PRESSIdeas May 2020 issue

20 vol-20

Issue- 05 May 2020

163

Price in India : Rs.100

Vol.20 Issue 05, 2020

Print industry faces challenges.....................04 AIFMP Webcouncil.............................................06 Gulf News Waterless Offset Printing...........12 Credible media vital..........................................16 Canon varioPRINT iX-series............................22

A monthly Publication from PRESSIdeas Publishing Pvt. Ltd.

Konica Minolta’s New bizhub i Series.........24 Monotech installs 1st JETSCI.........................31 World’s first Metallizer......................................37

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Contents FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK..............................................................................................................................................................................................................3 Global print industry faces economic and environmental challenges..........................................................................................................................4 AIFMP Webcouncil – Connecting Printers Pan India............................................................................................................................................................6 Markzware offers customers free IDMarkz access amid coronavirus!............................................................................................................................7 IPIA and BAPC Government meeting gives cause for confidence .................................................................................................................................8 DOT Institute of Graphic Communication conducts WEBINAR on 29th May 2020...................................................................................................9 Introducing BoardingPass, a BRAND NEW Enfocus product.............................................................................................................................................9 Ghent Workgroup announces Global Graphics Software as new vendor member .............................................................................................. 10 World News Media Congress 2020 postponed................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Gulf News Waterless Offset Printing........................................................................................................................................................................................ 12 Coldset Printing Partners updates its press and mailroom operations...................................................................................................................... 14 WEF President: Credible media vital in fight against COVID-19 and fake news epidemic.................................................................................. 16 New tech, fewer reporters: Challenges facing South Asian newsrooms post-COVID........................................................................................... 17 WAN-IFRA announces training for journalists...................................................................................................................................................................... 18 New dates announced for WAN-IFRA India 2020 Conference....................................................................................................................................... 19 ppi Media is ensuring newspaper productions in Corona crisis................................................................................................................................... 19 Dalim Software offers a series of webinars........................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Xerox and Vortran Medical partner to mass produce disposable Ventilators.......................................................................................................... 21 Print a full spectrum of commercial print applications with Canon varioPRINT iX-series................................................................................... 22 Greater production flexibility with Ricoh Pro C5300 series............................................................................................................................................ 23 Konica Minolta’s New bizhub i Series ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Xeikon launches SIRIUS technology........................................................................................................................................................................................ 25 FUJIFILM ColorPath SYNC now supports X-Rite i1Pro 3 Spectrophotometers........................................................................................................ 26 Fujifilm India extends support to combat Covid-19 pandemic.................................................................................................................................... 26 Bobst reaches milestone with sale of 300th VISIONCUT.................................................................................................................................................. 27 Italgrafica: It’s never just a Label............................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 Xeikon introduces new high-end digital label press......................................................................................................................................................... 30 Monotech installs country’s first JETSCI at Bhavik Publication...................................................................................................................................... 31 Business continues despite COVID-19.................................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Rise in Alcohol prices creates financial impact for Packaging companies................................................................................................................ 32 hubergroup strengthens its profile with a new brand image ....................................................................................................................................... 33 Labelexpo Southeast Asia postponed to September 2020............................................................................................................................................ 33 Xeikon committed to providing ongoing critical support to customers during Corona crisis.......................................................................... 34 NiceLabel to provide free label cloud software ................................................................................................................................................................. 34 Label Products finds ‘complete package’ with Durst and Wifac ................................................................................................................................... 35 Sustainability in Packaging Asia 2020, Singapore.............................................................................................................................................................. 36 Constantia Flexibles purchases world’s 1st Metallizer...................................................................................................................................................... 37 Bobst invests in Cito-System ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Memjet CEO Len Lauer’s untimely demise .......................................................................................................................................................................... 39 The New Jeti Tauro H3300 is already creating new products at SWD......................................................................................................................... 40

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

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

PRESSIdeas May 2020 Vol. 20, Issue 05 Printed by Jacob George and published by Jasmeet Singh on behalf of PRESSIdeas Publishing Pvt Ltd. Printed in India at Hues and Colors 363, Industrial Focal Point, Phase-IX Mohali, and published at PRESSIdeas, 437-A 1st Floor, Industrial Area, Phase-2 Chandigarh-160002 (India) Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied.

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

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May 2020

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FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK Dear Readers, With millions of humans suffering due to a prolonged global COVID-19 crisis that has taken its toll evenly on lives and way of life, practically no aspect of existence has remained untouched from its brunt. Every industry is crawling to reach the day when it becomes normal. The uncertainty fear has reached such proportions that it has triggered a novel term ‘new normal’ to accept a mere germ as eternal even though a few countries have been able to stop the bug’s haywire spread. Information hungry humankind is getting fed all sorts of data sans mobility. Communities are facing another virus on the rampage viz, fake news. The WHO has already warned of a coming “infodemic,” with misinformation spreading and undermining public trust at a crucial time. The antidote to virus-induced media malaise could be - declaring media as essential service; financial assistance, government advertising, tax incentives and making online platforms pay for content, suggests World Editors Forum President. Warren Fernandez warns of wrenching changes to come and urges urgent action to minimise damage to the media, and democracy. Read the complete article in the inside pages of this Issue.

Inactivity is active and major events have seen postponement. Nationwide lockdown and resultant labour, production, market, business and payments issues have made a visible dent going to take a long time to mend. Governments world over have come to the rescue of various sections of the society. Since the impact is all pervasive, efforts have failed to make the ‘need and means’ ends meet. The spread of coronavirus in the country continues unabated risking lives and pushing the ‘end’ of lockdowns further. With announcements of opening of activities – subjected to following of set rules – things have started moving but just at snail’s pace. The main concern still remains threat to human life. Government machinery globally has failed to timely assess the magnitude of the problem. Those who could control transnational and domestic movement precisely have only been able to contain the virus spread. Poor people have been worst hit for being in need of work, shelter, food, money, transport and medical aid. Communities have come forward to help fellow humans in their suffering, which gives hope for tomorrow. Revival packages have been announced by governments to assist as many sectors as possible to push through these hard times. A greater challenge will be waiting one and all once things become regular. The economy which was already witnessing a slower phase will be under double burden in coming times. Let’s hope everything comes back on track the earliest so that the bad effects get mitigated.

The present issue of PRESSIdeas has stories on new technologies, launches, installations, events and much more in our various specific sections covering the whole gamut of the graphic arts industry.

- Jasvinder Singh, Sub-editor

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Global print industry faces economic and environmental challenges The 7th drupa Global Trends Report published in April 2020 reflects more challenging global economic conditions.

The 7th drupa Global Trends Report published in April 2020. The results, from a survey conducted before the outbreak of the corona virus and the postponement of drupa to April 2021, show a global industry that remained positive but reflected more challenging global economic conditions. Packaging and Functional market sectors are better placed than Publishing and Commercial. North America remains buoyant but confidence has slipped in Europe and across all other regions. Developing regions are held back by concerns about political instability and corruption, while developed regions are nervous of an inevitable cyclical economic downturn. There is constant pressure on margins but increasingly the better companies counter this by continual innovation. Investment plans remain strong, as printers and suppliers all recognise the need to remain competitive.

The industry coped with the last severe recession and will cope well enough with a global slowdown, even though now it will be exaggerated by the impact of the corona virus.

Key Notes : > Packaging and Functional market sectors are better placed than Publishing and Commercial. > Globally 17% more printers described their company’s economic condition as ‘good’ compared with those who reported it as ‘poor’. > Publishing showing the clearest evidence of active decline in revenues.

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The findings come from the 7th major annual survey issued last November to the drupa Expert Panel of senior decision takers recruited from printers and exhibitors at drupa 2016 and run by Printfuture (UK) and Wissler & Partner (CH). Almost 600 printers and almost 200 suppliers participated with all regions well represented.

Globally 17% more printers described their company’s economic condition as ‘good’ compared with those who reported it as ‘poor’. For suppliers the net positive balance was even stronger at +32%.

However, there is a clear trend with confidence peaking in 2017 after the long slow recovery following the 2007/8 recession and a more cautious approach developing since.

As always, conditions vary between markets and regions. The Packaging market sector thrives best with Functional, Commercial and Publishing following in that order. Indeed an increasing number of Commercial and Publishing printers are attempting

pressideas/ commercial printing

to diversify into the other two markets.

Financial measures confirm these trends with margins struggling in all market sectors, but Publishing showing the clearest evidence of active decline in revenues.

Commercial includes Direct Mail, Business Forms, Security, Wide-format, Trade Finishing for Commercial work, Transactional, Photoproducts Publishing includes Newspapers, Magazines, Catalogues, Conventional book production, Short-run digital books, Ondemand digital books, Trade Finishing for publications Packaging includes Labels, Cartons & Carton Board, Flexible Packaging, Corrugated/Secondary, Rigid, Point of Sale/ Point of Purchase/Banners

Functional (Industrial/Decorative/Textile) includes Printed electronics, 3D products, Ceramics, Textiles, Wall coverings/ Other Decorative Printing North America stands out as buoyant over the whole seven years of the drupa Global Trends Reports. Europe showed increasing confidence until 2018 but has declined since, while all other regions are in decline. Suppliers’ fortunes follow those

of their customers both regionally and by market, although in many cases they have the advantage of serving a wider range of markets and regions.

For several years printers have responded to the constant pressure on margins by increasing turnover and keeping costs to a minimum. Sabine Geldermann, Director drupa and Global Head Print Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, commented: “Increasingly we are seeing clear evidence that whilst cost reducing steps will continue, printers are recognising the need to innovate – by launching new products and services in their existing markets or by entering new markets.”

Hence, investment plans remain strong with more printers in all regions reporting they will raise capital expenditure next year than those reporting a decrease. Again, the balance of those increasing investment by market was positive for all, but strongest in Packaging then Functional, Commercial and finally Publishing.

Finishing is the most popular investment target followed by Print technology and then PrePress/Workflow/MIS. While finishing plans vary too greatly to allow any forecasting, we can comment on planned Print technology investments. Digital toner cutsheet colour is most popular, followed by Sheetfed offset, but there are significant variations by market.

Richard Gray, Operations Director at Printfuture, stated: “For the first time we asked specifically about the broader socioeconomic pressures and there were two clear patterns reported across the globe. For the developed regions the focus was concern about the risk of, or reality of, economic recession in the country or region, followed by concern about global trade wars and the impact of global warming/environmental pressures. For the developing regions, it was corruption and political instability creating economic recession that dominated. Clearly we must now add the impact of the corona virus, a concern for all which, however, is not yet represented by the report.”

The industry coped with the last severe recession and will cope well enough with a global slowdown, even though now it will be exaggerated by the impact of the corona virus. The crucial difference is that, in most markets, the industry has adapted their business models to the challenge of digital communications. Investment is the key to keeping ahead of the curve.

The full report in English released at the end of April is available for sale from www.drupa. com. The executive summary is available for free in German, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian and Chinese.

pressideas/ commercial printing

AIFMP Webcouncil – Connecting Printers Pan India Export Promotion Committee conducts webinar – Export Promotion Web Council: Advantage India.

The Export Promotion Committee of All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP) organized a Webcouncil on 09 May 2020 04.00 PM to 05.30 PM (IST) via virtual online meeting platform.

The webcouncil began with the President address. Mr Dibyajyoti Kalita, President, AIFMP, said that in this Lockdown period the entire world is disturbed. This is a crucial and unpredictable time.

During this period, it is a Historic Moment for AIFMP in organizing this connecting the Printers pan India for the first time by online mode. It is well-known that Printers are by nature not always adopting digital technology. But India is in a key position to take a lead in world economy due to decentralization.

And the Supply chain has to be relooked.

This online technology is helping us to connect with printers big and small without having to travel, and the organizers have identified notable speakers for the webinar.

The president welcomed each speaker and ended his address.

Mr.Manoj Mehta, Chairman, Export Promotion, AIFMP, gave a brief about the purpose of the webinar. He narrated a story of how a farmer keeps ploughing in his field regularly even though there was no rain for a long period, but anticipating the hay days ahead, even if it is uncertain. In the same way, Mr.Mehta insisted that printers keep themselves on their toes during the lockdown so that post-lockdown, unprecedented tasks can focused upon. He added that our Prime Minister has recently made an offering of double the space Taxation. This can be considered a golden chance.

The moderator on the event, Dr.TKS Lakshmi Priya introduced the speakers one by one and speakers took over.

Speaker 1: Mr Mahesh Bhupathi, Retired Tennis Player on Leadership Padma Shri Mahesh Bhupathi recalled

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his tennis days and the Grand Slam Titles that he won along with his team mates. He emphasized on the importance of sharing the strengths of team members.

Comparing his days of tennis, the doubles and mixed-doubles, the importance of backhand-forehand combination and his experience in establishing India’s first ‘Beauty Platform for Celebrities’, he noted that, ‘Leaders ship is more about sharing strengths’ and complement each other.

The business environment had more challenges in terms of a empowerment of team, making them feel part of the team and crisis management. It’s about taking responsibility, doing things and being open to learning from mistakes. More importantly we need to understand that there is no perfect person in this world.

He also made a remark on the difficulty in establishing and running a business in India.

Though quite some efforts are made, he feels that, we are still a long way to go in terms of hassles in licensing, permissions etc.

When asked about his tennis academy, he noted that the purpose was to give back with gratitude. The core idea is to expose

youngsters on ‘How to Win?’, How to deal with adversity? And more importantly ‘How to lose?”. He also remembered his childhood days, as a drop out in 6th grade and how travel and sport help him understand life.

Speaker 2: Mr.Ajit Shah, Faculty and Consultant for International Business, on “How we can achieve ‘Advantage India’?”

Mr.Ajit Shah envisions a shift in nature of demand from printing to packaging. On a similar note, supply would require significant improvisation in courier and e-commerce.

Food packaging and delivery is one significant sector to watch out for.

In his views, ‘Advantage India’ is a possibility. New opportunities will emerge.

The realization of these opportunities would require improvement in quality of products, quality of delivery; on-time every-time and augmented by government reforms in finance and banking.

Mr.Ajit Shah also pointed out the global trend in printing industry. 80% percent of market share in printing is held by china. The Covid effect sees Japanese industries withdrawing out of china. ‘Back to home country’ effect and also shift in base to other business

pressideas/ commercial printing

friendly countries like Philippines Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Srilanka. The changing competitive landscape.

He also went to remark, “We are not a poor country. We are a poorly managed country”.

Advantage India can happen as we improve of skills to meet the new global dynamics aided by government reforms.

Mr.Ajit Shah, drawing from the successful model of automotive industry in India, proposes a model where a few large companies can be the face of the printing industry, supported by clusters of small and micro enterprises.

“Social security should be the responsibility of government and not the business”. This he feels would be a great accelerator for growth of Indian industry.

Speaker 3: Mr.Satish Malhotra, PP, Chairman Government Relations, AIFMP Managing Partner of Swan Press on “How Government will support print exports post Covid-19?”

Mr.Satish Malhotra gave an outline of the efforts made by our government in these challenging times of Covid. Interest subvention to neutralize high interest rates, MEIS for export licenses, SEIS, Duty exemption and remission, Advance Authorization, EHIA, EPCG, PEE and other industry specific schemes that are under consideration. Embassies trying to become enablers for business is a significant shift that is envisaged.

‘We need to become a worthy and sustainable producer’. The way forward for the industry to realize this would be job standardization, specialization in a niche area and quality of delivery.

Issues of compliance, bureaucratic hassles, easing of labor laws are the concerns that government should address. The golden rule would be to “Export our goods and not our taxes”.

My Satish Malhotra also emphasized the importance of stable currency rate to mitigate losses due to market fluctuations.

Speaker 4: Mr.R Suresh, PP AIFMP, CEO S.T.Reddiar & Sons, Cochin Mr. R Suresh on “Exports to all Asian Countries post Covid-19” Mr. Suresh sees a huge opportunity for exports from India. We have around 200,000 small and medium industries in printing industry.

His optimism comes from the possibility of Joint ventures with Asian countries, embassies becoming business enablers and the large population of our country.

Mr. Suresh, though optimistic, pointed out that the most critical deterrent to our success is our easy going attitude and lack of discipline.

He also emphasized the need for constituting an APEX body to facilitate the progress of printing industry - with focus on skill development, shift to packaging, cluster management and liaise with embassies and global forums.

Markzware offers customers free IDMarkz access amid coronavirus!

Markzware has announced that it will provide, through May 31, 2020, free access to its newest product, IDMarkz. It’s one way the software maker is trying to empower our industry, by helping our customers to have the tools they need to move through these uncertain times.

IDMarkz is a stand-alone macOS application

that will help those customers who have years of work locked away in Adobe InDesign files, to move those documents to preferred editing applications.

Interested persons can download the IDMarkz installer and with provided activation details may be allowed to access a fully functional IDMarkz, through May 31, 2020.

System requirements include macOS 10.12 or higher, 4GB of RAM, 1024×768 display, and an internet connection.

In addition, Markzware offered a 20% off its products through May 31, 2020, by using provided discount code.

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IPIA and BAPC Government meeting gives cause for confidence The United Kingdom’s Printing industry associations – IPIA and BAPC met with the Government Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on April 15th. Among other key representations the trade associations made on the print industry’s behalf was the critical need for a recovery glide path to be implemented for initiatives such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

BEIS confirmed that the Government was consulting in-depth on a series of strategies to ensure that industries such as print, which have been severely impacted by Covid-19, did not go over a cliff edge as restrictions are lifted. Specifically, that a graduated approach to the withdrawal of Covid-19 business support mechanisms was being explored.

“Our meeting with BEIS was very productive and inspired a tremendous amount of confidence about the Government’s plans to support industries such as ours when we move into the post Covid-19 recovery phase,” says Graeme Smith, IPIA Chairman.

He adds: “They also recognised that the print industry is a decisive barometer for the economic health of every other sector of our economy and is intrinsically linked with each of the UK’s major industrial bases.”

Protecting UK print Recommendations were also made to BEIS on the expansion of business support packages to include: • A time-limited and Government-backed book debt loan scheme • Suspension for twelve months of autoenrolment pension fees for employers • A total suspension of VAT on print and merchandising material for two-years following the lifting of restrictions • A substantial increase in capital equipment allowances

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Graeme adds: “We presented the findings of our Covid-19 Business Impact Survey to BEIS, in addition to the initial feedback from our new Finance and Recovery Survey, to provide them with intelligence as to the farreaching economic damage being caused by this crisis.

“Among the recommendations we made based on this research was the need for a glide path for the eventual withdrawal of Government Business Support schemes.

“Another key recommendation is that the Job Retention Scheme needs further flexibility built into it for when restrictions are lifted, and demand starts to flow back into the system.”

Graeme continues: “Specifically, that a staff member’s designated furlough period could be split up over the course of the scheme, instead of having to be taken in one continuous block. Or at least that the minimum furlough period that has to be taken consecutively be reduced to two weeks.”

Help where it’s needed The representatives from the IPIA and BAPC also provided feedback from the print industry on the poor provision of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), and how it could be adapted to provide greater financial confidence and support to sectors such as ours.

BEIS provided very constructive assurances that the issues being experienced with the CBILS provision were a top priority for Government and that over the next two weeks it expects a significant improvement in the take-up of, and access to, the scheme.

A strong case was also made to BEIS about the inclusion of print businesses in the £25,000 Grant Scheme for hospitality, retail and leisure where they can prove they have significant exposure to these sectors. BEIS explained they have been making representations to the Treasury on this specific issue on behalf of several industries with a similar level of exposure. It requested that information and case-studies continue to be provided to them to aid these discussions.

Graeme concludes: “We are very heartened by the meeting we have had with BEIS. They clearly understand in detail the significant and very specific challenges facing the UK print industry. They are working very hard to help evolve the package of support measures in place to prevent businesses going into administration and making redundancies if at all possible.

“They have requested that we continue to feed them information on how the range of business support packages are being received on the ground, once they become available, and how our sector is responding to them in practice. We will redouble our efforts in this regard and ensure we are doing our utmost to represent and support the UK print industry.”

The Sourcing Bridge The IPIA and the BAPC have also been working together to help the industry come through the current Covid-19 pandemic by founding creative solutions to help businesses share their resources and strengths. It is recognised that businesses are looking at how they manage the need to reduce costs as work decreases, while supporting staff and customers in a safe and sensible way.

Many are mothballing their entire production and pushing work out to trade suppliers, while others are closing departments or reducing numbers in each department to ensure they survive.

Both Associations have been approached by many members who are looking at sourcing suitable trade suppliers or partners to help them through this crisis.

To this end they have launched a free service called The Sourcing Bridge. The Sourcing Bridge team will discuss specific needs, post the request on a shared IPIA and BAPC Member portal and advise appropriate members regarding available opportunity and connecting them.

All requests will be kept discreet and confidential. The possibility of long-term arrangements, or even mergers has not been ignored. If help is needed, then the BAPC and IPIA will endeavour to find a solution.

pressideas/ commercial printing

DOT Institute of Graphic Communication conducts WEBINAR on 29th May 2020 Eligibility check for the recent schemes announced by RBI & FM (11.00 am – 12.15 pm).

The Coronavirus pandemic and the resultant lockdown has seen most of the industries struggling with their finances and worrying about how to restart operations. During this lockdown, on 27 March 2020 and 22 May 2020, RBI has announced Covid-19 regulatory packages & reduction in key rates.

Even the Finance Ministry has come out with a number of schemes on 13 May 2020 to help the MSMEs come back on track.

DOT Institute of Graphic Communication announces a webinar to be conducted by CA Uday Dhote, a finance expert (Past Chairman of Finance & Taxation and Chairman of Education & Training - AIFMP). This webinar will provide in-depth guidelines on the various RBI & Finance Ministry schemes and the papers & letters to be written to the bank in this connection.

Agenda: •

•

11.45 am to 12.15 pm Question & Answers

Free Templates of letters to be written to Banks will be shared with attendees.

11.00 am to 11.45 am Presentation

The medium of the Webinar will be Hindi and English. The Webinar will be having limited intake of attendees.

The meeting is registration based. Charges for the session are Rs. 400/-.

Introducing BoardingPass, a BRAND NEW Enfocus product Sign up for the webinar to see the very first demo of BoardingPass on May 28, 2020 (7:30 PM - 8:15 PM IST) Sign up for the webinar to see the very first demo of BoardingPass which will enable customer facing staff (sales, service) at printing companies to quickly onboard PDF jobs, and give customer feedback in a minute, no prepress required.

Want to see how it does that? Register for the session with Andrew Bailes-Collins and guest host Deborah Corn NOW. Deborah Corn is the Intergalactic Ambassador to The Printerverse at Print Media Centr, a Print Buyerologist, industry

speaker and blogger, host of Podcasts from The Printerverse, host of #PrintChat on Twitter, founder of International Print Day, creator of #ProjectPeacock, cultivator of the Print Production Professionals Group - #1 print-related group on LinkedIn, and Girl #1 at GirlsWhoPrint.net / Girls Who Print LinkedIn Group.

Deborah has more than 25 years of experience working in advertising, brand, and corporate print production.

Andrew Bailes-Collins is Senior Product Manager at Enfocus. He has worked for a number of vendors in the printing and

publishing sector, including Scangraphic, Apple and DuPont/Crosfield. Andrew has been Prepress Manager for several high-quality printing companies in London, managing the change from conventional production techniques to digital. An early adopter of computer-to-plate and PDF workflow, Andrew then worked at OneVision Software for ten years.

Andrew joined Enfocus and moved to Belgium in 2011 and is the Senior Product Manager responsible for the PitStop family of products. He is also the Technical Officer for the Ghent Workgroup and Co-Chair of the GWG specifications sub-committee.

May 2020

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pressideas/ commercial printing

Ghent Workgroup announces Global Graphics Software as new vendor member Being a member of the GWG provides one with the ability to influence and set industry standards, to network with an international group of experts and to be the best in class in one’s industry.

Ghent Workgroup continues to bring the international graphic arts community’s best minds together to develop best practices for the benefit of the print and publishing industry worldwide. Recently the Ghent Workgroup welcomed its new member Global Graphics Software, one of the leading developers of software platforms for highspeed digital printing.

The Ghent Workgroup is an international organization made up of graphic arts users, associations & developers building best practices for publishing and packaging workflows. The resulting recommendations and specifications make it easy for increasing numbers of professionals around the world to successfully create, process, and exchange graphic arts files for numerous applications.

Global Graphics Software: experts in printing, PDF and digital document software Global Graphics Software is one of the leading developers of software platforms for high-speed digital printing and is the developer of the industry famous Harlequin RIP. Its technologies are designed to meet the most demanding printing applications from general commercial printing to labels and packaging and industrial inkjet applications such as textiles, ceramics and décor.

Global Graphics Software is subsidiary of Global Graphics PLC. With more than 30 years’ expertise in printing and document technology, they provide the performance, quality and engineering know-how needed for industrial inkjet printing, high volume digital printing and digital labels and packaging.

David Zwang, Chair of Ghent Workgroup, says: “We welcome the membership of Global Graphics to the GWG. As one of the largest developers of printing software platforms, they are at the leading edge of the transition to digital print across many applications. We look forward to their participation in the continued development of GWG efforts to help bring coordination

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and best practices to help drive the industry transition and growth.”

“We are excited to join the Ghent Workgroup as we have always prided ourselves on the rendering accuracy of our technology. One of the reasons prospects choose to work with Global Graphics is the high quality and compliancy of our technology with industry standards. To be able to say that we are compliant with the Ghent PDF Output Suite and to have a more formal association with them, makes perfect sense for us,” Justin Bailey, managing director Global Graphics Software.

Harlequin RIP achieves Ghent PDF Output Suite 5 compliancy The Ghent PDF Output Suite determines whether workflows are behaving as expected and gives users the ability to quickly and easily identify errors. The PDF Output Suite includes test patches for compatibility issues that might appear in an PDF/X-4 (ISO 159307) compliant workflow. Harlequin RIP has perfectly passed the critical test, processing all 48 test patches without any problems and is now fully compliant with the Ghent PDF Output Suite 5.

Harlequin Host Renderer is a Raster Image Processor, or RIP. It converts text and image data from many file formats including PDF, TIFF or JPEG, into a format that a printing device such as an inkjet printhead, toner marking engine or laser plate-setter can understand. It produces unbeatable quality at very high speed.

“The Harlequin RIP has been compliant with PDF/X standards for over twenty years now (from the original CGATS standard in 1999), and we’re very happy that our commitment to easy and predictable high-quality print is being recognized by listing as compliant with the GWG Output Suite 5.” Martin Bailey, CTO, Global Graphics Software.

Stephan Jaeggi, chair of the Process Control subcommittee, states: “I welcome Global Graphics back as a member of the

Ghent Workgroup. Martin Bailey has already significantly contributed to the first version of the Ghent PDF Output Suite in 2006.

Therefore, I am glad that Global Graphics has successfully passed the latest Ghent PDF Output Suite 5 compliancy test. The Harlequin RIP is one of the most important PDF RIPs for production printing which is used by many vendors in their PDF output workflows. By using the instructions published on the GWG website all users of these systems can achieve full PDF/X-4 compatibility.”

Founded in June 2002, the Ghent Workgroup is an international assembly of industry associations, suppliers, educators, and industry members from around the globe.

Members are comprised of graphic arts associations including CIP4, CMBO, Febelgra, Fespa, Medibel+, PDFX-ready, Printing Industries of America, and VIGC. Vendor members include Adobe, Agfa, callas software, CHILI publish, DALIM Software, EFI, Enfocus, EngView Systems, Esko, Global Graphics, Heidelberg, HYBRID Software, Kodak, Océ, Quark, Ricoh, Ultimate Technographics, and Xerox IMPIKA. There are also many Industry and Educational members.

pressideas/ newspaper

World News Media Congress 2020 postponed The previously scheduled June event will now take place in September due to the present COVID-19 crisis.

WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers, has postponed its World News Media Congress in Zaragoza, Spain. The Congress was initially scheduled to take place in June. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WAN-IFRA and its local host, Henneo Group, have decided to move the event to 17-19 September 2020.

“Demand for quality journalism has never been greater, the societal need for it rarely more urgent. We are doing our utmost to work alongside our members during this challenging period for the profession,” said Fernando de Yarza López-Madrazo, President of the Spanish media house Henneo and the President of WAN-IFRA. “I believe this Congress, in particular, will be a key moment for the industry to reconnect and figure out what will be a new baseline for the future of the industry. We hope that this discussion and sharing will lay the foundation for a critical meeting of editors and publishers in Zaragoza,” he added.

Said WAN-IFRA CEO Vincent Peyrègne: “The news media industry needs to urgently discuss the current crisis and its devastating impact on our businesses. It would have been inconceivable to hold this exchange safely in June. We plan to meet at the earliest opportunity, and we have decided to reschedule the World News Media Congress to 17-19 September in Zaragoza. Our primary concern and responsibility is the health and safety of our delegates, speakers and partners, we had little choice but to look for a new date.”

detrimental to a rapid and effective response.

During this period, we have had to repeatedly intervene to support our members and publicly call on the authorities to ensure the safety of journalists in covering the health crisis and its social implications, as per international standards on freedom of expression. I am particularly proud and grateful to our staff and partners who welcome our members in the best conditions onboard our new online platforms and virtual meeting rooms to exchange their experiences, ideas and support for each other. The longer the crisis lasts, the more new digital formats will be offered on our part to help our members in these challenging times.”

In this exceptional context, WAN-IFRA is committed to addressing the safety of journalists and the continuity of the critical mission of the press. The organisation is connecting with members via live web meetings, association outreach, webinars, and has set up coronanewsroom.org, an online resource desk available for news media professionals to address the main challenges facing news media and share solutions in the context of the current global Coronavirus outbreak.

The World News Media Congress is the annual meeting of news publishers, editors and owners from all over the world. It is hosted in a different city each year. The

2019 Congress in Glasgow drew around 900 people from over 60 countries for three days of conferences, executive meetings, networking, and social events.

A list of previous host cities for WAN-IFRA Congresses, from 1948 to the present, can be found on WAN-IFRA website.

Zaragoza is one of Spain’s five largest cities and is the capital of the region of Aragón. It is situated the crossroads of the country’s major journalism centres, Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia. The pilgrimage city is a tapestry of 2,000-year-old Roman buildings, Muslim and Christian monuments from the Middle Ages, the impressive baroque Pilar Basilica with its epoch-defining art of local genius painter Francisco de Goya, and modern 21st-century architecture

Programme Elements Women in News Summit - an invigorating gathering to support WAN-IFRA’s sectorleading initiative to increase women’s leadership and voices in news.

World Digital Revenue Forum - a stream for publishers, owners, CEOs and all those invested in building sustainable news organisations.

World Editors Forum - for editors, editorial managers and journalists who put journalism and its freedoms first when leading their newsrooms through challenging times.

“Solidarity in action is more important than ever in these times of turmoil,” Peyrègne added. “We have seen how restrictions on freedom of expression have been extremely

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Gulf News Waterless Offset Printing - to conserve water, expand product offerings.

Toray, providing innovative solutions for waterless offset printing, has reported that Gulf News, the largest circulated English-language newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, has been using now for a couple of years the Koenig & Bauer Cortina waterless offset press with 12 towers. Of the 12 towers, four are heatset. Gulf News is using the Toray IMPRIMA WA waterless offset plates.

The company, with their facility in Dubai, has increased press utilization by adding commercial work serving the retail and magazine markets, including its own flagship weekly magazine, The Friday. It also converted from tabloid to Berliner format in conjunction with the installation of the new press, a format that is increasingly popular in the international newspaper industry. The company’s state-of-the-art printing plant, located about 40 km from the city center, was opened in 2012 and employs about 100 production staff. Overall corporate employment, including editorial staff, is at 800.

“We are very proud of our highly automated, state-of-the-art plant here in Dubai,” said Robert

Renyold, Production Manager. “Not only is the facility completely climate controlled, but automation is everywhere, from our print room to paper storage and reel handling, mostly done with robots. Being located in the desert, water is a scarce resource, and implementing waterless offset printing in our new facility was an important decision, for us and for the planet.”

Renyold, who has been with the company for 15

Koenig & Bauer Cortina press and Toray waterless offset plates a winning combination for the addition of high-quality commercial print services

Key Notes : > Using Koenig & Bauer Cortina waterless offset press with 12 towers. > Overall lower environmental footprint achieved with Cortina waterless offset printing using Toray IMPRIMA plates. > Exceptional quality with Toray IMPRIMA – 150-line screen, very fine dot with very low dot gain.

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The Cortina Press installed at Gulf News features 12 towers, of which 4 are heatset.

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gain in revenue thanks to the ability to produce very high-quality commercial work, which he says they were not able to do before.

years and recently took over responsibility for managing the Cortina press, adds that other decision criteria were the reduced waste, lower emissions and overall lower environmental footprint achieved with Cortina waterless offset printing using Toray IMPRIMA plates.

Quality was another important factor. “This configuration gives us a very high level of quality,” Renyold notes. “With the Toray IMPRIMA plates, we are able to produce a very fine dot, and dot gain is very low. We also use a 150-line screen. Together, that delivers exceptional quality.”

Renyold points out that this elevated quality level has enabled the company to produce

“We also value our relationship with Toray,” Renyold states. “We had the task of converting from conventional offset to waterless offset, while at the same time adding commercial applications. So, a fair amount of change was required. Toray worked very closely with us during the implementation process from the inception, helping us produce the best possible quality plates on our Kodak Generation plate setter and marks-3Zetwaterless plate processor.

It was an extremely smooth implementation with their help, and the fact that our climate requires us to have a completely climatecontrolled facility also made implement much easier, with very consistent humidity levels in our paper stock. To achieve the high quality we aimed at with our new waterless offset platform, we needed the consumables –

including plates, inks and paper – to be very stable and work well together. Toray worked with us to ensure we achieved that. They also visit us regularly to oversee our operation, and when we need help or support, they are right there to help us. Toray is truly a valued partner for Gulf News. As a side note, we share our enthusiasm for supporting the tennis sport. We continue as the Official Newspaper supporting both the WTA Tour and the ATP 500 World Tour, while Toray has been a supporter of the International Tennis Foundation (ITF) World Cup Junior Tennis Finals for boys and girls under 14.”

Toray Industries was founded in 1926 and has a global presence with factories and sales offices in Asia, Europe, Middle East, South and North America. The main businesses of Toray are fabrics and textiles, plastics and chemicals, IT-related products, environmental and engineering solutions, carbon fiber composite materials, life science and others. Many of the products are developed from its proprietary polymer technology base and are commonly used by the electronics, packaging, textile, automotive and aviation industries.

Toray Graphics, a subsidiary of Toray Textiles Central Europe (TTCE), is based in the Czech Republic and features a state-of-theart manufacturing line for waterless printing plates. The Prostějov facility consolidates all business operations, including sales, customer service, marketing, production and R&D, for faster, more efficient support of Toray’s independent network of dealers and distributors in the European market.

Robotics are used throughout the plant to improve efficiency, including reel handling.

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Coldset Printing Partners updates its press and mailroom operations The Belgian company invests Euro 35 million for added quality, productivity and sustainability.

Toray Graphics has announced the investment of ě35 million by the Belgian printing company Coldset Printing Partners (CPP) which has updated its press and mailroom capabilities with the recent outlay.

This investment, required to improve quality and productivity, also had sustainability in its sights.

The company converted a part of its operations to waterless offset printing by adding the Koenig & Bauer Cortina printing press in conjunction with Toray IMPRIMA waterless offset printing plates. With the closure of its Brussels facility, one goal was to reduce the production footprint while at the same time increase capacity across the other plants.

“Part of that initiative was to add the waterless offset technology to our operations” says Paul Huybrechts, CEO. “We now have a press line consisting of 11 towers and five folders. That includes four new Koenig & Bauer Cortina waterless towers with two folders, and seven towers of the existing Koenig & Bauer Commander conventional coldset web press with three folders.”

While this change meant a reduction of the maximum pagination for most of the newspapers from 96 to 64

pages, there is still one folder capable of handling 96 pages if needed. “The result of this reconfiguration,” Huybrechts adds, “is a total capacity increase of 25%, even with the Brussels closure.”

Another goal was to increase the print quality and enable the production of commercial work without the need to add heatset. That was the reason for adding the Cortina towers using Toray IMPRIMA waterless

With the closure of its Brussels facility, one goal was to reduce the production footprint while at the same time increase capacity across the other plants.

Key Notes : > 4 new Koenig & Bauer Cortina waterless towers with two folders. > And 7 towers of Commander conventional coldset web press with three folders. > A total capacity increase of 25%, even with the Brussels closure.

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1.

From left to right: Pascal Coenen (Maintenance Manager); Paul Huybrechts (CEO); Mr. Peter Benz (Koenig & Bauer Cortina expert)

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offset plates. “Including a varnishing unit and using an appropriate white paper quality allows you to achieve a top-quality product which is really comparable to heatset,” Huybrechts notes. “This is important because we believe that for the future of this site, we need to have a good answer for a certain quality level. It also gives us the opportunity to print magazines that are currently printed in heatset. In fact, this is already beginning to happen.” The plant is producing about 500,000 newspapers per night and about 40 million copies a month in total, about 30% of which is third-party work.

On the sustainability front, Huybrechts points out that the Cortina towers do not use solvents or water, adding, “But even more important is that we have a very low start-up and running waste. It takes around 30% longer to make-ready the Commander than

Newspaper mailroom systems

the Cortina, and the start-up waste can be double or even more. Waste on the Cortina can be as low as 80 copies of white paper and 40 printed copies.”

chemistry but also use a chemical-free contrast enhancer to provide the image contrast necessary for the plate bending, punching and sorting systems.”

The prepress department is also benefiting from these changes with the Heights waterless plate processors used to process the IMPRIMA waterless plates. Huybrechts states, “The Toray plates are non-ablative, meaning less cleaning of the equipment is required.”

Huybrechts admits that ink and plates can be more costly with waterless offset printing.

Ink cost increases due both to the actual cost of ink and the ability to achieve higher ink coverage. “However,” he says, “that is only one piece of the puzzle. You always have to look at the complete picture. For instance, we can charge more since we can achieve a quality very close to heatset without having to use a dryer, which is not only expensive to run but also has high CO2 emissions and other sustainability issues. Plus, the energy consumption of the Cortina is lower than that of the Commander, with as much as 5% less energy use. And the Cortina is so easy to use, that even I can run it!”

CPP is currently using IMPRIMA WA plates that require pretreatment involving a small amount of chemicals – 5 ml/sqm – to make the upper coating soluble. “To eliminate even this small amount of chemistry,” Huybrechts says, “we will be moving to the new IMPRIMA WJ water-washable plates that not only eliminate the need for pre-treatment

Press control desk area

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WEF President: Credible media vital in fight against COVID-19 and fake news epidemic In this op-ed, endorsed by the Board of the World Editors Forum (WEF), Warren Fernandez warns of wrenching changes to come and urges urgent action to minimise damage to the media, and democracy.

As the coronavirus continues its relentless spread across the world, infecting over a million people and killing tens of thousands, news stories of lockdowns, social distancing and overwhelmed hospitals have been making the headlines just about everywhere.

Newsrooms have been working overtime to keep the communities they serve updated. Audiences have surged. Apart from news reports, people are turning to analysis and commentaries, videos and explainers, to help them make sense of the fast-evolving and far-reaching crisis.

The antidote to virusinduced media malaise could be - declaring media as essential service; financial assistance, government advertising, tax incentives and making online platforms pay for content.

Key Notes : > Apart from news reports, people are turning to analysis and commentaries, videos and explainers. > Professional newsrooms help inoculate communities against another virus that is on the rampage – fake news. > The WHO warns of a coming “infodemic,” with misinformation spreading and undermining public trust at a crucial time.

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Amid the welter of information swirling about on social media, professional newsrooms which have long invested in building expertise, have been meeting the public’s hunger for objective reporting, based on journalists speaking to informed sources, providing context and perspective, drawing on historical knowledge and institutional memory.

These have also helped inoculate communities against that other virus that is on the rampage – fake news – which is sowing anxiety and confusion, as well as undermining the public’s trust in the reliability of information they receive at this critical time.

In the process, some reporters have succumbed to the virus while on the job, having to be isolated and quarantined. Some newsrooms have had to evacuate hurriedly, with staff rushing home, laptops in hand, to try to keep their platforms updated and the presses rolling.

But here’s the heart-breaking news: among the victims in the intensive care unit, gasping for breath, are some of the media organisations themselves, alongside many others from sectors that have also been hard hit, from aviation to retail.

Several, especially local and vernacular titles, might not be able to meet their financial commitments, or even pay staff salaries, in the months ahead.

Advertising is drying up, plunging by between 30 percent and 80 percent, according to a recent survey by the World Association of News Publishers.

Revenues from media-related events, a new and growing source of funds, have also plunged, as social distancing measures are put in place.

Many newsrooms have also made content on the pandemic freely available, as a public service, thereby constraining their ability to grow revenues from subscriptions.

The upshot of this is both ironic and tragic: at a time when audiences are turning increasingly to established media titles, as recent surveys have shown, newsrooms are seeing their resources gutted, and some are even being shut.

In the United States, Gannett, the largest American newspaper chain, announced last week plans to cut salaries and lay-off some staff temporarily, while Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp has said it will stop print editions of 60 newspapers in Australia, with similar measures being taken in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

This has heightened concerns about the emergence of “news deserts” – communities with no access to local government and community news as media groups cease to exist there.

There is also much angst over “ghost newsrooms,” titles which are snapped up by investors as they are still profitable, who then slash their reporting capabilities to boost margins, resulting in a lack of resources to produce local, original or independent content.

The implications of these developments for society are grave. At a time when communities are most in need of critical information, many newsrooms are increasingly hampered and finding it harder to deliver on their mission.

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This has led the World Health Organisation to warn of a coming “infodemic,” with misinformation spreading and undermining public trust at a crucial time.

To be sure, the financial struggles faced by newsrooms is hardly news. Oxford historian Timothy Garton Ash pointed to this in a keynote address at the St Gallen Symposium in Switzerland in May 2017.

He said: “Very simply, the Internet is destroying the business model of newspapers. For at least two centuries, we have had a public good – news, the information we need for democracy – delivered by private means…People would pay for a newspaper and (there was also) advertising revenue. The Internet has just knocked away both these pillars. So the newspapers produce the information.

Facebook and Google get the profit.

“And this has a very negative effect on the newspapers on which we have relied for our news...The amount of serious news, investigative journalism and foreign reporting is going down because that’s expensive.

“This is a real problem for the journalism we need for democracy.”

COVID-19, however, has mercilessly compounded this challenge and hastened both the shift to digital and the plunge in advertising.

So, is there an antidote to the virus-induced media malaise? Among the proposals that media leaders have been making urgently to their stakeholders are these: • Declaring the media an essential service: to enable journalists to go about their jobs during lockdowns, keeping newsrooms functioning and news agents running; • Granting financial assistance: these include tax breaks or holidays, shortterm loans and wage subsidies to help newsrooms pay their staff and bills in the face of falling revenues. Denmark has set up a 25 million euro fund which will grant news outlets that have recently seen revenues fall by between 30 percent and 50 percent relief of up to 60 percent of their losses, while in Lithuania, state subsidies are also given for critical infrastructure such as

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broadcasting and printing facilities; Giving tax incentives for advertisers and subscribers: In Italy, advertisers are given tax deductions of 30 percent of their spending in newspapers and online, while Canada allows subscribers to news titles to claim tax relief; Stepping up government advertising: public education campaigns tied to the pandemic can help make up for the fall in private advertising; Making Big Tech pay: Technology platforms should be pressed, as France has done, to make more meaningful contributions to the news outlets they rely on for content.

But while these steps might see media groups through the crisis, they are not without risks. Not least of which is the damage that could be done to the credibility of the media if it becomes overly dependent on state funding.This is especially a concern in societies with painful experiences of governments seeking to muzzle the media, through cuts in funding and advertising, shutdowns of newsrooms and even arrests of journalists.

To safeguard against this, beyond the crisis, new business models will also have to be fashioned to ensure the media remains viable and sustainable for the long haul.

Various experiments are now underway. While some big players like The New York Times and Financial Times are growing subscription revenues from readers, others such as The Washington Post, the South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times, have been bought by wealthy business leaders, who have given these newsrooms a boost, by investing in journalism and technology.

Elsewhere, media groups have been given mandates by the state, with funding for public service broadcasts and journalism, as in France, Britain and the Scandinavian countries.

Which of these models works best remains unclear; nor perhaps is there likely to be one model that works for all, given the very different political histories and cultures that newsrooms operate in around the world.

This much is certain: the coronavirus pandemic might have begun as a public health crisis. But some wrenching economic, social and political changes could follow in the months to come.

People and communities will need to make sense of developments unfolding around them as well as to figure out the way forward.

To do so, citizens and voters will need news organisations they consider credible, which they can rely on, and trust.

The writer is Editor in Chief of The Straits Times and President of the World Editors Forum (WEF), a network of editors that is part of WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers. This opinion piece was signed and endorsed by members of the Board of the WEF, in solidarity with newsrooms around the world.

New tech, fewer reporters: Challenges facing South Asian newsrooms postCOVID Editors from several South Asian news publishers including The Quint (India), The Hindu (India), Times of India (India) and The Daily Star (Bangladesh) recently took part in a WAN-IFRA Webinar (according to Chatham House rules) to discuss the immediate business and editorial challenges facing the region’s news industry, and how they see things developing in the months ahead.

Some newsrooms have opted to be public trusts or not-for-profit companies, with a mission to provide public service journalism, such as the Guardian in the UK, and The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Salt Lake Tribune in the US, and also Japan’s Nikkei group.

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WAN-IFRA announces training for journalists Virtual training for Indian journalists supported by Learn with Facebook Journalism Project.

WAN-IFRA has launched a new training programme for journalists in India supported by Learn with Facebook Journalism Project. The programme is designed to help journalists work in the new circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conceptualised to be completely delivered in virtual learning mode, the training programme which comprises webinars and one-to-one virtual coaching will impart skills in digital storytelling.

It will give participants insights about writing for the digital medium, thinking visually about content, making their stories discoverable and using tools to increase productivity.

Key Notes : > The programme is designed to help journalists work in the new circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic. > Programme comprises webinars and one-to-one virtual coaching to impart skills in digital storytelling. > This six-part virtual learning programme will be held from 27 May to 2 July and focus on digital skills development for journalists.

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This six-part virtual learning programme will be held from 27 May to 2 July and focus on digital skills development for journalists. It will give participants insights about writing for the digital medium, thinking visually about content, making their stories discoverable and using tools to increase productivity.

The programme schedule is as follows: • Writing for digital, 26-27 May • Digital Marketing for journalists,3-4 June • Thinking visually about content, 10-11 June • SEO best practices, 17-18 June • Build your personal brand on social media, 14-25 June • Productivity tools for project management, 1-2 July “The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the news media industry like never before. And the role of news publishers as the authentic source of news has become more important than ever. During these times, it is imperative that the journalists upskill and equip themselves to address the information needs of the society. We are happy to partner with Facebook Journalism Project to address this skill gap and to play a part in helping the industry face the new challenge” said Magdoom Mohamed, Managing Director of WAN-IFRA South Asia.

Each module will be taught by leading industry experts and veterans including Prem Panicker, Alok Agarwal, Veda Shastri, and Sunil Prabhakar.

“Journalists are

working under challenging conditions to keep people informed during the COVID-19 pandemic. For many, these tough times also call for new skills to be learnt. Through this initiative, with WAN-IFRA, we are reiterating our commitment to supporting the news industry and journalism”. said Harsha Subramaniam, Head of News Partnerships, India, Facebook.

Additional one-to-one coaching Participants will also get additional one-to-one coaching sessions to apply the learning in the class to real life.

The programme will follow a webinar format on day 1, open to journalists in India. Day 2 will see one-to-one virtual coaching for a limited number of participants.

At the end of the programme, participants selected for one-to-one coaching will showcase their projects.

The best five projects will win a pair of tickets each to attend WAN-IFRA India 2020 - Future of News Summit on 23-24 September in Chennai.

The participants can follow the webinar live on Facebook Live. Details will be shared following registration.

The programme can be attended by the Editors | Digital Editors | Producers | Reporters & Journalists | Other journalists who aspire to update their skills in the new normal conditions.

To register for the webinar, visit https://events.wanifra.org/events/journalism-for-the-new-normal-trainingin-the-times-of-covid-19-and-beyond.

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New dates announced for WAN-IFRA India 2020 Conference Conference in Chennai on 23-24 September 2020.

WAN-IFRA India 2020, the 28th edition of WAN-IFRA’s annual conference in India, initially planned for 16-17 September, is now rescheduled to 23-24 September, in Chennai.

The India event will be held a week after the World News Media Congress.

WAN-IFRA India 2020, South Asia’s largest gathering of news publishers is being designed to reflect the ‘new normal’ the news publishing industry is getting accustomed to.

The event will feature Future of News Summit, a forward-looking event to discuss strategies, best practices and challenges in the news publishing business.

The popular Printing Summit for print production managers will be held in parallel.

While both ‘Future of News Summit’ and ‘Printing Summit’ will be held on 23-24 September, The Women in News Summit, a platform to discuss women leadership and voice in news, will be held on 22 September, the pre-conference day.

The conference has currently opened a call for speakers and topic suggestions.

The 2019 edition of the conference was held in Delhi and attracted over 350 delegates.

Apart from the main sessions, WAN-IFRA India 2020 will also offer a limited number of expo booths and networking dinner. The expo booth booking has already started.

available at www.wan-ifra.org/india2020.

Updates can also be followed from the conference Facebook page, www.facebook. com/wanifraindiaconference and on Twitter with the hashtag #DMI2020.

For a calendar of the upcoming WAN-IFRA events and webinars, visit: events.wan-ifra. org

The complete details of the event are

ppi Media is ensuring newspaper productions in Corona crisis The printed press and quality independent journalism are absolutely essential during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As a key service provider in the field of automated newspaper production, ppi Media is playing an important role in ensuring newspaper production for its Indian publishing customers.

A comprehensive package of measures was put together by ppi Media in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing its employees to work from home – wherever possible – to ensure their health and safety and fully maintain the company’s support services. This has allowed ppi Media to ensure the full continuation of its customer care. As a result, publishing customers in India can be sure that their newspaper production will not run into technical difficulties in a general state of emergency.

This applies to all ppi Media solutions – from planning to content creation. ppi Media’s uninterrupted performance is

also supported by the fact that the company officially forms part of Germany’s critical infrastructure. This means that employees at ppi Media can make use of options like emergency childcare when necessary.

Partner in crisis situations ppi Media is also expanding its range of services for international publishing customers to ensure the maintenance of critical infrastructure in the current situation.

The company has helped its customers to ensure the connection of employees working from home and to outsource production to new printing houses when printing service providers have been at risk of inactivity.

“We’re actively approaching our customers to determine potential issues where we can offer support. Our international customers, such as publishing companies in India, can rely 100% on our services. Our Indian customers will also receive free licenses for our e-paper solution until the end of the corona crisis to ensure digital distribution options for newspapers,” explains Dr.

Hauke Berndt, CEO of ppi Media. “We’re pleased to see that our technologies and structures developed in recent years offer our customers a high level of reliability in the current situation”.

80% of all daily newspapers on the German market are produced using products by ppi Media. Media companies in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the U.S. rely on the firm’s solutions in their daily work and use them in the planning, production, and editorial workflows of their digital and print products.

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Dalim Software offers a series of webinars - helping graphic arts production departments to ‘Do More With Less’.

ADAC MotorWelt, one of the world’s largest (by circulation) magazines, from Editor-in-Chief Martin Kunz and Dr. Markus Schönmann, Managing Director and Founder of Storyboard, the magazine’s supporting agency. The segment concluded with a Q&A session.

(April 28: Episode Three) Do More With Less: Creative Operations

With most of us currently staying home, Dalim Software makers of highly efficient, scalable software solutions for the creation, production and management of print and cross-media content, transformed DUO, its annual user conference, into a digital experience. Dalim Software conducted a series of webinars with episodes featuring production global experts in topics ranging from workflows to publishing to asset management offering a wide range of viewpoints.

Everyone was invited to join any or all of the free episodes of Season One of DUO on Air. Each weekly 50-minute webinar was complete with knowledgeable presentations from inspirational guest speakers, along with product-related insights, and best-practice methodology by worldwide experts. The series, titled ‘Do More With Less’ began April 14.

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(April 14: Episode One) Do More With Less: Print The April 14 episode offered insights into the current state and future prognosis of PDF and PDF 2.0 from Matt Kuznicki, Chairman of the Board of the PDF Association. Matt discussed the challenges of managing PDF files of different quality while ensuring efficient RIP speed and print output quality. Also, Alan Darling, Vice President, Information Systems at Quantum Group, spoke about the evolution to a single-source communications partner. The on-demand printing focus has its challenges processing PDF input files of various quality. The segment concluded with a 15-minute Q&A session.

(April 21: Episode Two) Do More With Less: Publishing In this page-turner episode, participants got insights into the process of recharging

Co-organized with Henry Stewart Events, this episode discussed the role that DAM plays in helping to manage and transform creative operations—regardless of the content type, and the final destination for that content. Examples included packaging, in-store graphics, e-commerce photography, and catalogues. Mark Maguire, Production Director at SDL plc, a global leader in content creation, translation and delivery, explained how automation plays a critical part in reducing time to market and operational costs. Florent Epaud was founder of InPagina, a production house specializing in data publishing. He spent his last 15 years automating a wide variety of marketing production projects for both digital and print campaigns. He now holds the role of Solutions Project Manager at Dalim Software. Moderator Isabelle Billerey Rayel of Dalim Software investigated identifying opportunities for automation; reducing risk throughout the content lifecycle; removing barriers to adoption; and re-evaluating a program after initial wins—and sustaining progress.

“Dalim Software is fortunate to be able to reach out to a wide variety of customers and partners; experts in the fields of workflow and asset management. This reflects the extensive range of businesses we serve— and the legacy we have enjoyed after thirty-five years of operation,” explains Carol Werlé, Dalim Software CEO. “We are trying to make these presentations constructive for our audience. While, of course, the speakers have experience with Dalim Software, that takes a back seat to learning how to manage the process.”

pressideas/ digital digital printing

Xerox and Vortran Medical partner to mass produce disposable Ventilators The two companies expect to work together to quickly respond to the shortage of critical ventilation equipment necessary to support patients breathing.

Xerox Holdings Corporation and Vortran Medical Technology are teaming up to speed and scale production of Vortran’s GO2Vent ventilator and related Airway Pressure Monitor (APM-Plus) for hospitals and emergency response units fighting the battle against COVID-19.

Assuming a stable supply of essential parts, the companies will be rapidly scaling up production from approximately 40,000 ventilators in April to between 150,000 and 200,000 ventilators a month by June.

Together, Xerox and Vortran could produce as many as 1 million ventilators in the coming months.

While the GO2Vent is not a replacement for ventilators found in intensive care units (ICUs), it is widely used in emergency situations, inter-hospital transport and MRIs. Given the shortage of ICU-grade ventilators, medical professionals are utilizing tools like this and other technology to support patients who do not yet or no longer need an ICUlevel breathing device, which can be freed up for another patient.

“Our smartest minds met (virtually) with Vortran’s smartest minds and figured out how to mass produce this critical technology,” said John Visentin, vice chairman and chief executive officer, Xerox.

“We want to help make sure doctors, nurses and paramedics on the frontlines have the resources they need to help the rising number of patients with COVID-19.”

and maintains a large presence. Vortran will continue to manufacture ventilators at its current facility in Sacramento, CA. “The partnership with Xerox has one clear goal – to help save as many lives as possible. With Vortran’s proven technology and Xerox’s ability to hyperscale manufacturing, we believe we can supply healthcare providers as many as 1 million ventilators in the coming months,” said Vortran Co-founder and CEO, Gordon A. Wong, M.D. “For all of us, this will be the most important thing we ever do.”

Vortran’s GO2Vent was designed for emergency use, natural disasters and disease outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. A gas-operated, disposable ventilator that can be set-up within minutes and discarded after use by a single patient, it provides support via a secure airway and can be operated on a compressor, oxygen or air with a minimum of 10 liters per minute flow rates.

The GO2Vent can provide continuous ventilatory support for up to 30 days and operates independent of Vortran’s APM-Plus. The APM-Plus is a battery

operated, portable device that connects to a GO2Vent and provides enhanced monitoring of patient status and key respiratory parameters. Given the need to confirm key supplies, the companies are actively assessing how quickly production can ramp for the APM-Plus devices.

In addition to scaling up production of the GO2Vent and APM-Plus, Xerox and Vortran expect to compile and analyze data and feedback from healthcare professionals on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19 in order to design and mass produce external, in-line modifications that can be added to the GO2Vent to expand the potential applications of this life-saving equipment.

Both Xerox and Vortran will distribute the products.

Xerox plans to manufacture these FDAapproved ventilators and APM-Plus devices at its facility outside of Rochester, NY, where the company was founded

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Print a full spectrum of commercial print applications with Canon varioPRINT iX-series New varioPRINT iX-series sheetfed press offers offset quality, digital flexibility and inkjet productivity.

Canon has announced varioPRINT iX-series, an advanced sheetfed inkjet press from Canon featuring iQuariusěě technology. For customers with production volumes of 1 to 10 million A4 images per month, the new press combines the image quality and media range of offset or liquid toner systems with the productivity and cost efficiency of inkjet.

•

• The new solution is capable of printing more than 9,000 SRA3 images per hour (or 320 A4 images per minute) on a wide range of media, including offset coated paper from 90 to 350gsm. Customers can produce high volumes of the full spectrum of commercial print applications, from marketing collateral and premium direct mail to catalogues, magazines and books.

“With the varioPRINT iXseries, there’s no longer a need to compromise between quality and media range, or between productivity and cost efficiency. Commercial printers can now say “yes” to virtually any order.” - Peter Wolff, Canon

Key Notes : > The new sheetfed inkjet press from Canon: the varioPRINT iX-series. > Printing more than 9,000 SRA3 images per hour. > New proprietary polymer pigment water-based inks and ColorGrip for outstanding, vibrant and robust colour.

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With more than 90% average uptime and no need for daily calibration and maintenance, the varioPRINT iX-series enables substantial productivity gains and measurable improvements in overall running costs compared with other cutsheet production print technologies.

The revolutionary new press builds on the success of the varioPRINT i-series platform introduced in 2015.

With over 250 installations to date worldwide, the varioPRINT i-series has established Canon strongly in sheetfed inkjet production printing for transactional applications, books and high-quality direct mail.

The latest iQuariusěě technology at the heart of the new iX-series combines three key innovations: • A breakthrough drying system combines air and heat with humidification to protect the paper.

This ensures robust prints on a wide media range, perfectly flat and ready for immediate finishing.

New proprietary polymer pigment water-based inks and ColorGrip for outstanding, vibrant and robust colour on a variety of media, including coated stock up to 350gsm. iQuarius quality control technologies for highend image quality, thanks to true 1200 dpi image processing and 1200 dpi co-developed Kyocera print heads for printing razor-sharp text and line details, smooth gradients and perfect skin tones.

Advanced nozzle uniformity control technology uses an inline scanner to automatically check and align single nozzles during the production run to eliminate streakiness. Nozzle activity control offers the capability of detection and auto-compensation of the nozzles during the job and thus reduces downtime and waste, and ensures high image quality.

Media handling is improved with auto-detection, discard of flawed sheets before printing and precision paper transport further optimising quality and productivity. Together, these innovations deliver a balance of excellent image quality, media and application versatility, reliable productivity and cost efficiency - all in a single inkjet press. Handle short runs profitably, switch jobs quickly, and confidently produce finished documents with mixed media, while meeting demanding customer deadlines with ease.

Peter Wolff, Vice President, Production Printing Products, EMEA Commercial Printing, Canon Europe, comments: “The appeal of inkjet is its

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excellent productivity in the face of ever tighter deadlines and higher volumes of short-run jobs needing quick changeovers.

With the varioPRINT iX-series, there’s no longer a need to compromise between quality and media range, or between productivity and cost efficiency. Commercial printers can now say “yes” to virtually any order, with confidence that print quality is flawless, media options are vast, and quick turnarounds are no problem. And all of this is achievable with the varioPRINT iX-series.

Customers wanting to offer the broadest portfolio of high-quality applications now have a sheetfed inkjet press that helps them

to grow their volumes, as well as manage smaller, more diverse jobs flexibly and profitably.”

Powered by a high-performance, mediadriven workflow, the PRISMAsync print server optimises productivity by automatically setting the appropriate printing parameters for the media selected as well as enables advance scheduling of up to eight hours of production. Combined with PRISMA software, a completely automated and highly intuitive solution can be integrated into any existing workflow, covering every stage of production, from creation and print management through

to finishing and delivery tracking.

Christian Unterberger, Chief Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President, Canon Production Printing, concludes: “The introduction of the varioPRINT iX-series is a significant enhancement of our product portfolio for the graphic arts market. With the varioPRINT iX-series sitting alongside Canon’s Colorado UVgel technology and ProStream continuous feed printer, commercial printers now have a broader range of Canon solutions to choose from to meet their specific business needs.”

Greater production flexibility with Ricoh Pro C5300 series The Ricoh Pro C5300 colour sheet fed press delivers high productivity on a broader range of media. Print Service Providers (PSPs) can harness greater production flexibility, higher print quality and broader service offering with this sheet fed colour press.

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• Building on the success of its predecessor, the Ricoh Pro C5200, the Pro C5300 is ideal for small to medium size PSPs, print on demand environments, Corporate Reprographics Departments (CRDs) and print shops.

Key benefits of the enhanced system include: • High image quality with Ricoh 2400 x 4800dpi VCSEL technology and new gloss control to address different image output demands.

• Greater productivity with a speed of up to 80ppm and an increased monthly duty cycle of 450,000.

• Vacuum feed Large Capacity Tray

supporting a wide range of substrates.

Improved front to back registration due to a new paper pass control system.

Broad media handling of substrates up to 360gsm, non-carbon paper, textured media and envelopes.

A wider variety of post press capabilities enabling responsive service delivery supported by peripherals, including an enhanced booklet finisher capable of 30-sheet booklet production at 80gsm. Versatile end to end production is further aided by its high capacity stacker and efficient fore-edge trimmer.

fed press is an evolution of Ricoh’s tried and tested technology and has been developed to support responsive print production for small to medium volume demands,” says Eef de Ridder, Vice President, Commercial and Industrial Printing Group, Ricoh Europe.“Encompassing all the successful operational elements of its predecessor while adding new capabilities has resulted in a system that offers great usability, flexibility, and productivity.”

The Ricoh Pro C5300 is available across Europe from May 2020.

The Pro C5300 incorporates a 10 inch touch screen colour panel for fast and easy set-up and uptime is maximised with simple to change operator replaceable units (ORUs).

“The Pro C5300 colour sheet

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Konica Minolta’s New bizhub i Series - to facilitate smarter and safer remote digital printing experience for new-age offices.

The Covid-19 crisis has emerged as the black swan event of the 21st century, leaving the work cultures across organisations the world over in a shambles.

Against this backdrop, new-age professionals are using the digital ecosystem to bypass the geographical constraints of the lockdown as they scramble to meet their daily deliverables from the safe confines of their homes. It is here that Konica Minolta’s innovative range of digital Multifunctional printers under the New bizhub i Series enters the picture to provide quarantined professionals with smarter and safer office printing and workflow management solutions.

The new solutions reduce contact with common touch points that can act like potential virus vectors enabling individuals to conduct printing operations remotely using their personal mobile devices.

Key Notes : > The New bizhub i Series comprises multi-functional printers in the colour and monochrome categories. > Empowering modern workplaces to print remotely, digitize documents and streamline workflow. > Banner printing function, IC card authentication, Virus Scan and high speed SSD etc.

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The New bizhub i Series comprises multi-functional printers in the colour and monochrome categories.

The former range includes bizhub C250i, bizhub C300i, bizhub C360i, and bizhub C450i colour printers. On the other hand, bizhub 226i, bizhub 266i, bizhub306i, bizhub 225i & bizhub 205i constitute the monochrome line up.

These solutions not only empower modern workplaces to print remotely but also to seamlessly digitize documents and streamline the workflow. In this way, the KM range of digital MFPs can lend a competitive edge to organizations over their peers

by enabling them to maintain business continuity in keeping with the social distancing protocols. The following some of the key features enabled by the KM products:

Mobile printing As the normalization of disease-curbing social distancing codes has demonstrated, the minimisation of one’s physical contact environment will continue to be the priority for individuals across the globe. In the face of this transformative effect of the pandemic across the global business ecosystem, KM solutions reduce contact with common touch points such as computer screens that can act like potential Covid-19 vectors. Instead, MFPs printers under the New bizhub i Series enable individuals to conduct printing operations remotely using their personal mobile devices.

Banner print function Besides enforcing the social distancing-compliant precautionary measures at the workplace, organisations also need to actively spread awareness to tackle Covid-19. Banners comprise one of the effective awareness-building tools that can be employed at offices now that the work is resuming slowly. Once the economic ball starts rolling again

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and business functions across sectors regain their momentum, offices will be required to issue circulars, notices for precautions, advisory, etc. for not just the workforce but visitors as well. And KM MFPs are wellequipped to meet this demand.

comprises one such solution to the problem at hand.The MFPs under New bizhubi Series come equipped with this feature. All a user needs to do is, wave their ID card over a card reader on the machine to print, thereby forgoing the need to touch the MFP Screen.

IC card authentication

Besides being compatible with social distancing codes, the IC card authentication also facilitates robust cyber security measure in an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape. Since only the authorized users can print or scan using IC card

In sync with the idea of minimising the physical contact environment, the biometricbased systems will now be replaced by contactless alternatives. The use of IC card authentication (employee ID card) feature

authentication, this feature ensures sensitive documents and business-critical information do not fall into the wrong hands.

In this manner, Konica Minolta underlines its commitment to providing a smart, safe, and secure digital printing experience to new-age offices across India. At the same time, the innovative solutions under the New bizhub i Series further strengthens the company’s position as an innovator in the country’s office printing landscape.

Xeikon launches SIRIUS technology Technology used in brand new Xeikon SX30000 digital press.

Xeikon unveils its ground-breaking new generation dry toner technology for the graphic arts industry. It delivers higher speeds, reduced cost of ownership and further improved quality, and – even better – the first digital press based on this new technology will be launched and commercially available as of June 2020.

By introducing the ‘Power Of Dry Toner’ campaign last year, Xeikon made it absolutely clear that it remains convinced of the unique power that dry toner technology brings to the graphic arts market – pushing its boundaries even further. Today, it proves its case by announcing the next generation Xeikon SX30000 press: an entirely new, robust single pass duplex machine, powered by the new SIRIUS technology, able to run at a printing width of 20 inch (or 508 mm) on a broad range of substrates at 98 ft/min (or 30 meters/minute), 404ppm A4) – boasting an average speed increase of more than 50% throughout the range of 40-350 gsm versus the previous platform.

Setting a new standard in dry toner Xeikon has been allocating major resources since 2017 to set a new standard in dry toner technology and develop a new platform for the graphic arts industry. “The watercooled LDAs, with 1200x3600 dpi technology and the single pass duplex, full rotary concept, have remained unchanged, as well as the 5/5 print station setup. Almost everything else has been re-engineered”, says Dimitri Van Gaever of Xeikon. “One of the things that really sets the SIRIUS technology apart is its

ability to print on heavy substrates at high speeds.

Dimitri Van Gaever explains some of the core components that enable SIRIUS to set a new standard. We have been working along 4 major axes: toner development, imaging technology, fusing technology and media conditioning, resulting in more than 400 design changes and developments compared to the previous generation.

All these core components have been redesigned and enhanced to deliver superior quality, market leading performance, unequalled sustainability, widest application range and best-in-class TCO. An important step to bring SIRIUS technology to a new era of productivity is realised thanks to Xeikon’s new EkoFuse technology: a new fuser and a patented new crossflow cooling system add up to achieve superior print quality levels at market leading speeds.”

For our newly developed SIRIUS toner, we have changed the production parameters of the toner and have improved the charging kinetics properties by adapting the outer shell of the toner to cope with the higher engine speed. Our new developer unit ensures superior image quality for high coverage applications.

With the SX30000, Xeikon is first and foremost aiming at high value applications, usually featuring high coverage color content on high-quality papers combined with superior quality requirements. “This can be in the book printing segment or high-quality direct mail, but because of the versatility of the technology, it might also be in retail and signage materials, security printing and other general commercial print. Furthermore, we are looking at customers who need higher productivity combined with lower running cost and a compelling overall TCO.” “We have been the pioneers of dry toner technology, and we continue to see opportunities to further enhance it and improve on it,” says Dimitri Van Gaever.

“The technology has been named SIRIUS – after the brightest star in the night sky and in reference to its role in helping people to navigate and set course in various cultures throughout history. We believe this platform will lead the way towards a profitable business for our existing and future customers.”

Higher productivity for high value applications May 2020

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FUJIFILM ColorPath SYNC now supports X-Rite i1Pro 3 Spectrophotometers Using the i1Pro 3 Family with ColorPath SYNC allows printers to quickly implement essential colour management solutions that seamlessly integrate with Fujifilm’s XMF Workflow.

X-Rite and Pantone, color science and technology experts, have announced that Fujifilm’s ColorPath SYNC cloud-based colour management tools now support the new i1Pro 3 Family of spectrophotometers.

Print providers will be able to quickly and easily create ICC profiles using the i1Pro 3 devices and align production devices to a designated color target using ColorPath SYNC. “X-Rite’s i1Pro line of measuring devices has always been an integral part of our ColorPath SYNC suite of color management tools,” said Peter Pretzer, ColorPath Solutions Development Manager for FUJIFILM North America, Graphic Systems Division. “We look forward to the gains in productivity both we and our customers will enjoy with the new i1Pro 3 Family in conjunction with ColorPath SYNC.” The i1Pro 3 Family is ideal for print and graphic arts professionals who require accurate color from their printer, display, and projector. The i1Pro 3 is more accurate, reliable and twice as fast as its predecessor.

It simultaneously measures M0, M1, and M2 in a single pass while accounting for optical brighteners. Prepress and print operators can quickly predict how colors printed on optically-brightened substrates will look under different lighting conditions. The i1Pro 3 Plus features a larger 8mm aperture to support additional materials and substrates used in digital printing applications. It also supports transmission scanning for backlit film and materials used in signage. With the addition of the i1iO3, both the i1Pro 3 and i1Pro 3 Plus can be used in automated measurement workflows.

“X-Rite is excited to provide Fujifilm customers with best-in-class solutions to improve their digital printing workflows,” said Ray Cheydleur, Print and Imaging Product Portfolio Manager, X-Rite. “The i1Pro 3 speeds the measurement process with its new single pass scanning workflow for all M conditions. When paired with ColorPath SYNC, print customers can achieve a connected workflow to define printing system

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settings, create ICC profiles, linearize, validate, and maintain compliance with printing standards.”

The i1Pro 3 is now available.

ColorPath SYNC is Fujifilm’s suite of highquality, cloud-based colour management tools that enable users from novice to expert to align multiple output devices quickly, easily, and accurately to industry-standard targets and specifications. ColorPath SYNC creates optimized G7 and ISO alignment curves, high quality optimized device link profiles with integrated validation, and

optimized named colour profiles for fast and accurate brand color libraries — including PANTONE-licensed M0, M1 and M2 simulations — for Fujifilm’s inkjet devices.

Please visit Fujifilm’s ColorPath SYNC website for more information.

Fujifilm India extends support to combat Covid-19 pandemic - Supplies N95 masks and PPE kits to healthcare professionals at PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Fujifilm India, one of the leading names in imaging technologies, has pledged its commitment and contribution towards aid for the unprecedented crisis caused due to the Coronavirus pandemic outbreak.

The company has announced the supply of 200 N95 respiratory & surgical facemasks along with 40 PPE kits to healthcare professionals at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh.

To combat the spread of the disease, Fujifilm is providing these essential preventive healthcare utility (PPE) kits to doctors, which include Surgeon Gown, Face Mask, Gloves, Preventive Eye wear, Hood Cap and Shoe Cover.

Commenting on this, Mr. Haruto Iwata, Managing Director, Fujifilm India Pvt. Ltd. said, “We all are witnessing an unprecedented and difficult time of our lives due to COVID-19 global pandemic.

Committed to work together with the people of India in this hour of difficulty, we have

introduced these measures to ensure adequate protective equipment and masks are available for healthcare specialists and associated workforce present on the front lines. At Fujifilm, we believe it’s time for all of us to come together and protect the humanity by acting responsibly and by doing what we can to prevent further spread and avoid disruptions from the COVID-19 virus.”

In addition, the company is installing Computed Radiology, Digital Radiology systems and imagers across isolation wards at hospitals to ensure effective monitoring and controlling the disease outbreaks.

These technologies will empower clinicians to improve efficiency and expedite the early diagnosis of the disease.

pressideas/ plc

Bobst reaches milestone with sale of 300th VISIONCUT The long-standing Bobst customer owning 5 flatbed die cutters, many folder-gluers and a MASTERFLEX-HD adds the 300th VISIONCUT. Bobst has announced that it has sold its 300th VISIONCUT. The flat-bed die-cutting machine was purchased by Adams, a corrugated packaging manufacturer, based in Poland. The company is a long-standing Bobst customer, already owning five flatbed die-cutters, two of which are VISIONCUT machines and a range of folder-gluers, plus the outstanding MASTERFLEX-HD 5-colour printing press.

Since its launch, VISIONCUT has proven popular with manufacturers around the world looking for first-class die-cutting capabilities, while at the same time delivering true costeffectiveness, flexibility and efficiency.

Able to handle all types of materials and suitable for both long and short runs, VISIONCUT combines robustness, low cost ownership, straightforward handling and optimum performance to meet the needs of today’s converters.

competitive environment and we are strongly attuned to the needs of the market in order to quickly respond to any new developments and expectations of our customers. It’s important that our equipment and infrastructure enables us to deliver the high-quality standards that both we and our customers demand.

“Thanks to VISIONCUT, our customers can receive high-quality products, precisely tailored to their needs, for the best price.

The machine offers a short changeover time, helping us to maximize uptime and productivity, along with an advanced printto-cut register system which delivers the high precision and accuracy that we need.

With VISIONCUT, we can improve production planning capabilities and deliver first-time right excellence, every time.”

ADAMS supplies a wide range of corrugated packaging to sectors including food and beverage, industrial chemicals, point of sale and display signage, and more recently e-commerce markets.

VISIONCUT was designed to be compact, ideal for companies looking for a machine with a small footprint, and easily integrated into existing production lines. For added value, it also supports a range of peripherals, increasing production output and flexibility further – both features were key selling points for ADAMS when choosing the die-cutter.

Adam Skrzyniarz, Founder and President of the management board at ADAMS, commented: “We are operating in a very

Installation was efficient and did not interrupt the production process. Bobst worked closely with ADAMS’ technicians to ensure

the set up was to their requirements and ran smoothly.

Anna Skrzyniarz, Vice President at ADAMS added: “We regard Bobst as a reliable partner that offers the latest solutions on the market and guarantees after-sales service and availability of spare parts. As a partner, Bobst works with us to customise their products precisely to the needs of ADAMS, which is why we keep investing in new technologies with them.

“As a family-owned company, we value good, long-term relationships with our business partners. It’s why Bobst is a perfect match with our business model. For ADAMS, they are a trusted, reliable partner and work closely with us to customize their range of products to our needs. The support from Bobst is excellent – we can always count on them!”

Anello Meloro, Product Sales Director at Bobst, said: “VISIONCUT is the ideal diecutting solution for our highly-valued client, ADAMS. It ticked the boxes for all their needs in terms of performance, versatility, size and efficiency. We are delighted to have once again been able to supply them with a machine that delivers on all their touchpoints.

“It’s a momentous occasion for Bobst to have sold its 300th VISIONCUT, particularly following so closely to the same milestone for MASTERCUT. It is testament to Bobst in being able to deliver a wide portfolio of machines which meet the needs of customers operating in a variety of markets and at all levels of production.”

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Italgrafica: It’s never just a Label For industrial label expert Italgrafica, a label is the brand’s business card. It has invested in 3 fully customized OMET Flexy-S 330, 1 XFLEX X6 and a XJET hybrid, with a second XJET flexo + digital hybrid to be installed in 2020.

“To be successful in a highly competitive and constantly evolving market, it is absolutely necessary to be increasingly flexible, quick and innovative”.

These are the guiding principles of Francesco Niorettini, General Manager of Italgrafica Sistemi, one of the leading companies of the industrial label sector.

Italgrafica Sistemi began production in 1992, thanks to the experience gained in the screen printing sector

by Francesco Niorettini. “We started from scratch” – quotes the General Manager – taking a path that has led us to a group turnover of around 12 million euros today. We initially concentrated on the industrial sector, with technical labels to be applied on various equipment. This allowed us to develop an in-depth know-how on adhesives and other features of these labels”.

The information on the labels changes constantly.

To be able to respond effectively to customer requests, Italgrafica is investing in this aspect.

It distinguishes itself by doing more than the competitors.

In 2004-2005 Italgrafica started producing in additional sectors such as food, beverage and cosmetics. “We realized that the market was asking technical characteristics that nobody was satisfying, especially in the field of adhesives, where we were highly specialized. For example: a customer in the food sector needed easily removable labels for glass jars, because the end users wanted to reuse the containers. This is why we have developed a specific type of adhesive and, given the excellent results, today we offer this adhesive to other customers”.

Technical skills in the field of adhesives and materials,

Key Notes : > After the decline of the durable labels in 2008-2009, many companies relocated to Eastern Europe. > Italgrafica, on the other hand, acted against the trend, continuing its activity in Italy > In recent times Italgrafica has installed several OMET machines suiting its varied needs.

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associated with extreme flexibility, resulted in an irreplaceable and highly differentiating competitive advantage against the competitors. “Customer, with their needs and products, are always the starting points for us,” adds Francesco Niorettini.

“Our proposal and solutions starts from there.

For example we can offer very technical premium materials, to our customers in the automotive sector or provide economical and optimal solutions for food manufacturers as per the specific needs of their sector. Our strength is in the ability to understand precisely the need of our customers, by acting as their consultant and presenting them with personalized offerings”.

After the decline of the durable labels (freshmen or labels for household appliances, boilers, industrial machines) in 2008-2009, many companies have relocated to Eastern Europe. Italgrafica, on the other hand, acted against the trend, continuing its activity

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in Italy and focusing on innovation, paying attention to materials, finishes and details. “In those years we distinguished ourselves by doing more than our competitors, who only answer to a customer’s request and fail to provide any advice to help their customers grow,” explains Francesco. “For us it was totally opposite! We advised our customers to produce innovative and compliant labels and helped in optimizing their cost. In addition to this we are constantly looking for innovations in materials by trying to understand in detail their strengths and weaknesses, analyzing and verifying their characteristics and then offering the most suitable ones to our customers.” Unlike many other competitors, Italgrafica doesn’t consider this choice as “expensive”: it is a profitable investment if you can count on a solid organizational structure and internal procedures.

In recent times to enhance its value proposition to the market, Italgrafica has installed several OMET machines, all customized for particular solutions the company has led into (i.e. multilayer labels, foils and special finishes). “When we purchased the first machine – says Francesco Niorettini - we chose OMET because we needed to print a particular format (not for the width but for the print pitch) that other competitors were not capable to offer. OMET, unlike the others, could install cylinders up to 24 inches.

Immediately after the first machine we understood that OMET is a performance driven company with the ability to quickly respond to our needs. It’s this trust that we have built with OMET, that we consider it to be a partner rather than a supplier. I can pick up the phone and speak with several people within the company, who are always willing to find solutions to our needs with precision and speed. OMET is structured to develop new and customized projects like the ones we deal with. Although it has grown significantly in recent years, it has not lost its flexibility, which indeed is one of its strengths”.

soon install) we will plan high quantity print runs, which we traditionally used to print on flexo machines. Although printing is more expensive, the extra cost is offset by saving

of orders that makes us believe that hybrid technology is here to grow as in our country orders can be placed every fortnight, as compared to markets aboard where its often

time in controlling the variables, especially in jobs where the number of variables are high. Considering time is the most expensive resource we have, saving time on job changes makes up for the higher cost of printing, as compared to flexo”.

quarterly.

“Even though, today there are large print runs – continues Francesco Niorettini – but a significant portion of our production is made by orders with limited print runs, often involving numerous variables. Thanks to OMET customizable platform, we have configured the OMET hybrid machines so that the result is excellent even in these cases.”

Will hybrid technology grow in the future?

“Definitely yes” – replies Francesco Niorettini – because of the peculiarities of the Italian market, characterized by different print runs which is not common in markets abroad. Not only the quantities, it’s also the frequency

“Printers need to be increasingly flexible and quick if they want to face the market of the future, which will be more personalized and dynamic,” concludes Francesco Niorettini.

“We are constantly reducing our process inventory and manage production with kanban logistic systems where variable data is highly requested. These factors must be considered in the upstream and downstream production phases. Think of the labels with nutritional tables that undergo changes whenever a new legislation comes into force or for export, where the rules change frequently. The information on the labels changes constantly: we will either start to make only labels with brand and QR code, or we will have to be able to respond effectively to customer requests. We are investing in this second aspect, because we know that a label is never just a label, it’s the brand’s business card.”

Hybrid technology was the latest addition to Italgrafica and Niorettini believes it is strategic for the future of the market. “We installed the first hybrid OMET XJet in 2018 Niorettini says -. We have gained experience and understood that it is the right machine for the type of market we are in. On this press (and on the next one that we are going to

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Xeikon introduces new high-end digital label press Xeikon CX300, based on Cheetah 2.0 technology, addresses current market needs in the label market with versatility, productivity and quality.

Xeikon has launched a new digital label press based on next-generation Cheetah 2.0 technology. As demand grows for mass customization, shorter lead times and more product diversification, the new Xeikon CX300 digital label press is an innovative solution that keeps both label converters and their brand owner customers at the forefront of a rapidly evolving industry.

“The Xeikon CX300 delivers exceptional application versatility, designed to achieve the highest possible OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and is even more productive than the very successful Xeikon CX3 first generation of Cheetah presses,” said Filip Weymans, Vice President of Marketing.

“Today’s investments need to deliver results.

Printing speed is an important factor, but combining that with a low OEE would not deliver the value printers and label converters are looking for. With Cheetah 2.0 technology, we have focused on combining high production speeds with a high OEE, ultimately resulting in maximum sellable output.”

distance. The interface also communicates the specific actions the operator needs to perform.

The Machine-Machine interface allows for the integration of pre and post equipment either inline or offline. Throughout this interface, relevant information about the jobs is transferred digitally to the appropriate individual module to eliminate human errors, as the information flows seamlessly through the manufacturing process, which again contributes to the overall OEE.

Cloud connected Built-in technology reporting on performance, availability, etc., in real time, providing data that can be translated into information for fact-based decision making.

In designing the Cheetah 2.0 platform, ergonomics for both service engineers and operators were a focus, plus it uses components that simply last long with the objective of reducing maintenance and repair times.

Integrated quality management systems monitor and automatically adjust press operation. This includes the density and tone curve of the process color but also the density of identified brand colors and registration.

Printing station Dry toner printing process operating at 30m/ min (98ft/min).

Web width can vary between 220mm (8.6”) and 512mm (20.3”) wide using a LED imaging head operating at 1200x3600 dpi delivering offset/gravure image quality.

The Cheetah developer station, which holds the Cheetah toner, ensures higher color consistency across and along the web, ensuring a higher volume of sellable output with reduced waste.

New generation interfaces The Man-Machine interface has been designed in a way that the operator can assess the status of his press from a

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Other markets ideally served by the Xeikon CX300 are those that use challenging substrates such as natural structured papers. This includes wine & spirits, craft beer, luxury food, and more. Health & beauty labels also benefit from high-quality full-color printing and single-pass opaque white toner.

These are just a few of the end-use market applications that make the Xeikon CX300 a versatile solution that can also be used for the production of heat transfer labels, inmould labelling, wet glue, wraparound labels, and cartons.

Design considerations

Cheetah 2.0 technology Cheetah 2.0 technology is based on the proven, scalable Xeikon press architecture that includes five print stations and a full rotary process with a variable repeat length.

Also featured:

printing technology with respect to food safety. The Cheetah toner also incorporates the recently announced QB toner technology, making it even more future-proofed against upcoming legislation and regulatory requirements.

Xeikon CX300 The Xeikon CX300 is a 330mm (13”) label press that can offer production capacity of over 50.000 square meters per month in a single shift operation. The full-colour press is equipped with five print stations, including CMYK and single-pass opaque white but can also support color gamut expansion, custom or security colours.

Based on Cheetah 2.0 technology, the Xeikon CX300 can easily operate in a threeshift operation and still deliver high value work. Strong, growing end-use markets such as food, pharmaceuticals and other markets using self-adhesive labels can be supported with the Xeikon CX300. Its dry toner technology surpasses any other digital

Xeikon’s fleXflow process enables the Xeikon CX300 to produce flexible pouches, combining dry toner printing with thermal lamination to deliver a laminated construction with turnaround times never before possible, and increased sustainability driven by the fact that there is no solvent used during either printing or laminating. Xeikon fleXflow is driven by the industry-leading Xeikon X-800 digital front end and includes an innovative inline thermal lamination process.

“The Xeikon CX300 can be the cornerstone of digitizing label manufacturing,” Weymans concluded. “Its built-in technologies enable label converters to address current and future industry demands: connectivity, responsiveness, flexibility and scalability. We believe the Xeikon CX300 can be a valuable addition to any label shop floor and the spark that ignites a digitization process that is unmatched in the industry.”

The Xeikon CX300 has been commercially available since April 2020.

pressideas/ plc

Monotech installs country’s first JETSCI at Bhavik Publication The first print-on-demand JETSCI Monochrome Inkjet web press is already in production for over 3 months at the Ahmedabad facility.

Monotech Systems has installed India’s first fully integrated high speed print-on-demand Inkjet web press at Bhavik Publications located at Ahmedabad. Machine is already in production for over 3 months and is installed with inline servo driven variable cut sheeting device.

This Web press has been manufactured with the joint efforts of JETSCI (Monotech Systems) which supplied the complete application and inkjet printing solution and Pressline that supported the web control system with inline sheeter.

Apart from Print-on-Demand book printing applications, the machine can be fully utilized in more demanding transactional and security printing applications.

Mr. Dipak N. Patel, Owner, Bhavik Publications, says, “We were looking for the digital press for our Print-on-Demand short run jobs in publishing and security printing for over 2 years but could not find the right solution which has speed, quality, the local support availability and reasonable requirement of investment. The JETSCI fits to all our requirements very well. We are really happy with quality and productivity on the machine.”

“We are now able to deliver our jobs in the shortest turnaround time with this web press, which can deliver high quality at resolutions up to 600dpi and speed of up to 150m/ min, the programmable variable cut sheeter ensures us the perfect delivery in the sizes we need having quick setup times. We will gradually move our all short and medium run jobs on this press and will offer the great value addition to our customers of digital printing like variable data and security printing along with the regular jobs,” he added.

Mr Dinesh Thakur, DGM Sales-IPS, Monotech Systems says, “Digital Printing has grown exponentially in all the fields of printing industry like labels, packaging, books, printon-demand, and security applications. After the Covid-19 situation, we are sure about the surge in the demand for digital printing

Dinesh Kumar Thakur, DGM - Sales, Monotech Systems, Dipak N. Patel, Owner, Bhavik Publications

and it will definitely help the printers to grow faster and respond to the market demands quickly.”

Bhavik Publication began operations in the year 1981 by putting up printing presses in different locations of Ahmedabad city.

Turning point came in the year 1995 with the shift of focus towards educational Publication business. Starting with Preparing Lesson

Dairy for students, in the following year they launched 2 books – Gujarati and Maths for Junior and Senior Kg Students. There is no looking back since then and today the company has expanded into businesses in Print & Multimedia dimensions – Printers, Publishers, Manufacturers & Sellers of Educational Materials. They are known for their high quality products in the region.

Business continues despite COVID-19 The COVID-19 remains a rapidly developing and unforeseen global health crisis. As a reaction, Nilpeter carefully follows the directions and recommendations of local authorities.

All Nilpeter facilities around the world are still operating with ongoing production, observing local government and health services guidelines. Spare parts handling is fully active in normal opening hours, and Customer Care is performing 24/7 remote support and trouble-shooting from all global Call Centers.

The company’s focus is to achieve “business as usual” with the health and well-being of employees and partners safe and secure under current conditions in all markets.

For inquires customers may contact local Nilpeter Partner.

All inquiries for visits in Nilperter’s Technology Centers in Denmark, USA, Thailand, Brazil, and India are welcomed and handled in compliance with local travel regulations.

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Rise in Alcohol prices creates financial impact for Packaging companies

By Dr. Dieter Niederstadt, Technical Marketing Manager, Asahi Photoproducts.

For flexographic companies using solventbased platemaking processes, the sharp rise in alcohol prices we are seeing in several EU countries increases the cost of flexographic plates by as much as 3 EUR per square meter.

To get to this number, we did the following calculations: • In several European markets, the cost of alcoholhas doubled, from 1 to 2 EUR per liter.

• It typically requires 15 liters of washout solvent per square meter of plate.

• 20% of that 15 liters is typically alcohol used to remove the black mask layer, meaning an average consumption of 3 liters of alcohol per square meter of plate material.

• The result is an increase in cost of 3 EUR per square meter of plate material in the solvent wash process.

At the same time, it is true that if a flexographic platemaking operation has a recycling unit on site, it can recover up to 85% of the solvents. This would still mean an extra cost of 45 cents per square meter.

While this impact may still be moderate for flexoplate maker, packaging printers who are currently using solvent-based inking systems have a much bigger burden to carry.

Most large industrial ink suppliers currently implement a price surcharge for solventbased packaging inks around the globe. In addition, it should be mentioned that they cannot guarantee supply if governments decide to redirect products for medical

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purposes. Whereas flexographic printing can operate with several different inking systems like UV, EB, water and solvent, packaging suppliers such as rotogravure printers are faced with limited choices.

The packaging industry is a competitive market, and, especially in the light of the global pandemic disruption, we see discussions taking place and starting to shape the “new normal” in the times ahead.

At Asahi Photoproducts, we brought our water-washable AWP plate technology to market 10 years ago. Thanks to these 10 years of experience, we know that AWP produces even better quality than typical solvent-wash plates, while at the same time creating an operation that is more in harmony

with the environment.

Our experts are available to discuss these subjects with you, or any other issues you may have around flexographic platemaking.

Just send an email to Asahi photoproducts or contact your local Asahi Photoproducts representative.

Asahi Photoproducts was founded in 1971 and is a subsidiary of the Asahi Kasei Corporation. Asahi Photoproducts is a leading pioneer in the development of photopolymer flexo printing plates. By creating high quality flexographic solutions and through continued innovation, the company aims at driving print forward in harmony with the environment.

pressideas/ plc

hubergroup strengthens its profile with a new brand image Website with a freshlook; new company logo symbolizes a strong appearance as a global player.

hubergroup is a traditional family business.

With over 255 years of company history, it is rich in experience and know-how. In order to position itself even better for the future, the printing ink manufacturer has taken a number of measures such as a relaunch of its website and further development of the logo. These are now visible and tangible for the customer.

worldwide, continues to grow in an integrated manner across its global footprint, this is also reflected in the new logo. hubergroup is a company that offers its customers around the world consistently high product quality and service standards. The group functions as a unit, which is now also visually represented in the new logo.

With 255 years of experience, hubergroup is one of the leading international specialists for solutions and technologies relating to printing inks and printing aids for packaging and commercial printing. The company produces a large part of the key raw materials, such as pigments, binding agents and additives, in their own production facilities in India.

New website with a personal touch hubergroup has a new online presence. The site is based on a revised corporate design, which is significantly streamlined in its look and thus gives the website a fresher and more modern look.

The dominant colour is reflex blue. As hubergroup is the last big manufacturer of the pigment alkaline blue, the printing ink specialist has given it more weight in the course of the redesigns.

Customers will benefit from the new website, as the newly designed product finder will help them find solutions even more quickly and clearly.

The website now features individual contact persons for each country, so that customers worldwide can contact the appropriate competent local advisors directly with their specific requirements. With the new website, the printing ink manufacturer presents itself in a much more approachable way. The visual language has become more personal and emotional, with hubergroup relying exclusively on its own employee portraits in the design, emphasizing authenticity.

To reflect the global nature, the content is available in a large number of national languages of the hubergroup locations and has been optimised for mobile use in line with today’s standards.

Global orientation in the logo

Labelexpo Southeast Asia postponed to September 2020 Tarsus Group has postponed its upcoming edition of Labelexpo Southeast Asia 2020 (due to take place at Bangkok’s International Trade and Exhibition Center (BITEC) from 7 – 9 May 2020) in light of concerns over coronavirus/COVID-19. The show will now take place on 10 – 12 September 2020.

Lisa Milburn, managing director of Labelexpo Global Series, said: “We have taken the difficult decision to postpone Labelexpo Southeast Asia 2020 in May due to coronavirus/COVID-19. This is an unprecedented situation, and given the vast amount of preparation that goes into our shows, not a decision we have taken lightly. However, the health and safety of our exhibitors, visitors and staff is our top priority, and working on the advice of our local partners and BITEC, we feel the best course of action is to postpone the show until September.

We have been continuously monitoring the situation in Thailand and the wider Southeast Asia region, and are following all local government advice, as well as that of the World Health Organization.

We thank all our exhibitors and partners for their understanding at this difficult time, and look forward to working with them on the rescheduled show. All other Labelexpo shows in 2020 are currently scheduled to go ahead as planned.”

As hubergroup, with over 30 locations

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Xeikon committed to providing ongoing critical support to customers during Corona crisis Sufficient stocks on hand of consumables required for production operations.

Xeikon, provider of equipment, services and consumables for digitally printed labels and packaging, reconfirmed its dedication to continuing to make critical consumables available for its presses. This enables customers to produce the documentation, labels and packaging required to get food, health and pharmaceutical products to market during the Corona crisis. As widely covered by the media, the coronavirus has impacted the health and well-being of many people in various countries around the world.

Many businesses worldwide are impacted by production disturbances, supply and delivery interruptions, and Xeikon is committed to minimising these for its customers.

“Many of our customers, particularly converters, are producing essential print such as documentation, labels and packaging for critical items like pharmaceutical products, food for supermarkets, labels for disinfectant bottles, to name but a few, and rely on our solutions to ensure that essential supplies are made available to sick, vulnerable and isolated people,” says Benoit Chatelard, Xeikon’s President &CEO. “In order for them to keep up with production demands during this crisis, they need reliable access to consumables, parts and services from Xeikon, and our entire team is committed to doing its best to ensure a consistent flow of these items. Xeikon has sufficient stock and a stable supply in consumables and spares to support our customers globally. However, as many flights worldwide have been cancelled and as countries enact more restrictions on traffic, we could expect some shipments to take longer than before to be delivered.

That being said, we will keep our customers informed of the status of all shipments and requests for service so they know exactly what to expect.”

Chatelard notes that the company’s first priority is to safeguard the health of its employees per World Health Organization

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and government guidelines, closely followed by implementation of measures to guarantee the continuity of its supply chain and safeguard business continuity for customers.

“While some cases may require on-site visits from a technician,” he says, “there is a can do with remote diagnostics and technical support. All our machines are connected and, to a large extent, self-diagnostic. For interactive discussions with customers and prospects, we are investing in tools that allow us to produce virtual demonstrations and testing for customers. We are also closely monitoring the economic impact of the Corona emergency, both to the overall printing industry and for Xeikon’s business.”

In addition, in light of the postponement of drupa 2020 to April 2021, Xeikon is revisiting its go-to-market strategy and preparing to be fully ready to deal with both the current crisis and drupa 2021 by continuing to bring to market the innovation that the industry has come to expect from the company. “We will be bringing some new products to market prior to drupa,” Chatelard states, “in order to make the latest technology available to our

customers. And by drupa 2021, we expect to have even more innovation available to announce and exhibit so customers can be well-prepared for the recovery that is sure to come.”

Last but certainly not least, let’s thank all the Xeikon employees for their engagement and contribution to allow Xeikon to continue its operations in these critical times.

NiceLabel to provide free label cloud software NiceLabel, global developer of label design software and label management systems, is offering free subscriptions of its cloud-based labeling solution and technical consulting services to organizations that have joined the fight against COVID-19.

NiceLabel has launched the non-commercial and non-profit-based initiative in order to help these organizations get much needed deliveries of medical equipment and supplies; respirators, disinfectants, masks or other critical supplies to those in need as quickly as possible.

Having the cloud-based labeling solution in place will enable these organizations to produce new labels quickly and rapidly add them to the packaging used on their new product lines to ensure that equipment and materials arrive on the front line without delay.

Label Cloud is a cloud-based version of the NiceLabel Label Management System.

Organizations likely to qualify include manufacturers re-focusing on the production of critical healthcare supplies; farms and other food producers who must meet new labeling requirements to supply critical food to supermarkets; hospitals and other organizations involved in fighting COVID-19.

pressideas/ plc

Label Products finds ‘complete package’ with Durst and Wifac Label Products has invested in a Tau 330 RSC E inkjet press from Durst and Wifac to continue organic expansion.

“The deal with Durst and Wifac, its distribution and service partner across BENELUX, is a complete package,” says Matthias Dhondt who, together with Stephan and Maarten Dhondt, forms the future of Label Products. “Our investment in the Tau 330 RSC E plays a key role. With our spread of markets and a strong commercial presence in Belgium, the Netherlands and France we are going to benefit from that growth,” adds Mr. Dhondt.

“The Durst Tau 330 RSC E immediately caught our attention, but we needed to undertake a thorough investigation of the market,” he said. “We visited companies in Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Italy and other countries. We analyzed the operation of the various heads, the quality of the work, the speed of the machines, the price of ink and substrates. At the end we opted for the Tau 330 RSC E because of its impressive print quality and productivity and have never looked back. It’s a complete package.

Ultimately, it’s about the total cost of ownership. At first, we wondered whether we would have enough volume on the press, but that hasn’t been a problem. More and more

variable and tailor-made labels are being provided for various customers. So, a digital press is better than flexo printing.”

Another important factor for choosing Durst was the support and service provided through Wifac. “You can’t afford downtime and we have two service technicians on standby,” said Mr. Dhondt. But since the installation in the middle of 2019, not once have we needed to use them. The relatively simple operation of the press is another positive element for the business, particularly when skilled operators are hard to find due to skill shortages. We are a real family business with an open mind to helping our employees.

In our finishing department, we were able to provide one employee with the chance to work as an operator on the Durst Tau 330 RSC E. She seized that opportunity with both hands.”

Continuing controlled growth is the aim for Label Products this year, as well as certifying itself for the British Retail Consortium. The BRC’s Standard for Food covers hygiene and safety requirements for food processing companies supplying the retail sector. From

special clothing and hygiene regulations to visitor registration, the BRC works well throughout the whole company. “We have a focus on food sectors, but don’t lose sight of other markets,” Mr. Dhondt. “The strength of BRC is that this approach takes Label Products to a much higher level of quality.”

The family-owned company employing 36 people, which was founded by Pieter and Marc Dhondt in 1986, produces labels and tags on four flexo and digital production machines. Originally started as an offset print business, it has expanded into new areas, including label markets.

Helmuth Munter, Durst’s Segment Manager, Labels and Package Printing, said: “Our Tau RSC platform is setting new benchmarks in growing numbers of markets for companies such as Label Products. We offer a total package to all our customers in terms of highquality, the best possible service and resulting production reliability. Across BENELUX, this is with our partner Wifac. It’s a win-win combination.”

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Sustainability in Packaging Asia 2020, Singapore Smithers are bringing Sustainability in Packaging to Asia, Singapore from 22-24 September 2020.

On 22 September, Smithers will focus on Sustainable E-commerce Packaging. Visitors will have the exclusive opportunity to hear from expert speakers who will present on a range of topics including global market trends, innovations and developments in e-commerce packaging.

Already confirmed to attend the conference as Advisory Board Members and speakers include DHL, DELL, P&G, Amcor, EFI, JD Logistics, China Post, Johnson & Johnson, KCL, CaiNiao (part of Alibaba), Kezzler, Sealed Air, Tetra Pak, BetterPackaging and more.

Sustainability in Packaging conference will be held from 23-24 September. This 2-day conference will feature presentations exploring the latest technologies, emerging applications, relevant opportunities and challenges surrounding recycling, sustainability and the environment of the sustainable packaging industry. Companies already confirmed to attend include Nestle, Unilever, Mondelez, Coca-Cola, WWF,

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BioPak, Borouge, GA Circular, LUSH, GSK, Avery Dennison, WestRock, UPM, Johnson & Johnson, Colgate-Palmolive, Associated British Foods, Food Industry Asia, CPRRA, UPM RAFLATAC, SABIC, Veolia and many more.

By joining Smithers at Sustainability in Packaging Asia 2020, visitors will hear the latest insights, trends and solutions of the packaging supply chain from key decision makers and influencers.

pressideas/ plc

Constantia Flexibles purchases world’s 1st Metallizer - dedicated to production of ultra high barrier MDO PE for sustainable flexible packaging.

Parikh Flexibles, part of the Constantia Flexibles Group has purchased an EXPERT K5 1350mm to be installed at a new greenfield facility Ecoflex, Ahmedabad in India in 2021. This specially designed narrowwidth EXPERT K5 will produce Ultra High Barrier PE film meeting market requirements for a sustainable, fully recyclable flexible packaging solution as a replacement for aluminium foil.

The purchase reinforces the strong collaboration between BOBST and Constantia which contributed to creating the world’s first high barrier PE recyclable solution in Constantia’s EcoLam HighPlus laminates which now has RecyClass approval in Europe.

Narrow width Metallizer for the converter market The EXPERT K5 has been specially designed and is the first ever EXPERT K5 at 1350mm width. The machine has all of the unique features of this well-established model along with new optimized features, all in a smaller package perfect for the production of MDO PE film.

The machine also incorporates the Bobst AluBond and Bobst Hawkeye unique innovations. The AluBond® process provides high metal adhesion with values up to 5N/15mm as well as enhancing oxygen and water vapour barrier levels on films including MDO PE, BOPP and CPP. Bobst Hawkeye is an in-line optical density deposition control system that at full metallizer speed, detects, counts and categorizes pinholes and other defects from 0.1mm upwards with remote reporting ensuring no interruptions to production.

Commenting on the purchase, Mr Pragnesh Shah, Head of Plant at Constantia Parikh said “We have worked with BOBST for some time in the quest for fully recyclable metallized film suitable for foil replacement. We needed a machine to enable us to produce our EcoLamHighPlus laminates. The Bobst EXPERT K5 is perfect for our requirements.

We look forward to having the machine installed in our new plant in India next year and to continuing our collaboration with Bobst.”

Constantia Flexibles Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of flexible packaging. The Group supplies its products to numerous multinational companies and local market leaders in the food, personal & home care and pharmaceutical industries.

Parikh Packaging established in 1999 joined the Constantia Flexibles Group in 2013 to support the Group for further growth and expansion in Asia. In 2019 Parikh Packaging has opened new factory Ecoflex Ahmedabad under newly established Parikh Flexibles entity. Constantia Parikh mainly produces snacks & chips packaging, stand up pouches, single-unit shampoo sachets and different roll stock laminate materials.

With the largest coating drum in the industry at 700mm; the EXPERT gives an increased collection efficiency of 16% and along with the High Rate Source provides better coating uniformity. The 1350mm model has new state of the art optimized web handling, tension control, thermal management system and barrier enhancing features to enable production of PE based film for foil replacement.

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pressideas/ plc

Bobst invests in Cito-System - strategic investment to boost innovation and standardization in tooling and the die-making industry.

Bobst has confirmed a strategic investment in Cito-System that leverages the strengths of both companies to drive innovation in tooling and in packaging production worldwide.

Bobst acquired a majority participation of 51% in Cito-System, while the management of Cito-System retains 49% in the Company.

Cito-System will continue to be run under the same management with its existing globallyrecognized branding and agent network.

The Company is well known for providing a multiple of components for the converting and die-making industries with expertise in paper, cardboard, and corrugated board. The Company’s consumables and services are marketed under the brand Cito-System.

production which provides converters with a significant competitive advantage.”

“In a world where agility and sustainability are the most critical elements for packaging production, Bobst recognizes the strategic role played by tooling. Our partnership with Cito-System will optimize the entire packaging chain in terms of innovation and standardization,” said Julien Laran, Head of Bobst’s Business Unit Services. “Together, we can help optimizing and transforming a very fragmented industry, ensuring that diemakers can manufacture and distribute the best possible tooling for an agile packaging

Bobst has recognized the growing importance driving the future of the packaging world by integrating all the key components contributing to packaging production. Tooling matters and over the years BOBST has developed a range of tooling innovations. In 2017, BOBST acquired a majority participation in Boxplan.

Boxplan offers a large number of die-cutting innovations to the packaging industry, including the Hybridsetter, the ultimate equipment for production of dynamic

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“Production performance and quality is made by high-tech machines in combination with perfect tools and processes. Now Bobst and Cito-System, leading suppliers in the packaging and tooling industries, are working hand in hand. Combining the two companies’ innovation expertise we can improve performance and quality for the benefit of our customers. I am happy about the new situation because this joint venture makes Cito-System a stronger partner for our customers’ success”, said Jürgen Mariën, Managing Director of Cito-System.

stripping forms for die-cutters. In 2018, Bobst established the Bobst Certification Program to support die-makers at the local level to deliver the best possible tooling for Bobst machines.

“The partnership with Cito-System is a new and crucial piece of the puzzle. While we have significant expertise in tooling, we want our partners to faster develop and promote die-making components in the market,” said Raphaël Indermühle, Head of Sales & Marketing of Bobst’s Business Unit Services.

“Cito-System is one of the leading suppliers in this field. Now, with Bobst, our Certification Program, Boxplan, and Cito-System, we are fully equipped to drive innovation and standardization further, and help pioneer the future of tooling and packaging production.”

pressideas/ signage

signage printing

Memjet CEO Len Lauer’s untimely demise 62 year old Len Lauer passed away unexpectedly at California; Sunil Gupta takes over as CEO of Memjet.

On April 12, Len Lauer, CEO of Memjet, passed away unexpectedly at his home in La Jolla, California. He was 62 years old. Lauer was named the CEO of Memjet in 2010 and assumed the role of Chairman in 2012.

“On behalf of our Board of Directors and employees worldwide we extend our deepest sympathies to Len’s family during this very difficult time,” said Tony Duddy, Memjet’s group president, R&D and Operations and board member. “An outstanding leader, visionary, and champion for high-quality, innovative digital printing technology for all markets, Len was a tireless advocate for Memjet Technology, our employees, and for delivering beautiful precision to the OEM partnership communities we serve as and their customers. Most importantly, Len was a devoted husband, father, and friend. We all will miss his tremendous presence in our lives.”

Lauer was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, and received his Bachelor’s in Science degree in Managerial Economics from the University of California, San Diego in 1979. For over 30 years, Lauer held leadership roles with leading global technology innovators, developers and providers, including Qualcomm, Sprint,

Bell Atlantic and IBM, and for the past 10 years, Lauer held the role of Memjet CEO, overseeing the company’s growth to its current status as a global leader in the development of inkjet printing technology.

During his tenure at Memjet, Lauer’s exceptional business acumen combined with his competitive spirit and strong family values drove his success in building teams, partnerships and industries. His passion, dedication and leadership will have an everlasting impact on Memjet’s business and employees, OEM partners and the print industry.

“Our family has always been inspired by Len’s passion for Memjet and the work of the Memjet team,” said Beth Lauer, Mr. Lauer’s wife. “Len was proud of the strong culture at Memjet.”

“Len’s clear and steady leadership at Memjet continually inspired confidence with

employees, customers, suppliers, and its board of directors. He will be missed, but he has positioned the company very well for a successful future,” said Don Millican, Memjet board member and Chief Financial Officer, Kaiser-Francis Oil Company.

Effective immediately, the Board of Directors has named seasoned print industry executive and Memjet board member Sunil Gupta, as CEO of Memjet.

Gupta joined Memjet’s Board of Directors in January of 2019. He has held leadership roles in major print industry businesses, including Fuji Xerox Australia, Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific and Xerox International Partners, and Xerox Corporation.

With the full confidence of the Memjet Board of Directors and its senior leadership team, Gupta will carry on Lauer’s legacy of courage, collaboration, and commitment to all stakeholders.

Events Calendar Due to COVID-19 crisis, major events have been put off with either no immediate dates announced or are subject to change. drupa 2020 will now take place in April 2021. We shall keep you informed duly.

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signage printing

The New Jeti Tauro H3300 is already creating new products at SWD The Jeti Tauro was a press that SWD hadn’t desperately needed as a business, but is now one that they definitely can’t do without.

One of the UK’s leading large format printers, SuperWide Digital (SWD), has added Agfa’s Jeti Tauro H3300 LED press to their huge stable of Superwide format machines. Installed in September 2019, they admit to having underestimated the benefits it has brought to their established print business.

“When we ultimately installed the Jeti Tauro and put it through initial testing it performed even better than we had anticipated, which was a great bonus to us.” – Luke Drogan, SWD

Key Notes : > Got impressed at the resolution and output of the machine during the launch demonstrations by Agfa. > Impressive level of quality at high speed & coverage of highspeed white ink. > Primer feature allows SWD to print on materials that are usually difficult for inks to adhere to.

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Founded in 2000, SWD is a family business that’s been in wide format 3.2 m and 5 m print from the very beginning. It’s a company that has steadily grown in size over the past 20 years to become arguably one of the largest trade printers of its type in the UK. An experienced operator with a highly skilled and loyal workforce, SWD’s reputation for service and quality is admired by many in the industry. They specialise in volume large format work and consistently invest in new equipment and technology to ensure they offer their customers the very latest innovations. So, when they decided to invest in an Agfa branded engine for the first time it was a compliment indeed to the Agfa business and product offer.

“We visited Agfa in Antwerp at the global launch of the Jeti Tauro H3300 LED in 2018 and were

impressed at the resolution and output of the machine in the demonstrations,” said Luke Drogan from SWD. “But when we ultimately installed the Jeti Tauro and put it through initial testing it performed even better than we had anticipated, which was a great bonus to us. We found three immediate benefits. The first was the impressive level of quality at high speed. Secondly, the coverage capability of its high-speed white ink and finally the primer feature which allows us to print on materials that are usually difficult for inks to adhere to. The Jeti Tauro was a press that we hadn’t desperately needed as a business, but is now one that we definitely can’t do without.”

The Jeti Tauro H3300 LED is a hybrid UV LED wideformat press that allows manual, continuous and automated feeding of both rigid and flexible materials.

It includes 60 fast-firing Ricoh Gen 5 print heads, each with 4 nozzle rows offering 2 colours per head.

The Jeti Tauro’s optional Master Roll-to-Roll system, of which the UK’s first is installed at SWD, additionally allows for jumbo rolls of up to 700 kg per roll in both single and dual lane print modes.

pressideas/ signage

H3300 – a full-automation version of the Jeti Tauro Citing examples Luke explained that, just three months on, they have already created a number of new products by experimenting with the new Agfa machine. They’ve mastered incredible, double-sided self-cling window graphics printed colour-white-blackwhite-colour which mean graphics can be printed in one-pass and read correctly both ways, without show-through! For brands that require very accurate colour representation of their corporate identity, they’ve tested printing directly to powder-coated metal sheets using the Jeti Tauro’s abilities to print with a primer and a strong white underprint. Pushing the boundaries with these new product solutions helps SWD stay ahead and in particular assist creative clients within the markets they serve.

Bobby Grauf, Inkjet Sales Manager at Agfa UK & Ireland: “Working with industry leading companies such as SWD is key to continuously develop, manufacture and supply cutting edge technology. The global

success of the Jeti Tauro range shows that more and more PSP’s are looking to diversify and differentiate. Their needs are maximum flexibility and up-time, at the lowest print costs, and Agfa has the answer with both Jeti Tauro H2500 LED (2.5 m hybrid) and Jeti Tauro H3300 LED (3.3 m hybrid).”

SWD are primarily a trade print supplier that produce huge volumes of work with all finishing processes completed in house.

Their lean team of around 40 staff work from their 50,000 sq ft site based north of Manchester. It’s the fourth building they have occupied since they set up in Manchester in 2000, each getting progressively larger to accommodate their growing business. Today, in addition to their new Jeti Tauro H3300 LED they have 1.6 m and 3.2 m latex roll-to-roll, two dye sublimation, two additional 3.2 m hybrids and four 5 m roll-to-roll machines on site. This capacity is a key USP for the business as it gives them very impressive contingency. Should a machine fail, there is always another on the shop floor that can

pick up the work and that offers reassurance for many of their customers, especially with tight lead times. With the speed of their machines and capacity to complete higher volumes of work than most 24-hour printers, Super-Wide ensures their clients’ work is done quickly with the minimal fuss — and when extra-large print requirements arise, it does not negatively affect their day-to-day business.

Still family run, SWD is a business with many strands, servicing exhibitions, events, retail, construction and interior markets with print, modular exhibition systems and bespoke lightbox fabrication.

“There is no doubt that Agfa’s Jeti Tauro H3300 LED has made a great initial impression on the team,” said Luke. “Our experienced Print Manager, Tristan Haslam, would choose to put all work through it and that’s a compliment indeed to the Agfa technology, service and support.”

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Each story we create, or for that matter, each press release that you share with us, not only goes on our popular website but also is shared on all above Social Media pages of PRESSIdeas.

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Your social media content is the embodiment of your brand and each social network brings in it's own set of challenges. Well, we take of several factors that go into producing and publishing social media content.

We can help you not only in Content Creation - where and how to Start with but once created, to schedule them on the Social Media and then optimizing it to attain the expected success is also our job. Last but not the least, analyzing the results of the Social Media Campaign too shall be shared with you.

If you’re looking to get started, allow us to walk you through it. Allow us to hand hold you all along.

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+JacobGeorge-pressideas

Write to digital@pressideas.com or WhatsApp on +91 9780036854 to know more!

Note: Our online editorial team holds the right to decide on the selection of posts to be included on our social media pages. The FREE offer is for a period of 45 days. It is advisable to have only a post in a week.

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