wake of the Covid pandemic, there have been many changes adopted by technologies providers, more so by the leaders to lead from the front. “We are all learning to get more done remotely by using appropriate technologies to help assuage the gaps. Again, the focus would

February 2022

One of the key developments at EFI has been its recently selling its EPS (eProductivity Software). It would have little effect on the existing EPS customers in India, says Samir. “The change should not affect our customers in any material way. eProductivity Software and EFI would continue to work in close partnership keeping the customer front and centre,” he affirms.

be more on cutting edge technologies such as automation, remote diagnostics and maintenance, “smarter” systems,” observes Samir. Envisaging the future course of printing industry, he further adds, “We see transition to digital accelerating – we see more focus on turnkey solutions, move to the 1-X factory (smaller and smaller batch sizes with more and more customization) concept taking further root, innovation not only from providers such as EFI but also from print producers will become a necessity. Also, we expect consolidation in the industry to continue.”

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imagination’, says Samir.

EFI’s IQ suite of products Most print providers lack reliable data to help make their operations more efficient and profitable. EFI’s IQ provides comprehensive data on almost everything that can be measured with respect to one’s operation. “Furthermore, IQ will make smart recommendations as to what the data is telling you and what actions you need to take as a result. We expect IQ to become necessity for every customer as the data driven insights represent a significant competitive differentiation and the difference between surviving and thriving in this low margin industry,” explains Samir. What gets EFI going in the highly competitive markets is their providing value. Samir observes that many segments of Indian market are price sensitive but EFI doesn’t keep price as a competing factor, he says. “Indian market, especially at the mid and low end, continues to be extremely price sensitive (Chinese manufacturers have done well here) – we don’t compete on price (there is a popular saying “you get what you pay for”), we compete on value,” reckons Samir. “As stated earlier when it comes to print quality, performance, usability, integration and customer support and overall experience, we are the best,” he reaffirms. Digital technologies are obviously providing the solutions for future. The confidence around these technologies and their capabilities is enormous. “Digital technologies are here to stay. The specifics would obviously evolve over time. There

are plenty of opportunities to grow but, as I said before, innovation is the key – you can’t keep doing the same with intensifying competition putting significant pressure on pricing. As the world continues to shift from mass production to mass customization, it becomes critical for print providers to be able to figure out how to customize rapidly, how to create differentiation and how to tweak business models through which one can make decent profits at lower volumes. Ironically competition may come from nontraditional players such as Amazon (changed the book publishing model from producing thousands of copies of one title to one copy per title, but many titles in a batch, this is happening with T-shirts, packaging etc.),” perceives Samir. Then there are unlimited opportunities and applications offered by the beautiful Industrial Inkjet market, which are ‘only limited by one’s

In addition, IQ enables remote servicing and addresses diagnostics, monitoring and management remotely. It provides the data for these capabilities; several applications that sit on top of IQ provide these functionalities. “As this area is rapidly evolving its better to watch this space closely,” advises Samir. EFI takes on many training and certification programs for industry people. A number of these programs are very popular with their customers. “These help our customers make full use of numerous capabilities we have on offer in their quest to differentiate and innovate,” asserts Samir. “Invest in technology, look for every opportunity to innovate!” concludes Samir Gulve.

Lifetime achievement award for Subhash Chander Mr. Subhash Chander, Past President, AIFMP awarded Lifetime Achievement Award by MPLA. Mr. Subhash Chander, as I know him, is a gentle human being with an impeccable track record as one who is always there to take his entire team together in all his endeavours at All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP – where he was a past president) as well as Greater Delhi Master Printers Association (GDMPA – where he is a mentor patron). A man of not many words and who has his ears and eyes always opened to all in his vicinity and immensely respected by his colleagues, Subhash has been a source

of inspiration to many with his dedicated service to the print industry in general. In my intermittent association with him over the last over two decades, just once have I seen him agitated and that too when someone publically criticised the very functioning of the AIFMP, that he so sincerely loves. Despite his getting frail over the years, his energy levels to be an active part of AIFMP activities, the organization he is so possessive about, is amazing. Our readers wish him a healthy and active life ahead. (Jacob)

February 2022

pressideas/ commercial printing

Heidelberg increases operating profitability in third quarter – high order backlog provides strong starting point for coming financial year. In the third quarter of financial year 2021/2022 (October 1 to December 31, 2021), the order situation at Heidelberg recovered further still. This and the continuing positive effects from the Group’s transformation led to a clear improvement in the operating result, with incoming orders in the third quarter increasing by 16 percent to €643 million. After nine months, this figure was €1,888 million, which is 33 percent higher than in the previous year. The higher order backlog of €951 million at the end of the quarter even exceeded the pre-pandemic level. Sales were also up on the previous year – by 20 percent at €582 million for the third quarter and by 21 percent at €1,565 million after nine months. EBITDA rose significantly in the third quarter, by 36 percent to €57 million. EBITDA after nine months amounted to €132 million, which is 21 percent higher than in the previous year. The operating improvement was primarily due to an increased business volume and better margins as a result of the transformation. These successes are particularly impressive in view of the fact that the availability of parts is creating big challenges across the industry. Heidelberg has, however, largely managed to overcome these challenges by approving alternative components and coordinating closely with suppliers on a dayto-day basis. The company’s large vertical range of manufacture is a further advantage in this regard. With the supply chain situation still critical, the focus remains on ensuring the availability of parts.

February 2022

“The success of our efforts to transform Heidelberg is becoming ever clearer. Our core business is doing well thanks to our high level of innovation and our focus on customer benefits, and our digital business models are making a key contribution, too. What’s more, the dynamic growth in demand for electromobility solutions continues unabated. In this sector, we are systematically pressing ahead with our expansion outside Germany and, in the future, we will continue the strategic development of our business model through acquisitions and collaboration. Overall, we are well positioned for the future. Moreover, the healthy order backlog creates a sound basis as we look toward the start of financial year 2022/2023,” comments Rainer Hundsdörfer, CEO of Heidelberg.

Key strategic focus on growth areas For the years ahead, Heidelberg has systematically geared the Group toward profitable growth in the areas of packaging printing and digital business models, in China, and also in new technology applications – especially electromobility and printed electronics. Further milestones in this growth strategy were achieved during the third quarter. The strategic partnership with the Munich Re insurance group that was announced in early November provides a platform for the international expansion of digital usage-based subscription business. The subscription model offers customers a press, service, and consumables package for a usage fee based on the print output.

In the growth market of electromobility, the range of wallboxes Heidelberg offers for charging in the private and semi-public domains has made it one of Germany’s market leaders. Having expanded production capacities, the company is now developing sales markets in other European countries. In late November, Heidelberg entered into a strategic partnership with SAP SE. As a result, the “E-Mobility” software solution from SAP is set to provide operators of Heidelberg charging points with standardized and scalable cloud-based software applications that also support the billing of charging services for fleet management purposes. In early December, Heidelberg also acquired parts of the charging point technology of energy company EnBW – a key prerequisite for adding public charging stations to its product portfolio.

pressideas/ commercial printing

“The expansion of production capacities, the acquisition of charging point technology, and the partnership with SAP emphasize our strategic approach of continuing our profitable growth in this dynamic environment. Thanks to our sound financial situation and positive free cash flow, we are well placed to ensure the organic growth of our new business with our own resources,” adds Marcus A. Wassenberg, the company’s CFO.

Market recovery and transformation improve operating result The upward sales trend and much improved

cost-efficiency thanks to the transformation have also had a positive impact on the result, with EBITDA after nine months climbing to €132 million (equivalent figure for FY 2020/2021: €109 million). In the previous year, the beneficial effects on this figure of the transformation, changes to retirement provision, and short time working had amounted to some €150 million. Besides the substantial operating improvements, earnings from the sale of docufy (around €22 million) and a property in the UK (€26 million) provided a further boost during the current reporting period. EBIT after three quarters totaled €74 million (previous year: €50 million). Thanks to the higher EBIT and the

very significant improvement in the financial result, from €–35 million to €–24 million, the net result before taxes increased from €15 million to €50 million. After taxes, Heidelberg recorded a profit of €40 million after nine months, following a figure of €3 million in the previous year. Based on incoming orders and net sales achieved in the first three quarters, Heidelberg specifies that expected sales volumes will be at least € 2.1 billion (previously: at least € 2 billion) for financial year 2021/2022.

15th PRINTPACK INDIA 401 companies book more than 23000 sqms exhibition space. The Indian Printing Packaging & Allied Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (IPAMA) had to reschedule the dates of 15th PRINTPACK INDIA Exhibition from March 11-15, 2022 to May 26-30, 2022 due to the 3rd Wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The new dates were finalised with the consent of the Exhibitors, representatives of the Companies and the partner Associations. As on date, IPAMA has already allotted more than 23000 Sqms net exhibition space to 401 Companies, out of the total available space of 25500 Sqms. These Exhibitor/Companies are engaged in manufacturing of printing, packaging machinery and allied products. IPAMA has allotted stands to the companies. Exhibitors adhering to the payment schedule will be entitled to the special discounts, as already approved by the Association.

Business Visitors can also fix meetings with the Exhibitors online during the exhibition days. IPAMA will also provide complimentary services to the Exhibitors and Visitors, the details of which will be uploaded on the Website shortly. More than 500 Business Visitors have already registered online for Entry Passes. IPAMA has also sent invitations to the Member countries of Asia Print Association. It has also sent invitations to the representatives of 84 Printing Associations for visiting the Exhibition. More invitations will be sent in the coming days. Requests are also being received from the representatives of the overseas companies for Visa recommendations. Due to relaxation in COVID-19 guidelines,

IPAMA has already started organising Promotional Meets in different States on its own or in association with other Associations. The response has been most encouraging. Marketing Teams of IPAMA are also participating in Exhibitions or Events being organised by other organisations wherein brochures and other publicity material, relating to the Exhibition, are being distributed to the participants and visitors. Keeping in view the convenience of the Exhibitors, the Exhibition Committee of IPAMA has already finalised most of the service providers for the Exhibition. The details of the Conferences, Seminars or Workshops to be organised by IPAMA or any other Organisation/Exhibitor during the Exhibition will also be uploaded on the Website.

Apart from the subsidised rate of exhibition, IPAMA is giving several discounts to the member participants like Covid and Motivational Discounts. PRINTPACK INDIA has also been approved by MSME, Exhibitors can also avail financial assistance from Government too. The special discounts were allowed so that the maximum number of MSME Units could participate in the Show. Most of the Exhibition Halls have been earmarked segment-wise, keeping in view the convenience of the Exhibitors and the Business Visitors. Due to the new set up, the Business Visitors can directly go to the respective Halls without losing time. The

February 2022

pressideas/ commercial printing

Media Expo to introduce brand-new category on ‘labelling’ The new category on labeling and packaging technology will be there at the next Mumbai edition in May. Tending to the evolving needs of the advertising industry in the post-lockdown era, Media Expo is set to introduce an entirely new product category on labelling and packaging technology at its next edition in Mumbai. Slated to be held in May, the trade fair will unite buyers and industry stakeholders for product sourcing and B2B interactions. Media Expo has consistently proven to be a leading exhibition for advertising and creative field professionals to converge, network and build trade alliances. It has been home to some of the latest technology showcases in printing, signage, retail displays, finishing and fabrication as well as consumables and media. This year, the organiser – Messe Frankfurt India is looking forward to up the tempo by introducing a brand-new category on ‘labelling’ during the 48th edition of Media Expo at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon from 12 – 14 May 2022. The quality of labelling and packaging is one of the crucial factors that can influence a consumer’s buying choices and makes a significant difference in today’s world where brands are constantly competing against each other. Media Expo’s new product section will encompass various label printing technologies and materials for the flexible printing and packaging segments, giving business visitors a much broader value and brand-new variety of products to include in their arsenal of branding tools. Leading manufacturers of large-format printing technology, HP India and Mehta Cad Cam will be introducing their most advanced labelling and packaging production technologies for the very first time on the show floor of Media Expo. Commenting on the changes ensuing in advertising sector, Mr Raj Manek, Executive Director and Board Member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings Ltd shared: “The manner in which advertising and brand content is consumed and perceived has drastically changed over the last few years. Today, digital and physical advertising mediums have become two-sides of the same

February 2022

coin and go hand-in-hand in delivering better reach and impact of a brand over its audience. Nonetheless, just as digital advertising keeps evolving, it is also crucial for the physical advertising segment players to keep discovering new technology and channels to suit the preferences of modern consumers.” Mr Manek further elaborates on Media Expo Mumbai:“Having set a tone for the new normal with our New Delhi edition, we are ready to once again welcome our industry stakeholders at Media Expo Mumbai 2022. I am also delighted to announce that our brand-newproduct category in labelling featuring on our show floors this year will enable us to further expand our value offering to trade visitors. We are confident that Media Expo will prove to be an adept platform to explore new products, trends and business

opportunities that will pave the way to the growth of physical advertising segment in India.” Arihant Uniglobe, Benson Polymers, D-Kit Media, HP India, Laxmi Sales, Mehta Cad Cam, Mimaki, Mistry Sign, Scorpio and Silicon are among top manufacturers who have confirmed participation at the three-day exhibition. As advertising trends foray into a mix of digital and physical mediums, Media Expo Mumbai 2022 will be the ultimate business event to witness technologies that will drive the future of traditional advertising sector. Other than the Mumbai edition, Messe Frankfurt India will also host the advertising fraternity at Media Expo New Delhi from 01 – 03 September 2022 at India Exposition Centre & Mart, Greater Noida.

pressideas/ commercial printing

IoT – The ‘only’ way forward for the Printing & Packaging Industry As in all other industries, the breadth of data that printing & packaging companies possess can provide significant opportunities to locate efficiency opportunities. Integrated smart systems, processes, sensors, data and analytics are helping packaging manufacturers make smart decisions, automate processes and reach efficiency and cost-saving targets – all of these come under the ambit of IoT. Observers believe that IoT initiatives can often be the starting point of digitalisation. Peripheral technologies, such as 5G (or 4G) and artificial intelligence (AI), provide support and enhancements: IoT collects the data, 5G (or 4G) transmits it, and AI extracts the insights. Companies in all sectors are increasingly looking to digitalise their production processes as well as supply chains and make faster and better-informed decisions based on the data collected through fully integrating the interconnected technologies like IoT, AI, cloud and edge computing through the entire printing & packaging value chain. IoT as a service (IoTaaS) vendors provide various platforms to assist organisations with IoT deployment without in-house expertise. IoTaaS aims to make it easy for enterprises to deploy and manage their connected devices, and has become an accelerator for IoT adoption, especially in predictive maintenance, advanced automation and condition monitoring. “As the world recovers from COVID and economic growth returns, IoTaaS revenues will grow dramatically” expressed an IoT expert. Accenture, IBM and Microsoft are among the providers likely to see the biggest demand for their services. Indeed, the increased use of IoT has resulted in its growth across all industries, not just within printing & packaging alone. Rough estimates in manufacturing – global IoT revenue will reach US$91bn by 2025, up from $69bn in 2020. This represents a compound annual growth rate of CAGR of 5.7%.

IoT and the environment – A perfect match Among the most critical challenges for packaging companies is environmental sustainability. As a tool to fight this challenge, IoT could be the silver bullet. According to the World Economic Forum, for example,

combining IoT with 5G and AI could help cut carbon emissions by 15%. The use of IoT is becoming an integral aid in reaching environmental sustainability targets. By implementing IoT into their operations, businesses are able to get closer to – or achieve – their goals in areas like energy reduction in manufacturing by streamlining their operations and running more efficient enterprises. US-based packaging giant Ball Corp, for example, has partnered with AI software provider C3 AI to collect data from 60 of its facilities around the world. The software is used to track, aggregate, manage and report energy use at the sites. This contributes to Ball’s global sustainability goals of transitioning to 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and achieving net-zero carbon emissions before 2050. Meanwhile, Tetra Pak’s commitment to investing around US$113.8m per year over the next five to ten years to develop more sustainable packaging solutions. As part of this transformation, Tetra Pak has invested in Microsoft Azure IoT solutions such as Azure IoT Hub to create ‘smart factories’ that drive sustainability across its whole organisation. The group uses Azure IoT Edge devices to advance the operational efficiencies at its customers’ facilities around the world, targeting predictive maintenance and monitoring overall equipment effectiveness. The use of IoT to fight the good fight for environmental sustainability doesn’t concentrate solely on factories. Paper & pulp manufacturer Stora Enso has started to apply IoT within their forests through the digitalisation of operations. The Finnish company is looking to use the technology to make gains on its ambition to offer 100% regenerative products and solutions by 2050. Moves include the use of drones for forest inventory, virtual visits of forests and improved decision-making through the use of AI and satellite imagery. IoT is making its presence felt in all industries, packaging included. The truth

is, the companies that fail to prioritise – and invest in – IoT will struggle to survive in the years ahead. Leveraging IoT for the smaller players in the printing & packaging industry From the above writeup, the reader might get a feeling that IoT is meant for only the big factories which are multi locational, in the printing & packaging industry. Well, not really! Ok, let me ask you a few questions – •

Do you have the Machine Downtime Report of your shop floor?

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Do you know at what speed your machine is running at this very moment?

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Do you know the production lost report in your last shift?

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Do you know the Late Start & Early Stop timings of your machines?

All of the above (and much, much more) can be made available to you without any manual interference (meaning – NO OPERATOR involvement), fully automatic and above all at minimal costs. Well, Unico Tech Solution LLP, an Indian StartUp, has an IoT based hydrid solution for the Indian Printing & Packaging industry which can provide complete answers to all of the questions above and much more! For more info, please get in touch with Sachin at +91 98993 07625 OR visit www.unicotechsolution.com OR write to unicotechsolution@gmail.com. He can arrange for an online demo and if convinced, can also recommend a demo at your premises.

February 2022

19x3.5m configuration Kodak Magnus Q4800 is the largest installation Kodak installs world’s largest CTP system at WKS Group with 62 feet long and 11.5 feet wide configuration. Kodak has completed the installation of the first KODAK MAGNUS Q4800 Platesetter at the WKS Group in Essen, Germany. Equipped with an XPL Pallet Loading System with four pallet stations for four different plate formats, the overall configuration of the MAGNUS Q4800 is almost 19 meters (62 feet) long and 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) wide. That makes it the biggest CTP system ever to be installed anywhere in the world. WKS Group is one of the leading print and media service providers in Europe’s Germanspeaking countries. The Group comprises nine companies at six sites across Germany. Advanced production facilities enable printing projects to be executed ranging from print runs of one to enormous quantities in the high-volume segment. WKS Group provides web and sheet-fed offset as well as digital printing and finishing. Fulfillment and cross-media expertise round off WKS Group’s portfolio of services. The fully automatic MAGNUS Q4800 Platesetter went into operation as planned at the WKS Group’s web offset site in December 2021. Yet before that could happen, the Kodak team had to overcome daunting logistical challenges for a CTP project. Fifteen large shipping crates had to be taken by truck from Kodak’s CTP development and production center in Vancouver, Canada, to Chicago. The journey then continued by air to Frankfurt, Germany, where they were subsequently transferred to the WKS Group’s Essen facility on four semitrailers. On arrival, the crates had to be lifted up to the fourth floor by crane – a full 16 meters – for installation. The MAGNUS Q4800 Platesetter offers high speed and productivity for extra-large

February 2022

format (XLF) plate making. It supports plate sizes up to 2.86 m wide and uses KODAK SQUARESPOT Imaging Technology, providing unparalleled stability, accuracy, and reliability for maximum efficiency and superior print quality. The MAGNUS Q4800 configuration installed at WKS Group provides fully automatic XLF plate loading from four pallets with up to 4,800 plates online, which enables over 10,000 m2 of plates to run before reloading. “The investment in such a huge CTP equipment configuration makes sense because it perfectly meets the current and future requirements of our Essen high volume production site in terms of plate sizes, throughput and fully automated operation,” said Frank Döding, Business Manager / Operations Manager of WKS Group’s Essen site. “The MAGNUS Q4800 Platesetter places the plate imaging capability for our web offset presses on a new technological foundation.

It allowed us to switch from UV to thermal plate imaging, and it gives us the much higher plate making capacity we need. We’re delighted that Kodak managed to install our new CTP solution right on schedule, especially during the continued difficult situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” concluded Döding. “We are extremely pleased with the successful completion of this pioneering installation. The MAGNUS Q4800 Platesetter will open up new dimensions for the WKS Group in terms of XLF plate imaging quality, automation and productivity,” commented Giuliano Bianchet, VP Sales EAMER, Kodak. “The new MAGNUS Q4800 Platesetter is further proof that Kodak is investing heavily in advancing prepress and print technology, meeting our customers’ needs to drive productivity, cost effectiveness and growth as the industry evolves.”

pressideas/ newspaper

ICQC 2022-2024 contest registrations open The ICQC is the global print quality contest for newspapers and magazines. WAN-IFRA’s World Printers Forum has recently announced the opening of registration for the International Color Quality Club (ICQC) 2022–2024.

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• The competition has been held every two years since 1994 to prove and improve the quality of print reproduction while seeding the competitiveness and creating the quality conscious workforce in the organisation. Furthermore, as the contest is aligned to ISO and WAN-IFRA standards and rules, it helps to familiarise, adopt and implement the international standards applicable for newspapers. Publishers and printers can register one or more publication titles as per the print production processes applicable, under five different categories as below, • Category 1: Cold set offset on newsprint • Category 2: Heat-set offset or UV-curing

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offset on newsprint (Semi-commercial) Category 3: Heat-set offset or UV-curing offset on SC or LWC paper (Semicommercial) Category 4: Printing under own standard or non-standard conditions, like printed on tinted paper through offset, flexography or digital printing. Category 5: Magazines, printed in sheet-fed offset, heat-set offset, gravure or digital inkjet

The print quality is judged in two aspects. Firstly, a given print control element (Cuboid) is measured by colorimetric devices and evaluates the technical scoring according to ISO 12347-3 standard targets. Secondly, the overall visual print quality of the newspaper is evaluated by juries according to established criteria. The publications that succeed the Color Quality Club membership are awarded in the WAN-IFRA’s World Printers Forum.

Also, five-time winners will be listed in “STAR & MILLENNIUM CLUB PUBLISHERS”, the “Hall of Fame” of the best publication printers in the world. Early registering participants will get an opportunity to participate in a free test run (Pre-Check) in April 2022. Registration for the contest opens on 15th Feb 2022 and closes by 15th May 2022. The contest result will be announced in Aug 2022.

Media veteran, Lee Kah Whye is WAN-IFRA Director for Asia Lee will lead WAN-IFRA activities in the APAC region; manage APAC Committee, the WEF Asian Chapter as well as the Asian Media Leaders’ Summit and Digital Media Asia events. WAN-IFRA has announced the appointment of Kah Whye Lee as Director, Asia. Lee, a Singaporean, was previously in-charge of the Asia-Pacific media business of Reuters where he spent almost 20 years of his career which spanned roles which included marketing, product, operations and sales. He started his career working for the Times Publishing Group in the International Printing Division. Prior to joining WAN-IFRA he ran his own consulting and research firm which specialises in the media industry. He holds an engineering degree from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and completed an advanced management programme at INSEAD. In addition to that, he has recently completed programmes at NUS in digital marketing, market research, and data analytics and coding. In his new role at WAN-IFRA, Lee will lead WAN-IFRA activities in the Asia-Pacific

(APAC) region including managing its membership programme, the WAN-IFRA APAC Committee, the World Editors’ Forum Asian Chapter as well as running its two flagship events – the Asian Media Leaders’ Summit and Digital Media Asia. He will also help develop a variety of new programmes and strategies to help our members meet the needs of the fast changing media industry. “It is a real privilege to be working for WAN-IFRA and be given the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to an industry I’ve spent 30 years in,” said Lee Kah Whye about his appointment. “I’m truly humbled by the confidence and trust that WAN-IFRA’s management has placed in me in leading the APAC team and will do my best to repay that trust. I look forward to working with industry partners and members of WAN-IFRA to meet the challenges of our fast evolving news industry and hope to in some small way contribute to its success.”

“I am delighted to have Kah Whye join the team. His experience and knowledge of the news media industry will be a great asset as WAN-IFRA continues to enlarge our portfolio of products and services in Asia-Pacific,” said Thomas Jacob, Chief Operating Officer. “Kah Whye’s leadership will provide further momentum to our efforts to support the industry in its transformation to sustainable businesses. “

February 2022

digital printing

Graphica Digital expands to high-quality B2 size digital printing with HP Indigo The new HP Indigo 12000 HD at Graphica Digital enables the company to expand into innovative B2 size printing. Strengthening its foothold in digital printing, Graphica Digital has installed HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press at its facility in New Delhi to meet the growing demand of innovative B2 size printing. HP Indigo 12000 HD will allow the company to venture into big-size albums, light packaging in short to medium run lengths, high-end gifting boxes and wedding cards, sheetfed labels, and personalized amateur photo books. HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press offers superior print quality, high productivity, and wide versatility which will enable Graphica Digital to produce the finest digital prints in B2 size. With HP Indigo’s liquid electrophotography (LEP) technology, the digital printer delivers crisp linework, attractive images, and smooth vignettes. HP Indigo 12000 digital press also features a 5th ink station for WHITE INK and SPOT colours. This colour accuracy will allow Graphica Digital to strengthen its position in its core business of printing best-in-class wedding albums across different sizes & specialty printing jobs. This extra colour range will allow the company to achieve PANTONE emulations, using the only PANTONE licensed 6 and 7 colour on-press solutions in digital printing.

to keep a daily track of its production and to monitor the press’ real-time performance. The usage of PrintOS allows the company to monitor its efficiency and mitigate losses if any. Sanjay Sharma, Director, Graphica Digital said, “We are extremely pleased with our association with HP for over five years and our relationship has grown stronger as the HP installations enable us to deliver highquality printing solutions to our customers. With HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press, we are looking forward to reinventing our business and discovering new dimensions. With this new acquisition, we offer a wide range of applications for the photo market like Big Size (B2) Wedding Albums, Personalized Amateur Photo Books, Gift Boxes, and Wedding Invites. Having the unique capabilities of this digital press in terms of media versatility, production speed, colour gamut and growing demand of short runs print jobs, now we can easily fulfil the customer needs for Light Packaging, Sheet fed Labels to many start-ups, MSME’s and local clients. This investment reflects our goal to become the first high-quality print service

provider in India which has an established world-class digital printing facility and offers world-class products at an affordable price.” A Appadurai, Country Manager, Indigo & Inkjet Business Solutions, HP India said, “Over the last decade, the digital printing industry has undergone a tremendous transformation. With the revolution of HP’s HD digital printing press for Photo and commercial printing industry, today our customers are able to innovate and technologically advance their offerings to meet the evolving needs of the market. We are proud to collaborate with Graphica Digital and hope their trust & faith in HP’s digital technology helps them achieve the highest standard of print quality which will be their competitive differentiator.” The HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press is manufactured carbon neutral and offers reduced production waste, a take back program, and energy efficiency. An easy fit for offset printers, the HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press offers a solution for the digital printing of any commercial application on virtually any substrate.

Specific brand colours are sometimes outside the gamut of CMYK, which is where HP Indigo proves a big advantage. With HP Indigo there is a possibility to mix colours offpress, or a PANTONE licensed spot colours can also be used and can be matched to any swatch or colour sample on specified substrates. This ability is unique to digital print and exclusive to HP Indigo which can be highly leveraged by corporates, brands, marketing agencies in India and around Delhi-NCR at Graphica Digital to satisfy the most colour-conscious customers with an accurate, smooth, and consistent look. HP PrintOS helps customers get the most out of their presses, simplifying and automating production for customers to innovate and grow. Graphica Digital is utilizing this offering Mr. Sanjay Sharma, Director, Graphica Digital with the newly installed HP Indigo 12000 HD

February 2022

pressideas/ digital

Monotech installs Ricoh at Fumbh Packaging Kashmir based Fumbh Packaging opts for Ricoh Pro C5300S. Kashmir based leading design house Fumbh Design has invested in Ricoh Pro C5300S Digital production press for packaging applications. The press has been installed by Monotech Systems. Azmat Rafique, Proprietor, Fumbh Packaging “We have been providing design services to our clients for last six years, but we were always inquisitive to provide a wide variety of services and expand our portfolio. In absence of in-house facilities, all the prints were outsourced which was a complicated and time-consuming process. Timely delivery, proofreading, and quality control were the major concerns.By installing RICOH, we marked our footprint into digital printing and have a good in-house setup that has helped us to address all the prevailing issues.” “The Ricoh press is heavy-duty, robust and high-end production engine which is fast and delivers great quality. Our clients are very

happy with the prints and complimenting our work. It is the best machine for colour quality. It’s a right size solution with diverse media handling capabilities. It offers good performance and fast speed. We did our research for almost 6 months, visiting many print shops but we found only Ricoh could give us what we wanted. I think Monotech Systems is India’s best printing solutions company and we came to know about them when we were searching the Ricoh machine. Monotech provides better after-sale service support and of course, FSMA rates are better than any other company,” he added. Fumbh packaging solutions is a unit of Fumbh design studio based in Kashmir. With years of expertise in packaging design, graphics, and marketing communications, it provides best in class customeroriented service. RICOH Pro C5300s digital production press offers a fusion of vibrant colour, agile media handling and a wide range of finishing options. With

superior reliability, accurate registration and intuitive controls, the machine are ideal choice for marketing agencies, in-plants, commercial printers and franchise/pay for print environments looking for a total package — in a compact footprint. RICOH PRO C5300S is aptly supported by worldrenowned EFI Fiery E-27B with Productivity features accessed thru Award-winning Command WorkStation (CWS) User Interface which provides Superior control over Color Management, Higher Productivity thru Sophisticated Job management tools like ‘Fiery Vue’ & ‘Free Job tracking Suite - ‘EFI IQ’ for Production planning & tracking.

SPS Enterprise strengthens capacity with RICOH PRO 5310S Monotech Systems installs a Ricoh Pro 5310S Digital Production Press at Patiala-based digital print specialist. Patiala-based digital print specialist, SPS Enterprise has reinforced its infrastructure with the addition of Ricoh Pro 5310S Digital Production Press. SPS Enterprise has been in the business of printing since 1997. It acts as an one-

stop solution for colour printing, designing, lamination services and novelty items. Equipped with multiple print production systems from different brands the business serves approx. 500 customers every day. Mr. Harvinder Singh, Proprietor, SPS Enterprise, “My brother (Gurvinder Singh) has the responsibility of in-house printing and designing and I am responsible for marketing of SPS Enterprise. We were the first in Patiala who started the printing of multicolor Visiting Cards. In the paper printing segment we deal in Pamphlets, Brochures, Bill Books, Letterheads, different types of Visiting cards, Booklets, Thesis Jobs, Documentation Jobs, Photo Framing and Gift items like Leather Bags, Key Chains, Pens, etc.” “For the last few months, we have been searching for the best digital production printer. We have seen the machines of Konica Minolta, Canon and Xerox but weren’t satisfied with any of them. It was

a no-brainer to invest our hard earned money and still compromise. It was then our business friend from Delhi told us to review Ricoh’s digital printing press. We had a detailed conversation with the Sales team of Monotech Systems Limited in this regard. After deep analysis, we made our decision to invest in the Ricoh Pro 5310S. And from the last one month we have been using this machine, we are very satisfied with the services of Monotech Systems,” Mr. Harvinder Singh added. On the reason why the company decided to invest in a digital press, Harvinder said, “Before installing the Ricoh Pro 5310S, I was getting the services from other vendors locally. But I was very much keen to provide better services and protect the secrecy of my work. Also in the present times, the main challenge is very low margin due to competition in the market and to combat that I want to reach nearly 1 lakh prints per month.”

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Monotech installs India’s first Ricoh Pro C9200 at Surat’s KCL Imaging Surat-based digital print specialist, KCL Imaging has reinforced its infrastructure with the addition of Ricoh Pro C9200 Digital Production Press. Established in 2000 by Hiteshbhai Kagathara KCL Imaging is one of the biggest digital printing and colour lab businesses with facilities in Surat, Ahmedabad, and Rajkot, catering to over 250 clients from the textile and the graphic arts industry. The digital print specialist has installed the country’s first Ricoh Pro C9200 press. The digital production press has been installed by Monotech Systems Limited. Mrs Veena Ben Kagathara, Proprietor, KCL “We have been providing excellent services in the digital printing field for the last 22 years. Ricoh machines have helped us to drive down our costs and increase our profitability by multiple times. The excellent working of the press for the high-volume consistent prints, backed by good after-sales service and technical support from Monotech Systems tilted the scale in favour of Ricoh. At KCL Imaging we are always ready to accept the change and the challenges which is why we are known as the best in the market. KCL believes that change is inevitable and, in the technology, digital field, it is only a win-win situation for the business when the change is accepted. KCL aims to achieve high goals which are only possible with the greatest and latest technology.” Currently, the KCL imaging is being headed by the two women entrepreneurs Mrs Veena Ben Kagathara and her daughter Jahanvi Kagathara. “We have been using RICOH for over a decade now and my late husband, Hitesh Bhai was awarded by RICOH in 2013. He had always thought 10 years ahead of the industry. His inspiration helps us in maintaining this goodwill at KCL. I

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believe in the same process and am always ready to take the risk. As per his vision, we are trying to carry forward the legacy of the company to take a quantum leap and disrupt the printing industry,” she added. “KCL could provide high-quality prints with the fastest delivery time with Ricoh presses which gave us stand out in the market. Customers were happy with our company KCL as they also felt technology upgradations were required in the market. We always think 10 years ahead of the industry which helps us to always make the first move of change in the industry. Veena Kagathara installed the first Ricoh Pro C9200 in India to make this change possible and to give the best quality and fast service in the field of digital printing to continue making benchmarks. We have been able to increase the production capacity and we expect the growth to be double. Monotech Systems Limited has always been a great support to KCL Imaging, making proper analysis on our market to suggest us the best fit machine,”she added. Ajeet Pareek, Business Head – Digital Products and Solutions at Monotech

Systems says, “It’s been almost a decade Monotech Systems has been associated with KCL Imaging and they have been our one of the biggest customers. We express our gratitude for their continued trust in us. It is a proud moment for us to have India’s biggest digital printer covering the textile market in Surat and the entire nation is on board with us.” Pursue your next stage of growth with the RICOH Pro C9200/C9210 Colour Sheet-Fed Printers. They offer the essential capabilities for successful offset-to-digital migration: quality comparable to offset, high reliability for long runs, generous paper capacity, expansive media support and ease of use. Suitable for commercial printers, service bureaus and enterprise in-plant operations, these digital presses allow you to meet changing customer requirements. The EFI Fiery Command WorkStation user interface enables precise control of jobs, colour management, image quality, VDP and output devices. Move jobs through production quickly with exceptional RIP speed and native PDF workflows. Add optional tools to expand offerings and extend the value of your investment.

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‘53% of Gen Z want brands to oﬀer personalised or customised products’ – HP Indigo-WARC report Digital printing is being used to elevate brands through Storytelling and co-creation. HP Indigo’s digitally printed packaging can be a salient brand accelerator touchpoint.

Packaging is becoming one of the most effective channels for advertising, unlocking a demand for digital printing that is, in turn, forming stronger connections between brands and customers. Recent findings from the World Advertising Research Centre (WARC) put this growth opportunity into concrete terms. In association with HP Indigo, WARC carried out an in-depth analysis of successful case studies that used packaging as lead media while bringing important metrics to the fore. While brands are beginning to wake up to the power of digitally printed packaging, they are yet to understand the full package. The WARC research shows that packaging is the 2nd most effective media channel, but only 5% of brands consider packaging as a growth enabler. The remaining 95% are unaware or resistant to embrace the opportunity thinking that digital printing is way too expensive. Until recently, brands have not been able to exploit this channel because of the operational challenges that controlling and managing the supply chain presents. This is where HP Indigo’s advanced digital printing solutions come in. As leaders in digital printing, HP has helped hundreds of brands and printing providers enter new markets and win in uncontested spaces, from high-value labels to flexible packaging. Now, the quantitative data validated through the WARC research shows how HP’s digitally printed packaging can be a salient brand accelerator touchpoint. When discussing how these innovations can drive brand innovation, David Tiltman, Vice President - Content, WARC says, “Digital print means that short printing runs – which used to be cost-prohibitive – are now within reach for more brands. That

opens up packaging as a creative outlet for personalised or customised messages.”

in-store experience with other channels in the marketing mix, both online and offline. According to WARC, 53% of Gen Z want brands to offer personalised or customised products. Personalized packaging can thus become a vehicle for consumers to express themselves or their preferences and allows consumers to select the packaging that speaks to them individually.

The research shows that packaging can be an ad, a story, a platform, a strategy, and a huge driver of sales and positive sentiment. Some brands are using packaging as the basis for purpose-driven campaigns to highlight the social issues that are growing drivers of consumer purchase decisions. Digitally printed packaging also allows brands to create distinctive, interactive, and shareable experiences that can directly involve the consumer in the packaging design process and allow them to tell stories with consumers, not just to them.

In short, digitally-printed packaging turns shelf space into a new channel for marketers to deliver campaign messages and drive ROI, allows for a flexible approach based on individual markets, increases the speed at which brands can test new packaging, allows brands to have more physical and digital cohesion, empowers brands to co-create content at scale that maximizes engagement with Millennials & Gen Z and provides opportunities for longer-term brandbuilding through personalised and contextual variations in the packaging of products.

Digital printing means brands can make packages personalized and customized without disrupting their printing process. Now brands of all sizes can deliver personalised, customised messaging that can complement social media strategies and mirror a brand’s digital presence. With special thanks to newer innovations in digital print packaging technology, brands can now align their

Packaging can be the first touchpoint a consumer has with a brand and up to 70% of consumers are impulse buyers who grab products that appeal to them on the shelf. Given this, it is vital to invest in packaging and enhance the in-store experience. With HP INDIGO, print providers can bring innovative packaging solutions to life for brands big and small.

Labelexpo Europe announces new dates The event will take place from 11 to 14 September 2023. Tarsus Group, organizer of the Labelexpo Global Series, has announced that Labelexpo Europe 2022 has been rescheduled, with the event now taking place 11-14 September 2023. The organizing team has made the decision to move the event dates in light of the significant supply chain pressures the European label industry is currently experiencing coupled with the fast-evolving situation in Ukraine.

Labelexpo Americas will take place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Chicago, 13-15 September 2022. Other upcoming Labelexpo events this year include Labelexpo Asia (28 June-1 July), Labelexpo India (10-13 November) and Labelexpo South China (7-9 December).

February 2022

DuPont Calendar: Flexo marches with flying colours PRESSIdeas discusses with DuPont Cyrel Solutions the vast ﬂexo capabilities as depicted by their latest calendar. DuPont India team started printing its annual calendar using flexo few years back which became a tradition with them. This year, many of their partners also printed calendars by flexo. these calendars showcase the capabilities of flexo with the desired print outcome. Does the DuPont Calendar quality speak for itself that flexo has finally come of age as regards addressing segments traditionally catered by other technologies like offset printing? Actually, it moves with flying colours. Let’s see. “DuPont’s flexo calendar showcases USP of flexo to an offset dominated segment such as mono carton printing,” the company says about the latest calendar. “Flexo print standards are well developed to maintain good standardization and deliver repeatable results, similar to offset process.”

For Cyrel Solutions 2022 flexo calendar, DuPont uses Esko CDI, DuPont Cyrel FAST 2000TD, Cyrel EASY EFX plates, Bellissima DMS screening, Esko Equinox and Edale FL5 press; collaborates with iTekPackz for prepress and printing.

Key Notes : > DuPont’s flexo calendar highlights USP of flexo to an offset dominated segment. > Showcases great versatility – incorporates ECG, cold foil, multiple embellishments and sheeting in a single pass. > The company to explore other segments – for printing on board and mono carton applications etc.

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Flexo vs others – quality and costeffectiveness Flexo as compared to other technologies offers great versatility. For example, the 2022 DuPont Calendar

incorporated ECG, cold foil, multiple embellishments, and sheeting in a single pass. “This would have been difficult with any other printing technology. The possibilities are huge, it is up to the user to harness the capabilities to deliver unique or cost-effective solutions,” the company says, citing a few areas where flexo wins over other processes. As for the print quality, the calendar results are comparable to any other print technology. Flexo is already a

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preferred process for PS labels, corrugated and paper applications. “In India, flexo is also growing for flexible packaging both for long run with wide web presses and short run with mid-sized in-line presses,” DuPont Cyrel Solutions asserts. DuPont primarily targeted its calendar as a technology showcase of thermal platemaking possibilities for its existing customers. “The other target was the offset mono-carton segment. We hope the calendar would encourage users to evaluate flexo for certain applications,” says DuPont Cyrel Solutions. The company expects flexo to expand in other segments in near future. “With the successful results achieved with Cyrel Solutions flexo calendar, we are exploring our solutions for printing on board and mono carton applications,” it says.

Impressive sea-life – the theme and story the calendar depicts The calendar presents sea life in its unaffected natural background. “The objective was to generate consciousness about preserving sea life and oceans. The images and messaging are intended to serve as a reminder of nature’s beauty and our duty towards conserving it. It also fits in with the DuPont Sustainability goals and Cyrel FAST thermal workflow solution which has marked environmental benefits over the solvent system.” When we see, for example, the Zoanthus Coral image, the vibrant colours simply come out real. A combination of technologies is the secret that goes behind the vibrant colours in the image. A good understanding of prepress, color, flexo and usage of packaging software are important to create such high-quality printed products. Good co-ordination between the prepress/platemaking and printing

is extremely helpful. With the Cyrel FAST 2000TD, there is minimal level of platemaking skill required. In fact, distinctive Cyrel capabilities made the calendar stand out – the Cyrel EASY built-in flat-top dot plates, Cyrel FAST 2000TD thermal solventless processor and their compatibility with ECG and Bellissima DMS technologies to hold and print 18 micron dots consistently have been the key behind the wonderful creation. “A good understanding of the embellishments to be used is equally important,” emphasizes DuPont Cyrel Solutions.

DuPont Cyrel FAST – the sustainable technology Flexo thermal platemaking technology generates very low carbon footprint. As per the 2021 Life Cycle Assessment done by DuPont, Cyrel FAST thermal workflow leads to 56% lower non-renewable energy consumption and 38% lower global warming potential compared to solvent processing. As there is no drying involved, set up and turnaround times are quicker. Cyrel FAST thermal workflows are solvent-free, making production, post-production, and waste treatment activities safer and simpler. Even when compared to gravure, flexo has its own advantages in many segments. As CPG brands focus on sustainable or recyclable packaging, new substrate structures and films are being introduced. Flexo is well equipped to meet these dynamic and changing needs of packaging.

With the advances in the press technology and prepress plate-making technology, the print capability of flexo has made a quantum advancement and has made it easier for customers to make a choice based on speed, efficiency and of course sustainability. Flexo is a relatively new print process and there used to be a fear when learning the use of this new process especially shifting from existing processes. Obviously, certain learning period was required during adoption. Over time the understanding of the process and advancements in technology have made it a lot more user-friendly technology. Cyrel FAST thermal processor and Cyrel EASY flat-top dot plates are some great examples of continuous innovation to simplify flexo technology. DuPont is actively involved in flexography experience centers in India at the Avery Dennison Innovation & Knowledge Center in Pune, Apex FlexoKITE Center in Nashik and the Nilpeter demo center in Chennai. These experience centers serve as the resource facilitiesfor Indian customers to see the flexo capabilities live. The DuPont Calendar is a live example of Flexo capabilities on the parameters of process, quality, user-friendliness as well as cost-effectiveness and environmental footprint. The technology holds lot of potential in unexplored areas of printed products.

February 2022

Cosmo Films sees huge growth in the region, Ashok Jaipuria Mr. Ashok Jaipuria, Founder, Chairman & Managing Director, Cosmo Films speaks in detail about the company’s key offerings, Indian market, growth plans and future course in an exclusive interview. Cosmo Films was established in 1981 with a vision to create a future for BOPP films in India and across the world. At that time, plastic was just the third most used packaging material after glass and metal. Over the years, the company has grown to be the market leader in specialty BOPP films globally, and exports to more than 100 countries worldwide, with a total production capacity of 200,000 TPA. “Now with our entry into the textile chemicals vertical under our subsidiary Cosmo Speciality Chemicals, we see a huge potential for growth in India and countries like Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, where textile production is high,” says Ashok Jaipuria, Founder, Chairman & Managing Director, Cosmo Films.

With two new lines in the pipeline, Cosmo Films will be entering into the specialty BOPET films segment and increase the production and sales for their specialty films. In the next few years, they plan to become a major speciality player in the market.

Key Notes : > The demand postpandemic shifts towards hygienic packaging and packaged food items. > Packaging industry brings in a lot of perspective in terms of sustainability with efficiency. > Cosmo Films speciality packaging films including barrier films and heat resistant films protect the food inside the package and provide a higher shelf life.

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Coming out of one of the worst pandemics, the industry is slowly rising to catch up with lost and forced back business and opportunities. “Talking about the packaging industry specifically, it has brought in a lot of perspective in terms of sustainability with efficiency,” opines Ashok. “We have seen a trend where people are now opting for packaged food items, which are arising mostly due to the increased consciousness on safety and hygiene,” he says. Covid-19 has been very hard for all in the industry with a lot of people losing their lives, and a lot of families losing their loved ones and sole bread earners. The past two years have taught us and everyone around the globe about the importance of life and living. Even during the pandemic, since Cosmo Films

are part of essential services, their factories were operational and films were being supplied for packaged food manufacturers & soap and sanitizer manufacturers. Of course, they too ensured all Covid-19 protocols and operations and sales staff went to a work from home model. “The Covid-19 pandemic has definitely shifted the dynamics. The demand post-pandemic has shifted towards hygienic packaging and packaged food items. We have also seen a rise in online food delivery where you sit at home, and the food comes to you instead of you going to a restaurant. We have seen a rise in our speciality packaging films including barrier films and heat resistant films which protect the food

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near future is their pet care business, ‘Zigly’, where they plan on opening close to 150 stores in the coming 5 years.

The latest Cosmo Films offerings In the films business, Cosmo Films has announced the commissioning of a new BOPET Line by the second quarter of 2022, and the world’s largest BOPP line by the year 2025. “These will help us increase our speciality film sales across the globe in the coming years,” states Ashok. inside the package and provide a higher shelf life,” observes Ashok while speaking about changed market demands. Besides, the changes in demand, prices too have been quite volatile. In terms of packaging, there was initially an increase in the raw material prices, freight costs, and more, which Cosmo Films incurred collaboratively with their customers. “The graph is however slowly coming back to normal, and in the years to come, we will keep working on increasing sales for our speciality packaging films, where raw material fluctuations do not impact our manufacturing cost too much,” notes Ashok. “With the markets opening slowly, I presume, here will be a rise in demand for hygienic packaging and labeling solutions. I believe sustainability is a major factor and creating easily recyclable films, hence not affecting the environment is something that will drive the market. At the same time, packaged food demand has increased and will continue to increase in the years to come due to hygiene concerns,” he elaborates. “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related lockdown is being felt by all businesses across the world,” says Ashok. For Cosmo Films, the business is impacted positively for some product lines such as self-adhesive labels and food packaging while negatively for wrap-around

labels, textile, and lamination films. They have been adjusting to these challenges by re-allocating our capacities based on the customer requirements. “During the pandemic, we saw a trend where all costs including transportation and raw material costs went up. But shifting to better sales for our speciality films helped us a lot,” shares Ashok. “The margins for speciality films in comparison to commodities are higher, and the raw material cost fluctuations have a lesser impact. As for the high freight costs, most of it were managed by sharing the cost with our customers,” he adds.

Future growth areas In terms of the Films business, with two new lines in the pipeline, Cosmo Films will be entering into the specialty BOPET films segment and increase the production and sales for their specialty films. In the next few years, they plan to become a major speciality player in the market, according to Ashok. They have already entered the speciality chemicals segment with 56 odd products already launched for the textile industry. “We plan on launching several new products in the years to come and enter the industrial adhesives industry with adhesives for the packaging, lamination, and labeling industry,” reveals Ashok. The biggest growth areas he sees in the

Under their subsidiary Cosmo Speciality Chemicals, they have launched close to 56 eco-friendly chemicals for pre-treatment, dyeing, and finishing processes in the textile industry. As part of backward integration to their films business, they have also launched masterbatches with different qualities under the same subsidiary. In the B2C space, the company recently ventured into the pet care category, with its brand ‘Zigly’. It is the first Omni-channel, one-stop-shop for pets and pet parents for anything their fur buddies need. Be it a vast range of products or services like grooming, veterinary care, behavior training, and pathology, one can easily find everything at Zigly. The company recently launched its first experience center in East of Kailash, New Delhi in September 2021. “What makes us different and gives us a competitive advantage is that the company for the last 40 years has laid a lot of focus on its research, and has a highly qualified research and development team with Ph.D.’s and Post doctorates with expertise in Labels, Polymers, Printing, Flexible packaging, Synthesis, and Master-batches, who work tirelessly to create product solutions, which are not just innovative and unique, but also environmentally viable,” avows Ashok. Recently, the company has dedicated an entire building at one of their new sites at Waluj, Aurangabad to R&D. The facility includes a product application center, a pilot line, synthesis facilities, and all kinds of analytical equipments. Their R&D team holds nine patents for different products – six of them being in India and three are in the US. There are also several more in the pipeline, says Ashok. About their expansion plans in India, he

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says, “In the films’ business, the company is already the global leader in most places. We have two new expansions planned One is a specialty BOPET line which will be commissioned by this year, and the worlds’ biggest BOPP line, to be commissioned by 2025. These will greatly help increase our specialty films sales in the coming future. As for other expansions, we recently did a backward integration to our films business and entered into specialty polymers and chemicals under our subsidiary Cosmo Speciality Chemicals.” The company has launched around 56 new eco-friendly chemicals for the textile industry for pre-treatment, dyeing, and finishing processes. The company is also planning on expanding into Industrial Adhesives and masterbatches in 2022. Speaking on the hype around plastics and their environmental impact, Ashok recommends, “We believe sustainability as a concept should be calculated as a whole, and not just by its visibility.” “Plastics have the least amount of Carbon Footprint during manufacturing and transportation when compared to their counterparts i.e. Glass and Paper. If collected, segregated, and recycled in an orderly fashion, it is truly a wonder material that has reduced all-around food wastage due to its barrier properties,” he stresses. We know Cosmo Films as a leading industry player with the best sustainable and environmentally friendly practices at its various locations. The company has several sustainability practices already in place like

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truckload optimization, rainwater harvesting at their plant locations, shifting to renewable solar and wind energy at the plants, and more in place, which help them to minimize their carbon footprint. Recyclability and sustainability is no longer a concept, but a reality; with several manufacturers focusing on easily recyclable packaging and labeling materials, and shifting towards easily recyclable monomaterial flexible packaging structures. Cosmo Films, with its years of research, now has a range of barrier and heat-resistant films which can be used in completely BOPPbased structures and can be easily recycled. Cosmo Films’ customers are among the most satisfied in the industry. The company’s dedicated team works around the clock to serve a global customer base. “We have a dedicated team which takes care of quality and training for our customers. During the time of the pandemic, we organized several webinars with our customers and our R&D experts and Sales heads, who are also industry thought leaders in their respective verticals. Cosmo Films as a company is always dedicated to fulfilling the requirements of our customers, and we keep innovating and producing films that best suit them,” explains Ashok. Besides there are newer avenues that Cosmo Films technology keeps opening up for the industry. The recently launched Cosmo Synthetic paper is meant for use in various application segments such as Commercial Printing, Tags & Labels, Retail & Packaging, Identification & Credentials, and Outdoors. “Synthetic Paper is a replacement for

paper in applications where durability and longevity are desired. It is a co-extruded, white opaque, polypropylene-based film that resembles paper in appearance. It is nontearable, has moisture & chemical resistance, and has excellent lay flatness,” says Ashok. In terms of financial growth, the company’s PE multiple is improving from 4 a few years back to 10, though it is still a significant undervaluation, and the company’s Crisil rating has seen a major improvement and has reached AA-, which shows the stability the company has in the market. Backed by strong financial performance, the company has also declared two interim dividends of INR 25 (0.34 USD) and INR 10 per share during the two quarters of 2021-2022. “We are on the way to becoming a global conglomerate in the coming years, with our recently launched pet care brand ‘Zigly’ and soon to be launched industrial adhesives,” says Ashok. “As a company, we lay a lot of emphasis on our customers and our shareholders, and keep their interests as a prime focus; the company plans to innovate new products suitable for the customers’ requirements and generate revenues that will help our shareholders grow with us,” he concludes.

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Esko: Enabling Customers Transform Businesses Every new technology introduction by Esko is a result of direct feedback from customers; it is not just features but makes customers partners in technology, says Arnab Maiti, GM – Esko, South Asia. Release 21.11 is not just features; it makes customers partners in technology. “With each release Esko brings new features that are suggested by our esteemed customers. We don’t believe in just giving the best features, we also walk along our technology partners like Adobe to ensure that each quarterly release is fully compatible with our partners’ latest solutions as well,” shares Arnab.

Esko clearly has an edge in many of its catered segments. The company makes it possible to win over its competition in the Indian market by being a customers’ partner. “Our Local presence in India along with presence of our experts in each vertical, and our long history of being a trust worthy partner for not only solutions but also being a consultant for customers set us apart from competition,” says Arnab Maiti, GM – Esko, South Asia. Esko is one of the leading technology providers of our Industry. Leadership to Esko is a commitment to bringing out innovation and helping its customers through their business journeys. “We Bring more unique answers to the market that others follow,” says Arnab.

Likewise, the new Flexo Engine by Esko transforms the plate room productivity. “The recent introduction of Plate Identification has been widely approved by customers. This solves a legacy problem of marking plates, using stickers etc.,” declares Arnab. “With Plate identification you can track the plates and be sure that it is the right plate for the job!” he underlines. The recent changes due to Covid pandemic have had little impact on Esko. “In fact, it only strengthened our vision we had with respect to cloud solutions and subscriptions. We are fully supporting our customers’ vision to have a hybrid working culture with easy access to licenses and solutions while safeguarding the data with the most secure methods of encryption and safety,” emphasizes Arnab. In near future Esko plans to further reduce the gap of technology being used in India and other markets as well. “We see that Indian printers are more open and willing

to take risks in accepting ever newer technologies with an aim to deliver their customers quality which is on par with global benchmarks,” says Arnab.

Packaging Printing and Esko Packaging is only set to grow – the growth in flexibles is true testament of this, points out Arnab. Digital and short run printing have paved way for smaller brands in foods and consumables to have attractive designs and packaging made cost effectively. “Connected Solutions on Cloud” are the future and Esko is moving towards connecting all the solutions to cloud based technologies. Everything from file management to verifying colour accuracy during production will all be managed in a collected and secure loop of systems. “Esko is able to achieve this with our PID companies like Pantone live, X-rite etc.,” informs Arnab. “Our core focus is to connect all our solutions and also have a stronger integration with our technology partners and leading solution providers to offer customers the best sustainable growth,” he concludes.

Esko has been at the core of technologies for printing and printed products. Arnab thinks Covid-19 has forced many companies to consider working from remote places and delivering customers expectations. “Enterprise solutions and Cloud will inevitably be the game changer. We see an increasing need for moving away from a centrally located knowledge & data processing hub to make more plants independent,” notes Arnab. Every new technology introduction by Esko is a result of direct feedback from their customers and therefore enables customers transform their businesses. The recent Esko

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GEW launches fully air-cooled UV LED curing system AeroLED is a high power UV LED system for full cure, printing, coating and converting applications. GEW has launched its new product AeroLED for the narrow web printing market. AeroLED is a fully air-cooled, high power UV LED system for full cure, printing, coating and converting applications up to 60cm wide. AeroLED delivers power and reliability with a unique concept which eliminates many of the operational problems in existing air-cooled LED systems on the market. Moreover, the innovative design makes AeroLED extremely cost-effective and step changes the accessibility of LED printing. In an AeroLED system, cool, filtered air is distributed from a single centralised fan sited away from the press and exits through the UV lampheads, for quiet and reliable operation. The remote positioning of the fan avoids common problems caused by ink mist and dust ingress, while large air filters reduce the filter replacement cycle. There is no need for integrated fans or electronics in the individual lampheads, which eliminates the high pitched noise and contamination issues that these bring. AeroLED features the same reliable LED chassis and core components as GEW’s LeoLED lamphead. Its new lamp uses GEW’s standard cassette design for easy maintenance, with tough watertight seals to protect the LED modules from ingress and to make cleaning easy and safe and deliver robust performance and long-term reliability.

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AeroLED’s efficient optical design enables the lowest energy usage of all GEW products. This delivers energy savings of typically 50-70%, when compared to a conventional UV arc system. In addition to offering greatly reduced operating costs, printers upgrading to LED are able to free up a significant level of mains capacity, which can then be used to install new machinery and subsequently increase production capability. Two AeroLED systems have a lower electrical supply requirement than just one conventional arc UV system. In addition to the sustainability benefits of AeroLED, GEW highlighted the ease of installation to those considering a retrofit upgrade to GEW’s new air-cooled LED. Robert Rae, Managing Director of Sales at GEW, explains: “As AeroLED has GEW’s familiar E2C cassette design, upgrading an E2C system with RHINO/RLT power only requires switching to the AeroLED lampheads and the addition of a fan filter unit. All other components on press remain the same. This means that a retrofit upgrade can be implemented in as little as one day, and makes AeroLED the most cost-effective route to LED printing available, worldwide.” He adds: “Those new to GEW products will find the cost of a complete new AeroLED upgrade to be highly competitive, and something that pays for itself typically within

two years through energy savings, not to mention the increased productivity that LED systems bring to press.” A further advantage of LED in the curing process is its predictability and stability of UV output. AeroLED delivers a step change in process control by ensuring stable UV output year after year, and eliminates the uncertainty of conventional UV lamps, reflectors and mechanisms to ensure consistent production quality. AeroLED uses GEW’s RHINO power supply and control range, for ultimate reliability with Industry 4.0 approved, IoT Remote Monitoring as standard.

Why retrofit with AeroLED? UV LED is no longer just a technology for the future, it has become an essential technology for the present day. This change has been driven by the recent and dramatic increases in global energy prices, creating an unprecedented demand for low-energy, sustainable LED solutions as well as improved ink technology and availability. Technological advancement is leading to ever more efficient and cost-effective UV LED products, as is demonstrated by the introduction of AeroLED. Robert Rae summarises his view on the current market: “At GEW we are seeing a record number of orders across all system types and LED business significantly increasing from both OEMs and end customers alike. In the next two years, LED could reach 50% of GEW’s output and we are gearing up for this, with a recent major investment in further new UK production facilities.” He concludes: “With AeroLED’s unique design concept and highly competitive cost, the case for printers to upgrade to LED is stronger than ever before. The opportunities are huge and we are convinced LED will soon become the dominant technology in our narrow web market.”

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Siegwerk’s Bhiwadi plant to become 100% Mineral Oil Free Siegwerk to revolutionize Indian packaging with the launch of VEGA - Mineral Oil Free Inks. Ink manufacturer Siegwerk has announced the launch of its ‘Mineral Oil Free Ink’ range in the Indian market. Mineral oils as a huge group of chemicals, have earned disrepute globally for their bad toxicological profile with several research studies confirming the migration of mineral oils into the food. The uptake of specific mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs) is seen as a potential health hazard, as some saturated mineral oils (MOSH) may accumulate in human tissue while some Aromatic Mineral oils (MOAH) may even cause cancer. In an exclusive virtual event for the launch of the mineral-oil free ink line, titled the VEGA series, Siegwerk announced its achievement of 100% food safe operations in India. The launch marks the transformation of Siegwerk’s Bhiwadi manufacturing unit into a fully mineral-oil free plant. The plant will be 100% Mineral oil-free with effect from 1st May 2022, making the company the first in India to do so. While announcing the launch of Mineral Oil free Ink range, VEGA, Mr. Ramakrishna Karanth, CEO, Siegwerk India sub-continent said, “In the past few years, scientific journals have published analyses on the hazardous effects of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs) and saturated mineral oils (MOSH) in food packaging. The manifold adverse effects make it an issue related to consumer safety and occupational safety. We at Siegwerk nurture an inflexible safety culture with focused commitment to improve endconsumer and environmental safety. As a market leader for safe inks and as a strong proponent of safety, we have proactively stopped the use of toxic ingredients before any legislations on their prohibition are established. Siegwerk India will henceforth be supplying inks that do not contain mineral oils from its blending centers in India”. Mr. Ashish Pradhan, President, Siegwerk Asia unveiled the new line of mineral-oil free inks. The versatile ink series consist of Vega Prorich, Vega Impression, Vega Nature LT, Vega Sprint, Vega Vibrant+ and Vega Prime ink lines – which cater to their respective specializations.

Mr. Ashesh Mukherjee, Vice President &Business Head, Sheetfed Business, Siegwerk India, also commented at the launch, “The Vega line is the brainchild of Siegwerk’s key principles like innovation, safety and ability to offer superior products & services. Vega embodies rich colour strength, excellent printing quality with dot sharpness, brighter color share & high gloss and excellent drying properties, all set to transcend consumer expectations. With VEGA, we set out on a journey to ensure safety of our supply chain partners as well as the end consumers.” A captivating addition to the mega launch, Mr. Harsha Bhogle, renowned cricket commentator and management consultant, was the special guest speaker at the event. The apex quality and safety regulators in India - Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have spotlighted the importance of packaging safety through the Food safety and Standard (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 and its revisions. Even prior to any such legislations, Siegwerk has been an avid advocate of non-toxic inks with uncompromised commitment towards product safety. The company has completely phased out its ‘Tempo brand’, replacing it with ‘VEGA’, its mineral-oil free ink line. Siegwerk’s VEGA line was launched in response to a growing demand

for transparency and safer ingredients in packaging products. These inks were designed with the 3 S’s in mind – Safety, Sustainability and Satisfaction of the customer. Siegwerk has always pledged its alliance to safe inks, discarding hazardous solvents like mineral oils and Toluene, and continue to accelerate their efforts in this direction. The recent move is in line with Siegwerk’s commitment to becoming a positive circular economy driver. Sixth generation family owned Siegwerk is one of the leading international manufacturers of printing inks and individual solutions for packaging, labels, and catalogues. With more than 180 years of experience, the company has solid expertise in and knowledge of many printing procedures. A global manufacturing and service network ensures customers consistently high-quality products and services. In keeping with the company’s philosophy “Ink, Heart & Soul,” Siegwerk seeks long-term cooperation with its business partners. Siegwerk employs some 5,000 people worldwide in more than 30 country organizations and is headquartered in Siegburg near Cologne.

February 2022

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Insight to distribute Scodix solutions in India The companies agree to form a new distribution partnership in India. Presses. We pride ourselves on delivering equipment to our customers that will expand their success, and Scodix certainly fits this commitment between our customers and us.” Digital enhancement solutions provider Scodix has signed a partnership agreement with Insight Print Communications to distribute Scodix solutions in India. Insight and Monotech Systems, Scodix’s other established distributor in India, together form a strong Scodix distribution channel that reaches the full array of Indian printers. Founded in 1992 in Mumbai, Insight is one of the largest dealers for Graphic Arts equipment sales. Today the organization has one of the most professional setups operating from ten offices across India. Insight has successfully diversified into various digital printing verticals like Commercial, Publishing, Labels & Packaging, Sign & Display and Digital Textiles. Insight offers a wide range of high-quality products for Graphic Arts as a one window solution. Ajay Aggarwal MD, Insight CEO, says, “Scodix is a much sought-after technology in India, and we are honoured to join the distribution channel for the Scodix Ultra 1000’s Series of Digital Enhancement

“Insight’s vision is to help the printing industry transition to digital and the inclusion of Scodix presses within the company’s portfolio elevates that vision. The key for Insight’s successful penetration into the Indian printing market is the integrity, trust, and reliability standards that Insight delivers to its customers.” Ziki Kuly, Scodix APJ President, adds, “We are proud to welcome Insight into the Scodix family. Insight’s passion for technology is one of the main forces behind this distribution agreement along with their reach into the Indian packaging and commercial markets.” Bawa Amritpal, Scodix India Representative, states, “Together we are planning to infiltrate the packaging market segment as Insight and Scodix mutually bring presses that answer the demands of the growing Indian printing market. The embellishing quality, speed, ease-of-use, and added print value of the Scodix presses are the precise answer to the ever-increasing demand for printers.

The Indian print market momentum, Insight’s top-notch customer service, and Scodix’s cutting-edge technology create a pure winwin formula.” Scodix is a provider of industrial digital print enhancement presses for the global graphic arts industry. Scodix application embellishments include embossing, varnish, foil, variable data, Cast & Cure, glitter, braille, metallic, and crystal. These decoration solutions provide what customers need – true brand differentiation for today’s highly competitive printing environment while promoting sustainability. The Scodix Ultra 1000’s Series of Presses offers up to nine applications on a single press from A3 to B1 sheet sizes.

Labelexpo Asia to take place in June 2022 Tarsus Group announces Labelexpo Asia 2022 (Shanghai) show dates as from 28th June to 1st July. Tarsus Group, organizer of the Labelexpo Global Series, has announced that Labelexpo Asia 2022 will take place between 28th June and 1st July 2022 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Hongqiao, Shanghai.

Labelexpo Asia Event Director Kevin Liu says, “We look forward once again to welcoming exhibitors and visitors to the Asia-Pacific region’s leading label and package printing exhibition. For many converters this will be their first chance since the global pandemic began to actually see the latest machinery and software systems operating at the show.” Running alongside Labelexpo Asia 2022 will be master classes on Self-adhesive Label Materials, and Inks, Coatings and Varnishes. A special pre-press training course will also take place. The China International Label & Package Printing Forum takes place on 27th June,

February 2022

one day before Labelexpo Asia 2022 opens, organized by PPC (Package Printing Committee), one of Labelexpo Asia’s supporting industry associations. Lisa Milburn, Managing Director of the Labelexpo Global Series comments: “It is fantastic to be emerging from the pandemic and returning to face-to-face Labelexpo shows. In fact, throughout the last two years our China team has managed to safely run physical events and we have built up a lot of expertise in running safe and highly effective machinery shows. I look forward to welcoming our visitors to Labelexpo Asia 2022.”

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Intercomo Doo invests in JETSCI KolorSmart+ Pre-Inkjet Flexo with 6-colour (CMYK+W+O) UV inkjet with fully servo-driven web control system promises the Serbian printer high productivity and ROI. Petrovaradin, Serbia-based Intercomo Doo has invested in a 6-colour JETSCI GLOBAL KolorSmart+ UV Inkjet Label Production Press for various short and medium run labels printing applications. Saša Jovanović, Director says, “Intercomo Doo was looking for a suitable solution to enter into the label printing industry. After connecting to the Monotech Systems team we found JETSCI GLOBAL KolorSmart+ digital label printing presses a suitable solution matching our all requirements for short and medium-run length print jobs. Moreover, being UV inkjet, we can print and deliver on an extensive range of substrates without any compromise. The installation is done at our Serbia plant, and it is a wonderful experience with team Monotech Systems right from the sales process to the installation and training.”

is a suitable solution for printing labels requiring quick job change over, versioning, Variable data and Security Printing. This UV inkjet Label production press is equipped to perform label printing jobs having UV Inkjet unit - 4 droplet size (greyscale) printheads printing, with specially formulated ink that gives excellent image quality and sharp text with fine details. KolorSmart+ brings the fast speed of up to 50m/min, quick ROI opportunities and cost effective productivity to label printers. Neeraj Thappa, Vice President, JETSCI GLOBAL says, “Intercomo Doo were very keen and specific about their requirements

which we could happily fulfil and offer the configuration they were looking for. KolorSmart+ press is specifically designed for Label printers who want to start the digital journey at an affordable price without compromising on the quality, productivity & substrates flexibility. With this successful installation, Monotech Systems has proved the capability to deliver the solutions as per market demand, KolorSmart+ is the addition to the successful range of JETSCI GLOBAL Colornovo Digital Label printing presses with over 20+ presses installed in the market globally. KolorSmart+ is going to be the best and suitable solution for all the label converters.”

Having a major setup in the town Petrovaradin, Intercomo Doo is a company specializing in the production of thermal transfer ribbons and self-adhesive labels, as well as automation equipment. It was founded in 2001 and since then it has set high standards in terms of product quality and meeting deadlines. With the innovative ideas, a well-coordinated team, and the need for continuous improvement, they have managed to create a wide range of satisfied customers both in Serbia and throughout Europe. “The KoloSmart+ is an optimal solution as it is affordable, productive, and available with the ideal configurations and upgrades, one would like to have. We are excited about our new purchase, which is delivering the best for us, Pre-Inkjet Flexo with 6-colour (CMYK+W+O) UV inkjet with fully servodriven web control system promises us the highest productivity and ROI,” says Saša Jovanović. The JETSCI KolorSmart+ is conceptualized, designed, and developed in India by Monotech Systems at their state-of-the-art innovation centre in Gurugram, Haryana, India. KolorSmart+ Digital UV inkjet press (L-->R: Daniel Sandorov, Saša Jovanović, and Andrej Milhans)

February 2022

signage printing

Avery Dennison acquires integrated RFID innovator TexTrace “Opportunity for a more sustainable and intelligent future where digital ID’s can live with the life of the garment.” - Francisco Melo, VP and GM, Avery Dennison Smartrac. in the design and manufacture of a wide variety of labeling and functional materials. The company’s products, which are used in nearly every major industry, include pressure-sensitive materials for labels and graphic applications; tapes and other bonding solutions for industrial, medical and retail applications; tags, labels and embellishments for apparel; and radiofrequency identification (RFID) solutions serving retail apparel and other markets.

Avery Dennison Corporation has acquired TexTrace AG, (TexTrace), a technology developer that specializes in custom-made woven and knitted RFID products which can be sewn onto or inserted into garments. TexTrace was formerly a subsidiary of Jakob Müller Holding, a leading Swiss OEM for the textile industry, and is located in Frick, Switzerland. The acquisition includes ownership of TexTrace’s portfolio of intellectual property, and its employees that will continue to be based in Frick, Switzerland, enabling Avery Dennison to continue to innovate and drive adoption within the apparel sector and unlock opportunities in non-apparel segments.

president and general manager, Avery Dennison Smartrac.

The innovative technology developed by TexTrace provides the opportunity to fully integrate RFID into garments. Brand labels with built-in RFID are an all-in-one solution for product branding, brand and theft protection, product availability, consumer interaction and enhanced convenience, such as self checkout. In the future, it could offer unprecedented supplier and materials information to enable the circular economy through reccommerce and recycling, providing the opportunity to gain insights into the true carbon footprint of the garment.

RICOH PRO 5300S at TN based New Annai Press

“This is an exciting acquisition for Avery Dennison, expanding our digital ID portfolio to offer integrated RFID solutions for the apparel industry. The innovative woven and knitted RFID products that TexTrace has developed, will add significant value to the traditional way the apparel and retail sector uses RFID, creating the opportunity for a more sustainable and intelligent future where digital ID’s can live with the life of the garment”, said Francisco Melo, vice

February 2022

“This step is a great opportunity and a groundbreaking decision for the future of TexTrace AG. We are proud of what the start-up has achieved in its 10-year company history and we are very pleased that we can now enable it to take the next step in it’s progression. This comes at the right time with the right partner”, said Stephan Bühler, co-owner of Jakob Müller Holding AG and previous CEO of TexTrace AG. Avery Dennison is a global materials science and manufacturing company specializing

TexTrace specialises in custom-made woven RFID labels for the fashion industry. TexTrace has worked on the development of patented technology for woven RFID labels, which can be sewn onto or inserted into garments. Brand labels with built-in RFID are an all-inone solution for product branding, brand and theft protection, consumer interaction and product availability. TexTrace was formerly a part of the Jakob Müller Holding AG, a Swiss OEM for the textile industry. TexTrace currently licences this technology to Apparel service bureaus, including Avery Dennison.

Tamil Nadu-based print house New Annai Press invests in RICOH PRO C5300S. Tamil Nadu-based print house New Annai Press has recently installed a RICOH PRO C5300S Digital production press. The press has been installed by Monotech Systems. New Annai Press has been in the business of printing since 2004. It acts as a one-stop solution for colour printing, designing, sticker jobs & special media for tag printing. They have an in house Cutting machine & Mini Offset to provide services to their clients, but their inquisitiveness to provide a wide variety of services motivated them to expand their portfolio with Ricoh. Commenting about their recent Ricoh press, Mr. Arokiyaswamy of New Annai Press said, “We have been in the business for the last 18 years and have grown successfully in the offset & corporate segment. A digital press was a good opportunity to upgrade

from our existing traditional printers and there we opted for Ricoh. The Ricoh press is heavy-duty, robust and high-end production engine which is fast and delivers great quality. Engineers of Monotech Systems travel to Tuticorin to assist me in bulk orders management. I am delighted with on time delivery and after-sales support of Monotech Systems.”

pressideas/ signage

Colorjet India organizes online Training Programme Operator’s Training Programme in association with Partner Indian Power Controls Chandigarh educates 80+ participants. Colorjet India organised a full day online Operator’s Training Programme on 22nd January’22. The training programme was conducted through Google Meet platform by Colorjet in association with Partner Indian PowerControls Chandigarh. Over 80 participants from the Signage Industry attended the successful training programme that discussed the Colourjet range of products which included Soniq-I, Irisjet Pro, Polo turbo and Neptune Plus. The training programme elaborated Colorjet machine features, capabilities and specifications in detail and trained on basic routine maintenance of the product. “We educated our operators that how to handle basic errors, issues while operating Colorjet Signage products. Also explained the setting or handling printing with utmost print quality,” says the organiser. Participants from the industry learned about product cleanliness, preventive maintenance of machine and accurate temperature required for better print quality. The session concluded with Soniq- I & Neptune live product demonstration and short Q&A round.

Events Calendar SIGN & LED EXPO

15th Printpack India

Labelexpo Europe 2023

Date: 11 MAR -22 to 15 MAR - 22 Venue: India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, NCR

Date: 26 MAY -22 to 30 MAY - 22 Venue: India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, NCR Delhi

Date: 11 SEP -23 to 13 SEP-23 Venue: Brussels Expo Centre,

Screen Print India 2022

Labelexpo Asia 2022

Date: 21 APR -22 to 23 APR-22 Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center Mumbai

Date: 28 JUN -22 to 01 JUL - 22 Venue: NECC in Hongqiao, Shanghai

drupa 2024

mediaexpo 2022

Labelexpo India 2022

Date: 12 MAY -22 to 14 MAY-22 Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center Mumbai

Date: 10 NOV -22 to 13 NOV-22 Venue: Expo Centre & Mart Greater Noida - Delhi NCR

PAPEREX 2022

PAMEX 2022 - Postponed

Date: 10 MAY -22 to 13 MAY-22 Venue: India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, NCR Delhi

Date: 27 MAR -23 to 30 MAR-23 Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai

Belgium

Date: 28 MAY -24 to 07 JUN-24 Venue: Brussels Expo Centre, Belgium

Readers are required to confirm the dates of the exhibition from the organizers. This is a reader service provided by PRESSIdeas and the company cannot be held responsible for any error or omission. If your event is not listed in the above list, kindly write to us at info@pressideas.com with subject as event and we shall gladly be including the same as above.

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