United Bros
A friend is a brother your heart chose for you. That is what Zack & Ang’s United Mission Press is built on FOCUS
The future of industrial digital printing
firstnote
Quick changes in Digital Marketing... Trends to watch
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IGITAL marketing has taken the marketing industry by storm. While print marketing still holds power within the industry, it’s the digital marketing trends that are proving to hold precedence. The internet and all of its trends are constantly changing and what was a marketing powerhouse last year could very well be old news this year. To help you strategize a marketing plan that will take your company to the next level, we have gathered the list of the digital marketing trends anticipated for the rest of 2017.
indulge in AR experiences. You may want to start thinking of ways to incorporate AR services into your print products as an added services to your clients, whether it’s with call card, brochures or packaging.
VIRTUAL REALITY Continuing from the previous theme, virtual reality is expected to be just as popular as AR in 2017. However, there seems to be some confusion over AR and VR, and in order to capitalize on these trends, you need to understand them. To put it simply, AR is where you use technology in the real world, such as Pokémon Go to distort or add to what they are actually experiencing. People are able to interact with a different world within their own. VR is putting your consumers into a different world, using technology to escape reality. It’s a marketing trend that is inarguably going to change the industry in 2017. It’s the next step in evolution and because it’s so different from what companies, marketers and consumers are used to, it will be important to capitalize on it before you’re left behind. My personal advice, start live video streaming for all your product activities in Facebook and Instagram. It is free. But don’t overdo it. AR will reach its peak when there is a common scanning platform as QR. It took QR about 5 years to achieve this. Hopefully AR will achieve it by end of this year.
LIVE VIDEO STREAMING
United Bros
A friend is a brother your heart chose for you. That is what Zack & Ang’s United Mission Press is built on FOCUS
The future of industrial digital printing
Without a doubt, live video streaming will take off fully this year. Facebook and Instagram have already integrated live video capabilities into their channels, and other platforms are expected to follow suit. It’s a trend that has the potential to draw in millions of people who are eager for a look at something that is happening right now. People are drawn to the idea of seeing someone else’s perspective first hand and now live videos cater to this desire. This can significantly improve the way you build brand awareness and customer loyalty as you form a personal relationship with your customers. You’re offering them an exclusive look inside that not everyone will see. That is unless they’re online at that exact time.
AUGMENTED REALITY The Pokémon Go trend may have died just as quickly as it grew in 2016, but it showed marketers the power of augmented reality. It proved that people are enthusiastic to
Happy streaming! Kay Mathy
the team Publisher
KAY MATHY | kaymathy@gmail.com.my Editor
NICOLE LAARKSMI | editor@hashplus.com.my Writers
SIMON MANI | simon@hashplus.com.my Creative Director
AHMAD ALIFF AZEEM | ahmad@hashplus.com.my Chief Operating Officer
V.GUNASAGARAM | vgunasagaram@hashplus.com.my Chief Development Officer
FEROZ KHAN YASSIN | feroz@hashplus.com.my Media Consultant SAHANA | sahana@hashplus.com.my
02 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
Published by: Hash Plus Media
Printed by: United Mission Press Sdn. Bhd. 25 & 27, Jalan PBS 14/14, Taman Perindustrian Bukit Serdang, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia Tel: 03-62761474
(SA0432262-U)
H-08-02, Block H, Plaza Kelana Jaya, Jalan SS7/13A, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: +603-78659211 Published for: Sixty Five Plus Communication Sdn Bhd
(923451-M)
Cover Finishing by: U-Bix Paper Coating Sdn Bhd No. 19, Jalan Seruling 57 Taman Klang Jaya, 41200 Klang Selangor Darul Ehsan. Tel: +603-3363726/27/28
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Agfa goes soft on Avinci
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Canon revamps production printer offering Messe Düsseldorf investing €636m
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Flint Group debuts UVLED inks
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Fuji Xerox enters label business
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coverstory: United they stand
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Green, efficient...Intelligent
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Sincere Appreciation
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Beijing Cheers
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Heidelberg at China Print 2017
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Beyond CMYK: The Digital Print Enhancement Opportunity
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Putting forward innovation
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Ricoh Malaysia announces leadership change
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Ultimate Investment
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4th drupa Global Trends report 2017
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Knowledge, Growth & Innovation Centre
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Hardwork pays off
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Cyber’s NewTechnology Centre opens
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Preparing for new frontier
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The future of industrial digital printing
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Print clicks
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Agfa goes soft on Avinci Agfa Graphics will introduce a new dye
sublimation printer, the Avinci DX3200, at the ISA International Sign Expo.
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HE company says the Avinci DX3200 engine allows operators to create large-format soft signage prints of up to 3.2m wide, at a resolution of up to 1440 x 540 dpi. It adds that the dye sublimation allows it to produce countless indoor and outdoor applications Reinhilde Alaert, product manager at Agfa Graphics, says, “Pilot users of Avinci DX3200 are impressed by its speed and print quality.
Canon launches new Océ ProStream
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The engine features six colours (CMYKLcLm) at a droplet size of 14pl. This guarantees a vibrant colour gamut, outstanding tonal rendering and fine detail reproduction. Next to its state-of-the-art imaging performance, the Avinci DX3200 draws attention with its advantageous price/productivity position.” The Avinci DX3200 offers different quality modes, with a speed of up to 173sqm/ hr depending on the application. Alaert
ANON is launching its latest digital continuous feed colour inkjet printer, the Océ ProStream, which it says pushes inkjet further into the commercial printing mainstream. Canon is the global market leader with high volume inkjet printing, through its Océ branded printers, which have been on the market for almost a decade now, launching at drupa 2008. The new Océ ProStream prints uncoated, inkjet-optimised, gloss and matt-coated papers at 80 metres per minute at premium quality, according to Canon. It is designed to produce direct mail and marketing collateral.
says, “Avinci can handle a wide variety of polyester-based applications, such as banners, point-of-sale displays, indoor wall graphics, outdoor advertising, trade show displays and flags. On top of that, the Avinci DX3200 has smart algorithms on board that enable very low ink consumption – another important benefit for our customers.” For software, the Avinci DX3200 comes with Agfa Graphics’ Asanti, which optimises and automates all preparation, production and finishing steps of signage products. The core includes automation, colour management, job pre-flighting, and templates. Asanti offers integration with Storefront, Agfa’s solution for the automated management of web-to-print and web shops, automated positioning of grommets on banners and the design of canvas extensions, such as air pockets, for flags. Asanti has introduced integrated tiling, which means the Avinci DX 3200 can produce oversized banners or billboards that extend beyond the maximum printing width Asanti creates mounting instructions and adds the necessary marks to the tiled prints to help the operator mount them swiftly and in the correct way, thus avoiding unnecessary costs for reprints. Avinci has a textile-dedicated media transport system and is also compatible with most off-line calendering solutions on the market, which fix the colours deeply into the structure of polyester-based fabrics. Alaert concludes, “Soft signage applications are widely appreciated in the market. Printed textiles are perceived differently and we love their look. Moreover, textile substrates offer a number of advantages: they are lightweight, resistant to wrinkles and folding, and can easily be reused. Avinci DX3200 offers a perfect fit for this and is a great addition to Agfa Graphics’ portfolio.” u
It offers a resolution of 1200dpi, with multilevel dot modulation at full 1,076 A4 per minute productivity across uncoated, inkjet optimised and offset-coated substrates. Canon says the latest piezo drop-on-demand inkjet print head generation is leveraged with Océ Multilevel technology for sharper details, smoother halftones and smarter ink usage. It says the sensitive floatation air dryer ensures that the printed paper is not touched until the print images are fully robust, ensuring no scratches or changes to gloss levels and minimal paper stress for maximum quality.u
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Canon revamps production printer offering Canon has launched a new series of mono production printers, which it said deliver “substantial productivity gains” over the devices they replace
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HE VarioPrint 140 series, which comprises the VarioPrint 115, 130 and 140, will begin shipping in July, with pricing starting from around £35,000 for an entry level machine. Wayne Barlow, Canon head of graphics & communications business group, industrial print solutions, said the 140 series represents the ongoing development of its monochrome technology, initiated in 2012. “I think we are the only manufacturer that is reinvesting in monochrome technology. This is a statement of the development and investment we are putting into the technology,” he said. The new VarioPrint 140 runs at 143ipm (A4) in both simplex and duplex modes, which Canon said makes it the fastest printer in its light and mid-volume production segments and doubles the productivity over the 135, which will now be phased out. The 115 and 130 run at 117ipm and 133ipm respectively. All three machines in the series are rated for print volumes of up to 800,000 images per month, more than double the capabilities 135 series could reach. The machines have a maximum resolution of 600x2,400dpi resolution and take
plain, coated, textured and carbonless substrates of between 50gsm and 300gsm at a maximum size of 320x490mm. Barlow said: “I would say that there are significant speed differences and throughput differences, from 350,000 copies to 800,000 copies per month, so from a productivity point of view that is significant.” They also incorporate Canon’s Océ Prismasync 5 controller, which uses remote printer driver technology to enable production planning and job scheduling up to eight hours in advance. Prismasync uses an embedded JDF/JMF interface and has a configurable user interface that allows for audit
logging and has back-up capabilities. Barlow highlighted its new remote manager that can be accessed via smartphone, allowing for the monitoring of jobs outside of the print room. The printers can also be configured with a number of in-line finishing options, including stapling, saddle-stitching, folding, die-punching, inserting, ring-binding and high-capacity stacking, along with an SDD BLM300C bookletmaker, designed for use with Canon’s mono cutsheet printers. Canon also emphasised the machine’s “no ozone” capabilities, which it said underlines its sustainable positioning in the market. Barlow said: “We found that the environmental aspects of the device have been really important to us in both corporate and government facilities because of the sustainability. “If you look at it from a footprint point of view, there is no ozone so users are in a pleasant, cleaner, odourless environment with less heat and most parts can be recycled.” u
The VarioPrint 140 can produce up to 800,000 copies per month.
PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 07
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Latest research shows paper more effective
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new piece of research demonstrates that paper based direct mail is easier to process for the human brain than digital communications, and results in a far higher brand recall, and motivation response. Canadian research firm True Impact Marketing uses neuroscience to determine the most effective advertising methods, including brain scans tracking blood flow and electric signalling. The company says its project A Bias For Action, used brain imaging and eye-tracking technologies to see into the brains of people interacting with physical (direct mail) and digital (email, display) advertising media. The researchers developed two integrated campaigns featuring mock brands, applying the same creative and messaging across both physical and digital media formats. The 270 participants were later given memory tests to assess their recall of branded material. The company found that it takes 21 per cent less thought to process direct mail over digital messaging, and that the paper product creates a 70 per cent higher brand recall. Researchers say they found the motivation response created by direct mail is 20 per cent higher, and even better if it appeals to senses beyond touch, such as smell and hearing. They also found direct mail gets the message across faster, reasoning that our brains process paper media quicker than digital media. Deepak Chopra, president, CEO, Canada Post says, “Physical fills a much-needed, and human, sensory deficit in the virtual world, where we spend most of our time these days. The most important renaissance in advertising has gone largely unnoticed. “In their race to find the next big breakthrough, marketers did not stop to realise that paper catalogues and marketing mail are emerging as an effective tool, even to engage digital natives. If there is one thing Steve Jobs taught us well, it is that customers don’t always know what they really want. You have to figure it out for them.”u
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Messe Düsseldorf investing €636m
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HE owners of Messe Düsseldorf are making massive investments in the home of drupa, with a new exhibition hall being completed for €140m, as part of a wider €636m investment. By mid 2019 the company says it will have built a new multifunctional hall with conference facilities and a fully glazed new entrance south complete with a translucent, LED-lit canopy roof and adjacent underground parking. According to the organisers, the new building will include an oversized canopy roof sitting 20 metres above ground measuring 7,800sqm. “From the new south entrance visitors can enter the new Hall 1 right away. Boasting a length of 158 metres, a width of 77 metres and more than 12,000sqm
of space without supports, its layout roughly corresponds to that of Halls 8a and 8b, offering a total of 558 square metres, more space than both of the original Halls 1 and 2.” The investment in the new South Complex totals €140m. Werner Dornscheidt, president and CEO, Messe Düsseldorf says, “With the start of construction we have taken an important step towards the complete modernisation and renovation of our premises at our home base; and we continue adapting the exhibition centre to our customers’ demands and requirements thereby increasing our service even further. As always this is done without any subsidies.” By 2030 Messe Düsseldorf says it will invest a total of some €636m in its premises. u
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Flint Group debuts UV LED inks
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LINT Group launches a new range of UV LED inks, the Xcura Evo, an evolution from its May debut of UltraCura inks and bases, using the company’s energy curing platform technology. The company says the highgloss ink has excellent flow and rheology properties, with or without dust agitators, alongside curing and rub resistance. Trevor Amps, Global Product management director, Energy Curing inks, Flint Group says, “Xcura Evo is our next generation offer to the UV LED and low energy sheetfed market. “ Mo re s h e e t fe d p re s s manufacturers are heading their technology development with LED and low energy curing, and we
see growing numbers of retro-fit conversions from lamp providers and OEMs as well. “Commercial printers switching to UV LED gain improved efficiency, reduced energy costs and the ability to break into new markets. Xcura Evo helps to maximise all of these with its flow characteristic, superb transfer and high gloss.” Based on the new energy curing Platform Technology that premiered in May 2017 with UltraCura Sens Low Migration process inks and bases, Flint Group says its Xcura Evo inks were created out of the new advanced resin technology system, which delivers increased stability and performance consistency. u
Thai show uses drupa model
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RGANISERS expect around 15,000 trade visitors from around the world to attend Pack Print International in September. Joint organisers Messe Düsseldorf Asia, The Thai Packaging Association, and The Thai Printing Association say they have modelled the show after drupa and Interpack. The show’s One Stop Pack & Print Pavilion will highlight 25 award-winning and creative packaging solutions from Thailand, covering
the food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, electronics, cosmetics and personal care sectors. The One Stop Pack & Print Pavilion will serve as a special platform for innovative packaging designers, packaging end users, packaging producers, material suppliers and machinery manufacturers to meet and share best practices for navigating the dynamic packaging and printing network. The focus will be on Packaging and Printing 4.0 conveyed through the three pillars of package, packaging process for manufacturing and packaging production. The show will see technology from 300 international exhibitors and suppliers from 20 countries. Exhibiting companies will include Hewlett-Packard, Kurz, Konica Minolta, Ferrostaal, Riso, KBA, Wah Ho Packaging, Harn Engineering, Nakayama Corporation, Pmc Label Material, Rotometrics, Keywell Industrial, BPS United, Ueno Corporation and Zund Asia Gernot Ringling, managing director of
Messe Düsseldorf Asia, says, “As we progress together with Thailand 4.0, there is a greater need for trade fair organizers like us to align our exhibition line-up with present industry shifts and future trends. With a renewed focus on packaging, Pack Print International 2017 – with the launch of the One Stop Pack & Print Pavilion – will present the entire value, bringing to the forefront the full spectrum of the packaging and printing sectors: from developing new products and technology, creating packaging that protects food for a longer shelf life to digital printing’s economic and speed-to-market advantages for mainstream package decoration “Fundamentally, we want Pack Print International 2017 to be a strategic launch pad for packaging and printing companies to grow their business through drawing critical market insights, gaining invaluable connections and benefiting from the expansive showcase of innovative capabilities and technology.” u
PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 09
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Fuji Xerox enters label business
It Debuts Digital Label Printing Business with Durst Tau 330
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UJI Xerox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. announces that it is entering the growing digital label printing business by expanding its suite of product offerings with Durst Industrial Services Pte. Ltd.’s Durst Tau 330 series, one of the world’s leading ultraviolet (UV) digital inkjet label presses. Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific will provide digital label printing solutions with the Durst Tau 330 to meet customers’ increasing demand to convert time-consuming print jobs run on conventional presses into profitable print jobs. The Durst Tau 330 UV digital inkjet printer prints images on the substrate by exposing its ink to UV light, which dries the ink almost immediately. This allows it to print directly onto various substrates quickly, including heat-sensitive films and labels. As the UV ink dries faster than solvent ink, the digital UV inkjet technology built into the system meets the need for efficient printing. The Tau 330 series delivers sharp, precise, and durable print quality at a high speed for today’s most demanding print applications. Through Durst’s single-pass UV inkjet printing technology with dual printhead architecture, it prints in full color at a high speed of 37 linear meters per minute while printing in the highest print resolution in UV inkjet label printer class of 1,260 dots per inch, in high definition mode. “This partnership between Durst and 10 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
“Fuji Xerox is a leading company in the Document Services and Communications field and Durst is a leading manufacturer of professional digital imaging systems. Together, we aim to expand our market in Asia Pacific through the vast network of Fuji Xerox to provide added values to customers in the region.”. – Helmuth Munter
Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific is a perfect fit for two market leaders,” said Helmuth Munter, segment manager, Labels and Package Printing, Durst. “Fuji Xerox is a leading company in the Document Services and Communications field and Durst is a leading manufacturer of professional digital imaging systems. Together, we aim to expand our market in Asia Pacific through the vast network of Fuji Xerox to provide added values to customers in the region.” As packaging and label markets are linked to consumer spending and population growth, it is a key printing segment with great potential. Today digital printing has a limited penetration in this segment, however, as it advances globally and the demand for traditional printing tapers off, many of our existing customers are rapidly diversifying and are looking to us for a reliable and comprehensive solution. This partnership will help our customers expand and grow their business in the label and packaging segment of the industry. InfoTrends estimated that the value of print from color digital label presses in Asia Pacific, including Japan and China, was about USD 457 million in 2015. InfoTrends forecasts that the print value—the billings from digital label converters among their customers—will reach USD 1.185 billion in 2020, reflecting a 21 percent compound annual growth rate. u
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coverstory
United they stand A friend is a brother your heart chose for you. That is what Zack & Ang’s United Mission Press is built on
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F all the printing presses that exist in Serdang, none quite stand out like United Mission Press Sdn. Bhd. Founded in 2006 by Zack Tan Thiong Hong and his partner, Ang Teck Seng, UMP boasts a wide range of high profile clientele within Malaysia with corporations such as Mcdonald’s, Maybank, Great Eastern and Astro. United Mission Press is well known for their usage of high end 4 Colour and 8 Colour printing machines by Japanese company Komori Corporation. Zack hails from the town of Kajang and began his career with the now defunct printing company East Sun Superior, which was ran by a cousin of his. Ang on the other hand
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hails from the town of Muar in Johor. The pair met at Salak South Garden, where Zack was working at a company known as Stantrade Enterprise. It was an impending partnership waiting to happen, as the offices of the pair were located just beside the other, rendering them neighbours. One fateful day, the both of them decided to acknowledge one another and engage in conversation. One thing led to another and before you knew it, Zack and Ang were on the road to creating what is now known as UMP. Before Ang met Zack, he was working his way up the ladder at a small scale printing shop in Taman Bukit Maluri. A friend of his brother who was involved in the printing industry at the time asked Ang if he would be interested in experiencing life in the printing world. Ang said yes without hesitation and worked as a back-of-the-shop crew for about a year and a half, which involved him working
Zack and Ang were on the road to creating what is now known as UMP.
as an assistant and lending a helping hand to the machine operator. After having worked there for a period of four years, he was eventually promoted as manager of the company. A few years later, Ang decided to expand his horizons and moved to Salak South Garden, where he would meet the man who would be his most trusted confidante for the next fifteen years. They decided and wanted to invest RM 500,000 in the project. However, they faced serious financial difficulties as no one was willing to take the risk to invest in their idea as it was deemed “too risky.” Through the help of a friend and mentor who worked together with Zack previously, Zack and Ang were able to secure financing - their saviour, UPA’s C.W.Kok. Zack and Ang have nothing but glowing praises for C.W.Kok, whom they feel trusted them with their unique vision and left them feeling grateful for his assistance. PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 13
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Right business model at the right time
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The first machine utilized by the pair was an LS Four Colour Machine by Komori. The Four Colour, also known as CMYK is a subtractive colour model used in colour printing. While it varies by printing houses and press manufacturers, the ink is typically applied in order of abbreviation. “Over a period of three years, we invested in various printing machines before settling down with a brand new Eight Colour Machine by Komori on the 10th anniversary of the establishment of our company.” The way Zack and Ang distinguish the services of their company is by providing printing services but only through agents. They do not meet with their clients directly. Furthermore, UMP is the only printing press in Malaysia that has two Four Colour Machines and one Eight Colour Machines for use by printing agents. They believe that it is easier and more efficient to deal with agents rather than direct clients. 14 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
ACK Tan Thiong Hong and his partner, Ang Teck Seng have nothing but glowing praises for their saviour, UPA’s C.W.Kok, whom they feel trusted them with their unique vision and left them feeling grateful for his assistance. “I know this young boys more than 10 years. They are fighters, good at production and most importantly, they were thinking far ahead of other people during that time.” praised CW Kok. “During that time, the agent business printers were only using old machines and they were to reluctant to buy new machine as it was too costly. Old printing machines which could complete 10 short run jobs within a day were considered very good. At that time, big printers think this is a “kacang putih” business. For a minimum run for a four-colour job including the plates will cost about RM350.00. Just imagine if they can finish 10 sets of jobs per day will be RM3,500.00. That is a very impressive business.” “But Zack and Ang saw this opportunity differently and they jump into it. They know with the new machines with automation, they can produce 10 times of what an old machine could do in a day. They came and presented to me their right business model, at the right time with their great idea. They were young, very energertic, know their production & business and they can work day & night. How can I say no to them” added CW Kok. “The idea is theirs. They first bought an advanced used machine They realise they need to be ahead. They came and saw me and told me their plans. They told me that they don’t have much capital. I told them capital is not so important. Most important is your idea. Your stamina. They had it all. The leasing and bankers were also quite helpful.” CW KOK continued. “Customers’ problems are our problems and we can grow together” he concluded.
“During that time, the agent business printers were only using old machines and they were to reluctant to buy new machine as it was too costly.”
coverstory
“With digital printing gaining a foot ahead in the market, Ang express that “we are looking to target A1 sized prints.” He mentions jokingly that as they are chasing after large format prints, they would have the luxury of time to print out wedding invitations.” Among some of the challenges the pair have faced throughout their long business tenure are securing finances for purchasing brand new printing machines. Zack claims that they have never delayed their payments and that they do their level best to maintain such a commitment. Zack adds that the installments for all the new machines will be paid off within the following year in full. Ang states that UMP is seriously considering entering the digital printing market, which would require the purchase of a digital printing machine. While they tend to outsource services such as binding, the company also specializes in prepress printing, a process that occurs between the creation of a print layout and the final print. For that purpose, UMP is equipped with three machines, which are all based within the factory. UMP also operates within the Pudu area that utilizes a 4+1 machine. As of now, both Zack and Ang oversee the production process of prints at UMP. When asked about the feeling of having worked with Zack for the past 10 years, Ang quips that he is really happy and grateful that it has been a journey filled understanstanding and sincere cooperation with unforgettable memories that involved the ‘I scratch your back and you scratch mine’ policy that they employed at the company. Zack says with a laugh that people had the tendency to mistake the pair as “brothers” due to their closeness and work ethic. Zack also says that it was in no way abnormal that they tend to meet and talk for about ten hours on a daily basis, except on Sundays where both spend their free time with their respective families. The pair also lives about 5 minutes from one another, and mentions that this situation has made it easier for them to look after matters about production. When asked if UMP is the largest scale business in their area, they explain that they would be in terms of being a servicing agent based industry. In terms of the greatest challenge faced during production would be choosing the level of quality with prints. So instead of being a commercialized company, Zack and Ang have opted to cater to clients that require medium-high quality printing. On why they chose to purchase an eightcolour printing machine, Zack states that it is not efficient in having two four-colour units rushing the job that is meant for an
They are fighters, good at production and most importantly, they were thinking far ahead of other people, say CW Kok.
eight-colour machine. Zack adds that an eight-colour machine is capable of printing from top to bottom in a single run, unlike a four-colour which would have to be implemented twice. When asked about the future of UMP in the next ten years, Ang says that he intends to take things slow and step away from the bustling life as one of the company’s directors. However, he will be observing from the sidelines, coming up with newer ideas and perhaps even bring more advanced machines as part of an expansion process. With digital printing gaining a foot ahead in the market, Ang express that “we are looking to target A1 sized prints.” He mentions jokingly that as they are chasing after large format prints, they would have the luxury of time to print out wedding invitations. He recalls a visit to Dubai whereby both he and Zack were mesmerized by the quality of large format digital printing. Every image in a booklet was a different image; yet the process was quicker than any of them could have possibly imagined. With the advent of the Internet, printing companies are facing obstacles in terms of clients placing an order directly online instead of going through an agent. Asked if it poses a problem to UMP, Ang asserts that “it has not reached a level that is causing them losses at the moment.” He adds that online printing would only be carried out when the order amounts to ten thousand. While that has not affected the way they run their business, Ang still praises the benefits of online printing, as it cuts out a number of costs such as rental, agents and so on, rendering it price effective. On their lives outside of work, both Zack and Ang have been married to their spouses only recently. In fact, the gap in the dates of their marriages was only a week in duration. Occasionally Ang would head out and play badminton. Otherwise, he prefers to head back home and play with his two year old child. Ang concludes by saying that it not a simple task balancing a partnership in the printing business, or any business for that matter. He says that it’s rare to see partnerships in the industry. The more common phenomenon of a partnership would be a family owned printing press. Therefore, he is grateful that the partnership is not just one that is business in nature, but has evolved into becoming friendship and brotherhood and hopes that the same evolution would surface PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 15
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Green, efficient ... Intelligent The 9th Beijing International Printing Technology Exhibition (China Print 2017) opens to an optimistic industry
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HE 9th Beijing International Printing Technology Exhibition (China Print 2017) had its grand opening on the 9th May 2017 was chaired by Lu Chang’an, vice chairman of PEIAC. Representatives from HP, Heidelberg, KBA, Konica Minolta, Komori, Bobst, Kodak and other leading enterprises in the printing industry, as well as leaders of associations from US, Italy, UK, Germany, japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, Switzerland and Malaysia also attended the opening ceremony.
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Xu Jianguo, chairman of PEIAC in his opening speech expressed his gratitude to the delegates from various sectors for coming to the show. He said that this exhibition firmly grasped the latest development trend of the contemporary international printing industry along with the strategic pattern of the world’s printing industry development as the background. With “green, efficient, digital and intelligent” as the theme, the exhibition has a comprehensive display of the latest products and technologies, focusing on displaying the practices and development of the printing
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e-commerce, green printing, digital packaging, creative printing and other important aspects of the industry. As a four-yearly international printing exhibition, China Print 2017 attracts more than 1300 exhibitors from 29 countries with an exhibition area of 160,000 square meters. There will be more than 100 visiting groups from around 30 countries and regions, as well as individual visitors totalling to the tune of 180,000 from 117 countries. It used 8 main pavilions and 10 sub-pavilions of the new China International Exhibition Center to meet the needs of exhibitors. u PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 17
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Sincere Appreciation Sansin International Group shows gratitude to its’ South East Asia customers during China Print 2017 visit
High view – SANSIN Dinner Night. 18 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
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ANSIN international group organized a special appreciation visit from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar customers to attend the China Print 2017/ 9th Beijing International Printing Technology Exhibition from the 9th to 13th May 2017. The objectives were to expose to their customers the future trend of printing industry and also for their regional customers to communicate and exchange their views on printing developments. The highlight of the visit was the grand reception dinners hosted by Sansin International Group and KDX. Sansin group president, Qi Xiao Yun in his opening address said “We are very pleased that our customers had the opportunity to explore the new industry technology during this trip and they had the access to the information and knowledge they wanted. We at Sansin group are also very pleased during the 5-day trip as we have yielded substantial result. Many of our customers have signed on the spot” “I take this opportunity to thank everyone and we will continue with our belief in providing quality products and good service with a reasonable price. Simultaneously provide solutions to our partners. Sansin will lead the Chinese printing & packaging equipment to enter South East Asia market and towards the global market” he added.
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“With this trip with our current and potential customers, we tried to build business relationship with them and find to the solution for our customers to solve their problem. They were happy as we have assisted in solving it. – Eric Chow
Eric Chow with Sansin President. Sansin group International specializes in supplying all sort of printing equipment and materials, and providing solutions for all printing and packaging needs including all the pre-press, printing, and post-press needs. They also scheme the investing and purchasing plan for the customers (such as production technology, process, equipment selecting and budgeting, etc.) and offering complete after-sales services, including training, maintenance and repairing etc. Sansin’s principle is to provide the best products, services and the most favourable price for their customers. With more than 10 years’ experience and the solid relationship with their manufacturers, they can proudly say that they know their market, their products and their customers. Eric Chow, general manager of Sansin Prima (M) Sdn Bhd, who was the local coordinator for this event said “With this trip with our current and potential customers, we tried to build business relationship with them and find to the solution for our customers to solve their problem. They were happy as we have assisted in solving it. This was a very successful trip as we have managed to close a number of deals upon returning from Beijing.” “I would like to thank Malaysia Printers Association for giving us the opportunity to cooperate in organising this trip.” He added. u
MPA PresidentKoay Hean Beow giving away lucky draw gift to Low Chee Kok.
Ang received the Huawei Handphone from SANSIN president Qi Xiao Yun.
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Beijing Cheers Soo Song Ying and Tee Teck Hock leads the Malaysia Printers Association members to China Print 2017 for a packed schedule visit
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E do read about the essentially five characteristics of great leaders-firstly being flexible, secondly, is able to communicate, thirdly is having courage, tenacity, and patience, fourthly is the combination of humility and presence and lastly being responsible. We saw all that with Soo Song Ying, the man who was appointed as the organising chairman by Malaysia Printers Association to plan, organise, coordinate and lead the MPA members to Print China 2017 held in Beijing, China from the 9th May 2017. His deputy, Tee Teck Hock was equally remarkable in executing their planned itinerary for the members. “We are very grateful to our members who were very cooperative and supportive throughout the trip. Yes, we had some unexpected situations but we managed it by raising to the occasion.” said Soo. “We had full itinerary from day one, from attending official functions, meeting with other country counterparts, formal exhibition booth visits, factory visits and dinner functions. It was a very fruitful and successful trip for our members” Soo continued. Among the official functions attended by MPA Chairman, Koay Hean Beow and his deputy, Lim Peng Yaw were the official opening ceremony, Asia Pacific Day, Asia Print 2017 Meeting, the grand press conference of Print China 2019, All-in-Print China 2018, Shanghai launch and International China Print 2017
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gala dinner. Members of MPA were also the official guest of Sansin International Group reception dinner. During the interview with the media press corp at the media centre of China International Exhibition Center in Beijing, Koay expressed his congratulation to the success of the 9th Beijing International Printing Technology Exhibition (China Print 2017). “This is my second visit to China Print. Compared with the previous show, China Print 2017 has made a lot of progress in the exhibition scale as well as quality. China Print is the world’s second largest printing exhibition after Drupa, which has a very significant impact on the global industry” “Most Malaysian printers are willing to purchase Chinese printing equipment and consumables through established local representatives as they can find suitable products more easily through the screening of the representatives and also provided reliable service & support more easily” Koay added. u
“Most Malaysian printers are willing to purchase Chinese printing equipment and consumables through establish local representatives as they can find suitable products more easily through the screening of the representatives and also provide service & support more easily”. – Koay
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Heidelberg at China Print 2017
Simply Smart, paves the way for the future of Chinese Print Media Industry
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HINA Print 2017 – from May 9th to 13th in Beijing, this year’s biggest trade show for the print media industry has come to a successful conclusion. Over 200,000 visitors mostly from China but also from other countries in Asia took this week to find out the future industry trends. During the show, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) has presented innovative Packaging and Commercial Printing solutions under the motto “Simply Smart”, showing itself the strong driving force behind the industry’s digitization. “We were very pleased with the outcome of the trade show. Customers showed great interest in our new products and services for the digitized future. We are confident that
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we’ll continue to profit from the potential offered by this region in the future”, says Mr. Rainer Hundsdoerfer, CEO of Heidelberg. “China still plays an important role for Heidelberg, who is among the top 3 markets for Heidelberg together with Germany and USA. Heidelberg is fully committed to the development of Chinese printing industry, particularly with a modern and highly efficient factory in Shanghai.” “For Heidelberg, ‘Simply Smart’ is more than just a motto. It is the principle we apply to the development of solutions designed to make handling processes and technologies as easy as possible. It is how we see the intelligent, highly automated print shop of the future. So we offer our customers comprehensive and smart solutions, to ensure that
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they remain at the technology forefront in line with Industry 4.0”, explained Rene Ludvigsen, Regional Head of Heidelberg Asia. And Benny Huang, Head of Heidelberg China Ltd. added, “it is time for us to put forward the concepts including ‘Smart Print Shop’, ‘Smart Services’ and ‘Smart Collaboration’ during China Print this year. Visitors will not only learn Heidelberg’s vision of a digitized future and the Print Industry 4.0, but also see for themselves a truly digitized, integrated and networked print shop on our booth. Our customers expect us to deliver added value solutions, and we are actively helping them make the transformation to a digitized future.” Packaging Solution: New product and new applications, successful sales launch of new Speedmaster CX 75 in China During China Print 2017, a Speedmaster CX 75-4 press with innovative DryStar LED technology from Heidelberg was showcased for the first time. This press is the combination of the innovative platform of Speedmaster XL 75 and components of Speedmaster SX 74. The new Speedmaster CX 75-4 on the show is digitally integrated with Prinect Press Center 2 and the patented Intellistart system, presenting the highly automated and integrated print production as a result. The most innovative DryStar LED technology achieves the highest energy efficiency. No drying time is needed, which means the sheets can go straight into postpress, no more waiting times, and delivery times are shorter. The 500 mm elevated Speedmaster CX 102-7+L press also at Packaging & Label Printing Area has unsurprisingly been the longest and most impressive sheetfed offset press on the trade shows in China. Equipped with high end features like Prinect Press Center XL 2, Intellistart 2, Wallscreen XL, AutoPlate Pro, Automatic Wash-up, Prinect Image Control 3 and fully integrated in the Prinect workflow it addressed the increasing
demand for top end solutions for advanced print production. Following the “Push to Stop” philosophy introduced at drupa 2016 the live presentation showcased the huge saving potentials of “Navigated Printing” on this highly automated press in perfect combination with “Multicolor”. The Multicolor technology from Heidelberg delivers the world of color on a single sheet, achieves outstanding quality with its unique 7 color separation and screening but less waste, less wash ups, faster production and shorter delivery times. In addition, it is the first time for Heidelberg and its subsidiary Gallus to make joint efforts to present the integrated Packaging and Label solution at China Print. A Gallus ECS 340 ten color label press was shown, to offer customers the possibility of even more cost-effective label production of the highest standard. Commercial Printing Solution: Smart and tailor-made for customers, high demand for locally produced machines The Speedmaster CS 92-4 press at Commercial Printing Area is not a new face on the show, as it was officially launched on Print China exhibition two years ago. However, its cost-effective production of commercial jobs, especially the benefit from 20 percent cheaper printing plates than the 70 x 100 cm format still impresses many customers. With DryStar LE UV technology, the CS 92-4 is able to achieve impressive quality, instant drying and fast turnover. The onsite demonstration presented two gang jobs as well as rapid curing on uncoated papers, making LE UV an ideal solution for commercial print shops who want to improve their response to constantly changed market requirements. Another particular highlight at Commercial Area is the Hybrid Printing done by a Speedmaster SX 74-4 sheetfed press together with a Versafire CP digital printing press. With Prinect workflow system, the print orders are reasonably separated
and automatically sent to different printing process. Those orders fit for digital printing, the production data goes directly to Versafire CP. Those orders fit for sheetfed printing, the data goes to CtP and the Speedmaster SX 74. With Heidelberg Prinect system and Color Management, the commercial print shops can harness the benefits of Hybrid Printing and enjoy the highest cost efficiency at any run length. u PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 23
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Putting forward innovation Fuji Xerox paves the way forward with Versant Press
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HRIVING to be on top of the innovation game had always been the focus at Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific. Its continues efforts were showcased in with recent launch of two new production printers –the Versant™ 3100 Press for the entry production color market, and the Versant™ 180 Press for the light production color market at 2017 Fuji Xerox Innovation Showcase. Combined with the newly developed optional Finisher D6 and other finishing lineup, the new Versant™ Presses will meet finishing needs in both variety as well as quality. With improved and higher of quality printing, the new VersantTM will be an eye opener compared to their previous models, the new printers aim to contribute to the further popularization of print-on-demand.
POWERFUL NEW FINISHER Powerful as ever, the new Finisher D6 features multiple ranges of finishing functions such as a stacking and stapling, punching, covers page insertion, paper folding, and saddle stapling functions with higher speed and precision. New & robust features include automatically creating high-quality offset-like booklets by connecting the newly developed booklet maker with creaser and trimmer for the perfect full bleed books & magazines.
NEW PRINT PERFORMANCE Versant 3100 Press, an entry model for the professional printing market, continues the high productivity of its previous model and continues to offer 100ppm productivity. The 24 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
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Rising Champions
M Versant™ 3100 also got a full range upgrade for its DFE (Digital Front End) as well. Dubbed as GX, the new printer server has increased its RIP speed and offers customer-voice-based improved items. The Versant™ 3100 also offers a wide range of extensive paper handling capability ranging from 52 to 350g/m2. Improved print quality and enhanced Automatic image control with in-line sensor also reduces operational load to ensure more time was spend at profit instead of downtime. Versant™ 180 Press, a lighter version production model made for Office Intra-company printing and smaller run GC print requirements, also retains great features from the Versant™ family. Running at 80 ppm productivity, and extensive paper handling capability, the Versant™ 180 Press also offers a series of office-use functions for more security and printing convenient, which also features the upgraded GX Print Server for quicker printing and more vibrant on demand GC and Office applications. u
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R. TAN Kee Leong, General Manager of Production Services Business Group, Says: “It is always our passion at Fuji Xerox to build and groom the industry and it has always been part of what we believed in to contribute back to the society to help customers to expand. This serves to become a wonderful ecosystem that perfectly brings the printing industry to another level of supremacy. Ultimately, all these helps to bring the printing industry to be the top 10 industries in the world, and that’s what we want everyone to able to be at,” Fuji Xerox celebrated the Rise of the Champions with three partnering companies who had recently installed the new Versant TM 180 Press for their business and showed their ultimate support in the Fuji Xerox’s brand. Special Thanks to Euro Façade Tech Export Sdn Bhd, Got It Enterprise and Forefront Studio Sdn Bhd who had made great decisions to choose the Versant™ family product. The company also marks it’s excellence in the industry by setting the Malaysian’s printers’ business standard with the PIXI (Printing Innovation with Xerox Imaging) Awards, an annual Asia Pacific Region print application competition where all printers with special printout were evaluated from a team of application experts. These will kick-start a whole new combination of creativity and technology innovation in the printing and communications solutions sphere and a great way to connect with customers while recognizing their innovative projects and creations. “We have great support from our customers and they have contributed so much in bringing a success to push the quality of printing with Fuji Xerox Machines,” said, Tan Kee Leong. Special Thanks & Congratulations to the winners for PIXI Champions; Xpresso Printz Sdn Bhd (Winner of the Environmental Award category), Banway Marketing Sdn Bhd (2nd place winner of the Multi-Piece category), and Superior Press Sdn Bhd (Winner of the Digital & Offset Together category). PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 25
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Beyond CMYK: The Digital Print Enhancement Opportunity
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LOVE print. I particularly love it when it knocks my socks off. I’m a fool for gloss varnishes, metallic foils, velvet finishes, neon colours, and lenticular images. You get the picture. I’m also a huge digital print advocate. Yet much of production colour digital print is process colour only. Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black are great, and they are perfect for a lot of work, but sometimes I yearn for more. Maybe it’s that I’ve been spoiled by all the fantastic capabilities of offset print. InfoTrends estimates that 30% of offset printed colour pages have some type of enhancement beyond the four process colours. I often refer to this as “CMYK+.” CMYK+ may be a spot or flood coat, a Pantone colour, a metallic gold or silver ink, opaque white, or a range of other value-add special effects. Sometimes print will even use a combination of two or more special effects. All in all, this amounts to more than a trillion colour offset pages that have some type of an enhancement beyond process colour in promotional document applications. How many digital pages have such special effects? A small fraction, less than 3% of the total production colour digital print pages. Some of the CMYK+ digital print pages are done in-line with systems that have an extra imaging station in addition to cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. HP Indigo, Kodak NexPress, and Xeikon were some of the earliest system providers to offer digital enhancements beyond CMYK, but others have come to the market with such features more recently including systems from companies like Fuji Xerox, Oki Data, Ricoh, RISO, and Xerox. There are also off-line digital enhancement systems from companies like Konica Minolta, MGI, Scodix, and Steinemann that use UV inkjet to produce spot gloss, dimensional, foil, and other effects. Yet today, the digital print enhancement market (both in-line and off-line) only amounts to about nine billion pages annually. That may seem like a lot, but it’s just a tiny sliver compared to the total 1.8 trillion print-enhanced colour 26 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
... 30% of offset printed colour pages have some type of enhancement beyond the four process colours. I often refer to this as “CMYK+.” CMYK+ may be a spot or flood coat, a Pantone colour, a metallic gold or silver ink, opaque white, or a range of other value-add special effects.” pages produced each year. The conclusion is pretty clear. There is a significant growth opportunity for digital print enhancement processes. One of the reasons for this opportunity is simply to add value to digital print pages, but there is an interesting synergy between digital print and CMYK+ special effects. First off, CMYK+ allows high-value effects to be done affordably in shorter runs and with quicker turnarounds than with conventional methods. The personalization capabilities of digital print also make it possible not only to add the special effect, but also to make each and every printed piece unique. To explore the size, scope, and growth prospects for digital print enhancement, InfoTrends conducted a market study last year called “Beyond CMYK: The Use of Special Effects in Digital Printing.” This study includes a forecast plus research that was conducted with three key groups: print service providers, print customers, and system vendors. We also created a tool to help calculate return on investment (ROI). The
result, we believe, is the first comprehensive look into the size and potential of the digital print enhancement market. Here’s a look at the samples we showed to the print customers in the study: From our interviews with more than 100 print customers we come away convinced that there is an appetite and a willingness to pay a premium for these special effects. Print customers indicated that they are willing to pay a premium of 24% to 89% over CMYK only for digital print enhancements. They also said that these special effects could apply to a significant amount of their work. Spot colours (58%) and spot/flood coatings (38%) were at the top of the list. Brochures and other marketing materials were the most commonly mentioned applications that could benefit from these special effects. It is clear that some of these special effects apply to a wider range of applications than others, and some special effects are likely to garner larger premiums than others, but all in all we see a strong opportunity for print service providers. – Jim Hamilton u
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Ricoh Malaysia announces leadership change Appointed Ms Alice Lee Mei Nar as the Chief Operating Officer for Ricoh (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd replacing Mr Peter Wee
R “Under Peter’s leadership, Ricoh Malaysia has grown from a RM119 million company into a RM200 million revenue company, a remarkable achievement in itself. He has also successfully positioned Ricoh Malaysia as a services-led organisation, in a bid to fulfil our global mission as a total office and business solutions provider and a leader in sustainable workplace solutions.”
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ICOH (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. has appointed Ms Alice Lee Mei Nar as the Chief Operating Officer for Ricoh (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd effective from 1st April 2017, replacing Mr Peter Wee. Alice role as COO will predominantly be overlooking the whole of Ricoh (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd operation. Her role is also to bring the company in alignment with the vision and direction of Ricoh Asia Pacific and Ricoh Co Ltd. She will be working closely with Business Solutions, Marketing, Finance and Administration, Service & Technical, Human Resources, Production Printing Business, Managed Document Services and Total Quality Management. Alice Lee shall report direct to Mr Kazuhisa Goto, Managing Director of Ricoh Asia Pacific. “Under Peter’s leadership, Ricoh Malaysia has grown from a RM119 million company into a RM200 million revenue company, a remarkable achievement in itself. He has also successfully positioned Ricoh Malaysia as a services-led organisation, in a bid to fulfil our global mission as a total office and business solutions provider and a leader in sustainable workplace solutions. I am thankful to be appointed this role. All customers and business partners can be rest assured that it will be a smooth transition. Our main core business of hardware will still be the priority and will continue to provide customer first service. Moving in tandem in Ricoh Malaysia will be on our next new key growth area of IT Services and Production Printing” said Lee. As part of Ricoh Malaysia since 1996, Alice has made a rapid climb to management position from Marketing Support Manager to General Manager in 10 years. “With more than 20 years’ service, I know that Ricoh has so much to offer – driven by our unique business
model, and with innovation in our DNA, I am immensely excited to lead Ricoh Malaysia on the next stage of our journey”, remarked Lee. “Having worked closely with Peter for many years, I’m truly grateful for this opportunity to now steer the operations of Ricoh Malaysia. Peter leaves behind a sound legacy founded on building relationships within and outside of Ricoh. I look forward to leading our dynamic team to continue making changes in the Malaysian workplace, in line with the brand’s tagline, ‘Imagine. Change”, added Lee. Alice is a law graduate from University of East London (Bachelor of LAW – LLB and CLP) 1990 – 1993. Her aspiration to be a practicing corporate lawyer was set aside when she was given the opportunity to take on a marketing role in Inchcape NRG in 1996. Her passion and drive made her the top sales achiever winning her the Best Sales Manager Award from year 2002 to 2004. During her leisure time, Alice enjoys reading, playing the piano and watching movies. Adding a little edge to her list of hobbies, she also does fencing. Ricoh Malaysia now carries a fully launched product range that is supported by IT Services including the new Data Network Services for the workplace. Recently, Ricoh Malaysia has been recognised by the Malaysian Government through MDEC for being awarded the MSC Status, for ICT and ICT-facilitated businesses that develop and use multimedia technologies
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Ricoh Malaysia launches Direct to Garment printers
N (Left) Chief Operating Officer, Ricoh (M) Sdn Bhd, Ms Alice Lee, (Right) Managing Director, Ricoh Asia-Pacific, Mr Kazuhisa Goto
“At a time of steady upward global business confidence and continuous innovation, Alice’s progressive and dynamic leadership capabilities is just what’s needed for the next phase of progress in Ricoh Malaysia”. – Goto to produce and enhance its services, and also as a mark of world-class service and achievement. Ricoh has also been certified under MyHIJAU, for its cultivation in areas of sustainable solutions. “At a time of steady upward global business confidence and continuous innovation, Alice’s progressive and dynamic leadership capabilities is just what’s needed for the next phase of progress in Ricoh Malaysia”, said Goto. u
EW DTG Printers Make it Easier Than Ever to Add Eye-Catching Applications to Varied Media Ricoh continues to drive the opportunities and flexibility of its customers through the launch of two new RICOH Ri 3000 and Ri 6000 Direct to Garment (DTG) printers. The highly productive RICOH Ri 3000 and Ri 6000 systems enable print providers to have more flexible, cost-effective and dynamic customer offerings by providing high quality digital printing in the traditionally analogue garment printing segment. The Ricoh DTG printers are ideal for promotional printing on items like T-shirts, cloth bags, hoodies, sweatshirts and socks. The RICOH Ri 3000 and Ri 6000 can print on a wide range of materials ranging from 100% cotton and 100% light polyester to mixed (polyester) garments up to 50/50 blends. The two machines will equip print providers - such as screen printers, specialist DTG printers, sign & display printers, commercial graphic arts printers and other entrepreneurs - to produce valuable applications for a wide range of industries and activities, including fashion, universities, colleges & schools, corporate brands, SMBs, home decoration shops, youth groups, sports clubs and charity events. KL Loh (pic) , General Manager, Commercial and Industrial Printing Operations, Ricoh Malaysia, says: “Our new RICOH Ri 3000/Ri 6000 Direct to Garment printers offer customers the ability to simplify and shorten their production process compared to traditional analogue screen printing or other methods.” KL’s continues: “The RICOH Ri 3000 and Ri 6000 models offer the benefit of digitally printing low volume, personalised short run jobs, as well as production volume longer run jobs. We are able to achieve outstanding image quality on both light and dark garments without any limitation on half tones, detailed designs or photographs. These systems deliver colourfast, machine washable prints that last and can stretch without cracking. The new eco-friendly Ricoh Garment inks give designs a soft touch and vibrant colours.” Both systems incorporate Ricoh piezo-electric printhead technology. These industrial grade printheads have a robust stainless steel architecture which delivers high levels of durability and longevity, contributing to market-leading performance. The AnaRIP software provides total control of print settings and expected ink costs. The systems also include user-friendly maintenance features such as an automatic ink circulation system for white channels which improves ink flow and increases performance. Print workflows are easily managed too, with a new seven-inch, touch-enabled operation panel. The RICOH Ri 3000 and Ri 6000 printers will be progressively available from the third quarter of this year. Do visit us at Booth #2170 Hall 2 Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur and experience this new DTG technology. See you. PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 29
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Ultimate Investment
Komori installed the latest System 38D 32-page Web Offset Press in Asia Pacific at Ultimate Print
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ATOSHI Mochida, President and COO of Komori Corporation was in Malaysia to witness the latest installation of System 38D 32-page Web Offset Press in Asia Pacific at Ultimate Print. Satoshi Mochida shares Komori’s inspiration for 2017 with Print+. “Komori is evolving. Komori is evolving from a specialist printing press manufacturer to a print engineering service provider (PESP). By presenting all solutions, we will expand the new potential of printing by offering offset, digital, printed electronics (PE), materials and auxiliary equipment. “Next, Komori is leading with Connected Print. Komori knows that everything creates new value by being connected. Connecting all printing operations by linking offset and digital as well as hardware and software — and even more importantly, connecting customers to Komori via the cloud — will generate new value and lead to brilliant print creation. We will show our customers a range of ideas for opening new pages, such as moving to high added value printing, adding offset-tuned digital printing capabilities or broadening postpress options 30 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
with Komori’s growing suite of finishing equipment. State-of-the-art innovation, cutting-edge automation and unparalleled quality standards. Take your printing to the next level with Komori.” “The future of print is changing due to the development of digital communications. Komori has long believed that successful commercial printing companies need to harness the power of both offset and digital technologies to maximize their efficiency and profitability. That’s why Komori combined its core competency of precision manufacturing and reliable sheet path control with cutting-edge inkjet digital printing technology to create the Impremia IS29. Merging the reliability and print quality of offset presses with the variable data printing capabilities and short-run convenience of digital printing systems is what inspired Komori’s creation of DigitalOnDemand solutions.” He further explained “Malaysia is especially very important for us , not only as a market place but as hub supporting the neighbouring countries. UPA is very long partner of us in sales and technical & customer support to the Malaysian
Satoshi Mochida, President and COO of Komori Corporation with Dato’ (Dr) Hishamuddin Haji Yaacob, Chairman/CEO/ Group Managing Director.
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“Komori is evolving. Komori is evolving from a specialist printing press manufacturer to a print engineering service provider (PESP). By presenting all solutions, we will expand the new potential of printing by offering offset, digital, printed electronics (PE), materials and auxiliary equipment.”
Syamil Fahim with Satoshi Mochida and CW Kok. clients. We have a perfect relationship and understanding with each other. “ Syamil Fahim the Chief Operating Officer for the Kumpulan Media Karangkraf explained the motive of the investment in Komori Web offset press “The current web machines are aging and the productivity has gone done and the maintenance cost are going up. So, it is time to refresh the web division we have. We checked out a few brands both from German and Japanese, we equate the spec to spec, everything to be the same on speed and capability. When we look for the value for money, for the price that we got, the Japanese machine is really value for money.” “As long of technology is concern, especially the web, it has reached a certain
maturity and we don’t see much difference between the vendor’s product. At the end of the day, it is about value for money. We got good productivity and we can compete better after calculating the cost, it gives a more leeway and we settled for Komori” Dato’ (Dr) Hishamuddin Haji Yaacob, Chairman/CEO/Group Managing Director further explained “Most importantly, our trust in Komori and the service and support provided by UPA who has a strong base. We got our first web machine from them and have experience running it.” “We are really old friends. More than 30 years, we know each other very well. Komori is a good machine, and that is why Ultimate chose Komori. Not because our
relationship.” Concluded CW Kok, of UPA Machinery. “We have currently European machine and Japanese machine, but when I ask our operators about the newly installed Komori web offset , they mentioned that there are not much steep learning curve, very user friendly and very automatized.” “We used to have additional processes of two ups of 16. Now it runs parallel. That itself saves us nearly one to two days of manual work. With a full spec machine with dryer, catcher for web breaks and the full automation of plates saves about 45 minutes. And productivity increases as the time to make ready is much much less. And the best part, the warning indication comes with a song” Syamil explained. u PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 31
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4th drupa Global Trends report 2017 A positive story from most printers and suppliers in most regions
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WO years ago we were able to report an almost universally positive picture from both printers and suppliers reporting on their own companies’ economic health, described as the ‘drupa barometers of economic confidence’. Last year the picture was more variable between the regions, with some doing well and others struggling. It is a similar picture in 2016, however the variances are even larger. Nevertheless in global terms, 42% of printers1 described their business as in a ‘good’ economic state, whilst 11% described it as ‘poor’. So a positive net balance of 31% and it is that ‘net balance’ that we show in the chart below and is used in many of the subsequent charts. As always the forecast for next year is somewhat more optimistic than the reality the following year, whilst in some cases the difference is striking eg Africa, which reported a net decline in confidence, the first time for any region since this report series started in 2013. Perhaps amongst both printers and suppliers in general a more cautious (and perhaps more realistic) outlook is emerging. The economic summary in the main report indicates there is good cause for that caution. The printers’ and suppliers’ own more detailed financial performance figures support this more conservative view. Printers globally report continuing falls in prices which are compensated for by increasing utilisation and hence raising overall revenues at a cost of falling margins.
MARKET SPECIFIC TRENDS Commercial printers facing the impact of digital communications have been encouraged to find new revenue streams with fresh added value services. With four years of data now available it must be reported there is no evidence of any such growth, with the notable 32 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
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exception of wide format print up from 37% in 2013 to 50% in 2016. North America leads the way in adding new services, but even in that region there is some evidence of a fall in the range of services offered. Multi-channel or cross media services are still a minority application (18% globally), although again North America is well ahead (38%). Packaging printers have seen a relatively small impact of digital media to date at least and remain generally confident across all regions. On the other hand the level of adoption of added value SKUs remains modest in most cases, with interactive features the most common to be adopted. It is clear that digital print is starting to have a real impact (32% offer it globally), most commonly for labels but with flexibles and folding cartons following and some signs for corrugated. For Functional printers the story remains very positive, with those in this market sector putting ever more resources behind it as they enjoy good growth rates in most applications. Inkjet is the dominant print technology for most applications (up from 61% in 2014 to 74% in 2016).
IN CONCLUSION Following the successful drupa in Spring 2016, this survey has provided the statistical support that shows print is recovering from the double hit of the global recession and the impact of digital communications. Printers report sustained improvements in revenues to offset reductions in pricing and margins and strong capital investment plans. Whilst for suppliers, improving revenues and margins coupled again with strong investment plans show a positive future. The good news is not universal; while Functional and Packaging print are in expansive mode, Publishing print is in a more defensive mode with Commercial print somewhere in-between. In regional terms, the Middle East has chronic problems undermining performance and Africa and South/Central America remain fragile. All print companies must continue to adapt and meet the market challenges head on. This will mean a ruthless approach to efficiency and automation while at the same time learning new skills and developing new added value services. Nevertheless it is pleasing to report that overall, print has got its ‘mojo’ back. u PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 33
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Knowledge, Growth & Innovation Centre HP Launches Learning Academy in Singapore to Accelerate Printing Industry Transformation
The training facility includes the latest HP Indigo Digital Presses for hands-on training workshops.
Official 0pening of the new HP Graphics Solutions Service Learning Academy in Singapore.
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P Inc. today unveiled a new multimillion-dollar Graphics Solutions Service (GSS) Learning Academy dedicated to providing enhanced professional development and training to accelerate the digital transformation of the printing industry across Asia Pacific and Japan. At a time when printing is rapidly evolving from analog to digital, training and development on the latest digital transformation technologies are vital for print services providers and professionals in the print industry. The HP Graphics Solutions Service Learning Academy will provide a highly effective learning experience for over 1000 customers, production managers, engineers and operators from across the region, over the next 12 months. Pee Beng Kong, Director of Electronics, Singapore Economic Development Board said, “We are pleased that HP has chosen Singapore to set up its Learning Academy. The Learning Academy will help to upskill and equip our workforce with capabilities in digital printing.” The HP Graphics Solutions Service Learning Academy will develop production managers, operators, service engineers and application engineers through a blended learning model. The curriculum of over 50 courses includes on-site hands-on-training, 34 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
Lyman Smith, Director Graphic Solutions Services, HP Asia Pacific and Japan. self-paced modular eLearning, instructorled webinars and online assessment tools. Participants in the Academy will have the opportunity to attend general training courses that create a deeper awareness about the enormous potential of digital printing and how it can empower businesses to do more, as well as product training courses such as HP Indigo operator level 1, level 2 and color management. The 1,700 square-metre training facility at the HP Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Tuas has been renovated and includes seven training classrooms, hands-on Digital Printing Press workshops, remote monitoring and diagnostic command centre, and a next-generation product and solution training room. The facility also showcases the latest printing solutions including HP Indigo Digital Presses, HP Sign
& Display Presses and HP DesignJet Printers. “As we work to create technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere, we recognise that we are at the threshold of a huge digital transformation,” said Michael Boyle, General Manager, Graphic Solutions Business, HP Asia Pacific & Japan. “HP is committed to providing the necessary skills, development and support that will empower businesses, brands and print service providers across Asia Pacific and Japan to take advantage of the growth in digital printing market.” HP is committed to leading the analogto-digital transformation across Asia Pacific and Japan by reinventing not only the approach to print but also providing critical skills development and knowledge transfer. We continue to see strong customer adoptions with converters around the world having purchased more than 120 HP Indigo Series 4 large format digital presses for packaging since their release in 2014, half in the past year alone. HP Indigo’s narrowweb Series 3 labels and packaging presses, including the HP Indigo 12000 and HP Indigo WS6800 digital presses, have reached 2000 installed units in Asia Pacific and Japan. HP Latex Printers have now reached more than 42,000 Latex printers installed worldwide since their Introduction in 2009. Yehuda BenSimon, HP GSS Learning Academy Manager at the opening. “The Learning Academy is testament to the importance we place on Asia Pacific and Japan as a source of knowledge, growth and innovation for our organization. Our mission is to create opportunities for our customers by unlocking the full potential for growth in their businesses. We enable this by building skills capability for both our customers and channel partners – from operators to production mangers and supporting engineers.” u
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Hardwork pays off
Achik have grown leaps and bounds with the help of his friends
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ODAY, Achik operates as a Private Limited establishment for more than 12 years. Achik Sdn Bhd provides one-stop printing services, from screen to offset to digital printing, using up to date technologies for pre-press, printing, binding, finishing and packaging. But like all successful endeavours, a story of its beginning must be told. Four friends: Achik with Kak Roziah, Kak Ina, and Encik Mais met over fifteen years ago working for a completely different industry. “Achik is the most hardworking of the lot. That’s all I can say and that actually attributed to his success,” expressed Roziah. Print+ sits down with Achik to find out the origins of his business endeavour. Print+: Could you tell us about your friends who were in the business together with you during the initial stages? Achik: When I first arrived here, I was working elsewhere at an internet cafe actually. Then, I received an offer at the time to work with Strategi Jati as a landscape draftsman. We had no dispatch riders, so I had to do that job as well. And that’s also how I met these great friends of mine who are now in business with me. That job actually gave me the tools to manage a business and to really know what the important things that I need to see through and from which particular source I’ll need to open my accounts from - all these crucial things, you know? So, once I acquired the knowledge to open an account, I realised
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I’d have to audit the account. I did all of that. I had to learn on a step-by-step basis. Back then there was no such thing as cost; not like how it is today. We started as documentation company. We did a lot of photostating and binding until we reach our peak. Now we have more labeling and packaging customers. We still maintain the documentation business. Print+: You must be super busy. Achik: Well, I’m too busy right now but I used to be extremely busy back in those days. Like about three to five years ago, you could find me working around eighteen to nineteen hours a day. My friends noticed that and advised me one day to ‘go on autopilot. I took their advice and outsourced the necessary work to specific people. I direct and mentor the people around me these days. And because I have great staff members, I have the ability to stay home a lot more these days. In fact, I believe if you have amazing people working for you, why not let them be the face of your business, right? They are very capable of providing solutions on their own, so I act more of a consultant to them. It’s time for me to relax a bit more, you know? With the new factory in the works, I got a bit weary. Now, that I’m so much more relaxed, I like spending my time with the family. Print+: What else do you like to do in your free time? Achik: I was always a very active person from
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overseas. So, whatever it is I am able to use my own equipment and get it done. So those would be the features available at the store. Many a times I would end up outsourcing the work to others but now I prefer to do it on my own, so that I can help any small-time entrepreneurs who have too many subjects to deal with at a single time, which results in them not meeting their deadlines. So, when they outsource the work over to me, I help them by ensuring quality control with the deadline and help them from there, with the price and the time. It’s usually done during office hours, around 12 in the afternoon. My staff are on call 24 hours a day, so when a job is posted the day before everyone receives it early in the morning the following day. Print+: What is the percentage comparison between corporate and consumer based customers? Achik: Well, the corporate sector would amount to thirty per cent at most. Though, walk in customers amount to quite a number actually. So when you look back at the twenty per cent, it actually amounts from sixty to seventy per cent. That’s because one corporate customer is a representation of many corporate customers. But now we look exclusively at private and consumer based customers, as there are problems with dealing with requests from government based corporate companies.
back in the day, particularly in athletics. I had a large body frame even then in my high school years, so I ended up in the rugby team. When that phase ended, I moved on to race motorbikes. I was racing so much until it came to a point where I realised I was so lucky to be alive. That was the thing of the past. Now, it’s all about the family. I love driving them around town, it gives me time to get to know them better every time. Travelling is yet another one of my hobbies and camping. Love nature. Print+: Tell us about your new factory? Achik: The factory is located about 5KM from Taman Melawati. So, I built a new routine and included both digital and offset printing. The reason why I did that is because that the area is within the MRR2 highway. So even if there is a traffic jam, it does not affect the route to the factory as the congestion stays within MRR2. In return, I had to bring over my customers from the corporate sector since the Taman Melawati area suffers from bad traffic congestion. The second reason is that I am able to carry out security printing functions at the factory. I couldn’t get it done here because of the need for security printing. Upon moving to the new place, any tenders and bids that I have arranged for were made possible due to the presence of proper security printing. Also, I have a large store that’s around the size of 10,000 square feet. So, I am able to load papers as well as help print out supplies that are shipped here from
“I would like to help build up the ethics of long term staff, help educate them so that they can one day be like me too. So, when I give them a business to run, they are able to carry out the responsibilities.”
Print+: So, Mr Achik, what are your plans for the next five years? Achik: Alright, so the plan to construct the new factory would be one of them. The other thing is that I would be both a supplier and printer at the same time. Meaning to say that I would be adding variety into the services being offered, providing raw materials and assisting bumiputera entrepreneurs. Also, I would like to help build up the ethics of long term staff, help educate them so that they can one day be like me too. So, when I give them a business to run, they are able to carry out the responsibilities. I would like our minds to running on the same wavelength. It’s a step by step process. Print+: Would you like to convey a message to our readers? Achik: For any business now, the current economic state isn’t exactly flexible. So, one would have to manage the current situation wisely. You are going to face an uphill struggle in the first few years, whether you like it or not. Some throw in the towel way too early instead of persevering and observing the results over a certain period of time. Say if you’re using a particular type of printing machine, use that one machine alone. Don’t mix it up just yet. Be patient. u PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 37
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Cyber’s New Technology Centre opens The company celebrated the opening ceremony of its second showroom at Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
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YBER (M) Sdn Bhd official opened its new showroom located at Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. This 4,000 sqm facility is the second centre in Malaysia. The first centre is at Senai, Johore. Herbert Cheong, Chairman of the Cyber Group, in his opening speech termed the showroom as the Cyber Technology Centre. “We call it a Technology Centre to remind us that the industry is constantly evolving, and we have to keep pace with new innovations. This is just a building with four walls, and what we get out of it is important. It is indeed a high sounding name, and in order to live up to the name, we need all of you to share with us your knowledge. We would like to share whatever new technology received from our suppliers to assist you to progress, at the same time, we look forward to your feedback and understand your needs. We can work hand in gloves to achieve whatever all of us are looking for so let us have your ideas.” Cheong explained. The showroom opening was attended by
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Front view of Cyber Technology Centre, Petaling Jaya.
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Ribbon Cutting Ceremony by Mr. Eijiro Hori, Mr. Herbert Cheong and others.
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Demonstration of Horizon CABS 4000S Perfect Binding Line at Binding Machine Showroom.
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Demonstration of RMGT9 928-PF8, 8-colour Convertible Perfector.
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Printing Machine Showroom and Training Centre.
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regional customers, partners and associates from Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Distinguished guests at the ceremony include Eijiro Hori, president & CEO of Horizon International Inc., Yuzuru Ichimasa, president of RMGT and Katsushi Hirokawa, vice president of RMGT. “On behalf of Horizon, I deeply congratulate Cyber for the opening of the new Technology Centre. Since I met Mr Herbert Cheong more than 35 years ago, I have been admiring his considerable insight for the business, and knowledge and experience devoted to the printing industry. As you are
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aware, the printing industry is changing. It is very important to have the right advisor, and you can find that in the Cyber Group,” said Horizon’s Eijiro Hori. Cyber took the opportunity to showcase the company’s wide range of equipment offerings over a two-day event. There was also a mini seminar session by product specialists from Ryobi MHI Graphic Technology Limited (RMGT), Horizon International and the Cyber Group. One of the highlights at the event was a demonstration of the RMGT9-920PF8, an A1 size 8-colour perfector from the RMGT
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9 Offset press series. The press is able to increase productivity by 2.5 times over a new 4-colour press, whilst using the same amount of electricity and floor space. It utilises LED UV technology, and thus consumes 91% less electricity than conventional UV. Cyber has been established since 1976 in Singapore and most recently celebrated its 39th anniversary in 2016. Since then, the company has embarked on a globalisation program, which brought it into Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Outer Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos. u
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Preparing for new frontier The association plans to rename Malaysia Paper Merchants Association (MaPMA) to Malaysia Paper Association to create a broader platform and allow all paper trading entities to be members of the association.
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ALAYSIA Paper Merchants Association (MaPMA) celebrated their 28th gala anniversary dinner in Kuala Lumpur. Terence Low Teck Cheong, President of MaPMA during his opening speech said “As we embark on the 28th year celebration since the inception of Malaysia Paper Merchants Association, while feeling proud of our achievements till today, it would be great for us to reflect on our journey, filed with challenges and glorious moments faced by the paper industry.” “The Paper industry in Malaysia has gone through a long and splendid moments. In its early days, it was natured by a handful paper traders, compared to the present-day where the paper industry has significantly grown many folds. Today we can say that Malaysian Paper Merchants Association is maturing with many types of paper traders in the country. We can proudly say that MaPMA has contributed positively to the economy of our nation.” Terence also mentioned the future plans of MaPMA as follows “With this in mind, 40 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
during the 23rd AGM, it was unanimously agreed to rename Malaysia Paper Merchants Association (MaPMA) to Malaysia Paper Association. The change aims to create a broader platform, and allow all paper trading entities, be it big or small, to be able to be members of the Association. Entities dealing with all kinds of paper and paper based products, such as merchandising, importing & exporting, representatives of paper mills and manufacturers can be part of the association.” “MaPMA’s theme this year, “Paper Usage To Stay”, is a self testimony to show the growth of the paper market and the enormous and imminent need of paper in our daily lives . Since MaPMA’s incorporation 28 years ago we have not only continued to exist relevant to fulfilling the needs of the Association members but also to our customers by ensuring that quality products are always within their reach.” Rajesh Dhawan, the Orgainsing Chairman further explained. The Guest of honour for the evening, Dato’ Lee Chee Leong, Deputy Minister of Finance in his message said “ MaPMA is a very respected and well represented grouping of
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paper merchants in Malaysia, upstream and downstream players from the printing and stationery industry and not forgetting the suppliers of their products like paper mills / manufacturers and their representatives, both local and from overseas.” “MaPMA’s theme for this event “Paper Usage To Stay” is very apt as Paper is a very important consumer product in the daily lives of everyone. Paper is used right from our rest rooms right up to the CEO’s desk in the office. One cannot imagine to pass a day without using paper on our daily lives. This is enough to make you realize the importance of paper in our daily lives.” “Just like our beloved country, Malaysia, where people of different ethnic groups live peacefully together, the MaPMA also is a grouping of paper merchants from all the different communities in Malaysia working together, sharing their marketing experiences, products information on qualities and working as one big family to fulfill the needs of their customers in Malaysia and at the same time ensuring that the needs and objectives of their individual business entities and its employees are achieved” Dato mentioned. “This year’s theme “ PAPER USAGE TO STAY ” reflects on our strength and 28 years of continued solid existence in the paper trading and merchandising environment in Malaysia since incorporation. The spirit of members of MaPMA is indeed commendable as while everyone of us are in the competitive arena of paper trading and merchandising we still can take time off to run the affairs of this “family like grouping” of MaPMA and after cordial deliberations we all can eventually come to an agreement of consensus in decision making on matters of interest and benefiting to the association and its members. This has resulted in a strong personal bondness amongst ourselves and today successfully reaching this 28 years of existence and overcoming all obstacles during today’s challenging times.” continued Manmohan Singh Kwatra, the honorary secretary of MaPMA. u PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 41
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The future of industrial digital printing The latest White Paper “What is the Future of Digital Industrial Print”, written by I.T. Strategies, shows that industrial digital and inkjet printing continues to gain momentum with accelerated growth forecast of 36% (cumulative average) between 2014 and 2020.
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DEFINITION of Industrial Digital Print Industrial digital print can be defined in two distinct ways:
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Industrial-Scale Print Industrial can mean any markets which have scaled up significantly beyond the small-scale technology we are used to seeing in the office and consumer sector, including communications print or ‘print media’ as the analogue print industry calls it, as well as the true ‘industrial’ markets defined under (2) below.
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Manufactured Products which are Printed Industrial more usually means a specific set of markets and applications for print and patterning of manufactured products like corrugated packaging, folding carton, wide format display graphics, flexible packaging, 3D objects (print-to-shape), architectural surfaces, ceramics, textiles, electronic circuits, creation of 3D rapid prototypes & custom parts to name some of the better known.
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Mostly people are interested in the specific industrial markets under (2) above, but it is important at least at first to consider (1) and its print communication or document printing markets as well because for one thing the new digital document/communications print markets are creating a new kind of user and value that is well-insured against the decline of print media, and for another thing, because they are technology platforms for the development of systems which are already being adapted to true industrial markets like packaging whose print specifications build on those of the document market.
DIGITAL PRINT’S INDUSTRIAL VALUE PROPOSITIONS Digital print in true industrial markets is not called on to do a better job of what analogue print already does. Analog print does a great job in terms of product quality and cost against a huge variety of specifications. But there are some things only digital can do well, and those are the building blocks of parallel and new markets in the industrial segment. This is a simplified table of what are already today perceived as unique digital print value propositions in the industrial segment and we have ranked them in descending order of importance according to our own user research in early industrial implementations: Cost Reduction • Reduces economic costs of analogue print at low-mid volumes Fast Response • Enables fast response as a competitive advantage for the print provider New Markets • Enables creation of entirely new markets and applications Custom Content • Generates custom content capability more efficiently matching to communication to differentiated users Gather Experience • Enables users to experiment and gather experience To give a couple of examples of what this can mean in real life, in the case of cost reduction, this has meant so much to the ceramics tile printing industry that they have already gone substantially towards full substitution of analog with digital systems. In their case this has to do with a very expensive and cumbersome imaging system in analog print, and one which required an integrated kiln line to be interrupted in its normal production rhythm. That can cause substantial damage to the line if not closely managed. Digital removed these issues at a stroke. Fast response in turn is a massive advantage to the fashion printed apparel industry where under normal conditions analog print can involve a six
Digital print vendors’ stake in industrial print
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HE digital print industry is supplied by less than 100 vendors globally, many of which are in Japan, with total revenues for systems, technology and imaging chemistry of something just north of $110B. They are very large investors in very costly hi-tech imaging science in basically two core technologies – Electrophotography (EP) (laser printing) and Inkjet, but by the same token they also make very handsome profits from the chemistry consumables they mostly quasi-captively sell to their customers after first selling the print system. These vendors all have a problem, however, and that is that they are all heavily invested in office and consumer markets which, while still very profitable, are mature and in decline. In fact more than 85% of their revenues fall into this classification. This is driving these mostly public companies to seek new and scalable markets with great urgency. In their search for new markets the digital vendors are evolving what they already do very naturally from ‘officescale’ to ‘industrial-scale’ communications or document print markets. They are also in some cases getting into the early development of true industrial print markets for ‘manufactured products which are printed’ with their own products. Beyond that they are providing technology directly and indirectly for third parties to develop on their own behalf into true industrial print systems – printheads, print engines and integration support. Those third parties can be independent system integrators who re-sell systems to the market based on technology the obtain from digital print technology vendors or their distributors, or else single companies developing systems for internal use (‘closed loop’ developers). Integrators sometimes also assist closed loop developers under contract. This is a schematic and simple quantification of the supply flow. PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 43 industrial print .17 | 43
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Display Graphics Transactional Print Books Print (No publication) Labels Flexible Packaging Folding Carton Corrugated Packaging Architectural Surface Direct to Garment R2R Textiles Ceramic Tiles Mfd Parts R2R Etcs Rapid prototyping Other incl med assay OEM Printheads Total
Digital Vendor dig 2014 dig 2020 Ananlog Final User Penetration Rate Penetration Rate Revenues User User Expenditures $M 2014 dig vs 2020 dig vs HW/Consumarables Expenditures Expenditures 2014 - retain for analog Users Xp analog Users Xp $M 2014 $M $M 2020 2914 1108 1180 4158 520 Min Min Min 250 220 380 1800 Min Min 130 1995 1080 15735
month lag between design presentation and arrival of saleable product at the retailer – and that in an industry where fashion is the driver and timely response is directly measured in higher prices and volumes. Digital production apparel print can bring that lag down to two weeks. 3D creation of manufactured objects using digital printing in its turn allows customized and small volume manufacturing of functional objects previously out of economic reach for the new users 3D printing is drawing in. That is nothing less than a new and potentially very large user group leveraging what are in effect new products. The same is true of the digital photo album which is unobtainable except via digital printing and which has in some ways supplanted the old 4x6 photo market, and at very high consumer pricing values. In a similar way display graphics available to the local retailer in minimal quantities is also a new product and market among people who did not buy graphics before – in this case a new market that grew to exceed $45B in retail revenues for print after only 20 years from scratch. But perhaps the biggest long-term value proposition for digital industrial printing is in the packaging sector. The ability over time for digital printing to provide custom content in the brand identity communications market, which is what packaging really is, is to bring the massive packaging conversion market into synchronization with increasingly fragmented demand patterns. While the packaging conversion industry worldwide has spent 30 years perfecting higher and higher integrated print/ 44 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
35000 41792 7000 500% 3000 4256 N/A N/A 3500 5253 72000 5% 12000 18009 250000 5% 1000 1340 46000 2% Min 565 90000 0% Min 460 75000 0% Min 903 85000 0% 250 335 3000 8% 1000 1265 10000 10% 3200 5078 350000 1% 14000 18761 80000 18% Min 250 25000 0% Min 300 20000 0% 200 395 1200 17% Min 200 1500 0% N/A 0 N/A N/A 73150 99161 1115700 7%
Period Growth Digital retails Revenue 2014-2020
597% N/A 7% 7% 3% 1% 1% 1% 11% 13% 1% 23% 1% 2% 33% 13% N/A 9%
19% 42% 50% 50% 34% N/A N/A N/A 34% 27% 59% 34% N/A N/A 97% N/A N/A 36%
manufacturing volumes at lower and lower costs, the pattern of demand has been going in the opposite fragmenting direction. The meaning of this for consumer goods brand owners is incalculable over the long term. That is actually going to take a long time for a variety of fundamental reasons relating to technology and supply chain bottlenecks, but it is the biggest industrial digital printing target of all, and will likely be its most profitable field.
“... But perhaps the biggest long-term value proposition for digital industrial printing is in the packaging sector. The ability over time for digital printing to provide custom content in the brand identity communications market, which is what packaging really is.”
MARKET SIZE & PROJECTION BY INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION We have split out digital revenues for hardware and chemistry by individual industrial applications, and we have also included 3 document ‘industrial-scale’ sectors. We have projected these forward to 2020. Additionally we have estimated revenues for print providers’ who use this digital technology derived from selling the printed output to final users. These print provider revenues also include revenues for conversion and manufacturing. Against that we have set our estimates of expenditures by final users in the same sectors for analog-printed output. That allowed us to compare digital final user revenues against analog final user revenues and derive a comparative share for digital. (See chart 1) We are in reality understating revenues for digital because we have no way of allocating accurately by application closed loop companies expenditures ($2.2B est.) and independent integrators’ revenues ($4.5B).
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True industrial markets are marked in red. It will be noticed that by enduser revenues digital print already has a 7% ‘penetration rate’ in 2014 rising to 9% by 2020, for an overall growth 2014-2020 of 36%. If we were to calculate the share digital has of area printed compared to analog the shares would be a lot lower – quite small in fact. That tells you that the pricing for digital output is high. That is because of course digital print is more expensive than analog, but above all it is because digital value propositions bear a high price among users because they offer very significant economic benefit of some kind beyond the simple print cost. This kind of pricing will inevitably suffer some degree of attrition as volumes go up and as digital print becomes mainstream next to the low-cost analog world, so therefore print costs themselves for print providers will have to be reduced. That does not however mean that digital print should or must follow the commoditization practices of many analog markets. Digital does offer the opportunity to re-cast the value and pricing model even over the long term.
DIGITAL ACCEPTANCE IN INDUSTRIAL MARKETS In many industrial markets it will be essenti al for digital print technology to gain the technical and economic acceptance of the existing analog-oriented market because where, as in all true industrial markets, the printed product is also manufactured, with print really being a stage of manufacturing, the print part will be technically and economically subordinated to the manufacturing part. In many cases – as in most packaging for example – that will mean the closest possible approach to an in-line system to fit with existing manufacturing plant. That in itself will be a tough goal to achieve. But it is worse than that. Experience says that the existing industry will start out by refusing anything that disturbs in any way the finely balanced mechanism that their present in-line print/manufacturing system represents. Essentially a refusal to compromise and experiment, let alone invest. That negative attitude fails to serve the brand owner customer of the packaging conversion industry as his fragmenting demand patterns get more and more out of sync. with packaging manufacturing economics. But the brand owner is in most cases not in a position to have any different expectation of the converting industry due to a lack of perspective on the potential of digital print. This all represents a Gordian knot of difficulty in getting digital’s foot into the packaging door. Similar situations pertain in other industrial markets. The situation is capable of remedy as the label market has shown. Basically it is a matter of time and resources in the big picture, and that tends to hand advantage to larger vendors. Again, we cite the label market as an early precursor of this development pattern. It is a market which has been nearly twenty years in the making and it is only in its early acceleration phase. This situation of channel block on top of the need for digital print technology to up its technical game for many industrial markets unavoidably will slow market development in the early years to a large extent. u
Digital print technology development status EP THE major available digital print technologies are Inkjet and EP. EP is mostly available in dry toner format, but HP Indigo is liquid format ‘Electroink’. Liquid EP is said to be and by many believed to be potentially faster and higher quality due to the technology’s capability to develop an ink film close in its characteristics to analog ink films.
Inkjet ON the Inkjet side most available Inkjet deploys aqueous inks with very high water content and low viscosity mostly dictated by head construction and design. There is some UV-curable Inkjet technology, but it has not been developed to the print quality levels of EP or aqueous Inkjet yet and is available from few sources. Inkjet in general is perceived correctly to be simpler than EP and more easily capable of deploying extended widths and attaining higher speeds (with the implications of lower costs). But given that most industrial markets are very new and capacity utilization of digital systems is minimal, that speed disadvantage of EP may take a while to assert itself.
Aqueous Inkjet THE most pressing issue for the perceived technology-of-the-future, as aqueous inkjet in particular might be described, is its ability to print at high speeds at high coverages (40%+) on closed-surface substrates like film and coated paper if it is to make serious progress in document and industrial markets. We could be looking at 4-5 years until the issue is behind us. This will not stop aqueous inkjet for industrial markets, but it will cause a slow level of adoption in any markets not using simple uncoated paper (which is where it is successful now on an industrial scale in books and transactional markets).
LANDA AN exciting but hard-to-assess alternative to EP and Inkjet is Nanotechnology from LANDA. Without getting into too much detail here, this technology is essentially a form of inkjet with highly specialized integration and chemistry which claims to be capable of mid-range speeds by analog standards and eliminates the water issues of Inkjet while still using aqueous inks. It is a kind of ‘ink lamination’ system and it is from Benny Landa, and anyone who wants to underestimate his capabilities to realize revolutionary change is taking a risk. If this technology works it could be a serious challenge to aqueous Inkjet. This is a quick comparison of average median specs for different technologies available today for industrial markets: PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17 | 45
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Cheers to Beijing
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ALAYSIA Printers Association members lead by Soo Song Ying had a fruitful visit to the 9th Beijing International Printing Technology Exhibition (China Print 2017) at the new China International Exhibition Center, Beijing China from the 9th May 2017. The members attended the official opening ceremony, Asia Pacific Day, Asia Print 2017 Meeting, factory visit, All-in-Print China 2018 Shanghai launch and International China Print 2017 gala dinner. Sansin International Group also hosted a grand reception dinner for the members. u
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Pack Print International 2017
All-encompassing packaging and printing event to showcase line-up tailored for the industry
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ETURNING for its 6th edition, PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL will present an impressive display of the best in machinery, technologies and solutions from the packaging and printing sectors. Modelled after the world’s leading trade exhibitions in their sectors – drupa and interpack, PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL is jointly organised by The Thai Packaging Association, The Thai Printing Association and Messe Düsseldorf Asia. This year, on show are 300 leading exhibitors from 20 countries, including national and country groups from Germany – organised by VDMA with approved funding from the Federal Republic of Germany, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Japan and for the first time, Singapore. The biennially-held specialist trade fair – quintessentially one that is curated by the industry, for the industry, continues to gain a foothold in the region as seen through the strong participation and representation – many of which are repeat exhibitors from the packaging and printing industry leaders that include: HEWLETT-PACKARD, KOENIG & BAUER GROUP (KBA), KONICA MINOLTA, DUPLO, BOBST, FERROSTAAL, FUJI XEROX, RISO, CYBER SM, BST ELTROMAT, BPS UNITED, PMC LABEL MATERIALS, KEYWELL INDUSTRIAL, ROTOMETRICS, KURZ, ZUND ASIA, NAKAYAMA CORPORATION, TSUKATANI, MBA INTERNATIONAL, HARN ENGINEERING, WAH HO PACKAGING, RICOH, THAI KK, SIAM TOPPAN, SCG PACKAGING and many more. Asian markets driving growth in global packaging, Asia’s expansive labels market Packaging is an essential everyday item in developed markets and this is progressively becoming the case in the emerging markets. The market for global packaging amounted to US$812 billion in 2014, and is forecast to grow at an annual rate of 3.5% to reach US$998 billion by 2020, largely driven by Asia, according to a recent Smithers Pira report – The Future of Global Packaging to 2020. Alongside these global packaging trends is the expansive labels market in Asia, a new study also from Smithers Pira – The Future of Printed Labels Market to 2019 – shows 48 l PrintPlus Aug-Sept.17
common print process in label production, although digital methods are growing rapidly, in tandem with efforts towards sustainability. Also, forming business-specific alliances, smaller countries in Asia have correspondingly become major players in this competitive region. The 10-member ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is an emerging market for label industry suppliers and converters to watch in the coming years, brought about by enhanced flow of goods, services, and investment capital. For the end use market, food and beverage continues to be the biggest category of labels, followed closely by personal care products and pharmaceuticals.
SPECIAL FOCUS: PACKAGING
20.-23. Sept.2017 Bangkok, Thailand www.pack-print.de
The market for global packaging amounted to US$812 billion in 2014, and is forecast to grow at an annual rate of 3.5% to reach US$998 billion by 2020, largely driven by Asia, according to a recent Smithers Pira report. the region is the largest regional producer of labels with its share expected to grow to more than 41% of the world’s value by 2019. Flexography leads the way as the most
On the back of these market trends, the industry-leading line-up at the 4-day staging of PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2017 will bring to life the synergistic correlation between pack and print, with an emphasis on packaging. One of which is the One Stop Pack & Print Pavilion, which will showcase 25 awardwinning and creative packaging solutions from Thailand covering the food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, electronics, cosmetics and personal care sectors and more, and serve as a targeted platform where innovative packaging designs, packaging end users, packaging producers, material suppliers and machine manufacturers, can come together to source and share best practices in navigating the dynamic packaging and printing ecosystem. Framing this setting would be a focus on Packaging and Printing 4.0 – where innovation and technological advancements bring new synergies and perspectives to packaging and print – as conveyed through the three pillars of package, packaging process for manufacturing and packaging production. On the other spectrum, label printing has been increasingly included in every aspect of packaging and printing, printing machines and post-press machines, and the labelling zone at PACK PRINT INTRENATIONAL 2017 will feature a dedicated showcase on label printing technology to reflect this industry shift. Exhibit range at the labelling zone will cover advanced end-use packaging applications including; food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, electronics, and extends to a wider spectrum of label printing, decoration, processing and technological applications. Geared up to be a one-stop converging platform for the industry and to have visitors make the most of their visit to PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL 2017, networking opportunities with some 15,000 new and potential suppliers, customers and business partners expected from around the world will be made more targeted with a complimentary business matching service, available to all pre-registered visitors. u
Ricoh’s new production printers, RICOH Pro C7100X series, offer a fifth colour station - clear or white toner. The addition of the fifth station expands the applocations portfolio and delivers unique outputs. With high print speeds of up to 90 page per minute, as well as enhanced Trained Customer Replaceable Unit (TCRU) and change toner on the fly, it maximizes uptime and pushes print productivity to a new level. Optimum print quality up to 1200 x 4800 dpi even on textured and transparent media up to 360gsm, opens up new business opportunities. Committed to pursuit of value-added print for our customers, we strive to bring you improved productivity, flexibility, quality and profitability.
RICOH (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD
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