PRESSIdeas June 2021 issue by Jacob George

21 vol-21 Issue- 06 June 2021

Price in India : Rs.100

176

Vol.21 Issue 06, 2021

New SM CX 104...................................................06 Oxuniprint Ltd closing......................................13 Fujifilm partners Insight...................................16 Cron CtP at Gyan Digital..................................18 To a stable process (flow)................................20

A monthly Publication from PRESSIdeas Publishing Pvt. Ltd.

Gallus ECS 340 for Libako................................24 New Global CEO of EPL....................................27 Iwasaki launches TR3........................................35

Subscribe eNewsletter

signage printing

digital printing Page 06

Page 14

Page 16

Page 20

Page 38

Contents FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK .............................................................................................................................................................................................................4 New Speedmaster CX 104: Underlines versatility leadership in sheetfed oﬀset technology ..............................................................................6 Heidelberg optimizes customer approach in the United Kingdom ..............................................................................................................................9 MMS welcomes PPOA on board WPH ......................................................................................................................................................................................9 Leading European printer places mega order for Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 ............................................................................................ 10 Bronze for Komori Corporation 2021 Calendar ................................................................................................................................................................. 11 MMS welcomes KMPA on board WPH .................................................................................................................................................................................. 11 Developing Paper Window Packaging by using PP Film ................................................................................................................................................ 12 Oxuniprint Ltd closing permanently ! .................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 First textbook printing plant in Ethiopia with manroland Goss web oﬀset presses ............................................................................................ 14

Jasmeet D. Editor & Publisher (jasmeet@pressideas.com) Vineet K G. Associate Editor (vineetkg@pressideas.com) Jasvinder S. Sub-Editor (jasvinder@pressideas.com)

Indian Media Leaders eSUMMIT .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 15 World’s Press condemns forced closure of Apple Daily ................................................................................................................................................... 15 Fujifilm India strategic partnership with Insight Group ................................................................................................................................................. 16 Pro Print Cartridge Gold & Silver for RICOH Pro C7200X series..................................................................................................................................... 17 Buyers Lab 2021 PRO Award for Ricoh Pro C7200sx Series ............................................................................................................................................ 17 HP announce HP Amplify extension ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Monotech Systems installs Cron CtP at Gyan Digital Graphics..................................................................................................................................... 18 Fujifilm enters Flexible Packaging market .......................................................................................................................................................................... 19 To a stable process (flow) in day-to-day business with process management ....................................................................................................... 20 Over 300 participants joined the launch of ‘Connect to Grow’ by MPS. .................................................................................................................... 23 Packaging expert Libako opts for Gallus ECS 340 ............................................................................................................................................................ 24

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

Eﬀect of Anilox Profiles on Flexo Print Quality.................................................................................................................................................................... 26 EPL appoints Anand Kripalu as its new MD and Global CEO......................................................................................................................................... 27 iMS builds global business with agile solution from HYBRID Software..................................................................................................................... 28 VINSAK launches the E-Diﬀsystem for narrow web presses .......................................................................................................................................... 29 Codimag and Edale create Web Tech Alliance .................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Avery Dennison names Pankaj Bhardwaj VP Marketing ................................................................................................................................................. 31 DuPont Cyrel Solutions and Comexi cooperate to enable Flexo turnkey operations at converters ............................................................... 31 HP-ETIKETT expands self-adhesive labels production with Gallus quality .............................................................................................................. 32 Now integrated in-line printing into V-Shapes ALPHA ................................................................................................................................................... 33 Iannone speaks to OMET TV: Digitalization and hybrid solutions for the printing market ............................................................................... 34

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

Iwasaki launches Intermittent oﬀset label press TR3 ....................................................................................................................................................... 35 Labelexpo India 2021 cancelled, new dates announced ................................................................................................................................................ 35 Water-based Flexographic Printing steps up to the Sustainability Challenge ........................................................................................................ 36

Production Thomas K Alex

Xeikon at China Print 2021......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 How Direct to Garment Printing trends are shaping Retailers’ instore experience ............................................................................................... 38 Soft Signage with Agfa’s new Avinci CX3200 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 39 PRESSIdeas June 2021 Vol. 21, Issue 06 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.

June 2021

Subscription details/form on Page 04

FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK Dear Readers, In the daily routine business of label printing, unforeseen circumstances frequently disrupt the planned process steps. Often deadline variations or short-term changes mess-up the order sequence or delay the process. A perfectly designed process should be able to adapt quickly to new demands and the prerequisites for such flexibility are created in process management. Flexible press systems offer the most costeffective production method when total cost of print is considered. To know more, read “To a stable process (flow) in day-to-day business with process management” by Dieter Finna in the inside pages. New Heidelberg Speedmaster CX 104 underlines versatility leadership in sheetfed offset technology. The 104 sheet format press offers commercial, packaging, and label printing customers access to cuttingedge sheetfed offset technology from Heidelberg with an outstanding price-performance ratio. Iwasaki has launched Intermittent offset label press TR3. New improved features include more automation, bigger print area and a smaller foot-print to produce short run labels more efficiently. Newly introduced are Pro Print Cartridge Gold & Silver for RICOH Pro C7200X series. Adding Gold and Silver to the Special Colours of the RICOH Pro C7200X series, RICOH has strengthened features that enable expression of various metallic colours. The series has also bagged Buyers Lab 2021 PRO Award. VINSAK has launched E-Diffsystem for narrow web presses. Making Rotary Die cutting easy, the TECNOCUT powered E-Diffsystem is a highly efficient solution in controlling the die cutting process in web-fed label production presses. In a megadeal, leading European publishing printer Wilco has invested in eleven high-tech Speedmaster XL 106 presses. Kolkata based Libako Packaging has boosted its production efficiencies after installing Gallus ECS 340. Creative design, prepress and artwork production agency iMSGlobal has chosen CLOUDFLOW from HYBRID Software to ensure full production workflow flexibility across its multi-site operation. Monotech Systems has installed a Cron CtP at Gyan Digital Graphics.

In our newly introduced ‘Students’ Corner’, we have this time two young students writing technical articles under the able guidance of their respective mentors from their institute. One is ‘Developing Paper Window Packaging by using PP Film’ by Sanskar Bandal (under the guidance of Prof. Swati V Nahar – Assistant Professor) and another one, ‘Effect of Anilox Profiles on Flexo Print Quality’ by Shyam Laturiya (under the guidance of Dr. Akshay V. Joshi - Printing Engineering Department) - PVG COET, Pune. ‘Water-based Flexographic Printing steps up to the Sustainability Challenge’ is written by Takumi Saito, Printing Solutions Project, Asahi Kasei Corporation. Recent online events included MMS welcoming PPOA and KMPA on board WPH through two separate events. Key Committee members of the associations met over a walkthrough webinar on the World Print Hub (WPH) portal on 20th June and 22th June 21. Labelexpo India 2021 has been cancelled with new dates having been announced for 2022. The South Asia’s leading labels and package print exhibition will now take place on 9-12 November 2022. Other key industry events include Fujifilm India and Insight Print Communications coming together for a strategic partnership to innovate and expand solutions for the Graphic Arts portfolio. Over 300 participants joined the launch of ‘Connect to Grow’ by MPS. Avery Dennison has named Pankaj Bhardwaj as VP Marketing, Label and Packaging Materials business, Asia Pacific. Oxford University Press has decided to permanently close its printing unit Oxuniprint on 27 August 2021. Find all this along with other current news from around the world of printing, packaging, signage, newspaper and related segments in this issue of PRESSIdeas.

- Jasvinder Singh, Sub-editor

Subscription Form

1 Year (12 issues)

Rs. 750.00

2 Years (24 issues)

Rs. 1250.00

5 Years (60 issues)

Rs. 3250.00

(For outstation cheques add Rs. 40/- extra)

1/2/5yrs. I am enclosing cheque/draft of

June 2021

Connect with us

jacobpressideas

only.pressideas

jacob.pressideas

www.pressideas.com

+JacobGeorge-pressideas

jacobgeorge1/

New Speedmaster CX 104: Underlines versatility leadership in sheetfed offset technology The new 104 sheet format press offers commercial, packaging, and label printing customers access to cutting-edge sheetfed offset technology from Heidelberg with an outstanding price-performance ratio. Heidelberg presented today its new Speedmaster CX 104 live at the opening day of this year’s largest customer event, China Print which will take place through 27th June in Beijing. The latest world premiere by Heidelberg was also presented online at IT’S SHOWTIME! digital customer event simultaneously.

“We’ve developed the press for a broad crosssection of customers and a wide range of applications to target the vast market potential. With our new universal press in the 70 x 100 format, Heidelberg is making state-of-theart sheetfed offset technology available to a large number of print shops worldwide.” – Rainer Hundsdörfer

Just one year after unveiling the drupa 2020 generation of presses, the company is showcasing the next product innovation in its core business of sheetfed offset printing, thereby emphasizing its innovative strength and technology leadership in a challenging market environment. With the new Speedmaster CX 104, Heidelberg is looking to further build on its strong position in the expanding packaging segment and meet the growing demand for flexible printing systems with a variety of automation solutions and variants in the commercial sector. The new 104 sheet format press offers commercial, packaging, and label printing customers access to cutting-edge sheetfed offset technology from Heidelberg with an outstanding price-performance ratio. When selecting equipment variants, these customers benefit from the system’s free scalability – which extends all the way through to Push to Stop functionality – and also from tailored configurations with as many as 15 printing/coating units. “Heidelberg is investing in the industry’s future. With

the new, intelligent Speedmaster CX 104, we’re making our customers and Heidelberg itself far more competitive,” says CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer. “We’ve developed the press for a broad cross-section of customers and a wide range of applications to target the vast market potential. With our new universal press in the 70 x 100 format, Heidelberg is making state-of-the-art sheetfed offset technology available to a large number of print shops worldwide,” he adds.

Unique operating philosophy with intelligent assistance systems as standard The Speedmaster CX 104 boasts a new, ergonomic design with excellent accessibility and offers a completely new operating philosophy (Heidelberg UX), together with a whole host of assistance systems included as standard. This provides the best possible support for operators at the Prinect Press Center XL 3 control station and at the press itself. To ensure makeready times are always kept short, the patented Intellistart 3 system automatically determines the makeready processes required for the jobs to be produced. This involves continuously monitoring the press status and comparing it with the upcoming jobs. Intellistart 3 initiates the makeready process and carries it out automatically. Intelliguide and the Intelliline colour-controlled LED elements on the printing and coating units tell operators the press operating status at any given time and indicate any manual intervention that is required. The newly

Key Notes : > Customers benefit from the system’s free scalability – which extends all the way through to Push to Stop functionality. > Tailored configurations with as many as 15 printing/coating units. > New coating unit, based on XL technology, places the focus on simplified operation; inking/dampening unit geared to optimum quality & productivity.

June 2021

The Speedmaster CX 104 is the new universal press from Heidelberg for virtually all commercial and packaging printing requirements.

developed Intellirun software takes operator navigation beyond the makeready process, providing a preview of several planned jobs. This gives operators information prioritized according to the situation, which helps them prevent unnecessary downtimes by taking prompt action. There are also a number of assistance systems based on artificial intelligence, such as Wash Assistant and Color Assistant Pro. These systems enable user-friendly, intuitive end-to-end operation, ensure stable processes that can be controlled precisely, and boost performance thanks to minimal makeready times, less waste, and lower energy consumption. Various Prinect colour measurement systems also provide optimum, reproducible colour stability with minimal waste. All in all, this means Heidelberg offers an integrated solution portfolio for the globally increasing level of industrialization at small and medium-sized print shop businesses.

New coating unit for efficient and flexible top-quality surface finishing One highlight of the Speedmaster CX 104 is its new coating unit. It is based on XL technology, which places the focus on simplified operation, faster makeready, and a further improvement in coating quality.

One highlight is the new coating unit for efficient and flexible top-quality surface finishing with a concept based on XL technology from Heidelberg.

Accessibility is optimized thanks to the arrangement of key elements. A 30 percent lower roller weight of the anilox roller makes the changeover process more ergonomic and far faster. A time saving of up to 75 percent based on one-person operation has already been confirmed under reallife conditions by pilot customers. The new coating blanket cylinder will make changing coating forms easier and up to 25 percent faster. A combination clamping system for coating blankets and coating

plates maximizes the number of possible applications. The pairing of a new, compact bearing unit and a new chambered blade concept ensures homogeneous application of coatings, even at the highest speeds. The Speedmaster CX 104 is the first press to use as standard the new “pulse laser process” (PLP) screen rollers manufactured by Heidelberg. This patented process with targeted laser pulses enables particularly gentle engraving, which results in homogeneous coating surfaces and

The new Speedmaster CX 104 benefits from free scalability and makes it easier for customers to access cutting-edge technology from Heidelberg, extending all the way through to Push to Stop functionality.

pressideas/ commercial printing

With the new Speedmaster CX 104, Heidelberg underscores its innovative strength and technological leadership.

thus uniformly high gloss levels. These advantages come into their own with UV coatings and when using a helical engraved anilox roller with the new pressurized chamber blade system. Consistent pressure in the chamber suppresses foaming by preventing air pockets in the coating. Even at maximum printing speeds, excellent gloss results and effects can be achieved under stable production conditions. All functions can be operated intuitively on the coating unit itself, and many functions can also be controlled efficiently and adjusted remotely from Press Center XL 3.

Innovations in inking/dampening unit increase versatility The inking/dampening unit on the new Speedmaster CX 104 is geared to optimum quality and productivity. Additional functions are also available for customers that are looking to further boost the performance of the inking/dampening unit, especially in UV printing. For example, integrated ink mist extraction cuts pressroom emissions, in particular at high printing speeds. An automatic ink agitator ensures high printing quality by keeping the viscosity of the UV ink constant. An additional washup solution supply is optionally available for mixed operation with conventional and UV inks.

June 2021

Switching between UV and conventional operation means the correct washup solution is used fully automatically and this makes the washup process far faster. The Auto Protect option protects the rollers in the inking units without a colour assignment by applying Saphira Roller Protection Liquid. Intellistart 3 controls this process automatically based on the job data and printing unit assignment, which means no manual intervention is required. This also applies to deep cleaning – another extra – which is automatically suggested when switching from dark to light colours so that the operator can complete other tasks in parallel, saving around five minutes per printing unit. “Series production of the Speedmaster CX 104 has already started and anyone anywhere in the world who is interested in ordering the new press can do so,” says Florian Franken, the Heidelberg product manager responsible for the Speedmaster CX 104. “A number of European pilot customers in the various market segments are already working successfully with our new solution and are reporting productivity gains of up to 20 percent, which exceeds even our own expectations,” he adds.

New Speedmaster CX 92 combines flexibility, productivity, and cost-efficiency for signature production To coincide with the market launch of the Speedmaster CX 104, Heidelberg is also unveiling the new Speedmaster CX 92. Like the Speedmaster CX 104, it benefits from a new, ergonomic design, the newly designed coating unit, and the innovations in the inking/dampening unit. This model, too, comes with the new Press Center generation and Intellistart 3 as standard, with even the basic version offering a high level of flexibility and productivity. With the launch of Prinect Inpress Control 3 and Intelliline for the Speedmaster CX 92 autonomous printing based on the Push to Stop philosophy is now possible for the first time – a step forward compared with the previous model. In addition to the costefficiency achieved by using 20 percent less printing plate material, process efficiency is also improved thanks to faster makeready and a reduction in waste. That makes the Speedmaster CX 92 the ideal press to meet the challenges associated with shorter runs on the commercial market.

pressideas/ commercial printing

Heidelberg optimizes customer approach in the United Kingdom - to further strengthen its liquidity position for future investments. The sales and service organization of Heidelberg in the UK is optimizing its customer approach in this important print market. In February this year, the company established its new logistics center in Leighton Buzzard, from where customers can be supplied with spare parts and consumables more quickly and flexibly. Now the company is also planning to relocate its customer headquarters in West London to make it more convenient and efficient for the customers to reach Heidelberg’s sales and service headquarter, back-office functions and also the showroom in the future. The move is scheduled to take place before the end of the 2021 calendar year.

– located between London City and Heathrow Airport. “In addition, the disposal of the vacated property in Brentford is an important step in the ongoing adjustment of our structures. By using space more efficiently, we will save considerable costs at Heidelberg in the future. We will use the funds thus freed up to

strengthen our liquidity and continue to drive forward strategic investments for the future on the path of our digital transformation.” Heidelberg has around 160 employees serving around 1,400 customers in the UK and Ireland. The market is one of Heidelberg’s top 10 markets.

“The relocation of the sales and service headquarters and the warehouse will enable us to serve our customers in the UK even more efficiently in the future,” said Rainer Hundsdörfer, Heidelberg’s CEO. Heidelberg has sold its property in Brentford

MMS welcomes PPOA on board WPH MMS & PPOA key Committee members met over a walkthrough webinar on the World Print Hub (WPH) portal on Sunday, 20th June 21. President – PPOA, Mr. Raveendra Joshi informed that the WPH portal is of great importance that provides a learning platform with all the major verticals covered and every Printer should register and join in. Hon. General Secretary – PPOA, Mr. Tirthraj Joshi congratulated MMS on the quick growth in members on WPH since the last five months. He emphasized that coming together and collaboration of various associations was a positive indicator. He requested all PPOA members to join hands and give full support to MMS in taking this forward. Hon. Secretary, Education Committee – PPOA, Mr. Vinay Kalaskar thanked Team MMS for this opportunity. Mr. Jeevan Bhingarkar’s presentation gave an in-depth explanation of the value adds available on the WPH platform for printers. President – MMS, Mr. Prakash Canser urged the members to form group for personal

meetings among Committee members. He told that DPA, KMPA, PPOA and many other associations were coming together for the betterment of the print fraternity. Imm. Past President - MMS, Mr Tushar Prakash Canser, President, Raveendra Joshi , President Poona Press Owners Association Mumbai Mudrak Sangh Dhote, informed that the portal would help reach the smallest printer from Mrs. Medha Virkar suggested that the WPH a remote area who can interact with their presentation should reach out to all the Advisory panel for a quick resolution. The members of PPOA. Co-Chairman – WPH, current times are to collaborate through Mr. Rahul Kulkarni, thanking Team PPOA for networking with printers across different cities participating at the webinar told that the main to ensure that the customers’ order gets object was to add value for every printer to delivered. benefit.

June 2021

Leading European printer places mega order for Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 Megadeal for Heidelberg – leading European publishing printer Wilco invests in eleven high-tech Speedmaster XL 106 presses.

Wilco decides to replace the majority of its printing presses with a total of eleven 2020-generation Speedmaster XL 106 presses from Heidelberg as part of its site consolidation plans and the associated construction work for a new production center in Amersfoort.

Heidelberg is experiencing steady investment growth in key market segments and regions. The company recently achieved a major sales success in the publishing sector, which constitutes one of the largest cultural industries in Europe with an estimated total market value of 36-38 billion euros. With over 500,000 works published each year, Europe’s book industry is also exceptionally diverse and has performed amazingly well in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. This positive trend is bringing about a more favorable investment climate in publishing print shops. It was against this backdrop that one of Europe’s leading publishing and book printer Wilco located in the Netherlands decided to replace the majority of its printing presses with a total of eleven 2020-generation Speedmaster XL 106 presses from Heidelberg as part of its site consolidation plans and the associated construction work for a new production center in Amersfoort. These offset printing systems featuring the enhanced Push to Stop technology have various configurations, including four models just for the Speedmaster XL 106 8P, some with LED UV technology.

Total of 61 latest-generation printing units featuring Push to Stop technology Just last year, Heidelberg installed 18 new XL 106 printing units at the Wilco site in Amersfoort. After ordering another eight Speedmaster XL 106 presses with a total of 43 more printing units, Wilco has now become one of the biggest users of the

latest Speedmaster XL 106 generation. Wilco has concluded an additional Print Site Contract for the continuous supply of consumables, which ensures materials required for smooth operation, including ink, are delivered as and when required based on actual consumption. “If, like us at Wilco, a company wants to be able to supply a whole range of products – from books, annual reports, and magazines all the way to direct marketing materials and flyers – in the shortest possible time, in the best quality, and on a sustainably competitive basis, it needs a motivated team, maximum efficiency, and state-of-the-art technologies,” says Robert Jan de Rooij, founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Wilco. “When it comes to cutting-edge technology, the portfolio and services offered by Heidelberg completely won us over. We see our investment decision as a groundbreaking move for boosting productivity and tightening our focus on the customer.”

Allaoui Graphic Machinery as a strategic Partner for Heidelberg Construction work in Amersfoort is due to be completed this September, by which point all the presses will have been installed at the new Wilco site. Wilco is thus replacing eleven existing presses – all of which have been bought by the Aachen-based family-run company Allaoui Graphic Machinery GmbH (AGM). Owing to its data-based market intelligence

Key Notes : > Total of 61 latestgeneration printing units for greater productivity with Push-to-Stop technology. > Print Site Contract for consumables supply. > Allaoui Graphic Machinery taking all previous presses.

June 2021

(from L to R): Erik Lukassen (Finance Manager at Wilco), Rene Reinsma (Account Manager at Heidelberg BeNeLux), Frank van Zijl (CEO of Wilco), Dr. David Schmedding (Head of the Central Europe Cluster at Heidelberg), Robert Jan de Rooij (Chief Commercial Officer at Wilco), and Ammar Allaoui (MD of Allaoui Graphic Machinery GmbH).

pressideas/ commercial printing

and innovative machine-matching expertise, AGM is a strategic and reliable partner for Heidelberg and its approach goes hand in hand with the data-driven, customer-focused sales approaches at Heidelberg. “We are seeing investments steadily rise in

markets and regions that are important for us. The Smart Print Shop of the future offers our customers the opportunity to reposition themselves and invest, even in challenging times,” says Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer. “This deal is one of the biggest combined equipment sales in our company’s

history. Our sales and service organization and our product management team have worked closely and very professionally with Allaoui Graphic Machinery GmbH on this project.”

Bronze for Komori Corporation 2021 Calendar Komori Corporation received bronze in the calendars category of the 2021 Japan BtoB Advertising Awards, sponsored by the BtoB Advertising Association Japan. The Japan BtoB Advertising Awards (which includes 13 categories) is the only BtoB advertising competition in Japan, and has been held by the BtoB Advertising Association Japan since 1980.This year’s win was in the calendars category. As a manufacturer of printing presses, paper-based media such as the Komori Corporation 2021 Calendar plays an important role in the company’s branding. The calendar received positive praise as a marketing communication tool. Together with Toppan Printing CO., LTD.

responsible for production of the calendar, Komori aims for increasingly sophisticated planning and creation, and as advertising

media for use in its communication with customers, values the prize as recognition of its total printing technologies.

MMS welcomes KMPA on board WPH MMS & KMPA key Committee members met over a walkthrough webinar on the World Print Hub (WPH) portal on 22th June 21. Mr. D Manmohan Shenoy, President, KMPA received a warm welcome by Team MMS to the walkthrough webinar that took place at the WPH portal. Mr. G Venugopal, Committee Chairman - Marketing & Future Technology, KMPA congratulated the entire Team MMS for the positive initiative of coming out with the World Print Hub. Mr. Jeevan Bhingarkar informed Mr. Venugopal that the portal

was indeed useful to reverse the death of the print industry. We can create a special corner where all members can watch out for problems & solutions, like the one personally faced by Mr. Venugopal where a bulk order of cartons was exposed to light and the issue was resolved with advice from an expert at Seigwerk.

Mr. Tushar Dhote addressed another personal issue of PUR binding expiry date and informed that through Learning Management System we will have small modules such as color separation, PUR binding where experts will train members in order to resolve the same. An invitation will be sent to members to attend a walkthrough webinar to learn about the various services offered and join the portal to their advantage including the Marketplace and Job Board facilities that are currently being tapped by the registered members on the portal. Imm. Past President - MMS, Mr Tushar Dhote informed, “The portal needs regular upgrades however we are offering the membership complimentary until March 2022.”

June 2021

Students' Corner

Developing Paper Window Packaging by using PP Film A look at how Paper Window Packaging by using Polypropylene has become an integral part of today’s life. Packaging plays an essential role in protecting and containing the products we buy until they reach our homes. Packaging protects the products it contains. In addition, it stops the products as well as the materials, energy and water etc. used to make them from going to waste. Paper packaging is a packaging product made of paper material, which is quite popular on the market today. Paper Window Packaging by using Polypropylene has become an integral part of today’s life owing to its ease of transportation, storage and display, and is therefore being preferred more by consumers than boxes and bags.

Key Notes : > Paper Window Packaging using Polypropylene. > A transparent window sends across the message – ‘you are sure of the quality of your product’. > It makes consumers confident of the product, and makes them more likely to pay for it.

June 2021

Window packaging is primarily designed in such a way that it enables clear visibility of the product inside the packaging and hence can better draw customers’ attention towards shop shelves. Window packaging allows products to be easily identified by the consumers and store personnel responsible for shelf replenishment. A transparent window sends across the message – ‘you are sure of the quality of your product’. It makes consumers confident of the product, and makes them more likely to pay for it. Moreover, the transparent window packaging is made of recyclable material so it has wide growth prospects in the food packaging. As the contents are visible, window packaging maintains product integrity by eliminating the need for packs to be opened by consumers in a store. Window Box Packaging not only gets customers’ attention but is also a suitable display projection. Window Box Packaging displays the exact contents of the box. When a customer is able to see the product inside a box from outside, he is more likely to pick up the product and move towards making a buying decision. He is driven by the sense of sight along with the sense of touch to have a positive idea about the

product. By having a view of the contents inside a box, the customer can ideally observe the product. In addition, custom box packaging is an excellent way to distinguish a product from other competitors in the same market. To ensure the comprehensive visibility of the product, Window Box Packaging plays an important role and indeed provides a perfect dress to the product. Mostly packaging companies create a sense of luxury through custom box packaging and achieve their objectives and goals of product preferment. Window Boxes are the best idea to showcase the product in an associated style where it also provides a supreme exhibition. Some products in the market require a direct contact with the targeted audience in order to popularize and raise their demand and sales. Opting for a packaging with window allows packaging designers and product managers for numerous creative options to enhance the product visibility and trigger customer’s curiosity. But choosing the right film is essential to achieve the best possible outcome. There are some factors which should be considered during manufacturing of Window, like window size, stiffness and strength, heat, moisture and freezing. Why we should go with window packaging: • One of the best displaying packaging options • Seeks consumer attention & reinforces brand • Clear see through from the pouch into the product • Increases turnover by reaching potential customers • Best suited for Snacks, Namkeen, Dry fruits etc. Polypropylene (PP) used in packaging is a thermoplastic “addition polymer” made from the combination of propylene monomers. It is used in a variety of applications to include packaging for consumer products. Polypropylene is a low-cost thermoplastic of high clarity, high gloss and good tensile strength.

pressideas/ students’ corner

There are two types of PP – BOPP and CPP. Biaxially oriented (BOPP) film has a high clarity since layering of the crystalline structures reduces the variations in refractive index across the thickness of the film. BOPP film has a tensile strength in each direction roughly equal to four times that of CPP film. CPP has been steadily gaining ground as an excellent choice in many traditional flexible packaging as well as non-packaging applications. The film properties can be customized to meet specific packaging, performance, and processing requirements. In general, CPP has higher tear and impact resistance, better cold temperature performance and heat-sealing properties than BOPP. We have such huge application of CPP film in our daily life. Polypropylene (PP) film is a standard plastic material frequently used for producing packs. The material is characterised by its good barrier properties, heat and chemical resistance, stability, fatigue resistance

toughness and transmissivity.

Polypropylene is fully recyclable Due to the low odour, high chemical resistance and inertness, many PP grades are suitable for packaging applications under FDA regulations. Polymeric packaging fulfils the diverse role from protecting products, preventing spoilage, contamination, extending shelf life and ensuring safe storage thereby helping to make them readily available to consumers in our day to day life. Polypropylene and the associated copolymers can be processed into all the main forms of Packaging: cast and oriented films, pots, tubs, bottles and containers. In addition, polypropylene plastics are extensively used for bottle and container closures and labels. Multilayer structures and coated films with barrier resins ensure that the quality and safety of the packaged foodstuffs are maintained effectively. PP films are well suited for a broad range of industrial,

consumer and automotive applications. PP is fully recyclable and can be easily reprocessed into many other products for many different applications. According to the results of performed works in the field of packaging, it is proved that a polymeric cover usually made of polypropylene with thickness <100 μm is the most suitable one for foodstuffs packaging. Polypropylene has been determined to be a safe food-contact plastics material and, with its versatile properties. Polypropylene film is used for many common packaging applications such as cigarette, candy, snack and food wraps. It also can be used for shrink wrap, tape liners, diapers and sterile wrap used in medical applications.

- Written By Sanskar Bandal, Student PVG COET (under the guidance of Prof. Swati V Nahar – Assistant Professor PVG COET, Pune)

Oxuniprint Ltd closing permanently ! Oxford University Press has decided to permanently close its printing unit Oxuniprint on 27 August 2021. has said that it would find alternative roles for them, it seems a mute point considering their high level of skill sets and therefore meek possibilities of their placement elsewhere in the press.

Oxford University Press (OUP) is closing its printing arm Oxuniprint Ltd. on 27 August 2021. “It is with sincere regret that we write to inform you that subject to consultation with affected employees it is intended that Oxuniprint Ltd will be closing permanently on 27 August 2021,” the press announced in a statement about the closure of its subsidiary recently. Oxuniprint Ltd has been a leading Lithographic and Digital B2 printer providing quality print services to both local and national customers for many years. “We are extremely proud of all that we have accomplished and could not be more thankful to you, our valued customers, for the support which we have received,” the note further said. The closure will result in loss of at least 20 jobs. Though the press

Oxuniprint offered both lithographic and digital printing services for the OUP as well as commercial customers in the region. “From this point up until the date of closure we will no longer be accepting orders to our workbook. Post closure, and subject to consultation with affected employees, during September and October a small team will be working on the reconciliation and settlement of our customer accounts. On behalf of the Oxuniprint team, we would like to thank you for your support over the years and wish your organisation every success for the future,” says the press. Distraught by the decision, the union Unite blamed the OUP for increasing use of outsourcing abroad and also its failure to take up the government’s furlough scheme. Apparently, OUP has been largely outsourcing its warehouse

storage and distribution since 2019. Also its present typesetting work is primarily being done by external suppliers in India and the Philippines. The press had recently announced the closure of its warehouse in Cary in North Carolina. The decision was believed to be made to outsource the work to some external supplier. It will be the first time in its history that none of the output of OUP will be printed in Oxford. The university’s right to print, which was first recognized in 1586, has since been renowned as a rich heritage in the history of printing quality products. The centuries-old printing history of Oxford University Press will end this summer due to a continued decline in sales exacerbated by factors relating to the pandemic. Printing in Oxford started with the printing of first book in 1478. There was no formal university press in the city over the next century, till the university’s right to print books was recognised in 1586 and later enhanced in the Great Charter secured by Archbishop Laud from Charles I, entitling it to print “all manner of books”.

June 2021

First textbook printing plant in Ethiopia with manroland Goss web offset presses The ambitious project aims to utilize the country’s own resources to meet the high demand for textbooks for a steadily growing number of young people.

The ambitious project aims to utilize the country’s own resources to meet the high demand for textbooks for a steadily growing number of young people. TBO Printing and Publishing S.C (TBO) in Addis Ababa celebrated the successful installation of the two manroland Goss CROMOMAN presses on May 31, 2021. The start-up of the fully installed ROTOMAN will follow shortly. The establishment of the first textbook production facility for East Africa is a very ambitious project for the country, wanting to utilize its own resources to meet the high demand for textbooks for a steadily growing number of young people. The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Abiy Ahmed, is also expected to attend the opening ceremony. TBO Printing and Publishing S.C was established with the aim of bringing textbook production to Ethiopia and the Oromia region. Currently, Ethiopian textbooks are imported from abroad. In the future, the state-supported project is intended to meet the high demand for textbooks for the most populated country in East Africa – with around 110 million people. Furthermore, print production on this large scale is capable of creating up to 400 jobs, which means which means prospects and an income for up to 400 families. The book production is supplemented by adhesive binders from Mueller Martini Buchbindesysteme GmbH in Rahden (formerly KOLBUS) and a CTP printing plate production system from AGFA. Both were sold with the three printing presses from VIP Systems GmbH. manroland Goss is implementing the project together with VIP Systems, its longtime sales partner from

June 2021

Stuttgart, along with the very cooperative local office in Addis Ababa, VIP Systems PLC. The line is supplemented by other presses from the sheetfed offset and postpress sectors, which were installed in the spring.

and ending with the completion of the GERD dam project for a stable energy supply – as well as the worldwide prevailing Corona situation, severely disrupted the project schedule and led to unavoidable installation interruptions.

Flagship project for East Africa with manroland Goss printing technology

Thanks to the willingness of the manroland Goss technicians to travel and the highly experienced manroland Goss team management on site, the printing plant in Gelan was able to start production in the spring. “Under these challenging circumstances, I am all the more pleased that we were able to successfully complete the start-up of the two CROMOMAN presses. The installation of the ROTOMAN is also finalized, therefore, the production can start on it shortly, too” says Dr. Ralf Schädlich, Project Manager at manroland Goss. “The team spirit of our internationally assembled installation team on site is also unbroken, so that we are achieving our go-live targets step by step.”

The three manroland Goss presses CROMOMAN (2x) and ROTOMAN (1x) are the first presses of this type to be installed and commissioned in East Africa. With this equipment, TBO has a great opportunity to become the beacon of textbook production in Africa. Today, in Ethiopia there are no comparable printing presses with such an outstanding print quality and high productivity. At least 5 million textbooks in various formats and signatures of 16, 24 or 32 pages could be printed monthly in a three-shift model. Ethiopia is a country with over 80 ethnic groups. In addition to the official languages English and Amharic, there are (among others) the main languages Oromifa, Tigrigna, Somali, Sidama, Welayeta and Hadiyisa all with corresponding textbooks. The Ethiopian school system covers grades 1 to 12 and, in addition to the various languages, also teaches civics and ethics, information and communication technology, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, geography, economics, general business and technical drawing. Therefore, the demand for textbooks for all these subjects is correspondingly high and amounts to around 70 million copies per year. A high percentage of these will be covered by TBO.

Lack of infrastructure and Corona pandemic complicate commissioning The challenges in implementing the very ambitious goals of the TBO company were significant from the very beginning: The parallel progress of infrastructure construction – starting with the road network

Training of future employees on site at the Bavarian Africa Office Since February 2021, the future employees of TBO have been preparing for their new tasks in cooperation with the Bavarian Africa Office in Addis Ababa. Experienced manroland Goss experts pass on their knowledge to the new printers and press operators during technical training courses on site and via online training courses. In addition, they will guide them during in the first textbook productions. Full production on the three presses is planned for the summer of this year, pending structural and political development permits.

pressideas/ newspaper

Indian Media Leaders eSUMMIT WAN-IFRA India’s virtual gathering of media leaders from 28 to 30 June 2021. • •

• India Media Leaders eSummit is an initiative from WAN-IFRA which will bring together CEO’s, managing directors, editors, publishers, business heads and other leaders from across print and digital function to discuss where the news media business is heading to, what are the challenges of journalism and of monetisation in the new order. Best practices from leading newsrooms, technologies that will transform the media landscape, innovations that drive our business, et al. will be discussed and debated. An event custom curated for the news media leaders of the future. Key topics include: • Managing business transformation • Sustainable business models and revenue ideas

Newsroom Leadership Diversity and inclusive growth Learning from innovators

The event will serve as an industry get-together with more than 300 senior publishing executives from over 25 countries – Publisher, Chairman, CEO, COO, CTO, Managing Director, President, Vice President, General Manager, Editor-in-Chief, HOD, Senior Manager, Manager, Bureau Chief, Managing Editor and Editor etc. participating.

industry. They will learn from case studies and best practices that are directly relevant to their own media operations.

Attendees will get insights from innovators who are transforming the global media

World’s Press condemns forced closure of Apple Daily WAN-IFRA and the World Editors Forum condemn the enforced closure of Apple Daily as a major blow to press freedom in Hong Kong. Following a second police raid on the newsroom in under a year, the coordinated arrests of editor-in-chief, Ryan Law, and four senior executives under the controversial national security law, and the subsequent freezing of the company’s assets on 17 June, Apple Daily was forced to take the extreme measure of ceasing operations due to the increasingly untenable situation. The culmination of a targeted campaign against the news organisation – that has seen the jailing of its owner, Jimmy Lai, the arrest of senior executives and editorial staff, newsroom raids, and a freeze of assets – brought the shutdown of the publication’s website, apps and social media accounts. The final edition of the newspaper hit newsstands with its final front page having the story of its own closure.

A daily with a usual print run of 80,000 was increased to a million copies in a final farewell to Hong Kong residents. The newspaper has been a consistent critic of the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities leading up to the crackdown including the arrest of its lead opinion writer, who published under the name ‘Li Ping’. He got arrested on suspicion of “conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security.” “The enforced closure of Apple Daily signals the intent of the Hong Kong authorities to stifle criticism at all costs,” said WAN-IFRA CEO, Vincent Peyrègne. “Targeting journalism under the pretext of national security means the future for media freedom in Hong Kong looks increasingly bleak.”

Hong Kong authorities deny their actions are undermining press freedom. “Given the wide interpretation and targeted use of current national security laws, this would likely signal yet another powerful tool in the legal arsenal of a government determined to clampdown on opposition voices and, despite their claims, press freedom in the territory,” said Peyrègne.

June 2021

digital printing

Fujifilm India strategic partnership with Insight Group - to innovate and expand graphic arts portfolio and business.

Imaging technologies expert Fujifilm India and Insight Print Communications (Insight Group) have come together for a strategic partnership to innovate and expand solutions for the Graphic Arts portfolio. In a world full of printing system suppliers, Fujifilm and Insight’s combination of expertise will create a unique synergy from the new alliance. Earning the trust of graphic professionals worldwide over time, Fujifilm has been providing reliable and convenient solutions. Insight with its 30 years of experience has been helping printers transform printing from merely utilitarian to inspiration. The company has successfully diversified into various verticals like Commercial, Publishing, Packaging, textiles & Signage printing. As a one window solution, Insight offers wide range of high quality products. Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Kentaro

June 2021

Imafuku, Head of Department, Graphic Arts, Fujifilm India stated, “We are delighted to partner with Insight which aims to deliver highest quality standards in customer understanding and service support and provide world-class product & solutions to the printing industry in India. At Fujifilm India, our greatest strength lies in providing a total worldwide service from system configuration to strategy planning and technical support. This strength drives our technical innovation, enabling us to contribute to the development of the Graphic Arts industry. With this announcement, we want to foster collaboration and create various futuristic platforms in the graphic arts segment beginning this financial year.” “At Insight, we promote many great solutions for the graphic arts industry in the Indian market. With Fujifilm’s diverse offerings – we enhance our range. With our India wide network, we are optimistic that this

collaboration will help us strengthen our commitment of transforming the printing segment in India. With our combined vision to understand the needs of our customers and provide appropriate solutions we believe this association will enhance the value we bring to the market,” added Mr. Ajay Aggarwal, MD and CEO of Insight. Fujifilm already has products for various segments of the printing industry successfully running across the world. Through this alliance, the brand aims to leverage Insight’s longstanding relationship with the Indian print industry that spans almost two generations of entrepreneurs. During this collaboration, choosing the right products considering market demand and customers’ expectations will be a key focus area for both. They plan to work together by launching digital solutions for key segments like Commercial, Publishing and Labels industry. As part of this partnership, Fujifilm aims to work with Insight on various futuristic platforms in the graphic arts segment beginning FY21-22. It further plans to expand this partnership in a phased manner.

pressideas/ digital

Pro Print Cartridge Gold & Silver for RICOH Pro C7200X series Adding Gold and Silver to the Special Colours of the RICOH Pro C7200X series, RICOH strengthens features to enable the expression of various metallic colours.

Ricoh Asia Pacific will launch “Pro Print Cartridge Gold C7200” and “Pro Print Cartridge Silver C7200” for the RICOH Pro C7200X Series colour production printers. Ricoh digital print production systems are being marketed and distributed in India by Monotech Systems. The Pro C7200X Series can use the 5th Colour Toner as Special Colour in addition to the conventional cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K), enabling high value-added special printing. The newly added Gold and Silver toners add a classy effect to print materials.

In addition, the use of cyan, magenta, yellow and black toners enables the expression of a variety of metallic colours and broadens the range of designs. The exciting additions significantly enhance digital print enhancement capability as brand owners increasingly look for differentiation and cutthrough in their printed communications. Developed for the 5th colour station on the RICOH Pro C7200X series digital colour sheetfed press, the toners deliver great visual impact for high value-added print. The additional colours transform a broad range of

applications from catalogues, posters, flyers, direct mail, and brochures to business cards, greetings and Christmas cards, tickets, invitations, certificates, and packaging. The two new toners are available on new and existing RICOH Pro C7200X series, enabling users to expand their capabilities, and with more options to meet the evolving client needs in the marketplace. The Gold and Silver toners will be available in Asia Pacific from July.

Buyers Lab 2021 PRO Award for Ricoh Pro C7200sx Series Ricoh Pro C7200sx Series’ performance consistency achieves BLI PRO recognition. The all-around production consistency of the colour sheetfed RICOH Pro C7200sx Series has been recognised with a Buyers Lab (BLI) 2021 PRO Award for Mid-Volume CMYK+ Production Device from Keypoint Intelligence. The independent seal of approval for document imaging hardware and software follows in depth testing against a comprehensive set of technical criteria. Ricoh digital print production systems are marketed and distributed in India by Monotech Systems Limited.

did it exhibit a front-to-back or page-topage registration shift of more than 0.4 mm, earning it our coveted 5 Star rating in this category.”

David Sweetnam, Director of EMEA/ Asia Research & Lab Services, Keypoint Intelligence (parent company of BLI), says: “We were especially impressed by its performance over our production length test suite, where, over a series of six challenging 1.5 hour workflows generating over 37,000 clicks, the device never suffered a colour drift across the 42 colours in the FOGRA39 media wedge of more than DeltaE00 3.8, neither

Ricky Tan, General Manager, Production Printing Business Group, Ricoh Asia Pacific, comments: “It is a great honour

“The RICOH Pro C7210sx/x is designed from the bottom up as a production workhorse,” adds Martin Soane, European Lab Manager, Keypoint Intelligence. “The device’s fifth imaging station allows printshops to go beyond CMYK, including fluorescents, white, clear, and invisible red.”

for another one of our solutions to achieve this industry recognition – particularly following such rigorous testing. It is also a testament to the commitment of our research and development, engineering, and manufacturing teams that the consistency of registration remained true throughout the thorough process.” Ajeet Pareek, Business Head-Digital Products and Solutions, Monotech Systems comments: “This recognition brings a great honour and credibility to the product and it will help us in positioning well in the competitive Indian printing industry.”

June 2021

pressideas/ digital

HP announce HP Amplify extension The HP Amplify retail program will cover total 1100 partners in India, from HP exclusive HP World stores, E-commerce, large format stores and multi-brand outlets. HP Inc. recently announced the extension of its global channel program HP Amplify to its ecosystem of over 1350 online pure players, omnichannel, and brick and mortar retail partners. HP will begin to transition retail partners to the HP Amplify program beginning August 2, 2021 and continue through the calendar year. The HP Amplify is built on a simplified and easy-to-navigate structure with two distinct retail tracks - Synergy and Power including Power CDR Retail targeted at retail sub-distributors. It turns data analytics into insights that spark new strategies, steer innovation and reward partners for performance, collaboration and capabilities. “For the IT industry overall, and the retail channel specifically, it is clear that business as usual is no longer an option. HP Amplify not only makes it easier for retail partners to do business with HP, it provides a clear path, built on a proven framework, to transform their business for today while enabling longterm sustained growth in the future,” said Christoph Schell, HP Inc. Chief Commercial Officer. “Together with our partner community we are reinventing how consumers experience our products and services, by investing in our shared capabilities while developing new areas of strength to remain competitive.” The HP Amplify retail program will cover total 1100 partners in India, from HP exclusive HP World stores, E-commerce, large format stores and multi-brand outlets. Customers in India have been leaning toward service- and consumption-based engagement models, and they will continue to do so. HP Amplify allows partners to provide greater value to consumers and, as a result, serve as longterm trusted advisors. “Spurred by rising demand for work, learn and entertain at home products accelerated by the pandemic, the retail industry has experienced an accelerated pace of change. The modern buyer is looking for streamlined, automated, and personalised experiences. To thrive in this changing environment, HP

is not only transforming the purchasing experience but also the way technology is impacting retail by using data and analytics to support our partners in the current era. The new partner program, built on a single, integrated structure provides the insights, capabilities and collaboration tools needed to drive digital transformation and growth as consumer buying behaviors continue to evolve,” said Gurpreet Brar, Head, Channel Sales & Distribution, HP India Market.

Rewriting the Rules of Retail Spurred by rising demand for work, learn and entertain at home products accelerated by the pandemic, the retail industry has experienced an accelerated pace of change. According to Gartner, capitalizing on the momentum of transformational experiences will be critical to building and maintaining the flexibility that is demanded of doing business today. For the foreseeable future, changes in consumer behavior will have a greater impact on value in retail than any other single factor. Trends such as hybrid work, the emergence of the prosumer and continued e-commerce growth are making collaborative partnerships in the retail industry more essential than ever. With the introduction of HP Amplify, HP is empowering retailers to capitalize on these shifts, arming partners to deliver superior

customer experiences and drive future growth. HP Amplify offers a common platform designed to enable progressive go-to-market strategies focused on three core pillars: performance, capabilities, and collaboration. The new program rewards partners for a variety of performance indicators; for new capabilities including consistent online and in-store experiences; and collaborate closely with them to optimize sales. The HP Amplify partner program also provides partners with an optional path to a more sustainable future. The HP Amplify Impact program helps to empower partners to set bold, long-term objectives to drive positive impact. HP has enrolled more than 1,000 partners worldwide in the HP Amplify Impact program. It aims to become the most sustainable and just technology company by 2030.

Monotech Systems installs Cron CtP at Gyan Digital The G series UVP CtP plate setter reduces the load on their existing CtP and Agra-based pre-press bureau Gyan Digital Graphic has added a brand-new G Series Cron UV CtP to its fleet. The CtP was supplied and installed by Monotech Systems Limited. Established in 2007, Gyan Digital came into the printing business from other business segment and started from scratch. They were one of the first few bureau houses that invested in the CtP machine at that point of time when most of the market was not aware of what this device is. They bought the first basysPrint CtP system which is still L->R: Gyanendra Kumar Gautam, Vikas Kumar Gautam)

June 2021

pressideas/ digital

Fujifilm enters Flexible Packaging market Launches New Digital Inkjet water based J Press FP790. Fujifilm has made its entry into the flexible packaging market with its new J Press FP790 digital inkjet water-based press.

Environmentally friendly print process Environmentally friendly water-based primers and water-based inkjet technologies by Fujifilm are the key highlights of the FP790. It meets all regulatory requirements for flexible packaging printing and laminating, slitting, and bag-making can be processed in the same way as existing analog printing so no additional capital investments are required.

High productivity for short, medium and strategic runs The maximum substrate width of FP790 is 31 inches (790mm) and the printing line speed is 164 feet per minute (50 meters), no matter the number of colours. Changeover of unique printing jobs and design adjustments can be implemented within a matter of minutes, contributing to the overall improvement of production efficiency by using the FP790 in combination with existing analog assets.

Wide colour gamut and high quality reproduction Using 1200 X 1200 DPI resolutions with CMYK coloured inks, the FP790 can achieve more than 90% of the PANTONE colour gamut, while also using two white inkjet

channels for delivering high white opacity. This wide colour gamut capability will allow converters to achieve special brand and spot colour matching with no need for additional special inks. “We have been able to provide to the commercial print markets the highest image reproduction quality and productivity that surpasses even the best offset printing presses, allowing the J Press brand to achieve high market share around the world,” said Matt Bennett, global vice president business strategy, packaging, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division. “To date, we have installed more than 200 J Press digital machines in the commercial and folding carton markets,

continuing our market leadership worldwide. We’re excited about the added capabilities and increased efficiencies the FP790 will bring to the flexible packaging industry.” On June 25, 2021, Fujifilm organized a webinar titled “The Future of Digital Labels and Flexible Packaging”, during which Sean Smyth of Smithers reviewed the latest market forecasts, developed as the basis for the most recent Future of Digital Packaging and Labels report. The FP790 will be available in the North America market mid-2022, with the product being launched on a global basis in phases after that.

Graphics impresses with quality and performance. in production and this started their growth pattern. The company acts as a onestop destination servicing more than 100 customers both from Agra and from other parts of Uttar Pradesh. Gyanendra Kumar Gautam, Founder and Vikas Gautam, Partner, Gyan Digital, said, “We installed the new machine in March intending to serve more customers as the demand for daily printing plates production had gone up. Since we have a huge customer base, our plate production is approximately 1,000 plates per day.”

Before the Cron was added, the company’s existing Basysprint CtP used to run for 24-hours. “The Cron has brought the load down. The quality and the performance of the Cron is very good and it justifies our investment,” he added. The G series UVP CtP plate setters provide the perfect answer to print flexibility. The next-generation laser platform combined with liquid-cooling technology ensures enhanced consistency, ease of use and serviceability. Together with patented plate handling technology, the G series models offer

maximum reliability with fast throughput. Gyanendra said, “The company has a strong transportation network and that’s the reason it can connect more customers in a wider geography. “It also boosts our confidence as the support from the Monotech Systems is strong. They are the reason we are in the printing business as our first machine, the basysPrint, was bought from them. It’s been almost 15 years since we are cherishing our business relationship,” he said.” A team of 28 people work in Gyan Digital’s facility spanning 750 square yards.

June 2021

To a stable process (flow) in day-to-day business with process management Flexible press systems offer the most cost-effective production method when total cost of print is considered.

In the daily routine business of label printing, unforeseen circumstances frequently disrupt the planned process steps. Often deadline variations or short-term changes mess-up the order sequence or delay the process. A perfectly designed process should be able to adapt quickly to new demands and the prerequisites for such flexibility are created in process management. One of the central tasks in process management is to analyse the causes of disruptive factors and to find solutions that keep the effects on the planned work procedures to a minimum. Thus the aim is to avoid or minimise time loss or additional effort.

Flexible press systems offer the most economically efficient option for routine daily business, even with their associated higher acquisition costs.

As well as analysing short-term disruptive factors, process management also pursues medium- to longer-term goals. This involves examining market trends and their impact on the product portfolio. To ensure that equipment can be used universally even when market trends change, great importance is attached to high flexibility of press systems in terms of their configurability and retrofitting. This flexibility, as we will see, spawns useful advantages for day-today business.

Process analysis reveals differences in efficiency Today’s narrow web presses offer great operational convenience due to their modular design and high degree of automation. However, a more detailed analysis of the time required for individual workflow steps reveals significant differences in the set-up and changeover times of the various press systems on offer. In routine business, this leads to significant differences in efficiency. These become particularly noticeable when external influencing factors come into play and not everything goes according to plan. Which is why larger label and packaging printers carefully examine the process times of individual workflow steps of the press systems they use and apply their findings to optimise the process sequences.

Practical reference values Performance data for current press systems in practical operation serve as reference values for the following examples. As basic equipment they have either UV offset or UV flexo printing units which may be supplemented by additional configurations with all other common printing processes. The options

Key Notes : > Often deadline variations or shortterm changes mess-up the order sequence or delay the process. > A perfectly designed process should be able to adapt quickly to new demands. > The prerequisites for such flexibility (quick adaptability) are created in process management.

June 2021

Narrow web press equipped with UV oﬀset printing units. It can be configured with additional printing units and finishing units as required.

pressideas/ plc

for expansion include rotary screen printing, partial solvent gravure printing, hot-foil embossing and cold-foil application, coating and lamination.

Procedures that process management examines to control external factors, among others: • • • • • • • • •

Process changeover times Set-up times for job changes Reproducibility of orders Web transport Web paths Substrate diversity Multi-Web Flying Inprint Digital Hybrid Solutions exchange of printing units can be carried out within a few minutes.

Entry into the process analysis If a company does not have any experience in process management, a pilot project is a good way to get started, in which processes with set-up times are in the foreground; for example the analysis of planned or last-minute order changes. Since their number varies from print shop to print shop, process management determines how often disruptive factors occur and how influential they are. It then identifies ways in which the disruptive factors can be eliminated. Here are a few examples:

Influence of process change times In the analysis, the structure of a label printing company shows an average of four job changes per shift where a process adjustment is necessary. The pre-determined changeover time for the exchange of a printing unit is 30 minutes. In concrete terms, this means that each unscheduled process change delays subsequent jobs accordingly and deadlines have to be rescheduled in some cases. If process management compares the process change times of equivalent press systems, it will show that a machine system with optimised web run requires only 5 minutes for a process change instead of 30 minutes.

If process changes become necessary at short notice in daily routine business, they have virtually no effect on scheduling and machine availability with this press system. The system is therefore much less susceptible to external influences and production is more cost-effective.

Influence of ink or coatings changes Ink and coatings changes are among the routine activities when changing over to a new job and occur relatively frequently in daily business. When changing from matt to gloss coating, for example, all parts of the inking unit such as the ink chamber, ink pump with hoses and ink reservoir must be replaced or cleaned. Alternatively, and relatively simply, the changeover time of the

press could be shortened by changing the entire printing unit. The prerequisite is that the press system allows this without the need to break the web. To do this, a printing unit is prepared with the new coating outside the running press and swapped in at the end of the job. This takes around 5 minutes, compared to around 15 minutes for cleaning the inking/coating unit during changeover. With the possibility of changing printing units without breaking the web, unscheduled ink/coating changes have hardly any impact on the scheduling of daily business. In addition, there is the possibility of producing “Flying Inprint”. As in the example above, this production method is based on

With an average of four process changes per shift, this leads to a time saving of 100 minutes, or allows 20 % more production time per shift. The difference results from the fact that with the second machine system, the web does not have to be separated during the process change. The flexographic printing unit prepared outside the press is positioned inside the press for coating application.

June 2021

pressideas/ plc

preparing a new printing unit while the press is running and then switching the printing units. This means that text or ink can be changed even at short notice avoiding press stoppages, without any changeover time, and with the lowest production costs.

Automation during job changeover Process management can also focus on qualitative goals, for example the reproducibility and thus the production reliability of repeat jobs. In many printing plants, around two-thirds of their work consists of jobs with minor changes or repeats. Such a structure is ideal for automated job changeover. The complete make-ready data for the press is retrieved from a job file and all the necessary parameters such as web leads, longitudinal and cross register, print parameters and the press’s die-cutting tool are set automatically. The machine systems also show significant differences in automatic job changes, which are reflected in the reproducibility of the print quality. Process management records how often deviations occur during automatic changeovers and how much time is needed for readjustment. Maximum reproducibility is achieved with press systems in which direct drive servo motors control the drive rollers. Printing units in which gear wheels or belts are used do not have this precision.

MultiWeb and product portfolio expansion When changing substrates, modern presses access a substrate database and adjust the web tension across the entire web path, dependent on the material. The quality of web transport falls within the interest of process management, both for material changes and for material diversity. It determines how flexibly a press system can process different substrates. Web tension control is particularly important for new trend multi-web applications. Two webs are printed inline and then spliced together. The substrate data of the two webs must be definable independently of each other so that the webs fit each other in-register. The multi-web label must not curl or loosen due to different elongation factors before or during application to the end product.

June 2021

Process management records how often deviations occur in the register during automatic changeover.

For multi-web or security applications, a punching option is often required in the print area. For this purpose, it must be possible to install punching and counter-punching cylinders in position with minimal mechanical effort. This is the only way to ensure costeffective production.

Market trends Highly opaque white, special varnish effects or print finishing options are an increasing requirement in all consumer markets. In order to be able to follow the trends, the press systems are being reviewed in process management for their expandability and flexibility. Screen printing units, which print very high film weights of ink and coatings, and also hot or cold foil application systems must be able to be integrated into a press with minimum effort and short web paths. Here, too, there are significant differences in the configurability of the systems, which determine the amount of waste during makeready.

equipment and degree of automation, they offer the necessary prerequisites to work efficiently even under disruptive factors in day-to-day business. Even an “unfavourable” order sequence or increased set-up times barely affect the efficiency of the production processes. Thus, flexible press systems offer the most economically efficient option for routine daily business, even with their associated higher acquisition costs. Process management proves this when comparing the costs of individual work steps and in a total cost comparison of press systems.

- -

Written by Dieter Finna (Image source, Gallus Ferd. Rüesch AG)

High degree of automation and maximum flexibility The examples listed above show how often disruptive factors influence day-today business and how great their impact is on planned processes. In the search for solutions in process management, the advantages of press systems that have the greatest possible flexibility emerge. With their With Flying Inprint, ink or text can be changed without stopping the machine.

pressideas/ plc

Over 300 participants joined the launch of ‘Connect to Grow’ by MPS. MPS reveals new vision and logo in virtual Grand Prix of Performance event.

Over 300 participants from more than 20 countries around the world attended the MPS Grand Prix of Performance, the first virtual event hosted by MPS held June 10, 2021. Revealed during the event was MPS’ new logo and brand promise: Connect to Grow. MPS shared their expertise in connectivity that uses unbiased data and in-depth advice to improve quality, performance, and total cost of ownership (TCO) of the printing press. “Our main objective of the Grand Prix of Performance event was to show label and packaging printers how to get their productivity higher, losses lower, and be far more flexible,” said Atze Bosma, CEO of MPS. “We also wanted to communicate how MPS is committed to continuous performance improvements so that we can help our customers stay ahead. I am extremely pleased to hear the positive feedback from participants after the event, confirming our objective was successfully met.”

Connect to Grow: New MPS logo and branding revealed With their new brand promise– Connect to Grow – MPS looks beyond the machine together through intensive cooperation with its customers to address all aspects involving the printing press, to help them achieve the best performance and maximum return from their MPS machine.

production plant running jobs provided by Dutch printing houses Eshuis, GTEtiketten & Labels and EDNN. Introduced was MPSConnect, to show how data from the entire production was collected and transformed into informative insights. Atze Bosma: “It was really important to us to show a real production environment, with real challenges. Not a perfectly prepared demonstration, but the real deal, where real mistakes are made by real people. We’ve honestly shown what needed improvement, by the fact-based data coming directly from the printing press.” Hans Poortinga, Global Manager Technology and Expertise Centres and Eric Hoendervangers, co-founder of MPS shared live updates of real production data with participants throughout the event. Shown was exactly what was happening with the printing press including speed, job changeover time, downtime, waste, total production, and more insights. All the data was displayed in meaningful significant figures from hours down to minutes. Poortinga said: “With total production of 36,054 meters, only 2,599 linear meters was total waste - around 7%, which is pretty low. But this 7% waste can be improved. With MPSConnect and the MPS performance team, we can lower the waste figure. It is an improvement process we offer.”

Expert talks and seminars Illustrated by the Grand Prix theme, a special guest was invited to give an expert talk. Jan Lammers, a former Formula 1 driver and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner spoke about the strength of winning teams, his international racing experiences and pit stop technology. “To achieve a common goal, you first have to connect within your own team”. To learn from other industries, MPS invited Koen Uyttenhove, Owner of ODYC Digital Innovation. Uyttenhove spoke about the successful use of IoT & data in the agricultural industry, and how connectivity is equally important for the printing industry. In two sessions with four seminars, participants got tips and tricks on performance improvement from the MPS experts. Frank ten Broeke explained how to treat a change-over like an F1 pit stop; Hans Poortinga showed the effects of running higher speeds without affecting print quality; Atze Bosma demonstrated how to calculate TCO of the printing press; and Leopold der Nederlanden explained how to measure and reduce waste with best practices. “All the tips and insights on performance improvement presented during the MPS Grand Prix event were shared to help printers increase their productivity. We really wanted to show the world how we are committed to Connect to Grow” Bosma concluded. “We thank everyone who attended and helped make this a successful virtual event for MPS.”

A new logo, brand identity, and a new ‘MPSConnect’ service that ties in with the Connect to Grow vision was revealed during the event. A new website is also in development with preliminary pages available to view at www.mps-printing.com.

8-hour Live Performance Challenge To practise what MPS’s preach in their new vision, the company turned their Technology & Expertise Center into a real 8-hour label From left, Armando Garosci, Director of Largo Consumomagazine and conductor of OMET TV, and Guido Iannone, President Sales M&A of All4Labels, during the first episode of OMET TV.

Packaging expert Libako opts for Gallus ECS 340 Kolkata based packaging specialist boosts production efficiencies with their new Gallus flexographic press. Libako Packaging, a print and packaging specialist, boosted its production efficiencies after installing Gallus ECS 340, a flexographic press with UV application, in-line foiling, lamination, and die-cutting. Balai Adhikary, Director at Libako Packaging, said, “We prefer to invest proven technology along with innovation, brand value, versatility. We examined all the presses and their configuration, where Gallus flexo press stood out as the leader for us. We were awestruck by the print quality, registration with minimal wastage, and the support from Heidelberg India’s service team. Adhikary also added that process flexibility and ease of use were among the other highlights of Gallus ECS 340 which helped to seal the decision.

The decision-making journey

The equipment automation in Gallus ECS 340 ensures highest level of OEE. Libako Packaging achieves high productivity due to reduce material waste and time loss in production, job changeovers etc. enabled by active support from the Heidelberg and Gallus team.

During drupa 2012 visit, Balai Adhikary had a keen interest in labels and convertible packaging solutions, then in 2016, team Libako Packaging had revisited drupa and found that there is immense potential with flexo printing and labelling. Finally, the company had decided on the flexographic press during the pandemic of 2020 and signed for the Gallus ECS 340, flexo press. The equipment was installed and inaugurated at the plant in the presence of family

members and well-wishers. “We are extremely happy with the full journey of Gallus ECS 340 discussion, along with service provided by Heidelberg India. Amid the pandemic and lockdown, they did a fantastic job of installing the new press in a record time of just six days upon receipt of the equipment at our site. The whole Gallus and Heidelberg team were extremely cooperative and supportive. We are impressed with the excellent print quality which was as per our expectations and it has set benchmark during ongoing print trials,” affirms Balai Adhikary. The Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) of the press is defined by various factors including available time, quality, machine production speed as it is the mantra towards the success of label converter. “The equipment automation in Gallus ECS 340 ensures highest level of OEE to us, the dedicated service and print application support from Heidelberg and Gallus team helped us to reduce material waste and time loss in production and job changeovers, resulting in high productivity. These are some of the driving factors to be with Heidelberg and Gallus family,” explained Adhikary.

Key Notes : > The new Gallus at Libako – flexo press with UV application. > Offer versatility of inline foiling, lamination and die-cutting. > Outstanding print quality, registration with minimal wastage and is backed by the support from Heidelberg India’s service team.

June 2021

Balai Adhikary, Director – Libako Packaging with the Gallus ECS 340 Flexo press

pressideas/ plc

Journey of Libako Packaging The name ‘Libako’ arrived from its three directors– ‘Li’ from In Tom Lim, ‘ba’ from Balai Adhikary & ‘Ko’ from ‘Khokon’ the nickname for Durga Das Ganguly. Libako Packaging was established in 1981 with a vision to provide quality print solutions. The company saw a great opportunity and potential in the print and packaging industry with printing labels for footwear and cotton garment manufacturers in Kolkata, by using screen-printing. Within few years, Libako Packaging diversified its portfolio to include offset, commercial printing, packaging, POS, wood, metal, and plastic fabrication.

Gallus ECS 340 Narendra Kulkarni, Regional Product Manager, Asia – Gallus and Sales Responsible for India, added, “We are truly happy to be part of Libako’s success story of Gallus ECS 340, and we welcome the whole Libako team at the Gallus family.” The Gallus ECS 340 press comes with a technical core granite base which eliminates the vibration during printing operation. The modular design and low carbon footprint ensure minimal space requirement. The shortest web path reduces the production waste. The quick process change over on the primary level of the press ensures maximum available time in production and OEE levels. The automation feature includes easy job setup, pre-register job data storage and recall, format length correction, easy and special design of chamber doctor blades and it’s change over. The large diameter of chill impression cylinder keeps the material physical properties constant through the print process, for accurate print reproduction even on repeat job orders. Integrated direct servo drive shaftless and gearless press ensures high substrate flexibility with Gallus ECS 340.

offline hot foiling, and flatbed die punching machine with a conveyor. We also have offline screen-printing machine and coaters,” added Adhikary. The company has one factory in Matheswartala road which is spread across 45,000 sq. ft dedicated to offset, digital, and large format printing, pre-press, and postpress along with other fabrication machinery, while the second newly constructed 9,000 sq. ft eco-space at Jalpath, Kolkata is a onestop solution provider for premium quality products output. Ankan Adhikary, the next-gen entrepreneur who joined his father’s business, is involved in day-to-day operations. He added, “We want to diversify into a complete packaging

Gallus ECS 340, Flexo Press at the Libako Packaging

solution provider with wide service offerings, we are more concerned over the environment, and hence, we have set up our new factory adhering to all eco-friendly norms at Jalpath. We want to grow as an environmentally responsible company with versatility, quality, and innovation.

Awards and accolades On the awards and accolades, Libako Packaging and The Ad-O-Graphy (sister concern of Libako) had achieved a perfect 100 on L’Oreal Paris’s social audit in 2018. Today, the company is in process of obtaining the SEDEX SMETA 6.1 (4 Pillar), GMP, and FSC certifications. Today, the company is associated with well-known FMCG, white goods, cosmetic brands, garment, and paint industry clients.

Process flexibility and modular structure are key drivers in today’s world, Gallus ECS 340 can be extended with add-on processes as required on any point of time. The Gallus 340 comes with specially designed light-weight aluminium printing cylinder sleeves which ensure high printing quality with consistent reproducibility and maximum ageing stability throughout their entire service life. “Along with the Gallus ECS 340, we have added a high-speed slitter and inspection,

June 2021

pressideas/ students’ corner

Effect of Anilox Profiles on Flexo Print Quality - Various attributes of Anilox Roller and the parts they play in printing with the Flexographic process. Flexography Printing is a roll-fed web printing process. The Anilox Roller is the heart of the Flexography printing press. An engraved metal or ceramic roller is used in Flexographic printing press to transfer ink from the fountain roller to the printing plate. A Flexographic Inking System is also known as Anilox System. The function of an Anilox Roller is to pick up ink from a fountain roller and deliver a predetermined, metered, uniform amount of ink to the rubber printing plate. The Anilox Roller is also known as a Metering Roller, a Knurled Roller or an Engraved Roller.

very similar to pyramid engraving and is more versatile with positive release characteristics. This engraving type commonly appears with a doctor blade system. The Hexagonal cells have superb release qualities and can be used in both chrome and ceramic engravings. Each cell is linked together to be a shallow channel.

Cell Volume Cell Volume is the capacity of the engraved surface in a square inch, expressed in Billions of Cubic Microns (BCM). It is the amount of ink held in each cell. Higher volume translates to higher solid ink density, more colour, or a heavier coating thickness (see Anilox Cell Volume Figure). Lower volumes apply thinner ink films directly associated with higher print quality and process efficiency. Anilox cell volume changes over time, due to wear, plugging and cleaning procedures. Dirty or plugged cells are temporary and can be corrected to restore cell volume and colour. Wear is irreversible and permanent, resulting in weaker or less colour due to lower volume.

Anilox Line Per Inch (LPI) Line count or a screen count refers to the number of cells per inch or centimetre as measured along the engraving angle (see Anilox Line Per Inch Figure). The lines per centimetre (lpcm) and lines per inch (lpi) refers to the number of cells per inch or cm. Line count is the number of cells per linear inch, at the angle of engraving, typically 30°, 45° or 60° about the axis of the Anilox Roll.

Anilox Cell Structures The Anilox Rollers are engraved with varying cell structures such as Trihelical, Pyramid, Quadrangular, Hexagonal or Hexagonal Channel Screen. A Trihelical screen is a line engraved at an angle of 45-degree. A Pyramid cell is virtually an inverted pyramid. They are mainly used in metered roll systems which do not require a doctor blade. The ink transfer is an important function in the printing process. Quadrangular engraving is

June 2021

Anilox Screen Angle Varying screen angles are used depending upon the transfer and application. The 60° hex pattern is recommended for most Flexography printing applications because the cells are fixed more tightly together, allowing approximately 15% more cells in each area. Cells can be shallower while still releasing the same amount of ink because more cells fit into a square inch area. Channeling is avoided (compared to the 30°) because the straight side of the cell wall is not positioned horizontally. Too finer anilox screen rulings result in cell clogging. As engraving line screen increases, the average cell depth to opening ratio also

increases. The line screen distribution of Anilox Rollers is engraved at angle of 60° for the level of clogging, so as the level of pollution increases, the average line screen also increases. The roughness of a printed ink film depends on the volume of ink carried by the Anilox Roller. The cell pitch of the Anilox Roller does not affect the printed ink roughness. If cell volume changes, the anilox engraving with the highest cell volume produces the highest optical density. The major defect of the Anilox Roller is the cell wear. The surface engraving cell of an Anilox Roller determines the ink film thickness. The depth and angle (volume) of each cell determine the amount of ink transfer, cell wear makes the walls lower, and the amount of ink carried by the worn spots will increase reducing the uniformity and quality of print. The spikes spread out with cell wear. Anilox volume and printing force have a dominant effect on the printed line width. The choice of the correct Anilox Roller is of central importance for an optimal printing result in Flexography Printing. Anilox rollers allow to print packaging-film materials even with water-based coloured inks, thereby fulfilling the current tendency to use environment-friendly packaging materials. The number, size, and geometry of the anilox cells vary and will determine the amount of ink that the anilox roll delivers to the plate to achieve a better quality of print.

Written by Shyam Laturiya (Student) – Under the guidance of Dr. Akshay V. Joshi - Printing Engineering Department - P. V. G’s College of Engineering and Technology & G. K. Pate (Wani) Institute of Management, Pune, India

pressideas/ plc

EPL appoints Anand Kripalu as its new MD and Global CEO Current MD and CEO, Sudhanshu Vats to stay with the company till August. Davinder Singh Brar, Chairman, EPL, said: “I am delighted to welcome Anand as CEO and Managing Director of the company. Anand has an exceptional track record, deep understanding of evolving consumer trends, and unique ability to shape culture and talent of global organizations. We believe that Anand is the ideal leader for EPL’s next phase of growth. I would also like to thank Sudhanshu for his enormous contribution during a challenging period in strengthening EPL’s market leadership and wish him all the best for the future.” EPL Ltd’s Board of Directors has appointed Anand Kripalu as the Managing Director and Global Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective August 18, 2021. Anand has over 30 years of experience in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry. Prior to joining EPL, Anand spent seven years as the MD & CEO of Diageo India. He was also a member of Diageo’s Global Executive Committee. Prior to joining Diageo, Anand spent almost eight years with Mondelez International (earlier, Cadbury) as the President of Indian & SE Asian business. Before that, Anand spent 22 years at Unilever in various general management and sales and marketing roles. Anand received his Bachelor of Technology in Electronics from IIT, Madras. He holds an MBA from IIM, Calcutta, where he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award. He has also completed the Advanced Management Program from Wharton Business School.

Amit Dixit, Head of Asia for Blackstone Private Equity and Director on EPL’s board, said: “We are privileged to have Anand join the Blackstone portfolio company family of industry-leading CEOs and Directors. Anand’s credibility with customers in the consumer industry, proven track record as CEO of a large cap publicly listed company, and experience of driving growth at scale will enable EPL to reach new heights. Importantly, Anand’s people-friendly leadership style and global outlook will energize the team at EPL across the ten countries we operate in. We are excited about this strong addition to the talented management team, which will enable EPL to build leadership bandwidth for its next phase of growth. A big thank you to Sudhanshu Vats for his valuable leadership and contribution to the company. Our best wishes are with him for the next chapter in his career.” EPL is a global specialty packaging company, manufacturing laminated plastic

tubes catering to the FMCG and Pharma space. Employing over 3,366 people representing over 25 different nationalities, EPL functions in ten countries through 20 state-of-the-art facilities. It is the world’s largest laminated tube manufacturer with units operating across countries such as USA, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Germany, Egypt, China, Philippines and India. Blackstone is one of the leading investment firms with over $649 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non -investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis.

Commenting on his appointment, Anand said, “I am excited to lead EPL, an extraordinary company with global leadership in its segments and a pioneer in innovation and sustainability. It is one of the most successful multi-national consumer companies headquartered out of India. I look forward to working closely with Blackstone, who have a strong record in the B2B2C space, the Board, and the talented and devoted employees of EPL. We are committed to creating value and delight for all our stakeholders – customers, suppliers, employees, and shareholders”. He will be based in Mumbai.

June 2021

pressideas/ plc

iMS builds global business with agile solution from HYBRID Software CLOUDFLOW from HYBRID Software to ensure full production workflow flexibility across iMSGlobal’s multi-site operation.

Creative design, prepress and artwork production agency iMSGlobal has chosen CLOUDFLOW from HYBRID Software to ensure full production workflow flexibility across its multi-site operation. This is a symbiotic partnership that over the past five years has benefitted both companies and helped lay the foundations for the global expansion of iMS.

says CEO Mark Mahoney. “So, we look for partners that have the same ethos and are happy to work with us to implement agile solutions that support our goals. As soon as we met the team at HYBRID and heard about their innovative approach, we could see that this would be the right fit for us.”

Following the sun

Headquartered in Sydney, iMSGlobal provides integrated marketing solutions for many of the world’s best-known brand owners, such as Danone, Nestlé and Unilever. With offices in Australia, Singapore, India, China, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, the company has a global reach, based on a knowledge workflow and single platform system that reduces time to market and improves productivity.

Underpinning the iMS vision is CLOUDFLOW from HYBRID Software, which has been rolled out across the four main production hubs in Sydney, Mumbai, Shanghai and Hull (in the UK). This is an Enterprise Packaging Workflow System that is fully integrated with the company’s own MIS (management information system). As a fully Cloud-based application platform with powerful Share technology, it links across the internet to exchange and synchronise project data and resources to optimise their utilisation.

Working with clients, their agencies and print providers, iMS offers artwork, prepress, colour and print management across all packaging, point of sale formats and print processes. It operates on a “Follow the sun” principle, with teams in different time zones collaborating to support clients and meet deliverables around the clock.

Andrew Gale, iMS COO, says, “We wanted to find a model that really worked in our industry on a global scale. With CLOUDFLOW, we can easily manage projects around the group and truly ‘Follow the sun’. One of the real game-changers for iMS is access to all the global hubs within the same infrastructure; managing data in real-time is a huge bonus.”

“Although we are a global company, we’re that little bit different to some of the other players, because we really focus on listening to our clients’ needs and being flexible,”

CLOUDFLOW is specifically tailored for the packaging industry with support for PDF, colour separation, trapping, screening, proofing and much more. The modular

June 2021

nature allows users to define their own configuration and create a system that works best for their business. iMS is also using HYBRID Software’s PACKZ native PDF editor, which has been designed for labels and packaging to capture all elements of a print job in a single file for seamless prepress production. “CLOUDFLOW is great for maintaining consistency across the board, so we have that continuity in every region where we are active. This is a massive advantage, not just for our technical teams, but for the whole business, and most importantly, for our customers,” says Andrew. “IMSGLOBAL is global packaging and POS Artwork & graphics production agency, serving FMCG brand owners, across all markets, geographical regions and all languages, CLOUDFLOW allows us to do this with highest quality and agility,” says Abraham Prabhakar, MD (Asia) of iMS Global. With floating licences that can be used irrespective of location, CLOUDFLOW has also proven to be the perfect choice during the COVID-19 pandemic as staff working from home can easily log in online without the need for specialised software.

Streamlining the businesses It was at drupa 2016 that the two companies

pressideas/ plc

first connected and the plan for migrating to CLOUDFLOW and PACKZ was initiated. iMS was in the infancy of developing its own bespoke MIS as part of a drive to remove duplication of data and processes from the business, as they expanded to other countries. “Australia is a smaller market, and it was a big decision for us to look abroad,” comments Andrew. “To support this move, we wanted a new fresh solution that would set us apart from the competition, because we needed to fundamentally change the business to make that leap.” The goal was to streamline operations, keep an open platform and have full view of all assets at all times. Almost five years

down the line, it is clear that the project with HYBRID Software has been a resounding success. “During our negotiations with the HYBRID team, they were flexible and prepared to engage with us and help us to get the commercials right to suit the opportunity we had in hand,” says Mark. “Right from the start, we were very excited about what the solution promised to provide, and we are now seeing the real benefits and the technical advantages that this relationship is bringing us.” Identifying the challenges and developing the software to each customer’s specific needs is the core mission for HYBRID Software. Paul Bates, who is the UK, Ireland & Global

Accounts Manager, explains, “Although this sounds like a cliché, we do work very closely with our customers. CLOUDFLOW certainly wouldn’t be where it is today, if it wasn’t for that bi-directional relationship we have with the iMS team. Some of the functionalities you see in the software today were developed specifically for them to the benefit of all our customers. It has been a trailblazing cooperation.” Mark concludes, “We’re looking to continue growing and we know we have a unique offering that not everyone enjoys. But this is only stage one and we’re excited about continuing the journey with HYBRID Software to see what we together can bring to the market.”

VINSAK launches the E-Diffsystem for narrow web presses Rotary Die cutting made Easy – powered by TECNOCUT of Spain, the E-Diffsystem is a highly efficient solution in controlling the die cutting process in web-fed label production presses. E-Diffsystem from VINSAK, powered by – TECNOCUT of Spain, is a revolutionary product in controlling die cutting presses in web presses used for the production of Labels. The system allows an electronic variable adjustment with micrometric precision (+/- 0.001 mm) between the anvil roll and the magnetic cylinder. Unlike mechanical products – which have a higher step size; need regular mechanical adjustments; and lubrications – the E-Diffsystem is a far superior technology especially when it comes to accuracy. The system will replace the existing Anvil Roller in the Die-Cutting Station, allowing a Flexible Die to perfectly cut into pressuresensitive materials, virtually independent of the liner thickness (glassine, kraft, synthetic)

with a maximum + and – correction of 0.1 mm. The E-DIFFSYSTEM is capable of electronically changing the air gap in three different ways viz., operating side; driving side; and overall. Some of the key advantages of the E-DIFFSYSTEM include: • Can (normally) be installed by simply replacing the anvil roller. • Clear HMI (touchscreen). • Initializing function to automatically return to zero (starting) position. • Possibility to store settings per job (as a reference position). • The system will automatically generate a signal for maintenance (greasing). The first of such systems has been recently installed on a Lombardi Synchroline 330 mm press at a customer in Hyderabad, Medpack India. Medpack is a new start up in the pharmaceutical packaging space.

Mr Muralidhar T, Director of Medpack India

“Launched by technocrats with a strong repute in label manufacturing, Medpack wants to offer its pharmaceutical clients cutting edge Functional products,” said Mr Muralidhar T, Director of Medpack India. Mr Harshad More – National head Service, VINSAK India believes these accessories will help Label printers enhance quality, reduce production cost and also save time & material when label presses are retrofitted with these modules. “Issues of a deep cut, marks on release paper, are just a few issues that cause problems for smooth dispensing on high-speed lines, and the accessories from VINSAK are a perfect solution,” he said.

June 2021

pressideas/ plc

Codimag and Edale create Web Tech Alliance Two manufacturers of web printing and converting equipment form alliance to promote strong technical and market know-how. packaging industry.”

The French manufacturer of offset printing presses for narrow web market Codimag and the British manufacturer of flexo printing and converting equipment Edale jointly announce the formation of the Web Tech Alliance. Becoming founder members of the Alliance allows a more formal partnership to be recognised by the industry. “The creation of the Web Tech Alliance is the next step to the collaboration engaged with Edale, said Benoit DEMOL, CEO of Codimag. “Our discussions have been ongoing since our first meeting at Drupa 2016 and have been collaborating for the past 2 years on projects and geographical reach. One of the functions of the Alliance is to promote strong technical and market knowhow. The use of some common agents has also highlighted the synergy of our solutions. This is the basis of the brand-new organisation, with an alliance that some other industries, such as car manufacturers, have already implemented.” James BOUGHTON, Managing Director of Edale comments: “Our collaboration with Codimag goes back a long way, and it is with real pleasure and pride to jointly launch the Web Tech Alliance. Our combined range of technologies and expertise bring a strong force to the market as both parties have trusted agents and distributors across the world that create strong brand presence and provide a local feel and knowledge to our global customers. We look forward to the future of our alliance and sharing our engineering excellence and developing innovative solutions for the

June 2021

Codimag is a French manufacturer of printing presses based on Aniflo, a unique technology that offers the quality of offset, the productivity of flexo and the flexibility of digital. The machines are available in width 340MM and 420mm, with a wide range of inline finishing solutions, including hot-foil, flatbed foil, fluted foil, embossing, flexo varnishing, lamination, screen printing and die-cutting. Edale are British manufacturers and engineers of world-class tailor-made flexographic printing and converting solution for the packaging industry. They provide a range of flexographic single pass carton, label presses and Finishing and Converter presses. Their FL range of machines are available in widths from 350mm | 13.7” to 850mm | 33.4”. For over 75 years, they have offered high scale customisation for the industry providing the customers with off-the-shelf to entirely bespoke presses to meet their precise requirements. The Web Tech Alliance allows printers from across the globe to get different technologies in one place. Solutions are often led by an individual companies offering. By joining different expertise’s and knowledge bases together, in one place, allows the end user the chance to find the right technology for a given application.

Both Codimag and Edale have a large base of machines installed all over the world. The Web Tech Alliance joins companies with the same desire to create value for their customers, by offering them a wider range of technologies and expanding markets where each member is strong. Furthermore, members must share the same business model, based on innovating, designing and manufacturing solutions for the web printing and converting market. This strong technical background plays a very important role in the formation of the Web Tech Alliance. The governance of the Web Tech Alliance is based on a rolling presidency. Benoit DEMOL, CEO of Codimag, is appointed as President for the first year. The Web Tech Alliance is also open to welcome new members who would complete the range of products offered by Edale and Codimag and agree on this cooperation’s common value. Some contacts have already been engaged with other European manufacturers. “Both teams are delighted to participate in this Web Tech Alliance initiative, and we are confident that our actual and future partners will feel the same enthusiasm. The Covid-19 Pandemic did not allow us to meet in person, but we surely are working already together!” Benoit Demol and James Boughton concluded.

pressideas/ plc

Avery Dennison names Pankaj Bhardwaj VP Marketing Pankaj Bhardwaj has been appointed Vice President of Marketing, Label and Packaging Materials business, Asia Pacific. Avery Dennison has announced the appointment of Pankaj Bhardwaj to the position of Vice President, Marketing, Asia Pacfic, for the company’s Label and Packaging Materials (LPM) business, effective June 1, 2021. Pankaj has more than 20 years of progressive experience in sales, marketing, key account management and business management. Prior to joining Avery Dennison in 2012, he has worked for Asian Paints, 3M, and AkzoNobel in various capacities. Most recently, he held the position of Vice President and General Manager for the South Asia LPM business at Avery Dennison. He is a management graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Chemistry.

As the region’s marketing lead for Avery Dennison’s largest business unit, Pankaj will be responsible for defining the strategic direction for product portfolios, sustainability, and innovation. He will also identify and drive new growth platforms while fostering collaboration across the industry. He will be based out of Singapore. Avery Dennison Corporation is a global materials science and manufacturing company specializing in the design and manufacture of a wide variety of labeling and functional materials. The company’s products, which are used in nearly every major industry, include pressure-sensitive materials for labels and graphic applications; tapes and other bonding solutions for

industrial, medical and retail applications; tags, labels and embellishments for apparel; and radio-frequency identification (RFID) solutions serving retail apparel and other markets. Headquartered in Glendale, California, the company employs approximately 32,000 employees in more than 50 countries with reported sales in 2020 being $7.0 billion.

DuPont Cyrel Solutions and Comexi cooperate to enable Flexo turnkey operations at converters Bringing short access times, high quality and sustainable platemaking closer to the printing press. DuPont has installed a Cyrel FAST 2000 TD, solvent-free thermal platemaking system at Comexi’s Manel Xifra Boada Technology Center in Girona, Spain. “We are excited to see that customers are now able to experience how quick and easy platemaking operations can be performed at Comexi’s Technology center and in their own operations. Cyrel FAST enables a workflow from file to printready plate in less than an hour,” said Jan Scharfenberg, Business Leader DuPont Cyrel Solutions East.

Yago Luling, prepress manager and color specialist of Comexi CTec. Cyrel FAST is a technology consisting of thermal processors and large variety of photopolymer printing plates for flexible packaging and other applications. The Cyrel FAST system offers superior productivity

and performance while helping to reduce processing costs, processing time, and environmental impact compared to existing solvent-based platemaking methods. The equipment is an achievement of more than 20 years continuous evolution and investment into this platform and has resulted in more than 1500 installations globally.

“Following with the turnkey service for the integration of prepress that we offer at Comexi CTec, and taking into account that the option of thermal plates is a very attractive solution for our customers, we are very pleased to announce that within the Comexi-DuPont collaboration framework, we can now have a Cyrel FAST thermal technology processor in our Technological Center in Girona, that will help us in the use and visibility of this technology within the environment of Comexi customers,” said From left to right Ricard Domingo, DuPont; Brandor Beco, Comexi; and Yago Luling, Comexi

June 2021

pressideas/ plc

HP-ETIKETT expands self-adhesive labels production with Gallus quality German print shop HP-ETIKETT invests in two Gallus Labelmaster flexo printing presses. Double investment in Gallus quality at the German print shop HP-ETIKETT: two new Gallus Labelmaster with LED-UV curing from GEW – a 5-colour and 8-colour flexo press – expand the capacity for the production of self-adhesive labels. With this extensive investment, the German family-run company counts on LED UV technology as well as the flexibility of the modular machine system. With the two new flexo printing presses with LED-UV drying from GEW the printing service provider based in Hitzhusen in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, is making a major investment. The production lines were delivered and installed within a few weeks in February and March 2021 and are mainly used for the production of highly embellished labels. The first of the two Gallus Labelmaster is an 8-colour flexographic press, equipped with a cold foil embossing unit, the possibility of lamination and a MR Touch rewinder and offers ideal conditions for the production of high-end labels. The second Gallus Labelmaster includes five flexo printing units as well as the option of back printing on glue (delam-relam). Due to the web shifting device, HP-ETIKETT is able to print and die-cut multi-layer labels with the 5-colour Labelmaster. With a printing width of 440 mm, both lines are equipped with an LED UV ink curing system from GEW, a rotary die-cutting unit and the rewinder MR Touch Quick.

Flexibility, delivery reliability and quick decision processes are the characteristics that make up the reputation of HP-ETIKETT and to which the family company attaches great importance to. “The Gallus Labelmaster can be used flexibly, but also the details are convincing. For example, we can change ink chambers within a very short time: the operator prepares and cleans the ink chamber outside of the machine; the change is quick and clean within a few minutes,” states Eugen Kölling and draws a positive conclusion: “With the two Gallus Labelmaster, we have the proven Gallus quality, professional service and machine systems which can be used flexibly and quickly.” HP-ETIKETT GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1972 and serves with its 25 employees mainly the food market, the chemical industry and the logistics sector. With a machine park of currently nine machines, both flexo / digital and blank machines, HP-ETIKETT is broadly positioned to meet all customer requirements

HP-ETIKETT decided on a Labelmaster with LED-UV curing technology from GEW

quickly and flexibly – from simple, costefficient print jobs up to elaborately designed 8-colour labels with embossing, lamination and backside printing. Products and services of the Gallus brand are distributed through the global Sales and Service network of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG.

“I am still enthusiastic about the flexibility of the Gallus Labelmaster, even after several months of use,” states Eugen Kölling from HP-ETIKETT GmbH & Co. KG. “The handling of the machine system is intuitive, i.e. the presses are easy to use by our operators, easily accessible with a quick set up.”

HP-ETIKETT invests in LED-UV “In autumn 2020 we made the deliberate decision to invest in LED-UV technology. This enables us to further reduce our CO2 emissions and make production more efficient in the long term,” explains Eugen Kölling from HP-ETIKETT.

June 2021

From left to right: Michael Koch from Heidelberg Deutschland, with Eugen Kölling (owner), Andreas Hansen (head of production) and Stefan Bollens (operator) from HP-ETIKETT in front of one of the two Labelmaster, both installed in 2021

pressideas/ plc

Now integrated in-line printing into V-Shapes ALPHA High quality synchronized printing on both sides of the sachets, Powered by Memjet DuraFlex and ColorGATE Packaging Production server. V-Shapes has announced the launch of the V-Shapes AlphaFlex fill and seal packaging/converting machine for ondemand production of its unique single-dose sachets that can be opened with a single gesture using one hand. This compact, professional-grade system features high quality synchronized printing on both sides of the sachets, Powered by Memjet DuraFlex and ColorGATE Packaging Production server. This unique machine now brings vertical integration of high volume production of single-dose sachets on site, speeding time to market and eliminating the need to outsource printing or accomplish it as a separate offline step. “The introduction of AlphaFlex takes our solution to the next level in a way the market has never seen before,” says Jesper Gustavsson, Business Development & Founding Partner of V-Shapes. “As promised, we have now integrated in-line printing into our six-lane ALPHA machine enabling packaging converters/fillers to accomplish the complete manufacturing process of our unique single-dose sachets under one roof with a compact footprint with full colour branding available on both sides of the sachet, in line, on demand and with the industry’s highest quality. We are grateful for the collaborative efforts of both Memjet and ColorGATE in helping us bring this sophisticated and very unique configuration to market.” AlphaFlex represents the first inline execution of Memjet’s DuraFlex multicolor A3+ printheads and water-based pigment inks, as well as the first dual integration of the Memjet DuraFlex printing system into a single device. The advanced features and colour management capabilities of the ColorGATE Packaging Production server, a RIP and colour management solution for industrial packaging printing, are also a key element of this breakthrough product. “The marriage of these technologies into a single, high-performance system is a testament to the skill, knowledge and dedication of the respective R&D teams,” says Russell Boa, Senior Vice President

of Sales – North America and EMEA at Memjet. “Memjet DuraFlex was selected because of its compact footprint and 1600 dpi printing, as well as the ability of its inks to dry quickly on inkjet receptive substrates and compliance with food safety regulations. The V-Shapes AlphaFlex is a truly transformational product in this market segment.” “ColorGATE, unlike many other RIP and colour management vendors, has focused on industrial markets for the past decade, making this additional collaboration with V-Shapes and Memjet perfectly in line with our strategies and capabilities,” said Oliver Luedtke, Chief Marketing Officer at ColorGATE. “The bespoke Output Management Set we developed for V-Shapes’ Vsdflex nearline printer has been enhanced to accommodate the dual printing technology incorporated into AlphaFlex and brings all of the appropriate ColorGATE capabilities to the system for the utmost in printing productivity and quality.”

six-lane machine. This is an achievement unique in the marketplace brought about by the talented V-Shapes engineering team, in collaboration with partners Memjet and ColorGATE. “The prototype AlphaFlex is currently installed in our Bologna factory,” Gustavsson added, “and is performing per our expectations. We are looking forward to placing AlphaFlex systems in customer sites by the end of the summer. There has already been extreme interest in AlphaFlex from both converters and brand owners who see this as a way to differentiate themselves as well as to achieve faster time to market and faster time to revenue in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving marketplace.”

In the AlphaFlex configuration, each printing module prints a single side of the singledose sachets inline, synchronized with each other, and precisely married for die cutting, filling and sealing. Buffers are used to ensure alignment of printing speed with the manufacture of sachets by the Alpha

June 2021

pressideas/ plc

Iannone speaks to OMET TV: Digitalization and hybrid solutions for the printing market The interview addressed some current issues for the printing market: digitization, sustainability, internationalization. The web series conceived by OMET and led by Armando Garosci, editor in chief of the Largo Consumo magazine, in the first episode focused on hybrid flexo + digital printing for labels, with the welcome presence of Guido Iannone. The interview obtained excellent results in terms of views and contacts. It’s visible for free on OMET social channels and on the dedicated website (http://omet-tv.omet. com). “Being innovative is the key driver, it’s essential to find technological and innovative solutions able to properly face the market fragmentation in a flexible way. Digitalization is one of the first answers that all the different companies in our industry are trying to approach in order to improve their own position.” In this way began the speech of Guido Iannone, President M&A of All4Labels (Global Packaging Group) in the first episode of OMET TV, dedicated to hybrid flexo + digital printing for labels. The episode was published on OMET social channels (YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn) on June, 10th 2021. The interview addressed some current issues for the printing market: digitization, sustainability, internationalization.

Guido Iannone, President Sales, M&A of All4Labels (Global Packaging Group) was the first guest of OMET TV.

“Digitalization in printing processes is a visible and clear trend for over 20 years. All4Labels invested primary in the electrographic technology and then kept enlarging in the last 10 years with inkjet and hybrid solutions, which in my opinion is a fair compromise by combining all the advantages of digital to the conventional technology,” says Iannone. During the interview, the discussion was about technology, production processes, but also and above all about the role of people in this new industrial dimension brought by digitalization. “Personally, I am very much in favour of ‘digital humanism” – a process in which

innovation must be put in the service of humankind so that digitalization and innovation become the means but not the end,” concluded Guido Iannone. Each episode of OMET TV, broadcasted every 2 weeks, focuses on a specific theme. A special guest will comment current topics and trends in the sectors in which OMET is considered an international leader: tissue converting machines and printing machines for labels and packaging. Watch the interview with Guido Iannone OMET TV, Episode 1 https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=D8557BnKNoM&t=2s

From left, Armando Garosci, Director of Largo Consumomagazine and conductor of OMET TV, and Guido Iannone, President Sales M&A of All4Labels, during the first episode of OMET TV.

pressideas/ plc

Iwasaki launches Intermittent offset label press TR3 New improved features include more automation, bigger print area and a smaller foot-print to produce short run labels more efficiently. VINSAK and Iwasaki launched their latest TR3 for the region’s market on 24th of June 2021 by hosting a zoom webinar. The event saw a participant list of about 100 and lasted for an hour where the TR3 and IF 330 were discussed in detail. Five panelists moderated the entire event and a flurry of questions from print and label enthusiasts indicated the success of the event. The webinar presented the new Iwasaki solutions of Intermittent offset TR3 as well as the IF 330 for producing short run Labels competitively. While the technical presentation was clear and concise about the products on offer, the panel discussion post the same had some very interesting interactions with convertors discussing real use cases for the equipment and also discussing the pros and cons of this

technology Vs the digital label printing technology. The TR3 comes with new and improved features of more automation, bigger print area and a smaller foot print, all enabling efficient production of short run labels.

was to appreciate the fact that Iwasaki offers a complete solution for printing as well as converting of the labels and to compare it with a digital solution, the technical and commercial offering of the entire solution must be used in the comparison Matrix and not just the digital printing part.

The IF 330 offers convertors who already have Flexo presses to use their existing pre-press, smaller plates, smaller dies and no tooling for producing their short run labels efficiently. A key feature of the discussion

Existing Iwasaki users from India, The Middle East and Europe were excited about the launch of the equipment and were highly impressed with its reliability and a low cost of maintenance.

Labelexpo India 2021 cancelled, new dates announced South Asia’s leading labels and package print exhibition will now take place on 9-12 November 2022. Labelexpo Global Series organizer Tarsus Group has announced the cancellation of Labelexpo India 2021. The show will now take place on 9-12 November 2022, allowing time for the Covid-19 vaccination program to roll out and for the situation to normalise next year. The show will remain at its existing location at Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida - Delhi NCR. Labelexpo India Event Director Pradeep Saroha, commented: “We have taken the decision not to run Labelexpo India 2021 due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Our expectation is that by rescheduling the show a year later, to 9-12 November 2022, the pandemic will be under control with the industry ready and excited to network and do business again.”

responsible thing to do. We look forward to the whole Indian label and package printing industry coming back together for Labelexpo India in November 2022. The LMAI Awards night will also be postponed to Labelexpo India November 2022 to run alongside the show.” and global-based exhibitors. The last edition of Labelexpo India in November 2018 attracted almost 10,000 visitors from 55 countries, with 250 Indian

For more information, visit the show website. https://www.labelexpo-india.com/

Kuldip Goel, president of LMAI, the Indian Label Association, said, “The LMAI fully supports Tarsus’ decision to cancel Labelexpo India 2021. In light of the current situation with Covid-19 it is the correct and

June 2021

pressideas/ plc

Water-based Flexographic Printing steps up to the Sustainability Challenge - By Takumi Saito, Printing Solutions Project, Asahi Kasei Corporation. The recent Leaders Summit on Climate, hosted by U.S. President Biden, demonstrates the growing commitment leaders of many countries have to addressing the climate crisis by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) among other initiatives. This will likely translate into increased regulatory pressure on a variety of industries, including printing, to moderate their emissions of CO2 and other global warming gases such as CH4 and N2O. As a leading supplier to the flexographic printing industry, Asahi Photoproducts is dedicated to delivering flexographic solutions that are in harmony with the environment. In doing so, the company enables its customers to be proactive in contributing to the overall reduction of GHG emissions Over the last half century, Asahi Photoproducts has worked hard to bring innovative solutions to flexography, and most recently with the Asahi AWP CleanPrint waterwashable plates. This solvent-free process delivers more sustainable printing while at the same time improving Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) in the press room to the tune of 30% or more, which results in a significant increase in quality due to the precise register these plates deliver. What that means for the printing industry is that flexography is now competitive with gravure for all except the longest print runs. To validate this assertion, Flexo Technical Association Japan(FTAJ) and Water-based Flexographic Printing Advancement Council partnered with the Sustainable Management Promotion Organization(SuMPO), a wellknown Japanese association, to calculate GHG emissions during the entire printing process for each of these two technologies, using the Life Cycle Assessment method (see picture).

emissions from the gravure life cycle at 668 kg, whereas emissions from water-based flexography were 231 kg. The gravure printing simulation results from using electronic engraving of the cylinders and solvent-based inks, while water-based flexographic printing uses water-washable plates and water-based inks. The results are shown in the image (see picture), broken down into 3 steps: platemaking/engraving, ink manufacturing, and printing. The sustainability of the print can be further enhanced by using solvent-free laminating where lamination is required or desired, instead of dry lamination where the bonding agent is dissolved in solvent, applied, and then evaporated in a drying oven. With solvent-free lamination, a low viscosity adhesive is applied, requiring only a heated nip to mate it to the substrate. This creates an additional advantage of solvent-free lamination beyond the reduced GHG and VOC emissions since it does not require a drying component, further reducing energy consumption and increasing its sustainability as compared to the conventional dry lamination process. Thus, we recommend water-based flexographic printing technology combined with solvent-free lamination and water-washable flexographic printing plates as the most sustainable approach to producing packaging. All of this demonstrates the significant progress that has been made towards reduction of the carbon footprint for flexographic printing as compared to

gravure, and the fact that this approach to packaging printing has the potential to change the global packaging market. But we are not stopping here. The talented and innovative engineers at Asahi Photoproducts continue to seek new ways to reduce the environmental impact of flexographic printing processes even further, and we have full confidence that they will find even more ways to make flexographic printing more sustainable.

Ref.1: Calculation Assumptions by Sustainable Management Promotion Organization (SuMPO). •

• •

Film substrate and packaging process are not included in this calculation since there is no difference in-between waterbased flexo printing and solvent gravure printing at them. This calculation is done by 5 colours printing. Plate making processes are: water washable plate technology for flexo printing, electronic engraving technology for gravure printing.

The results were enlightening. We found that when printing a job of 5,000 linear meters with water-based flexographic printing and comparing the result with the simulation of the same job with gravure printing, GHG emissions from water-based flexographic printing can be reduced by about 65% compared to gravure. We measured GHG

June 2021

Calculation result by SuMPO about GHG Emissions (kg-CO2e) at 5,000m printing. (This result is calculated by the conditions of Ref.1 and not typical value of water-based flexo printing and solvent gravure printing)

pressideas/ plc

•

• •

•

• •

Utility data at printing machine is based on typical and theoretical data on product catalogue since actual utility can be fluctuated as per actual printing condition and environment. Printing speeds are: water-based flexo 200m/min., solvent gravure 150m/min. Disposal method of printing wastages are: water disposal at water-based flexo, incineration at solvent gravure. Plate sleeve at flexo printing and steel cylinder at gravure printing are part of printing machine and not included in this calculation. Proofing process is not included in this calculation. GHG emissions of ink manufacturing

•

are based on published data of Japan Printing Ink Makers Association*1. Transportation of intermediates and wastage are, 500km for intermediates, 100km for wastage respectively. LCI Database IDEAv2.3 is used *2.

For more information about flexographic solutions from Asahi Photoproducts that are in harmony with the environment, visit www. asahi-photoproducts.com. Asahi Photoproducts was founded in 1973 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.

Note 1: “CFP value of each ink type” released by Japan Printing Ink Makers Association. (http://www.inkjpima.org/pdf/20110712-3.pdf) Note 2: LCI database IDEA version 2.3, released by National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, LCA study group, Sustainable Management Promotion Organization

Xeikon at China Print 2021 At China Print, Xeikon was on hand to share its latest innovations and discuss which technology fits best. Xeikon showcased its latest technologies for multiple digital production applications at China Print 2021 that took place at the New China International Exhibition Center in Beijing (NCIEC) from 23rdto 27th June 2021.The International Forum for Printing Development was held during the exhibition, as well as various conferences and seminars. Xeikon demonstrated the high levels of application facility and versatility of its recently launched SIRIUS Series for the Graphic Arts and commercial print markets, and provided samples and practical information on both its dry toner and UV inkjet solutions for the label printing markets. Klaus Nielsen, Director and General Manager Xeikon Asia, says: “Xeikon is delighted to attend China Print in Beijing. After a difficult period due to Covid-19, we were looking forward to meeting the Chinese printing community and presenting our latest digital solutions at this exhibition. The Chinese market is ever expanding. We know that printers and converters are facing a diversity of challenges from their customers’ evergrowing needs and expectations for creative and unique products. Also, online ordering has increased the need for automation, higher quality colour controls and faster production speeds. With over 30 years of pioneering digital technologies, Xeikon has much to offer the Asian markets.”

share its latest innovations and discuss which technology fits best with each business, and where companies can find growth by looking at end-use applications and current trends. Xeikon highlighted its comprehensive advisory service that includes a hotline for advice and guidance on ‘digital transformation’. Jackie Chen, Xeikon Sales Manager Greater China concludes, “Printers in China are looking for new digital solutions, new and innovative technologies, and new pathways forward to drive business growth. At China Print, we are further launching our UV inkjet product range to the Chinese market. This will give us a superior offering meeting the needs of printers in the durable and sustainable label space and positioning Xeikon as the only manufacturer with inkjet as well as dry toner offerings for multiple applications. At China Print 2021 Xeikon was on hand to help printers move forward, stand

out from the competition and secure their business for the future.” Xeikon, a division of Flint Group, designs, develops and delivers web-fed digital colour presses for label and packaging applications, document printing, and commercial printing. These printing machines work with different imaging technologies, open workflow software and application-specific consumables.

At China Print, Xeikon was on hand to

June 2021

signage printing

How Direct to Garment Printing trends are shaping Retailers’ instore experience - By Graham Kennedy, Head of Commercial Ink Jet Business, Graphic Communications Group, Ricoh Europe. Demand for sustainable printing, faster adaptability for clothing lines and the influx of creative design in fashion. Future Market Insights identified these as some of the drivers for the predicted growth of the global Direct to Garment (DTG) printing market to £2.31bn by 2023. We have also seen interest in DTG increase as a result of the pandemic accelerating reshoring and redefining supply chains in response to cost and time pressures. There has been greater uptake of creative personalisation, customer design and merchandising opportunities as well.DTG supports instore creation that encourages customers through the doors at a time when ecommerce has become the default way to shop. Future Market Insights also pointed to the reduced cost of printing digitally as helping with wider adoption. The ability to quickly add a personalised message to a bag, a quirky slogan to a t-shirt or an Augmented Reality developed design to clothing allows a greater level of customer interactivity as the following examples highlight. They show how retail operations are responding to these trends by inspiring customer creativity and originality:

Delivering a unique instore experience “One gift, one story” is the adopted slogan of Manor, Switzerland’s largest department store chain that has 59 outlets. It gave a practical demonstration of this ethos, and inspired customers during the pandemic, by offering them something special - a personalised printed gift, such as a one-ofa-kind T-shirt or fabric bag. The innovative idea was introduced to widen its business opportunities, win new customers and offer existing customers an attractive extra benefit to visit the physical store. It was brought to life with easy to operate Ricoh Ri 100 Direct to Garment printers. They enabled the immediate in store printing of images straight from mobile phones and USB sticks directly onto bags, pillowcases, napkins, socks, and T-shirts.

June 2021

Jennifer Trowbridge, Project Manager Business Development Unit Retail, Manor, explained: “The personalisation of products is still very much in vogue. A plain T-shirt is quickly transformed into a personalised garment and customers love this kind of innovative printed gift and memento.”She added the investment in the garment printers paid off quickly thanks to their affordability and print on demand capabilities supported by user friendly software.

printed their favourite design on clothing.

Localisation

All three retailers show how DTG technology can start new conversations with customers.

Keeping production local with DTG technology is Swish Edinburgh, Scotland. It has a boutique shop and a next day printing service outlet for the customisation of items such as a T-shirts, tote bags and sweatshirts. It produces one off pieces, promotional merchandise and its own stock of 20 to 30 designs on two Ricoh Direct to Garment printers.

Customer creativity Shoppers at H&M’s Harajuku store in Japan were able to develop their own designs and bring them to life with Ricoh DTG technology at ‘Redesign Lab’. The immersive Augmented Reality experience using Disney’s ‘Star Wars Saga’collateral asked visitors to create artwork by superimposing a virtual world on the real-world using AR glasses. They then

Lucas Seifert, President and CEO of H & M Japan, said: “This experience is a good example of how technology can help add value to clothing through product customisation and on-demand production. This will avoid overproduction, create meaningful products that will be loved and valued for a long time, and make future business models even more sustainable.”

The easy-to-use systems have enabled a greater level of interactivity, added value and generated new revenue opportunities. The fast, small footprinted systems, with intuitive set up and low total cost of ownership, can be seamlessly added to any shop floor. And, as we have seen from Switzerland, Scotland and Japan, they are driving a wave of innovation that is propelling DTG printing to a wider market and fostering stronger relationships. To discover more visit https://www.ricoheurope.com/products/direct-to-garmentprinters.

pressideas/ signage

Soft Signage with Agfa’s new Avinci CX3200 New Avinci CX3200 printer from Agfa supports printing companies’ expansion into soft signage. On June 22nd, Agfa organized a virtual event dedicated to the new Avinci CX3200 under the heading “Time to lift the curtain”. Presentations, covering market trends as well as the new printer’s features and benefits, were alternated with expert info about applications and advanced workflow and colour management. The new Avinci CX3200 is a dye-sublimation roll-to-roll printer that can print either directly to textile or on transfer paper. It delivers high productivity and a consistently vibrant print quality on a wide range of polyester-based fabrics. The Avinci CX3200 engine enables sign printing companies to create textile prints of up to 3.2 m wide at a production speed of up to 270 m²/h. The engine uses eco-friendly, odorless water-based dye sublimation inks to print either directly to fabric or to transfer paper.

media waste to a minimum. In addition, it extends the application scope to sportswear and fashion garments, as well as home décor prints on non-coated polyester fabrics. The Avinci CX3200 boasts a wide and vibrant colour gamut, outstanding tonal rendering and fine detail reproduction. The dedicated dye-sub inks stand out through their flexibility, and outdoor resistance. They deliver a stable jetting performance and the same first-rate quality batch after batch. An offline calendering unit effectively fixes the colours after printing. Philip Van der Auwera, Wide-Format Marketing Manager at Agfa, states: “The market demand for soft signage keeps growing, as it is lightweight, resistant to wrinkles and folding, and easy to transport and reuse. The Avinci CX3200 will meet the

needs of existing textile printing companies, as well as enable sign & display printers to diverge into textile printing and bring in new business. We designed it to be fit for high productivity and maximum uptime. It is extremely robust and reliable, as well as easy to operate.” The Avinci CX3200 is driven by Agfa’s intuitive Asanti workflow software, which streamlines all preparation, production and finishing steps of the printing process. With Asanti StoreFront, Agfa’s web-to-print software solution, soft signage printing companies can automatically manage incoming web orders or set up online stores. The Avinci CX3200 is available worldwide immediately with virtual Demos available for interested people on pre-booking.

Being able to print directly to fabric is easy and ideally suited for fast handling of soft signage applications such as banner displays, wall graphics and point-of-sales or trade show displays, as well as for special applications requiring print-through, such as flags. Transfer paper, in turn, allows for super sharp prints, eliminates any set-off, and limits

Events Calendar ProPak India 2021

Screen Print India 2022

Date: 30 SEP -21 to 02 OCT - 21 Venue: Venue:Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai

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

15th Printpack India

mediaexpo 2022

Date: 20 DEC -21 to 24 DEC - 21 Venue: India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, NCR Delhi

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

India Sign & LED Expo 2021

Labelexpo India 2022

Date: 20 DEC -21 to 24 DEC - 21 Venue: India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, NCR Delhi

Date: 9 NOV -22 to 12 NOV-22 Venue: Expo Centre & Mart Greater Noida - Delhi NCR

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

June 2021

RNI:CHA/ENG/2001/3989